Farming and Shopping

Today was very exhausting and fun and fulfilling.  I think the title is a pretty good summary, but I'll go into detail (although sleep sounds more appealing).

I woke up at 7:30 for my environmental class's field trip to Shimo Oowada, a rice farm.  We went to investigate biodiversity and creatures that live in the submerged areas around the rice paddies.  Apparently the way rice patties are managed causes issues for some species and the ecosystem as a whole.  I did not know that.  Japan's environmental problems seem kind of marginal, to me, but beyond the surface there are a lot of impacts that a small country could be sensitive to.  I did some reading to try and a sense of what was causing the decline of biodiversity, and apparently overgrown weeds and bamboo prevent sunlight from reaching the soil surface and, subsequently, the habitat of many creatures is ruined.  Aside from that, humans are inflicting problems on forests by clearing out brush and small trees to make them more accessible.  I think that the lumber is utilized though, because my would-be WWOOF host had won some to build a "pizza hut" out of.

The bus ride to the farming village was very bucolic and serene.  We had a nice visit with the farm hosts, one of whom was continuously making wreaths and ornaments out of reed grass and giving them to us.  We had the chance to walk around and identify various plants and animals in English and Japanese.  So I felt productive.

Horseweed! (brought from America of course). They named it "setakaiawadachisou" instead because setakai means "tall."

I heard "kobane" which means "little wings" but I couldn't really catch what "grasshopper" is.  So far I've found "batta", "kirigisu" and "inago"

"Binbobana" or "Poor flower" in the sense that if you touch it, you will become impoverished.  Watch out. 

  田んぼ

 かまきり

 zarigani- crayfish

After wards I went on an impromptu shopping trip with a couple of friends in Chiba.  I keep going there and not buying anything, because I get overwhelmed easily and things are too expensive and unnecessary anyway.  I did end up buying face powder though, because Japanese cosmetics are high-end, and I could use some.   But going to stores and looking around is fun and good exercise.  Plus, stores are putting up Christmas decorations and Christmas cakes are on sale (I regret not taking a picture--they are a feast for the eyes).

Nothing like a little commercial cheer to get you into the Christmas spirit.  This is the nostalgia I know and love, so I doubt I'll be missing out this year.