Looking back 3

Smoking. No matter how you look at it, the Japanese make it look good. By this, I mean the packaging. Cigarette vending machines are almost (but not quite) as abundant as vending machines with drinks. They are now installing ID requirements in the machines, but they are still pretty much accessible to anyone walking by. There are cigarettes that slide out horizontally like a match box, packs that split in two for women with limited space in their purses, cigarettes made to appeal to a more masculine crowd, some of them even come inside little plastic ashtrays. People carry around their own portable ashtrays so as not to litter the streets carelessly. There are little ashtray stations situated on some streets so you hardly see anyone walking and smoking at the same time. I think they mostly just walk to walk.

Speaking of packaging, so much care goes into presentation. I love that. At most stores we shopped at, they would wrap purchases without asking or even charging extra. We stopped a couple of times at this 100 Yen store which is the equivalent of our dollar stores. It made sense to me that at the end of the registers there was a ledge and a basket full of newspaper to wrap your more fragile purchases. I imagine the place was always crowded and people always had baskets full of trinkets. I think it was pretty efficient. Even this store filled with frugal goods still gave the feeling like you weren't exactly buying cheap things. One store we found in Harajuku had shelves upon shelves of T-shirts in plastic tubes. On the outside was a label with an illustration and a picture of a model wearing the shirt that was inside. It fascinated me. The floor had Manga drawings covering it. It had the feel of a store you'd hate to walk into without money.

Along the streets outside of many of the restaurants there were glass cases displaying their menu in wax replicas. Imagine food too perfect looking to eat. Not that anyone would feel compelled to bite into the wax. This was perfect for us foreigners who can't read the Kanji below the figures anyway.

Presentation, particularity, precision, perfection. They care how things that represent them look. They care how they look. You can just tell.

Looking back 2

I was in awe...the streets are clean and trash cans aren't that easy to come by. The sidewalks and alleys abound with vending machines that have containers nearby to dispose of your bottle, can, or other trash separately. I suspect mainly because it's not considered polite to walk while eating and drinking. I surprisingly didn't have a problem with this since it gave a welcome break to our seemingly never ending walks. Their transportation system makes driving seem less desirable. It's convenient but not for the lazy because you certainly pay your dues with the amount of walking from destination to destination. Every train was on time to the minute and each car number was indicated on the platform so you could stand in just the right spot for the doors to open in front of you. In the morning and evening rush hour times, there are cars designated only for ladies to avoid any kind of harassment issues. On every train we boarded, there was not one person who spoke loudly or at all into their cell phones for the duration of the trip. Now that I think about, there wasn't a lot of interaction going on at all. I saw plenty of texting though. More than once I caught glimpses of schoolboys playing PSPs in groups, young and old businessmen with crossed legs and folded newspapers, young women falling asleep resting their heads against the windows, schoolgirls giggling, and always someone wearing the latest shocking trend. I suspect seeing several schools of fish swim in opposite directions of each other is not unlike watching the crowd during rush hour at the train stations. I was afraid to stop in the middle of it all, as if I would throw the world off its axis. You could tell they've learned to move around obstacles though. They know where they're going and they get there well. It's almost as if they see nothing else but their destination.

Looking back

I already miss the cheery greetings when we walked into stores. The slight head nod or even a little bow. If we needed help, they were there to give it. Overall, my trip to Japan bordered on the edge of a love/hate relationship. Yet hate seems too strong of a word. Maybe it's more of a love/dislike relationship. I will never regret going. I have not yet set foot in a country or place that has not stolen my heart in some way. I feel I should explain my dislikes. Don't misunderstand me, there was nothing I couldn't overlook in the long run. There was a certain feel to the country-something that didn't allow me to get comfortable, at least not in my own skin. A week was entirely too short to feel as if I could belong to a place so exclusive, a place that doesn't let foreigners begin their lives there very easily. People would stare at times, but not obviously. Some would avoid at all costs. I don't know if they were afraid or really didn't care. The aspects I fell in love with outweigh everything else by far. The little things i didn't know I'd miss haunt me now. The old men and women greeting you as you enter their establishment. The smiles, the most genuine smiles I've seen in a long time. Well meaning gestures, even though the language barrier was always an issue. The care that went into everything from food to flower arranging, to the uniforms of the most common workers. Customer service in Japan will leave you to want it so badly for America. People clearly have a dislike for their jobs for the most part here. In Japan a girl can smile and it's as if she's working for a fortune 500 company. I loved it there and I miss it a lot. You would think I'd lived there all my life.

Japan - April 23, 2008 - Day 8

Checkout was at 10 am. We made it out of our room a little before then and dropped our bags off at reception so we could walk around Ikebukuro station one last time. We did need bags to pack our souvenirs in so we found some cheap duffels to stuff full. After all that, it was off to the airport. We did last minute shopping before we exchanged our Yen to Usd. Now we are 10 hours into our flight to New Jersey and then 7 hours later we'll be home.

Japan - April 23, 2008 - Day 7

We slept in, if that's what you want to call it. We still made it to our destination before noon. With all the walking, transferring and riding, that's pretty good time. We dedicated today to shopping for souvenirs more or less. It was an easy ride to Shibuya on the Yamanote line (it goes in a literal circle). We found tower records there and more of those claw machines rigged by the devil. The vending machines seriously never cease to amaze me. I got some clove cigarettes that came with ashtrays. It was pretty exciting! Next we hopped onto JR for Harajuku once more. The streets weren't too crowded this time so we could actually move around. We had to revisit the 100 Yen shop once more to browse the quality on the shelves that we don't see in dollar stores at home. Today was souvenir cramming day. Luckily, it's easy here. We also got to the oriental bazaar and bought other gifts along with some Yukatas. Thank God those things are so comfortable. I thought I might as well get a couple for my parents as well. Next store was named Kiddy Land although I don't think it was properly named as there are toys I wouldn't want my kid playing with. Our feet are starting to give up on us and I've gotten sick so it's a good thing we leave tomorrow. I'm ready to embrace the familiar again, but not ready to face reality of routine. One luxury that vacations always provide is the promise of something new around every corner. This place has not ceased to amazing me since I stepped foot onto a crowded public transportation platform. There is something always waiting to ingrain itself into my memory everywhere I turn. This trip has been long awaited and sorely needed. I'm not ready to leave the unknown yet because there is so much I want to learn about this culture. So much frustration has gone into the language barrier and I wish I could communicate the way they do. You can tell most Japanese people will avoid it if they can. I guess we're all somewhat afraid to step out of our element sometimes. This is their home though, why should they have to speak my language! I wish it were easier sometimes.

Japan - April 21, 2008 - Day 6

We've jammed so much into our days that it's hard to remember how we started it when it ends. We woke up early once again around 5 am to make our way to Tsukiji market(the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind- wiki). The whole time we thought it was Tsujiki but found out it was slightly off when we looked at the Subway map. We missed the fish auctioning which was supposed to be pretty exciting so we walked around the vendors and restaurants in what they call the "outer market" section. We settled on one restaurant, or I did, that had a giant line in front. But I took some kind of stupid comfort in that. After almost 45 minutes of waiting, we decided to ditch the line and find somewhere else to eat. Before we knew it, we were ushered into a place to eat by a fast talking Japanese man. And not too much sooner after that, I had a bowl of Miso soup, a bowl of rice, a plate of Unagi, Daikon and a cup of green tea sitting in front of me. It was my first time to try eel and when I didn't think about what I was eating, it was quite tasty. We took pictures with the host and he wrote a bunch of Japanese phrases to help us poor lost tourists try to make sense of the foreign island on which we stood. He was very talkative, almost too much so, but he spoke to us longer than anyone has since we arrived.

After the market, we headed to the Ghibli museum in Mitaka. Whenever I see a town I like, I settle on it being my favorite, then I see another one to replace it. Today, Mitaka became the place that charmed me. One thing I love seeing here are all the side alleys with homes all along them. Their family names are written in Kanji outside on a plaque stuck on a wall that serves as a partial entrance. Unfortunately, not a lot of our time was spent there. The Ghibli museum was awesome. No pictures are allowed inside and I wish that weren't so. It was really fun to see some of the animation in action. I spent about 7500 Yen at the gift store.

We took the bus back to Mitaka station to go back to the hotel and rest for a minute. That lasted about 45 minutes. We were back out into the world again to explore Akihabara - also known as electric town. I don't think there is one thing you couldn't find there in the way of electronics. There are also the usual aggressive salespeople trying to sell merchandise like cameras and other gadgets. There are tons of stores selling manga and anime merchandise. Valerie and I somehow found ourselves trapped in a world of claw machines or ufo machines. You could win things like candy and drinks and cookies, to manga figures and big stuffed animals and handfuls of tiny stuffed hamsters. There went 2000 Yen easily. We couldn't resist finding a couple more devil ufo machine houses like this and giving in to temptation. After more shopping, we headed back to Ikebukuro and stopped at KFC for food. The kids that work in the fast food establishments treated us wonderfully. Usually quite the opposite coming from America. They act like they don't mind being there. Something is being done right in Japan my friends.Last stop was space create, our favorite internet cafe. This time we rented a cubicle with two computers, mats, and cushions. We even had PS2s ready to be played. Unfortunately, smoking is still allowed inside some places so I was sneezing up a storm from the smoke clouds above our heads. We spend almost an hour in that cubicle then we left. Time for some rest since waking up as early as we have is not so much the plan tomorrow. Oya Suminasai!

Japan - April 20, 2008 - Day 5

Right now, I have cold patches on my feet. We have walked our feet raw and we still have two days left. I'm not ready to live though. Figures, since we're just learning to navigate the complicated Tokyo transportation system and find our way through the streets around our hotel. This place is such a maze. It seems as if there is always something to discover around the corner. Bikes come from every direction and unfortunately some people seem to have committed the impossible: forgetting how to ride a bike. I fear I will get hit by someone on a bike. Scary stuff.
Today we woke up early again and made our way to Kamakura via the JR. (We made one of the best decisions in our lives before we went to Japan, and that was to purchase the Japan Rail pass. It saved us a considerable amount of money.) The names of all the lines of the JR are hard to keep straight. Somehow we got to our destination Hase. There the big buddha Daibutsu awaited us. We even paid 20 Yen to go inside of it. It was pretty amazing. On the way back down were tiny gift shops with Buddha everything and the usual trinkets that attract tourists' money.
On our way back to Ikebukuro, we decided to stop and check out Harajuku. There we discovered the wonderful Daiso 100 Yen shop. Four floors of crazy, useful, useless, cute things on the cheap. There was a huge crowd in the area since it was sunday and a popular area anyway. When people lined up on the sidewalks on both sides of the street waiting for the light to change, I felt as if we were going to war. Harajuku is somewhat of a rebellious fashion district. As one book put it, it's where people go to see and be seen in the latest, craziest fashions. There were lots of clothing shops and even this T shirt shop that had their shirts in plastic tubes. The entire floor of that shop was black and white with manga art covering it. The shirts were only 1500 Yen which was surprising and later made me regret that I hadn't picked any up. There were kids everywhere dressed in their cosplay garb. It is a mystery to me how they keep their hair all spiky like that. The girls were all rolling around little luggages which Valerie assumed was to carry their costumes. I don't doubt it seeing how most of them dressed.
We decided to head back to Ikebukuro since our feet were killing us and we hadn't eaten a good meal yet. We had to drop Valerie's bags of goodies at the hotel before we headed out again to walk around a bit. We've already found a favorite eating spot called Wakana so we eventually ended up there after shopping a bit more. Now we're back at the hotel to rest our weary bones. Tomorrow should start earlier than the rest.

Japan - April 19, 2008 - Day 4

We left Kyoto this morning. Now we are on our way to Tokyo. I feel like we didn't get enough of the traditional experience but I already know I'll be back to Japan someday. There is too much of this world to see. Too much I won't get to see. Maybe I'm afraid to get old because I don't feel there is enough time to do everything I want.
We're in Tokyo now and we had to wait 2 hours to actually check into our hotel. The room is tiny. You have to step up to get to the bathroom but it's nice not to have to share a bathroom at all. Okay, things here are small, but it is absolutely perfect for us. I knew I was short for something! If I were 40 lbs lighter I would fit in perfectly. Our hotel is in Ikebukuro, one of Tokyo's many districts. Valerie and I found an internet cafe of sorts (no internet cafe I've ever been to!) We spent 280 Yen each for 45 minutes of internet time. There are shelves upon shelves of books (mostly manga from what I could see) and numerous anime you can watch. There are showers and bathrooms if you're in it for the long haul. Our computer screens were about 19" at least and the chairs were incredibly comfortable. For a certain rate, you could even rent a private cubicle with a computer and some cushions. Menus were placed right by the computer with phones to order what you wanted. Free drinks and soup were available as well. I could see how people could spend hours there. Another thing not to be missed is the Pachinko buildings. Kind of like a casino but entirely pachinko. If we get brave we may try it soon. Val and I aren't here on a busy tourist season so I've felt a lot as if we are the only foreigners. Sometimes I wish I belonged here - understood their language. They are so polite. I wish I could communicate to them how much I appreciate it.
We walked around a bit and found a 100 Yen and a 99 Yen store. I will be spending a lot of money there soon. We just ate the best fried chicken from a 24 hour takeout place and it was perfect.
All the meals we've eaten come with chopsticks and a toothpick tucked away into the chopstick package.
There is some kind of fascination with the Kit Kat candy bar. They are everywhere and in flavors I never knew existed for Kit Kats.

Japan - April 18, 2008 - Day 3

There is a tiny street outside our window. For such a little street I didn't expect to hear that many cars go by. People walking, bicycling, running. There's a ramen shop across the way which is in turn next to a little barber shop. I remember loving this about England too. The small streets lined with shops. I feel there is some sort of intimacy in it. Forgot to mention that we have these cotton robes (yukatas) courtesy of our Ryokan during our stay. They are really comfortable and perfect for after a shower. It's kind of funny to walk around before or after a shower and see strangers pass by wearing the same thing. We may need to buy these robes. 

After getting ready, we started on our way to Hiroshima. We thought we were getting an early start at 7am but we lost our way a little bit. It wasn't easy navigating through the flow of men, women and children on their way to work and school. It was a bit intimidating, like jumping into the deep end of a pool for the first time. These people are so precise and focused. There are cars in the subway meant just for ladies during the busiest hours. This means no harassment by the business men.

We finally made it to Hiroshima a few hours later. We had to hop on a street car to make our way to the A bomb dome. This is the building that the bomb "little boy"was dropped directly over. It was kept the way it is as a sort of memorial. Although all the people inside died, you can still make out what the building used to be. 

A little of a walk away was peace Memorial Park. There was a statue of a little girl with tons of paper cranes in a half circle around it. Big ones, tiny ones. The story was of the little girl who contracted Leukemia as a result of the bombing. She believed that if she folded one thousand cranes, she would get well. She folded more than that but she didn't survive. Now people all over the world fold cranes to replenish those at the memorial. 

We walked to the museum next. It was big - it reminded me of the Holocaust museum in D.C. The feeling I got there was not unlike the feelings I had at the Hiroshima museum. It's like this lump in my throat that takes hours to go away. There were Exhibits with fingernails and skin from some victims and even a preserved tongue to show the after effects of the bomb (Diseases, etc.) There were throngs of school children and none of them were spared seeing these exhibits. I don't know if shame is the right word for the way I felt as I walked from exhibit to exhibit. I don't know exactly what I felt, but I could not stop shaking my head and wanting to cry. There were burned school uniforms of children that died, pocket watches that stopped at 8:15 am when the bomb was dropped, even a tricycle a little boy was riding the moment it happened. Terrible reminders of war.

After a long walk back to the street car, we rode to catch the ferry to Miyajima Island to see the "floating" torii*. It's actually in the ground but at high tide it seems as if it is floating. Well, it wasn't floating when we saw it but it was still amazing to see. The ferry docked and we took a 

walk on the island. Tame deer were everywhere. Poor things looked like they hadn't gotten sleep, showers, or a decent meal in days. They walked around and we petted them like they were the neighborhood dogs. We stopped at a little ice cream stand on the walk back to the ferry. It was delicious. Not the stand, but the ice cream. 

We finally made it back to our Ryokan around 8pm. Our hostess gave us a giant apple to snack on. Check out is at 10 am. Three nights at Daiya Inn in Kyoto, Japan. It's near the Kyoto station just past the Hiyagashi temple. I'll be back I hope.

*A torii is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entry to a Shinto shrine, although it can be found at Buddhist temples as well. It has two upright supports and two crossbars on the top, and is frequently painted vermilion. Some torii have tablets with writing mounted between the crossbars. Traditionally, torii are made of wood or stone. In recent times, makers have started to use steel and even stainless steel. Torii mark the transition from the sacred (the shrine) to the profane (the normal world) - Courtesy of Wiki

Japan - April 17, 2008 - Day 2

Waking up in the Ryokan was like waking up in a house full of my extended family. Everyone is already awake and engaged in conversation. But hearing all the “Arigatos” and “Hais” is strangely comforting to me. We came to the Ryokan expecting the staff to speak no english as the website warned. The host knew a sufficient amount having dealt with foreign travelers for a long time. She was eager to welcome us in as if we'd been there before.After one entire day of traveling and a good night’s rest it's time to explore. I know never to underestimate the amount of walking on a trip. I used to complain when my parents suggested walking anywhere even remotely far but now I know it is the way to get to some of the best places. Today we took the subway to Shijo to find the Gion district. 

We couldn't reist the urge to try McDonalds while we were there so I had some kind of shrimp burger. It was good. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the Geishas but I was not lucky. It seemed the rain forced most people inside. We got to walk around the Yosaka Shrine which was beautiful. There were giant thick ropes attached to bells that people pulled on before they prayed. Although I wish I had a video camera to capture the moment, I feel as if I would have been impeding on something sacred. I felt like all I could hear was the rain around the shrine. A whisper here and there, but mostly a respectful stillness.

 Our next stop was Fushimi-Inari to see the path full of Torii gates, one after the other. It was amazing to see. Preservation of tradition is so rare where I come from.

 (Okay, I must make a side note regarding vending machines. Before you visit Japan, they will tell you that vending machines are everywhere. NOT a lie. Hell will freeze over before anyone in Japan dies of thirst. They are in alleys, train stations, in neighborhoods, everywhere you turn. And this makes me happy!)

 We made our way back to the subway for a fun little back and forth ride (and by this I mean we were lost and we were too stubborn to ask for help) til we finally made it back to Kyoto. 

I used the floor toilet for the first time at one of our stops. If you think on a sanitary level, it makes a lot of sense. The toilets back at our Ryokan were heated western style so we were spoiled in that area. If you want to call it that. 

On our walk back to Daiya Inn, we stopped at a little restaurant where you only eat bar style. This isn't rare in Japan. Most restaurants seem to be set up in a no nonsense style. You walk in, order your food, eat it and leave. There was this crazy contraption that covered your umbrella with plastic when you stuck it in. It was the only one I saw. Everyone had enough sense to leave their umbrellas outside in holders when they went indoors. We ended up getting our meal two for one. This may have been a result of misunderstanding, but we couldn't speak enough Japanese to let them know they under charged us and they couldn't speak enough english to let us know whether they were just being nice or made a mistake! (If there is only one thing you learn to say in Japanese before you go to Japan, learn to say thank you properly. You will find that you cannot say it enough and you'll want to say more but it will suffice.)After our first day of walking, my feet were killing me. But it couldn't have been more worth it.

Japan - April 15, 2008 - Day 1

Continental Airlines from Austin, TX to Houston, TX to Tokyo, Japan. We were able to sleep at a decent hour and wake up early to finish the last leg of packing which wasn't much to begin with. We had restricted ourselves to one duffel bag each and one little extra bag to avoid struggling with the limited space rumored to be on the trains. After a short thirty nine minute flight to Houston, we boarded our flight to Tokyo. It’s been a while since I've seen so much space on a plane. TV screens are in the headrests of the seats in front of us with our choice of music, a few movies and even some games. We are definitely not in need of entertainment. I’ve been struggling through my limited knowledge of hiragana and katakana to make out the names and cities on the screen. My reading is still as slow as molasses and would impress no one.
The captain announced that we’ll be flying over Alaska and Russia. This announcement combined with all the provided entertainment will be to blame for my extreme jet lag. I’m about to lose all sense of time, but I’m okay with that.
13 Hours later, my backside is numb. Luckily we got a seat extra to stretch out on. Didn’t get much sleep though. Those little nozzles of slightly cool air were not available for adjustment. Not on this flight. Landing is in thirty minutes. I was able to catch a glimpse of the landscape as we were flying over Alaska but the passengers on the plane were sticklers for darkness so I felt rude when I opened my shade. I didn't do any more of that for the rest of the trip.
Fresh off the plane and I am in awe. I can already tell this country cares for itself. I have only had the chance to ride on the Shinkansen bullet train for three hours. 

The two trains we took were painfully clean. I didn’t see one piece of trash anywhere. People don’t even talk on their cell phones. The train is exactly to the minute on time and always stops at the spot you need to get on, provided you are standing in the neatly marked lines that indicate the car number. 

Everyone here dresses well. The businessmen are a given, but the train station guards, the school kids, the construction workers, fast food workers, etc.. And yes, Japanese school girls do wear the stereo typical outfit for the most part. We found ourselves searching for our Ryokan after we got to Kyoto, but it was in vain. Strangely enough, I never felt threatened while walking down those streets in the dark with only Valerie, a full duffel bag and the silence to keep me company. We were clearly out of place but no one gawked or stared. The only indimidating factor was not being able to read the signs. This was my first experience in a completely foreign country where I had no nearby resources to translate or break the language barrier. People passed us by on bikes and on foot but we couldn't just say "excuse me" and ask for directions easily. It was on those streets that I realized that this was one of a thousand experiences I've waited for my whole life. That feeling of being lost, free in a way.

That didn't last long because reality was that we were tired and we were hungry. We chose to travel straight from the Narita Airport to Kyoto which is the opposite of what most tourists in Japan do. Most tourists on our route chose to stay in Tokyo for a few days then on to Kyoto and most already had booked flights home from the Kansai airport near Kyoto. This seemed reasonable and what I wanted to lean toward, but I'm glad Valerie talked me into sight seeing in reverse order.
We finally took a taxi for 650 Yen/2 km and even the driver struggled with the directions as Valerie handed them to him on a piece of paper. This is how complicated all the little streets are weaving in a out of each other. So here we are at a small Ryokan on a small side street in a small room. This is never the less charming because I feel like I’m right in the middle of something important and crucial to finding myself. 

We’ve laid out our futons and now it’s time for the long awaited sleep.