In my first summer as a college student, I met a group of Campus Crusade for Christ people. While I did find them interesting for many reasons, one of the things that struck me was how close they were. These kids were picked from different parts of the country, and had really known each other for a few months before I met them, and yet, they were inseperable, and acted as if they had known each other for years. If Facebook is to be belived, they are still quite close. Maybe not as much as they were when I met them, but they do not treat each other as you would a mere aquaintance. At the time, I assumed this was due to them being Christians. In my experience, many Christians are friendly and open. For us non-religious people, I thought, it takes much longer than a few months to develop such a bond. I think I will be proven wrong on this assumption.
To be honest, I was very pessimistic about making friends here. My biggest fear was actually the other Americans. I was terrified that they would be weaboos, or people who are only interested in the most basic of things Japanese. They're the people that think that by watching hours of anime and clearing Japanese 101 they've become an expert on Japan. To be quite honest, I find these people unbearable, and if the Americans were going to be like that, then I wanted to have nothing to do with them. I was planning to have a bleak and rather lonely year in Japan.
You can imagine my surprise, then, when I made friends here. The Americans are not at all what I thought they would be. True, they have an interest in Japanese pop culture, and possibly pursue hobbies which the average 日本人 would never think about. But their interest has far more depth than anything frivolous. Although a lot of it goes over my head (KPop, JRock, host clubs), it is quite clear that this is not just a passing fancy. And I was also relieved at how they interacted with Japanese culture, something that they may or may not have experienced first hand. What really surprised me was when confronted with foods they had never eaten before, only rarely did they pass on it, or declare that it was inedible. Indeed, with only a few exceptions, they have been most enthusiastic about trying new foods. And it is also worth mentioning that at the ゆかた祭り, they embraced it quite openly. They bought yukata that I felt were worth the money that was spent on them, and had patterns that were very attractive. And none of them fought me when I made it obvious that I did not want to see them wearing shoes, or have their hair down, or something else that would make my ancestors cringe in their graves.
Nine months ago, I can promise you I would not have believed you if you told me how important these people would become to me. How, I would ask, is it possible to become so attached to people you've only known for a few months? How could they become important to you, seeing as they're so unlike you? Why would they be so important to you; you will soon become seperated from them, and in some cases, may never see them ever again? I definitely think that all of us having an interest in Japan has a big thing to do with it. That is one of the common interests we all have. If it wasnt for that, I would have never met these people. And below that, there are the less common, but not less important, similarities, whether it be music, food, or people.
But what really ties us all together is that we've all been there together. We've had to stick together to deal with all the crisises that come with living in unexplored territory. We've cried over relationship problems, and we've laughed at the craziness that comes with mistranslations. We've taken the same ridiculous classes, and also shared countless meals. You know the bond that develops between soldiers on the battlefield? It's a bit of a stretch, but we've been soldiers on this battlefield we call 留学, and we are so very close to victory.
I want to stay in touch with all these amazing kids that I've met here. Facebook and tumblr are poor substitutes for meeting in person, but it's better than nothing. I dont know what the future brings, so I wouldnt rule out that we'll move apart, and on in our lives. But I'm going to try my damndest to keep that from happening. These friendships are so precious to me, and that is something I will always treasure. Thank you, my dear, dear friends.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Friday, July 22, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Reintegrate
Today is July 1st. Normally, this would not be too memorable of a day; regular school is usually on break, and summer school wont begin until after the 4th of July. However, this year is unlike previous years because of my study abroad here in Hiroshima. This day marks the beginning of the last full month I will have in Japan. I will only have two weeks in August before I return to Hawaii, and begin a new year at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. As much as I want to go back home, I am filled with fear, not quite unlike when I came here. While I know that I will overcome them, the uncertainty of it all worries me.
First of all, my friends in Hawaii have changed. Not that this is bad, or unwanted; indeed, it would be wrong of me to have expected them to have stayed frozen in a year. But that's just it; a year has passed, in which they've done things, experienced things, and may not be like when I left them. While as far as I can tell, they're all still friends, they may have met people whom they have become closer to, while there are others who have left their life. How will I deal with this? I would not like to offend anyone, but what if I ask them about someone or something that brings up unpleasant memories or feelings? I cant be sure exactly of what kind of changes have happened, because I have only kept in contact with them through facebook, but I would be really surprised if everything were as when I left Hawaii.
But what really bothers me is how much I've changed. And I'm not talking about my Japanese ability (which, to be honest, got only marginally better, imho). For one thing, I've developed a relationship with alcohol. I still maintain that I'm not a hardcore partier, who drinks it every night, and gets drunk all the time, but I would be lying if I said that it had never happened, or that I understand the allure. But how this will integrate with my life in Hawaii is something I do not know. I know that I will not be able to drink as often as I do here, because I will be more concentrated on my schoolwork. But also, how will I drink? I am not inclined to go clubbing, but will my friends want to join me at 居酒屋? We wont have a lake to gather around like we do here, so will someone's dorm or common area be acceptable? Who will join me? I'd rather not have hardcore people there, but will my regular friends join me, drinking what they will, while I have my 梅酒?
Another hard change for me will probably be focusing on school work. While I never slacked off as hard as some people, I didnt try as hard as I could have in school. I mean, I passed alright, but not as amazingly as I could have. And things havent gotten better here in Japan. Because I dont understand everything the teacher says, I've let a lot of things slip by, instead of looking them up, or noting them down. And it doesnt help that Japanese standards are a lot lower than American ones, which means I'm getting by on things that would never fly in America. I guess you could say that my academic abilities have degraded somewhat here in Japan. However, when I go back to Hawaii, that must change. I'll be entering my senior year, which means I'll be taking more upper division classes. Those are going to be more challenging than anything I've taken before (hopefully), so it is unlikely that I'll be able to just slide along. And also, because they're upper division, they'll be more important to my majors, Japanese and (soon) political science. So it is imperative that I learn what I need to learn from them. But most importantly, since I want to apply to grad school, I'll need to be in top form. I'll need to maintain a high grade point average, and get good grades. I'll also need to get friendly with teachers so that they can write me really good letters of recommendation, or give me advice about the future (class discussions, grad school, jobs). I've said it often, but I really do need to get rid of my bad study habits and kick it into high gear. Japan has encouraged me to slack off; how quickly can I get rid of that kind of mentality?
When I came to Japan, I was worried about getting along with my fellow 留学生 and making new friends. Unexpectedly, I'm having the same worries about going back to Hawaii. Will I still click with my old friends? Can I get out of my Japanese college student mindset and back into an American one? Unfortunately, I will not find out, until I actually get there.
First of all, my friends in Hawaii have changed. Not that this is bad, or unwanted; indeed, it would be wrong of me to have expected them to have stayed frozen in a year. But that's just it; a year has passed, in which they've done things, experienced things, and may not be like when I left them. While as far as I can tell, they're all still friends, they may have met people whom they have become closer to, while there are others who have left their life. How will I deal with this? I would not like to offend anyone, but what if I ask them about someone or something that brings up unpleasant memories or feelings? I cant be sure exactly of what kind of changes have happened, because I have only kept in contact with them through facebook, but I would be really surprised if everything were as when I left Hawaii.
But what really bothers me is how much I've changed. And I'm not talking about my Japanese ability (which, to be honest, got only marginally better, imho). For one thing, I've developed a relationship with alcohol. I still maintain that I'm not a hardcore partier, who drinks it every night, and gets drunk all the time, but I would be lying if I said that it had never happened, or that I understand the allure. But how this will integrate with my life in Hawaii is something I do not know. I know that I will not be able to drink as often as I do here, because I will be more concentrated on my schoolwork. But also, how will I drink? I am not inclined to go clubbing, but will my friends want to join me at 居酒屋? We wont have a lake to gather around like we do here, so will someone's dorm or common area be acceptable? Who will join me? I'd rather not have hardcore people there, but will my regular friends join me, drinking what they will, while I have my 梅酒?
Another hard change for me will probably be focusing on school work. While I never slacked off as hard as some people, I didnt try as hard as I could have in school. I mean, I passed alright, but not as amazingly as I could have. And things havent gotten better here in Japan. Because I dont understand everything the teacher says, I've let a lot of things slip by, instead of looking them up, or noting them down. And it doesnt help that Japanese standards are a lot lower than American ones, which means I'm getting by on things that would never fly in America. I guess you could say that my academic abilities have degraded somewhat here in Japan. However, when I go back to Hawaii, that must change. I'll be entering my senior year, which means I'll be taking more upper division classes. Those are going to be more challenging than anything I've taken before (hopefully), so it is unlikely that I'll be able to just slide along. And also, because they're upper division, they'll be more important to my majors, Japanese and (soon) political science. So it is imperative that I learn what I need to learn from them. But most importantly, since I want to apply to grad school, I'll need to be in top form. I'll need to maintain a high grade point average, and get good grades. I'll also need to get friendly with teachers so that they can write me really good letters of recommendation, or give me advice about the future (class discussions, grad school, jobs). I've said it often, but I really do need to get rid of my bad study habits and kick it into high gear. Japan has encouraged me to slack off; how quickly can I get rid of that kind of mentality?
When I came to Japan, I was worried about getting along with my fellow 留学生 and making new friends. Unexpectedly, I'm having the same worries about going back to Hawaii. Will I still click with my old friends? Can I get out of my Japanese college student mindset and back into an American one? Unfortunately, I will not find out, until I actually get there.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
とうかさん Part I
This week has been a fairly busy week. I had a Japanese language test on Tuesday, and a presentation to do today, so I have been trying to be on task. So this blog is a bit late, but since last weekend was so memorable, I cant very well not blog about it. Although this takes place over three days, I've split it into two parts.
From last week Friday to Sunday, there was a big festival in Hiroshima City. Called とうかさん Tōkasan, it's ostensibly for one of the shrines in the city, and supported by a local business association. There were so many people attending the festival! They crowded the trains, trams, and walkways, and made it impossible to pass easily in some areas. But the pest part of the festival was that most people were walking around in yukata! As a wannabe yukata afficianado, it was impossible not to go. Another added perk was the bon dance that was put on. But that'll be more discussed in part II. All in all, this was the biggest, most active festival I've been to in Japan.
Like I said, I've got a thing for yukata, so I was super excited to find a new yukata. Although there were several I liked, I eventually settled on a rather plain, dark blue one. But make no mistake, I do love it. While it does not have a design, I prefer it that way, as it seems a bit more mature. It's also quite thin, which means it's not as stuffy as one made of a firmer weave. And the obi I bought for it is another gem. It's dark blue, with an interesting pattern. It is reminisent of the daimyo 参勤交代, which you can read more about here. The other Americans here also expressed an interest in buying yukata, which got my interest a little bit. You may or may not be aware of how badly put together 着付け bothers me. I'm not perfect by any means, and I make plenty of mistakes, but people that dress slopily get under my skin like no other. I try to keep it under wraps, but apparently I was so adamant, that one of my friends here was very scared to wear her yukata in front of me. But despite being a beginner, she was able to put on her yukata quite nicely. Her obi was nicely tied, and seemed to stay put all day (which is better than I'm usually able to do). On the other hand, there were some girls wearing yukata in a way that was rather distasteful, in my opinion. Instead of being a few inches below the hairline and covering the sholders, they were halfway down the back. And the bottom seam was above their knees, not near their ankle like normal. One of the Japanese girls we were with remarked that they were dressed like the prostitutes from back in the day. But in my opinion, even they would say, "Girl, you look so slutty." I didnt take any pictures, but it was quite a sight.
While I went alone on Friday night, I was with friends on Saturday. The main part of the festival was centered on えびす通り, which we don't normally walk. It was fun to be in a new area, I suppose. According to the same friend above, that was near the host clubs, and considering we walked past many drinking establishments and a love hotel (!!?), I'm not surprised. It reminded me a bit of the Umeda district in Osaka. Perhaps one night, we'll return there and have an enjoyable night on the town. Anyways, the part I enjoyed the most was the many stalls that opened up. Like most other Japanese festivals, there were booths with the goldfish scooping game, or other games of chance for the children. For food booths, there were the usual French fries and から揚げ, and also ベビーカステラ, which were tiny sweet cakes in the shapes of cartoon characters. I enjoyed them so much! In all, I bought three bags of them, and enjoyed them all. And while it didnt really interest me, there was also a taco stand, which I thought was interesting. If you wanted a drink, there were several to choose from: you could of course pick up soft drinks and bottled water, but if you were an adult, several different alcoholic drinks were available. I didnt patronise all the shops that opened up, but simply walking the streets was enjoyable. The energy of the festival was simply electric; the hordes of people walking up and down, chatting and eating, smiling and laughing, was simply the best.
Now, Friday night was the most...interesting experience I've ever had. When I decided to return to Saijo, it was quite late. I had the choice of taking the earlier train to Shiraichi, which would stop in Saijo. Or I could wait for the Saijo train. Being really tired, I chose the former. Big mistake. Enroute to Saijo, I fell asleep. The driver of the train woke me up in Shiraichi, where he informed me that that was the last train that night. In other words, I overslept and was stranded in a city I've never even heard of. In a panic, I called my friends in Saijo, hoping that they would have some idea of what to do. They tried to find hotels in the area, or think of friend that had cars. But there were no options. Having calmed down, I decided that the only thing I could do was to wait for the first train out of there. At this point, it was about 12:30 AM, so with the first train departing Shiraichi at 5:08 AM, I had about a four hour wait ahead of me. Reassuring them that I would be okay, I hunkered down for the night.
Since Japan is a very safe country, I wasnt worried that I was going to be mugged or murdered in the middle of the night. But that's not to say that I spent a restful night in the station. For one thing, the frieght trains that passed through made such a noise! The first one that passed through startled me, and the next two that passed by made my heart thump in my chest. The second was the utter lonliness of the place. There were no other homeless people lounging about, or even a security guard. Thank goodness the station itself was lighted, because if it was not, I'm sure I would have been more frightened than I have ever been. The third and final thing that scared me was the earthquake. At about two in the morning, there was a small earthquake. I was caught unawares, and had to tell reassure myself that it was only an earthquake, and that I've slept through stronger. "It's just an earthquake, the world's not collapsing onto itself," I told myself. When I finally boarded the train the next morning (surprisingly, there were other people that showed up for that train), I was so relieved. I have no desire to repeat this experience, but everything turned out fine in the end. It certainly makes for an interesting blog post, I think.
With the exception of my stay in Shiraichi, the first two days of the festival were just wonderful. I loved dressing up in my yukata, and seeing other people in yukata as well (both the good and the bad 着付け). The food vendors offered such a wide variety, that I was always quite full. And of course, I got to spend time with my lovely friends. Please be sure to read part two, which will be up soon!
From last week Friday to Sunday, there was a big festival in Hiroshima City. Called とうかさん Tōkasan, it's ostensibly for one of the shrines in the city, and supported by a local business association. There were so many people attending the festival! They crowded the trains, trams, and walkways, and made it impossible to pass easily in some areas. But the pest part of the festival was that most people were walking around in yukata! As a wannabe yukata afficianado, it was impossible not to go. Another added perk was the bon dance that was put on. But that'll be more discussed in part II. All in all, this was the biggest, most active festival I've been to in Japan.
Like I said, I've got a thing for yukata, so I was super excited to find a new yukata. Although there were several I liked, I eventually settled on a rather plain, dark blue one. But make no mistake, I do love it. While it does not have a design, I prefer it that way, as it seems a bit more mature. It's also quite thin, which means it's not as stuffy as one made of a firmer weave. And the obi I bought for it is another gem. It's dark blue, with an interesting pattern. It is reminisent of the daimyo 参勤交代, which you can read more about here. The other Americans here also expressed an interest in buying yukata, which got my interest a little bit. You may or may not be aware of how badly put together 着付け bothers me. I'm not perfect by any means, and I make plenty of mistakes, but people that dress slopily get under my skin like no other. I try to keep it under wraps, but apparently I was so adamant, that one of my friends here was very scared to wear her yukata in front of me. But despite being a beginner, she was able to put on her yukata quite nicely. Her obi was nicely tied, and seemed to stay put all day (which is better than I'm usually able to do). On the other hand, there were some girls wearing yukata in a way that was rather distasteful, in my opinion. Instead of being a few inches below the hairline and covering the sholders, they were halfway down the back. And the bottom seam was above their knees, not near their ankle like normal. One of the Japanese girls we were with remarked that they were dressed like the prostitutes from back in the day. But in my opinion, even they would say, "Girl, you look so slutty." I didnt take any pictures, but it was quite a sight.
While I went alone on Friday night, I was with friends on Saturday. The main part of the festival was centered on えびす通り, which we don't normally walk. It was fun to be in a new area, I suppose. According to the same friend above, that was near the host clubs, and considering we walked past many drinking establishments and a love hotel (!!?), I'm not surprised. It reminded me a bit of the Umeda district in Osaka. Perhaps one night, we'll return there and have an enjoyable night on the town. Anyways, the part I enjoyed the most was the many stalls that opened up. Like most other Japanese festivals, there were booths with the goldfish scooping game, or other games of chance for the children. For food booths, there were the usual French fries and から揚げ, and also ベビーカステラ, which were tiny sweet cakes in the shapes of cartoon characters. I enjoyed them so much! In all, I bought three bags of them, and enjoyed them all. And while it didnt really interest me, there was also a taco stand, which I thought was interesting. If you wanted a drink, there were several to choose from: you could of course pick up soft drinks and bottled water, but if you were an adult, several different alcoholic drinks were available. I didnt patronise all the shops that opened up, but simply walking the streets was enjoyable. The energy of the festival was simply electric; the hordes of people walking up and down, chatting and eating, smiling and laughing, was simply the best.
Now, Friday night was the most...interesting experience I've ever had. When I decided to return to Saijo, it was quite late. I had the choice of taking the earlier train to Shiraichi, which would stop in Saijo. Or I could wait for the Saijo train. Being really tired, I chose the former. Big mistake. Enroute to Saijo, I fell asleep. The driver of the train woke me up in Shiraichi, where he informed me that that was the last train that night. In other words, I overslept and was stranded in a city I've never even heard of. In a panic, I called my friends in Saijo, hoping that they would have some idea of what to do. They tried to find hotels in the area, or think of friend that had cars. But there were no options. Having calmed down, I decided that the only thing I could do was to wait for the first train out of there. At this point, it was about 12:30 AM, so with the first train departing Shiraichi at 5:08 AM, I had about a four hour wait ahead of me. Reassuring them that I would be okay, I hunkered down for the night.
Since Japan is a very safe country, I wasnt worried that I was going to be mugged or murdered in the middle of the night. But that's not to say that I spent a restful night in the station. For one thing, the frieght trains that passed through made such a noise! The first one that passed through startled me, and the next two that passed by made my heart thump in my chest. The second was the utter lonliness of the place. There were no other homeless people lounging about, or even a security guard. Thank goodness the station itself was lighted, because if it was not, I'm sure I would have been more frightened than I have ever been. The third and final thing that scared me was the earthquake. At about two in the morning, there was a small earthquake. I was caught unawares, and had to tell reassure myself that it was only an earthquake, and that I've slept through stronger. "It's just an earthquake, the world's not collapsing onto itself," I told myself. When I finally boarded the train the next morning (surprisingly, there were other people that showed up for that train), I was so relieved. I have no desire to repeat this experience, but everything turned out fine in the end. It certainly makes for an interesting blog post, I think.
With the exception of my stay in Shiraichi, the first two days of the festival were just wonderful. I loved dressing up in my yukata, and seeing other people in yukata as well (both the good and the bad 着付け). The food vendors offered such a wide variety, that I was always quite full. And of course, I got to spend time with my lovely friends. Please be sure to read part two, which will be up soon!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Making the Best of It
As we enter the month of June, it is with a heavy heart that I begin to look towards the end of the dream. Classes will end in nine weeks, and I will soon have to return home to Hawaii. I honestly cant believe that so much time has passed, and that my time here will be over soon. Dont get me wrong, I want to go home, and I miss Hawaii so much, and yet, this school, this city, the people, it's all become important to me. But since I cant stop from marching on, I need to make the best of the situation. I need to do what I need to do, experience what I still have not, and crystalize these memories into something much more tangible than the electrical wisps that spark in my brain.
It is surprising and unfortunate, but I still have not spent much time in the city in the nine months I've been here. Besides the shopping district of 本通, I havent really been to the 原爆ドーム Atomic Dome, which was something I really feel like I should visit. I also hear that there's a really good art museum in the city, and while I'm not an art buff, it should still be interesting to visit. And finally, there are several big department stores, like Tokyu Hands, which I havent been to yet.
In the prefecture, there are also places I should really visit. Onomichi is in the eastern part of the prefecture, and has a lot of temples. In fact, most of these temples belong to a pilgrimage route, although I'm not sure I'm willing to do that. And according to my friends that have gone there already, there's a really good ramen shop, run by a Japanese guy that lived in Miami for the last ten years. Also in the east is Fukuyama City. My reason for going there is quite personal: the Matsuo family originated there, back when it was called 沼隈郡, in the village of 千年村. While I dont know where exactly that village was, or where I would look for it, I would like to at least visit the area. If I dont, I will feel that I wasted my time here in Hiroshima prefecture.
To say that I've made friends here in Hiroshima would be a bit of an understatement. I wont deny that we've had our differences, and that under different circumstances we would never have been friends. But we've laughed together, cried together, and had amazing adventures together. Because we'll be going to different places (some to different countries), I want some kind of physical reminder of our time here. The easiest would of course be pictures. We all have digi cams, and I plan on trying to carry mine with me as often as possible. Whether they're of unusual occurences, or simply us hanging out, I want to remember these times. I also want プリクラ with as many people as I can, particularly the Japanese people. Basically the same reasons as the photographs, but because プリクラ are made specifically for friends, there is an added nuance to them.
I havent made my plans to leave Japan just yet, so I dont know exactly how much time I have left. But that's no excuse for being lazy about things. I will use what time I have remaining to make my time in Japan memorable. I dont know when I'll be back in Hiroshima, so I need to do all the things I need to do. And especially for Fukuyama, there is a bit of a personal imperative. And finally, I want physical proof of the friendships I've made here. To that end, I want to take lots of pictures with my digicam, as well as tons of プリクラ. I've got a fun two months ahead of me, I think.
It is surprising and unfortunate, but I still have not spent much time in the city in the nine months I've been here. Besides the shopping district of 本通, I havent really been to the 原爆ドーム Atomic Dome, which was something I really feel like I should visit. I also hear that there's a really good art museum in the city, and while I'm not an art buff, it should still be interesting to visit. And finally, there are several big department stores, like Tokyu Hands, which I havent been to yet.
In the prefecture, there are also places I should really visit. Onomichi is in the eastern part of the prefecture, and has a lot of temples. In fact, most of these temples belong to a pilgrimage route, although I'm not sure I'm willing to do that. And according to my friends that have gone there already, there's a really good ramen shop, run by a Japanese guy that lived in Miami for the last ten years. Also in the east is Fukuyama City. My reason for going there is quite personal: the Matsuo family originated there, back when it was called 沼隈郡, in the village of 千年村. While I dont know where exactly that village was, or where I would look for it, I would like to at least visit the area. If I dont, I will feel that I wasted my time here in Hiroshima prefecture.
To say that I've made friends here in Hiroshima would be a bit of an understatement. I wont deny that we've had our differences, and that under different circumstances we would never have been friends. But we've laughed together, cried together, and had amazing adventures together. Because we'll be going to different places (some to different countries), I want some kind of physical reminder of our time here. The easiest would of course be pictures. We all have digi cams, and I plan on trying to carry mine with me as often as possible. Whether they're of unusual occurences, or simply us hanging out, I want to remember these times. I also want プリクラ with as many people as I can, particularly the Japanese people. Basically the same reasons as the photographs, but because プリクラ are made specifically for friends, there is an added nuance to them.
I havent made my plans to leave Japan just yet, so I dont know exactly how much time I have left. But that's no excuse for being lazy about things. I will use what time I have remaining to make my time in Japan memorable. I dont know when I'll be back in Hiroshima, so I need to do all the things I need to do. And especially for Fukuyama, there is a bit of a personal imperative. And finally, I want physical proof of the friendships I've made here. To that end, I want to take lots of pictures with my digicam, as well as tons of プリクラ. I've got a fun two months ahead of me, I think.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Walk and Shop
My day started very early today. For whatever reason, my eyes flew open at 7:30 AM and refused to go back down. I tried to close them and get more sleep, but my body refused. I'm a bit irritated with myself. I can wake up at 7:30 when I'm on vacation and relaxing, but I cant wake up at 8:00 to make my classes, which are far more important?! Although I suppose it's better than being late, I still cant believe it. I got ready and headed downstairs and tried out Seattle's Best. I should have gotten coffee, but I felt like having hot chocolate, and bought a pastrami sandwhich too. It was a bit expensive, but it was very delicious, so I'm okay with it. I headed to the station and promptly got lost trying to find an ATM. I was looking for the ゆちょう銀行 ATM I saw last night, but I couldnt find it; I ended up heading to the 7-11 that's next to my hotel, and withdrew money there. After wandering around a little bit more, I bought my ticket for the subway and headed to the station where I would meet my friend. I was a bit early to the meeting place, so I walked around some more at 四条通り until twelve o'clock rolled around. Outside of the Krispy Kreme store, I finally saw my friend. I hadnt seen here in such a long time, I didnt notice her until she was waving me in the face.
My friend is studying here in Kyoto, at Doshisha University. Although she's with a mainland college, UHM also has a trading relationship with the school. Unfortunately, this semester, I didnt know any of the UHM kids studying there, so there is no one else here in this city I want to hang out. On the other hand, a friend of mine in Hawaii is going to be up here next semester. Although they'll be in different programs (and apparently different campuses), I want to introduce them to each other. It's always nice to see a friendly face, and rely on the experiences of another person that knows what it's like. In other words, I think I'll be making another trip to Kyoto either at the end of March, or perhaps the beginning of April. ^_^
Although I've been to Kyoto before, I've never been to 銀閣寺 and the Philosopher's Walk before. They're both in the northern part of the city, and this is where my friend decided to take me today. Ginkakuji is not actually covered in silver, as its name would have you believe. Apparently it was never finished, which made me remark that maybe it should be called 未銀閣寺, or Unfinished Ginkakuji. But the garden which surrounds it is quite beautiful, and I did enjoy walking around it. After that, we walked around, and went into another shrine complex nearby. I have no idea what it's called, but apparently, one of the 神 enshrined there is one of the older kami, who came before Izanagi and Izanami. In any case, we entered the complex and made it up to the shrine. After giving my offering and praying a bit, I decided to play omikuji. I think it was a good one, so I kept it.
Because my friend doesnt spend a lot of time in that section of the city, she didnt fullly understand the bus system there. After getting frustrated, we decided to walk down 今出川通り, which is a HUGE stretch of road. But it was fun to walk there, because we passed by many interesting buildings, like a shrine to Hachimangu (I think) and Kyoto University. When we got to the 加茂川, we stopped a bit because of the turtle stones. To cross the river, you can either walk across a regular bridge, or you can walk over the stones that cross the river. A few of the stones are shaped into turtles! I thought it was the cutest thing. We didnt cross the river, but it was such a site to see. My friend told me that it must look pretty during the spring, and that she hoped to have a picnic near the river. I hope she can! 景色が綺麗なはずなんだよ。
Another trip on the subway (different line) brought us to our next destination, which was another part of 四条. I dont know what it's called in Japanese, but one of the English maps I have called it a shopping arcade, and the similar location in 広島市 is called 本通. In any case, it's a covered set of streets, lined with hundreds of different shops with various things for sale. Today, I mostly did window shopping, just to see what was for sale. My interest was picqued by the many clothing stores, some of which had some really interesting things for sale. I especially was taken by a pair of jeans, that had two family crests on the pockets. However, it was about $240, which is FAR too much for a pair of jeans in my opinion. Part of this area also links up to the Nishiki Market, which the Internet said is a good place to go shopping. They sell mostly food there, so at first I wasnt too keen on buying things there, but I soon changed my mind. While there were many foods there that need to be refriderated and/or eaten very soon, there was also a lot of dried foods and others that can be stored for a long time. I think I will buy some omiyage there, because it'll last if I hold it on me until I go back, or mail it before then.
My friend also wanted to show me another department store that she absolutely loves. I had heard about Loft from one of the girls in my program at Hiroshima, but I have never been in it. But it is another interesting store, with a lot of products I've never seen before. My friend has a thing for elephants, and really wanted to buy the elephant shaped clock in the lobby. I was interested in the many items they had in the housewares department. The many greeting cards they had there too was huge too. There were small cards and big cards, and even little books that had a birthday greeting within them. I wonder if I will go there again, because there are several birthdays next month, and I dont think I can buy those cards in Hiroshima.
I'm sure you're wondering what I bought, right? Like I said, I was mostly interested in looking around, so I didnt buy a lot of things I wanted. However, I have been looking for a small messenger bag for the longest time. I dont like stuffing my pockets full of things, and sometimes I need to carry slightly bulky items. But my school bag is a little too big, and gets in the way of things. But I found a small messenger bag that holds just enough, and looks pretty nondescript. I also did プリクラ for the first time since I've been here. I thought all of our pictures came out really cute, and it was so much fun. I really want to do プリクラ again with more friends!
I bet you're also wondering what I ate today too? For lunch, we went to a 回転すし, which I havent been able to eat at yet. In fact, since coming to Japan, I havent had ANY sushi, which is both ironic and also a bit pathetic. So as you can imagine, I enjoyed this lunch VERY much. I had うなぎ, エビフライ, and also から揚げ. Okay, maybe that last one isnt sushi, but I get it any time I can. =P For dinner, we went to a Korean restaurant near the shopping area. My friend said it's the best Korean restaurant she's been to, and I am inclined to agree. I had the bibimbap, which my second favorite Korean food (the first being mandoo). While I got the normal bibimbap, my friend got hers served in a stone bowl, which made the rice all browned and crunchy. It was a bit on the expensive side, but this was definitely worth it. I dont have a lot of experience eating Korean food, but I definitely think that this restaurant was pretty flippin good. Because this filled us up, we didnt have any dessert type foods. Next to the Korean place was a store selling Hawaiian yogurt. Not sure what makes yogurt Hawaiian, but the music they played there definitely made me think of home. Also, a churro shop has recently opened, and because I've never had a churro, my friend wanted to take me there. Oh well, there will definitely be a next time, so I will eventually try these two places.
Today was definitely a good day. First of all, I got to catch up with a friend, and I really enjoyed hearing how her homestay is going. I also saw parts of Kyoto that I've never really been to, and saw tons of shopping places I absolutely must see before I leave here. And finally, I had so much delicious food, and found out other places that I need to try before I leave. I've been invited to hang out with her friends tomorrow, and I have to meet them at 11:30 AM. I dont want to be late, so I should go to sleep soon. And so ends the second day of my Kyoto vacation.
My friend is studying here in Kyoto, at Doshisha University. Although she's with a mainland college, UHM also has a trading relationship with the school. Unfortunately, this semester, I didnt know any of the UHM kids studying there, so there is no one else here in this city I want to hang out. On the other hand, a friend of mine in Hawaii is going to be up here next semester. Although they'll be in different programs (and apparently different campuses), I want to introduce them to each other. It's always nice to see a friendly face, and rely on the experiences of another person that knows what it's like. In other words, I think I'll be making another trip to Kyoto either at the end of March, or perhaps the beginning of April. ^_^
Although I've been to Kyoto before, I've never been to 銀閣寺 and the Philosopher's Walk before. They're both in the northern part of the city, and this is where my friend decided to take me today. Ginkakuji is not actually covered in silver, as its name would have you believe. Apparently it was never finished, which made me remark that maybe it should be called 未銀閣寺, or Unfinished Ginkakuji. But the garden which surrounds it is quite beautiful, and I did enjoy walking around it. After that, we walked around, and went into another shrine complex nearby. I have no idea what it's called, but apparently, one of the 神 enshrined there is one of the older kami, who came before Izanagi and Izanami. In any case, we entered the complex and made it up to the shrine. After giving my offering and praying a bit, I decided to play omikuji. I think it was a good one, so I kept it.
Because my friend doesnt spend a lot of time in that section of the city, she didnt fullly understand the bus system there. After getting frustrated, we decided to walk down 今出川通り, which is a HUGE stretch of road. But it was fun to walk there, because we passed by many interesting buildings, like a shrine to Hachimangu (I think) and Kyoto University. When we got to the 加茂川, we stopped a bit because of the turtle stones. To cross the river, you can either walk across a regular bridge, or you can walk over the stones that cross the river. A few of the stones are shaped into turtles! I thought it was the cutest thing. We didnt cross the river, but it was such a site to see. My friend told me that it must look pretty during the spring, and that she hoped to have a picnic near the river. I hope she can! 景色が綺麗なはずなんだよ。
Another trip on the subway (different line) brought us to our next destination, which was another part of 四条. I dont know what it's called in Japanese, but one of the English maps I have called it a shopping arcade, and the similar location in 広島市 is called 本通. In any case, it's a covered set of streets, lined with hundreds of different shops with various things for sale. Today, I mostly did window shopping, just to see what was for sale. My interest was picqued by the many clothing stores, some of which had some really interesting things for sale. I especially was taken by a pair of jeans, that had two family crests on the pockets. However, it was about $240, which is FAR too much for a pair of jeans in my opinion. Part of this area also links up to the Nishiki Market, which the Internet said is a good place to go shopping. They sell mostly food there, so at first I wasnt too keen on buying things there, but I soon changed my mind. While there were many foods there that need to be refriderated and/or eaten very soon, there was also a lot of dried foods and others that can be stored for a long time. I think I will buy some omiyage there, because it'll last if I hold it on me until I go back, or mail it before then.
My friend also wanted to show me another department store that she absolutely loves. I had heard about Loft from one of the girls in my program at Hiroshima, but I have never been in it. But it is another interesting store, with a lot of products I've never seen before. My friend has a thing for elephants, and really wanted to buy the elephant shaped clock in the lobby. I was interested in the many items they had in the housewares department. The many greeting cards they had there too was huge too. There were small cards and big cards, and even little books that had a birthday greeting within them. I wonder if I will go there again, because there are several birthdays next month, and I dont think I can buy those cards in Hiroshima.
I'm sure you're wondering what I bought, right? Like I said, I was mostly interested in looking around, so I didnt buy a lot of things I wanted. However, I have been looking for a small messenger bag for the longest time. I dont like stuffing my pockets full of things, and sometimes I need to carry slightly bulky items. But my school bag is a little too big, and gets in the way of things. But I found a small messenger bag that holds just enough, and looks pretty nondescript. I also did プリクラ for the first time since I've been here. I thought all of our pictures came out really cute, and it was so much fun. I really want to do プリクラ again with more friends!
I bet you're also wondering what I ate today too? For lunch, we went to a 回転すし, which I havent been able to eat at yet. In fact, since coming to Japan, I havent had ANY sushi, which is both ironic and also a bit pathetic. So as you can imagine, I enjoyed this lunch VERY much. I had うなぎ, エビフライ, and also から揚げ. Okay, maybe that last one isnt sushi, but I get it any time I can. =P For dinner, we went to a Korean restaurant near the shopping area. My friend said it's the best Korean restaurant she's been to, and I am inclined to agree. I had the bibimbap, which my second favorite Korean food (the first being mandoo). While I got the normal bibimbap, my friend got hers served in a stone bowl, which made the rice all browned and crunchy. It was a bit on the expensive side, but this was definitely worth it. I dont have a lot of experience eating Korean food, but I definitely think that this restaurant was pretty flippin good. Because this filled us up, we didnt have any dessert type foods. Next to the Korean place was a store selling Hawaiian yogurt. Not sure what makes yogurt Hawaiian, but the music they played there definitely made me think of home. Also, a churro shop has recently opened, and because I've never had a churro, my friend wanted to take me there. Oh well, there will definitely be a next time, so I will eventually try these two places.
Today was definitely a good day. First of all, I got to catch up with a friend, and I really enjoyed hearing how her homestay is going. I also saw parts of Kyoto that I've never really been to, and saw tons of shopping places I absolutely must see before I leave here. And finally, I had so much delicious food, and found out other places that I need to try before I leave. I've been invited to hang out with her friends tomorrow, and I have to meet them at 11:30 AM. I dont want to be late, so I should go to sleep soon. And so ends the second day of my Kyoto vacation.
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