New Year
I'm off to a slow start on the new year.
The New Year's holiday was great. The trip to Kochi was better than I could have hoped for. Even got to spend a night at an onsen (hot spring hotel) curtesy of Taka's mom.
Coming home was a different story. Started with some computer problems. They weren't exactly resolved...but I now know that there is either a loose wire or a short on the internal side of the power connection. It's working now, so I'm happy (if more than a little afraid to turn off the computer). I bought an external hard drive and have pretty much backed up everything of value, so I feel safe now. The hard drive I bought was a really cheap one, so the whole backing up processes took ages. Still...done.
The holiday was great. I ate non-stop. This is from the New Year's day get together at Taka's grandmother's. At this point, most were gone.
There were about 20 people there at one point. Taka's grandmother's could handle it. Those old style houses are really set for this kind of thing (sliding doors between rooms, etc.). The guy next to me was pretty drunk, but the woman behind him and I were in a hempai contest. It's kind of special to Kochi. I didn't start it, and she could have stopped it at any time....but we basically traded shots of hot sake through two full teapots worth. Between us we finished almost half a gallon of sake.
I'm going to write more soon. I think I've got the computer stuff mostly taken care of. I just wanted to get this out so I can make all my e-mail catch-up a little easier.
posted by Steve @ 1/19/2007 11:52:00 PM
3 Comments:
Hey, you're back! WONDERFUL!
Though I don't often post comments to your blog, I do read it when it comes through... I missed you buddy!
So, you had a lot to drink in Kochi? Who would have thought that... I hope you had a good time; getting away from Tokyo must have felt good. That you went to an Onsen makes me a bit jealous. I'd really love to step into a good hot bath...
Though I think you've discussed it in the past, I think an expansion on the hempai custom would be fun :D
Take care buddy!
Daniel
A break from Tokyo was most welcome. I even took a long walk along a river...not a person or building to be seen in any direction at one point. Man, was that nice! The onsen was great.
Hempai:
The first person chugs a drink (it can be anything), semi-slams it in front of the next person and says, "Hempai!". They fill the glass and that person is obligated to chug it.
That's the basics.
BUT...there's this whole other thing where you can't be the last person to do the chugging. Usually, you do the whole "hempai" thing right back to the person that gave it to you. It's often a matter of pride (and alcohol tolorance), on who gives up first.
In the case of New Year's day...no man can give up to a(n) (older) woman. Old-fasioned and predudiced...but a case-in-point in Kochi.
She was walked home by a more sober person... :-)
noygb,
Sent you an e-mail that bounced back. Please e-mail me w/ your new address.
Post a Comment
<< Home