Wednesday, July 18, 2007

What's Shakin'?

On Monday July 16th, Japan was hit by two large quakes. The first, at a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter Scale, struck around 10:15 am in Niigata Prefecture. Hardest-hit was the town of Kashiwazaki, where at least 8 people died and 800 have been injured. The earthquake collapsed homes, buckled roads, and sparked a fire at Japan’s largest nuclear power generating facility.

I was too far north to feel the first quake, but I did feel the second tremor that struck just after 11 pm. This earthquake was stronger, at 6.8, but luckily it was based out in the Sea of Japan and no direct damage has been reported as a result. While the quake didn't feel particularly powerful, it lasted over a minute. It was enough to get me out of bed, dressed, and into a door frame to wait it out while the windows and doors rattled.






Japan uses the Shindo Scale 震度 to gauge earthquake intensity which differs from the more common Richter Scale. In a country where earthquakes are said to occur once every 5 minutes, July 16th may have been just another Monday for the locals, but my routine was definitely "shaken-up"!

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Elementary School 小学校















I've been teaching at the elementary schools in town for the last two weeks. It's a whole different world from junior high... the kids ride unicycles, collect frogs, catch chickens, and perform child labour in the school garden.








For whatever reason, unicycles are a mainstay in the schoolyard and a part of every elementary school child's education here in Japan.








One of the schools has a pet chicken named "I-chan". One of the kids insisted on showing me how easy it was to catch I-chan. I'm surprised I-chan is still alive. Why doesn't I-chan just cross the road?








The eight elementary schools in the area have an annual garden competition. Everyone gets involved with the planting and upkeep of the garden, with judging being held in the fall. The school with the chicken has won for the last several years. Perhaps I-chan eats the bugs?

Jodogahama








About 300 years ago a Buddhist priest came to this beach and proclaimed it to be "just like Paradise (Jodo)." I visited Jodogohama a few weekends ago while camping along the coast near Miyako.