The End of the Journey: Back Through the Looking Glass and Up the Rabbit Hole

It is the eve of my departure for Japan and I can't believe this day has finally arrived. My suitcases are packed (save for the few items I plan to use tomorrow morning before I vacate the apartment), the majority of my gifts are bought (with the exception of those duty free items I plan to get at the airport tomorrow), and the hours until I arrive in the USA are decreasing with every minute that passes. Tomorrow, I will have been in Japan for 160 days. 160 days. That's about 44% of the year. When you put it into those terms, it doesn't seem like all that much. But looking back at all my entries, looking through all my pictures, seeing how much I have done during my time here...it seems as though I've been here for ages. Stanford feels like a whole other life; Kyoto itself, even though it was only a few months ago feels so far away. Tokyo really was a "reset" button on my abroad experience, and all I can say at the end of this adventure is that I'm so glad I came on this trip. I'm so grateful that I was given this opportunity and I would not trade it for anything in the world.

I have so many thoughts about my trip that it's hard to sort everything in a coherent manner, organize it all and find the right words to convey all my emotions. It's so strange that I've been here for five months when originally I had only intended to stay for about two and a half. I remember feeling so scared to come to Kyoto at first. I was frightened of not being able to speak any Japanese or communicate with my host family. And then I remember the similar fear when I was moving to Tokyo; that I would not be able to understand anything at work and that I would be on my own in this large, urban city, forced to live on my own and figure it all out for two and a half months. The amount that I have learned over these five months, about Japan, Japanese culture, people in general, and myself, is enormous. I have experienced so much and been confronted by so many things that I may not have encountered otherwise that I can only be totally thankful for these opportunities given to me. I'm so so glad that I decided to come to Kyoto, and then subsequently decided to stay in Tokyo for the summer.

Anyway, let me pause on the sentimentality discussion and focus on something more lively. For instance, I enjoy lists. So let me make some "Top 10" lists.

Top 10 Japanese Foods to Eat (in no particular order...except number 1):

10. Japanese Curry (Austen's Fav)

9. Shabu-Shabu (Japanese Hot pot -- mostly meat)

8. Korean BBQ (Yummy)

7. Tempura

6. Sushi (Freshest you'll ever have)

5. Soba (Cold or Hot -- both are good)

4. Udon (I prefer this hot)

3. Yakitori

2. Taiyaki (or anything with red bean paste)

1. Ramen (Big Surprise!)

And SUKIYAKI. SO GOOD.

Top 10 Things to Do in Kyoto (also in no particular order):

10. Temple Hopping (e.g. Kyomizudera, Fushimi Inari, Kinkakuji etc.)

9. Shopping in Teramachi St.

8. Looking for Geisha in Gion

7. Hanging out by the Kamagawa River

6. Taking a tour of the Kyoto Gosho grounds when they are open in the spring

5. Climbing Mt. Hiei

4. Visiting the International Manga Museum

3. Looking at Nijo Castle during Sakura Season

2. Attending Gion Matsuri (I didn't go but Austen said it was fabulous)

1. Kyoto Tower (I never went but my friends that did said it was wonderful)

Top 10 Things to Do in Tokyo (no particular order):

10. See a little bit of history in Asakusa

9. Tour the East Imperial Gardens in the center of the city

8. People watch in the two story Starbucks at the Hachiko crossing in Shibuya

7. Pose with fashonistas and cosplayers in Harajuk

6. Get inundated with anime and gaming paraphernalia in Akihabara

5. Visit Little Edo AKA Kawagoe

4. Be overwhelmed by the massive Shinjuku Station

3. Master Mt. Takao

2. Fall in love with Disney at the Tokyo Disney resort

1. Pray to the Daibutsu in Kamakura

Top 10 Things to Do in Japan in General (no particular order):

10. Tabehodai/Nomihodai (If you miss this I will say you are a fool)

9. Picture Booths (These are too fun to pass up -- take pictures with your friends and then decorate)

8. Clubbing (Oh man, don't miss the clubs in Japan, especially in Tokyo)

7. Karaoke (Um..duh)

6. Figuring out the subway/train system (this is a pretty epic feat if you manage to accomplish it)

5. Stalking interesting fashion (AKA walking behind people to better observe their outfits)

4. Visit American establishments to see the differences between the Japanese versions and the American ones (e.g. McDonald's)

3. Miss your last train, stay out all night, and catch the first one at 5 am

2. Go to the movies (and realize Japanese etiquette is quite different from American etiquette)

1. Dancing in the streets/trains while making a music video

Top 10 Weird Japanese Foods (no particular order)

10. Okanemyiaki (weird pancake thing...)

9. Mondja (uh...no words)

8. Dried seafood jerky (why?)

7. Salted Plums (really?)

6. Pickles (Why are the Japanese obsessed with pickles?)

5. Massive amounts of Mayo (there's always too much)

4. Raw chicken heart (Austen says it was awful)

3. Tacoyaki (why would you eat octopus fried? Why?)

2. Savory mochi (Mochi is supposed to be sweet...not savory)

1. Sweet potato ice cream (this is actually pretty good, just strange)

Enough with the lists now, though they are helping me relieve the past 160 days of my life (yes it's been 160 days since I came to Japan). And in less than 24 hours I will be on my flight home. I think over the course of these 160 days, I have realized how much I love and enjoy traveling, but how much I do really appreciate my home (my home being my family, though I do have some attachment to California separately). While Japan has been a wonderful home away from home (it is strange to think that I will be leaving my apartment in Tokyo and never coming back in less than seven hours), I have also come to appreciate the diversity that exists in America compared to the lack of diversity here. I know that when I go home, I won't be stared at simply because I'm a foreigner (no matter what I get stared at as people always try to figure out my ethnicity; it's something I've learned to live with). Most likely, I will not look around and see only a sea of Japanese people; various ethnicities will be present in those places I will haunt and visit at home. That is something I have greatly missed while being in Japan; you never can really understand the diversity that is the US until you travel to an almost homogenous country like Japan. It's a little bit mind boggling; at first it's shocking, but after a while you get used to it.

I realize I have also cultivated my sense for adventure, my disposition to be flexible, my ability to gather information and plan trips. Living on my own has strengthened my own sense of self; it may sound a little cliché, but I definitely feel more independent and self-confident than I first did arriving in Kyoto all those months ago. And now I'm just sorry to leave, as I've grown so accustomed to taking care of myself while here in Tokyo (e.g. cleaning my apartment, making dinner, planning to leave for work at the right time, taking out the trash etc.). I can't say it's all been glamorous, but that's not the point. The point is that it has both been an amazing experience, but also a journey of self discovery. And this is why I would encourage any college student to study abroad, for it is only when you are outside your comfort zone that you truly come to know your limits, maybe force yourself to step up to the plate, and learn who you are.

I know I can't say it enough, but Japan has been a dream come true. I wanted to go abroad since I heard about the program my senior year of high school when I was applying to college. And now I'm at the end of my time here and can't believe it has all gone by so quickly.

Let me say thank you to all of you that have followed my adventures, read this blog, seen all my pictures and so on. I'm glad I was able to share it with you in this way and cannot wait to see you all when I get back. So as I look on the Tokyo skyline from my apartment window, I know I say farewell to this wonderful city, but I'm going to be saying hello to my family and friends again after so long.

Maybe in the days, weeks, years to come, I will look on my time in Japan like a dream. But tomorrow, I will venture back to the Golden State of California, passing through the looking glass and traveling up the rabbit hole, exiting the wonderful Japanland.

That Thing You Have To Do But Don't Want To: Packing

My time in Japan is coming to a close and I finally have to face the dreaded endeavor of packing. Currently, my room looks like a disaster zone. In one corner, my huge suitcase lays flung open, containing the presents I've gotten for everyone in their own separate bags (at least there exists some organization to the madness). In another corner, my sheets are calling to me to be washed. Another corner is my stacks of stuff that will be sent home in boxes (that I received from nearby convenience stores -- didn't have to buy them!). In yet another corner is my laundry that needs to be hung out to dry. And then the floor is scattered with random items and miscellaneous things that don't yet belong to a corner. I came to Japan with a fair amount of stuff, I leave with possibly too much. But I know that it is all worth it to bring it home, no matter what. I still have to find big enough boxes to ship my stuff in because the ones I currently have really won't fit everything. Basically I'm just looking for one box to put everything in instead of multiple boxes. Oh well. I will go on this quest after work today. And then I will spend the evening packing up the box (hoping I find a suitable one), and starting to pack my suitcases...oh joy.

Am I really leaving so soon?

Stopped in KiddyLand

Last Friday, I went out shopping for omiyage and souvenirs for those back home in Harajuku, and I was stopped by this Japanese girl and her friend. The conversation started out with her asking me if I was a "ryuugakusei" (study abroad student) to which I applied in the affirmative. She then asked me what types of gifts should she buy for her friends abroad that were not Nihonjin (Japanese). I gave her a few ideas and then we got to talking about the usual things (e.g. where I was from, how long I had been in Japan, what my major was etc.). It was really fun considering she was also a University student. When she asked me if I did any sports, I told her about dance, and then for the next fifteen minutes we talked about dance! She even invited me to come to some of her hip hop classes (though I did tell her I was leaving within the week). Eventually, she introduced me to her friend, who was a freshman in college. Her friend even called me "sempai," a respectful term used by underclassmen when talking to upperclassmen. Kawaii!! Towards the end, we exchanged phone numbers and we parted ways. Despite the fact that I may never see either of them again, it made me happy enough that a) she came up to me and initiated conversation, b) I could adequately reply, respond, and converse, and c) that it was fun. Oh Japan, how I will miss you when I leave (though I can't wait to go home soon).

Journey to Little Edo

Recently, I went to a small suburb called Kawagoe, located about 30 minutes outside of the main Tokyo metropolis. Kawagoe is known as "Little Edo" in part due to the traditional architecture that still survives within the city. Edo was the historical name for Tokyo; Kawagoe's nickname is also a tribute to the capital that was only thirty minutes away via train.

Because Kawagoe is outside of the initial Tokyo area, I had to take a different train line to get there. Instead of JR or the Tokyo Metro, I hopped on the Tobu Tojo Line, taking the semi-express train out to Kawagoe Eki. Lucky for me, I was able to get a seat on the train, so I read the whole way out there, though occasionally I looked up and watched the scenery go by. It's always a little bit jarring to see the vast differences between the city and the country side; Japan really has a beautiful rural scene as well. Or maybe I just say that cause I've fallen in love with the entire country.

After a brief train ride, I decided to get off at Kawagoe Eki instead of the last stop Kawagoeshi Eki, which turned out to be the right decision (I had forgotten to look up a map of the area before I headed out, as the trip was rather spur of the moment, so I had a list of places to see but no idea where they were). Armed with my list, I exited the eki (which means station in Japanese), and went in search of a local tourist map. Upon exiting, I was greeted by a mass of sky scrapers and a complicated walkway; not exactly what I was expecting. Nonetheless, I found a tourist map, though my excitement decreased a bit when I discovered that I was at the BOTTOM of the map and everything I wanted to see was at the TOP. Now, I know I've mentioned before that things aren't entirely to scale on the maps, and in general distances tend to be shorter than what they appear, but the fact that the things I wanted to see were a bit spread out over the top of the map was a bit disconcerting, especially since it was SUPER hot.

I allowed myself to feel a bit displeased for a few seconds, but then I told myself to man up and I set off in a direction that I thought would lead me to the temple I wanted to see. However, after ten minutes, I saw a road sign that was taking me to another temple. I figured since I was here I might as well check it out...except I never found it. Instead, I came to a cross walk that pointed me in another direction towards my originally intended target, Kita-in Temple. So I headed on that path. Along the way, I encountered a few other smaller temples and one shrine, all of which were closed, either because it was Sunday, or because they were local temples and shrines and have odd working hours. Anyway, it was nice to tour through their smaller grounds anyway without having to deal with other tourists.

I eventually made it to Kita-in Temple, the headquarters of the Tendai sect of Buddhism in the Kanto area. The complex was rather large, with lots of separate buildings, though its worship hall was definitely the largest. Unfortunately, they had the altar part of the worship hall closed off so I couldn't see the Buddha that they were housing. However, one of the Tendai monks was leading a service/ritual at the time, chanting and banging a gong intermitently. I stayed for a while just to observe, then headed off to the souvenir/gift shop stall, seeing if there was any omiyage I could get for a friend or two. I did find something I wanted to get for a friend (I won't tell who or what!), and was about to leave with my purchase when an elderly gentleman stopped me and asked me in english where I was from. I responded that I was American in Japanese, and we proceeded to have a conversation about where I was from, what I was doing in Japan, and how his grandson goes to college in New York and Los Angeles. He also told me Kita-in used to be a national treasure, but is no longer due to loss in revenue. Overall, it was a lively conversation.

This time, I set off hopefully towards what I thought was the Kurazuki Zone, where all the old buildings are clustered together, though now they function as stores that sell local goods. However, as things would have it, I didn't find the Kurazuki Zone. Instead, I found another part of the city that I wanted to see, the Kashiya Yokocho, Penny Candy Alley. It's a small, cobble-stoned alleyway that is lined with shops that sell sweets (hence it's other name as Confectionary Alley). Everything really was cheap, but not all of it was sweet, that's for sure. It was a cute little alley, but I ended up just browsing and not actually buying anything.

By the time I exited the alleyway, I was quite turned around, so I wasn't sure where I was exactly. I consulted the map I took a picture of, and chose a direction that would supposedly lead me towards the bell tower, known as the Toki no kane or "Bell of Time" (sounds like something out of a Zelda game). This bell tower is also a popular attraction as it has been telling time for over 350 years, despite its being rebuilt numerous times due to fire. However, I ended up ambling about for a good thirty minutes before finding the bell tower. It's pretty magnificent up close, and definitely worth visiting. While there's not much to do but look, it's a gorgeous structure. Too bad there wasn't an observation deck where you could get a closer look at the actual bell.

Upon finding the bell tower, I also FINALLY found the Kurazukuri Zone. And it was definitely not a disappointment. Looking at the buildings, wandering in and out of the stores, I definitely felt like I was in a different time period. Honestly, I'm just impressed with how well they managed to maintain and preserve these buildings because they are still so sturdy and beautiful, even today. Nothing piqued my interest, so I didn't end up buying anything, but it was a fun stroll.

I ended up heading back towards the station on a different road than I had originally left. By the time I made it back to the station and got to the train, I was a hot, sweaty, pleased mess. It was a cute little area to walk around in; I just wish it were a bit closer to Tokyo so it didn't cost me 480 yen each way. Oddly enough, I'd say that the highlight of the day ended up being the conversation I had with the old man at the temple. I guess it proved to me once again that I could use my Japanese in actual conversation (I've been minor-ly afraid that my lack of use of the language has resulted in a decline in my ability). That's why I'm continuing Japanese in the fall; it really is such a beautiful language, but one that can easily slip away from you if you let it go.

Anyway, that was my trip to Little Edo. Still deciding where to go on Friday (Thursday I'm coming into work and I get Friday off) and Saturday (Sunday I'll stay in the city and do a bit more gift shopping for those things that I know for sure I want/need to get).

Back to Kansai: The Osaka Adventure!

On Friday, our internship program had all of the interns return to the Kansai area, specifically travel to Osaka, for an "Exit" Program. The point of the exit program was to bring us all back together (those who had stayed in Japan to do internships), provide the center with feedback for next year's program, and make presentations about our internships to companies who were thinking of partnering with the Center and taking future interns for the summer. Anyway, I was mainly excited because I was going to see everyone and hear about all the other internships people were doing. And I didn't have to pay for my ticket there and back!

The shinkansen was at 9:20 in the morning (way to early in my opinion...) and considering I went to bed at around 4:30 a.m., waking up three hours later wasn't exactly the most refreshing thing ever. However, Chelsea and I made our way to Tokyo station (though our subway train encountered a "traffic jam" -- i've never experienced on of these before, and of course it had to happen on a day when it was imperative NOT to miss our train haha!), found our shinkansen platform, and boarded the train with ten minutes to spare. My love for shinkansen/train rides was revitalized, though I tried to nap the majority of the way. By the time we arrived in Osaka, our train had picked up the majority of the rest of the people in the Kanto area, so we as a group journeyed on together towards the building where the exit program was to take place.

Two subway transfers and a bunch of walking later, we FINALLY arrived at the building. I don't have any idea where it was as I wasn't leading the group, but we walked by lots of architecturally cool looking buildings. I hadn't really been to Osaka prior to this trip so I was just absorbed in what I was seeing rather than trying to figure out where we were going. I didn't realize how many rivers run through Osaka, and how close to the ocean it was! I was pretty thrilled by that and wished I could stay longer and explore the city more, especially go on the ferris wheel and see the Osaka Aquarium. But I digress. It took us a while to make it to the exit program building, but we found it and were directed to go to the 29th floor.

At around 2:15pm, everyone had finally arrived so we began the session. Basically, we went around in a circle and talked about our internships. I'd say that the majority of the students were really pleased with their work placements and work environments. Some gushed way longer than others. Others had already created power point presentations and speeches for the presentation section of the day. At the end of the two hours, our program supervisor picked a group of people to present, giving priority to those who had already prepared, and then choosing a few that had lots to say. I really enjoyed hearing about everyone else though in such great detail. Had this not happened, I may not have learned about what others had done for the summer.

The next two hours strolled by with a few speeches and then the presentations. I think the best presentation was given by my friend Austen, who spent her summer working at the Archaelogical Institute of Nara. She had a BEAUTIFUL slide show (mostly cause her pictures are AMAZING), and her speech was well rehearsed. Nonetheless, this guy Sean gave the funniest speech probably. He decided to speak both in English and Japanese (only two of the remaining students are third years and the closest to fluent so presentations could be made in English). The play between the two languages as well as what he said in one versus the other was pretty hilarious. However, everyone did a brilliant job overall and hopefully impressed the prospective companies to the point of wanting to take on interns from our program next summer.

After the presentation section was the reception, DEFINITELY my favorite part as it involved casual conversation and more importantly, food. It was on the 31st floor and had a magnificent view of the city. During the course of the evening, I ended up talking with some Americans that had just recently arrived in Osaka to work at the American consulate. I wasn't able to talk with either of them for very long as they were pulled away into other conversations, but I had an enjoyable time otherwise. It almost felt like we were back in the quarter...minus half of the other students. Inevitably, nostalgia set in and we briefly reminisced about the previous months. Eventually, the party came to an end and we taxied back to the hotel (provided by the Center).

Upon arriving at the hotel, we decided it would be fun to go out karaoking once more all together. First we all checked in, dropped off our stuff, and then got dessert. Following that, we subwayed to another station, walked down a busy arcade, and found one of the popular karaoke chains. With all 14 of us in a room for an hour, we knew we were going to have a fun filled time. I eventually took the karaoke controller and lined up a whole bunch of 90s songs that everyone could sing to, and everyone seemed to join in. On last hurrah together; it was definitely fun and memorable.

The next morning, Austen, Chelsea and I met for breakfast at 10 at the coffee shop next door to the hotel as check out was 10 am. We sat together for a bit, chatting about random things and remarking on the success of the exit program. At the end though, Chelsea headed out to Kyoto to see her brother before she went back to the States, and Austen and I decided to go see a temple out in the boondocks of Osaka, famous for being the location of the bridge referred to in the Tale of Genji. After two subway rides, we arrived in Sumiyoshi, with no idea of where it was. We ambled about for probably thirty minutes, asking passerbys for directions, and we eventually found it!

Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of the oldest Shinto shrines, built in 211 AD. It's known for the style of architecture of the shrine buildings and housing famous kami, like Inari and other Japanese historical figures that were later worshipped as kami. When we first stumbled upon it, we thought the shrine complex was rather small and limited to the one shrine dedicated to Inari. However, after a bit of exploration, we saw that it was rather larger, encompassing many shrines and other buildings used for Shinto ceremonies etc. I think the most magnificent part though was definitely the bridge. It was the staple of the shrine (in my opinion). Austen however was very preoccupied by the cute turtles that inhabited the ponds in the shrine. Overall, It was definitely worth the trip out to see.

After we came back from the shrine, Austen and I decided to walk around the shopping areas of Namba Eki, a huge transportation hub in Osaka, maybe akin to Shinjuku in Tokyo (though I think Shinjuku is larger than Namba). Anyway, we'd been here once before so we kinda knew where we were going. Our first priority though was finding lunch, which ended up being at this small ramen restaurant. Instead of having the usual tonkatsu ramen, I decided to try miso ramen, and was FAR from disappointed. It was DELICIOUS. It even had a bit of spice too it. So far I've realized I like tonkatsu ramen, I love miso ramen, I dislike soy sauce ramen, and chinese ramen is okay. I think that the northern Japan has its own style, so hopefully I can try that once before I leave...

Anyway, not to be distracted by food (or rather ramen), but after lunch we walked up and down the arcade, weaving in and out of the crowds. Neither of us was in a complete shopping mood, so we only stopped at a few stores. Austen bought omiyage for her co workers and I bought a few presents at the Sanrio store for some friends at home (not telling who!). After though, I was getting tired and decided to head back early and get on the earliest shinkansen back to Tokyo (as it is a 2.5 hour train ride). Once I ascertained what subway line to take to the Shin-Osaka station (the shinkansen runs out of this station instead of the central Osaka station), Austen and I said our good byes and headed in separate directions.

Getting a seat on a shinkansen was simple and I ended up sitting next to a French dude on the way back to Tokyo. We talked for a bit and then I went back to reading my book, taking a few interval naps. I had hoped to get the window seat, but as luck would have it, I instead got the aisle, which I definitely would rather have instead of a middle seat. But still. Part of what I love about train rides is watching the countryside go by. Granted, it was nighttime, but I've fallen in love with how urban landscapes look at night; all light up with neon and other bright colors. I find it calming as well, the faint humming of the train, the minor vibration of the engine, the lights of the outside whizzing by...yeah, I've fallen in love with trains and train rides.

I made it back to my apartment around 9:20, starving (I hadn't had dinner before the train ride), and to make life easier, I just ordered pizza, settled in, watched some Battlestar Galactica, and then went to bed. Happiness at its finest.

Yokohama: 2nd Largest City in Japan

Last Tuesday, Chelsea and I decided to take a trip out to Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan. Like Tokyo, it's a bustling hub of activity, a center of commercialization, and a port city. In my time in Japan, I have come to realize I definitely have a thing for port cities (at least in the summer time). The weather is wonderful, the sky is generally clear enough that I can see out through to the ocean, and the shopping and restaurants are awesome. I'd also done some research on Yokohama, so I had a few things in mind I wanted to see, namely the port area and then Chinatown.

Between Tokyo and Yokohama, it takes about an hour to get there via train. Chelsea had gone the Saturday before to meet a few of the other Stanford kids out there for dinner, so she knew how to get there in the cheapest manner. We took the subway, transferred, took that line to the end, then transferred to a JR train for the rest of the way. All in all, around an hour and fifteen minutes later, we had made it to Yokohama, and I was almost done with my book.

The weather was humid and temperate, but the skies were cloudy, shielding us from the blazing sun. As we exited the station, we found one of the local area maps and I glanced at it, trying to identify things I had read about and wanted to see. I figured though that since we had all day, we didn't have to try to find everything immediately. Instead, I asked Chelsea to lead the way (hoping she remembered) towards the shopping area and amusement park place that she'd gone to before.

The Minato Mirai 21st District is a very popular shopping area in Yokohama. There are tons of malls and parks in the area. It seems that no matter what you're looking for, you will inevitably find it. Within the District, we went to the Landmark Plaza Mall, located next to the Landmark Tower, the tallest building in Japan, over seventy floors with a cocktail lounge and other eating establishments at the top floors (there is also an observation deck, but naturally, there is a minorly expensive admission charge).

Anyway the Landmark Plaza Mall was huge, as expected, with 7 floors and a basement floor.

However, I'm pretty sure the find of the day in the Mall was the Pokemon store. O.M.G. I've seen Pokemon merchandise while I've been in Japan (the newest movie actually just came out apparently and has toddlers and children alike in a frenzy), but never have I ever seen anything such as this. The store was FILLED with Pokemon stuff, just filled. Kids were running around screaming, holding plushies of Pikachu and other Pokemon. Parents were trying to keep track of children. Teenage girls were buying school supplies decorated with different pokemon. Teenage guys browsed the Pokemon themed tshirts...It was consumerism chaos at its finest. Despite the massive wave of nostalgia for my childhood that overpowered me, I managed to escape, only purchasing a few postcards, nothing to break my wallet. It was definitely a sight to behold though.

After perusing the rest of the mall, we headed over to Yokohama Cosmo World, just across the water from Minato Mirai 21. Home to a bunch of roller coasters, crane games, carnival goodies, and the Cosmo Clock 21, the world's largest clock (the Ferris Wheel lights up at night and tells the time apparently). While we didn't spend too much time or money there, as it was also overrun by small children, we saw an acrobatics show and a few balancing acts. Definitely a fun place to blow off some steam or take the kids for a brief diversion before returning to reality. Nearby too they had a small Carnival Christmas Village. I don't know why they have a Carnival christmas village open all year around, but they do. And it is also home to a haunted house. Weird.

By the time all was said and done, as we went to the Queen's Square Hotel Mall and the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, an old remodeled warehouse now housing shops, boutiques and restaurants nearby the water, we were both thoroughly exhausted, so we didn't manage to hope on a subway and find the Yokohama Chinatown. Thus, I will most likely make another trip out to Yokohama, if time allows. I'm closing in on the last few weeks of my time here in Japan, so I have to be efficient with where I go and how I use my time. But Yokohama is definitely worth a visit, especially at night (from what I've heard).

The Third Happiest Place on Earth!

Sincerest apologies for my lateness in blogging! I promise I will attempt to recount every detail for you in this entry though it has been a few weeks since my adventure(s) to the Tokyo Disney Resort. I did purposely wait to write this entry though after I had been to both Disney Sea and Disneyland, as I wanted to be able to write about the entire Disney experience (considering the time between my two visits was rather short). One note I do wish to make before I go on with my review: Tokyo Disney is worth every cent and minute of your time. Besides, why would you not want to go to the Third Happiest place on earth (DISCLAIMER: it is only the 3rd happiest place because Disneyland in California is first -- it's the original, i'm a purist -- Disneyworld in Florida is the second -- it's got four parks; hard to compete -- and so Tokyo Disneyland is third -- I haven't been to the Hong Kong park or Paris resort so I can't speak to either of those). Anyway, on with my ramblings!

The Disney Company and Disney characters are very prevalent in Japanese pop culture. Without the existence of anime and Hello Kitty and other cute characters, Mickey and Minnie Mouse could possibly invade every Japanese household. Essentially, Disney has a tight grip on the Japanese consumer goods market. So much that the Tokyo Disney Resort has its OWN STOP on the subway/train lines. The first time I went, I took the subway to Tokyo Station, then boarded a local train to the actual stop (labeled Tokyo Disneyland under the actual stop name...which I can't remember). The second time though, after close observation of the subway and train lines, I took the subway line I take to work, all the way to the end, and then switched lines, and got off two stops later. Basically, Tokyo Disney is SUPER accessible (which could present a problem/dilemma for me...as I've fallen in love with the park).

Disney Sea

Disney Sea is the other theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort besides Disneyland (otherwise known as the Magic Kingdom). California has California Adventure, Florida's Disney World has Epcot, MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom, and Tokyo Disney has Disney Sea. I had heard mixed reviews about Disney Sea (many favorable, a few lack luster) so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. All I was hoping was that it wouldn't be another California Adventure (not to hate on California Adventure, but there's not too much to do in the park besides the Grizzly Ride and a few other interesting rides; however, it has been a while since I've been so I may need to visit it once more).

Like Disneyland, Disney Sea has separate areas/lands within the park. There is Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, the Lost River Delta, Port Discover, and the American Waterfront. Now, I know what you're thinking. Out of those names, you can only pick out two that you can immediately identify with Disney: Arabian Coast is obviously Aladdin and Mermaid Lagoon is from the Little Mermaid. This immediate perception may create disappointment for those who think that everything must clearly be connected to Disney, but trust me, this is so vastly far from the truth. I believe that Disney Sea was established with the intention in mind of creating a fantastical atmosphere, building an entire environment that made you forget you were on Earth. Trust me, they accomplished this goal.

When you first walk into Disney Sea (after taking the Disney tram around the resort), you get to see this beautiful plaza. The globe in the center there rotates just like the actual earth. You're surrounded by palm trees. The building directly in front of you is actually a hotel that you can stay at inside the Disney Sea park. From the moment you step off the tram, you've entered another world. How cool is that? The ground even lights up at night so that when you leave the park, it's like you're walking on stars.

Once you finally come into the park, after you wait in a relatively short and fast-paced line and buy your ticket, your entrance is through a tunnel that opens into Mediterranean Harbor. You are immediately greeted by a recreation of Venice, or something like it. The buildings in the plaza are beautiful and straight ahead is a view of the lake area where the night light show takes place. The shops on the side all have "Italian" names. Statues of Greek gods and goddesses are painted on the sides of the buildings. Though I've never been to Venice, I imagine this Disney recreation was very similar to the real thing (this is a not so subtle hint to my mother and the rest of my family that we should take a vacation trip to Italy, specifically Venice, before it sinks or something).

Pictured right is Mermaid Lagoon. It really looks like the Kingdom of Triton in the Little Mermaid, despite its being on land and not under the sea. Honestly, they must have completely modeled it after the concept art or something because I can't imagine a more accurate recreation of the underwater kingdom than this. Prior to coming to Disney Sea, Chelsea told me that this was her favorite land in the park, mainly because of the shopping (though she said there were a few rides in the land that were fun). While I think Mermaid Lagoon was directed more for smaller children, it was still a lot of fun to walk around and see how much detail went into the creation of the Lagoon.

To make you feel like you had actually gone underwater, the majority of the Lagoon is built underground, in a sub area called Triton's Kingdom. A huge stairway takes you down into the main area. My picture here is a bit fuzzy because the area is also dimly lit (and the lights are mostly blue in color) to emulate being underwater. We took a spin on "The Whirlpool", the Disney Sea version of the Tea Cups, flew through the air on the "Blowfish Balloon Race", Disney Sea's dumbo ride, meandered through "The Sleep Whale Shoppe" in search of cute souvenirs, and ate lunch at "Sebastian's Calypso Kitchen". I must say that the food was actually more reasonably priced than in the US, and it was pretty good: I had a sausage and cheese pizza (with the addition of corn pieces...which I promptly removed; I don't know what the Japanese obsession with corn is). But soon Triton's Kingdom was overrun by toddlers and we decided to move onwards in our quest to conquer Disney Sea.

The Arabian Coast is modeled after Agrabah from Aladdin. I think this may have been my favorite land actually because I really felt like I was walking in the streets of the animated city. Everything was so detailed that it was hard NOT to believe you were still in an amusement park. The major pull of this land is its shopping as well. Austen and I spent much time browsing the merchandise in both the Agrabah Marketplace and Abu's Bazaar. However, there is one attraction: Sindbad's StoryBook Voyage. Honestly, I haven't seen Disney's Sindbad film (if you are unaware, Disney did make an animated Sindbad film), and while I don't think this ride had much to do with the film, it certainly made me want to see it. The ride was something like a cross between Small World and the Storybook boat ride in California's Disneyland. The robotics of the figures were very impressive; the dialogue was timed so well with the moving of their mouths that it was almost like they were speaking. Even at the end of the ride, the Sindbad robot's waving good-bye was so very life like. I wanted to take one home with me (not that I don't have enough to fit in my suitcase as it is)! There is also a carousel in this part of the park; I personally love carousels. Every time I go to Disneyland, I make sure I always ride the carousel in Fantasyland; however we ran out of time and weren't able to go on the carousel. But we did eat dinner at the Casbah Food Court, which is basically different types of curry and naan. I was surprised by its level of spiciness and how good it tasted (Japanese people don't really do spice). I was pleasantly surprised though it only whetted my appetite for Indian food (which I've told my parents countless number of times that I would like to have it as my first meal back in the States...or In-N-Out, either will do).

Mysterious Island is at the center of the park. It is home to the Journey to the Center of the Earth and 20000 Leagues Under the Sea attractions, a fancy restaurant, and then Nautilus Gifts. I'm not entirely sure what the connection is between Disney and what is here, but that's beside the point. The 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride is basically like the submarine ride in Disneyland in California; you go underwater and travel through the story (and see some things that aren't in the story...like aliens?). It's worth going on once but not worth waiting 90 minutes for (get a fast pass for this one). But Journey to the Center of the Earth...the movie may have been AWFUL, but the ride is TERRIFIC. It's a high speed roller coaster with some drops. Think of Matahorn combined with Splash Mountain but three times faster. It was AWESOME. Probably the best ride in the entire park. We only had time to go on it once, but it would definitely be one to wait in line for and fast pass in the same day. Nonetheless, this area really looks like something out of a science fiction novel.

Port Discovery...I don't really know what it's theme is. The two major attractions in this area are Aquatopia, which is bummer cars on the water (really wanted to go on them but couldn't!!!) and StormRider, a simulator. A word about StormRider: DO NOT GO ON THIS RIDE IN THE NIGHT TIME. It basically places you in the eye of a storm, so you get splashed. It's SUPER COLD inside the simulator, so do this early in the day so you don't have to endure the chills for any length of time. Think Star Tours but with water. Literally, Austen and I walked in, sat down, and both turned to each other, horrified that the seats were wet. Neither of us was prepared to get splashed to the extent we did. Otherwise though, the simulator was amusing. We didn't spend much time in this part of the park otherwise; I will say it's really pretty at night.

The Lost River Delta looks like something out of ruins in Central America. At first, Austen and I thought it was inspired either by El Dorado (another little known Disney film) or The Emperor's New Groove. However, neither film's influence was to be found here...oddly enough. Instead, we found Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull. Pause. Indiana Jones is supposed to be in the Magic Kingdom. And it is most definitely NOT the Temple of the Crystal Skull. It is the Temple of the Forbidden Eye! Did you SEE Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? It shamed the Indiana Jones franchise (even if Shiloh Le'Bouff was in it...one cute face can't save a disaster of a script). [So the dork in me just wikipedia'd this and apparently the ride was built before the movie and that neither have anything to do with each other...] Aside from that little rant, Disney Sea's ride is basically identical to the one in California; minor changes will be noted if you are a Disney aficionado but the ride is still fun and worth the wait it incurs. The other ride in this land is Raging Spirits, a roller coaster complete with loops and fire. As I'm not really a fan of loops, we avoided this one, though it did look cool so I encourage you to try it if you're interested. We had ventured through this land during dinner time, but "Miguel's El Dorado Cantina" didn't entice us enough (though the selection of WINES that they had did make us want to come back a little later). The Yucatan Base Camp Grill didn't grab our attention either; personally, I don't think teriyaki fish tacos are really illustrative of authentic central american food.

Finally we have the American Waterfront. There's actually quite a lot in this area of the park. Sub areas include: Biglietteria, Waterfront Park, and Cape Cod. This is mostly a shopping and eating district. However, you can stumble upon the most interesting shows here. Austen and I actually spotted this crazy dance show going on in front of the S.S. Columbia (they have recreated an old steam ship cruiser that sits in the waterfront). We stopped and watched the show for a bit. It was a little scary, how Disney combined old show tunes, disco hits, and newer pop songs with crazy dance beats to create a soundtrack that the dancers could do their routine to. The energy the performers put out was positively scary; I thought they must've all been wired on caffeine or something because their enthusiasm was out of this world. It was also interesting that the songs were in English but the show's dialogue was all in Japanese. And despite the change in language, Mickey still sounded like he does in English. Actually, all of the Disney characters retained their same tone despite speaking in an entirely different language. All in all I was impressed by the show.

In the evening, Austen and I decided to get drinks and watch the night show. So we each ordered a glass of "fruity sparkling wine" from the Barnacle Bill's stand and found a seat overlooking the harbor. First off, since WHEN has alcohol been allowed on any Disney park premise?? In California, there is only one place that serves alcohol in Disneyland. That is Club 33 in New Orleans Square, and you can only get there if you're a VIP or something. Anyway, I was stunned to learn that they sold any sort of alcohol at Disney Sea. AND IT WAS DELICIOUS. While the glass was a bit pricey, it was SO WORTH IT. And I'm so sad that I didn't take a picture of the label of the wine bottle because I have no idea what it was!! The booth closed before we could get another glass and it isn't listed on the Disney Sea website...so I will probably forever ignorant of the name of the delicious fruity sparkling wine I had. *sigh*

The evening show at Disney Sea is spectacular. It really is a performance to behold. The lighting schemes, combined with various fireworks and robotics of the giant dragon thing is so cool. Tokyo Disney really knows how to put on a show and I'm so glad I got to watch it. If there was ever an example of spectacle, this was it. The entire Mediterranean Harbor area was filled with park goers. I doubt anyone in the park missed it.

Overall, Disney Sea is less "ride-focused" and more "atmosphere-driven". The lack of rides may disappoint some, but let me tell you, it is definitely an experience I won't forget and a destination I will come back to in the future. Goal: Stay in the Tokyo Disney Sea Hotel MiraCosta.

Tokyo Disneyland

Alright, the moment we've all been waiting for. My day at Tokyo Disneyland. I had literally been waiting for this day since I set foot in Japan in March. If there was one place I really wanted to go, it was Tokyo Disneyland. And I'm just so thankful that I got to go! Built in 1983, Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney park to be built outside of the US. In 2009, it was ranked the third most visited amusement park behind Disneyland and Florida's Magic Kingdom (so IT IS ACTUALLY the third happiest place on Earth!). So does Japan's Magic Kingdom recreate the magic the original so fabulously introduced to the world? The answer is yes.

Like the original, Tokyo Disneyland has Fantasyland, Toon Town, Tomorrow Land, Adventure Land and Critter Country. They've renamed Frontier Land into Western Land and Main Street is called the World Bazaar (as it's not a straight shot to the castle like it is in California; instead it's a open air arcade mall at the entrance that offers passage to all parts of the park). In contrast to Disney Sea, Disneyland remains to be attraction focused. In fact, there may be more rides at Tokyo Disneyland than at California's Disneyland (I can't really compare it to Florida's Magic Kingdom because I know Florida has more than California also).

(Me in the World Bazaar)

Anyway, I'll talk about the differences between the parks. First, there is NO Matahorn ride. I missed seeing the "snow covered" mountain located between Fantasy Land and Tomorrow Land (which aren't next to each other in Tokyo; Toon Town separates the two). There is no Alice and Wonderland ride. The tea cups exist, but there is no Disney Alice ride. There is also no Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (though I can't say I'm to torn up about that one; the ride at Disneyland is very strange considering it just ends with Mr. Toad going to hell...I'm not sure what the moral lesson in this ride is, nor if it really is child appropriate). Instead, there is the Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall, which was a pretty building though we didn't eat there. Pirates of the Caribbean is located in Adventure Land instead of New Orleans Square (which doesn't exist in this park). Haunted Mansion is located in Fantasy Land (I don't understand that change...). The Swiss Family Treehouse has not been changed to Tarzan's Jungle House thing (not that I've gone on that since I've been in elementary school...). And Autopia was called the Grand Circuit Raceway. Otherwise I didn't notice anything else drastically changed and/or missing.

(A Little Statue of the UP movie only in Tokyo Disneyland)

That last paragraph wasn't supposed to be downer; Tokyo Disneyland also has additions to it! There's really cute Winnie the Pooh ride, a Monsters, Inc. ride (which we couldn't go on because the wait for the entire day as 2 hours...), a show called Captain Eo (which stars Michael Jackson, directed by George Lucas...no words here). The Small World ride is also vastly up to date in comparison to its Californian counter part. AND currently Tokyo Disneyland is host to the Electric Parade (the Electric Parade changes location; it is only at one park at any single time). Since childhood, I've never really gone to any of the park shows or parades, preferring to go on the rides while everyone is watching (which has on many occasions proven to be a smart plan). However, I'm so glad that Chelsea insisted on us watching the Electric Parade because it was magnificent. It wasn't very long, but seeing what people could create was just awe-inspiring. I was totally taken back by how cool everything looked.

Without a doubt, my favorite part of any Disney park is the Castle. In California, the Castle is Sleeping Beauty's Castle, and my favorite. In Florida, it's Cinderella's Castle. I didn't know whose Castle it was upon arriving. I found out that it was Cinderella's Castle; while I was a little disappointed (Sleeping Beauty is my all time favorite classic Disney film, maybe even overall favorite Disney film), it was a beautiful Castle. I actually think it was probably prettier than the Castle in California's park, which was just remodeled in the past few years. They have different color schemes etc. but I think Tokyo Disney's Castle may be the prettiest so far.

All in all, I had a fabulous day at Tokyo Disneyland. It made me miss home, but between the nostalgia and bittersweet familiarity, Japan did put its own twist on the Disneyland I know so well. And I'm a big fan of adaptation and re-imagination when done well.

I have no idea how anyone gets out of Tokyo Disney without spending at least $100 on stuff. The amount of merchandise that exists in these two parks combined is RIDICULOUS. Granted, the Japanese have a tradition of giving omiyage whenever they go somewhere and come back, so they have to have stuff to buy. BUT IT'S ALL CUTE AND LEGIT. I've never really spent money on stuff in the Disney parks in the US but here...my wallet hurts now. I mean...it's just unfair! I wish this stuff were available in the US or somewhere online!!

I don't know what it is but Disney makes me fall in love every time. Without fail. I have never left a Disney Park without a smile on my face. And Tokyo Disney was no exception.

A Little Note...

Hi everyone!

I haven't forgotten about the blog (it's only been about five days or so since my last post), but I will be updating in the next few days. I want to wait to update because the next post will be a discussion of Tokyo Disney, but I have to go to Disneyland on Thursday first before I write about Disneyland and Disney Sea.

Toodles!

Otaku Paradise and Ramen with a Twist

Yesterday, Chelsea and I were originally going to head to Odaiba for the day. However, the weather was not in our favor and the heavens decided to open up and drown us for the day (and I was told the rainy season was over). So instead, we opted for something more indoor. I had heard of this shopping arcade in Nakano called “Nakano Broadway” (who would’ve thought), whose second through fourth floors were filled with otaku merchandise stores. Seeing as neither of us was in the mood for museum hopping, and combating the desire to stay in and watch J-Drama all day, we trudged through the rain towards the subway station, hopped on the train that had just arrived, and headed towards our destination. After two train transfers, we arrived at Nakano. Following the scanty directions I’d found online, we easily found the shopping arcade in front of Nakano Broadway and mosied on through, taking stock of what these shops had to offer.

However, just as we were nearing the entrance of Nakano Broadway, I saw a huge store called “Mode Off” to our right. Mode Off is a chain thrift store in Japan. Austen and I had stumbled on one when we went to Osaka, and through the thousands of different articles of clothing, I had found something I liked for a rather cheap price. So I pushed Chelsea inside and after about an hour I emerged with a 240 yen mini dress. Win. Second hand stores are awesome. Second hand stores with sales are fabulous. Second Hand stores with sales that let you try on an unlimited amount of stuff are rare specimens of amazing.

Nakano surpassed its reputation of being a hub for Otaku (anime/manga aficionado) merchandise. In fact, I’m pretty sure it would be considered an Otaku heaven (save for the existence of Akihabara). There were manga stores, cosplay stores, tons of music stores, video game stores, DVD stores, stores of just random anime stuff, figurine stores…oh the list goes on and on. Mostly, we just set about walking around and looking at what each store had to offer. It’s fascinating to see Otaku consumer culture here in Japan; it’s so vastly different from the States. Anyway, we ended up stumbling upon a music store and perusing the various video game soundtracks. Because this was also a second hand store, a lot of the stuff was on the cheaper end, and for those of you that are unaware, game soundtracks tend to be pretty pricey as they have so many tracks on them. Chelsea and I both ended up spending pretty sums of money there; I ended up with two final fantasy soundtracks, one anime soundtrack, and one CD by one of my favorite composers that is basically out of print now. I’d say successful venture once again.

By the time we left the store, we realized how incredibly hungry and tired we were. That didn’t stop us from stopping at another store that had anime posters. The moment I saw a few of the Sailor Moon posters, I knew I was hooked…and so proceeded to make myself run away from the area as not to spend more large sums of money. The entire shopping trip was definitely a fun and overwhelming experience simultaneously. The only thing that made me sad was that the amount of Sailor Moon merchandise I saw was nil. Most stores only carry anime stuffs that are popular right now. Old anime is deemed as not worthwile in terms of consumer products. Sad much.

While it was that time between lunch and dinner, Chelsea and I decided to do early dinner in Shibuya. Instead of going home from Nakano, we transferred trains in Shinjuku and hung out at a McDonald’s, doing some reading and writing, until around five, when we went to go get…RAMEN (I know…big surprise). Anyway, we went to this ramen restaurant we saw the other day when we went to Book Off. The restaurant seemed normal enough for a ramen restaurant. But when we got our food, I was surprised to find that it was definitely Chinese-style ramen instead of Japanese-style. Ramen is originally a Chinese dish. However, they types of vegetables, meat, and broth they use are different. I felt like I was eating wonton soup with ramen rather than Japanese ramen. Still delicious, but not nearly as delicious as Japanese ramen. An interesting experience nonetheless.

After dinner, we rode the subways back home, stopped off at the grocery store to get rice for dinner next week, and happily sat down and watched Hana Kimi, a Japanese drama that was syndicated a few years ago. Absolutely fabulous. Good way to spend the day off.

Into the Heart of Tokyo: The Imperial Palace

Before I go into my adventure at the Imperial Palace, I'll briefly describe my weekend activities, as I was very social. On Friday evening, after work, I took the trains down to Shinagawa and met up with Yan and his coworkers at an izakaya. After about an hour and a half, they decided that karaoke was the best plan of action following the izakaya. Naturally, I tagged along as I didn't have to make my last train until 11:40. So after a fun filled evening of loud social interaction topped off by listening to the attempts to rap in Japanese, Korean, and English, I boarded my train and headed home. Saturday I spent the day at the Imperial palace and in the evening, Chelsea (who just arrived in Tokyo) and I met up with Yan and his coworkers again to see the movie Inception in Shibuya. Inception was fabulous in a word. The plot was engaging, the script kept the dialogue interesting, Leonardo Di Caprio was intense, and the special effects were mind blowing. Not to mention that the ending tripped me out. Sunday, Chelsea and I ventured to Harajuku to do a little shopping (she needed some work shirts and I wanted to go to daiso to get some cheap foodstuffs for the week). Matt ended up meeting us there and together we wandered and ended up eating dinner at a tempura/udon/rice restaurant. After, Matt headed home and Chelsea and I wandered around Shibuya, stopping at Book Off for a good hour before tearing ourselves away and making our way back home. All in all, a pretty delightful weekend.

Anyway, Saturday afternoon. I awoke late in the morning, part of me not desiring to go out and rather just stay in until Chelsea arrived. However, I knew that this would be a mistake, as it was a beautiful day outside, and I would regret not going out and exploring later (despite how inviting staying in bed and watching Battlestar Galactica sounded). In the next hour, I was out the door, headed for the subway station, on my way to the center of the city (after consulting my Tokyo To Do list); I had decided to spend the afternoon wandering the vast East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, which is located in the heart of Tokyo. It's odd that I've been here for four weeks now and still hadn't gone. Well, I sought to remedy that this afternoon, despite the heat.

The imperial palace gardens are beautiful. I was utterly amazed by everything I saw. The palace itself is surrounded by a moat (yes a moat, just like in medieval times). There are four (?) bridges and gates to access the palace, though only three are open to the public. I went through the front gate, the Otemachi Station gate. Upon entering, I learned that admission was free, I just needed to leave by 5:00pm (not a surprise as most places close by five in Japan -- very frustrating in some cases). Anyway, with a map of the area in hand, I made moved away from the groups of gaijin tourists, towards the gardens.

One of the most distinctive parts of the Imperial Palace Gardens was the Ninomaru Garden. I wasn't entirely sure of where I was going (having put the map away and opting to explore mostly with my own eyes). Within this garden, there is a waterfall, and a specific grove of trees,

totaling in 260, each one representing a district or prefecture in the Tokyo Metropolis.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure that this is the most beautiful part of the garden, and considering the lack of an admission fee, I may return to it just to see it again. I think I spent a good thirty to forty minutes just wandering this section of the garden. There are a few wonderful hill top views that over look the entire grove and pond area. I was genuinely surprised though by the expanse and variety of the sights within the gardens. Everything is beautifully maintained and there doesn't seem to be a blade of grass out of place. Too bad it was dreadfully hot at the time I went to visit. And it was minorly busy (in terms of tourists).

This is one of my favorite buildings in the Imperial Palace Grounds. It is the music hall dedicated to Empress Kojun on her sixtieth birthday. Architecturally, I think it's stunning, with the half circles on the roof and its curved in walls (in addition to the fact that it is an octahedron). It looks like of like a flower, now that I think about it. And the mosaic walls are amazing feats of workmanship. Unfortunately, it is closed to the public so I have no idea what it looks like on the inside.

It was rather frustrating as the lighting kept changing throughout the day. For the first hour I was in the gardens, it was super bright and super hot (not entirely recommended as there aren't a great many of shady areas). Then the second hour it morphed into a little bit overcast, which was definitely more pleasant than having the hot, blaring sun beating mercilessly down upon you as you trekked across the vast concrete into the various areas of the grounds. Pictured at the right is the Fujimi-yagura. In the past, security patrols would watch from this tower for advancing enemies. Apparently, on a clear day, one is able to see Mt. Fuji from there. Of course now, with the Tokyo metropolis being populated with skyscrapers and filled with pollution like any other large urban hub, I doubt that this is no longer possible. Too bad it was fenced off though; I would've liked to see the view anyhow.

I wish I had more words to describe the gardens and what I saw, but I fear that I will just end up being redundant. The East Gardens are definitely not a sight to be missed if you ever visit Tokyo. I know that I will go back there, as the grounds are only 10-15 minutes away from where I work! Anyway, I'll leave you with a few more pictures, just to convince you of its beauty and grandeur.

(Okay...This is Actually the Embassy of India, not on the Imperial Palace Grounds, but nearby. A pretty looking modern building)

(This is the embassy of the UK. Also a very pretty building)

Mt. Takao - The Climb

Yesterday, I decided to venture outside the main area of the Tokyo Metropolis to the city of Hachioji. Well, actually, I went to Mt. Takao, which is in the city limits for Hachioji. My day began when I finally managed to get out of my apartment at around ten in the morning. I rushed to the Marunochi Station close to my apartment and boarded the subway till I reached Shinjuku (approximately 40 minutes later -- I opted for the longer route considering it was cheaper and I wasn't in any rush...at least I didn't think so). After arriving at the Shinjuku Station, the busiest train station in Tokyo, I navigated my way away from the subway lines and the JR lines, and towards the Keio Line. I've never taken anything but the metro and the JR lines, so I was praying I had remembered correctly from the internet that this was the line I was supposed to take. After about fifteen minutes of deciphering kanji to figure out how much my fare was, I bought my ticket (also hoping I had read the sign right), and navigated my way through the sea of people to platform three, which, if I had read the sign correctly, was heading for Mt. Takao. Finally, the train came and as I was one of the first to board, I luckily got a seat, as the destination was about an hour away, the last stop on the Keio-Shinjuku Line. Relieved that I was on the right train as I heard the voiceover sound throughout the train compartment, I settled back into my seat and opened my book.

After about an hour, right around 11:50, the train rolled into Takaosanguchi. Good, I arrived just around noon. I still had plenty of time ahead of me to enjoy the day. Of course, as per usual to my traveling techniques, I didn't really know where I was going, but I figured I could check the tourist map probably located right outside the station and see where the Mountain was. Stepping out onto the platform though, I was totally in awe of the scenery of Takaosanguchi. It's surrounded by green hills on all sides. I'm always stunned by the tropical-ness of the Japanese countryside. I know that the island is obviously located in the tropical region (hence the humid climate and rainy season), but nevertheless, I always manage to be awed by the beauty of the wilderness. But I knew that I would have plenty of time to marvel at nature on my hike of the mountain, so I left the station and searched for a map of the area, which was easy to be found. Now, the mountain has a variety of hiking trails to the summit, as well as a cable car that will take you partway up the mountain and then you climb the rest of the way. There is also a hike from the summit of Mt. Takao to another "nearby" mountain, Mt. Jimba (if you call an extra 2.5 hour hike from the summit of Mt. Takao nearby). Anyway, considering my fondness for walking and exploring, I wanted to choose the route that was the longest up to the summit. This involved not taking the cable car, which I was okay with because I wanted to be intense and awesome like that. Pause. I nearly died on that initial climb up. I wasn't aware of how steep the first leg was; now I fully understand why there is a cable car. The hike is AWFUL. I literally wanted to die ten minutes into it, and the leg takes about 40 minutes to do (maybe an hour maximum). Multiple times I felt like my legs were just going to give out on me. But somehow, I ended up making it to the cable car stop and buying overpriced water from one of the vending machines there. From there I continued up the trail, coming into contact with more hikers than I had seen before (considering most of them had made the smart decision in taking the cable car instead of hiking the first leg of the journey).

The interesting thing that I noticed while hiking was that, here, whenever you passed someone, you would say "konnichiwa" or some greeting of the sort. I've only encountered this type of behavior while on other such hikes and sightseeing travels (both inside and outside of Japan). I guess it feels like there is a communal effort being made to climb mountains and see other facets of nature etc. Even as I was hiking, an older man leading a group of other elderly people, clapped me on the shoulder and said "ganbatte!" (translates to: do your best! in vernacular English it's like "good luck"). It was encouraging to say the least. And I still think I surprised a few people with my Japanese as I got into the flow of greeting them first. One lady stopped to talk to me actually and asked me where I was from and the whole bit. This part of the climb, the interaction with fellow hikers, made my spirits a little lighter throughout the entire day. I still think on it now; the atmosphere it cultivates is definitely a happier one. Moving away from the digression of the social niceties on Mt. Takao, I continued my hike, which took me to the Yakuoin Temple.

Yakouin Temple is a Shingon Temple based on the mountain. The temple complex is very large, spanning three tiers of the mountain. Within the complex are fabulous statues of myoo, a few Shinto shrines (one of them is dedicated to Inari), and your usual stalls that sell Temple goodies (like ema, and fuyu). When I came down the mountain, the priests were actually doing the esoteric fire ritual in the main hall, chanting mantras simultaneously. It was pretty to cool to watch and listen to them, as it brought the temple alive (going on a Thursday really helped me to avoid crowds, though this appears to be mostly a Japanese tourist destination versus a foreign tourist one; I saw only two other gaijin there the entire time). However, I was a little bit confused by some of the statues I saw. Now, the interaction and intertwining of Buddhism and Shinto has been around since Buddhism's origins in Japan. That didn't seem out of place to me. What seemed strange was that some of the statues were representative of Shugendo, an ascetic mountain religion that combines Shinto, Taoist and Buddhist practices together.

However, I haven't really been able to find anything (now that I'm curious) on the internet that suggests this is a Shugendo site. I'm probably going to shoot my religion sensei an email in a bit asking her about it (yes, I'm that curious). Aside from the mixture of the religions, what makes this temple stand out the most is its statues. But, after browsing through the buildings, I continued on my way to the summit, taking the "off the beaten" path versus the more traditional path. This way, I met almost no one on my climb to the summit, thus allowing me to just contemplate the natural surroundings a bit (between my heaving and huffing). Mt. Takao is very beautiful; the canopy kept most of the direct sunlight, and thus heat, away (for which I was grateful; I didn't want to get sunburned a second time). However, it was still a pleasant hike and everything seems so lush and wonderful. I ended up even seeing a snake slither across the pathway I was walking on. A nearby female hiker screeched a little bit. You never know what you're going to see, I've learned.

Oddly this has been one of the few times that I have felt like I haven't been pressured, or pressured myself, for time. Even when I'm on my own sometimes I tend to keep myself on some sort of schedule, making sure I see everything on my list for the day. Granted, I did have a list for the day after the mountain, but I never made it to that afterward. By the time I'd come down form the mountain and finished the hike, I was wiped out and ready to sit on a train for an hour, transfer, and sit on a train for another hour before making it home. Besides, I feel like climbing a mountain is a good enough adventure for the day. Though I just wonder at the mentality of constantly having to be somewhere, or dong something productive. But I've come to a realization: whenever I feel like I should be seeing or doing something specific (like visiting an extra site or something), I ask myself, "Would you regret not seeing it?" And in this case, I was just happy that I got to climb the Mountain.

Anyway, I finally reached the summit, filled with hikers chowing down on picnic lunches and children screaming and running around playing tag. The views were magnificent, and there were many to see. I would've like to just sit and admire the viewpoints, but it was getting later in the day, and I can only stand screaming children for so long before they start to grate on my nerves. So I headed back down the mountain, opting to take a different hiking trail than the one I took upward. This one took me by a waterfall...well, it was more like a trickle of water than an actual waterfall (very sad). And as I hiked down the mountain, as it was later in the afternoon, the lighting was starting to shift to a more orange-y sunlight. It was definitely more serene walking the hiking paths. It kind of gave the landscape a twilight-y feel (I am NOT referencing the vampire book. I mean twilight, the time between day and night, around sunset).

But all in all it was a beautiful way to spend my day off. Exhausted by the time I finally arrived home, I kicked off my shoes, organized my room (as I had stuff sprawled every where), made dinner, showered and did laundry. When all was said and done, I proceeded to cuddle up with milanos and milk and watch some Japanese TV, after briefly running across the street to 7 Eleven to pick up milk (in my Stanford sweat pants and multicolored hoodie -- hott mess to the max). Oh convenience stores, you really are super convenient and make my life absolutely amazing.

And Mt. Takao. You thought you conquered me at the beginning, but I still won in the end.