It's all coming to an end now, and it's sooner than I initially expected. I am excited to go back and see family and friends, go to once familiar places and even drive a car. I have decided to go back earlier for many reasons, but one of the big ones is that I am going to apply for college again and see about working towards a career, not just a short stop at a random employer.
This last week here has been quite hectic! Last weekend was Matsumoto Bon Bon, a very large festival here, and then a friend's birthday, followed by a bit of a going away party for me, but between those events I had to pack and clean as much as possible. This week I am trying to finish up stuff at work as well as continue packing and cleaning. My last day of work is Saturday, and I leave early Sunday morning for Narita and the States, so I don't have much time to spare. My good-byes have been many and rushed in order to fit them in, which has made them a bit easier to be honest. I know I'll miss a lot about Japan and the people that I have come to know, but I also know, I'll be back!
Living in Japan has made me see things differently, or clearer... or something along those lines. I know better what I want and what is important to me, which is why I'm returning to the States.
Three days from now I'll be back home, it's a weird felling. It feels very final.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
At the Movies
I went to my first movie in Japan today, and it was almost unsettling. The theatre wasn't unlike the newer ones in America (much like Point Cinema or Lakeville 16) except for the fact that the seats didn't rock/recline at all, though that does seem like a fairly American thing now that I think about it. One difference here is that when you buy your ticket, you also select you seat (me and the friend I went with were basically told that the only remaining seats were on the side and found ourselves a bit removed from the bulk of the patrons... gaijin section?), and the people, or rather the way the people acted (and here en lies the unsettling bit). During the movie no one made barely any sounds. It didn't matter if it was funny or scary, the most I heard was a giggle, maybe two, during the funniest parts, or a slight intake of breath at the scariest part. I never heard a wrapper or whispering or anything... it was really weird, but also kinda nice. It was nice not having the person who's phone rings, or the people behind you who are talking, or the clapping at any part of the movie (I do not understand this), but the really weird part is that this silence carried on though the credits and while the people were filing out of the theatre. I have been at movies with only one other person in the theatre, and that was louder than this!
Too bad it cost 1800 yen (~$18) for a matinee!
Too bad it cost 1800 yen (~$18) for a matinee!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Golden Week Sprint
Needless to say, this post has been a long time coming. I don't deny a combination of procrastination and simple laziness on my part, but also it has been relatively hectic here as of late (by which I more or less mean the last 2 months), but I'm already getting a head of myself.
In the end of April/beginning of May, for a week, is a period in Japan known as Golden Week, basically a week, mainly comprised of National Holidays, in which a large portion of Japan has off of work. During this time my parents made the trek to Japan! We spent a bit over a week together traveling and seeing the sights that we could reasonably fit in during that short stint. This was a great and amazing time, not only for the places that we went (of which I planned and was careful to include as many new things for me as I could) and things that we saw, but it was really great being able to see and talk with my parents again, (Skype is great and all, but it's not the same either) not to mention the things that I was able to show them and introduce them to.
The first few days of our journey together we spent in Tokyo, or at least relatively so. We went to Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Mt. Fuji and Hakone. It was a very busy three days! To say that I saw much of Tokyo when I was there for three months is and absolute joke, but to try a general tour of it in about two days (Fuji and Hakone are further away and took a day trip) and say that you saw the area is borderline ridiculous!
Hereafter we took the two hour train ride to Matsumoto and I got the next five days or so to show my parents my current haunts and surrounding areas. I spent some days solely in Matsumoto to tour the castle, shops, my work, and other aspects of my daily life, as well as introduce them to a couple of friends and even a few students, albeit unplanned. Then we took a couple of day trips out to some really cool areas surrounding Matsumoto.
First we went to Takayama, which is a site of one of the old 'snowy villages' (the houses with really slanted and thick roofs). One of my favorite parts of that trip was the shops and morning markets in the town. The morning markets were the closest thing to a Farmers' Market that I've seen in Japan, and they had some pretty good eats! The snowy village was beautiful and I loved seeing the houses, but a really cool part of that was our luck of catching a Taiko group performance (the drummers).
The next day we went to Kamikochi, a very large National Park in the mountains (which is actually closed off to every one for almost half the year or so due to the small and winding roads being covered with snow and ice). The Kamikochi area was beautiful and a really great thing to see. Besides the wilderness we also saw a rather large group of monkeys hanging out, that was really cool!
Soon here after we had to return to Tokyo for a few days before my parents return flight. During this time we were able to spend some time in Tsukiji, Asakusa and even take a trip to Nikko! Tsukiji is always a great place to go. It's an amazing place to see, but beyond that they have really great (and fresh) sushi for a good price. We took a day and went up to Nikko and toured the shrines there for a while. Even though it rained it was a fun trip and we were able to see some really amazing buildings!
The departure was a bit tough. The main problems were the trains. Trains in Tokyo are seldom late at all, but of course on this day they were. almost all of the trains to and from Narita airport were about fifteen minutes late, except for the ones that we were to catch from one train to another. Basically we go to one place, arrive fifteen minutes late, thereby just missing the next train and having to wait another 30 minutes or so. By the time we got to the airport I had to run back onto a train to 'maybe' be able to get to Shinjuku just in time to catch my last train to Matsumoto. I had barely enough time to buy my ticket and say goodbye to my parents before having to run, and the train got to Shinjuku with just enough time for me to find and board my next train about a minute before the doors closed and it took off.
All in all the trip was a blast. It was an odd feeling introducing them to the areas that I have come to know so well, or not, over the previous seven months, but it was really cool too.
In the end of April/beginning of May, for a week, is a period in Japan known as Golden Week, basically a week, mainly comprised of National Holidays, in which a large portion of Japan has off of work. During this time my parents made the trek to Japan! We spent a bit over a week together traveling and seeing the sights that we could reasonably fit in during that short stint. This was a great and amazing time, not only for the places that we went (of which I planned and was careful to include as many new things for me as I could) and things that we saw, but it was really great being able to see and talk with my parents again, (Skype is great and all, but it's not the same either) not to mention the things that I was able to show them and introduce them to.
The first few days of our journey together we spent in Tokyo, or at least relatively so. We went to Akihabara, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Mt. Fuji and Hakone. It was a very busy three days! To say that I saw much of Tokyo when I was there for three months is and absolute joke, but to try a general tour of it in about two days (Fuji and Hakone are further away and took a day trip) and say that you saw the area is borderline ridiculous!
Hereafter we took the two hour train ride to Matsumoto and I got the next five days or so to show my parents my current haunts and surrounding areas. I spent some days solely in Matsumoto to tour the castle, shops, my work, and other aspects of my daily life, as well as introduce them to a couple of friends and even a few students, albeit unplanned. Then we took a couple of day trips out to some really cool areas surrounding Matsumoto.
First we went to Takayama, which is a site of one of the old 'snowy villages' (the houses with really slanted and thick roofs). One of my favorite parts of that trip was the shops and morning markets in the town. The morning markets were the closest thing to a Farmers' Market that I've seen in Japan, and they had some pretty good eats! The snowy village was beautiful and I loved seeing the houses, but a really cool part of that was our luck of catching a Taiko group performance (the drummers).
The next day we went to Kamikochi, a very large National Park in the mountains (which is actually closed off to every one for almost half the year or so due to the small and winding roads being covered with snow and ice). The Kamikochi area was beautiful and a really great thing to see. Besides the wilderness we also saw a rather large group of monkeys hanging out, that was really cool!
Soon here after we had to return to Tokyo for a few days before my parents return flight. During this time we were able to spend some time in Tsukiji, Asakusa and even take a trip to Nikko! Tsukiji is always a great place to go. It's an amazing place to see, but beyond that they have really great (and fresh) sushi for a good price. We took a day and went up to Nikko and toured the shrines there for a while. Even though it rained it was a fun trip and we were able to see some really amazing buildings!
The departure was a bit tough. The main problems were the trains. Trains in Tokyo are seldom late at all, but of course on this day they were. almost all of the trains to and from Narita airport were about fifteen minutes late, except for the ones that we were to catch from one train to another. Basically we go to one place, arrive fifteen minutes late, thereby just missing the next train and having to wait another 30 minutes or so. By the time we got to the airport I had to run back onto a train to 'maybe' be able to get to Shinjuku just in time to catch my last train to Matsumoto. I had barely enough time to buy my ticket and say goodbye to my parents before having to run, and the train got to Shinjuku with just enough time for me to find and board my next train about a minute before the doors closed and it took off.
All in all the trip was a blast. It was an odd feeling introducing them to the areas that I have come to know so well, or not, over the previous seven months, but it was really cool too.
Monday, April 13, 2009
24 in Japan
This last week was my birthday, and it was interesting to have it in Japan. The lack of the friends and family that I have in America definitely made it's approach a bit somber, but overall I had a pretty good time.
The day of was a bit of a disappointment, but that's mostly because I had to work, and the rest because a couple of the kids in those classes were so much worse, rude and difficult than they ever have been. but I took off early and hit up a couple of bakeries for pastries and coffee (I very much enjoy both!). After work I went to a really cool, small restaurant for some food then to the bar to meet up with a couple of friends for a bit, not too much due to work the next day. I even got a couple of present from some people, which was very ice and completely unexpected.
Once my week was over it was off to the bars, for the real party this time. i went to dinner with a friend and we decided to get started early with sake at the restaurant, actually restaurants, but that'll come later. Come 12:30 we met up with more friends at the bar and started our all-nighter, I'll leave the rest up to your imagination as to what happened through the remaining 6 hours of fun stuffs.
The Cherry Blossoms (さくら) are out, or rather were out over this last week, and the people of all surrounding areas knew about it! all week long last week people had been flocking to Matsumoto from pretty much anywhere, it was quite surprising. Flower viewing (specifically Cherry Blossoms) is huge in Japan! it's the beginning of spring, and that's all the more reason for the people to get out and (as you may guess from early 90's movies of Japanese tourists) they bring their cameras. All around the castle was packed full of people taking pictures of the trees and also families and friends having picnics under the trees. it was actually fairly cool to see so many people out and relaxing, which I just haven't seen much of in Japan. I have pictures of all of this on my picasa site too. but I'm done here. bye bye
The day of was a bit of a disappointment, but that's mostly because I had to work, and the rest because a couple of the kids in those classes were so much worse, rude and difficult than they ever have been. but I took off early and hit up a couple of bakeries for pastries and coffee (I very much enjoy both!). After work I went to a really cool, small restaurant for some food then to the bar to meet up with a couple of friends for a bit, not too much due to work the next day. I even got a couple of present from some people, which was very ice and completely unexpected.
Once my week was over it was off to the bars, for the real party this time. i went to dinner with a friend and we decided to get started early with sake at the restaurant, actually restaurants, but that'll come later. Come 12:30 we met up with more friends at the bar and started our all-nighter, I'll leave the rest up to your imagination as to what happened through the remaining 6 hours of fun stuffs.
The Cherry Blossoms (さくら) are out, or rather were out over this last week, and the people of all surrounding areas knew about it! all week long last week people had been flocking to Matsumoto from pretty much anywhere, it was quite surprising. Flower viewing (specifically Cherry Blossoms) is huge in Japan! it's the beginning of spring, and that's all the more reason for the people to get out and (as you may guess from early 90's movies of Japanese tourists) they bring their cameras. All around the castle was packed full of people taking pictures of the trees and also families and friends having picnics under the trees. it was actually fairly cool to see so many people out and relaxing, which I just haven't seen much of in Japan. I have pictures of all of this on my picasa site too. but I'm done here. bye bye
Monday, February 23, 2009
Familiarity
I realize that it's been a while, but I honestly don't find much about my day-to-day working life worth writing about (I really doubt that those of you that read this want to read my rants of the annoying kids that are peppered throughout my week's classes). I do realize that I am already taking many things for granted that are alien to our own culture, but it's hard to step back and see what those things are on my own. Anyway, I know I have a decent amount to say now and will do so.
Familiar Things
I have spent the last two months getting accustomed to my daily life and the city that I now live in. I will admit that this has proved harder than I expected and hoped, but is now the less going well. I have met a few friends here, but most all of them are foreigners (I've learned that the Japanese people tend to form fairly tight-knit groups and it can be quite difficult to get into one, especially when they wont approach me assuming that I can't speak Japanese). But along with the new people that I have met I have been shown different parts of the city (one of the foreigners has a car). Since I am now aware of more places I decided to spring for a bike so I can actually get around more. On top of now having the familiarity of a bike, I just had steak yesterday for the first time in over six months, which was pretty cool and delicious. I have also since found a restaurant that serves hamburgers fairly close to American style of hamburgers, because everything else available doesn't come close.
Familiar Faces
Almost two weeks ago a friend of mine came to Japan for about a weeks visit, during which I spent what time I could showing him the sights that I have become familiar with. It was pretty cool not only being able to share the stuff I've seen with someone, but also (and probably more so) being able to actually talk and joke with a friend. I showed him around Matsumoto, during which we stopped by a sake brewery that does tours.. Since it was a holiday they apparently weren't doing the tours that day, but we walked around for a little bit then went to the 'gift shop' for a once over. As we walked in, one of the shop ladies took out 12 bottles of sake and said that we should help ourselves to tasting them, which we did with gusto! Now, my friend isn't a heavy drinker, but he none the less was more than willing to give some of the free sake a try. I, on the other hand, was happily about halfway through the twelve bottles in front of me when the shop lady mentioned a special sake that I could try, but this one cost 300 yen, I gladly accepted (300 yen, ~$3, doesn't mean much here) and she brought forth a big sake glass full of it. It was more than worth it, but that wasn't going to deter me from finishing my quest of tasting the rest of the twelve bottles in front of me! By the time we left the shop, my friend was weighed down with one bottle of sake while I was laden with not only the two bottles that I bought (one of which was the special bottle) as well as a reasonable buzz. After our day in Matsumoto Jon went on to Kyoto then next day as I had to return to work.
Familiar Places
Sunday morning I met up with Jon in Tokyo and I showed him what I could of the bustling metropolitan in the day and a half the followed. Although it was an extremely busy day and a half, I really enjoyed it, again not only because of the company, but the places that I was seeing again. I will freely admit that living in Tokyo would be quite hard, and that working there would be crazy, but I became quite fond to the places and crazy people that are there. I relished in being able to walk around the places that had become familiar to me in my first three months in Japan. On Sunday alone I showed Jon the 'goths in Harajuku, the electronic shops of Akihabara, the crossing at Shibuya, all ending with sushi in Tsukiji. We all but ran from place to place trying to catch all of the highlights that Tokyo holds while having to skip the more relaxed and subtle nooks and crannies of which Tokyo holds many! By the time we said our good byes on Monday (me heading back to Matsumoto for work the next day, him to explore the remaining bits of Tokyo on his own) I was exhausted and quite disappointed in leaving a friend again, it felt sadly similar to my initial departure to Japan, minus most of the excitement of the unknown, but also the despair and fear of it.
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