Adventures in Bathing

[the_priculici]

So I had Kendo again yesterday, durring which I got a number of bruises and blisters. Been working on an exceptionally difficult technique with them. It's probably going to take all semester for me to get it right, but it's a great move that allows a person to rush forward with incredible speed while appearing to the oponent to have never taken a step. Anyway, afterwards I went home and complained about my aches and pains, so my host father decided that we should go to an Onsen. For those of you who don't know, an Onsen is a Japanese style, public bath house. It was really a lot of fun. Durring the course of the visit I took 3 showers and 5 baths, so I've never felt cleaner in my life. It also did a lot of good for my muscles, which feel much better today than they did the day after my last Kendo practice. No one is embarassed and everyone pretty much goes about their own bussiness, so the awkwardness I thought would exist was easy to get over. They have one bath area that is just covered by a permeable tarp, thus the cold fall winds that Hokkaido is well known for sweep through. After the Sauna my host father took me out there. The cold air hits you like a truck, but is very refreshing. All in all, I'd say yesterday was a great success. Also, I don't know what this medicine I've been using for my blisters is, but it stings like hell when I use it and the blisters are almost healed already. Wild, huh?

My host mother is out for a few days, so I get to spend the next couple of days eating random junk food with my father. There goes the five kilograms I've lost since coming here... But I'm going to Kelli's for sukiyaki on friday! (EXTREME HAPPINESS) Anyone who has a chance to come to Japan needs to try sukiyaki, it is the greatest food ever invented. That's all for now.