Biwa Lake Study Trip

My bowl with two Kodama (tree spirit) faces.

Friday all the international students went to a study trip to Japan's largest lake (Biwa Ko) Friday where we did traditional pottery, rode small boats on the canals, ate a traditional meal, and toured the city with a tour guide.

The experience was grand, especially the pottery making. It was so much fun to play with clay and make something. Plus I had been trying to find clay for a few weeks prior. 

A look back on our house boat ride in the canals of Omihachiman.

Omihachiman  canal view by house boat.

It's almost as if the teacher's were reading my mind about wanting to play with clay and go to Biwa Ko (even though they had been doing that trip every year for the students).

A Omihachiman shrine on the canal, view seen by house boat.

It was really nice to go out with the other ryuugakusei (international students) and just have fun getting our hands dirty with clay, riding the neat boats on the gorgeous canals and such.

Plus the weather was amazing, real fall weather, but nice and sunny perfect for a house boat ride and walking around town together.

In Hachiman, seasonal art.

There is one thing I would inform possible students coming to Japan about. 

Traditional foods at Akindo no sato with seasonal vegetables, soup, rice, fish, and pickled foods.

Often I have been mistaken in my assumptions when Japanese people tell me we are to have a party, or an event and I assume it is more like free-time since in America and other countries too, when we say a party it usually means unstructured or lightly structured free time to talk with whom you want and basically relax with friends. 

Traditional streets in Hachiman.

Typically when I think I am going to a party, even a school party done by the school I think of people just getting together, having fun eating, talking, and relaxing.


However several times I have had this assumption shattered. It is often a different style here and it's very structured.

Typically the Japanese school related events (at least here) are highly organized and scheduled, meaning it's not really about free-time, or doing whatever you want and wandering around to talk with random people on a whim, and there is a set schedule of events.

There isn't anything wrong with this, however it was something that keeps catching me off guard when I least expect it. It happened again when I went to Biwa Ko on the class trip.

A unique view from Hachiman.

When we did each thing we had a schedule and that was normal, but when my pamphlet that described our trip said we would be walking around Hachiman (the town's name), I assumed we would all just have free-time to wander around as we pleased and then meet up at a certain time.

Temple in Hachimanbori.

This was not how it was though, we had a tour guide and we had to stay in our group and go where they directed us.

 We also had a tour guide on the bus on the loud speaker which was really unexpected for me and to be honest I really just wanted to quietly watch the scenery or talk with friends on and off.

 But I could see how some people may enjoy being told about the various landmarks as we pass by them.

Street in Hachiman.

I'm not usually one to be be put off by cultural differences but this is one thing I have a really hard time dealing with lately. 

Near the entrance of Hachiman Temple.

When I think I am going to an event and that it will be unstructured or lightly structured with lots or freedom, and then I find it actually isn't like that, I have a really hard time and I feel caged in and panicky, and then grumpy as a result.

Hachiman city bridge.

Other people though don't have an issue with instances like this but if you're like me then at least you have a heads up now, something I would have liked for myself. 

But I absolutely had a lot of fun on the class trip and think everyone else did too!

A view from the bus on the way home between Shiga and Nara prefectures.

After we toured parts of the town we were all pretty worn out and headed back for our hour and a half (or more) bus ride back to the school full of memories.

Thanks to Bogisan, I have a photo in the middle of talking.

Interesting building as we left Omihachiman.