A Very Happy Aimachi Halloween!
In Japan, Halloween is not the momentous occasion it is in America. No tricks and no treats to be found. Lots of stores sell costumes...but nobody buys them. That is...until Chris and I came along.
Halloween morning was just your ordinary - sightseeing for no money, no idea where you're going to be going, can't understand a word out of anyone's mouth who is trying to tell you - day. Hatsumi had to do some shopping in Nagoya so she took a bunch of us into the city. She dropped us off near Sakae (the hip and happenin' downtown area of Nagoya) and told us to meet back in two hours.
That day our adventures included hitting up an electronics store (I picked up a memory card for my camera) and then just seeing where the wind would take us. Luck would have it that the wind would take us to a bar littered with signs proclaiming "Drink Guiness on Halloween!!" Same deal as the clothing stores trying to sell costumes...I think Japan is trying to make Japan a big deal (I guess it makes sense for retailers), but the Japanese public isn't buying into it...except for a small group of young adults on this magical, fateful night.
Chris and I did not have Guiness...we decided to try the microbrews...that ended up costing about 8 bucks...oy. Continuing on, we found a long strip of stores (spanning three city blocks) that very closely resembled a mall. As we snooped around, we found a store that was displaying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle masks at the front of their show. Chris and I looked at eachother and I wondered, "How much?"
We checked it out...only 640 yen (About $6.40). We took two and met back with the rest of the group to leave Nagoya.
To think...we were just going to let Halloween slip idly by in Japan without so much as a peep. Afterall, we were the guests..."When in Rome..." right?? I beleive it was fate...an angel from God...or maybe just some great product placement...that brought us to those masks.
We had rehearsal that night..but we decided to wear our masks during the entire thing. At first, people just laughed because they thought we were being stupid. We realized that people knew it was Halloween...but it was so far in the back of their minds, that they weren't making the connection. So anytime someone walked by, we verbally assaulted them with a series of "HAPPY HALLOWEEN"s.
The first one who wanted in on the fun was Yutaca. He didn't have a costume, of course, but being the MacGyver that he is, he came up with this STELLAR Spider Man outfit.
During sectionals, the trombones and baritones were getting a kick out of the costume. Then they started making fun of eachother in Japanese...next thing we knew, a marker was in my hand and they were telling me to draw the masks on some of their faces.
Here's the artist at work, creating a masterpiece of the trombone section leader.
The rest of the band was CRACKING UP when we walked into the full ensemble rehearsal. Instructors, members, everyone.
Soon everyone wanted in on the Halloween fun! Here's Seiko trying on the mask.
After rehearsal, the standardard "Goodnight," "Oyasumee Nesai," was intermixed with "Happy Halloween, Happy Halloween!" Mission Accomplished, Aimachi Marching Band had its first ever (however modest in size) Halloween.
We thought we were done for the night...but I was having a crazy craving for Ice Cream. It was 11 o'clock and there was not a scoop of ice cream on Aichiyo...whatever is a gluttonous American to do?!
Chris and I secured a ride to the nearest all night grocery store in Handa City but, before we left, we took orders for 15-20 people on Aichiyo. We figured after all everyone had done for us these last few weeks, whether it be buying us gifts, paying for sightseeing, teaching us Japanese, or just going out of their comfort zones and just trying to talk to us in English for a bit; this was the least we could do for them. And seriously, what would Halloween be without that giving Halloween spirit (maybe that's Christmas...but whatever).
We got back at about midnight with tons of ice cream, toppings (couldn't find hot fudge or whipped cream, unfortunately) and danishes!! The second party began! This was the first time in Japan that I really gorged myself like back in the days of Ithaca or North Carolina. It was a wonderful thing! :)
Here's a bunch of us in the cafeteria during the Halloween extravaganza! I think this picture resembles "The Last Supper" a little...with Chris Gow being all Jesus-like in the middle with his Ninja Turtle mask on.
I hope everyone's Halloween was as much fun as ours!
Halloween morning was just your ordinary - sightseeing for no money, no idea where you're going to be going, can't understand a word out of anyone's mouth who is trying to tell you - day. Hatsumi had to do some shopping in Nagoya so she took a bunch of us into the city. She dropped us off near Sakae (the hip and happenin' downtown area of Nagoya) and told us to meet back in two hours.
That day our adventures included hitting up an electronics store (I picked up a memory card for my camera) and then just seeing where the wind would take us. Luck would have it that the wind would take us to a bar littered with signs proclaiming "Drink Guiness on Halloween!!" Same deal as the clothing stores trying to sell costumes...I think Japan is trying to make Japan a big deal (I guess it makes sense for retailers), but the Japanese public isn't buying into it...except for a small group of young adults on this magical, fateful night.
Chris and I did not have Guiness...we decided to try the microbrews...that ended up costing about 8 bucks...oy. Continuing on, we found a long strip of stores (spanning three city blocks) that very closely resembled a mall. As we snooped around, we found a store that was displaying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle masks at the front of their show. Chris and I looked at eachother and I wondered, "How much?"
We checked it out...only 640 yen (About $6.40). We took two and met back with the rest of the group to leave Nagoya.
To think...we were just going to let Halloween slip idly by in Japan without so much as a peep. Afterall, we were the guests..."When in Rome..." right?? I beleive it was fate...an angel from God...or maybe just some great product placement...that brought us to those masks.
We had rehearsal that night..but we decided to wear our masks during the entire thing. At first, people just laughed because they thought we were being stupid. We realized that people knew it was Halloween...but it was so far in the back of their minds, that they weren't making the connection. So anytime someone walked by, we verbally assaulted them with a series of "HAPPY HALLOWEEN"s.
The first one who wanted in on the fun was Yutaca. He didn't have a costume, of course, but being the MacGyver that he is, he came up with this STELLAR Spider Man outfit.
During sectionals, the trombones and baritones were getting a kick out of the costume. Then they started making fun of eachother in Japanese...next thing we knew, a marker was in my hand and they were telling me to draw the masks on some of their faces.
Here's the artist at work, creating a masterpiece of the trombone section leader.
The rest of the band was CRACKING UP when we walked into the full ensemble rehearsal. Instructors, members, everyone.
Soon everyone wanted in on the Halloween fun! Here's Seiko trying on the mask.
After rehearsal, the standardard "Goodnight," "Oyasumee Nesai," was intermixed with "Happy Halloween, Happy Halloween!" Mission Accomplished, Aimachi Marching Band had its first ever (however modest in size) Halloween.
We thought we were done for the night...but I was having a crazy craving for Ice Cream. It was 11 o'clock and there was not a scoop of ice cream on Aichiyo...whatever is a gluttonous American to do?!
Chris and I secured a ride to the nearest all night grocery store in Handa City but, before we left, we took orders for 15-20 people on Aichiyo. We figured after all everyone had done for us these last few weeks, whether it be buying us gifts, paying for sightseeing, teaching us Japanese, or just going out of their comfort zones and just trying to talk to us in English for a bit; this was the least we could do for them. And seriously, what would Halloween be without that giving Halloween spirit (maybe that's Christmas...but whatever).
We got back at about midnight with tons of ice cream, toppings (couldn't find hot fudge or whipped cream, unfortunately) and danishes!! The second party began! This was the first time in Japan that I really gorged myself like back in the days of Ithaca or North Carolina. It was a wonderful thing! :)
Here's a bunch of us in the cafeteria during the Halloween extravaganza! I think this picture resembles "The Last Supper" a little...with Chris Gow being all Jesus-like in the middle with his Ninja Turtle mask on.
I hope everyone's Halloween was as much fun as ours!
posted by Matt at 10:42 AM
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