Sunday, October 11, 2009-

In some ways this morning felt like every other Sunday morning back home. I was up around 9 because my parents were hosting all of the Sato family to Nakagawa in order to honor their ancestors. Everyone dressed in black and crowded into the cars as we made our way into the Nakagawa countryside. Graveyards here come in two varieties, 1) the ones at the temple, which I think is the most common choice, and 2) Small, random plots fenced off by stone bricks at random points throughout the rice fields and forest hills. The Sato’s plot is literally just a 10 by 10 space where the trees meet the plain looking East toward the river. They placed incense and fresh flowers on the grave and gave a blessing to those who had passed on. Meanwhile 6-year-old Riho spent most of the time poking a frog with a stick. We quickly moved onto the temple another 10 minutes away. There yet more people joined us, making a group of about 20 or so people. The priest at the temple welcomed everyone in and we ate sweets and drank tea until he ushered us into the main “worshipping room.”

I chose a seat at the back next to Riho and Saki. It was a very different type of service from what I’m used to. Again Riho spent most of the time making hand puppets. The priest chanted almost the entire time and each family member went up to the front in order to pray again. They offered for me to go up but I explained that it was against Christianity to worship other idols. Afterwards they started asking me about church and what a usual Sunday morning is like for me. They knew next to nothing about the topic, but then again before today I knew almost nothing about theirs either. So while some may worry that I went against my faith today, I consider it more of a cultural experience than I spiritual one. I in no ways now believe what my host family does, but at least now I understand where they’re coming from.

Afterwards we spent the afternoon eating a delicious sushi lunch. I was introduced to the family and nearly everyone wanted to shake my hand or start up a conversation of some kind. I wish I could carry on more elaborate conversations than such simple topics as my school schedule and my favorite foods…oh well, it will come right? PS Riho spent this time collecting all of the bottle caps from the tables.

Saki and Riho and I played for most of the afternoon. Some highlights include smashing a chestnut with a hammer, learning each of our blood pressures using Papa Sato’s machine (mine’s 127/67 by the way, is that good or bad??) and peeling a whole bowl of tangerines.

But really, how do kids have that much energy?? I could use a little more right now. I think I need to crash, full weekend and to make things better tomorrow is a national holiday. No school! PS. For those who are counting, I just entered my 50^th page on my Word document. Size 14 Bradley Hand ITC TT-Bold, SINGLE SPACED…I can’t imagine how long this is going to be once the year is up = )

At Right: 1st grader, Ri-chan is drawing me a picture of flowers while her mom, Yuki, looks on

PS Yes, they did have matching dresses!