Wish upon a star at Tanabata

笹の葉　さらさら
Sasa no ha sara-sara
軒端にゆれる
Nokiba ni yureru
お星様　キラキラ
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
金銀砂子
Kingin sunago


The bamboo leaves rustle, rustle,
Shaking away in the eaves.
The stars go twinkle, twinkle;
Gold and silver grains of sand.

(Traditional Tanabata song)

Today is the Tanabata day.
What is Tanabata?
Tanabata, “the night of the seventh”, is a holiday usually celebrated on July 7th every year. It has roots in the Chinese Qi Xi festival, but has a unique character in Japanese culture. It is primarily celebrated at night time when the stars are in view. Many local areas held the festivals in parks around July 7th, and there is often a call for people to turn off their lights in the evening so that the stars, Vega and Altair, will be more easily visible.

The hanging wish papers on the bamboo branch. Hirose-kun took the branch from somewhere.

As many festivals around the world, Tanabata also have several folk tales behind the festival. The most famous folklore originated from Chinese legend about love story between Niulang (Altair) the cow herder and Zhinu (Vega) the beautiful fairy. If you ever heard the legend of Jaka Tarub and Seven Goddess you will find similarities between them including the plot of Niulang steal the fairy’s clothes. You can find their tragic love story in another site if you want. This story give several cultural impact to China and even influence Japan, Korea and Vietnam's culture with their own story version. The Chinese legend was passed to Japan during the feudal period and combined with traditional local customs to become an official event at the Imperial Court. Soon, commoners began observing this festival with different localities developing their own distinctive ways of celebrating. Niulang’s Japanese version was called Hikoboshi (cow herder star) and Zhinu version as Orihime (weaving princess).

The original Tanabata date was based on the Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is about a month behind the Gregorian calendar. As a result, some festivals are held on July 7, some are held on a few days around August 7, while the others are still held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the traditional Japanese lunisolar calendar, which is usually in August in the gregorian calendar.

Hirose-kun hanging the wish paper to the bamboo branch

Recently in Japan, people celebrate Tanabata by writing wishes or sometimes with poems on a small piece of paper and hanging or tied them on bamboo branch with some other decoration. To ensure secrecy, the bamboo is placed into a nearby river or burned after the festival ends. Originally, these wishes were meant to be for increased abilities or talents, but today can be any wish deeply desired.

The Tanabata Festival is celebrated throughout Japan with a variety of carnivals and customs. Many regions hold decoration competitions or parades, and some even have beauty pageants to crown a Miss Tanabata. Special decorations like paper kimono and cranes are hung to ask for specific blessings such as long life or good business. Colorful paper streamers decorate the streets in honor of the strips of cloth used by the weaver of the legend.

We also celebrate Tanabata in our laboratory by write our wish on a small piece of paper and hanging it on a bamboo branch. Takero write a wish if he can take a cute cat as his pet. Dai-chan wish a peace world without violence (hehehe... seriously???), The others wish to get a good job after graduate from university, since the economy crisis hit Japan and make it harder to get. I just wish for good health and wealth in my life, a wish to the supreme God, not to the star.

Happy Birthday to my Mom

Dedicated for my mother

Haha means mother, a kanji (chinese character) written on pond-side in our campus

It’s not a common thing that your acquaintances have their birthdays in one day. But today 5 of my acquaintances born in the same date according to Gregorian calendar, that is 10th June. One of them is my mother who lives in Indonesia. Another four are my second supervisor Prof. Wakiya, our lab Associate Professor Dr. Sakamoto and two undergraduate students who did their research in our lab. Kisena-chan and Fukamachi-kun.

(from left) The birthday cakes for Prof. Wakiya, Dr. Sakamoto and Kisane-chan


Make a wish (or maybe more)

We made a small celebration party for them with four small and cute birthday cakes which bought collectively by us in this afternoon. During the party, suddenly I remember with my mother in Indonesia. How is she? Is she well being? Is she celebrating her birthday in Indonesia? I rarely call my mother, but this time I will spare my time to call her even just to say congratulation for her 55th anniversary. I love you mom. Happy birthday and wish you well and healthy in there.

Kubo-kun and Imai-kun are cutting the birthday cakes

The 18th Yamaha’s Hamamatsu Jazz Week and My Musical Taste

Yamaha music has known as one of leading musical instrument manufacturer around the world and as one of the biggest electronic manufacturer in Hamamatsu city, Yamaha hold an anniversary Jazz event in Hamamatsu that named Hamamatsu Jazz Week.

The Jazz performance has carry out in Hamamatsu city for 1 week in several stages including street stage like Zaza city and in front of Hamamatsu station’s north gate (gratis), at restaurant’s stage and Hamamatsu Act City’s concert hall (with ticket). Except Jazz performance, there are also Jazz coach clinic that invite several jazz professional artists. This year, the 18th Hamamatsu Jazz Week was held in 23rd – 31st May, 2009.

I grew up with influence of my father’s musical taste. He also introduced me and my younger brother how to play guitar and keyboard. My father was a small timer musician in our hometown Tanjung Pandan, Belitung by playing bass and mainly keyboard with his band Setia Nada (then later Billitonite 5). During my father's younger day when he was still living in Jogjakarta, he often to listen to Rock musician legend like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, etc and also Jazz performer like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong until Chick Correa and Al Jarreau. Contradicted to me, cause I spent all my childhood days in a small island. My only musical resources was my parent's cassette collection. That's why I frequently listen to my mother’s Bee Gees and another Indonesian old song cassettes until I have no other cassette choice than my father’s collection.

P-pro band

At the first, I took Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple during my junior high school days and I love it at once. During that day, Guns and Roses and Bon Jovi became my friend’s rock band favorite and also Boys Band as well. Well…. I like some of them either, but nothing compared to Jimmy Page, Jon Lord, Freddy Mercury and their compatriot. Then, when I was in senior high school days I start to listen to my father’s Jazz collections. First time, it just like a lot of noise sounds in my ear especially the mainstream jazz standard. I wonder why my father loves them so much, even his friends who live in Jakarta sent him a lot of Jazz cassettes when he knew that my father likes Jazz a lot (like himself). Curiosity.... maybe that was the point. Gradually, my ear start to receive Fusion Jazz, Big Band and Latin Jazz that easier to listen. Now, I can even enjoy the Jazz mainstream genre. Off course, sometimes my friend saw me just like a strange boy who enjoy Jazz than another popular genre. When I was studying in university, my classmates sometimes ask me why I prefer the old crack rockers and Jazz. You know my answer.

Violet Brass Band

Fujimori Trio and Suzuki Mami

Back to the main topic, Hamamatsu Jazz Week. During my part-time job, there are some Jazz live performances like Big Band, quartet and trio jazz group in the restaurant that I work as waiter. But because I have to focus on my job, I couldn’t even enjoy their music. I couldn’t leave my experiment in my lab and part-time job, but luckily I got free time at this Sunday weekend at the end of Jazz Week day. So I went to the last performance that held at 2 different places. First, I went to concert hall in Act City building but a lady asked me the entrance ticket (3.000 ~ 8.000 yen) that I didn’t have. So, I went to the other stage at the north gate of train station. It was free, it was gratis! I spent my time enjoying Jazz from 12:00 until 5:00. There were 5 performers in that day and I saw full performance from 4 of them, not bad.

Malunya ikut tes memperoleh SIM di Jepang

Sengaja kali ini aku membuat tulisan dengan bahasa Indonesia karena agak malu juga diriku bercerita tentang keburukan administrasi di negara sendiri.

Tanggal 18 Mei 2009 minggu lalu, aku pergi ke Menkyo Senta (kantor satlantas Jepang) untuk mengajukan permintaan penukaran unten menkyo (surat ijin mengemudi alias SIM) mobil dari SIM Indonesia menjadi SIM Jepang. Sebenarnya SIM Internasional dari beberapa negara diakui oleh satlantas Jepang, tetapi sayangnya SIM internasional dari Indonesia termasuk diantara SIM internasional yang tidak diakui, sehingga bagi pemilik SIM luar Jepang (tapi tak diakui) yang ingin mengendarai mobil/motor > 50cc mau tidak mau harus tukar SIM menjadi SIM Jepang. Bagi yang ingin tahu lebih jauh tentang pengalaman sulitnya memperoleh SIM di Jepang boleh membaca cerita mas Iwan diblog bawah ini:
Susahnya nyari SIM di Jepang

Tes bagi orang asing yang ingin menukar SIM meliputi 4 tahap yaitu wawancara, tes kesehatan (mata dan buta warna), tes tulis peraturan lalu lintas dan tes praktek. Tadinya tahap tes yang paling kukhawatirkan adalah tes praktek menyetir mobil yang kudengar dari pengalaman beberapa kenalan cukup sulit untuk langsung lulus sekali praktek. Ternyata aku malah langsung mendapatkan cobaan diawal yaitu pada saat wawancara.

Karena aku sudah memperoleh SIM motor gentsuki (baca tulisanku disini), petugas pewawancara meminta SIM motor Jepang plus SIM C (untuk motor dari Indonesia) asli untuk menyertai SIM A yang sudah kuserahkan sebelumnya. Disinilah letak permasalahannya dimulai. Dua SIM yang kumiliki ternyata menyimpan masalah yang sangat serius jika anda berada di Jepang. Silahkan bandingkan SIM A dan SIM C milikku dibawah ini:

Coba perhatikan data yang ditunjukkan dengan panah merah! Orang yang memiliki nama sama, alamat sama, foto sama, sidik jari sama, tanda tangan sama, diambil pada hari yang sama, dikantor satlantas yang sama, dengan cap dan tanda tangan Dirlantas yang sama, tapi ada dua data remeh yang berbeda dan membuat curiga polisi Jepang.
Data pada SIM A
Tinggi: 173 cm
Pekerjaan: Swasta

Data pada SIM C
Tinggi: 165 cm
Pekerjaan: Pelajar/Mahasiswa

Kalau anda polisi Jepang dan bertugas sebagai pewawancara bagi pemohon SIM Jepang, apakah tanggapan anda? Menganggap pemohon sebagai penipu? Menganggap negara asal si pemohon nggak benar ngurus administrasi? Atau menganggap satlantas negara si pemohon tukang kibul? Setengah bercanda (atau mengejek) beliau bertanya bagaimana cara tinggi badanku bisa bertambah 8 sentimeter dalam waktu satu hari. Hahahaha....

Untungnya walaupun si petugas galak dan aku habis diomelin sampai malu nggak bisa ngomong, dia tetap saja mengijinkan aku ikut tes tulis. Tetapi sebelum itu, aku tetap diwawancara secara detail tentang proses aku mengambil SIM di Indonesia dari cara daftar, ujian tulisnya berapa soal, bahan ujian tulis, hingga tes praktek. Untungnya aku pernah ikut ujian yang sebenarnya sampai tak lulus beberapa kali sebelum akhirnya terpaksa nembak..... uppssss....

Setelah diwawancara, aku ikut ujian tulis dan berhasil lolos untuk mengikuti ujian praktek mengendarai mobil. Ada 4 rute yang tersedia dan aku memperoleh bagian ujian di rute nomor 4. Sayangnya di ujian praktek aku harus mengakui kalau aku gagal. 3 orang yang ikut tes hari itu (2 orang lainnya adalah orang Brazil yang ikut sekolah menyetir) semuanya gagal dan diharuskan mengkuti ujian praktek lagi minggu yang akan datang. Sebelum dibubarkan, si petugas galak itu kembali menguliahi kami kembali tentang betapa menyetir mobil di Jepang sama saja dengan mempertaruhkan nyawa diri sendiri dan juga nyawa orang lain. Karena itu sebelum mengikuti ujian praktek diminggu yang akan datang, beliau menekankan agar kami belajar peraturan negara Jepang dalam berkendara di jalan. Toh kalau gagal lagi, yang rugi waktu dan uang adalah kami sendiri.

Hamamatsu Matsuri

I won’t write a lot in this posting, just upload some pictures that I took from central Hamamatsu to show you about Hamamatsu Matsuri (まつりor Festival). Actually the main event in Hamamatsu Matsuri is the three days kite festival (3rd, 4th and 5th May) where every 町 (Chou/Machi or town) in Hamamatsu city will send their representative group to fight each other through their kite in the sky until the supreme one kite flying unmatched.

A group from Tenmachou - 天馬町 during preparation

A group from Chitosechou - 千歳町 during preparation

The kite event performed during the day until afternoon and it will followed by parade of 御殿屋台 - Goten Yatai (A cart which is decorated beautifully) from every Chou/Machi in Hamamatsu at night. Every Goten Yatai accompanied by the Chou/Machi’s representative group (Gumi – 組) who carrying the Goten Yatai cart when the younger female playing Japanese traditional music by drumming a small drum or even taiko (big drum) and playing flute and shamisen (Japanese three string guitar) inside the cart.

Goten Yatai Parade during Hamamatsu Matsuri

I wonder what was that man doing on the top of Goten Yatai during parade?

Wait for a moment and take a rest a while before pull/push the cart again

Young girls inside Goten Yatai in white costum playing drum and shamisen

Sorry, I can't clearly read the letter that written on the lampion. It is their town's name.

Representative group from Tamachi - 田町

Sakura, Hanami dan Sakuramichi

Catatan: Untuk memperbesar gambar, silahkan klik foto yang bersangkutan.

Awal bulan April adalah masa bunga Sakura mekar di Jepang. Orang Jepang yang seumur-umurnya tinggal di Jepang saja masih menantikan mekarnya Sakura, apalagi orang asing seperti aku yang cuma numpang tinggal di Jepang beberapa waktu saja. Seperti halnya gunung Fuji dan Kyoto, Sakura adalah salah satu dari tiga hal Jepang yang tak bosan-bosannya kunanti untuk dilihat.

Kastil Hamamatsu (didirikan oleh Shogun pertama dari klan Tokugawa, Tokugawa Ieyasu) pada musim semi

Jinja (Shrine) kecil disamping Kastil Hamamatsu

Mekarnya bunga sakura sangatlah cepat, hanya memiliki waktu selama 3 minggu saja untuk dinikmati. Karena itu setiap orang Jepang seakan-akan melakukan suatu ritual khusus untuk menikmati bunga Sakura. Yang paling dikenal adalah acara Hanami dan Sakuramichi. Sebenarnya hal ini bukanlah ritual melainkan sebuah kebiasaan di awal musim semi untuk melihat dan mengagumi bunga Sakura yang berumur pendek. Hanya 3 minggu, setelah itu anda harus menunggu satu tahun lagi.

Acara Hanami di Taman Hamamatsu-Jo. Orang-orang menggelar terpal dibawah pohon Sakura untuk Hanami

Jalur masuk utama Taman Hamamatsu-Jo

花見- Hanami (Hana = bunga ; mi = melihat) adalah acara kumpul-kumpul sambil gelar tikar (bisa juga matras, terpal atau lainnya) sambil menikmati pemandangan bunga Sakura mekar. Biasanya Hanami dilakukan orang Jepang sambil minum sake dan makan-makanan kecil (jaman sekarang malah ada yang barbeque). Menurut kabar, jaman dulu malahan orang-orang berlomba-lomba membuat puisi dan haiku (sajak Jepang) memuji keindahan Sakura pada saat acara Hanami.

Bunga Sakura mekar disepanjang jalan anak sungai Dankogawa (sungai Danko) di Tomizuka-cho

Jalan setapak untuk Sakuramichi ditepi Dankogawa. Jika mekarnya Sakura rimbun, jalan setapak terlihat mirip lorong dengan atap bunga Sakura

桜道- Sakuramichi (michi = jalan) adalah acara jalan kaki sambil menikmati bunga Sakura yang pohonnya tumbuh berjejeran di sepanjang jalan yang memang ditata khusus. Didaerah-daerah tertentu terutama dipinggir jalan kecil ataupun sungai, pohon Sakura sering kali ditanam dengan posisi khusus sehingga kalau bunganya mekar akan membentuk jejeran rimbun bunga Sakura yang indah untuk dipandang. Dibandingkan dengan Hanami, acara Sakuramichi kurang populer (sama dengan acara jalan-jalan, hanya saja pas kebetulan musim sakura).

Foto-foto diatas diambil di tepi sungai Danko daerah Tomizuka-cho (daerah tempat tinggalku), Kastil Hamamatsu dan Taman Hamamatsu-Jo, Propinsi Shizuoka dengan menggunakan Ponsel Casio Exilim W53CA dengan kamera 5.1 Megapixels..

Pindahan........

Apartment lama tampak dari samping/depan.

Akhirnya setelah masuk daftar tunggu setahun, dapat juga jatah tinggal di Kokusai Kouryuu Kaikan (disingkat kaikan saja supaya gampang) milik universitas yang biaya sewa kamarnya super murah. Cuma 6 ribu yen/bulan! Bandingkan dengan sewa apartement lama ku yang termasuk "murah" seharga 23 ribu yen/bulan. Tentu biaya tempat tinggal ini sangat membantu diriku yang termasuk mahasiswa biaya sendiri, maklumlah otakku jauh dari encer untuk mendapatkan beasiswa. Memang sih ukuran kamarnya 2x4, lebih sempit dibanding apartment lama yang berukuran 3.5x4.5, namun didalam kaikan sudah tersedia ranjang, meja, lemari, kulkas dan juga termasuk pendingin/pemanas ruangan.

Apartemen lama (kiri) tampak dari belakang dan asrama mahasiswa kaikan (kanan) tampak dari depan.

Mungkin yang agak mengganggu adalah untuk mandi dan masak memerlukan biaya tersendiri. Sekali mandi (hanya shower, tanpa ofuro) dikenakan biaya 100 yen/13 menit. Sedangkan untuk biaya sekali masak (pakai gas) dikenakan biaya 10 yen (ukuran pemakaian gasnya kurang kuketahui). Nilai nominalnya mungkin termasuk murah tapi cukup ribet dibuatnya, karena sistem pembayarannya menggunakan koin seperti telpon umum. Masukkan uang logam (100 atau 10 yen) kedalam kotak koin pembayaran lalu anda bisa menggunakan fasilitas mandi dan dapur, sedangkan di apartment lama aku bisa mandi (plus ofuro) dan masak sesuka hati dengan total biaya listrik dan gas sekitar 10 ribu/bulan.