nevermind about preening...

...because I have 7 mosquito bites on my face. I look like I have chicken pox! But, it's all for a good cause, because I got them on a trip to Ise Shrine. This weekend, I went on a trip planned by the international center of my University to Ise Shrine and some surrounding areas. Ise is a very old very famous shrine, dedicated to Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. It has been around for thousands of years, and Amaterasu is the most important Shinto god (from whom the emperor is said to be descended). Ise is often called "the heart of the Japanese people." It was amazing. Very beautiful, very woodsy. Would have been more spiritual if it weren't so crowded! But I did come away with two Shinto-priest-blessed charms, one for me (academics!) and one for my host mom (for a safe delivery of her baby). It's kind of fun. They are only supposed to last for a year, because you are supposed to visit the shrine yearly. Often, people visit shrines during the New Year's holiday to get their blessings for the new year.

After the morning in Ise, we spent lunch and part of the afternoon on a street next to the shrine (Okageyokocho). It is a street full of little shops, built in the old style, selling traditional and local foods. Very cute place. I was just in time to catch a taiko performance on a small stage in the center of the area. There were three performers: a man in the middle playing three drums, flanked by two women playing one big drum each. They were incredibly good. At the risk of sappiness, I'll admit that I was moved to tears by their taiko performance. Something indescribable about the purity of the rhythm, the way they moved their entire bodies to pound the drums...I don't know. It was moving.

Other highlights of the trip--a huge aquarium, with lots of enormous tanks. It was awesome, though a bit rushed and I didn't have time to see everything. Also, we visited a museum dedicated to ninja. Well, I knew nothing about ninja before and now I know a little bit more :-)

Overall, the trip was great fun. I did enjoy my one night's stay in a Japanese style room, mosquito bites notwithstanding. I just feel very grateful that I have such a supportive international center here at my school, who plans trips like this so I don't have to think about it. There were a total of 20 or so international students going together, and I got to know a few of them much better. We've become quite the community...I feel warm and fuzzy.

Pictures on facebook :-)