My history with Usagi and Japan

[ellahrairah]

I picked up my first issue of Usagi when I was a junior highschool student... It was issue number 5 I believe... I enjoyed it so much I rushed out and collected every issue I could find, and enjoyed it thouroughly. Time went on and I eventually lost interest until roughly 6 years ago, just before I went off to live in Japan. I took out those comics from the attic and read them again... And they were as good as I remembered them to be. I hurridly went online to get all the graphic novels I could find and was ovedrjoyed to find them all well written and enjoyable.
What suprised me more is that when I lived in Japan, I found I had actually learned more about history and legend than I believed. My Japanese students were suprised when I could tell them or recognize some stories.
The only thing I really didnt see much of in Usagi were specific places which I would love to see him go through. Since I lived in Chiba (next to Tokyo) I personally would love to see Usagi visit Asakusa, Senso-ji, and other very old towns. I would recommend a town called Kisarazu... since it would tie in beautifully with his retelling of Yamato-Dake... I personally visited the statues of Yamato-Dake and Lady Otachibana located on Odayama. I was suprised that I was somewhat familiar with the legend. The towns name itself ties in with the legend... Even the neighboring town Sodegaura is named after the legend. It was said that the Ladys sleeve (or Sode) washed ashore there. Also in Kisarazu is a hugely famous temple called Shojoji... which is famous for its tanuki who beat his belly so hard to make drum noises, it exploded (there is much more to it than that, but just to save space).
To boil it all down, Usagi Yojimbo was useful to me for more than entertainment value, and I find myself hurridly trying to buy up all the issues I can find... almost 20 years from when I bought my first issue. So I guess all I have to say is thank Mr. Sakai... and happy holidays

[Thomas Froehling]

Hello and welcome to this Dojo!

Thank you for sharing your personal story of how you came in touch with Usagi Yojimbo; it makes me think about the time I first encountered this ronin rabbit. A friend of mine roughly told me about the story and I thought: "Oh, a funny bunny in ancient Japan, how good a story can that be?"
But when I read the first TPB (the very first story, to be exact), I was hooked like most of you all, I believe. Although the stories are not without humour, they are not funny in a silly way, and although most characters are animals, we don't see them as such.
"It's pure art, man!"

[ellahrairah]

there are funny things that I enjoy about the story too... namely some of the names are taken directly from a grocery store shopping cart... professor takenoko (bamboo sprout... i like those), and a samurai named Udon (my favorite noodle). I recall a villian named Natto too... If you have ever tried to eat that stuff... you can agree its villanous

[Shishio]

What did you do in Japan? Teach English?

I'm just curious.

[ellahrairah]

yes indeed. Teaching English was my thing there. I taught at an Eikaiwa (private english school) and in public schools... mostly junoir high schools and elementary schools

[go]

Dear Readers,
i like good natto.
It tastes like a cross between red hots and old socks.
Best wishes to all!
go

[Stan Sakai]

Also in Kisarazu is a hugely famous temple called Shojoji... which is famous for its tanuki who beat his belly so hard to make drum noises, it exploded (there is much more to it than that, but just to save space).

I learned a song about the tanuki at Shojoji when I was a kid-- pon poko pon no pon (the sound of the tanuki beating his "drum").

Welcome to the Dojo.

[BonsaiSamurai]

Thanks for sharing your personal story. My interest in Usagi has had me wanting to visit Japan myself for some time now.

Love the Totoro avatar, too!

[ellahrairah]

I heard that song every morning. The train at Kisarazu station uses that song instead of a bell. For those who dont know what the legend is... There was once a Tanuki (a kind of racoon dog, legendary for being able to make drum noises on their rather fat bellies... among other mystical abilities.. watch heisei tanuki gasen pon poko by studio ghibli) anyways, the tanuki got into a drum beating contest with a monk... they got a bit carried away and the poor tanuki beat himself so hard, his stomack exploded... So they built a shrine for the poor tanuki. Anyways, the town as it exists now has tanuki statues everywhere.

I dont know if the lyrics tell that story... All I learned was to say... sho-sho-shojoji.... Now im going to hum it all day...

tonikaku... thanks for the reply... Im glad to have found the site

[ellahrairah]

I honestly wish I would have read grasscutter II, so atsuta daijingu wouldve been on my radar. I loved visiting shrines and temples in japan when I was there. Unfortunately I didnt start my collection of goshuin (a kind of seal with calligraphy you can get at every shrine) until very late in my stay, so I dont have many of those seals.

If you do go... definately go to Kyoto, and if you are going there from Tokyo... stop by Himeji-jo (himeji castle)... its definately something to see. Kyoto itself is a must... I loved it there... I even was even lucky enough to have a short party with 2 Maiko at an Okiya... that broke my wallet by the way... but it was just such a rare experience...

[Stan Sakai]

I just came across this article about the tanuki at Kisarazu Station near Shojoji. They're dressing him up as Santa.



http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/ ... 9000c.html

[ellahrairah]

What a blast from the past!!! I remember when they made that statue, directly outside kisarazu station... its in an upside down pose, and its front is facing away from the train. Well... Tanuki are famous for a particularly oversized *ahem* body part. every morning when I got on the train or bus... I had to look at that said part... oh what memories...

Incidently, shojoji as it stands now is almost directly across the street from a christmas themed love hotel called hotel chapel christmas, with a massive santa claus statue sitting on top of it year round.... oh the memories of it all... haha. thank you sir.. its been a while since I saw or thought about that place... memories of a giant santa and the backside of a Tanuki