Haunting Story: Banshu Sara Yoshiki

Name of building:

Himeji Castle

Location:

Okayama prefecture

History of building:

Established in 1346, castle towers were built in 1580 by Hideyoshi.

Description of ghost: 
In 1504 Okiku, a young and clever housemade, saved Onodera, the master of the castle, while Aoyama, one of Onodera's retainers, took over the castle. Aoyama's retainer, Danshiro realized her actions, he compelled her to be his mistress but she refused. Danshiro was so angry that he broke one of ten dishes of his master's treasure and blamed her. He strangled her and threw her body into the old well.

Ghost's activity:
Okiku appeared from the old well every midnight and she counted the dishes in her painful voice, 'one, two, three…'. There should have been 10 pieces but one of them was broken by Danshiro,
so she broke down in tears for missing the 10th dish.

People's feelings:
People were sorry for Okiku. This story spread all over Japan and it became a Kabuki play or Rakugo story.

After reading "Gone!" - my first solo journey

I visited one of my friends from university who lived in Okayama prefecture several years ago. She was an elementary school teacher, so it was difficult for her to take days off in weekdays.

It was a long and expensive journey for me, as I needed to take Shinkansen from Nagoya to Okayama station, so I decided to go another near place by myself in a weekday. I went to Kagawa prefecture, as I could go there by local train from Okayama station.

The train crossed the bridge called Seto Ohashi and the scenery was very wide and beautiful from the window on the train. When I arrived at Takamatsu station, I borrowed a rental bicycle to see around the city. I also had very delicious Sanuki Udon. It was very simple, but udon had body and the soup was very tasty.

 After that, I went to the park and walked around for an hour. Then, I went to a park near the port. I sat the stairs and drank coke while seeing very big vessel. I was very excited to see such a big vessel. Then, the vessel suddenly blew a whistle to departure from the port. I was very surprised by big sound, so I spilled coke on my cloth! I could not release my anger on anything…

Posted by Tomoko for Chinasa

Professional English teachers in Okayama = ESOL examiners

If it’s Sunday, this must be Okayama? And it isn’t raining?

I am extremely grateful that Malcolm and JP176 put me up NOT in the Tokyu Inn; and that I could travel up yesterday and relax last night rather take the overnight sleeper (fun, but not preceding a serious day’s work!). Observant readers may recall that my last visit included a night in casualty?

I wanted to get to know my examiners better; and they are mine, no matter which Centre they are affiliated to, if I do the training. Their bad habits (heaven forbid) are mine; their interpretations of the Gospel according to ESOL are coached in “but Jim said…” It really annoys me when people forget my name – indicates examiners are likely to forget to use candidate’s names appropriately. First impressions count for a lot, don’t they?

Paul, Tom, Jim, Zack, Malcolm, Simon in Ruoen Thai

So, last night I found myself in the very good company of examiners known, and an English home-brewer I need to get to know, in a superb Thai restaurant “Ruoen Thai”. I love good Thai food, and this was a love affair. Why can’t I combine coriander, basil & squid like that? This a group of people I would happily want to meet up with for a pint more than once a year…

Last minute arrangements had left the make up of this morning’s YLE development meeting hanging until 8pm last night; this afternoon’s contingent only finalised during lunch. At least that meant examiners were demonstrating a desire to stay on the books?

I was delighted to meet Reiko again, who has been working so hard to promote the exams  hereabouts for JP176, a lovely person who has a lot to offer the organisation. I have the sneaking suspicion HG might be the best kept teaching secret west of Osaka. Joan again showed she has actually sat down and read the materials and was the go-to girl with the rude awakening of a revamped quiz.

Brainstorming

In the morning we tackled various aspects of YLE examining, departing from the usual video/material log-jam to have a look at managing problems, controlling timing, avoiding obvious (but easily fallen into) man-traps. I like this format, as once examiners have set out their fierce criticism of performances on view, they really do not have anywhere to hide when the same criteria have to be applied to their own participation. Likewise this afternoon, looking at adult levels we took a hard look at the interlocutor’s role and in particular timing (with a pair of candidates we have previously studied to assess in detail…) I was privately delighted that this apparently ‘easy; just watch” exercise produced wildly different answers. “Pay attention: watch the clock!” Likewise, the ‘now give me a score for performance – you’ve got 10 seconds’ produced gasps of protest but…on the job, that’s what you have to be doing. Want to wander off for a coffee half way through? Keep going…

A new distraction!

I impressed on my examiners today the need to consider, and make arrangements for, the unexpected, the unusual, and the uncooked arrangements. Acts of God cannot be mitigated for, but good examiners (all of mine) are expected to be able to think and respond on their toes without dropping the ball. Under pressure, manage a group of three. You have a deaf candidate; deliver the listening test with your colleague (how can you examine the speaking test at whatever level if you are not familiar with other papers at this level?) twice through, without messing up, so that you can be lip-read. Brainstorm what could possibly go wrong if you were asked to examine a Braille-based speaking test? Work out a ‘to do’ list, come that day.

Okayama team: Malcolm, Tom,Joan, Billy, Paul, with  Jim

As unusual as it is to enjoy a fabulous Thai salad in Japan, I hope my Western Nippon team got more than they bargained for out of today’s re-scripted professional development workshop. My intention is that our ESOL examiners are adding ‘can do’ strings to their bows and taking fresh ideas into their classrooms tomorrow morning, and hopefully influencing their peers in turn with good practice, positive analysis of candidate/examiner (as teacher with another ‘hat’ on) performance.

Thank you, Malcolm, for having me over this weekend. Thank you dedicated examiners for your (glorious) day stuck in doors. Looking forward to applying YOUR monitoring template to YOUR performances soon!

Examiner training dates announced

I am delighted to be able to announce that we have been able to confirm all dates & venues for training at all levels of Cambridge ESOL examinations this autumn. Training will be conducted by Jim, in his capacity as 'Team Leader' for Luna International (JP004).

Young Learners - Starters, Movers and Flyers:

• Okayama - Sept 23
• Osaka - Oct 8
• Tokyo - Oct 16

Lower Main Suite - KET (Key - A2) and PET (Preliminary - B1):

• Okayama - Sept 24
• Osaka - Oct 9
• Tokyo - Oct 15

Upper Main Suite - FCE (First - B2), CAE (Advanced - C1) and CPE (Proficiency - C2)

• Tokyo - Sept 17
• Nagoya - Sept 18

In order to qualify to participate,  experienced English teachers should be in full time employment and be a university graduate/EFL certified. You should be available to examine, be reliable and display sound interpersonal skills. Non-native speakers are welcome to apply, but do need to demonstrate a good working use of English appropriate for the level to be trained for. Anyone interested in taking part should get in touch with Jim by email and request a Nomination form by submitting their CV.

Death trap hotel - Toyoko Inn sucks

Last weekend I stayed at the Toyoko Inn in Okayama. I was there on business, and very tired after a tough journey & a busy schedule. I don't mind that the fire alarm went off at just after midnight; I'm glad that these things work (and that it was loud enough to wake me up!). I don't mind that it was a false alarm - better safe than sorry - but I am angry about people who smoke in bed.

I am extremely angry about the hotel's lack of fire safety & the potentially fatal circumstances. I, and all the guests, can count ourselves lucky to be alive.

• All the fire escapes (except one on the 2nd floor) were locked
• There were no fire extinguishers in sight - in rooms or corridors
  
• There were no fire hoses in the corridors
• Staff did not react at all - the two front desk girls stayed there, smiling nervously/bowing
• The fire brigade never came to check the alarm
• The police did not come to check either

I & other guests wasted the vital first minutes (the 'golden time' if you are actually in a fire) being polite, checking other exits & fruitlessly trying to open the fire escape by following the instructions. Mistake. We would all be dead from smoke inhalation or trapped by flames. Some people went back to bed, others appeared with bags packed and fully dressed.

Me? I grabbed the chair from my room and smashed the safety glass door (not easy!) & told everyone I could see on the 9th floor to go down the external stairs. Dangerous, because there was sharp glass still in the frame of the door, and broken glass on the concrete floor/stairs.

When I got to the next floor down, people were standing behind their glass door like we had been, fumbling to open it. I yelled at them to get a chair & smash it. They understood my Japanese? (Maybe context and gesture helped!) They tried with one chair - and broke the chair! The alarm was still ringing so I kicked it very hard. Smash - sharp glass everywhere again. One old man was more scared of me than the alarm and refused to leave the corridor. Reluctantly, I left him there. If there was a fire, emergency services would have to risk their lives to find this stupid old git.

No one on the 7th or 6th floors, but a mum & daughter were looking through their emergency exit on the 5th floor in panic. I realised my own wife & kids would have been in exactly the same situation. Kicking through that glass door cut my foot and ankle, which didn't bother me till later, but cold have been nasty. Other people on the 5th floor ran to escape as well.

When I got to the street, the alarm stopped & we were told it was a 'false alarm'. Someone smoking in bed on the 11th floor.

So nothing to panic about? Well, actually, yes. People could have died in a fire or from smoke inhalation; they could have been crushed to death against the locked emergency exits. Only I got cut by the safety glass, but it is very sharp (not designed to shatter). The glass is also very slippery, which made the staircases dangerous. Then there are the hotel staff who plainly did not know what to do, & no sign of emergency services to give the all clear.

My advice? Don't stay at Toyoko Inn.com until they have changed their fire escapes & implemented new safety procedures.

Anybody else have a horror story like this?

The longest day

It's been a while since I started a business trip at 9pm! I did so last night...

This has been Luna's first week back after the holidays, as it has been for most people; it has been just as hectic for us as everyone else too! Gossip to catch up on and email to wade through; old students to reconnect with and schedules to remember. You know?!

At Luna we also had to replace our car over the break. Nothing wrong with the old one except the shakken/roadworthiness would have cost more than buying a second hand vehicle.

If any students did not get a New Year card (nengajo) from us I apologise. Please email us & tell us your new address! (Help save trees and scroll down a bit?). The fault is probably mine - I am never organised with nengajo nor Christmas cards until it is too late, and I never give Yuki a list :(

At the end of a 'welcome back to work/school & let's be cheerful' campaign, I literally ran home, got changed & threw stuff in a bag before continuing running to the station for my trains. Damn. All the platform kiosks were closed. Local train = no buffet cart with food (or beer...important) BUT heated seats set to 'melt arse to chair' temperature. Horribly uncomfortable to Nagano, trying to sit on one 'cheek' before cooling off in Nagano. Then same performance again on the last chugger to Naouetsu.

I meant to read & finish one of my books on the go, but instead listened to an extremely good podcast on British naval history from Binge Thinking History. I have already read half of a brilliant 'biography' of the Royal Navy, but this was easier as my head kept banging the frozen windows!

What to do around Naoetsu station at the midnight hour in early January? Find somewhere warm? Yes! Next to the sake-reeking old gits curled up in the (only) heated waiting room? Lovely. I know for a fact there are no convenience stores near here for a bento (or a beer!).

{How do you know that, Jim? Well, funny you should ask. In Dec 1989 I first came here to get me visa extended, and only managed to get the hairs in my ears trimmed. As then, I froze.}

At 00:55 the Kitaguni Express slid along platform 6 and I found my berth against the rafters in the last carriage. It's been a while since I had to undress lying flat, and I posted on Twitter what to do with valuables! I woke, feeling like I'd never really fallen asleep, rocking into Kyoto pre-dawn with a few minutes to find the Shinkansen Nozomi to Okayama. Still no food, and no longer in the mood for a beer...saw the sun rise on platform lucky 13 before being whisked away west to arrive an hour later disheveled, dehydrated, and discombobulated.

Less than an hour later starting a day-long training session for Cambridge ESOL Centre JP176 & my friend Malcolm Harding, who is trying ever so hard to get the exams going. A pleasure to be here for him (I just wish I didn't feel like a ghost after that trip!) and to meet some quality new examiners.