Tokushima Local Customs

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Wherever you see this kind of gate, you are at a shrine. Some are small, some are large, some are tucked away in neighborhoods and some are UN World Heritage sites.

I don't and didn't pray in any of the shrines I visited, but they are more open to outsiders than a Christian church would be. To pray, you simply throw some coins in the box, then ring the gong with the rope to get the Buddha's attention, place the palms of your hands together, touch your nose to your thumbs and bow three times, just like in the movies. Once you are praying, they aren't a bit concerned who you pray to, and I did see gaijin doing this. I myself would have had a hard time bowing down before a Buddha, but let your conscience be your guide.

Frequently, outside of the shrines there are water fountains with cups. Rinse them off before you drink, the water is supposed to be lucky. Incense is often available for a small charge, and in major shrines there are souvenier shops which also sell good luck charms These are NOT to be photographed for reasons I don't know.

This seemed to be a not uncommon sight in various well trafficked parts of Japan such as shopping districts, tourist attractions and transportation nexii. I'm not at all certain of the social or cultural implications of monks begging is, but they stand silently as statues with their faces covered and bowl outstretched. If you give them something you can expect a silent, respectful bow instead of a thank you. The monks don't have the same feel as say the unemployed or homeless begging do. There is an air of almost pious nobility to them, so whenever I passed one, I would donate a little something.

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I thought this was kind of cool, skewered fish grilled over coals. These are fresh water fish from the Iya River valley of a kind called amego, (ah-meh-go) which I was told can only survive in waters that are absolutely pollution free. They were tasty and so light and delicate that they can be eaten meat, skin, bones and all. I skipped the head.

It seemed like all through rural Japan we would run into just the coolest food, sweet potatoes roasted in a parking lot, buckwheat cookies, just all sorts of stuff. These particular fish were being grilled under the awning of a convenience store.

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One holiday food enjoyed by the Japanese is mochi, a dense, sweet rice treat which they also decorate as you can see in my photo. I've heard it mentioned that you should be careful giving mochi to the elderly as it is possible for them to choke on it, and some number of deaths are recorded each year. As you go through shopping areas and people's homes, you may see larger pieces of mochi decorated with oranges and other items as well as large pieces of art designed to look like them.

New Year's is also the Japanese gift-giving season, but adults are generally excluded. In their generous but quiet way, they pass small gifts of money to children (usually younger than 18) in small colored envelopes, no big shiny presents with bright ribbons and big cards. They also present the gift in the most humble of terms, apologizing that it isn't more. (OK I didn't know and dropped them in laps, "There ya go Shoko, party hardy!") The children for their part express profound thanks, receiving the gifts respectfully with both hands (the same way I was supposed to present them), bowing and accepting with gratitude.

Both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are feast days for the Japanese, and they serve up huge portions of sushi, sashimi, cooked fish and meat, scallops, shrimp, pickled vegetables and fish cakes.... The list goes on and is no doubt tailored from family to family.

Obviously a full and insightful description of Japanese New Year's customs are not only beyond the scope of my knowledge, but they are beyond the scope of a simple VT tip as well. I just hope that in or out of Japan, this tip might explain some of what you might see or encounter.

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New Year's is the biggest holiday in Japan and you can count on a holiday atmosphere (including unfortunately closed shops and other places of interest) for pretty much a solid week after the calendar changes. They do a lot of things to celebrate, but people accustomed to rowdy parties and spectacular fireworks displays are going to be in for a shock because that kind of loud, brightly colored and boisterous atmosphere just doesn't seem to be the Japanese way. They celebrate by watching contests on TV and eating large quantities of food. They do some drinking but not like we do.

On the first day of the year, just like we often attend mass on Christmas, the Japanese head for the shrine, clogging the tiny roads which lead to the secluded centers. Once there, they walk through a wide range of food and beverage stalls and approach the shrine. At the one I attended, people stopped at a tree which had a hole in it and tried to toss coins up through the hole. The best coin to use was the five yen piece called the goyyim, whichis known for luck. Indeed, luck is one of the holiday's recurring motifs, as each person draws a fortune hoping for luck. If they want the fortune (written on a small piece of paper not much larger than that in a fortune cookie) they take the piece of paper with them, but if not, they tie it on a rack made for just that purpose. In shrines with tourist traffic they offer fortunes in English as well. You can pray in the shrine but that costs money, and my family chose not to do so. We just kindfo walked around the grounds taking in the sights and visiting with neighbors and friends, also meetin gup with more distant cousins. You might also see people buying arrows with whioch to shoot evil spirits.

I know this tip isn't of too much interest to the casual tourist who in all likelihood will not come during the (very mild) Japanese Winter, but I found that experiencing this holiday with the Japanese taught me a lot about their culture and how they look at the world.

Who doesn't like food that comes out of a cart? I always think its some of the most decadent, delicious stuff you can find and ramen noodles are no exception. This isn't a dish I eat much in the States, but I did like the one we had here. (Tokushima is famous for udon, not ramen) . The soup is made from two kinds of paste stock, one of which I think is a kind of fresh soy, added with noodles and a thin slide of pork as well as some green onion. Its really quite tasty, and almost a meal unto itself, but should only set you back by about Y400, maybe $3.75.

Ramen carts aren't all that common but they aren't all that rare either. You should be able to find one anywhere people gather.