conscious efforts to walk over the threshold.

Japan.  I’m getting the feeling that my posting about my experiences is going to start getting more and more thin as time goes on.  I loved it, obviously.  The five cities I visited maintained such a delicate balance made up of so many contradictions – sex combined with childlike purity, youth culture with emphasis on the elderly, autonomy and communalism.  It was incredible.  I can’t describe the feeling of Japan, nor explain how interesting it was. At least not well enough to do it justice.  Luckily, I took 1,000 photos (literally), so I have that going for me, which is nice.

So let’s start at the beginning.

The first day my friends (Abbie, Amy, Colette, and Aleeza) and I decided to go to Tokyo for shopping / exploring in Shibuya and Harajuku – the two youth districts.  Oh my God, you guys, I am a Japanese girl.  Literally everything everyone on the street was wearing was amazing.  Every second the cutest girl in the world would pass by.  I bought two dresses, a bow, and a scrunchie (trust me – Japanese girls know about scrunchies coming back).  I was concerned that the dresses wouldn’t fit me, considering these hips I have, but they all fit perfectly.  Gorgeous.  I literally had to restrain myself.  I can’t wait to post pictures.

Tokyo is like quiet New York.  Fashionable, cultured, and filled to the brim of everything you can imagine, but even the cars whisper.  Everyone I traveled with was very culturally sensitive and spoke in hushed tones, so it was unbelievably pleasant to just be quiet.  I also got the feeling that there wasn’t a rush to get anywhere there – people on the subway seemed to enjoy the ride.  OH!  And the subway!  It was so unbelievably clean and quiet – no one talked on his or her cell phones and they whispered to those next to them.  It was amazing, almost meditative.  I just loved it.

So after walking around for a while, and after a delicious bento box (boxed sushi), we decided to finally make our way to the Meiji Shrine.  I already described it in my paper I posted, so if you’re interested, all of my feelings about it are written there.  We spent a good hour and a half there then continued our journey.  We went and got food at this place where you had to push a vending machine button, pay, then give the waitress your order and they would bring it out whenever.  I got a lightly fried chicken breast over delicious rice with a sauce that was incredible (!!!), with a noodle soup of some sort.  Unbelievable.  It was difficult to pick what to eat because they had probably 50-75 options, but luckily we met some locals who pointed us in the right direction.  It only cost 650yen too, which is close to $7.  Oh, and you don’t tip in Japan ever.

After dinner we headed back to the ship, showered, then headed into Yokohama for karaoke.  I went with Jeff, Aleeza, Colette, Amy, and three other girls I didn’t know (they left after a half hour).  On the way, we got lost and had to ask a liquor store clerk for directions, and he literally dropped everything he was doing and walked us four blocks to the place.  Japanese people are so unbelievably nice and considerate, I can’t even explain it.  So anyway, it was like $10 for a room, then a bit more for hot sake and I sang “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” in a private karaoke with these people.  It was really fun.  After an hour of that, we went home and slept.  Long day.

The second day I woke up at six to go on my FDP (field-directed practica – counts for classes) to Kamakura and Hakone.  Kamakura is one of the old capitals of Japan, but it more or less reminded me of a small East coast town in Massachusetts.  It was a little rainy in the morning, but livened up once we got there.  I was so tired I cold hardly keep my eyes open – until we arrived at the Daibutsu Buddha shrine.  The buddha was a gigantic bronze statue that’s almost 45 feet tall and built in 790, I believe.  It was beautiful and the area was much more peaceful than I thought it would be, considering that the SAS kids can be really loud and obnoxious (let’s be honest here).  We stayed there for a little while, then continued on to the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine.  I loved it.  We were given two hours of free time, so for the first hour I walked around the shrine by myself, pausing and taking it all in.  There were soo many Japanese tourists – they have off school right now – but it wasn’t nearly as chaotic as the Meiji Shrine seemed to be.  It was so beautiful and there was a preschool inside of the area, which was precious.  I tried to go into this quartered off section, where one pays to enter, but unfortunately didn’t have enough money.

I then walked around by myself through Kamakura.  In every food shop, they offer free samples of their products, so I kept getting more and more sweets and pickled items and one hot mustard olive that made my eyes water.  Very fun.  They had sweet potato and green tea flavored ice cream, which one girl got and said was amazing.  I was holding out for Kyoto and unfortunately didn’t have time to get some.  I did, however, buy tons of Japanese candy and some banana ginger chips.  Delicious.  It was so nice to walk around by myself, exploring and thinking and practicing my Japanese.  I think I want to move to Japan for a year after college to teach English now.

After meeting back at the bus, we ate our packed lunches and drove two hours to Hakone, a small town situated near Lake Ashi, a lake made by volcanoes, and took a boat ride.  The boat ride was lackluster, specifically because it was unbelievably foggy.  We were supposed to be able to see Mt Fuji, but that just wasn’t happening.  We then took a cable car up to Mt Komagatake in another feeble attempt to see Mt Fuji.  Obviously, we didn’t, but we did arrive in The Mist.  It was literally what I imagine dying to be like…everything visible until it literally isn’t.  I couldn’t see five feet in front of me.  Bizarre.

Drove three hours home, slept, blah blah, met up with Aleeza, and we went to Tokyo to meet up with Jeff and Colette at the ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) we had booked.  We got lost along the way, but luckily the lovely Japanese once again pulled through and helped us.  One hotel clerk even spent 15 minutes on GoogleMaps trying to figure out where we needed to go.  It was amazing.

We got to the ryokan after like two hours (when I say lost, I mean lost – we passed this very smelly area and got creeped out about the barnyard smells until realizing it was, in fact, a zoo – maybe you had to be there) and Colette told us the Tsojiki Fish Market was closed the next morning.  Super bummer.  Jeff and Nick, a boy who met up with Colette and J at the train station randomly, showed up a little later and we all went upstairs, watched a little of “The Daily Show” (so amazing) and then went out into the city. We went to an English pub because no other bars would let us in?  Because they were private bars people rented out?  It was bizarre.  But anyway, Asahi Beer, you guys.  We stayed for one drink (aside from Jeffrey) and then Nick and I bought some more beer at a grocery store nearby and we went back, watched “The Colbert Report” and fell asleep.

The next morning, Jeff and Colette decided they wanted Denny’s for breakfast because they are losers and Aleeza, Nick, and I went to find some kaizen sushi (conveyer belt sushi) near the train station.  The place we went was AMAZING.  They had a huge fish tank outside with all sorts of creatures swimming around – flounders, sharks, octopi, giant crabs – and filleted the fish inside the restaurant right before serving it.  The waitress spoke very good English and the chef came over to us (we sat at the bar obviously) and told us his favorites, etc.  It was indescribably delicious.  The eel was my absolute favorite…they grilled it a little bit so it was barely browned, then drizzled some sort of special sauce over it.  The meal was super cheap and so worth it.

Then we all met up again and started walking towards Akihabara, the electronics district.  On the way we went through this incredible little marketplace, filled with yelling merchants and amazing-looking foods.  We stopped at a few places, namely a tea shop where the owner helped me pick out a nice tea.  After I had decided which one I wanted, he wouldn’t let me buy it without making us all a cup.  So amazing.  Japan, you guys.

Akihabara was insane.  I don’t really know how to describe it – just go there.  So loud (comparatively), so bright, so fast-paced.  A place to match the technology.  We all split up and explored the various toy stores, electronic stores, arcades (arcades are HUGE in Japan – multiple buildings with 7 stories, totally filled with people of all ages), and eventually met up again to eat lunch at @home café, a maid café.  A maid café is essentially a new Japanese phenomenon where young girls (not too young) dress up like dolls and respond to bells and call you master.  Honestly, I’m surprised it wasn’t more degrading than it was.  They bounced around like anime characters and were very sweet.  We weren’t allowed to take pictures, ask the girls personal questions, or invade their space in any way.  I could write a dissertation on the balance of sexuality and non-sexuality in Japanese culture, starting with the maid cafes.  Just crazy.  We all had desserts (heart-shaped of course), paid our bill, then split up for a little while.  Colette and I went to a Japanese photo booth and rented anime dresses for the photos.  I can’t wait to post them – they’re hilarious.  They whited out our faces so our eyes look huge and my hair is bright bright red.

After we met back up, we decided to head towards Asakusa, specifically the Kitchenware Town. Unfortunately, it was a national holiday so many of the shops were closed, but it was still really cool to look around.  I bought an amazing pair of stainless steel salt and pepper shakers that are very modern but distinctly Japanese.  I love them.  We then killed some time in a coffee shop and I made some phone calls and we went and had shabu shabu for dinner.  Shabu shabu is basically translated to mean “hot pot,” because you get two boiling basins of water and spices, then pick your vegetables, meats, tofu, etc to cook at the table.  It was weird to get used to, but the waitress helped us do it.  It was pretty good, but more the experience than anything.

We left Jeff at the Tokyo station so he could go his own way, then Nick, Colette, and I went to find where our overnight bus to Kyoto would pick us up.  Well, the girls did.  Nick got a later bus.  It took us forever to find it – we asked at least four people at various information desks who refused to help us, then finally found this amazing Chinese woman who dropped everything she was doing to walk through the rain with us to our stop, ask a bunch of people nearby if we were in the right spot, then call the bus company to find out if we needed tickets or just the print-outs.  It was amazing.  I realize that I keep writing “amazing” and “incredible” but seriously…that’s all I can really say.  Just so nice.

We spent the next hour in massage chairs before our bus left.  We got leopard blankets and had assigned seats next to all women – the men sat in the front.  It was rough.  No bathroom, so we stopped every two hours at various truck stops, which would have been fine but the driver kept turning on all the lights and shouting over the intercom.  Awful.  We arrived an hour early at 5:15am, broke into a closed bathroom (where Colette was escorted away to an open one and physically placed into a stall), then met up with Nick and figured out the day.  Well, first we bought a full day bus pass for 500yen (roughly $5), which was beyond worth it.

I’m not really into describing the shrines, to be honest.  We first went to the Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji), but since we got there a little early we decided to make the short walk to the Rijoanji rock garden.  On our way, we ran into an older gentleman jogger, who kindly informed us that the gardens were closed (UGH).  He then proceeded to talk to us about baseball, especially our home town teams, and walked with us through a back road to the temple.  On the way, he pointed out various places that he found interesting – a middle school, a beautiful garden in the backyard of someone’s house, pointed out a mountain with kanji written into it, and told us to get on bus 58 for the Gion district.  It was insane.  So friendly.  He then dropped us at the shrine, saluted, and said goodbye.  Such a nice guy.

The Kinkaku-ji shrine was unbelievably gorgeous.  I can’t really explain it.  It was more of a tourist attraction than anything, but I’m really glad we went at 8am instead of later in the day.  The gardens and mirror lake were just…oh my god.  Go there.  I bought a book on Zen Buddhism and can’t wait to read it.

After the shrine, we listened to our new friend and got on bus 58 towards Gion.  So insane.  It was an area of town filled with geishas and traditional Japanese goods and just genuinely looked beautiful.  We walked around and took photos and ran into my friends Bridgette and Noel, which was fun.  Then we tried to find somewhere to eat for a long time, finally deciding on a little dive restaurant down a random street where we saw two Japanese people go in.  I figure it’s best to follow locals, always.

Best.  Meal.  Ever. 

We all ordered 900yen meals – I got a brothy noodle dish with beef and fish patties, as well as miso soup and the best fried rice I’ve ever had.  Only one guy worked there, and we just pointed at our menus and decided that way.  He made each of our dishes individually with just a skillet, so they came out at different times.  Plus free oolong tea.  Amazing.  We also got to sit at a traditional Japanese table (the short ones – god I sound stupid here).  It was just a lovely experience.

After lunch we went over to the Yasaka Shrine, which I more or less described in my paper for class, so I won’t write about it.  There’s just too much.  Afterwards we went to the Heian shrine, which is gigantic and amazing, and had colors like Yasaka with a layout like Meiji, which I found interesting.  I loved it and I’m not sure what else I can say.  It’s hard to describe.  Pictures will be better in terms of religious monuments (Buildings? Who knows)

So.  Then Nick, Aleeza, Colette, and I decided we were tired and went to Kyoto station to take a train back to the ship in Kobe.  We were very tired and happy to sit down for a long time.  While on the train, I saw numerous farms intertwined with the big city backdrop, which I photographed for my global studies project.  Colette and I also talked to a Kobe University (not sure of the name of the school) student for a little about his life, etc, as well as an older gentleman who was planning to travel to Dallas, Brazil, and tons of other places for the next year.  He was very interesting.

When we got back we got lost trying to find the tempura place we wanted to check out, but eventually found it and, of course, it was delicious.  The rice in Japan is just better than in America, there’s no way around it.  Showered, decided to go to an all-you-can-drink bar where a bunch of SAS students were going.  Stupid.  I knew it would be stupid but I didn’t want to go far and I figured it would be easier than trying to navigate a new city.  Plus, Colette, Aleeza, and Nick wanted to.  So we met up with another girl, whose name I obviously know but don’t want to say due to spies that might read my blog – let’s call her Jane.

We took a cab to the bar, paid 2,000 yen to get in (ugh), and immediately got some half-assed cocktails.  The bar was tiny and a DJ played American music.  Obviously this was very disappointing, as there were no Japanese people there aside from the bartender.  The drinks weren’t even good – they offered “milk and kahlua” instead of a white Russian, for example.  Also, apparently, a bunch of people got roofied, but we’ll get there later.

We’re there maybe two hours when I notice that Colette and Aleeza are trying to leave with Jane, who can’t stand up.  She says she had three drinks (which were pretty strong, admittedly).  Because she’s more of my friend than theirs, I asked Nick to help me take her home and make sure she’s okay.  It took us probably a half hour to get her out of the bar and into a cab, because she literally fought us the entire way.  She fell down the stairs, her skirt came up, her tights ripped.  It was so unbelievably embarrassing and sooo inappropriate for Japan.  Two cabs turned us down because she was such a mess.  Luckily we got one, then realized her purse and coat were still in the bar, so I went in and dug around where she put it, looking at people’s wallets trying to find hers.  I’m so surprised that I managed to get it.  Meanwhile, Nick was trying to keep her conscious by asking her questions about movies she likes, etc, and Jane responded by trying to kiss him.  Obviously, he turned her down.

On the way onto the ship, we ran into Bailey, Jenn, Tracy, and Elle, who were just getting back from Hiroshima.  They helped us get Jane through security and put her in bed with a glass of water.

We found out the next day that tons of people who had gone to that bar thought they had been roofied, which makes sense considering the amount of drinking that actually went down.  I had 2 and a half and was pretty drunk (sorry Anke), which normally wouldn’t affect me very much.  They didn’t seem that strong either.  It was weird.  So anyway, Jane apologized profusely the next day and paid for the cab ride.  I’m just glad we were able to take care of her and that she didn’t stay longer and drink more.  She’s actually a really cool girl and I didn’t think the whole situation fit into her personality.

The next day, Bailey, Colette, Nick, Tracy, Elle, Jenn, and I decided to go to the Arima Onsen (hot springs) in the mountains above Kobe.  It was amazing (key word for this trip, I suppose).  Japanese bathhouses are very popular, and these hot springs are some of the best known in the region.  First, you separate into men and women sections (obviously).  Then, you get entirely naked and wash yourself with soap and miniature showers outside the baths.  We bought little towels at the front desk to help us do this, luckily.  After, you move slowly to the baths – unfortunately tattoos aren’t allowed in the bathhouses, which would explain why the women we were with kept staring at Bailey’s.  Oops.  We stayed in the bath for about a half hour and it was SO HOT.  It was such a great experience – nothing sexual about sitting naked in a tub with a bunch of women.  We talked in hushed voices and just zoned out.  It was unbelievably refreshing.

After the baths, we walked around the area a little (it reminded me a lot of Snowmass outside of Aspen), then went to a restaurant in Kobe for some Kobe beef.  It took us a little while to get there, since these train systems weren’t as easy to manage as Tokyo or Kyoto’s were, and luckily there was a really nice university student on our train to help us.  Okay, so, Kobe beef.  Just…have some.  The place we went to was in the subway station and recommended by Rough Guides, and it was a hibachi grill-style place, which means the chef cooked everything in front of us.  It was amazing.  Along with the best steak I’ve ever had in my life, we got vegetables, fried rice cooked with the fat from the steak (they used the entire steak!  Amazing!), miso soup, tea, and grapefruit ice cream.  The lunch itself took two hours, and the $75 bill was worth it.  And I’m a frugal Midwesterner!

After that, we walked around a bit near the station in Kobe, then went back to the ship.

OTHER THINGS WORTH MENTIONING:
1.  Most places have heated toilets, which was AMAZING.  Bathrooms also tended to have both American toilets, as well as Japanese toilets (essentially porcelain holes in the floor), and don’t offer soap or hot water.  I don’t know, interesting to me?
2.  Japan really does take inventions from other countries and improve them drastically.  The country itself was built on taking ideas and making them their own (ie their relationship with China), so it was incredible to see how obviously they do that.
3.  The subway was the easiest thing to navigate ever…and we never had to wait for a train!  Only ONCE and it was for 5 minutes.  Take notes, Chicago.
4.  Vending machines for drinks on every corner.  Literally.  I was told about that but didn’t really believe it.
5.  Not many trashcans – this is impressive because there is little to no trash anywhere.  Japan is incredibly incredibly clean.
6.  Don’t eat and walk – incredibly rude!
7.  Patient line waiting – the Japanese form tight lines when waiting to get on the bus, even when it’s not there yet.


TOMORROW: China!