Farewell dinner at the Hyatt Regency Osaka

We present the Texas flag to Governor Otani

Nice words and farewell from the Chair of the GSE Committee Yoshikawa-san

We join a choir and sing 'The Yellow Rose of Texas'

The GSE committee and Host families gather for a photo

Thank you Governor Otani for the gifts & Farewell song

We began the Farewell party with the United States National Anthem and Japan’s Kimigayo.

“Kimigayo wa.  Chiyoni yachiyoni. Sazare ishi no. Iwao to narite.  Kokeno musu made.”

We had a choir lesson the last week before the farewell dinner and sang songs with our host families and the Osakan GSE committee.  The farewell songs were  ”Sakura, Sakura”, “The Yellow Rose of Texas” and a song that Governor Otani translated.

“Keep our friendship well with out ceasing.  As long as lasting.  Dreaming the day of our future walking the load of hope.  Like flying birds in the sky on their wings.  Live up to freedom.  Say goodbye the day of just today until we meet again.  Cherish the joy of our fellowship…with mutual trust.  Say goodbye the day.  Of just today until we meet again.”

Thanks to the District 2660 of Osaka, Japan in hosting District 5870 of Austin, Texas, USA.  Thank you to the host families. Our Group exchange was meaningful and we learned a lot about Japanese customs and culture and most importantly Rotary International’s service above self.   Domo arigatou gozaimas!

Thanks to District 5870 and sponsoring clubs that made this Group Exchange Program possible.  Thanks to our friends in Texas Don Ray, Gaines, Tim, Teresa and Ricky, Kitta, our families and everyone that supported us along the way.

Douguya-suji and Houzenji temple

We do our last presentation in the Swiss Hotel at the joined meeting with Osaka South and Osaka Hommachi Rotary Club.

Exchange of banners with both RC's

The Rotary 4 way test

After the lunch Rotarian meeting, we visit Douguya-suji (Kitchen town) and have time to wander the small shops.  After shopping for an hour, we visit Houzenji temple. Houzenji temple is a Jodo Buddhist temple built in the 17th century and the main part was destroyed in World War II.  The Konpira Fodo and Mizukeke Fudo remain but is housed in a small temple area in the middle of restaurants, bars and shopping.  The Mizukeke Fudo is covered with moss and visitors pour water over this statue and pray.  Thanks to the Osaka South and Osaka Hommachi RC for hosting the cultural day.

National Bunraku theatre & Tsutenkaku tower and Shinsekai area

Outside the Bunraku theatre

The omo-zukai (head puppeteer) operates the doll’s head & face holding a stick and levers.

staged clogs or elevated clogs are used by the head puppeteer

It takes 3 puppeteers to bring each puppet to life and takes years of extensive training

Michelle and Kasey

we visit backstage before watching a Bunraku show

“Bunraku is a traditional puppet theatre of Japan which is accompanied by joruri music and the puppeteers are seen by the audience.  It takes 3 puppeteers to operate one puppet and are seen wearing all black.  On the audience’s right is a stage of chanters and shamisen players.  Instruments on the musician stage include flutes, stick and hand drums and bells that create wind, rain and flowing river.”  -(Japan Arts Council)

We walk through the Shinsekai area and some of us experience the clinic of moxibustion and acupuncture and Tsuntenkaku tower.

Thanks to Nishino-san and Osaka Evening RC for hosting us on our last cultural day. Thanks to Shinagawa-san for translating. Also, thanks to Osaka Abeno RC for hosting our last Kai-seki and afternoon in the Shinsekai area.

Osaka Yamamoto Noh Theater

We met at the Noh Theater in the morning. “Noh is a major form of classical Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. Many characters are masked, with men playing male and female roles By tradition, Noh actors and musicians never rehearse performances together….In this way, Noh exemplifies the traditional Japanese aesthetic of transience, called ‘ichi-go, ichi-e’.” (above excerpt from wikepedia)

Michelle

Michelle

On the stage, a pine tree is usually painted as the background wall.  The pine tree has special power and it is believed a deity to repose in the tree.  Commonly the Japanese decorate the pine tree in front of their house.  Performances are dedicated to deities first.  Pine trees represent longevity.  Bamboo trees are  a symbol of youth and is painted on the side wall of the stage.  Both trees symbolize that the young and old can enjoy together on the stage.  There are 3 trees represented.  The 3rd is the Plum tree.  The plum tree is found in the performer. The performance is the blossom and where the plum tree resides.  Flowers and blossoms are an intangible expression and you never see the exact same flower over again.  So each of the performances are one of a kind.  The actor and musicians don’t tune their voice and instruments. The language is usually not understood but the drama can be interpreted by the tone of vocals, music, costume and masks used. Instruments are usually handed down in a family and are around 200-300 years old. There has been no identical performances for about 600 years.  Another interesting note is that the masks used are cherished.  The performers bow to the mask before they put them on because it is believed that each object has a soul. Through appreciation of the past performers that wore the mask they will take care and cherish the object.  Only the main character and side character wear the masks. The kimonos are made of silk and have different colors and patterns that have meaning. The hair pieces are made from horse hair.  So with the tradition of the Noh, a family crest, instruments, masks, costumes are passed down from generation to generation and each performance is unique. Thanks to the Osaka RC and Dojima RC for hosting the Vocation day.

Mount Koyasan World Heritage

2.5 hour bus ride to Mount Koyasan World Heritage

We walk  the paths through tall Japanese cedar trees with views of moss covered stones.

“The sacred mountain of Koyasan, located in beautiful forested hills 50km south of Osaka in Wakayama Prefecture, is a major pilgrimage site for followers of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. It is more than 800m above sea level.   Founded in the 9th century by Kobo Daishi and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.”  (excerpt from Japan Travel).

Thank you to the New-Osaka RC for hosting us on the Mt. Koyasan day trip.

Path to the main Temple

walking through a cemetery leading to the Temple

Having green tea with a monk hosting us at Mt. Koyasan

Systematized Goodwill Guides

Thank you to Osaka Rotary GSE comittee for providing the goodwill guides in Osaka, Japan and helping make our GSE trip easier by coming along our vocation study days interpreting Japanese and providing us with extra culture notes.

‘The Osaka Systematized Good-will Guides Club was founded in 1982 by a volunteer group of enthusiastic Good-Will Guides officially registered at the Japan National Tourism Organization. They have about 70 members as of April 2009.  They aim to make international visitors and residents feel comfortable while in Japan by minimizing their language and cultural problems. They work closely withe Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture in making Osaka a visitor-friendly city.’  (excerpt from the SGG for more information visit      http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~osakasgg/   ).

A typical vocation day we were provided someone from this organization.  Usually someone that is a retired and fluent in many languages.   Thanks SGG and all the Rotarians on our trip that spoke English for making our trip meaningful and less lost in translation……

Haga-san on a vocation day interpreting for us.

Michelle and Haga-san

Osaka Temmangu Shrine & Kansai Electric Power Company

Osaka-Oyoda Rotary Club

Osaka Temmangu Shrine visit hosted by the Osaka-Oyodo Rotary Club.

We sat in on Gagaku.  ‘Gagaku in Japan covers the whole of its most ancient, classical music and dances, perfected generally in the 10th century…..It used to be performed mainly at the Imperial court in aristocratic society and at important shrines and temples.’

The Osaka-East Rotary club host our visit to the Sakai power plant of Kansai Electric Power Company.

Mayer of Osaka & Iai-do Japanese Kubudo

We took a short tour of Osaka-City Hall and a personal visit with the Mayer of Osaka and his staff.  The Mayor gave us a gold coin and gifts from Osaka.  This day was hosted by the Osaka-Northwest Rotary club.

In the afternoon we were hosted by the Osaka-Yodogawa Rotary club and saw Iai-do Japanese Kobudo.  Iai is a technique of swordsmanship that includes the skill of cutting one’s adversary on the draw….believed to have veen founded by Hayashizaki Jinsuke Shigenobu 1542…..when attacked, iai involves drawing, parrying and riposte with a lethal blow through the shoulder and spine…..The samurai trained himself to attack or parry a blow and riposte against a single opponent or several opponents while seated, standing, or walking.’

Iai-do hosted by Osaka-Yodogawa Rotary Club

Himeji castle, Engyoji Temple at mount Shosha, Hiroshima & Miyajima

Himeji Castle

Kokoen (Japanese Garden) @ Himeji Castle

Gondola up to Engyogi Temple

20 minute walk up to Engyoji Temple

overnight Temple stay

Morning meditation

The movie “the Last Samurai” was filmed at Engyoji Temple.  We stayed overnight here and slept on tatami mats.  Although the temple seemed isolated we had all the amenities of a hotel in a temple.  The next morning we sat in on a monk doing his preliminary meditation prayers and then he taught us the fundamentals of meditation such as posture and focus.  We attempted a meditation for 20 minutes. There was an option of being hit with a wooden paddle on the shoulder 3 times on each side by the monk to help focus during the meditation.  The closing meditation teaching was to let go of the past and the future and to remain present.

Walking down from Engyoji Temple

Miyajima

Miyajima or the ‘island of the gods’.  We take a 10 minute ferry ride from Hiroshima and stay overnight here. The next day we visit Itsukushima Shrine that was built in 593 and walk through the narrow streets of shops before we leave.

Visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial museum…. “War is the work of man.  War is the destruction of human life.  War is death.  To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future.  To remember Hiroshima is to abhor nuclear war.  To remember Hiroshima is to commit oneself to peace.”  -Pope John Paul II when he came to visit the site in 1981.

On 815AM August 6, 1945 the 1st atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.  The museum showed the destruction in objects, words, and pictures.  A small scale model illustrated where the a-bomb hit in Hiroshima and the remaining structure that still stood.  The Gembaku dome still stands outside to remind future generations of the destruction.

Asahi Brewery & Arima hot Springs resort

Group activity with the Suita Rotary Club visiting Asahi breweries, Ltd.   We saw the process of how the beer is made and packaged. “Asahi Breweries seeks to conserve the environment though 3 core approaches:  Saving energy, controlling greenhouse gases and reducing water usage…. There is a commitment to zero emissions brewery.  The waste material and by-products originating from the production lines at the breweries all become new raw materials.  The main by-product of Asahi’s production processes, malt-feed, is reused mostly as cow feed.”

Asahi brewery

Tasting at the Asahi brewery

Asahi visit with the Suita Rotary club

Ibaraki East Rotary Club

Sakura outside Arima hot springs resort hotel