Monday 15 July 2013

Onto the Comrade Land

北京 * 中国  |  Beijing, China * An unexpected stay in Hong Kong


After about 5 months away in Taiwan and Japan, I made the unexpected return back to Singapore. As a last minute decision, I had to cancel my flight from Japan to Beijing, and returned to Singapore to settle some personal issues back home. I decided to stay on 2 weeks instead of one, when I learned how much my mum missed me. The 2 weeks were however, an emotional one for me. I was literally out-of-sorts...depression sips in and I shun going out and crowds.

On the night I left Singapore and embarked on the plane to Beijing, I was still feeling unsettled. The consolation I had was I was moving on with my travel again, and to be away for a while....
Plane was hovering in the sky for a while and not landing in Beijing. The pilot announced after a delayed 20 mins that the plane could not land in Beijing due to very bad weather. The plane will be turning back towards Hong Kong and land. Passengers in the Malaysian Airline stayed in the plane for another 30 minutes as it landed safely in Hong Kong. It was 7am in the morning and I was really hungry. Thank goodness I have this muffin baked by Ching Ling, my sis-in-law, who gave me before I left Singapore.

Hong Kong Airport. View through the glass....
M370, the Malaysian Airline flight. The airline arranged for the passengers rooms in the airport hotel and free meals at the canteen. It was another 10 hours before the night flight arranged to Beijing. I remember being very tired and dreamy as I wandered in the airport, took some naps in the hotel room. 



I arrived at Beijing at about 3am in the morning. I have always resisted taking taxis whenever I travel. This time, I have to as taxis was the only choice of transport for me. I was grateful I arrived at the hostel fine, and a male staff woke up and helped show me my dorm. In darkness, I left my backpack on the ground, climbed up to my upper deck bunk bed and fell asleep quickly without any change of clothes. I was too tired....

Some pictures in Beijing....it was summer and EVERYWHERE in Beijing was crowded with people. It was noise and noise almost everywhere.
Fortunately, the hostel I stayed in was a walking distance from the main subway station, along a long river. It was quieter and every morning, Chinese people will be fishing, doing their morning exercises or dances there.








At Bejing Train Station to get tickets to another destination...I spent one entire morning in the hostel, going through Lonely Planet borrowed from the staff and finally decided my next destination...I had some problem extending my visa to stay for a month in China. Hence I decided to travel southwards and go to Hong Kong at the end of my 15 days free visa entry.
Spend some time in Hong Kong and reenter China again, to Xing Jiang. Xing Jiang was the main reason for my journey to China. 





















Sunday 7 July 2013

Takasaki Substantial Living and A New Friendship

Takasaki, Gunma (Part 2) * 高崎市, 群馬県
WWOOF Period: 6 June - 20 June

Kazu-san and Tokko-san's farm runs base on the Teikei System.
"TEIKEI" system is to build a face to face and mutual supporting relationship with custumors, not only to be tradiing partners.

28 years ago, they started their organic farm by just planting enough produce such as rice, wheat, seasonal vegetables and fruits for a fixed number of families in Takasaki city.

They used to have 100 families but have now reduced to 60 families.
These are families who are supportive and understand the goodness of natural farming and consuming food which are free from chemicals and pesticide. Kazu-san's father used to be more involved in the farming work, with his son and Tokko-san, his daughter-in-law. Since then, he has aged and so have both Kazu-san and Tokko-san. Hence, they decided to reduce the number of families they can provide with the energy level they have now at their present age.

Kazu-san stressed that his health is very important to him as farming relies heavily on physical work. He is learning guitar through you-tube and is able to play and sing some songs... especially for WWOOFers. He does not want to fall prey to dementia or become senile as he ages. So he picks up a new skill which requires him to use his fingers, as well as coordinating their movements with the brain.

When he quit his job as a civil engineer and took over his father's farm, he did it not out of the traditional obligation of a Japanese son. He has very strong convictions that the growing industralisation and capitalism during that time will do more harm to mankind. He wanted to do natural, or otherwise, widely known as organic farming.

While working on the farm towards the end of my stay, he shared that his father was not optimistic and supportive of his decision. He claimed that he would walk on his hands if Kazu-san would to succeed in organic farming. We laughed about how life can have such a unique sense of humour.

After a week WWOOFing, Kazu-san mentioned the baby ducks are coming soon. Every year, he will trade in ducks which are useful during the rice planting season. He takes care of the baby ducks till they grow larger. The ducks will then be let into the padi field daily and allowed to swim and paddle in the water among the young rice plant. By then, the rice seedling would have grown to a certain height.

Ducks love water naturally and the paddling movement from their webbed feet generate movements in the shallow water. Movements in water discourage weeds from growing. The ducks will also feed on the insects or young weeds which are growing in the soil.



The ducklings arrived. To my surprise they are not noisy. Kazu san build them a bath area as they like water. I call it their 'the ducks' onsen'. Despite of the tiredness in the work in the farm, he will still work on the 'onsen'. He knows I love the ducks and wants to finish the onsen as soon as possible and so that I can get to see the ducks swimming in it. Little gestures from Kazu-san and Tokko-san really touches me.

The ducks' 'onsen', not with hot water of course that Kazu-san finished building with cement, bricks and wood in 2 days, admist daily work in the farm. There is a entrance or door that he made from the duck's home behind to the water.

 As the ducks grow bigger, they are led to the padi field with young rice plants where they can swim in the water. Movements in water discourage weeds from growing. The ducks will also feed on the insects or young weeds which are growing in the soil.


Unfortunately, as the ducks grow and the rice plant grow, the ducks were be stopped from entering the padi field. Towards Autumn, the rice plant would have grains which the ducks will feed on. I asked Kazu-san the fate of the ducks, though I sort of guessed their fate. The ducks will then become food on the table for the family and the 60 consumer families.

This is the first time for me to be so close to baby ducks and seeing the gradual change in their physical appearance in a short period of time. They are such adorable little creatures. I told Kazu-san I feel real sad about their fate but reckons that is how mankind survives through consuming animals.

WWOOFing in this farm, I experienced great care and concern from Tokko-san and Kazu-san, constantly giving me breaks and involving me in activites with their friends.

On my fist week, I joined them for a dinner invitation by their German consumer family. The dinner was in Takasaki main city area near the massive train station.

The Kaschek arrvied in Japan 3 and half years ago due to Mr Kaschek work commitment. They have lived in Hungary before coming to Japan. The family will be moving to Romania in a month's time.

Mr Kaschek and his family consumes mainly organic food and was introduced to Kazu-san when they arrived in Japan. Since then, they have become close friends. Mrs Kaschek asked if I find Kazu-san and Tokko-san different from most Japanese, I cant help but agree. She agrees that they are very forward thinking people.

Their two daughters, Francisca 22 years old and Louie 18 years old are very sensible, friendly and intelligent ladies. They showed interest in knowing me, speaking in fluent English and also asked many good questions about Singapore. I enjoyed talking to them. I can see why they are such sensible young ladies from how their parents show much respect to Kazu-san and Tokko-san, and always involving me in their conversations and presence. I really appreciate that.

With the Kaschek family and close friends having dinner at a Japanese eatery at Takasaki Main City. I enjoyed talking and knowing these genuine and warm people. The daughters and Mrs Kaschek can speak Japanese quite well after living here for more than 3 years.

And they adapt the Japanese way of life seamlessly too. Mr Kaschek, belted out several oldies and rock songs. Both he and his daughters have great vocal. I was real tense as everyone gets to sing at least one song. However, after singing 1 Chinese song, they all clapped and cheered for me ....~_~

In very typical traditional Japanese way, Mr Kaschek suggested going to the karaoke after dinner. This is one leisure activity I am most uncomfortable and awkard in. The Kascheks are very sporty family and not shy at all singing with the mike. They simply enjoy laughing and having fun over each other's off key moment. But father and daughters have great vocals, though. Kazu-san and Tokko-san sang a few Japanese songs too. I only managed to choose 1 chinese song and sang it. They sensed my tenseness throughout the night and after I finished singing, all of them clapped and cheered. Well, goodness  and positivity in people around you just warm your heart and strengthen your faith in people.

A week later, the German sisters came to help in the farm before they leave Japan. It was so much fun having them around. They helped with harvesting of potatoes and alter in stacking the straws into 'teepee' to dry in the field. Tokko-san naturally spent her morning preparing healthy and delicious dishes for lunch. The sisters are very talented artists based on the artwork they did for the Ostuka. Yet they are so humble and down to earth. Francisca passed me her email and her mum's and hoped I will go to Romania. As they all claim, Romania is rich in nature.

After which, Kazu-san took out his guitar and sang a song, "Kaze no mori", music written by his friend, words written by himself. Kazu-san does not have a strong vocal but he has sincerity in his voice when he sings. It was a real simple yet memorable time with the German sisters.

I got to know Tokko-san's good friend, Mami-chan during one of the Sundays. She came to help sort out the donated clothings and toys to be shipped to the Phillipines for a home for children with special needs. Mami-chan is an English teacher and speaks very good English. She is fun and humourous. Interestingly, she asked me the moment I was introduced by Tokko-san, if I find the Ostuka 'rare' people. I agreed as that was really how I feel about them.

Mami-san and Tokko-san sorting out the large collections of clothings contributed by their consumers and friends. For a Special Needs school which they can put on sale to raise fund.

Kazu-san and Tokko-san also brought me for onsen (hotsprings) a few days before my last day there. I have grown so close and comfortable with Tokko-san that I was not shy at all being all naked and in the onzen, chit-chatting with her.

I will really miss this amazing couple. We shared so much funny moments, and serious moments talking about politics and ideas in the world, about Stenier, about autism, about consumerism and capitalism, about their stand against nuclear power... Most of the time, our meal time sharing is filled with laughters and funny moments with teasing of Kazu-san from us or just mis-interpretation of our languages. On the night before I left, Kazu-san played on his guitar and sang John Lennon's Imagine, in both English and later Japanese. He also sang an oldie from the 70's Japanese folk group KAZE. I had shared with them I like the songs from this folk group. Later, they gave me a gift which is an indigo-dyed banner with painting of a ume tree under the moonlight. 





Some samples of the creative and thoughtfulness put in preparing the meals by Tokko-san. I only help by following what she asks me to do.



Tokko-san will make desert, ume-juice, serves chilli paste during our daily meals... Because she knows I like them. So thoughtful and sweet of her.


On the eve of my departure from the Ostuka's household, Tokko-san taught me how to make ume-jam....


Kazu-san passed me this book when he sees my interest in understanding natural farming and substantial living. I finished it in a few days before I left. Very inspiring sharing by Yoshinori Kaneko....


Kazu-san and Tokko-san, I feel like a guest more than a WWOOFer during my stay with you. You have showered me with so much sincerity and warmth, care and concern, and helping me to understand deeper on natural farming and being contented and living substantially. To me, you are at a higher level from most of us, knowing and recognising what is worth living for on this earth.

Arigatou... till we meet again.... Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.








Saturday 6 July 2013

Takasaki, Gunma, A Rare Couple


Takasaki, Gunma * 高崎市, 群馬県
WWOOF Period: 6 June - 20 June

On the same day I left Asaba Art Square, I arrived at Takasaki Station, Gunma after about 2 and half hours of travelling in the train, up north of Kanto Region.

Upon reaching the station, I was feeling a little tired physically after standing in the crowded train during the first half of the ride, with my backpack on my pack. Found a public phone and contacted Tokko-san, my next WWOOF host in an organic farm in Takasaki. We arranged to wait for her at the East exit of the massive station.

Shortly, a lady got out from a small white Japanese car, in full farming attire waved to me and smiled. I mirrored her greeting and walked towards her.

Entering the car, I said, 'Finally, we meet.'
I was a little surprised with my spontaneous words. I had never said that to any of my other hosts. I think it's because Tokko-san and Kazu-san showed interest in my travel plan this year and the countries I have travelled. They often asked about it when I emailed them to notify them upon my arrival in Japan and a week before I was supposed to WWOOF in their farm. So, they strike a different impression through my correspondence in email with my hosts.

Tokko-san can speak some English. Her mild mannerism, warm smile and kind soft eyes resembles my dear friend, Shin's mother, Peck Har. I felt very comfortable with her instantly.

It was about 15mins car ride to her house in Takasaki. Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station (Takasaki Station) is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen ("bullet train") stop.

Takasaki is also a city of flat land, overseeing the few famous mountains like Mount Haruna lining its border. I saw lots of farm land with fully grown wheat plants and learned later that it is time for harvesting wheat.

Reaching the Otsuka household, I was impressed with the tidiness in their house.

Both Kazu-san and Tokko-san are in the late 50s. Kazu-san's elderly parents live in a seperate house just next to theirs, all within the same compound. A few years ago, they built a house for guests and WWOOFers just opposite their house . The whole interior is built with wood, which gives a nice faint natural aroma. Tokko-san and I lay out the futon mattresses, put on the bedsheets etc on the second level. I was reminded fondly of the time when I first arrived in Setsukei-an farm in Hiyoshi about 2 months ago, Setsu-san and I fitting the sheets for my futon mattresses and blanket.

At the gate of the Ostuka's houshold compound. Kazu-san and Tokko-san lives in a house on their own, Kazu-san's elderly parents live in another house just next to theirs. The compound also have small warehouses to store their produce and to pack the freshly harvested produce for delivery; one where the tractors and machineries are, another for seperating and drying of wheat and rice, and a small cosy house for guests and WWOOFers.
 
The wooden house built a few years ago for guest and WWOOFers... further right is where the farming tractors are parked in
 
 



 
The interior of where I stayed... to me, this is such a luxury and blessing.
 
One of the plots of farmland belonging to Kazu-san... Takasaki is really a flat land. This plot of land just had its wheat plant harvested....the 3 plots of land for planting wheat plants will be used to plant rice 2 weeks later. Kazu-san showed me where the water drainage system is and how it is channelled from the river. All padi fields in Takasaki will be able to recieve water during rice planting season.

Tokko-san prepared some ume juice from the feramented ume she made and baked potatoes. They have ume-trees in one of their farms. Like me, Tokko-san loves ume. It was nice chatting with Tokko-san as she is such a down to earth woman. She uses an electronic-dictionary to search for the English meaning when she encountered difficulty. Tokko-san shared something a former WWOOFer shared:

'It is useless teaching the Americans Peace education.
It is useless teaching the Chinese Moral education.
It is useless teaching the Japanese English education.'

That made me laugh at its sacarsm, yet ponder in its meaning.
I have shared with her what my first WWOOF host in Yufuin Country Road Hostel, Ryo-san explained to me why most Japanese cannot communicate well in English despite it being a language they learn in school since young. Beside lack of opportunity to use it and the Japanese rich culture and respect for their own language, it is also the other side of them being afraid of speaking poorly in the English language.

It was quiet and peaceful in the Otsuka's compound. Kazu-san was away to attend a meeting for organic farmers in Gunma prefecture and will be back only for dinner. Tokko-san was working in the packing room before she came to pick me at Takasaki Station. I offered to help her though she suggested for me to take a rest. Just like in Setsukei-an, with Kei-san and Setsu-san, when doing farming work, we put on our farming clothings but change into clean home clothings before we enter the house. Such is the expectations of cleanliness in most Japanese households.

In the packing room, which is like a small warehouse with piles of plastic crate containers, Tokko-san had arranged about 20 crate containers in rows on the floor. She categorised them in her own terms, Normal, Large, Small, Special Small, (once there is also a Special Special Small). Quantity of packing the vegetables or fruits harvested direct from their farms will be packed into each crate accordingly.

I saw that there were already some vegetables in each carton. I appreciate the way the vegetables are arranged to make sure that the weight is evenly distributed and that they will be in the best condition upon reaching their consumers' home.

After helping out with the packing of vegetables for early delivery the next morning, I had some free time to walk around the neighbourhood. The area is like a maze to me, with almost every household having some farmlands growing wheat and some vegetables.

I met Kazu-san before dinner. He is just like Tokko-san, very down to earth, humble and easy to talk to. He took some English lessons before but speaks less fluent English. However, both of them take such great effort to converse with me in English, using the electronic dictionary frequently, and I conversing in very basic Japanese mixed with English.

As I stayed on longer in the Ostuka household and WWOOFed in their farm, meal times or short tea breaks are times where much sharings of ideas, experiences, our cultures and beliefs, our individual perspective of the world, of politics in Japan and the world....with me asking them many questions too. I am so comfortable with Kazu-san and Tokko-san that I find myself sharing more about myself.  They are the second host I share photos of my familiy back in Singapore. The first was with Kei-san and Setsu-san in Setsukeian farm. They are the only 2 hosts which I took time to share the pictures with them and talking about my family.

Meal times are the time I cherish here as it is where we chat endlessly... sometimes on serious issues, sometimes just silly talks and topics and having much laughter over it. It again shows me that language is never a barrier to friendships build in a foreign land. It is about 'en', the connection between two person and also the sincerity and genuinity from both parties.

I find them very forward thinking, individualistic in their thoughts and at a level, I feel I lack, where they know what's truly important for themselves and the world. A rare breed of Japanese, in my personal opinion... like th

With Kazu-san and Tokko-san, we are like close friends. They become friends of mine who are about a decade older than me whom I respect for their wisdom but also the similar mindset about life. Kazu-san was a civil engeneer and Tokko-san a secretary before they quit their job and focused on organic farming 28 years ago. Kazu-san comes from a family with generations of farming. In the Japanese culture, the eldest son in the family will take over farming in his father's farm. Kazu-san is the eldest, with a younger sister and a brother. His father was not doing organic farming and when Kazu-san decided to switch to farming, he was very clear of what he wants. Natural farming and to adapt a substantial lifestyle. Tokko-san shares her husband's dream and convictions.

Tokko-san is a great cook and I help her in meal preparation. In the organic farm, they consume produce from their own farms, with regular online ordering of some ingredients or meat such as fish or pork from COOP, a large grocery market based in every part of Japan. As in natural farming, they consume seasonal vegetables. That means, as it is summer now, they grow and harvest summer vegetables that grows well during summer but not at all in other seasons. Each season has a range of vegetables that grow well in. Hence, during the months in summer, the vegetables from farm to table will be mainly cucumbers, zuchini, brinjals, potatoes, onions,lettuce, pumpkins and cherry tomatoes.

It takes a creative cook like Tokko-san to churn out delicious dishes with the same types of vegetables but in different way of cooking and preparation. I never find it boring and tiring eating cucumbers or zuchini in almost every meal.

The Ostsukas have ten farmlands, all in different locations and about 3 to 5 mins ride from their house. I got to do a variety of farming tasks among the consistent ones like harvesting vegetables at 5.30am in the morning and packing them later in the morning for delivery to their consumer families next day. We do 3 times of harvesting per week and 3 times of delivery to the 60 consumers (families) of their produce. Kazu-san and Tokko-san started this farm 28 years ago with a clear intention not to be reliant on a middleman to sell their produce. They want to have their produce harvested by themselves and delivered directly to a fixed number of families living in Takasaki city. Their farming ideology is to respect the way nature works, understanding it and working along it. This is the farm I got to understand deeper what natural farming is all about. Natural farming is more commonly known as organic farming.

Harvesting of wheat. Kazu-san and his 80 over year old father harvested wheat, with the help of the harvesting tractor. It effectively cut and seperate the grains from the straw, then gathers the straw in bundles. Machines do save much time in farming work.
Kazu-san operates the tractor while his father gathers the bundled straws.
 
Tokko-san watching her husband, Kazu-san at work. Both of us were doing packing of that morning harvest and I expressed my interest to see how the harvesting of wheat is done. When we finished with the packing, she changed and asked me to hop onto her car and drove me out to the wheat land to see them harvesting. So sweet of her. Tokko-san and Kazu-san always try their best to meet my needs or teach me what I want to know about farming.

 

 

A few days after the harvest, we stacked up the bundled straws in interesting 'teepee' light way to let them dry. Straws are very useful in farming as they are used to cover the soil in the farms to protect it from being hardened by the sun or cold wind, and to discourage weeds from growing. Kazu-san has also been planting wheat grass seeds randomly on the soil surrounding the plantations of vegetables or fruits. Another method he is trying to protect the soil and keep it rich and fertile.


 

Morning harvest... Tokko-san in the common lady-farmer's attire. I am quite fascinated with it. I was digging and harvesting carrots from the soil a short distance away from the lecttuces garden. Took a shot of this quickly when my mobile phone camera.. ~_~
 
Kazu-san and I harvested so many onions...they filled up almost 20 cartons.

Transplanting leek plant seedlings. It is so interesting to watch how Kazu-san and Tokko-san work seamlessly together in preparing the rich, loose soil, digging holes with an aluminium tool in such speed. I planted the leek plant seedlings into the earth.
 
 
 
I will further write in the next blog about this couple's farming ways and small community of consumers which they call the Tekkei System. The system is based of their way of living a substantial life. I am so lucky to be WWOOFing in this farm to understand how a substantial lifestyle can be like.



 Tokko-san sewed these pair for me to cover the farming boots to prevent soil from entering into them