My Journey in Japan

Oh I bought a Yukata (informal summer, festival kimono)....

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:03:20 +0900

Oh I bought a Yukata (informal summer, festival kimono). Disregard my tired face and the sloppy tying of the robe. When I wear it out next week and look all pretty I will post a better picture.

Things I'm Going to Miss About Japan

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 23:01:20 +0900

So I am leaving in like a week and a half and it hasn’t quite hit me yet. But I know as soon as I leave for Tokyo the rest of the time will fly away. Despite being homesick a lot while here, I am going to miss a lot of things. Of course I will miss the friends I have made here. The Australians, other Americans, British, etc. etc., and the basketball team… It’ll be hard to say good bye……..

There are several parts of Japanese culture and society I will miss as well. To keep things simple, I made you all a list.

Public Transportation- If Japan doesn’t have the best public transportation system in the world I don’t know who does.
Karaoke- Karaoke here is so much different than stereotyped in the US. It’s a really delightful way to have fun.
Hospitality/Safety- Japanese people here have always gone out of their way to help me. Regardless of the situation. From the help in the International Student Office to the salesman who delivered our phones to our door after store hours because of troubles they were having in the store, everyone is really friendly. Going along with that, the peace of mind and sense of security I feel has gone unrivaled.
Fresh food- I am going to gain so much weight upon returning to America. I like not being able to taste preservatives on my food.
Parks- Despite being one of the most population dense countries in the world, Japan finds room for nature and public parks everywhere. They are really nice, and peaceful.
Cleanliness- I could probably count the number of pieces of trash I have found on the ground here. Under 40, literally, I guarantee it. The Japanese do such a good job at picking up trash and recycling.
100 Yen Stores- Cheap price does not mean cheap quality like it does in the US.
Heated Toilet Seats- Need I say anymore?
Kimonos and Yukata- I loved seeing random people on the street wearing them. They are so gorgeous and every one appears to be unique. It is nice to see the tie to there history everyday.
Children With Manners- I can’t even begin to describe how much better mannered their children are than those in the United States. I know there are exceptions to everything, but their children really are well mannered and much more well behaved than those in the US. Not to mention, they are really adorable.

There are other things I will miss as well- along with things I won’t, but I just thought I would share what was on my mind for now.

Photo

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:44:44 +0900

Another picture is of a giant vending machine. The outside is...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:32:28 +0900

Another picture is of a giant vending machine. The outside is decorated to look like a monkey’s head. On the sides of the head are the vending machines. The nose/nostrils are trash cans for bottles. His hand also has trash cans.

One of these sets of pictures has a sign with a tigers back side...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:22:48 +0900

One of these sets of pictures has a sign with a tigers back side facing you. It warns that the tigers have had a bad habit of spewing feces on guests.

So I have may have taken too many photos while at the zoo. Here...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:13:06 +0900

So I have may have taken too many photos while at the zoo. Here is part 1 of 4 and it’s not even everything I have.

This zoo really restored my faith in Japanese zoos. It was the best zoo I have ever been to. The exhibits were wonderful, large, and full of plants from the animals natural environments, or as close to as what they could. It was clear they took a lot of time developing the exhibits for them. The zoo was also well laid out, giving the guests many unique views of the animals. A lot of the exhibits went over pathways or allowed the guests to go under them.

There was also a lot of artwork done by children and interactive things for children there. It was clear they cared about educating their guests. They also had signs looking after the animals. By every exhibit the zoo either had a sign or a person telling you not to use flash when taking pictures.

I really enjoyed my time there. I even saw my first American animal in a zoo besides deer, a raccoon. Why did they have one? I am not quite sure….

More pictures.

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:52:09 +0900

More pictures.

Rusutsu Amusement Park and Resort. Rusutsu is located to the...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:49:41 +0900

Rusutsu Amusement Park and Resort.

Rusutsu is located to the south west of Sapporo in the heart of the mountains. During the winter, it is a popular ski resort and during the summer it opens its amusement park. Along with the stereotypical amusement park rides, it also has a cable car which will take you to the top of the mountain. This mountain is a popular para-sailing spot for the locals.

So far in my time in Japan I have spent a lot of time in the...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:43:11 +0900

So far in my time in Japan I have spent a lot of time in the city. This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to have the time to venture out from under the city lights and explore Japanese country side. And it was absolutely gorgeous.

Cram Time

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:38:34 +0900

This weekend was absolutely exhausting. Thursday was (Yes, my weekends start on Thursdays) a Lord of the Rings marathon that started way too late at night. Friday was going to watch my friend DJ at this really awesome bar called Caffeine. Saturday was a day trip to Asahiyama Zoo. And Sunday was a day trip to the amusement park, Rusutsu. I had so much fun, and the busier I get, the more apparent it becomes that my time here is coming to an end.

I can’t wait to go home and see my family and friends, but I am really going to miss the ones that I made here.

So with out further procrastination, I will upload some pictures from all this craziness.

Word of Advice to Those Who Travel

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:17:33 +0900

Don’t be afraid to screw up, people love helping dumb foreigners.

I found a picture from the 4th of July. Photo courtesy Kent...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 21:02:30 +0900

I found a picture from the 4th of July.

Photo courtesy Kent Wang.

Flower Headbands courtesy Anna Chang.

A few other pictures I found that I wanted to post. The picture...

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:06:00 +0900

A few other pictures I found that I wanted to post.

The picture of me in a kimono is from a while back, I never posted a good picture of the sleeves so I wanted to put this up. Long sleeves means the woman is unmarried, she cuts the sleeves of her kimono shorter when she gets married.

I thought I would post the picture of the park and bike because they are everywhere in Japan. Sidewalks connect everything Japan and everything is bicycle accessible. America could use that. They also have parks every few blocks, even if its just a small one. It’s really nice because, while Sapporo is a huge city, they still have a place to relax or place safely at.

The final picture is of me blowing bubbles at a little girl. We brought bubbles to Odori Park and were blowing them for fun and the little children really enjoyed it. We had a half dozen or so kids come up and run around and pop them. I think it really made there day. This poor little girl was afraid of them though. She wouldn’t even touch them. However, she liked to watch them.

Everyone under the bell. We all tried to ring it together, but...

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 21:58:32 +0900

Everyone under the bell. We all tried to ring it together, but it doesn’t work when it is pulled in so many directions. I guess that’s why it is meant for only two people.

SKTJKELFHDSJFLBLAHBLAH! I have some pictures from random places...

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:21:02 +0900

SKTJKELFHDSJFLBLAHBLAH!

I have some pictures from random places so as you can clearly see, I’m not sure what to call this post. These pictures are of the Irish Pub I found, the movie theater, and some beautiful stain glass.

Let’s start with the movies. I went with a bunch of people to see the movie “The Amazing Spiderman” in 3D this past weekend, and well, for a person who hates 3D, it wasn’t bad at all. It could just be that the main actor was significantly more attractive than the actor from the previous Spiderman, or that the characters themselves were just better developed, but it was enjoyable. The 3D also flowed very well for once and didn’t give me a terrible headache.

Japanese theaters are weird though. Just plain weird. While they have a concessions stand, the floor in the theater was spotless, and I don’t think most people ate during the movie because it was dead quite in the theater. No snide remarks, no giggling, gasping, no nothing. It was strange. They sat through the credits completely silent (even though most of them can’t read the credits, they were all in English) and then got up and quietly left. It was a bizarre experience. I hope all the gaijin (Japanese for “foreigners”) didn’t ruin the experience for them by making a bit of noise.

The stain glass and Irish pub were both found in the same building, Sapporo Station. If you recall my pictures of Sapporo Station, you’ll remember that it is an absolutely huge place and I am never going to go to every part of it- ever. No matter how many times I go. The movie theater was inside of the station and I didn’t figure this out until I went to go see Spiderman. I found the stain glass wandering aimlessly killing time after the movie and thought it was gorgeous so I thought I would share it with you all. The Irish pub I found with the group while finding a place to eat lunch before the movie. Unfortunately, we didn’t eat there, but I will definitely be back for a beer or two sometime before I leave. I guess my parents were right, they really do have Irish pubs everywhere.

More pictures from the beach

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:09:51 +0900

More pictures from the beach

Who said you had to go to the Caribbean for beautiful beaches?...

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:06:35 +0900

Who said you had to go to the Caribbean for beautiful beaches? The beach we ended up going to was absolutely beautiful, and the Sea of Japan is more perfect than I could of ever imagined. While the beach was a bit rocky, the view was spectacular. The water was crystal clear and it was easy to find a lot of sea creatures along the cliffs and reefs. The first two pictures are from a beach that we were going to go to but ended up going else where because it was closed due to rock slides.

The second beach was equally as pretty, but not as secluded. On the beach there were a bunch of cute families barbequing and playing with their children and dogs. It was such a peaceful atmosphere. All through out the water, you could see fish and other animals swimming. I found a star fish in the water and saw a small jelly fish. Along the cliffs there were tons of sea urchins, cucumbers and other animals. We caught a ton of sea urchins and ate them fresh out of the water. They were super delicious, just a tad too salty.

I really enjoyed being there. I wish I had time to go back again… I might have to skip class if another really nice, hot day comes about.

The city of Otaru is also very peaceful. While it is still a city, it has more of a small town feel to it and every building and piece of architecture had character to it. The streets had decorations hanging from every utility pole and the people seemed more carefree than they did in Sapporo.

We went to a restaurant that is famous for its chicken and sushi. It was a very traditional place, despite the unique menu, and the dining area was set up in a uniquely Japanese way. The tables were on a lifted wooden platform, which before getting on you had to take off your shoes. You then made your way to your table, under which the floor dropped to make room for your legs, and sat on comfy little cushions. To get service you had to call a waiter over to your table, they were not expected to continuously check up on you. The food was incredibly delicious and it wasn’t too expensive either. I wish I could go back, but if I make it to Otaru again, I’m going to try another place.

On the way home, we caught a train back to Sapporo. While, I’ve been on the subway many times, it was the first time I had been on a train. I could get use to them. The US needs more of them.

These are pictures from Mount Moiwa. It’s the mountain...

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:48:37 +0900

These are pictures from Mount Moiwa. It’s the mountain that overlooks the city of Sapporo. To get to the top, you have to take a cable car. You have the option of going up 3/4 of the way and then taking a trail to the top (which is what we did) or just taking the cable car to the top. It was a beautiful view the entire journey up. On the side of the mountain you could see an observatory along with a temple and a cemetery which are very rare in Japan because of lack of space. From the the top you could see into the rest of the mountains, a gorgeous view, and the outskirts of Sapporo. You could also see the Sea of Japan.

On the roof of the building on top of the mountain, there was a a giant bell in which you would ring with who you plan on being with the rest of your life. Lacking my other half, I just stood there by myself for a picture. My friends, finding this sad, all joined me. :) Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of that… I’ll try to get a copy off someone. On the fence around the bell, you could attach a lock to it after writing a love note on it. Some of them were super cute.

As I said, blurry and dark. But you get the idea.

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:31:32 +0900

As I said, blurry and dark. But you get the idea.

Fourth of July

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:28:10 +0900

Sorry, I haven’t posted in a while (*cough* parents *cough cough*). I’ve been busy trying to enjoy life here and do as much as I possibly can before I leave. I admit, I’ve been a bit homesick. I think I’m just missing the sunshine and lake. Friends and family as well, of course.

But yeah, a lot has happened since I’ve last posted. I celebrated the 4th this year with Americans, Australians, Chinese, Japanese, and a New Zealander and a Canadian. We had a barbeque in the parking lot out side of our apartment. We weren’t quite able to find the traditional food, but we managed to scrap up some chicken on a stick, pork on a stick, hamburger patties (eaten plain with no buns or anything), popcorn, and some watermelon. It was a lot of fun.

We passed on the fireworks because we couldn’t shoot them off right in front of the apartment. But it was a good time. If I can find pictures I’ll post them, but I’m sure they are all dark and blurry.