Whee! Last day in Niihama!
My last week here in Shikoku has been busy but also lots of fun. While packing up and getting ready to move out of my apartment (oh my God, I have too much stuff, and I want to buy more in Tokyo, but I have NO idea how I'll fit it into my bulging suitcase!) I went to Awa Odori, a festival in Tokushima, with friends, and also to the company goodbye party for me in Saijo. On all days, I had to go in to work in the morning, but once I was done with whatever I needed to do for the day, I was dismissed to go clean my apartment, sell the stuff I didn't need, etc. And usually that meant going out to eat or going shopping or hanging out with friends, because I didn't have much more to do that I could do a week in advance. Why clean the apartment now when it'll just get dirty again by the day I have to leave? I thought, so I just relaxed for a while instead. I also played a lot of Japanese FF7. It's harder than I remember, or else the Japanese version is harder, I don't know, but I was having fun seeing how things got translated into English the way they did.
So, in order, before we went to the festival on Sunday, we also visited Naruto (the town, not the ninja. XD) to see the famous whirlpools there. We went around 4, 4:30, high tide, when the whirlpools were supposed to be best visible. It wasn't quite like I expected, because whenever I think of whirlpools, I think of the cartoony or video-game-y types that stay in one place and just swirl around forever, but this was more like the water was churning about in big curliques that would sometimes swirl into a little whirlpool for a few seconds before dissipating. So, it wasn't quite as dramatic as I had thought, but it was still very beautiful. We were walking through a passageway under a big bridge to see this, and in several places in the floor there were clear panels so you could see down to the water below and take pictures with the whirlpools without ever getting even close to them. We could also see boats going out through the water and further mixing things up. I bet that's an exciting ride, but I don't envy the drivers. Apparently the current of the water is the fastest in Japan, and the fourth fastest in the world.
Also, totally unfair that I didn't know about this before going, if it's true. According to Wikipedia, "In honor of the Naruto manga selling over 100 million volumes, the city of Naruto, Japan will begin selling 100 million Yen worth of Naruto themed currency. This special money will be redeemable at around 250 shops in the city of Naruto and will be accepted until the end of the year 2010." Considering how I see Naruto and One Piece merchandise EVERYWHERE, and I am now the proud owner of a Konata-shaped flash drive, I wouldn't doubt that even Japanese currency could have character images on them. Too cool, in a ridiculously nerdy way.
Anyway, in an hour or so, we went on to Awa Odori. I'm not sure how it started out or what its original purpose is, but now it's a parade with dancing and live, traditional music (flutes, drums, shamisen). Unlike Kochi Yosakoi, it's the same song, and while each team of dancers has different colors and patterns on their clothes, the outfits themselves are pretty standard. The women wear these awesome hats, that I bet are hard to see in, but man, would I have liked to try one on. XD (Google image it or check out my facebook pics!) The dance is supposed to look like that of a drunk man on payday, and the men in particular get really into it, dancing and running around... it was really entertaining! If I hadn't been so busy taking pictures and video, I would have danced a bit myself. XD
So that was cool. Awa Odori is another one of those really famous Shikoku things, so I'm glad I got to see it.
Then, on Tuesday evening I had my goodbye party with Ichimiya at the Asahi Beer Garden in Saijo. I was told to dress up, so I did, in a bodyline outfit I'm starting to call my saloon girl outfit, because it has a frilled skirt and a really puffy sleeve, plus a cameo pin. It looks old-fashioned Lolita, but also sassy. There's a small choker and a tie-on hat that goes with it, and I wore my green wig as well. The hat kept coming off, even with bobby pins to try to secure it onto the wig, but otherwise, everything went well, and everyone seemed to like it, once they got over the original shock, of course! XD They knew I was going to dress up, but they had no idea what I was going to wear, and apparently a lot of people thought I'd actually cut and dyed my own hair!! It's like, "Uhh, I don't think that would go over very well when I go see the company president tomorrow morning, guys..." So, yeah, that was a lot of fun. And even if someone asked something silly, or said something that normally would've made me uncomfortable, there, in that outfit, at that time, I knew I was hot, and I was comfortable, and nothing could hurt me. I felt confident and invincible. To think how much better I could have handled everything I had to do this year if only I could have worn clothes that suited me better! Anyway... we had yaki niku, and it was delicious, and though it is a beer garden, I had red wine, and I'm glad they had it because I feel it's such a waste to have to force myself to drink alcohol I don't like just to avoid being made fun of. In the middle, I had to go talk to everyone, but Fujita-san was there to help me, because I could barely hear what people were saying over the noise. And then I got presents! I got this really pretty traditional Japanese hair decoration, the type with the huge bunch of flowers and then a few more blossoms dangling down from it. And then they gave me one of those digital picture viewer thingies. I don't think I'd have much use for it in my dorm, a frame with constantly changing pictures in my bedroom would probably be a little too distracting, but I'm sure someone in my family will find a good place for it at home. After a final speech in English from one of my former bosses, we took a few last group photos, and that was it.
Today was my last day at Kaihatsu, so it was mostly about paying final bills for my apartment, sending my suitcase ahead to Tokyo, and having my last Japanese lesson. I led the morning ceremony, and gave final greetings to each department in the building. I was nervous, but it all went smoothly. I am now just waiting around at my apartment to be picked up for dinner in a few hours, and then I'll be off to Tokyo at last! Same time tomorrow, I'll hopefully be shopping in Harajuku or Shinjuku, waiting for my family to arrive.
I can't believe I made it, you guys! <3