Yuka

I had a brainstorm of whom I can take portrait before I get to the working of this post, unfortunately it was not look good for me as I realized that I do not really have many choices. I can count with one hand the number of Japanese people whom I know well enough to write anything about. In the end, I went to my host family members to ask for help.
            As for the host family, there are seven members (including myself): Okaasan, Otoosan, Oneesan and three big dogs. It is such an interesting family as it is not very Japanese sometimes but indeed Japanese in some other times. Maybe it is a complex of east and west, therefore became the way it looks like to me today.

The 12-years-old Aino lying on the couch, with ribbons on her ears.

            The protagonist of this post is my older sister, Yuka. When I ask them, Okaasan pushed Yuka to me and said "I have no make-up on right now so take picture of Yuka!", so I see an indeed need for make-up when photographing which is a very reasonable thing in Japan. Girls on the streets or at school are most likely to be wearing heavy make-ups and never easy on the peachy blushes. Although I know she would not resist, but when Yuka agreed without any hesitation still surprised me as I think no matter what, Japanese people are shy when it comes to being photographed. Yuka was all okay about this.

Yuka in the living room. 

             There are something special about Yuka in the family. Most importantly, Yuka is the one responsible for bringing in the west culture. She has been working in New Zealand for more than four years after graduated from Kansai Gaidai. She came back recently to Japan and started her study at a nursing school. Because of her work, the family had one-year living experience in New Zealand, where they get their lovely New Zealand hound "Fay" and probably adopted some western lifestyles.

Fay and Yuka in the Kitchen.

            Their house looks a little of western style. The decoration are somehow in between as there are still sliding doors as well as regular doors. We do not need to sit on the floor to eat nor I will get miso soup and rice at breakfast. Okaasan always leave me ham, eggs, sausage, bread and yogurt. Interestingly, I sometimes also get things like a piece of sushi or tofu placed beside the bread. I think it is a perfect illustration of the family: the daughter likes western stuff and the parents are also not against, so they work together to put some western feelings to the house but essentially they still keep their Japanese-ness.

Okaasan's beloved Raichi also has ribbons on her ears.



           Okaasan works as a dog trainer so i assume the family are all into dogs, but it is not the case. Yuka told me that she personally do not like dogs and she is more of a cat fan. In fact, Yuka had break many of the stereotype I had towards Japanese. She is neither quiet or shy, nor she obeys to the older generation of what to like or what to do. Instead she just have all the time staring at the cell phone or sleeping on the couch while the TV is still on, which all convinced me this is how young generation in Japan changes foreigner's view of Japanese being over-polite and tame - at least, not at their homes!

Yuka: Peace! :=)