Comments on: Sports Day http://www.adekun.com/blog/sports-day Enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of first-time parenthood. Progress on the organic vegetable garden and other ramblings of a gaijin in Japan's least populous prefecture. Sat, 10 Jan 2009 01:20:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: adekun http://www.adekun.com/blog/sports-day/comment-page-1#comment-756 adekun Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:06:33 +0000 http://www.adekun.com/?p=643#comment-756 A fair point. I'm not for <em>giri</em>. We had a good, and perhaps easier time. I'm glad we went. The idea of obligation and expectation doesn't appeal, nor does the point at the foreigner and say jouzu jouzu. This past weekend the drains got cleaned and the streets weeded; tetsudai? A fair point. I’m not for giri. We had a good, and perhaps easier time. I’m glad we went. The idea of obligation and expectation doesn’t appeal, nor does the point at the foreigner and say jouzu jouzu.
This past weekend the drains got cleaned and the streets weeded; tetsudai?

]]> By: James http://www.adekun.com/blog/sports-day/comment-page-1#comment-754 James Tue, 07 Oct 2008 11:09:21 +0000 http://www.adekun.com/?p=643#comment-754 We just had our local undokai in Kishimoto and my wife went to participate in the tug-of-war as the representative of our household. She was happy to lose and be able to come home early. Apparently, if noone in the household participates, the neighbors will then give you the cold shoulder. I wouldn't exactly call that community spirit, more like semi-enforced participation through peer pressure. If people are up for it, cool, but there isn't enough allowance made (in terms of what is socially acceptable behavior) for those who don't want to participate. This applies to many areas of life in Japan. For my own part, I would rather work with my neighbors on some local task. The idea of playing with them doesn't appeal to me at all and I can't ever see myself participating in an undokai. We just had our local undokai in Kishimoto and my wife went to participate in the tug-of-war as the representative of our household. She was happy to lose and be able to come home early. Apparently, if noone in the household participates, the neighbors will then give you the cold shoulder. I wouldn’t exactly call that community spirit, more like semi-enforced participation through peer pressure. If people are up for it, cool, but there isn’t enough allowance made (in terms of what is socially acceptable behavior) for those who don’t want to participate.

This applies to many areas of life in Japan.

For my own part, I would rather work with my neighbors on some local task. The idea of playing with them doesn’t appeal to me at all and I can’t ever see myself participating in an undokai.

]]> By: adekun http://www.adekun.com/blog/sports-day/comment-page-1#comment-753 adekun Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:17:33 +0000 http://www.adekun.com/?p=643#comment-753 I suppose undokai is one of the reasons I chose to move out here; the community spirit. Although it is an adventure it is also a good test of resolve and a struggle. It is far from easy and do sometimes question why I left the UK. It has changed my perspective, a feel I have gained a lot despite losing out on so many things I took for granted. Your mention of the Japanese school explains a few things. I suppose undokai is one of the reasons I chose to move out here; the community spirit. Although it is an adventure it is also a good test of resolve and a struggle. It is far from easy and do sometimes question why I left the UK.
It has changed my perspective, a feel I have gained a lot despite losing out on so many things I took for granted.
Your mention of the Japanese school explains a few things.

]]> By: Denise http://www.adekun.com/blog/sports-day/comment-page-1#comment-747 Denise Thu, 02 Oct 2008 21:01:28 +0000 http://www.adekun.com/?p=643#comment-747 How fun! Is this Undokai? I remember participating in that when I went to Japanese school (here in the States). Adrian, your blog is such a neat place to pop in to. I took a look back at your previous posts, and I loved the very first one. It had such a sense of adventure. (Did you leave the UK?) I picture you leaving Europe, and an office job, to be a gardener/explorer in Japan. :o) How fun! Is this Undokai? I remember participating in that when I went to Japanese school (here in the States). Adrian, your blog is such a neat place to pop in to.

I took a look back at your previous posts, and I loved the very first one. It had such a sense of adventure. (Did you leave the UK?) I picture you leaving Europe, and an office job, to be a gardener/explorer in Japan. :o)

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