Canada Day...Japanese Style eh!

When last we left our intrepid traveler's they were celebrating the arrival of some friendly faces in their cozy apartment. (I can't say tiny anymore, because apparently Joe's apartment in less than half the size of ours!) Leanne had arrived the weekend before, but our party was finally complete with the arrival of Joe on July 1. That's right, Canada Day. We were all determined to spend our national day with other nationals. Joe was barely ensconced in our homey abode when we began the celebration, Canadian style. A kitchen party!! With Spirit of the West and Great Big Sea on the iPod, and (Japanese) beer in the hands of the boys we sat around in the kitchen, chatting like we had actually seen each other in the past 4 months. Nachos were made in the toaster oven, and homemade plum hooch was passed around in small glass jars. Life was good, but we weren't done yet.

As night fell we assembled into Team Canuck!! (I know you had another word Carl, but this is my blog!) As Motormouth, Schmeeb, Wet, and Babyface (you figure out who's who) we ventured out in our best red and white clothing and underthings, rub-on Canadian tattoos, stickers, pins, (thanks Moms!), and umbrellas (this is Japanese style and it is rainy season). Leading the pack was our mascot, later to be named Scott. A small furry animal of indeterminate type, he was dressed in a Mountie outfit and carrying a flag. But he didn't attract nearly as much attention as the 4 loud Canadians carrying him. You thought Americans could be obnoxious, try 4 homesick Canadians!

On the train we thrust Scott into the hands of unsuspecting Osakans and snapped picture after picture. It was even more fun when we pressed his paw and he started to wave his flag and play the Canadian anthem. We quickly moved through the crowded rainy streets to an izakaya (bar) featuring a Canadian theme. Apparently Canada means a log cabin with saddles for decorations and lumberjacks in thin plaid cotton cooking Japanese food. Who knew? We were told there was a 30 minute wait, but we stayed our ground, we were Canadians and we were celebrating in a building with a large Canadian flag out front. Even if there were only 5 Canadians inside, including ourselves. Leanne even convinced the owner to let us put a flag sticker on their wall. We got a seat at the huge bar and started amusing staff and customers alike with our dancing, singing Scott. We ate and drank and ate some more, until we were asked to share the one sticky English menu they had. But by then it was time to indulge in another valued Canadian pastime, Bingo!! (I know, I know, but it's a gimmick at the bar, and lots of Canadians do play bingo!) Joe, Carl and I brushed up on our Japanese numbers and quickly translated for Leanne. I was off to a promising start, and had 4 ways to win when the first person shouted Bingo! OK, they didn't shout bingo, but they did shout something that roughly translates to I got it! The 3000 yen prize had been won. But there were two more prizes to go, and two numbers later the cute girl at the front of the bar shouted BINGO! and got 2000 yen off the bill for her group! (That would be me :) We still spent too much money, but, oh no, we weren't done yet!

Off we wandered in search of the ultimate Japanese pastime, karaoke. We only had an hour and a half before the last train, but we were on a mission. At Big Echo, one of many karaoke chains in Japan, we tried to rent ourselves a little room for an hour. Now before you start making any conjectures about 4 consenting adults renting a room, if you don't already know, the Japanese do not go to bars to sing karaoke, or if you do, you pay by the song. You rent a private room with two sanitized mikes and sing away in relatively sound-proof enjoyment. After asking the girl behind the counter many questions in our very poor Japanese, and listening to her answers in very fast Japanese, we eventually managed to get a room. It was our first time singing karaoke in Japan. Carl and I had hesitated before, because we felt a little strange renting a room for just the two of us, however, that is very common here. Our first time was awesome. A huge flat screen TV, a great sound system, a touch screen data pad for entering info, and even 2 tambourines!! Drinks and food are ordered by phone and delivered by a waitress. Of course we scared ours so badly with our enthusiastic singing that she broke our first tray of drinks. We sang like Canucks possessed by the spirits of Anne Murray and Rita McNeil. I think there was even a little Bryan Adams rocker in the mix. But we didn't actually sing songs by any of them. I sang ABBA medleys and Carl sang The Wind Beneath My Wings. But this time he wasn't drunk and no one had a gun to his head. We still don't know why he did it. All too soon our hour was up and we toddled off with sore feet and happy hearts.

That is until we went to the pet store. I don't mind pet stores here too much, because even though the cages are small, the animals seem really happy and active. They seem well treated, and they had better be because your average dog or cat can cost two weeks salary. Leanne played tug-o-war with the puppy in the front of the store. He really liked her camera strap. We talked with a customer fascinated with all of our Canadian paraphenalia. She introduced us to her two papillions, her son and daughter, she said. But as we wandered towards the back of the store things took a turn for the worse. There was a friendly parrot, who liked Carl, especially his watch. There was also a miniature goat. And a very stressed anteater, who ran circles around his cage and swiped at anyone not bearing ants. And a sad lonely monkey, who just wanted to hold hands. Well, actually he held my hand with his feet, I don't know what his hands were doing. We had to leave after that.

On the way home, we debated setting off fireworks (legal here!) but as soon as we sat down in our miniscule apartment we didn't want to move. The clock had struck midnight and Team Canuck was now just another group of tired people who partied too hard on a Friday night. To see the rest of the pictures from our Canada Day adventure, click on the Canada Day link on the right. Some time after 2 we said good night, tomorrow was going to be another long fun-filled adventure...

To Be Continued....