Oshougatsu, Sherudon, Tera, Ichigatsu
I'm way behind on updating everything, so while I have some time between classes I'm going to try to catch up. Here's what I've been up to recently...
Dec.23rd - It was a holiday so Megan and I used it to get around to some more temples. We went to Nagao, Shido and Yakuri temples and got more stamps in our books. We had to take the Kotoden train to get out to Nagao, and on the way we were politely kicked off the train (along with the other passengers) by a production crew who were apparently commandeering it for a "major film production" about which they could tell us nothing. They did at least drive us all to our destination.
The temples were lovely, of course, and we got to ride a cable car up to Yakuri-ji. We got kind of sniped at by the lady running the temple office at Nagao though, for not doing the temples in order. We didn't know how to explain to her how impossible that is for us, so we just agreed.
Dec. 24th - Headed out to KIX to pick up Sheldon! for his vacation here. His flight was delayed so I kicked around till he showed up in time for us to catch the bus. We arrived in my town under cover of dark and spent the evening watching crazy TV.
25th - We had a late-ish Christmas morning, and after lunch at Joyfull we made our way west to meet up with people for a park light-up in Manno. The lights were gorgeous and after we went to Nick's for traditional Christmas fried chicken and pizza.
26th - It took long enough to get home from Nick's that we had just enough time to shower and change for dinner with Junko. We went to the yakiniku place I love. Mmm yakiniku...
27th - Went to Ritsurin Park with Julie (it was her first time to go too) and actually went to both sides of it this time. Creepy giant koi were creepy.
28th - Started the day pounding mochi at Misuzu's. I've done it loads of times by now, but it was, of course, Shel's first time. We had miso o-zouni made with the mochi, and fruit.
After we left we went into Tak to meet Matt J for karaoke. We went to Banana Club with 2 hours in mind...but got all-you-can-drink and were there for 3. On the way home we stopped for food at Surfer's,Sunkus, and Gowari.
29th - The three of us went to Yoda temple so I could get my book stamped we could see the ancient temple ground, and Shel could meet my friend Akashi. After Matt went home Shel and I met up with Akashi for a 2nd night of karaoke at Manekineko in Tsuda. It was my first time there and I really liked it.
30th - We made our way out to Jamie's place in Shiga via ferry and trains. It took for eeeever, but was a nice change of pace from all the walking we'd been doing. Met up with Megan, Jamie, Sarah and Nick. And Jamie's town had SNOW! Shel wasn't happy, but I was indeed!!
31st - We had a slow day but finally made out way to Nara by way of Kyoto. Things were getting more and more crowded as the day progressed, as everyone was heading out for New Years. We went to Nara's Toudaiji for the countdown and were beset by those crazy wild deer. I realized, only after we'd arrived, that I had been there before, back in high school. As we waited in line to enter the temple and pay our respects to the Giant Buddha we met two other foreigners and made friends with them. The countdown happened kind of suddenly, and then the mad rush into the temple began. Monks were chanting sutras over the hidden PA system so the whole place was kind of eerie. I drew a fortune and was pleased with the result, and we all got a good laugh when Nick attemped to climb through the hole and failed. Sorry dude.
1st - Well, we were still at the temple and a long way from home, so we killed time at karaoke until we could start training back. Nick left early to ferry home, and we made our way back. It took hours and hours, but I stayed awake to make sure we didn't miss any connections. At about 3am some high school(?) students got on the train and we had a nice Engrish conversation. We got back to Jamie's around 8am and we all went to bed. I slept the longest, until 7pm! and then we spent the rest of the evening watching New Year's programming. Very Japanese!
2nd - Sheldon and I went on our way for the final phase of his trip. We trained back to Kyoto and then took the bullet train to Tokyo. The train was booked solid so we had to get non-reserved seats and then stand the whole way there. It was a pain, but at least we made it. We arrived in Akihabara and found our capsule hotel and checked in. We had Chinese for dinner, and the actual Chinese staff and customers made me feel nostalgic for last year. As we went back to the hotel we ran into two girls who were desperately trying to find a capsule hotel to stay in. We brought them to ours, of course.
3rd - It was our free day, and we spent it shopping around. We stayed on the Yamanote loop line the whole time and saw Ginza, Shibuya and Akihabara. Shel was like a kid in a candy shop. In the evening we had a wonderful sushi dinner near the station. We were both pretty exhausted from a long day walking so we had an early night.
4th - We checked out, did the last of Shel's shopping, and went to a maid cafe for lunch (it had to be done). Then went to meet our tour bus. The other passengers were a friendly bunch and we chatted with them for much of the trip. Asakusa temple was mad packed with people so we couldn't go in, but Shel did get to experience Japanese matsuri, as all of the food stalls were still set up. After the tour ended and dropped us off we went to Shinjuku where our bus home would leave from. We had dinner at McDonald's so Shel could try the Ebi Filet-o. We caught our (k)night bus home and slept.
5th - Arrived in Kagawa and went back to bed as soon as we reached my place. In the evening we went to Pepe for okonomiyaki, and then Gowariasu for chuhai. It was Shel's last night and we capped it off with more Japanese tv.
6th - Misuzu and I took Shel to the bus, and we said our goodbyes. It was a full vacation and though it lasted 2 weeks it seemed to go by in a flash. I walked home from the stop and got my place back in order.
School started up again on the 8th, and on the weekend I went to karaoke again, and hiked up to Yashima temple, and went to Tak for an international festival, and went to Matt's for dinner, and by then I had come down with my cold so I spent the rest of my time in pj's, clutching kleenex. I had to take off yesterday too and am feeling better today now that I am pumped full of meds. January, and 2009, are off to a good start, I think.
Time to update my photos O_o
Dec.23rd - It was a holiday so Megan and I used it to get around to some more temples. We went to Nagao, Shido and Yakuri temples and got more stamps in our books. We had to take the Kotoden train to get out to Nagao, and on the way we were politely kicked off the train (along with the other passengers) by a production crew who were apparently commandeering it for a "major film production" about which they could tell us nothing. They did at least drive us all to our destination.
The temples were lovely, of course, and we got to ride a cable car up to Yakuri-ji. We got kind of sniped at by the lady running the temple office at Nagao though, for not doing the temples in order. We didn't know how to explain to her how impossible that is for us, so we just agreed.
Dec. 24th - Headed out to KIX to pick up Sheldon! for his vacation here. His flight was delayed so I kicked around till he showed up in time for us to catch the bus. We arrived in my town under cover of dark and spent the evening watching crazy TV.
25th - We had a late-ish Christmas morning, and after lunch at Joyfull we made our way west to meet up with people for a park light-up in Manno. The lights were gorgeous and after we went to Nick's for traditional Christmas fried chicken and pizza.
26th - It took long enough to get home from Nick's that we had just enough time to shower and change for dinner with Junko. We went to the yakiniku place I love. Mmm yakiniku...
27th - Went to Ritsurin Park with Julie (it was her first time to go too) and actually went to both sides of it this time. Creepy giant koi were creepy.
28th - Started the day pounding mochi at Misuzu's. I've done it loads of times by now, but it was, of course, Shel's first time. We had miso o-zouni made with the mochi, and fruit.
After we left we went into Tak to meet Matt J for karaoke. We went to Banana Club with 2 hours in mind...but got all-you-can-drink and were there for 3. On the way home we stopped for food at Surfer's,Sunkus, and Gowari.
29th - The three of us went to Yoda temple so I could get my book stamped we could see the ancient temple ground, and Shel could meet my friend Akashi. After Matt went home Shel and I met up with Akashi for a 2nd night of karaoke at Manekineko in Tsuda. It was my first time there and I really liked it.
30th - We made our way out to Jamie's place in Shiga via ferry and trains. It took for eeeever, but was a nice change of pace from all the walking we'd been doing. Met up with Megan, Jamie, Sarah and Nick. And Jamie's town had SNOW! Shel wasn't happy, but I was indeed!!
31st - We had a slow day but finally made out way to Nara by way of Kyoto. Things were getting more and more crowded as the day progressed, as everyone was heading out for New Years. We went to Nara's Toudaiji for the countdown and were beset by those crazy wild deer. I realized, only after we'd arrived, that I had been there before, back in high school. As we waited in line to enter the temple and pay our respects to the Giant Buddha we met two other foreigners and made friends with them. The countdown happened kind of suddenly, and then the mad rush into the temple began. Monks were chanting sutras over the hidden PA system so the whole place was kind of eerie. I drew a fortune and was pleased with the result, and we all got a good laugh when Nick attemped to climb through the hole and failed. Sorry dude.
1st - Well, we were still at the temple and a long way from home, so we killed time at karaoke until we could start training back. Nick left early to ferry home, and we made our way back. It took hours and hours, but I stayed awake to make sure we didn't miss any connections. At about 3am some high school(?) students got on the train and we had a nice Engrish conversation. We got back to Jamie's around 8am and we all went to bed. I slept the longest, until 7pm! and then we spent the rest of the evening watching New Year's programming. Very Japanese!
2nd - Sheldon and I went on our way for the final phase of his trip. We trained back to Kyoto and then took the bullet train to Tokyo. The train was booked solid so we had to get non-reserved seats and then stand the whole way there. It was a pain, but at least we made it. We arrived in Akihabara and found our capsule hotel and checked in. We had Chinese for dinner, and the actual Chinese staff and customers made me feel nostalgic for last year. As we went back to the hotel we ran into two girls who were desperately trying to find a capsule hotel to stay in. We brought them to ours, of course.
3rd - It was our free day, and we spent it shopping around. We stayed on the Yamanote loop line the whole time and saw Ginza, Shibuya and Akihabara. Shel was like a kid in a candy shop. In the evening we had a wonderful sushi dinner near the station. We were both pretty exhausted from a long day walking so we had an early night.
4th - We checked out, did the last of Shel's shopping, and went to a maid cafe for lunch (it had to be done). Then went to meet our tour bus. The other passengers were a friendly bunch and we chatted with them for much of the trip. Asakusa temple was mad packed with people so we couldn't go in, but Shel did get to experience Japanese matsuri, as all of the food stalls were still set up. After the tour ended and dropped us off we went to Shinjuku where our bus home would leave from. We had dinner at McDonald's so Shel could try the Ebi Filet-o. We caught our (k)night bus home and slept.
5th - Arrived in Kagawa and went back to bed as soon as we reached my place. In the evening we went to Pepe for okonomiyaki, and then Gowariasu for chuhai. It was Shel's last night and we capped it off with more Japanese tv.
6th - Misuzu and I took Shel to the bus, and we said our goodbyes. It was a full vacation and though it lasted 2 weeks it seemed to go by in a flash. I walked home from the stop and got my place back in order.
School started up again on the 8th, and on the weekend I went to karaoke again, and hiked up to Yashima temple, and went to Tak for an international festival, and went to Matt's for dinner, and by then I had come down with my cold so I spent the rest of my time in pj's, clutching kleenex. I had to take off yesterday too and am feeling better today now that I am pumped full of meds. January, and 2009, are off to a good start, I think.
Time to update my photos O_o