I had undokai on Sunday. This year I actually understood some of what was going on. Granted the four-man team chicken fights were still as bizarre as Bjork’s new album, it was fun watching the grade nine boys pile-driving their testosterone deprived grade seven counterparts while the teachers cheered in reckless abandon. The human pyramid went off without a hitch and only two kids landed on their heads during the balance-the-little-kid-by-the-legs-and-shoulders-as-high-up-in-the-air-as-you-can event. There was still way too much marching and crying for my taste, but overall this year undokai was way more normal than last year.

After undokai there was an enkai, which is basically an office party except it happens twice a month and it’s pretty much mandatory.

One thing I noticed while waiting for the party to start is the amount of power in the principal’s hands. Everyone has been working really hard for two weeks getting the undokai together, finally it’s finished, everyone has pitched in and helped clean up, it’s 6 p.m. on the Sunday of a long weekend, and what does the staff do but sit in the office and wait for half an hour doing absolutely nothing but waiting for the principal to give a two minute speech about the weather (it really was about the weather) so they can leave for the enkai which they don’t want to go to but have to because the principal wants them to. This seemingly insane behaviour has to do with the bonus system in Japan, where up to half your salary comes from a twice yearly bonus. It’s a pretty screwy system, which totally undermines any power the union might otherwise lay claim to. Good for business though.

The enkai was zany as always. I ended up sitting beside this dude whose only English was, “I am Buddhist, secret Buddhist. You are great.” It made for interesting, if limited, conversation.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures.