Osaka & Nara

I stayed in Osaka a total of 3 nights, mainly using this urban location as base camp for all of the interesting things I planned to see around it. Yes, it's clean, it's pretty, and the people are lovely, but, after Tokyo, it was simply boring. Been there, done that... 10 times bigger, better, brighter.

Anyhow, after my first night in Osaka, I took a train to Nara, an ancient capital of Japan. About a 15 minute walk from the station is the main tourist attraction - a huge forested area containing numerous temples, shrines, bell towers, museums, and even zoos. Nara is also famous for its deer, whch are plentiful, and rather brash. I was strongly reminded of dogs: that's how domesticated these animals were. Vendors lined the streets selling deer food (actually, there were more deer food for sale than human food!) and the deer hung around for just that. Their puppy-like eyes, with hidden agendas, followed everyone that walked by , searching for the tourist who was going to give in. For those that unwisely fed them, they were in for an unlucky surprise. The deer began to hound them, chasing them for more. This was absolutely hysterical to watch - people being chased by deer. I enjoyed my self immensely. I did not feed the deers.

Besides the obvious enjoyment of watching the deer, the scenery and temples were lovely. The most famous one there, Called Todai-ji temple, is the largest standing wooden structure, housing the largest indoor Buddha. It was really impressive! Buddha's hands are very symbolic as well : one is held out with its palm facing you, telling you to stop worrying. The other is slightly extended, palm upwards, as to say  that all your goals can be achieved.

I visited a few other temples, which were a nice relief from the crowds (of people, and deer!) hovering around Todai-ji. One temple had a beautiful view of the city. I walked around the area for awhile, soaking in the beautiful weather, and the feel of the forest. Its like there is magic in the air, the feeling you get in there forests. I love it.

That afternoon, I went to the well-known Namba area in Osaka. I didn't take any pictures. Neon light, karaoke, shopping - show me something new. In that arena, you can't beat Tokyo!

Himeji - Surprise, Surprise!

Himeji was next on the itinerary. My guidebook mentioned a famous old Samauri castle located there. I planned to just stop over for the afternoon on my way to Osaka; I had no idea how much I would fall in love with the place!

It was a gorgeous afternoon. Walking a short 15 minutes form the station down a gorgeous tree lined avenue, I approached the castle. Situated on the top of a hell, it is dually impressive and awe-inspiring!

Inside the expansive grounds, there is a ton to see. The princess' quarters, suicide room (the Samauri had a ritual in which one took his own life it dishonored or ordered to by his master) and gardens were fascinating - here they have many signs and markers with a wealth of information provided on neat metal plates. I soaked in in.

I climbed up the main tower, all six floors. The stairs were steep and slippery, especially since the provided slippers (again, no shoes!) kept sliding off of my feet. The wooden structure was really beautiful, and the view of Himeji, surrounded by mountains, was breathtaking. Expected, but so unexpected.

Now, before heading to the castle, I had stopped at a tourist information book on the way out of the station. Quickly grabbing an English map. I noticed that there was a temple located nearby that was used in the filming of the "Last Samauri". I asked the clerk about it, and she told me that the area was a huge one, on top of Mt. Shosha. I had a bit of time left, and so decided to take a bus ride there. Up the mountain by cable car, I only had one hour to see everthing. The two temples used in the filming were a 25 minute walk. Waking to make it in 20, (as to safely make it mack for the last cable car, again, obsessing over time... but with cause! I didn't want to be stuck on top of a deserted mountain all night alone!) Anyhow, this place was not in my guide book, and , when I asked the hostel clerk about it in Osaka, she had never heard of it. Yet, it was the most wonderful place I have seen in Japan.

On top of the mountain, it was heavily forested and nearly deserted. Handed a vague map on the main trails, I set off towards the main temple. Now if you know me, you know that I would get lost. And I did. But luckily, I also know myself, and made sure that, when I got lost, I would be able to make it back. So, after 45 minutes of walking accidentally half way down the mountain and laboring back up the incline with self loathing, I finally reached the first temple. There it was, nestled in a blanket of forest, where I had walked for nearly an hour and met not a soul, not even an animal. It was enormous and astounding. I climbed up the stone steps, removed my shoes, and, after bowing to the two monks that ran a small tattered shop  in the entry way, stepped inside. The wood was cold on my feet, and, as I looked out over the expanse of green and the setting sun, all was still. In a blanket of silence, it was just me, the forest, and the crisp mountain air. I made it back with 5 minutes to spare, and promised id I would come back. I wanted to fully explore the place, and experience that feeling again. There aren't too many places like that left in the world.

Himeji town is a nice one, There is a cute covered shopping street, like Hondori in Hiroshima, with a plethora of shops and restaurants. it was a great feeling to it - not too touristy, like many of these main attractions are, but proud. I stumbled upon a puppy show with these adorable puppies in class cages, peering up at me and inviting me to take them home and love them. Fortunately, I don't have a thousand dollars, and wasn't able to take one with me. Bummer!

MIyajima Island

Wednesday, I woke up bright and early to visit one of the famous Islands off the coast of Hiroshima, Miyajima. Actually, it was so early it wasn't even bright. It was pitch black as I hopped on the train. Reason being, the most beautiful time to view the famous "floating" O'Tori is at sunrise, high-tide.

This giant arch in the bay is supposed to be one of the most beautiful spots in japan. And it certainly was lovely, with a crowd of viewers at hight tide: 8:25am. There were many temples in the area, as well as wild deer roaming the streets. This was my first experience with deer in Japan, but certainly not my last!

Before leaving Hiroshima, I made the mandatory stop to try Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. There was actually a whole floor of okonomiyaki restaurants in a huge building adjacent to the station. I made an easy choice (the first one outside the elevator door) and sat. Different than Tokyo, where you mix the batter and veggies yourself before baking it like a pancake, this one was layered. First, you cook a very thin type pancake, then pile on the veggies and pork, cooking the noodles separately. Then, you flip the noodles on the top of the veggie mess, add some delicious, anonymous 'brown' sauce, crack an egg on it, and voila! Hiroshima Style!

I had been taking to the chef throughout the process, telling him (in Japanese... I was so excited!) that I had only had okonomiyaki in Tokyo, and it had been much different. Afterwards, he asked me how it was. Truthfully, I answered, with a bit of a struggle due to the added pressure from curious onlookers, that "Hiroshima okonomiyaki is much more delicious than Tokyo okonomiyaki!" I realized I was holding a Starbucks cup, and with my American pride, held the cup aloft and declared," But, American coffee is the best!" Everyone laughed loudly (as the japanese always do, something I love about the culture) - including the dozen or so others who had been eavesdropping in earnest.

A small note here - the Japanese have a liking for eating raw egg. Now, I'll occasionally eat a raw eggs' worth of cookie dough, but thats as far s it goes. Here, they break an egg on top of noodles or rice and eat it as is. I saw a guy crack an egg, add some soy, pour it over maybe 1/2 a cup of rice, and drink the leftovers. Blaaagh! Though I did eat the raw egg on top of the okonomiyaki (... it did cook itself a bit with the heat from the pancake...), I don't think I'll make it a habit. All those old wives' tales about getting sick are too engrained in my brain. Maybe my mom just wanted more cookie dough for herself. Either way, I  just can't stomach it.

Hiroshima ~ Peace on Earth

My trip started Friday, December 11th, when, after a long day of packing and cleaning (I won't be back until the morning of Sian's checkout), I headed to Tokyo to catch my first Sinkansen. With my perpetual fear of being late, I made it 2 hours early. To my dismay, I realized that there was nowhere but the plaform to wait. The evening air was chill, the seats like rocks, and the wind was unforgiving of my puntuality. I was nearly numb after sitting and reading [a great Haruki Murakami novel] for 2 hours, and was first in line to get into the train. Glancing out the window, I saw, literally 50 yards from where I had been freezing, a warm toasty, waiting room, linded with cusioned seats. FML!

At anyrate, the famous bullet train was warm enough to shake any lingering chill from my body. I sat in my wide, seat, legs extended to fill the expansive leg room provided, and listened to a varety of musical artist and styles as I shot through Central Honshu. Around me, Japanese men and women ate sushi and soba, as well as a plethora of other strange items, out of Bentos.

I arrived in Hiroshima around 11pm, and caught a tram to my Hostel. Hiroshima has a great system of trams. And, like everything in Japan, it runs precisely on time. This is something I love about this country.

My hostel was lovely. Typical to Japanese culture, I took off my shoes before entering. Slippers were provided, and I chatted to a rather rowdy group of male travelers as I completed my check-in process. I left them to their beer and chu-hai (a sugary alcoholic drink sold in cans at conveince stores) for a comfy bed and a good nights' sleep.

The next day, I met Sian around midday at the Atomic dome. This delapitated structure is very real -  so real that it is almost surreal. I think that's how it is with such famous monuments. Perched on the side of the river, it stands in stark contrast withthe modern buildings, well manicured gardens, and flashing lights of nearby pachinko parlors. It made my heart feel so heavy, standing there in the very spot where so much death, pain, destruction, and loss had taken place. Not only had this happened in recent history, but it happened because of MY country. We did this, and we we still do this.

The Peace park was next. The children's memorial was the most striking, bringing tears to my eyes. The story behind the memorial tells of a girl named Sadako, who was very young at the time of the bombing. Though surviving the bomb itself, she developed leukemia shortly thereafter from the radiation. Believing in the old addage that, in making 1000 origami cranes, the Tsumu (crane) would grant you a wish, Sadako began to fold. She died before she was able to complete her quota, but the mass of Japanese school children, then all of Japan, and then the world rose to help. The monument is surrounded by pavilions, all bulging with bundles of paper cranes. Around the park, piles of cranes adorn monuments. Sian and I each made one and set it on the memorial.

The Peace Museum was beautifully done. It placed no blame, but described the history of Hiroshima and the war with fair words.

After a long and sobering afternoon, Sian and I needed a break. We headed to Cusco Cafe, where I met some people from, you guessed it, Cusco! We chatted about the place, and it made me feel all warm inside. I had a pisco sour and a Cusquena beer to the health of all my Peruvian friends. Salud, amigos!

Aside from the obvious tourist attraction, Hiroshima i a really lovely city. It has a lot of entertainment, more quaint and personal than that of Tokyo, of course,  and plenty more to see. I visited Hiroshima Castle, where the ducks and ENORMOUS coy gathered around my shadow with surprising speed, most likely hoping for some food. There is a lot a lot of shopping, and may islands off the coast to visit. It was a wonderful weekend!

Another さようなら (Sa-yo-na-ra)

I can't believe I'm saying this again, but wow! How time flies! Yesterday was my last day teaching, and it was another heart-wretching goodbye to my students that I have come to know and really care about. 


12 weeks was too short a semester - just enough time to get settled into a routine and make friends. I really did meet some amazing, interesting people here, people that made my day to day bright and enjoyable. Here are some pictures I took of my students.

TaikiJuri, Norie, and Yimin

Hiroya, Kai

I'm going to miss them all so much!!

I still have a week or so left in the country: time that will be spent on the road. I plan on hitting a nice run of the famous sights, although not nearly as many as I would like to see. I will be traveling by myself for the first time, an experience that will definitely be a learning one. First stop: Hiroshima! 

Hakone

I've been wanting to go here since I first arrived; we finally made the trip last week back to the Fuji area. I didn't understand the obsession with Fuji beforehand, but it's truely something that you have got to experience for yourself. Every morning, I see Fuji on my run - it rises majestically out of the other mountains, illuminated in the sunrise oranges and pinks, towering over a sea of monotonous brown. It really is breath-taking. Hakone was equally as impressive, situated very near Fuji-San.  This ancient spa town rests on top of a 1000 year old volcano, creating numerous hot springs and steaming vats of land.

Going to Hakone involves mostly travel - the traditional tour route is a circle around the area by multiple modes of transport. Train, tram, bus, cable car, boat - it almost feels like you never actually get there because you are always headed to the next vehicle. The scenery is the thing to enjoy, and there are nice stops and hikes along the way to do that. There are also a large amount of museums; some famous works by VanGogh and Picasso, among other talented artists, reside here.

At any rate, the majority of the day was spent in transit. Sian, Ian, and I had a great time, We managed to eat these black eggs, hardboiled in the hotsprings of the mountain. They are said to add 7 years onto your life. A bit daunting at first, they tasted just like regular eggs after all.

Then, in the evening, we visited an onsen. Japan in famous for them, and Hakone is the spot to go. An onsen is an outdoor bath, in the natural water of the hotsprings. It's public, though most times separated by gender. The atmosphere is anything but sleezy. Here, you are one with the earth and its people. After first bathing ourselves, we nervously headed out into the courtyard. Under the stars, we tried different piping hot baths among other Japanese women. It was an amazing experience!!