変な Henna Tattoos at Kobe India Festival

Over the weekend while exploring Kobe we came across the India Mela 2011 in Merikan Park. There were performances, food, booths selling various Indian merchandise, etc. The Indian food was tempting but we had already made plans to gorge ourselves with meat at the nearby Brazilian restaurant. Somehow the India Mela didn't captivate me as much as other ethic festivals I have attended in the past, especially the Thai Festival in Frankfurt last summer (perhaps already being in Japan I already have enough of the orientalist fix...). What did catch our eyes were the henna tattoos.

Why not mark up our bodies temporarily? The tattoos were supposed to last for a week to ten days they told us.

We requested matching tattoos, 1000 yen each. However the artist wasn't able to make them match and we got a 500 yen discount. Still they looked kinda cool until the henna dried and flaked off, leaving very light markings on our skin no one has noticed this week.

Random Kobe

Always lots to see and photograph in Kobe!

Arashiyama Light Up 2010

Good things come in threes here in Japan and one of the top three light up events in the Kansai area around Christmas time is Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatouro. Bamboo groves and bridges and everything in between is lit up drawing huge crowds to enjoy the scene and take lots of photographs.

The other famous Kansai light up events are the Luminarie in Kobe and the Hikari Renaissance in Osaka. The events in Kyoto and Kobe have ended but you have until Christmas day to check out Osaka.

Link to Kyoto Arashiyama Hanatouro: http://www.hanatouro.jp/e/arashiyama/index.html

Link to Kobe Luminarie: http://www.kobe-luminarie.jp/

Link to Osaka Hikari Renaissance: http://www.hikari-renaissance.com/

Fall 2009 Globalization Kobe Fieldtrip

A couple of weeks ago the Globalization class and some guests went on a fieldtrip to Kobe in search of... globalization. We hit the usual spots of Kitano, Nankin-machi and the Harbor area.


Good times were had by all. Click here to read more about the fieldtrip from a visual anthropology student.

After the trip proper all went their separate ways for further exploration. While many students went to MOSAIC in search of Kobe beef and Halloween parades, I cruised around looking to capture some night scenes.








For pictures of previous Globalization class fieldtrips, click here.

Spring 2009 Globalization Kobe Fieldtrip

Another new semester, another Globalization class fieldtrip to Kobe. Kobe never gets old and students make new and different discoveries of globalization in this wonderful city. Check out the pictures below to see a sample of what this semester's participating students experienced.



Photos and captions by Étienne:

Is that the Québec flag?

Some Japanized "Parisian-style" set

Greek clothes shop

Is that a Dutch windmill?

Reminds me my family summer trips to New England's seaside!

American jazz

Some American hippie culture?

A shop with a French-sounding name

Chinatown!

Cowboys and Indians!


Photos from Yurika:

Kitano area.

Kitano area.

Kitano area.


Photos and captions by Steven:

Introducing students to the Lock Up (It's a prison themed izakaya).

Kobe style!

This is how the Globalization prof would like to spend his retirement days...

Where else but in Kobe could you buy fruit directly from the Womb?

The Bruce Lee shop in Chinatown is always a must to visit...

...this time they were selling breasts, 395 yen each (apparently no discount by the pair).

Another perfect example of globalization/glocalization: introducing the Kobe Burger!

Former students who happened to be in Kobe on the same day.


Photo and caption by Angelica:

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for...globalization!"

Yes, another fun and successful trip to Kobe.

For pictures of previous Globalization class fieldtrips, click here.