Tuesday

My ride to the center, or Kyodai Kaikan, takes about 15 minutes. I pass through narrow streets where potted plants line the road. Tall, thin houses crowd along the path, each with their small gates, which first usually lead into an open but covered garden entrance. Campaign posters of local politicians are splattered along the roads, and occasionally, scents of incense catch the nose. During the day when its noisy, I hear roaring trucks and congested traffic. At night when its still, I hear the purr of cicadas and the squeaking of my bike.

Class started yesterday. I attended a class that will cover Noh and the related Kyogen, a course that will broadly relate Japanese history from 300 A.D. on, and today a class on Japanese literature from 1868. I'm finding it difficult to choose among them. I must take two. Since I haven't had the basic Japanese history that the second course (above) covers, I think it would be best to include that one. Then, I believe that my interest in the literature outweighs my interest in the theater, which leads me to the prospect of another choice. But luckily, I still have a few days to decide.