I arrived in Japan on Friday, June 29th, around 7PM at Narita Airport, on the outskirts of Tokyo. I would be staying in apartment buildings in a place called Seta, near Kyoto. Traveling there would take some effort, and the dorm wasn't going to open until Saturday anyway, so I decided to spend the night in Narita. Early Saturday morning, I caught the limousine bus (and by that, they mean a regular 'ol bus...although to be fair, it was nicer than most American buses) from Narita to Haneda, the other Tokyo Airport. From there, I took a plane from Haneda to Kansai Airport in Osaka - I figured this would be easier than trying to tackle the train system first off. (BTW - I highly recommend Japan Air Lines (JAL) - it's a very nice service).
First impressions - I'm in Japan. Freakin' Japan man. I've been studying the language and culture for three years, and I'm finally here. Wow. But it's still early, and the full impact has yet to sink in. So far, I'm really surprised at how much English is used. Aside from the airport, which is to be expected, there was still a lot in general. Theoretically, you could make your way around Japan without speaking a word of Japanese. I don't recommend it, of course, but it is conceivable. I try using my feeble Japanese skills - and meager they were! I found myself severely lacking in vocabulary, although I've completed all the intermediate courses. I still have much to learn...
From Kansai, I rode the "Haruka" Bullet Train to Kyoto, and then a local train to Seta, which is where I would be staying for the next month. (Trains in Japan) At Seta station, three Japanese tutors - college students who would be staying with us during the course of the program, met me. Their names were Keiko, Aya, and Wakana, and they were all very nice. They all spoke English, and asked me various questions as we walked (yes, walked) back to the apartments. I would later meet the other American students who had arrived before me - and of course, quickly forget their names. ^_^ (Our Japanese Tutors)
That night, the tutors took us to a bar in downtown Seta. They were all really excited about getting a chance to drink. The Japanese like their social drinking...and they make for really funny drunks, let me tell you. Now, I know a great deal of them weren't 20 yet (the legal drinking age in Japan), but our waitress didn't seem to care. Why bother, when you can buy Asahi beer in vending machines? (More on that later...) I don't drink, so I spent most of the time speaking English with two of the tutors - Wakana (who I'd met at the station, and is unbearably cute) and Mariko. They were really happy at getting a chance to practice their English on a real live American.
The next day (Sunday), we all went on a shopping trip in Sanjo, a district of Kyoto. (Shopping in Japan) It's a large yet pleasant city with many various things to see and places to go. We split up into sub-groups and made our way around - I didn't particularly care for any of the shops we visited, so I kept my wallet in check. Besides, I don't want to go broke on my third day in the country. Mostly, I used the time to get to know the other students - American and Japanese, although at this point, I still don't know their names. C'mon, there's a lot to remember! ^_~
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Although one strange thing happened - I noticed some people staring at us. Okay, a lot of people. One group of guys even vocalized it. I guess tourists stick out like a sore-thumb. Japan is a very homogenous country. Here in America, we take our diversity for granted, but in Japan, being a foreigner is very obvious. I was a special case too, being 6'3 in height, and African American. So I got a lot of stares. But it wasn't a demeaning thing - they were just curious. (On Being Foreign)
On Monday, I went to the first day of class, which is, supposedly, the reason I came to Japan. But I'm sure you all don't want to hear about that, so moving on...that night, there was a welcome party for us at the apartments. Our living conditions were quite nice - it was a faculty apartment building in a rural area in Seta, near Lake Biwako. The building was good and the apartments themselves were really nice. There were 6 people to a room - 4 American guys and 2 Japanese guys, or 3 American girls and 3 Japanese girls. There were 20 American students, 8 of whom guys, so there were 2 rooms of 4 American guys plus 2 tutors, and 4 rooms of 3 girls plus 3 tutors. The apartments had a master bedroom with it's own air conditioner (Japan doesn't utilize a vent system, so an air conditioner basically just blows out cool air) and bathroom, with a large bathtub and shower. There were two other bedrooms, another bathroom that was really small, and one more bathroom in the hallway that was just a toilet. We were on the third floor, while faculty for Ryukoku University, the university at which we were attending class, lived on the second and first floor. (Life in Japan)
Back to the party, it was very nice. I got to talk to and get to know some of my fellow students (and actually learn their names!) as well as talk with more of the Japanese tutors. Naturally, the alcohol flowed freely. They brought a keg! A welcome party for a bunch of college students, and they bring a keg! Shame I don't drink...but I more than made up for it with the food! There was a lot of really good food...and it was all free! Music to my ears!
Sadly, after the party, a little problem occurred. Before, we had heard hearsay that there were complaints coming from the faculty living in the apartments about out noise. At the party, our program direction briefly mentioned it. But after freely handing out beer to young college students, everyone expected them to stop partying and return home quietly. Um...no. After it's official end, the party informally continued, in our room no less. I knew it was loud and, given our warning before, we were already on thin ice. Myself and Tad, one of my roommates and the only other sober person in the room, tried volume control, but as many of you may know, there is just no reasoning with drunk people - American or Japanese. Soon enough, we started to get word that the complaints were rolling in, and because of the previous complaints, we were really on thin ice. I was really worried. The situation was later smoothed out, and we finished our stay there without any further major incidents (although I'm sure the faculty was glad to see us leave...).
The situation, in my humble opinion, is culture shock at its finest. The previous nights, I didn't particularly think that we were being that loud. I think we all underestimated the thinness of Japanese walls (they are extremely thin). Plus, we really didn't know that we were being loud - the complaints were indirect, so we only heard about them in hearsay. By the time we got to the party, where we were clearly excessive, the situation was worse because we already had two strikes against us. The problem is that we didn't truly understand what was going on. In America, complaints are direct - we would expect the person being bothered to come directly to us first to let us know that there is a problem. However, the Japanese don't think this way - they prefer to be indirect, and go through a third party. In our case, that third party wasn't really telling us about the complaints. I'm not saying that we weren't to blame, because we were, but there were definitely some cultural differences involved in the situation. It's something to keep in mind if you're even in Japan. If you're being a problem to someone, they won't tell you directly - they'll tell someone else, and maybe that someone else will mention it to you. So it's up to you to be really aware of the things you are doing, and how those things might have a negative effect on those around you.
On Wednesday, a welcome party was held for us at the University. Naturally, once again, beer was provided freely and without question (it really is a shame I don't drink...I could have been in alcohol heaven). The real highlight of this party was a group of ladies who played the koto, which is a Japanese harp. Let me tell you, their playing was amazing. The sound they could produce with those harps is truly indescribable. If you're ever in Japan, and there happens to be a koto performance nearby, go check it out. Seriously. Strangely enough, during these ladies' second set, almost no one was paying attention. As I looked around, I was shocked to see all us American's listening intently, but the Japanese students, and even the teachers were talking and going about their business as if the ladies weren't even playing. My professor later explained to me that, since the alcohol had been out for some time now, they were all drunk and didn't know better. And it was perfectly okay - the Japanese give their drunks a lot of leeway.
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Tonight also happened to be July 4th (in Japan anyway...in the states it was still July 3rd) so after we got back from the party, we all headed out to Lake Biwako, only a 5 minute walk from our apartments, and set off fireworks and various other explosives. Which was perfectly legal, I might add. You can buy bottle rockets and other fun explosives in any supermarket and Toys 'R Us. Being the proud Americans that we were, we absolutely had to recreate a little bit of our culture overseas on this, the birthday of our great nation, by setting off fireworks, a fun activity for the whole family. Or just use the fourth as an excuse to blow stuff up in a country where you can buy bottle rockets, beer, ice cream, and deodorant at the same place, at the same time. Whichever. ^_~ It was great fun. Somehow, I ended up being one of the guys go actually lit the fuses. Go figure.
Friday was our first class field trip. Our destination was Magome, a rustic old town that sits on the side of a mountain. It was quite a ways away, so our plan would take us first to Nagoya, the fifth largest city in Japan, where we'd stay the night, then head out to Magome the next day. I got to ride the Shinkansen (bullet train) again, which is always a pleasant experience. Nagoya is quite a city, and if you are ever in the neighborhood, stopping by wouldn't be a bad idea. The city is HUGE, and at night with all the buildings and city streets lit up it's quite a sight to behold. If you're looking for nightlife, you'll probably find it in Nagoya. After checking into our hotel rooms (and the controversy over who would end up rooming with the Professor) most of us headed out again for a bite to eat, and to take in the nightlife. Not being the party animal that I am, I took to wandering the city with two other friends. We were in search of a used CD store, and although we didn't find it, we did find a variety of other things - huge arcades, nightclubs, various different shops and stores, hostess bars by the metric ton, and businessmen. Drunken businessmen. It was late on a Friday night, after all. (Men and Women in Society)
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The next day, we took a long (slow, painful...) bus ride to Magome. The town really is beautiful, and incredible. In order to walk through it, it's nothing but a steady, uphill climb. And once you get to the top, you're treated to a really nice view of the countryside and the green rolling hills. But past that...it's not much. The majority of the shops sell pretty much the same thing, and the restaurants only serve udan and soba (and I'm not a fan of either), although there was this one shop with incredible shaved ice (Japan does shaved ice, and it does it WELL).
That night, as we were heading back home, about half the group (including myself) stopped in Kyoto to grab something to eat. Afterwards, as we were waiting for others, we sat down at a street corner in front of the Kyoto Station. We were next to a large group of young people...after a minute or two, they turned and introduced themselves. Out of all the students there, I had the second most experience with the Japanese language, but for some reason, the guy with the most experience wasn't speaking, so I did the conversation with these people. Surprisingly, my Japanese was amazingly adequate that night. ^_^ I explained who we were and why we were here, then asked them the same. They were a group of street performers, one day hoping to become a major band. There were four girls who...well...I'm not sure what they did exactly. -_-;; And there were three guys - two on guitar and one who went from a very small battery powered keyboard to a tambourine, depending on the song. One of the guys introduced himself as "John Malkovitch." I asked if they were out here for money, but they weren't - they were there simply for the love of what they do. They played two songs for us, which were good for a street performance. Afterwards, we had the obligatory picture exchange before heading home. Meeting these young people was such a refreshing experience. I was surprised that they were performing on the street not expecting a single dime - just there because they loved it. They were all really fun and interesting people, and although the whole encounter lasted maybe 30 minutes at most, I feel as though it affected me personally on a very deep level, and it's an experience that I'll never forget.
The next week wasn't particularly interesting...well, it was for me, but it won't be for any of you. ^_^ For all those who just HAVE to know, the events that transpired include me getting hooked on a Japanese drama. It's called Bus Stop, and it may be the cheesiest, hokiest, greatest thing ever produced on TV. It's about this simple bus driver named Musashi who falls in love with this businesswoman named Natsuo. Of course there are a ton of complications, side stories, and what not. But you can't help but sympathize with Musashi, who is the nicest, sweetest guy on TV to date and you really want to see him win. The series ran on Fuji TV, which is quite possibly the greatest station on Earth. It's 12 episodes in duration, and what makes it a tragedy is that I MISSED THE LAST EPISODE!! ARGHLIHADKLHSKDJHGLSDJH!!
(Writer's Note - I have since bought the series on VCD. Ahhhhhhh. ^_^ Bus Stop is the greatest thing ever. Worship it accordingly.)
On Tuesday we went bowling in the next town. Like I said, fun for me, not for you. Although I guess I was lucky to have found a pair of shoes. I wear a size 13 in America, which is big for America, but in Japan...I wasn't sure they'd have a pair (size 30 in Japan, for those wondering). They actually did have a pair...as the clerk hands them to me, he says in English "Biggest in the house..." while trying, miserably, to contain a hearty laugh. Gee thanks. -_-;; Wednesday we went karaoke. Of course we couldn't leave without one trip to a karaoke bar! In Japan, instead of an open bar, you have a building with many different rooms. You actually rent a room, and the rooms vary in size and price per hour (we rented a fairly large room). Inside the room you have seats around the perimeter and tables, and a stage at the front of the room, with the karaoke machine and two or three TV monitors. The use of the room gives you some degree of privacy...but if you're loud like us, everyone's going to hear you anyway. ^_~ You can order drinks from the bar where you get the room, and bring them back to the room.
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And for all those curious, among the songs I did were Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" and N*Sync's "Bye Bye Bye." -_-;;
Friday was another field trip day. This time, we went to our first Japanese temple, Ninan'ji, which features a pagoda that is over 1000 years old (think about that for a moment or two). Like most Japanese temples, you have to pay an admission to get in, usually around 500 yen. You take your shoes off at the entrance, and then pass the obligatory souvenir stand. From there, you can explore the temple. You walk around on these wooden planks that serve as walkways. Some of the doors will be open, displaying various different things, from artwork to prayer altars. There'll be a sign explaining what it is you're looking at, and oftentimes these signs are written in English, or have English counterparts. In some temples, you can walk around inside some of the rooms. Usually, the nature around these temples is really beautiful and steals the show from the rest of the structure.
The nature scenery around Ninan'ji |
The entrance to another part of the temple |
After Ninan'ji, we stopped in Kyoto again for a bite to eat. Our professor showed us to this all you can eat place...oh my goodness. I'd fly back to Japan just to eat there again. Much like many Japanese buildings, this restaurant employed the use of levels. On the first level, besides the place where you pay of course, there was a sushi and tempura bar. You sit down, and a friendly cook will ask you what you want, and provide as much of it as you ask for. It's prepared right in front of you, and the moment the chef finishes, he passes it to you. The second level was the meat level. Yes! A waitress came by and asked us what kind of meat we wanted...after we responded "everything, of course!" she brought us back this place of raw meat which we grilled ourselves using the open barbeque pit in the middle of our tables. Bowls of rice were provided as an accompaniment to the meat. Some vegetables were brought as well...yeah yeah yeah, more meat! I was slightly slowed down when our professor told us that the thinly sliced strips we'd been pondering all evening was cow tongue. Sadly, I cannot tell you what was on the third level...I know there was something...but whatever it was, it's far overshadowed by the all you can eat dessert bar. Yes my friends, all you can eat dessert. Quite frankly, I'm amazed that I left the restaurant at all. ^_^
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(left to right) Jason, Patrize, Colin, and Jessica at the Buffet Restaurant |
The next day, we decided on our own to take a trip to Osaka Castle. It’s a very large (and by “very large”, I mean freakin’ huge) building that’s surrounded by a moat. As far as I can recall, there are ten stories, each one containing a sort of mini-museum on each floor. At the top level, there is…can you guess it…a souvenir stand (of course), but the real highlight of this floor is the ability to walk outside around the building. The view over all of Osaka is incredible, and I’m afraid that’s an understatement. If you’re ever in the Osaka area, be sure to check this place out, but go early, because in order to truly appreciate it, you’ll need at least two hours, maybe more. Also be warned that it closes at 5PM. After Osaka Castle, I stayed in Osaka with two other American students and one of the Japanese tutors. We wandered around looking for adventure, but sadly didn’t find any. I guess we were just in the wrong part of the city. One of my friends later went to Osaka and found a veritable slew of things to do, including something he called “electronic row” – a street with nothing but electronics shops and stores. Hmm, maybe it’s best I didn’t find electronic row...
The view from the top of Osaka Castle |
Haruka poses in front of a temple in the area |
This weekend would begin the Gion Festival, an infamous festival in Japan. It is supposedly the largest in Japan, and a huge chunk of Kyoto is closed off for it. This year’s festival was particularly interesting because it would be the first time ever for the Festival that women would be allowed onto the large floats that are a part of the festivities. So, of course, we all wanted to go. Unfortunately, that Sunday, it rained heavily. So we were grounded for the time being.
Monday was one of best days of my experience, although it didn’t start that way. It started with me being extremely late to class. -_-;; Class started at 10AM – and it took a half hour walk to Seta Station, and a 15 minute bus ride to get to the University. Therefore, ideally, us students should leave the apartments no later than 9AM. And considering that 6 people were sharing a two-bathroom apartment, in order to leave the apartments by 9, we’d have to wake up at 8AM at the very latest. So, this rainy Monday morning, imagine my chagrin when one of my roommates, on his way out, wakes up myself and another one of my roommates and says “Wake up guys, its 9AM.”
Actually, it was 9:15. x_x
My roommate Tad and I manage to jump up, take quick showers, throw on some clothes, and rush out of the apartments by 9:35. Of course, even walking at breakneck speed, we were going to be very late to class. And did I mention that it was raining hard? Neither of us had winter clothes, and while Tad had an umbrella, I had nothing. Only two minutes out of the apartment, I was already drenched. So yeah, this wasn’t looking like a good day. That quickly changed though. As we hit the local 7-11, which was sort of the halfway point between the apartments and the station, a guy in a very nice SUV stopped us. He asked me if I had an umbrella, and where we were going in such rain. I told him I didn’t have an umbrella, and that we were headed to the University. He said that Ryukoku was on his way, and offered us a ride. Tad and myself could hardly believe it. We were skeptical, of course, but we were also drowned at this point, so we decided to chance it and get in the car. We introduced ourselves – the man’s name was John (Junichiro) Maeda, and he worked for a company named Optex. He spoke excellent English, and on the way to the campus, he asked us a lot of questions about our universities (I’m from UC Davis; Tad is from UC Los Angeles) and what we thought about Japan so far. He drove us all the way to the University, only a few short steps from where the classroom was. And we were on time to boot! Mr. Maeda gave us his business card (a standard practice in Japan) and we thanked him immensely as we hurried off to class. It was a really nice experience. I realized later that he had seen us walking up from way up the road, and as he reached a point where he knew we’d have to cross, he pulled over specifically to ask us if we needed a ride. It was something that really took me by surprise, and it’s something that I can never forget. Just basic acts of human kindness can really go a long way. Keep that in mind if you’re driving somewhere and see two students trudging along in the rain. (Japanese Hospitality)
That night, we finally made it to the Gion Festival. The majority of the girls, American and Japanese, dressed up in yukata, which is summer kimono. It’s a lot lighter and simpler than normal kimono, but still just as attractive. Gion was…lively to say the least. The streets were closed off to traffic, and people as far as the eye could see were packed in the streets, slowly moving along. I know – I could actually see over everyone’s heads. -_-;; At various different points in the street, there were these tall floats. These were the infamous floats that women were allowed on for the first time. They varied in design; from lighted lanterns to bells and religious statues. At the very top of the float was a platform where men (and now women!) stood, wearing festival yukata, and shouting, waving, and ringing bells.
Everyone wearing yukata (summer kimono) for the Festival |
(left to right) Penny, Noel, and Jenn |
I went down one of the side streets, which was where all the food vendors were located. On the side of the streets, these vendors set up in small stands. There was a wide variety of food, that is cooked right in front of you, and the delicious smells are quite hard to resist. Unfortunately, the food is a bit pricey, but really worth it. I had yakutori, which is basically a chicken ka-bob. The chicken is cooked in teriyaki almost perfectly, and there’s barbecued onion and bell peppers on the skewer between the chicken. I also had omousoba, which is fried noodles wrapped up in egg – almost like an omelet. I’m allergic to seafood, so I couldn’t enjoy tacoyaki, which is what many of my friends had. It’s barbequed squid meat (!) encased in a fried, breaded teriyaki ball. I heard it was quite good. I also had shaved ice, and let me tell you, the Japanese know their shaved ice. I think this ice was actually frozen milk that was shredded into ice strips. You then get your flavor poured over it (I had grape) and if you so choose, you can have condensed milk poured over it as a topping. Words cannot describe how unbearably delicious this was. Hungry yet? ^_~ Sadly, I didn’t get to go down one of the other side-streets, which is where the games were located, including the infamous goldfish scooping game you may have seen in many an anime. Nevertheless, Gion was an absolute blast.
Some of our tutors at the Gion Festival - (left to right) Take, Toshi, Yuko, Aiko, Nori, and Nahoko |
 One of the floats on the side of the street |
One day this week (I don’t remember which day) I got to sit in on a college English class. One of my friends, Irene, was invited by two of the first week tutors, Aya and Wakana. She invited me, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to go, despite having to get up a whole hour earlier. The class was supposed to start at 9AM, but students casually sauntered in at and after 9. The professor himself didn’t show up until 9:15. He was Japanese, and he looked very young. His English was pretty good, although he himself kept forgetting words. ^_^ He started the class by saying that they had the honor of having two very beautiful guests here today (us, beautiful? Oh go on!) and asked Aya to explain why we were here. Aya had a hard time trying to explain in English why we had come, what we were studying, and what not. Poor Aya! Mercifully, the professor moved on and asked us to introduce ourselves. We did, and the professor put relevant info up on the board, including how to spell our names. We also included our schools (Irene is from UCLA) and where in California we’d come from (I said San Francisco – who in Japan knows Davis? Heck, who in California knows Davis...).
The lesson for today was using “thinking” expressions. The professor explained that if, during a conversation, you need time to think about what you’re going to say, you should use certain expressions to show your conversation partner that you are thinking. Among the ones given were “Well…”, “Let me see…”, and “Hmm, let me think…” The professor demonstrated a few times, and then asked the class to talk about what they did this weekend using the new language. At this point, I was sitting next to a guy and a girl (forgot their names…-_-;; ) who both talked to me in turns. Even though they had an immediate answer, they labored through delaying their responses, pretending to think about it, while including the “Well…” lead-ins. I did the same for them. ^_^ After sufficient practice time, the professor took control of the class again, and put the spotlight back on Irene and me. He asked the class to ask us questions – anything that was on their mind. The class was shy and couldn’t think of anything. ^_^ The professor sparked the conversation by asking us questions of his own, and eventually, the girl I was sitting next to raised her hand and asked how old I was. Another student asked about what kind of things there were to do in San Francisco. Sadly, it was already past 10, which meant our own class was in session and we had to go. Irene and I excused ourselves, and the professor thanked us for dropping by and “sharing a little bit of America” with them. I wished them good luck with their studies, and we went on to class. It was interesting to see people learning English as a secondary language. And it was really strange being the foreign kid in class this time. It’s definitely a highlight of my trip. ^_^ (American Culture in Japan)
Kinkakuji, or The Temple of the Golden Pavillion |
Another shot of Kinkakuji |
On Thursday, the class took its next field trip to Kinkakuji, or The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. This temple was actually burned down by a monk who had become obsessed with its beauty – the building that stands now is a recreation. Yukio Mishima, a notorious Japanese writer, fictionalized the monk’s story. Kinkakuji is very beautiful, but unlike other temples, you can’t go in. You just have to watch from afar. The surrounding nature is nice, but nothing breathtaking. If you ever plan to see Kinkakuji, give yourself an hour at most. You see it, you’re awed by the temple’s stunning beauty…and that’s about it. Our class finished in half an hour. Although one highlight of the trip was having these lovely tour guides take our group picture. They were all really cute, especially this one who, before taking the first picture, assumed a sumo squat and suddenly said, “Ready? GO!” *click*
Group shot at Kinkakuji... |
...and the tour guides who took the pic. Cute, huh? |
Since we had time to spare, we visited another temple, Toudaji. More of the same, really. Take your shoes off at the entrance, walk around the temple grounds, look at prayer altars, paintings, open rooms, what not, and the surrounding nature. And don’t forget, the obligatory souvenir stand. ^_^
Drew gets attacked by the "tame" deer in Nara |
The next day, we took another independent trip, this time to Nara. This place is really incredible, and if you’re ever in this neck of the woods, you absolutely have to go. Only a few minutes walk away from the train station is a deer park. The deer are just there – they aren’t in a special fenced off area or anything, they are just there. You can find them in the grass, on the sidewalk, everywhere. They are very tame; you can walk up and pet them without any problems. You’ll find vendors here and there that sell deer crackers for 150 yen, should you want to feed the deer. But be warned – these deer have caught on to the whole feeding gimmick, and tend to flock to whoever obviously has deer crackers…as my friend Drew found out. ^_^
Outside one of Nara's numerous temples |
Michiko on the top level of this particular temple |
The Nara area is packed with various temples, shrines, and other places you’ll definitely want to check out. It almost goes without saying, but if you do end up in Nara, be sure to get there early and reserve the whole day for it. There is a shopping street right next to the train station, where you can find a wide variety of nice souvenirs, including swords. *drool* Temples close down around 4PM, which doesn’t leave you a whole lot of time if you think about it. One place you cannot pass up is Ryoan’ji. This temple houses the giant Buddha. And by giant, I mean colossus. Take whatever perception of “giant Buddha” you have, multiply it by ten, and that’s the giant Buddha. This thing is freakin’ huge. It sits on a large platform, so you can’t get anywhere near it, but just being in its presence is inspiring. Large statues of other figures, which are by no means small but dwarfed by the Buddha, also surround the giant Buddha.
That Friday was the last night for our third week tutors, a lot of whom we had gotten really attached to. To celebrate that, that night, some people went out to a club, but I decided to stay in, a decision which actually benefitted me in the long run, I had a pretty cool night back at the apartments. The next day, I rested for the better part of the day, but went out as my friends decided to go to a club again, to welcome the fourth and final set of tutors. I would make three trips to a club while in Japan – this was my second. For those who have been to American clubs…it’s not too much different. A lot milder, maybe. The music was exclusively American, and the DJ would occasionally jump in in a sad attempt to spice up the songs. There were Japanese people, but also a lot of foreigners, excluding ourselves. And the dancing was a lot more...distant...compared to American dancing. ^_~
Sunday, most of us went to Kyoto. Some went to go visit a temple – I went with a few others to do shopping, which I had managed to avoid up until now. I managed to pick up a few things, including a yukata for one of my friends back home, but I didn’t get everything. I did go back to Kyoto on Monday, and finished my shopping. On Tuesday, I went with three friends – UCD students Gladys and Jake, and Japanese tutor Asako, to Katsura to obtain an imperial permit. Gladys really wanted to see the Katsura Imperial Villa, but you couldn’t just waltz in; you had to obtain a permit from the Imperial Household Agency. My pretty daughter Keiko pulled a lot of strings (thanks musume-chan!) and managed to get us the ability to at least go down there and apply for it. Everything for Wednesday was booked up, so we reserved a spot Thursday afternoon. The rules for this place were pretty strict. You had to bring your passport in order to sign up. Foreigners had a better chance of seeing the Villa immediately because they are foreigners. Japanese who want to take the tour have a lengthy wait before they can book an appointment. Since she was accompanying us, Asako got to go; ordinarily she would not have been able to. You make an appointment for an hour tour at a designated time – if you’re not there at the time, you miss out. After we set our time, Gladys, Jake, and Asako stayed in the city to look around, but I had to hurry back to work on a group project for class.
On Wednesday, we went to see Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi, the latest Miyazaki film. It was a pretty big deal in Japan – posters were everywhere and Miyazaki films were highlighted in stores and shown on TV in preparation for it. The trip was organized by Tomoko, one of our first week tutors, who put a lot of effort into it (thanks a lot!). Before the film were previews of upcoming anime movies, including the movie for Inu Yasha, and one or two real-life movies. And then there were previews for American movies. Tomoko told us that not that many Japanese movies are produced in Japan. A lot of movies were brought over from America, with Japanese subtitles. While we were there, we were seeing a lot of commercials for Pearl Harbor and AI. A lot of our tutors really wanted to see AI. Before Sen, we saw previews for Evolution and Planet of the Apes. The film itself was pretty good. I wish I understood it better. -_-;; It was awesome getting to see an anime movie on the big screen. Too bad I was just a few weeks early for the Cowboy Bebop movie...but seeing a Miyazaki film isn’t half bad. After the movie, you can buy various film-related goodies, including the program books that have become quite infamous.
(Writer's Note - Sen To Chihiro would become the highest grossing film in Japan.)
On Thursday, Gladys, Jake, Asako and I returned to Katsura to see the Villa. This place was, quite possibly, the most beautiful location I’ve been to. Moss-covered bridges, water so clear you could see tiny fish swimming at the bottom…stone walkways, unbelievably green trees and colorful flowers decorate this marvel of architecture. I would love to show you all photos, but picture taking was prohibited. The tour was an hour in length. We met in a lobby with other people who were in this tour group (about 20 people total) and watched a video about the scenery and history of Katsura until the guide showed up. He led us around the garden, mostly pointing out buildings and structures and their historical relevance, while we tried to view the incredible nature. After the tour, we were escorted out and back to the lobby. Guess what you can buy there? Yep, souvenirs! ^_^
Colin and I demonstrate our strength by lifting Kazu and Haruka |
Me and Miki at the farewell party. |
Friday and Saturday were huge days, and for me, were more or less the same day. Friday was the last day of our class, and accordingly, we had to take a final. >_< Oh well, can’t avoid it. That evening, a farewell party was held for us at the University. After the class ended, most of us hung around campus, making plans to give our professor and our head tutors gifts of appreciation. The party started around 5PM…almost all of the tutors to have participated in the program, from the first week’s set to the last, were there, as well as the program director, the class professor, and other involved persons. We opened up by eating, drinking, and socializing, of course. ^_^ It was great seeing all of the tutors again, some of whom we hadn’t seen since the conclusion of the first/second/third week.
After an hour, we started the “official” part of the party. The program director started off, and he asked the UC students to take the microphone and say something about the past month. I was first. I took the opportunity to, on the behalf of all the students, thank everyone who was involved in this program. I then talked about how great the experience was and how all my already high expectations had been passed. I thought I was done, but some of the others signaled at me to present the flowers and cards we’d signed to the professor and the head tutors. Michiko was calm as usual...Keiko was in tears, and Ryohei, after accepting the flowers & cards, surprised me and everyone else by jumping up and giving me a fat hug. I love ya too, big guy. ^_^ After my small eternity on the mic, the other UC students all got to say a few words about their experiences. It was emotional for some; poor Keiko remained in tears throughout.
Some of the girls posing for a pic at the party |
Papa and his pretty daughter Keiko. ^_^ |
After the party was a massive picture session, and then the exchanging of personal information. We then all headed back to the apartments, and prepared to go out for one last hurrah. We went to a bar in Kyoto, which had become sort of a familiar spot for the partiers of the trip. It’s safe to say that we pretty much took the place over. ^_^ We danced (and some drank), trying to fight off the realization that the experience was coming to a close. The last trains ran a little after 12, so the plan was to stay all night until the trains opened up again at 6AM. However, some people got tired before then, so throughout the evening, groups of four headed back by taxi. I decided to go the distance. I had a mission. ^_^ There was a tutor named Tomoko (different from the one who organized the movie trip) who was extremely shy. Whenever someone pulled a camera out, she literally ran away. No joke. Anyway, she was here and just watching; either sitting or standing against the back wall. I went up to her and asked her why she wasn’t dancing. She said she just liked to watch. I told her that was no fun, and asked her to please dance with me. I told her I’d go back to America very unhappy if I didn’t get to dance with her at least once. She finally agreed, and I managed to get a dance out of her for half a song (I knew not to push it…it was remarkable that she danced at all). I thanked her for the honor, and her friends, who had been trying for weeks to get her to do more stuff, and for the better part of the night to dance at least once, were overjoyed and swarmed her with congratulations. ^_^
Later that night, another tutor, Sachiyo, asked me for a dance. She was a third week tutor; she was one of the extremely quiet ones. Towards the end of the third week, I had managed to talk to her a bit about various different things, like our plans for the future and why she’s studying English/I’m studying Japanese and what not. I was a bit surprised she asked me for a dance, but in some ways, I wasn’t that surprised. I was resting when she asked (it was almost 3AM at this point) and then another group of four left, so we went out to say goodbye to them. When we came back, Sachiyo went back out to the dance floor, and I took my seat again…but it was getting late, and I figured I needed to honor my promise post haste. So I went out and asked her for the dance, to which she readily agreed. She moved with such energy and joy, and I tried my best to keep up (I’m getting pretty old I think). The song ended, but she didn’t want to stop, so I did another one. I think she wanted a third, but I was about to collapse so I had to stop. This time, she thanked me profusely, and then ran off to chat with friends.
Sachiyo on her cell phone |
The club closed at 4AM, and we had a two-hour wait until the trains would run again. We stopped at a restaurant on a street corner that served ticketed meals. It was really interesting – there was a machine in the corner that was like a menu. It had pictures of the meals, descriptions, and the price. You put your yen in the machine, and pick the meal you want to eat. It gives you change if applicable, and then a meal ticket. You sit at a counter around the kitchen, and one of the chefs takes your ticket and brings back your meal. I’m not sure what I had, but it was something along the lines of a ramen bowl with chicken.
The restaurant killed about an hour, and for the last hour, we went down to the river where many young people hang out and sat down. I talked with Sachiyo some more, as well as some of the others. We watched the sun come up, and then went to the train station, caught the last train, and made our way back to the apartments for the last time. My flight left from Kansai airport that day at 4PM, so I hoped to leave no later than 11AM (although I think I didn’t get out of there until 12...) Trying to pack a suitcase on no sleep is not too fun, let me tell you. A few American students left before me, so I accompanied the Japanese tutors in biding them farewell. And then it was my turn. I tried not to get emotional. I fought back tears the entire morning. I went outside to where the taxi was waiting, as well as a large majority of the Japanese tutors, and some American students (the ones who were awake anyway). After I put all my stuff in the taxi, I was swarmed by 5 of the 8 Japanese guys who lived with me during the past month. After that, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. -_-;; I said goodbye individually to everyone who was there...it was incredibly hard. To Wakana, who asked me so many questions in English about America, and myself and always listened intently and with the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen. To Yuko and Aiko – I couldn’t remember their names on their first day (they were third week tutors), for which Yuko scolded me. I made it a point to learn their names, and Yuko, whenever she saw me, always jokingly asked if I remembered her name. As fate would have it, on this day, I would mix up Yuko and Aiko’s names accidentally, which was a good laugh for all. -_-;; To Haruka – and this one really got me. Haruka got to stay the entire four weeks, so we saw her a lot and she went with us to all the places we went to independently. The first time, she came out wearing a tank top, and as the American girls teased her saying “Oh, sexy!” she ran back inside and got a sweater. ^_^ So she always went out wearing this sweater, during the hottest summer in Japan since the 1890’s. We’d ask her if she was hot, and she’d reply simply “no. It’s not hot.” So we came up with a game – if we could get her to admit that it was hot five times, she’d take the sweater off. Competitive as I am, I really got into it. I’d construct elaborate stories, try to catch her off guard, anything to get her to unknowingly admit that it was hot. I only got her once, which made the score something like 500-1, in favor of Haruka. Once, I went through this whole thing about the weather in Japan and America, trying to build this lead in, slowly constructing my brilliant plan. She looked at me and smiled the whole time, knowing what I was planning. I finally got to my genius closer, and Haruka, waiting for it, said, “no, it’s not hot.” She then pumped her fist into the air, exclaiming, “I win! I win! I win!” ^_^ Anyway, this morning, as I came to Haruka, I asked her for one last time “atsui?” Without thinking twice about it, she said “yes.” That really choked me up. To Keho, a funny guy who has a heart far larger than mine could ever be. To Ryohei, who bear-hugged me again. ^_^ To Makoto and Toshi, our first week tutors whom we taught “dangerous English” and they taught us “dangerous Japanese.” These guys are beyond awesome. To “smooth-operator” Take and the ultimate Japanese ladies man, Nori. To Michiko, who was still as cool as ever. And to Keiko, my pretty daughter, who did so much for us and I can only hope to somehow try to return the favor in the near future. I got in the taxi and left the apartments, which was one of the hardest things I’ve done to date.
Sachiyo accompanied me to the train station. When we were walking back from the club, I told her that my plane left that day, and I asked when she would be leaving the apartments. “With you.” She said simply. I figured she didn’t understand, and explained in Japanese that I had to go to the airport in a few hours, and I wanted to know if she was still going to be at the apartments by then. Figuring I didn’t understand (and I didn’t), she said in English that she wanted to accompany me to the train station. I have to admit, I was a little surprised at this. Such a wonderful gesture! She helped me with my bags, and at the station we met up with Miki, who had accompanied another student who went before me. They got permission from the station to go past the ticketing area and onto the platform with me. We said final goodbye’s before the train arrived, and all of us embarrassingly tearful, I boarded the train and started on my way back to America.
After studying Japan and the Japanese language for 3 years, I finally got to go. I’ve had been wanting to go for a long time. Did it live up to my expectations? Lived up to, surpassed, obliterated. I learned a lot about Japanese culture that you just can’t read about in a book. And being outside of it for a while, I learned a lot about American culture as well. I learned a lot about the language first hand. I learned a lot about the people, and had very interesting conversations about the tutors about a lot of things. I met some new American friends too. And I formed friendships that I believe will be ever-lasting. I’m very glad to have met them all. I saw some absolutely incredible things. I’m grateful for that opportunity. And I learned a lot about myself. Hokey as it may sound, I am forever changed.
All within one month.
In Japan, when saying good-bye,
you usually say “Ja, mata!” which is sort of like “See you later!”
However, if you don’t expect to see the other person again for a long time,
if at all, you would say “sayonara.” So, to Japan, I say “Ja, mata!”
Because I will be back. ^_^
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