Over The Hills and Far Away (Misty Mountain Hop)

As if it's not obvious from the title or the picture, this weekend I went to Nagano: home of the Japanese Alps (did you know Japan had Alps? Because I didn't). Wait, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. On Friday, my host mother threw me a party. I'm not sure why exactly. She said it was to celebrate me coming to Japan, but I think she had ulterior motives considering I came to Japan two and a half months ago...
It was nice of her anyway. She invited all her friends who, unfortunately, all have children. At least two children each. So in a room of maybe 10 or 12 mothers and all their many children, I had a rather shocking preview of what my life might be like in the future. At least I can say with some hope that I won't be a house-wife. I will go crazy if my life consists of nothing but cooking, cleaning, driving children around and laundry. Okay, I am being a little harsh. I'm sure they are very satisfied with their lives, after all it is Japanese tradition for wives to stay at home and take care of the kids while their husbands work extremely long hours. Anyway, I managed to put up with the children. A few of them were kind of cute actually. The food was delicious and there was a lot of it. At the end of the party my host mother asked me to take a picture with each of the children. I felt a lot like those mall Santa Claus's must feel. It was definitely not my favourite moment but I didn't complain. After all, she did go to a lot of trouble to throw me a party and in her defense, she doesn't know I don't really like children.
But, onto the good stuff. On Saturday morning, Sean and I met our friend Yuki at the train station and we began our long journey to Yuki's hometown of Omachi in Nagano. After a long bus ride through all three levels of the Japanese Alps (Southern, Central and Northern), we arrived in Matsumoto: an averagely-sized, quiet town surrounded by mountains. We visited Matsumoto Castle which was extremely beautiful and boasts itself as the oldest castle in Japan (it's a toss-up between this one and Inuyama, they both looked about the same age to me). After the castle, we boarded the small local train to Omachi, right in the heart of the Northern Alps. Of course, it was dark by the time we got there so I didn't actually know this yet. We dropped our things off at Yuki's parents' house where we met her parents who were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Yuki's father then took us to the local onsen (I guess you could describe it as a hot spring, only it was in a bath house, a very common Japanese feature. Nagano is riddled with natural onsen). Then we headed back to the house for dinner. Yuki's town is very small and located right at the foot of the Northern Alps so, obviously, it was very cold. Yuki's parents' house is a very traditional style Japanese home which is also very cold (As I learned yesterday, Japanese houses are built with the warm, humid summers in mind so they are very open. They don't really consider winter at all which results in freezing cold homes in the winter.). Traditional Japanese houses, however, have one solution to the cold problem called a kotatsu. A kotatsu is a low, wooden table covered by blankets on top of which is put another table and underneath everything, is a heat source: in this case, a charcoal burning pit. So, while you are eating meals in the winter, everyone gathers around the kotatsu and tucks themselves in under the blankets while they eat. It actually works quite well. So well in fact, that none of us wanted to get out from under it when dinner ended and we ended up sleeping all around it with as much of our bodies tucked in close to it as we could comfortably manage. The next morning Yuki's father was going to wake us up early to see the sunrise over the Northern Alps (it's supposed to be very beautiful) but unfortunately it was cloudy. On the bright side, I got to sleep in a little bit which I cherish since I never get to sleep in here. On another note, Yuki's father was so interesting! He showed me pictures of the time he hiked over the tops of all the Northern Alps from one end to the other. It took him a week. I'll have to come back to Japan in the summertime and try it myself. Anyway, after breakfast we went to visit Yuki's grandmother and then Yuki's goat. Yes, it's a very rural town and Yuki's family owns a farm and a goat. After that, we drove up to the top of a little mountain for a brilliant view of the Northern Alps which looked stunning with their snow-capped peaks rising out of the mist. Then we went to the Omachi Alpine Museum and stopped to eat some famous Nagano soba and oyaki before the long journey home. Unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the old Olympic stuff because the Olympics were held in Hakuba which is about an hour north of Omachi. Besides that though, it was a great trip.
And now it's busy, busy, busy until after the New Year. But of course (as is always the case) I have gotten sick at possibly the worst time imaginable. On the first day that all my busy plans were supposed to start, I am bed-ridden with a fever. My body only ever chooses to get sick at the most inconvenient times. So here I am, one day away from 9 days of travel and I can hardly get out of bed. Please send healthy thoughts my way. I have only one night to get better or I am going to miss out on what was supposed to be the best week of this entire trip.
And finally, if I do end up going away (I don't care how sick I am, I am going), this will be my last post until the New Year.

So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Britt ♥


I miss a hot, fresh pot of tea when I wake up, come home and go to sleep.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Everywhere But Japan)

Watching Christmas movies in Japan is like watching Christmas movies in June- you can pretend it's Christmas as long as you're inside but the minute you walk out your door, the illusion is broken and you enter the harsh reality of a Christmas-less day. It's okay, I'm not really that bitter. You have Christmas, I have Japan. It's a fair trade.
The only Christmas I am going to have this year began and ended today with a Christmas Party that we threw in one of our classes. I dressed up as Santa Claus (Sean was home sick and John was too big for the costume) and taught Christmas carols, and John brought gingerbread houses (well, the Japanese version anyway which involve no gingerbread at all...). We also taught our classmates about how we celebrate Christmas with our families. I don't know if they understood entirely, all I know is that I enjoyed talking about it. And that's it for my Christmas this year (besides a slew of Christmas movies that I have lined up to watch over the next 2 weeks). I am spending Christmas Day in Hiroshima. I don't know of a more opposite way to how I normally spend Christmas than by visiting the site of one of the most horrific events in world history...

On a lighter note, this weekend I finally went to Kyoto: my dream come true. It completely lived up to my expectations. What a romantic city! We hardly visited anything and I have completely fallen in love. Surrounded by mountains on three sides with a river running through the middle, it is easy to see why Kyoto has traditionally been the main place for geisha- something so beautiful could only exist in a place of equal beauty. Walking through the streets of Gion was almost like walking through the pages of one of my favourite books, Memoirs of a Geisha (Almost- I never did find the bridge that she was sitting on when she met the Chairman even though I looked!). Gion stretches all the way up the side of the East mountain to Kyomizu Temple from which you can look back on all of Kyoto. In the evening we headed to the West mountain- Arashiyama. When we got off the train it was almost as though we had gone to an entirely new town: a quaint, little mountain town. We walked around with the crowds and then headed to the Bamboo Pathway. This was absolutely gorgeous. We walked along the winding path through towering stalks of bamboo that were all lit up in white and blue (it's not a Christmas thing, sorry). It was like being in a Japanese fairytale. I'm not sure if you remember but a few posts back I mentioned the Japanese saying: In Osaka, one goes broke from food. In Kyoto, one goes broke from shopping. Well I can now honestly tell you that this saying is true. Shopping in Kyoto is fantastic! There are so many great stores in Gion and not just souvenir shops- really interesting Japanese things that makes much, much better souvenirs. I even found a Ghibli store! (Ghibli is the studio that produces some of my all-time favourite movies and is almost solely responsible for initiating my interest in and love of Japan. Without Miyazaki's movies, I would not be here. The thing on my shoulder in the picture is a from one of my favourite Ghibli movies, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.)

Did I lose you? No? Okay, let's keep going...

On Monday, instead of my usual pop. culture class, Yamaguchi-sensei took Sean, John and I to the Hatcho Miso factory. Hatcho Miso produces the finest miso in Japan. So fine, in fact, that the Emperor chooses to eat it. Ipso facto, I ate the Emperor's miso. It was delicious. Then he took us around Okazaki to the library where we looked at a fantastic jazz collection owned by a famous Japanese jazz musician (loved it), and then to two shrines. The first shrine was your average Shinto shrine. Gorgeous, you know, whatever. Next was a beautiful Buddhist shrine and possible my favourite shrine so far. It looked like it belonged in Oku-no-in on Koya-san or even in the woods near Vancouver on account of the tall cedar trees and wet, misty fog (it was raining at the time) that made it, once again, feel like is was amidst a Japanese fairytale. Probably my favourite thing about the shrine was the cute little cat that lived inside the temple atop the long flight of stairs that seem to be a common feature of Buddhist shrines. He was adorable and very friendly. (Is the cat thing getting to be too much? Perhaps I'll stop mentioning it..)

So to wrap up, I walked through the streets of Gion like Memoirs' Sayuri, I ate the Emperor of Japan's miso, pet a Buddhist cat and dressed up as Santa Claus. Enough for this week? Maybe. Now I am going to try and stay up until midnight to watch the Geminid Meteor Shower. If you read this in time, it should be visible over Canada around midnight tomorrow.

Happy star gazing!

Britt♥


I miss baking.

I'm Turning Japanese (I REALLY Think So)

Since I have been in Japan for 10 weeks now, it's no wonder I am adapting to the lifestyle. But perhaps I've gone a bit overboard, you decide.
How I have turned Japanese:

1. Contrary to what John and Sean think, I can actually converse in Japanese. I can comfortably hang out with my Japanese friends and make conversation for long periods of time. Sure, it's pretty broken Japanese and I repeat a lot of what I am able to say (I've probably told my friends that it was -10° in Vancouver a couple weeks ago about 15 times now) but they don't seem to mind.

2. I like my rice plain. I'll use soy sauce if it's there but really, a bowl of plain white rice is just perfect.

3. I have a new found love for all things cute, furry or cartoon. In class today, the words "kitty-chan" (Japanese name for Hello Kitty) came out of my mouth in a rather shockingly high-pitched tone during pictionary. (We were teaching games from Canada at the time.)

4. My clothing seems to be reflecting Japanese fashion more and more everyday, and I am really liking it. Jean shorts over black leggings, lace-up high-heeled booties, puffy shouldered shirts, ect. I even (dare I say it) find myself wanting a pair of Crocs even though I swore I would never wear them. (Don't worry, just thinking about it. I haven't crossed over yet!)

5. I've stopped craving Western food. I crave tako (octopus), ika (squid), kimchi (spicy cabbage) and mochi (glutinous rice cake). Tempura soba and kaiten-sushi are all I crave at lunch time. Forget British tea-time, I'll take hot or cold Japanese Milk Tea in a small milk carton with a straw from a vending machine any day (or 3 times a day). (On second thought, I want an eggnog latte. I'd kill for an eggnog latte.)

6. Riding my rusty, pink, one-speed bike to school from the train station is the best part of my day. It just feels right.

7. I love Pocky. Chocolate, strawberry, matcha, anything. Give me all the Pocky in Japan. Or all the Toppo (Pocky's inside-out relative where the flavour is on the inside of the cracker stick thing!). Yummmm.

8. I have completely taken to the bath/shower system here. It goes like this: Shower first then get into the hot bath water that everyone in the family uses before the tub is drained. I know it sounds disgusting but I mean, think about it, at least everyone cleans themselves first. Usually, I have the first shower anyway, and the bath water never lasts more than a day. And, you know, showering is a lot of work. You deserve a minute to relax after all that lathering, rinsing and repeating. (Get over it, I live in Japan. I'll be clean when I get back to Canada.)

9. My Japanese cell phone has a Hello Kitty charm with a bell. I can text in Japanese.

10. I part my hair in the middle now.

11. I am entirely over my hatred of all things pink. I love the colour pink. (I had to buy a new glasses case- my new one is sparkly and pink.)

12. Yeah, I took those Japanese photo booth photos that make you look like an anime character. I am doing the 'peace' sign in every one.

13. My chopstick form has greatly improved. When they see me (watch me) use chopsticks, all Japanese people say, "Jooozuuuuu," which means basically, "You're so good at using chopsticks!" I think they labor under the impression that Western people can't use chopsticks at all so they are shocked and delighted my poor excuse for chopstick form. (I have to say though, I find it a little primitive that they use two sticks to eat everything with. I don't mean it really offensively; after all, they really can do anything with those things.)

14. I find it strange if a restaurant doesn't require me to remove my shoes upon entering.

15. I successfully went clubbing the Japanese way. You go to a club and stay until after the last train has gone and then either move from club to club until the morning or find a manga kissaten to sleep in. Manga kissaten offer a small cubicle with a large reclining computer chair or private karaoke rooms. Neither make particularly good beds, but sometimes you'll really take anything (take my word for it). It costs a small sum but it's a warm place to sleep until the trains start running again at 5am. (Me? I got home at 8am.) Oh by the way, clubs in this country are amazing. 5 stories and cover comes with 4 drinks.

16. What's a tan?


Of course there are still a million things unique to Western life that I could never live without but I think I am adapting quite well, don't you? Or have I gone too far...

Jaa ne,

Britt


I miss absolutely everything (every tiny little corny detail) about Christmas.

Upward Over The Mountain (Buddhas, Ninjas and Nature)

Grab a cup of tea. This is going to be a long one.

I have no idea why there are so many national holidays in this country. No one seems to celebrate or honor anything. They just stay at home and do nothing. It's very strange...
I, on the other hand, took the opportunity of another long weekend to do some more traveling. I spent Saturday and Sunday atop Mt. Koya. ('Koya-san' as it is affectionately referred to by the Japanese people). The monastic complex of Koya-san is the headquarters of the Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism (in other words, a gigantic Buddhist monastery on top of a mountain). It was founded by Kobo Daishi 1200 years ago and remains a very popular school and World Heritage Site (over 110 very old temples remain) as well as an extremely popular Buddhist pilgrimage site. I went with my host mother, two Buddhist priests and six other women. It took three trains, a cable car and bus to get there (5 hours!) but the journey was actually not so bad on account of windy railroad that brought with it some very beautiful scenery. When we got to Koya-san, we first visited the Garan, or main temple complex. The bright red pagoda and old wooden buildings looked stunning against the background of red, orange and yellow Japanese maple trees (Japan is in the midst of the leaf change right now- gorgeous!). The priests led us through the complex in the proper order and we entered some of the temples to bow and pray to the deities inside. The priests were explaining all about Esoteric Buddhism, each specific deity and Buddhist customs as we went along and I was absolutely choked that I couldn't understand much of what they were saying (my host mother translated what she could, but her English seemed to get worse and worse as the weekend went on). I loved the temples. I've never seen anything like them. Inside are gigantic carvings of deities surrounded by beautiful golden adornments and the thick, overwhelming scent of incense- the feeling of entering one of these temples is indescribable. Also, when you enter, you rub a fragrant powder on your hands that is meant to cleanse them which, for me, resulted in such an overwhelming peaceful and calm feeling as I knelt with my hands clasped close to my face (it almost helped me forget the pain in my knees and the pins and needles in my feet that result from kneeling for a long period of time). After paying our respects at the Garan (and about 20 other temples along the road), we went to another temple where we received Jukai. Jukai is an Esoteric Buddhist ceremony that one must complete in order to be officially Buddhist. You enter a very dark room (complete with another beautiful Buddhist shrine), meditate and chant. It takes about 30 minutes. Anyone can receive Jukai regardless of religion (I love that about Buddhism) and receiving it does not mean you are a Buddhist unless you wish to be so. After this, we arrived at the temple at which we were staying the night. Being that Koya-san is located on top of a mountain, it was rather cold. Oddly enough, inside the temple was colder. Luckily, our room had two small heaters. Our room was large with tatami mat floors, sliding paper doors and two tables. It is customary when staying in these temples (called Shukubo) or Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) that your futon is laid out for you while you are eating dinner away from your room- which is exactly what happened. After a delicious (all vegetarian!) Japanese dinner prepared by the monks, we returned to our room to find futons laid side by side all across the room (with nice little feet warmer things-it was very cosy). Seeing as we were joined by two priests on our trip, we did everything according to proper custom, which meant paying our respects to the shrine in our room. This is where things get a little unbelievable so please bear with me and keep an open mind (and remember I was a guest and extremely lucky to have been asked to go on this trip). One of the priests was apparently able to contact the deities who would then speak through him and offer advice if properly enticed to do so. So, an incredible feast was laid out before the shrine (of each of the deities favourite foods apparently) and we were asked to meditate. After a short time, the priest informed us that deities were present and pleased with the offering. He then called us up one by one to receive a message from one of the deities. That is all that I will say about that.
The next morning, we woke early to meditate with the monks and other temple guests. Again, the room had a beautiful Buddhist shrine and we meditated and chanted as per the two monks who lead the meditation. The calm feeling this creates lasts all day. After packing up, we went to Oku-no-in. Oku-no-in was on my list of top 10 places I wanted to visit in Japan and it didn't disappoint. Oku-no-in is a world famous Buddhist graveyard set in an old cedar forest at the eastern side of Mt. Koya. It is absolutely enchanting. You cross the bridge (bow first of course) and instantly the world is silenced as gigantic cedar trees loom and you are surrounded by ancient, moss-covered tombstones. Because it was early in the morning, the sunlight that shone in beams through the trees was just beginning to evaporate the dew which rose into a beautiful mist and made the forest look like something out of a dream. It is quite possibly the most utterly peaceful place on earth. We walked along the path, stopping every so often to bow where it was customary (thank goodness for the priests) until we reached another bridge. Before crossing the bridge you must first go to a long line of Buddhist deity statues and toss water on each one as an offering for the dead. Then you may go to the bridge, bow, introduce yourself complete with name and address, bow again and cross (which foot you step up with is also important). Beyond this point is one of the most spiritual places on Earth: the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi (now you understand the history lesson). You first pass though Lantern Hall (where it is said there are lanterns that have been burning for more than 900 years) and go to the back to see Kobo Daishi's mausoleum where it is believed Kobo Daishi is not dead but has been meditating for 1000 years awaiting the future Buddha's return to Earth. Everyone who is anyone is buried here in the hope of being rewarded when the future Buddha returns. This place is world famous among Buddhists and was naturally incredibly busy. Everyone crowds this one area to light candles and incense for their family and pray to Kobo Daishi for the health and prosperity of themselves and their family (yes, Mom, I did it too). The result of all this incense burning is the most incredible, fragrant fog that fills the air on this side of Oku-no-in. I've never experienced anything to rival this. It was so meaningful to me and I will never forget it. As we left Oku-no-in, the priest led us past a very long line of Bodhisattva carvings (there are hundreds of Bodhisattvas in Esoteric Buddhism). Every so often he would stop, call someone forward and announce that this was their guardian Bodhisattva. He would teach that person how to properly worship them (chant, offering, ect.) have them bow, chant, pray and bow and move on. My guardian Bodhisattva apparently is Monju Bosatsu: Buddhist Deity of Wisdom. I thought it was interesting that this is my guardian deity as he is the only deity pictured riding a lion and my star sign is Leo. Maybe I am forcing a connection, I'm not sure, but I thought it was interesting anyway. Then it was the five hour journey back home. I must have bowed over 500 times in two days- quite the abdominal workout!

If you are still with me, here is what you were waiting for: Ninjas. On Tuesday (national holiday, remember?), Sean, John and I went to Iga which is famous for it's ninja history. I love ninjas. Who doesn't?? Stealthy assassins are so cool (why do you think the James Bond movies still make so much money?). We went to the Ninja Museum where we were showed around an old-style 'ninja house' complete with trap doors, revolving walls, lookout points and the like. The ninja who was showing us around (yes, they still train ninja's here) demonstrated the revolving wall. I swear she disappeared in half a second and the wall looked completely normal (when I did it, it took about five seconds for me to get behind the door and I had a heck of a time keeping the door still). Then we got to look at real ninja weapons. There is a lot more to ninja weaponry than shurikans, swords and nun-chuks. They had more gadgets than Batman and this was around 700 hundred years ago. We then watched a weapons demonstration where we saw ninjas fight each other and throw shurikans (throwing stars). Yes, it was extremely cool. From here, we traveled to Ise where the most sacred shrine in Japan is located: Ise Shrine. I can see why it is considered more sacred than Atsuta Shrine (in Nagoya) because it is located in a peaceful place in the woods, surrounded by trees and rivers, and all the buildings are wooden with moss roofs (Shinto is a nature worship religion by the way) whereas Atsuta Shrine is located in a big city and all the buildings, while gorgeous, look shiny and new. Iga and Ise are very far from each other and from Chiryu so this was an extremely long day trip but definitely worth every minute of travel. All of these places had the most beautiful trees also on account of the autumn colours. I wish you could experience it as a camera can only capture so much.

That took a long time to retell but I really enjoyed reliving all that as I typed. Thanks for reading, I wouldn't be writing this if not for you!

I understand Vancouver has a lot of snow. Well you know what Vancouver? Keep your snow, I like it right here where it's 15° and the leaves are still falling. (Bitter? Maybe.)

Peace, Love and Throwing Stars,

Britt


I miss fireplaces.

Don't Stop Believing (Until You Burst)

And 10 hours later...I exit my food coma. Yes, I have been literally dizzy due to an overdose of sugar caused by something I ate 10 hours ago. Doesn't sound so bad does it? Trust me when I say it was worse than swine flu. No, I'm exaggerating, but that really was the worst stomach ache I have had in a very long time.
So here's the story: John loves food. Loves it. Never stops talking about it or thinking about it. Everyone knows this by now, including Professor Nishio, one of our professors here. So a couple of weeks ago, Professor Nishio told John about 'the unbelievable.' (Sounds ominous doesn't it?) We were all astounded and intrigued by 'the unbelievable' and bragged how there was no way it was too 'unbelievable' for us. But really, something called 'the unbelievable' doesn't seem like something you would ever actually encounter. But then, last week, Nishio-sensei very casually said, "Okay, so next week I'll take you to get 'the unbelievable.'" No problem. I looked forward to this class all week. I think perhaps one reason it is called 'the unbelievable' is because you really can't picture this thing. You have absolutely no idea what is in store for you. That is, until you reach Cat's Cafe. Quite a different Cat's Cafe than the one I've already visited. Now, in Japan, you see, it is believed that sight of food invokes hunger. So almost all restaurants will display plastic versions of the food they serve outside of the shop. So our first glimpse of 'the unbelievable' came before we even sat down. And let me tell you, when we sat down, we were positively shaking from fear. We all exchanged these looks that seemed to say, "What have we gotten ourselves into??" But Professor Nishio seemed positively chipper. He ordered our 'unbelievable' with a smile and then sat back and sipped his coffee. "You're going to help us right Nishio-sensei?" John asked. "Maybe I'll just have a couple if bites," he replied. Oh my, no. We are down to three people. "Better prepare ourselves, guys." Then Sean informed us that he can't eat a lot of sweet stuff. "Half a chocolate bar and I'm done," he said. Great, just perfect. John and I exchanged very worried glances. After the 20 mintues it took to make this monstrosity, it arrived. (That poor girl who had to make it..) We snapped some pictures and dug in. Fast-forward about 30 mintues, 'the unbelievable' is half-eaten and we are coiled over in our seat, seconds from vomiting. Oh yes, the first few minutes were heaven, the last 25 were like Chinese water torture: slow, painful, and all you can do is think about and dread the next drop.
Alright, I've kept you in suspense for long enough. What is 'the unbelievable' you ask? Well here it is (drum roll please):

'The unbelievable' is ice cream, whipped cream, cornflakes, ice cream, whipped cream, brownies, pudding, wafer, sorbet, fruit, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce and powdered sugar. (Layered a few times over.) Served in a bucket. Yes, a bucket. A bucket that was bigger than my head.
Why did I eat this? I have absolutely no idea.

I hope you enjoyed that. Now onto the real adventures.
Actually I only have one for you this week. On Saturday I ventured on my own to the little seaside town of Tokoname (and didn't get lost!!). Tokoname is famous for pottery throughout the world and is the top manufacturer of maneki-neko in Japan (that cute beckoning cat in the front of Asian stores). I am not normally a big fan of pottery but I needed something to do and Sean recommended it to me. It was actually very neat! (That's right I said neat.) When I got off the train, I popped into the tourist center to grab a map and followed it to the start of the "Pottery Walk" which takes you through the quaint little streets of Tokoname which are littered with pottery and pottery shops. And it's true, there were maneki-neko everywhere! Even a very large one overlooking the main road. It was all very adorable. I wandered along the path, browsed the little shops with their statues, vases, teapots and more, stopped to pet a couple of real 'neko,' watched numerous artists as they sketched the picturesque little town around them full of old looking rooftops and old pottery smokestacks, took lots of pictures, grabbed lunch and headed home. It was a very pleasant day.

I'm afraid that's all I've got this week. I am still really enjoying riding my bike to school. It's getting colder but I like riding my bike so much that I don't mind. I have a very full weekend starting tomorrow so I'll have lots to report next week. (A little something to look forward to for you procrastinators out there.)

Oh that's right, we also had a takoyaki party with our friends. Takoyaki parties involve making takoyaki (who'd have thought?!) which is a lot of fun and extremely delicious.

Have a good weekend and stay warm Vancouver.

Britt♥

PS. Next time someone suggests drowning your sorrows in a bucket of ice cream, take my advice and DON'T DO IT.


I miss eggnog lattes.

Day Tripper (Eight Days A Week)

In an effort to distract myself from growing homesickness, I have made it my goal to keep myself perpetually busy and it seems I have more than succeeded. In fact, I have plans for every weekend until January. Last Saturday, while John and Sean were both doing some solo traveling, I made it my goal not to spend the day suffering through my homesickness at my host-home. Instead I went to a movie with my host mother and brothers. I knew I would not be able to understand the movie but I did not have any other plans and my host mother told me that this was an award winning movie. (It was called Genpin, if you are interested. I won't tell you about it so look it up if you want to know what it's all about. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.) Japanese movie theatres are kind of cool. They are seated and you choose your seats when you buy your tickets. They also sell churros which I loved- it was like being at the fair. Earlier in the week, one of my teachers gave me tickets to see the Century Chamber Orchestra in Toyota because I expressed my love for classical music. I had two tickets and, seeing as both Sean and John were out of town (and I get lost easily), I offered one to my host mother which she gratefully accepted. Unfortunately, my host father was working in the evening on Saturday so the children had to come as well. So, after the movie we grabbed lunch and suffered through traffic all the way from Okazaki to Toyota. It would not have been a problem if the children had not slept through the drive but, when we arrived at the concert, the kids were wide awake and in no mood to sit through a 40 minute symphony. I don't blame them, I would not have wanted to either at that age, however, the people around us were a bit annoyed at the children talking and bouncing in their seats. It was a bit awkward especially when they asked my host mother to take the baby outside after the first piece and I was left with my two other host brothers (ages 5 and 7) to take care of. (It's very hard to explain to children why they need to be quiet when you don't speak their language). But, for the most part, I enjoyed the orchestra.
On Sunday, Sean and I (John was still traveling) went to Tajimi in Gifu Prefecture to meet with Yamaguchi-sensei who wanted to take us around Tajimi and Seki to see some interesting things. (By the way, the train ride from Aichi Prefecture to Gifu Prefecture was gorgeous. You pass through mountains and numerous tunnels to get there.) Our first stop was the sword and knife museum in Seki where the traditional sword-making ceremony would be performed. Seki is renowned for being the greatest producer of cutlery in the world as well as for it's sword-making. You can see the traditional sword-making ceremony on only 6 days each year so we were very fortunate to be able to see it. It really amazes me how many traditions Japan has kept. Katana have been made in this exact same way for 1200 years so I was very thankful to have been able to witness the ceremony. Afterward, we browsed some cutlery stores before heading to the Enku Museum. In order to get to the Enku Museum, you must walk through a bamboo forest. It was so beautiful it felt like I was dreaming. On the other side of the forest where the museum was, it was so peaceful, too. There is no better location for a museum like this. Enku, was a Buddhist priest who, throughout his life, carved over 100,000 images of Buddha. He traveled all around Japan doing this but the majority of the statues are in Gifu Prefecture, hence the museum. The carvings were amazing but, unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take pictures. I will tell you that my favourite was a large Buddha that was found floating down a river after a flood that looked oddly similar to a statue of the Virgin Mary. I thought that one was the most interesting. Next was a quick stop at a pottery museum and then a looooooong wait for Sushi Ro (a famous kaiten-sushi restaurant). There were more people than I have ever seen waiting to get a table at this restaurant! There must have been 30 parties ahead of us (and this was the second Sushi Ro we stopped at- the other was too full too!). Luckily, kaiten-sushi is pretty quick as meals go so we waited about 40 minutes (it was worth it).
Wednesday, Sean and I skipped school to go to Nara. We were given permission to do so on account of the fact that the famous Shoso-in treasures were being shown only for 2 more days, so if we didn't go then we would have missed them. We got the bus early in the morning and arrived in Nara at about 10:30. My Japan guide book has a great walking tour mapped out of Nara Park (henceforth referred to as Nara-koen) which we had decided to follow. Nara was absolutely incredible and definitely my favourite place in Japan so far! It is a large city but has a much calmer atmosphere than that of Osaka (it reminded me a Vancouver a bit). Many people had told me that Nara-koen is full of deer but I did not expect this. Right away as we neared the park there was a deer standing in the middle of the sidewalk with people just casually walking by. As I got closer I saw another deer, and then another, and then another just casually standing around a little old Japanese woman selling 'deer crackers' at a cart. In Canada, a deer will run away the second you get anywhere close to it so I did not expect these deer to not even flinch as I slowly stepped closer and closer. Finally, I reached out (half expecting the deer to suddenly raise it's head and bite me) and touched the deer on the head. It looked at me and didn't move. I was thrilled!! I went and bought some crackers from the Japanese woman and fed my new friend when suddenly I was surrounded by about five deer all nudging me and biting my coat! I gave each deer a cracker moved away quickly. There are literally tens of thousands of deer in this park and, cracker or no cracker, you can just walk up to them and pet them (usually they give you this look that says, "alright now where's my cracker?") They are so cute! It's like a gigantic petting zoo! I could talk all day about these deer but instead I'll move on. First stop on our walking tour was Kofuku-ji and my first Japanese pagoda. There was another museum here showing a limited time display so we decided to check it out and boy am I glad we did! It was amazing. Tons of wooden statues of Buddhas, priests, Buddhist deities including a gigantic 1000-armed statue of Buddha, a national treasure. (definitely not 1000 arms, I counted.) It was amazing. Everything in this museum was stunning. Next was the Nara National Museum for the Shoso-in exhibit. It paled in comparison to what we had just seen. Yes, everything was from the 6th century from when Nara was the capital of Japan, but it all just looked like old, rotting, broken stuff. The only thing of any interest was a beautiful biwa (lute) inlaid with mother-of-pearl and amber. Although, after a 30 minute line-up to get into the museum and a 15 minute line-up to see the biwa, I was not so impressed with this museum. Besides deer, Nara-koen is absolutely littered with temples and shrines. We must have stopped at at least 20 before we decided that it would take too long to stop at every one. We did make a long stop at Todai-ji Temple, home to the famous Daibutsu statue (gigantic wooden Buddha), which was amazing. I could go on and on about Nara, I really loved it, but I won't bore you (this is getting a bit long as it is). I am going back to Nara at the end of December so I can visit with the deer and Buddhas again. :-)

As you can see, it's day trips galore. And I have so many coming up I really feel like I do need eight days in a week. It's a good thing though. The busier I am, the less time I have to think about home. It's strange to miss home and not miss it at the same time...

I should mention the other great news from this week. I was given a bike by the school. It's not necessary, but I love it all the same. It is pink and has a basket and a bell (I'd be jealous too). It takes me about the same time to get to school when I park it at a station close to school but I love riding it so much that I plan to ride it to school often. Finally the vision I had of myself riding my bike through the streets of Japan is coming to life. (All I need now is my school girl uniform).

That might be all for now...I'm not sure anymore, I am lost in thoughts of my bike...and now of Vancouver....and now of everyone I'll miss at Christmas....oh dear, I need go find something to do.

Until next time,

Brittany

I miss walking dogs.

Lost In The Supermarket (Probably Eventually...)

Next time I go traveling, the first thing on my list will be a compass.
I thought it was very coincidental that I was listening to 'Lost In The Supermarket' by The Clash this morning and I got myself very lost again today for the third time. Every time I have gotten lost, it has been entirely because I never know which direction I am facing. As I was going over the directions with Nishio-sensei to where I was heading today, John said, "Make sure you get on the train going south." Right....towards....the ocean...which is...where again? I know what you are thinking. 'Brittany, you have been living in Japan for over a month now. Shouldn't you know how to get from place to place?' Well, let me tell you something. We, in Vancouver, are completely spoiled by those big mountains and that huge sparkling ocean. You hardly have to think at all to know which way is north. Not to mention, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, East Vancouver...it's like a child named our city! In Japan, if you don't know which way north is at all times, well, good luck. And you'd better know which way you are traveling all the time because once you realize you've gone wrong, backtracking is a real pain (if you even remember which way you came from- yes, I've gotten lost that way too). And another thing: you try finding your way out of a huge train station where all the signs and maps are in Kanji. No, not hiragana or katakana (the two Japanese alphabets I can actually read) but Kanji- the most ridiculously complicated script you can imagine. You know those symbols that people like to get tattooed on themselves? Well, that is an actual form of writing. A very common form. There are thousands of them and they are completely impossible for any foreigner to understand. But they are everywhere. It's like some cruel joke the Japanese (and Chinese) are playing. Oh, they'll write the station name in hiragana once you've gotten to the wrong station just so you can read it then and realize that you have gone in the opposite direction. I'm sure they find it hilarious to watch the foreigners get off a train only to walk to the other side of the platform to catch a train in the opposite direction, making it completely obvious that they made a rather stupid mistake. In many train stations, they will very kindly mark the north exit and the south exit but then proceed to take you on a wild journey through the train station turning you in every direction so by the time you are outside you have absolutely no idea which direction you are facing (this has been my downfall a few times now). Large train stations often will have multiple train lines with multiple entry points, multiple subway lines (better not get on the wrong one) bus stations at every exit, staircases and escalators in every direction and all the signs are in Japanese. Imagine, if you will, if M.C. Escher designed a train station that he modeled after Heathrow Airport with no English signs and you will understand how I feel everyday.
On the bright side, getting lost gives me ample opportunity to practice my poor Japanese on sweet, unsuspecting school children (my guide book says they are less likely to be afraid of you and will answer your questions more simply). Here's a sentence to remember if you ever travel in Japan, "Sumimasen. Kono densha wa _____ ni ikimasuka?"(Excuse me, does this train go to ___?)If you are as lucky as me, 100% of the time you will get a rather shocked expression followed by, "Ikanai!" (Nope, doesn't go there.) Lately, I've been trying to say it quietly to the person sitting next to me so that only they know what a pathetic excuse for an independent traveler I am (there's no use really, everyone on the train is already staring at me and probably straining to hear how my Japanese sounds or whether I will speak English). Here's another one for you, "____ wa doko desska?" (Where is ____?) Now, using this sentence may presuppose that you know a bit of Japanese and will usually attract a long response spoken at light speed. In that case, choose a direction, any direction will do, and say "Soko?" (Over there?). I find they usually slow down, walk you a bit of the way or just give up speaking to you, point you in the right general direction and leave. Any are helpful, really (I find the more meekly I say it with a sad sort of confused expression, the more helpful they are). Make sure to thank them before you take off, of course (gotta keep up that Canadian courtesy!). Arigato (pronounced ah-li-ga-toe), arigato gozaimasu (ah-li-ga-toe-go-za-i-mass) or domo arigato gozaimasu if you want to really thank them. I usually say it with a bit of a tone that reflects, "I am such a pathetic foreigner, thank you for taking pity on me."
I found out today that I only really care about being late before I am late. Afterward, well who cares, I am already late, I don't see how it can get much worse.
It's getting a bit sad, actually. I'm finding I am unwilling to try and go places on my own for fear that I will get lost. I can't google map anything because it all comes up in Japanese (darn Kanji) so I am left, compass-less, to guess and test my way across this country with only my Lonely Planet book to guide me. Unfortunately, Lonely Planet doesn't have anything to say about my little town of Chiryu or the neighbouring town of Kariya where I was trying to go today. However, on the bright side, I now know what lies in every direction from Chiryu train station: West- Nagoya, East- Okazaki, South- Kariya, North- wrong way.

I didn't do much this week of any interest, really. Went back to Nagoya briefly to see a friend's band's concert, got sick and stayed home for a couple of days, went to a Denmark-themed park that was aptly named Denpark. For those of you who know what a pun-loving person I am, you know I was very entertained by this.

Fingers crossed I don't get lost on the way to my bed...

Missing Canada..

Britt♥

I miss the ability to eavesdrop on strangers' conversations when I am bored on the bus.

Sunglasses At Night (In The City Of Blinding Lights)

Autumn has just blown into Japan on the back on a very windy day, and with it came our first overnight trip since coming to Japan exactly one month ago. Osaka: city of food. After school on Friday we bought our train tickets and set off for Osaka. We arrived at the hostel around 8, dropped our things and headed straight for Dotonbori. Dotonbori, in case you are unaware, is basically the most famous restaurant district in Japan. There is a Japanese proverb that, roughly translated, says, "In Kyoto, one goes broke from shopping. In Osaka, one goes broke from food." (Doesn't it look cool in Japanese: 京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ). Well, that proverb couldn't be more true for Osaka (here's hoping I can control myself in Kyoto). We ate until we dropped. Takoyaki, okonomiyaki, udon, crepes! (Are you hungry yet?) The food was amazing, but more amazing still was Dotonbori itself. All night long, Dotonbori is in the midst of daytime thanks to the enormous neon signs that light the way around you. Like a kind of futuristic Darwinism, it's survival of the biggest and brightest. The streets are so lit up that the night sky above looks completely out if place. It's very strange to be in a restaurant on the 7th floor of a building (in Japan there are 10 story buildings where each level is a different restaurant- it's really quite common) where there are no windows and as you walk out onto a seemingly sunlit street you look up to the sky to find it is stark black. Dotonbori, despite its glaring neon signs, has really a unique kind of beauty- the kind that some might argue is shared with the likes of New York or Las Vegas. The neon signs are well matched with the bustling crowds, street vendors yelling "irasshaimasseeeeeee," giant, robotic crabs, uniformed waiters frantically shoving flyers into your hands and drunken party-goers stumbling around, and yet is contrasted so peculiarly by a serene canal that runs alongside the main stretch from which Dontonbori takes its name. But besides being fascinating, Dontonbori is undoubtedly a very fun place to be.
After a successful first night, we woke up late the next day, ate the best udon I have ever had and headed to the seaside to Osaka Aquarium. I have only been to one other aquarium but it pales in comparison to this one. Said to be one of the best in the world, Osaka Aquarium is arranged around one HUGE tank that houses two whales sharks, manta rays (my particular favourite), hammerhead sharks, black and white tipped sharks, other rays, sawfish, and much, Much, MUCH more! As you wind down through the aquarium around this tank, there are displays of all sort of other sea creatures around you, too. Seals, dolphins, penguins, capybaras, eels, sea lions, otters, giant spider crabs (aliens, I suspect), and millions of species of fish. I loved every second of it. And, as if getting to watch a ray float around gracefully in front of me for the first time wasn't great enough, I was surprised at the end to find there was a tank in which you could touch stingrays! I just about spontaneously combusted with excitement and happiness. If you have ever seen what a ray's face (well, a sort of face anyway on their underside) looks like then you will know why I love them so much. Such silly looking faces, I can't but laugh even now just picturing them. Google it. You won't be sorry.
After the aquarium (after I dragged myself out of it, that is), Sean and I rode on the world's largest Ferris Wheel which offers a spectacular view of Osaka right over to the neighbouring prefecture of Kobe. Then it was back towards the hostel with a quick stop at Osaka Castle. Well, it was intended to be quick, but it was so gorgeous we wandered around for a while. It looks a bit like Nagoya Castle only surrounded by more trees than tourists (and the trees are just starting to change colour- beautiful!).
Later, we met with Sean's friend who took us to another izakaya restaurant which was a lot of fun. We traded some culture over a couple bottles of sake. Drinking warm sake in an izakaya- doesn't get more Japanese than that (although my friends told me yesterday that sake is mainly drunk by older people so we probably looked a bit strange ordering it...Oh well, I don't regret it).
Our final day in Osaka, Sean's friend took us to a great okonomiyaki restaurant followed by a little shopping- a kitchen store so John could buy a very professional Japanese cooking knife, the Hello Kitty store for me (what did you expect?!). Then it was back on the train home.
Oh, Osaka. What a place! It is a major tourist town so most of the waiters and merchants can speak some English (I was both relieved and insulted when we were handed English menus right off the bat though). I think once may have been enough though. The crowds were more than I expected. I'd image living there would be similar to walking back from the fireworks in English Bay in the summer, everyday. Too much for me to handle.
Tuesday we threw a Halloween Party at school complete with costumes (I'll give you three guesses as to what I was dressed as...), pumpkin carving, copious amounts of candy and a scary movie. I can't even begin to describe how much fun it was, just imagine all those things plus a room full of Japanese girls who have never really experienced Halloween before. Endless laughter.
I'll miss Halloween with my friends this year, but I'm sure I'll have fun anyway. I'm glad I got to carve a pumpkin. :-)

So long for now and have a Happy Halloween!!

Kampai!

Britt

I miss green apples with peanut butter.

Memoirs of a Geisha (Well, Not Really...)

I may have just missed an annual Canadian/American tradition (Thanksgiving) but I just experienced my first real Japanese tradition: the school festival. Every year in Japan, many schools from nursery schools to universities hold cultural festivals called "bunkasai." At my university, students got together in groups and organized either a shop, or food stand or games, performances, ect. It turned out sort of like the Richmond Night Market, only in the day and more fun. My group did a "free market" (I think they meant Flea Market considering they were selling old clothes and things but I didn't correct them). Sean, John and my job was to basically attract people to our shop (which wasn't a bad idea really seeing as everyone looks at us anyway, we may as well be used for marketing purposes). But just in case we alone weren't enough to attract customers, Sean and I were put into Yukatas (see photo: sort of like a kimono, only cotton and not as heavy). Man, I thought people stared before but this was ridiculous! People stared, girls yelled out "KAWAIIIII" and people asked to take photos with me and Sean. It was hilarious for a while until I got very hot and tired of shuffling around (its very hard to take big steps in those things) not to mention very uncomfortable with everyone looking at me. But, all in all, the festival was fun. Our group didn't do overly well, but at the end of the day the girls wanted to to make me look more Japanese so they kept making me try on the unsold clothes which were very cool, but completely not my style (as if Canadians really have any style to being with). I really do not understand Japanese fashion, but they kept telling me that things were "kawaii" and made me take a heap of clothes. I kept insisting on paying (mainly because the money was going to go towards a night out for all of us at an izakaya) but they wouldn't let me. So by the end of the day, I'd bought a big lunch, a back massage, a tea ceremony and a pile of clothes all for about $15. And that was just Saturday!
Sunday, I met with a wonderful Japanese woman (a friend of my host mother) who will be taking me and my host mother to a place called Koya-san next month. We went over details of the trip and how much it would cost me and then we started talking about Japanese Buddhism and the history of this place. It is fascinating. It is on top of of mountain and the heart and soul of Japanese Buddhism. There are many Buddhist temples (one of which I will be staying in overnight) and a very famous graveyard where any and every major Buddhist in Japan is buried. There are many specific things that you must do at the temples and graveyards though, so it was important that we went over them. I really can't wait to go.
After tea, I returned to the festival to watch some of the live shows followed by a lottery game in which packets of mochi (japanese dessert: sooooo good) with a number on the back are thrown into the audience and then numbers are drawn for prizes. We didn't win anything but it was fun anyway. After that were the fireworks and then an after-party with our friends.
Monday, was a holiday on account of the clean-up that needed to be done after the festival so I took the opportunity to go to Nagoya and finally find the Cat Cafe. A Cat Cafe is (very obviously a Japanese invention) a place where one pays to play with cats. It sounds strange but I loved it. These places are built specifically for people like me who love cats but are without them for any number of reasons. There were about 20-25 cats including 2 kittens! As weird as this may sound, I had the time of my life. If you don't love cats, you can't understand.
I think I have accomplished everything that I wanted to do in Nagoya. Now on to Osaka!

I think by the end of this trip my Japanese will be much better but my English will be much worse...

Britt-chan

I miss bad family channel Halloween movies played on repeat all month. Especially Beetlejuice...which isn't bad at all.

Castles (Oh! You Pretty Things)

Things I noticed about Japan this week:
1. There are no stars. I think Honshu may just be the cause of all the world's light pollution.
2. The streets are impeccably clean but garbage cans are few and far between. Whoever is paid to clean up garbage in this country is doing a fantastic job.
3. Not all Japanese music is bad 90's pop.

Oh my, what a week. After school last week, our friends took us to our (my?) first kaiten sushi restaurant. It. was. awesome. I don't know if I can ever eat sushi again unless it comes on a conveyor belt. But, not only does it come by on a conveyor belt, you can also order anything you want off a small touch screen TV at your table at which point it drives itself to you on a small train straight from the kitchen. I don't know if you can picture that but, trust me, it is cool. After the restaurant, we went bowling. Always fun. The next day we went to kaiten sushi again (with our other group of friends who we had originally planned on going with before the previous day's events had presented themselves) and then shopping. I won't go into too much detail with the shopping save to say it's cheap and everything is unique. We finished off the day at Cold Stone Creamery where they sing to you while they make your ice cream. True story.
Saturday it poured with rain. This wasn't the kind of rain that we Vancouverites pretend we can brave (all the time secretly miserable)-- this was "if I take my umbrella out in that, it will crush under the weight of this tropical storm" rain. So, I spent the day inside reading and taking it easy.
Sunday and Monday were dedicated to sightseeing. I finally went back to Nagoya and went to Nagoya Castle which I was happy to have missed before because now there is a whole new exhibition going on with live shows and VERY famous old Japanese artwork. Nagoya Castle is very interesting. It is one of the most beautiful castles in Japan from the outside but actually, the original castle burned down in WW11 so it was rebuilt for the modern tourist complete with elevator and air conditioning. Everything about the castle was fascinating (owing very much to the English speaking tour guide I found who offered her services absolutely free- really, she wouldn't accept a dime!).
Monday, Sean's host parents took us to Inuyama Castle- the oldest castle in Japan and a national treasure. It was gorgeous and a lot more of a real, old castle feel than Nagoya Castle. After the castle we went to Monkey Park. It is exactly how it sounds. Well, kind of. It is a kind of monkey zoo. Tons and tons of different species of monkeys. You couldn't hold them but you can get very close to the lemmings and spider monkeys. Very cute. Awful smell. Following Monkey Park was a bit more sightseeing in Nagoya and dinner in Kariya and shopping for supplies at the 100yen store (Japanese dollar store) for the Halloween party we are throwing at school.
Went back to Nagoya briefly today on a failed mission to find the illusive Japanese Cat Cafe then went to school to paint our banner for the school festival this weekend. After that, we and our friends went to a traditional Japanese Izakaya restaurant. I won't get into the details here, but I will say it was fun. ;)

Oh dear, last night was my first decent sleep so far and now my host host mother tells me there is a cockroach somewhere in the house. So much for sleeping...

Short update this time. I'm happy to tell longer stories if you want to chat on Skype!

じゃあまた！

Britt ♥

I miss Edgemont Village in autumn.

Where The Streets Have No Name (Because All The Signs Are In Japanese)

One week gone, 17 left. Adaptation is easy, it's what comes next that's hard. I'm already used to the daily routine (get up at 6, breakfast at 6:30, shower if I didn't the night before, get ready while talking to people on Facebook and Skype, walk to the train, transfer to the bus, class, lunch, class, bus, train, home, dinner, homework, shower, sleep) but now it's all about making time to do things and meet people. We've met a ton of people at school (well actually only girls because at this university girls outnumber guys about 50:1) who are more than happy to take us around. We've already got plans for the next 3 weekends. Making conversation is hard but so far everyone is equally struggling with each others' language so it's working out slowly but surely. Our classes at school are great. We take grammar, conversation, writing, history, and popular culture (the last two are taught in English) and have each joined separate clubs and classes. I joined an aerobics class (zuiikin english anyone?) and the running and guitar club. We also help teach three English language classes and it is hilarious. The classes are full of girls save for maybe 6 boys in total across all three classes so needless to say, Sean and John are celebrities. Don't worry, I am famous too (something about how I am kawaii...?). Anyway, school is great so far.
Last Friday night, my host mother took me to a club she attends. She called it 'Hippo Club' and said the kids were coming so I thought it was some kind of kids thing but was not even close. Basically, it is a place where parents (mostly mothers) go and bring their kids who mainly go play with each other while the parents stand around and learn languages. The learn about 15 languages at once, not kidding. They play these tapes which repeat the same conversation in about 12 languages and they stand in a circle and repeat what the tape says. They learn English, Chinese, Korean, Malaysian, Vietnamese, Russian, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. So, because I was the special guest, I had to introduce myself in Japanese (which I am getting very good at) and English, then they introduced themselves in English and whatever other language they wanted to practice. It was crazy. Apparently this group also organizes homestays for their kids so many of the kids had been to Russia or America or China, Korea, whatever. And the oldest kid was only 14!! Some of the kids that went to Russia were 9! That is so young for a homestay! I would never have been brave enough to do that when I was 9. They want me to go back every week. Who knows, maybe I'll pick up a word or two in a couple other languages...
On Saturday, Sean, John and I went to Nagoya. I went to Atsuta Shrine which is 1900 years old (but you wouldn't know it- it looks brand new) and saw like four weddings happening at once. We got Ramen for lunch (yup, real Japanese ramen- Aaron if you are reading this, I'd send it back home to you if I could, you need to eat it) and walked through what looked like a shady market place which turned out to be really cool and had a bunch of hidden shrines in it (shrines are absolutely everywhere and so pretty!). Then we walked to Nagoya Castle which unfortunately was closing when we got there but was cool anyway (and I'll definitely go back). Here's a crazy story: Just past Nagoya Castle, we saw this really cool looking gateway so we walked through it but all that was on the other side was a parking lot. Then I saw a little kitty. I followed the kitty to a secret hidden cat town! I swear this is true! There were all these little kitty homes made of boxes in the bushes and tons of kitties!! It was all around a shrine-type thing and there was food and water so someone obviously takes care of these cats. They were very scared though and wouldn't let me pet them and some only had half of their tails. My theory, after a lot of unsuccessful research, is that these are stray cats that people take care of so that they won't die and become ghost cats and haunt them (for more information see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakeneko). It sounds crazy but I think that's what it is. Turns out, actually, there are a ton of stray cats here! (but none are very friendly ;_;) On Friday night, the Nagoya baseball team won the championship so we expected there to be a lot of partying going on. We never found it. In fact, for a town with a population greater than Vancouver, we didn't see a whole lot of people at all. Turns out everyone hangs out underground. Seriously. Japanese cities have tons of underground malls that have shops, restaurants, bars, everything! We found one earlier, actually, but it didn't have any bars so we didn't think to look in one later when we were looking for a good bar.So our evening was relatively chill (besides riding on a huge Ferris Wheel in the middle of downtown and visiting a bus station that you go up on the roof and there is water and it's all lit up (it's cooler than it sounds!). It's very hard to know where things are and when things close when you can't read any signs....
Sunday we went to a barbecue for international students where we met tons of people who have been here for a while and who agreed to show us around Nagoya and take us to kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi) nomihodai (all you can drink!) and some other cool places. I also plan on hitting up a cat cafe next time I'm in Nagoya ;). The barbecue was fun besides having to play really dorky games in the middle of a park to get to know each other (Head and Shoulders, Rock Paper Scissors, the like...). It was a little embarrassing... Also at the barbecue, my host brother caught the biggest praying mantis I have ever seen in my life. It was terrifying. He brought it home with us in the car. It died this morning. (Thank god- it was soooooo gross.)
After the barbecue, my host family and I went to my host father's father's grave. It's really cool, the stuff they do at graves. They collect water from the cemetery well and re-fill the vases with water and fresh flowers, light incense and each do a little prayer with special beads around their hands. They asked me to pray. I wasn't really sure what I was doing but I thought it was nice that they included me. :)
Today, we stopped by Okazaki Castle on the way home from school. It was smaller than Nagoya Castle but still cool. And there were more stray cats although none were friendly. :( There was a museum inside with real Samurai armor and weapons. In Japan, there is at least one really cool thing on every block.

Japan is a crazy place. It is exactly how you picture it. Stereotypes and all. Japanese people are so quiet and reserved until they come out of their shell, then they are crazy! Japanese-game-show crazy! I have seen so many things already that I thought were just stereotypes. Today, I saw koi in a pond. I've seen choreographed dancing in a public area. I've seen what seems like thousands of people crowded into train stations, girls dressed in full geisha outfits, girls in schoolgirl outfits with Playboy bunnies on their socks, super fast trains, cute cartoon animals advertising everything, smoking inside restaurants, religious ceremonies in Shinto temples, and some of the craziest fashion you can imagine.
Toilets are probably one of the strangest things in this country. You'll be walking down the sidewalk on a busy street and there will be a public washroom. No door, just urinal, staring you in the face (the ladies room has a door). Ladies public toilets are literally a hole in the ground. And never any paper towel or hand dryers in washrooms. Always sinks but nothing to dry your hands with. The toilets in private washrooms require a degree in rocket science to know how to use all the functions. There is no middle-ground in this country. Just polar opposites. Medieval toilets or toilets from the distant future.
Bugs here are shockingly enormous and I have 37+ mosquito bites (currently- there is a mosquito in my room now that I can't catch who'll get me tonight, guaranteed) that itch like mad. Hornets here are the size of my thumb and spiders are big, skinny and green. Needless to say, I don't sleep well.

That's all for this week. I'll do Nagoya right this weekend.

Gotta work on my small-talk for my friends at school (luckily one speaks very good English and helps translate for me).
Gambatte as the Japanese say!

So long from the other side of the Pacific!

Britt


I miss cereal.

Some Like It Hot (Just Not Canadians)

After 13 long hours of traveling, I arrived in Japan to some extreme humidity. Contrary to what you might think, carrying a 22 pound backpack while pulling 2 suitcases is really unpleasant in a hot, humid climate. The plane ride was fine but by the time we checked in for our second flight to Nagoya, we were already having to use some Japanese. On the small plane to Nagoya, we flew right over Mt. Fuji. I could see right into the crater and it was amazing. Here's hoping I get a chance to hike it before the snow comes. Met Professor Nishio (the coordinator/ one of our Japanese Professors)and he took us out for a quick dinner (tempura, edemame, some other stuff that was good and a beer) before dropping us off at our hotel near the airport. It was only about 6 when we got the the hotel but it was already dark outside so we couldn't see too much of the view. Immediately after dropping our bags in our rooms and catching our breath, we headed down to our first "kombini" otherwise known as convenience store. Why anyone would need the added convenience of a vending machine in a convenience store is beyond me but I wasn't about to complain- we bought beer from a vending machine for 250 yen which is roughly $3!! Then we sat nearby over looking the ocean and drank our beers. Strangely, the ocean doesn't smell the way it does in Canada. In fact, it doesn't really smell at all...even though there was a really strong breeze....
We took a walk around a path that was surrounded by rushes. The crickets were so loud they sounded like birds, it was amazing. After that we went back to our rooms and went to sleep.
The next morning I got my first taste of Japanese traditional breakfast- Miso soup, onigiri, pickled somethings and tea. It was delicious but I am still getting used to eating lunch-type foods in the morning. Professor Nishio picked us up and drove us to the school. It is a really beautiful campus about the same size as Cap just not so spread out. We learned what classes we would be taking and waited for our host families to pick us up.
My family is great so far. My mother is so sweet. She took to me a shrine right after she picked me up from school because I said I was interested in them and I told her that while I was in Japan, I wanted to try Okonomiyaki (japanese style pizza) so she made it for dinner! She is a great cook and makes about 5 different kinds of green tea all throughout the day (the best). I have three brothers- Koji, Shoji and Kenji (Ken-chan). They are 7, 5 and 1. Kenji is just about the cutest kid I have ever seen in my life (and if you know how I feel about children, just think how cute this kid must be for me to say that) (he is sitting on my lap right now actually and Shoji is jumping on my bed). I taught Ken-chan to give me a high five today :). I've met my host father only once but he seems very nice. He is a police officer and my host mother is a housewife. She can speak some English which is great for when I get stuck. My room is small but basically what I expected. The heat I did not expect. I hope I get more sleep tonight but so far that doesn't look promising even though it is raining outside.
Today I went to Nagoya. I haven't seen much yet other than the department stores which are about 10 floors each of nothing but clothing (!!!). Trains are an experience but I'm already getting the hang of them. People do stare at us wherever we go but it's not so bad and they are nice if we ask them questions.
Tomorrow is my first official day of school and this weekend is a barbecue festival in Chiryu (where I live) and Sunday we are planning a full day of activities in Nagoya.

I just ate a fish for dinner. I'm talking a cooked full fish sitting on a plate that I had to pick apart with chopsticks. Well...that was an experience. Tasty...but I couldn't help picturing it hopping up off my plate back into the ocean and swimming away seeing as it looked like it was still in the state to be able to do so.........anyway....

More updates to come!

Mata Ne!
Britt


I miss my mattress.