I'm Huge in Japan

Today was the best day so far.  Which is saying a lot because there has been some pretty good days.  Also the timing was impeccable- Japan knew I needed a pick me up and then gave me one!

We went to Asahi elementary school today! We were first given plates with our names on them and then we lined up and entered the gym.  I was awestuck-tons and tons of kids all lining the walls singing and clapping to "Do a Deer" while we walked through flower arches.  It was crazy.  Then they had a young student come nervously adress us all in english, after which we learned several Japanese games! 

The first was JanKenPon, also know as rock paper scissors...but with a twist! They played a song over the loud speakers in which every one walks around, then when the music stops you say "Saishowgu, Jankenpon!" and then the loser gets behind the winner forming a train.  Eventually everyone forms in a giant train! Good times!

Next there was some tug of war, and finally the finale- the taught us the いかおどり(squid dance)!!!! Words can't describe it well- they wal around clapping then do various jumping wriggling moves.  The closest thing I can compare it is the soulja boy dance on drugs and with more/smaller people. 

Next we broke into smaller groups and got to teach them English games! We taught them Wah, then Down By The Banks, and finally (I saved the best for last)- Oshiri.  They liked wah a lot, but they went bonkers for Oshiri.  They followed me around even when it was time to go and we played some last minute rounds! I was epically proud that I had started an international craze.

Here is me surrounded by a horde that followed me.  As I would walk I would almost always be holding two kids hands (they were leading us) while other kids would marvel and touch my arms (since they had never really seen hairy arms before!)  When one of them reached up to touch my face, they all screamed the Japanese equivalent of "Coool!" and then the touch fest continued.  It was great though, I felt like a superstar. 

When it was time to go, my day continued on its high.  Dinner was great tonight, and my favorite Japanese game show was on- The 100¥ shop!  Its a show where male comedians dressed like women (we are in Japan- things can't be very normal) have to determine which items out of a pile of items are worth 100¥ and which are worth more.  To do so, they one by one buy the cheap seeming items, sometimes to their horror finding out that the little piece of crap that looked cheap was actually 205,000¥.  It's a blast to watch with my host family because we all yell at the TV in Japanese!

High: The kids going nuts of the games that we taught them!

Low: Today was a high, not a low!

Hero: My little posse that followed me around telling my how cool my arms and my games are!

Weird sight of the Day: This man walking his rabbit.