Chrysanthemum Journal, Issue #47
Greetings once more to all and sundry. I hope that everyone had a pleasant and eventful New Year's, or if it wasn't eventful, that you did something you thoroughly enjoyed, be it watching a movie with your family or slipping under the blankets with a good book.
Before we get to the main part of the journal, I'd like to add a special segment:
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CHRISTMAS ADDENDUM
Seems I forgot to mention something in my last journal. For Christmas this year, I dressed up in a Santa outfit that would have been totally impossible if not for the help of my mother, who sent me the pants, shirt, and undershirt that I needed to pull it off. And let me tell you, I make a fantastic Santa. Can't be beat! Almost makes me want to be old now so I can see if I'm still in a holly jolly good mood.
Also, I had said that the only gift I hadn't received was the Call of Duty: World at War game I'd been hoping for. At the time, it was simply a joke, as I'd already received quite a bit and really wasn't expecting anything more. The VERY NEXT DAY a package arrived at my school. Lo and behold, what was inside? The game. Delicious.
And that's all there is to say but that.
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I've recently returned from my week-long trip to the Kanto region, and I'm here to offer you my full report. Shall we proceed?
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December 30th - Meeting a Train
I'd already shelled out my 2.5 man ($250) for my tickets to Tokyo and back. I would be leaving Kyoto at 1409, meaning I'd need to arrive an hour early in order to procure provisions for the trip. To get to Kyoto at 1300, I would need to leave Katata at 1230. But that was absolutely no problem! I was completely packed and ready to go...at 1130. Unfortunately, I'd unplugged the TV, my gaming consoles and computer were packed away, and having stayed up the previous night, I didn't feel I had the energy to read a book.
So I played the most dangerous game known to man (after "Russian Roulette" and "Is This Poison?"). I like to call it "Just Five Minutes." The game consists of lying on your bed and shutting your eyes, telling yourself that you would only be resting for 5 minutes before you'd recharge your batteries well enough to go on.
I lost.
1220: I receive a message on my phone, causing it to vibrate strongly enough to jolt me from my slumber. Jason's message saying he'd meet me in Moriya. I immediately bolt out of bed, call a taxi to the station, grab the suitcase + trash, bolt out the door, chuck the trash, catch a ride to the station, hop in the train at 1230.
Getting to the Shinkansen was uneventful. However the ride was not. At some point, in the middle of a tunnel, our train stopped and I couldn't figure out why. That is, until I looked to the front of the car and saw a news report flashing by, telling me that a man had "entered the tracks and met a train." I can't say that the meeting ended very well. The police were involved and a safety inspection team had to be dispatched. Fortunately it wasn't our train, though. It took a full 90 minutes before the train started moving again. To my later regret, I eventually started cursing the man who'd been hit by the train rather than feeling sorry for him. Around that time, I just went to sleep so that I could put it all behind me. Even after we started moving again, we had later delays to allow other trains to catch up. Added another 30 minutes of wait time, total.
The remainder of the trip was largely without incident, and I got to Moriya sometime around 1930, having originally planned for 1730. Oh well. After meting with Jason, we were immediately whisked away by taxi to his house, where he graciously lugged all my things up the stair and threw them into his apartment before we continued on our way to a drinking party that was in progress. Met a few of Jason's students, and another friend of mine, Matt, there. We chatted at length about music, technology, politics, movies, and more. Unfortunately, no one wanted to stick around for karaoke, so we all went our separate ways. Jason and I returned to his apartment and chatted for a long while before drifting off to slumberland.
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December 31st - Started Slow, Over in a Flash
Having not entirely recovered from my trip up, we decided to make New Year's Eve largely about relaxing and gaming. So Jason and I ended up playing a series of games, including Narutimate Accel 2, Soul Calibur 4, and Rockman 9 (known as Megaman 9 in the West). There are probably many people out there thinking that something more significant should be done on the last day of the year, but hey, it's Rockman! He can't be denied!
But that's certainly not all we did. We had planned to slip down to Meiji Jingu, the most famous temple in Japan, to pack ourselves in among the crowd and wait for the boom of the drums to signal the new year's coming. Didn't quite work out like that. A call from our friend Tina came, and Jason and I were invited to spend the eve with her. Having had my heart set on the shrine, I went on down to Harajuku myself while Jason went off to be with Tina, though we'd already planned for me to catch up them once I'd finished.
We ended up catching a pretty early dinner and so I found myself standing at the front of Meiji Jingu at about 8:30, with almost no one else in the area...relatively. I'm not sure whether or not I expected it to be very crowded considering how early I'd arrived, but somehow I thought there would be more. I began to think of changing my plan and going to Shibuya instead, to go see what was going on at the most famous crossing in Japan. But I decided against it in the end, and was much happier for it. Around 9:30, there were around 5 rows of people, and only half an hour after that, it was so packed that I didn't think anyone else would be able to enter.
I had a pleasant conversation with the group of people standing next to me for a long while, and at some point I was even interviewed by a reporter, though I have no idea what paper, or if it was even printed, considering how many people he must have spoken to. I was asked how long I'd waited, whether I came every year, where I come from, my thoughts on the old year and the new year, things I planned to do, etc.
The only cloud in the joyous feeling of being around all those people was one woman who had positioned herself behind my right shoulder and wasn't able to muster up enough spirit to stay awake. This is where she used her Japanese train-rider experience to sleep while standing up...using my shoulder as a pillow. Now, I wasn't going to just shove her aside, but neither could I afford to simply sit still. My legs were already aching from not moving, so I decided to do the only thing I could to get my legs moving and simultaneously get the woman off my shoulder.
That's right, I danced. Or..well...rhythmic rocking. Did you think I relocated? Sorry, crowd was far too large for that.
I already had the headphones on, so I just started moving to the music, which naturally presented a moving target for my sleepy friend. Any time should would place her weary head on my tired shoulder, another little bump would wake her enough to give me 5 minutes or so of peace. The difficult part was doing my little dancing for 2 hours straight.
Finally, the appointed time had come. One guy had it on good authority that he was the expert of time or something, and was continually giving updates like "33 minutes left," "29 minutes left," "21 minutes left," and so on. Unfortunately, when it came to the final countdown, he was about a second ahead of everyone else. Of course, the possibility exists that he was on time, and everyone else was a second behind. That will be up to history to decide, as I simply observed and recorded the moment. Nonetheless, once the entirety had decided the new year, coins were immediately launched from dozens of people behind me, raining down a monetary storm upon a large area set aside at the front of the temple, followed by the sound of many hands clapping together as those same people prayed for good fortune in 2009. At the same time, the boom of the giant drum echoed throughout the courtyard and likely to the throngs of people waiting beyond.
And just like that, it was over. The man in front of me, the time expert, who had been so eager as to tell me about every passing minute, finished up his prayer, let out a little satisfied sigh, and packed up his things to leave. So I figured I should do the same. After all, I had a train to catch and while I was happy to have been part of the experience, my after-party was meant to be with my friends.
Along the way, I picked up a couple souvenirs, such as the Demon-breaking Arrows and a collection of charms, one each for travel, success, studies, luck, and sickness. I figured I'd let my friends pick one each (except for success, that one's mine!) and then proceeded to the food area to pick up an authentic donner kebab before heading to the train platform. Given the expected increase in volume for the evening, it was no surprise they had trains coming practically every few seconds to pick people up. I managed to catch an earlier train up to Toyoda than originally expected, and from there took a taxi up most of the way.
Unfortunately, the taxi couldn't seem to find the right place, as Tina's apartment is in the Twilight Zone. Instead, I got dropped off at a 7-Eleven and was suddenly charged by an Irish bull named Jason. After getting some alcohol from the shop, we proceeded to Tina's brand new several-boxes-not-yet-open apartment, where we didn't eat, but we drank and were merry, listening to nostalgic music before finally dozing off. Was it 3 or 4? I can't remember.
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January 1st - Getting Off to a Good Start
No clue when I woke up, but I believe it to have been around 12:30. The others were roused soon after. None of us were in the mood for a quick start today, nor did we have any plans which required immediate attention, so instead we simply devoted some time to the appreciation of the arts, and in doing so we listened to more nostalgic music some more. In addition to that, we took some time to flip through the Kindle and delve into some poetry. Having the entire Harvard Classics collection on this baby really does come in handy (mental note: add a cookbook). Some of the poems, at least those I recall, are here:
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED MASTER WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, AND WHAT HE HATH LEFT US - Ben Jonson
THE ISLES OF GREECE - George Gordon, Lord Byron
SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY - George Gordon, Lord Byron
THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB - George Gordon, Lord Byron
WISHES FOR THE SUPPOSED MISTRESS - Richard Crashaw
Tina also treated us to a track from the Space Ghost: Coast to Coast CD, with a parody of Tennyson's (read here as "Tennis Anyone?") poem read by BRAK: BRAK'S VERSION.
Once we were finally up and about, us guys packed up our things and vacated the apartment, walking down the path towards the station. We noticed that it was already approaching sundown, so that any plans we might have had for the day would have to be put on hold. It was rather fortunate, then, that we had made absolutely no plans for the 1st. Meandering down the road, we wound up at a Big Boy restaurant and had ourselves some meat and potatoes, with Tina getting the "Wahoo!" set (pardon the pun...Wafuu means Japanese-style, but I can never resist saying it as "Wahoo!").
Once finished, our paths diverged as Tina went back home while Jason and I proceeded stationward, and were headed back home. We didn't go directly there, however. Instead, we wandered through the streets of Akihabara. Unfortunately, many shops were closed for the holiday and many more were closing up early. Though we'd arrived at 7, even the larger shops were shutting their doors.
One particularly interesting thing about the Japanese New Year is the merchant tradition of the Fukubukuro, or Lucky Bag. In America, one might call it a grab bag, but I don't think they are the same, as Lucky Bags often have a number of goods exorbitantly more expensive than what one paid. Often, there will simply be a listed price on the bag, along with a general description of what is contained inside ("fragrances," "household goods," "digital camera," etc). I was thinking about purchasing one at the electronics store we passed, but we went shopping elsewhere first, and I missed the chance. But the shopping was nice, and afterward we had some excellent kebabs at a little trailer shop.
Once we'd finished with all of that, it was finally back on the train and off to Moriya once more. We ended up grabbing a light dinner (having had our first meal around 4-5 and our kebab snack around 7, and ended up playing Haunting Ground until the late hours of the eve. I do believe it was the first time I ever heard Jason emit a high-pitched squeak. At least, one of surprise.
I heard from one of my friends that there is a superstition stating that what you do on the 1st sets a precedent for how the rest of your year will go. You should not work too hard, because that will mean your year will be stressful. If you are sick or in pain, that is how your year will go. My 2009, then, must be pretty darned fantastic. Woke up among good company, got the creative juices flowing with poetry reading, reflected on the past with Tina's music selection, carried on the day's activities in a leisurely fashion, bought gifts for others, and played horror games.
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January 2nd - Vegetables and Tenderized Meat
Waking up, I suffered from a god-awful shoulderache that has been plaguing me quite a bit recently, and one I absolutely couldn't explain. It was getting so bad that turning my head to the right would cause my entire back to flare up. Not being the kind of self-diagnoser to say "Well, I just won't do that," I decided to see if a massage would work. In order to do that, we would have to take a trip to the mall!
Jason actually wound up there ahead of me, though for reasons I have simply forgotten. We had lunch together, chatting about aesthetics and the difference between cuteness and beauty. Afterward, we wandered around looking at Fukubukuro (see above) sales, though nothing caught our eye at the time. We'd been waiting for an answer from Jason's friend as to which massage parlor would be best, but unfortunately it never came. Since we were downstairs at the time, we went directly to the massage parlor on the lower floor, only to be told by the manager that they would be opening at 5:20...it might just be me, but is that really the ideal time to start your business? Although, reflecting upon it now, I guess that would ensure you get the just-off-of-work crowd who could really use it.
With that option out of the way, we went upstairs to the other massage parlor, which was open and ready for me. I had to fill out some little info sheet and then it was off to the massage table. Placing my head through the ring, I waited for a good 5 minutes before my masseusess came. Once we got started though, it was amazing. With her gentle touch and the right pressure, I could just feel the stress melting off of me. Well, that's what I'd like to say. The truth is she dug her fingers deep into the base of my skull to get started and I seriously thought I was about to die. I'd answered on the form that I wanted a normal-strength massage..I pray to never find out what the strong massage is like.
It wasn't all bad. When she actually got to the parts that had been hurting, the feeling was such that I was laughing. I've heard that laughing during a massage shows just how much stress has been accumulated, but I've never been sure of the origin of that. Even though those parts were great, that was only about 25% of the time. I will admit, however, that once everything was finished, there was no pain, and I was able to twist my head in any direction without problem.
On my way out of the mall, I saw a pretty heap Fukubukuro sale at a perfume shop, and decided to pick up a ladies' bag for the three gals in my school, the manager, the new teacher, and the children's teacher. On a whim, I also purchased a mens' bag. Some of the scents I got, I can only find on Japanese websites, but in the ladies bag, I ended up with:
Juicy Jewel Oil Sheets (630 yen)
Juicy Jewel Mysterious Fruity Body Mist - 140ml (1680 yen)
Christina by Parfums Christina - 50ml (5250 yen)
Miss Soprani by Luciano Soprani - 50ml (7245 yen)
Exult by Naomi Campbell - mini (997 yen)
Incanto Heaven by Salvatore Ferragamo - 30ml (5775 yen)
TOTAL - 21,577 yen
The mens' bag had:
Feroce by Tonino Lambourghini - 50ml (2835 yen)
Intense by Issey Miyaki - 40ml (4000 yen)
Instinct After Dark by David Beckham - 50ml (4000 yen)
Mixte Pour Homme by Jeanne Arthes - 7ml (590 yen)
Samourai Hair Wax: Glaze - 80g (1260 yen)
TOTAL - 12,685 yen
And I got a Ferrari lock as a bonus for purchasing more than 1 man ($100) of stuff. All in all, a huge discount, wouldn't you say?
Went back to Jason's to divvy up the stuff and then to play some Rockman 9. Got all the way up to Dr. Wily's second stage before deciding it was time for dinner. We had actually been hoping to round up a troupe for a merry round of karaoke, but it seemed that none of Jason's friends were around or up for it. So we went to Coco's instead, where we met with Sane, one of Jason's friends I'd met before. We had a nice, long chat, largely about Sane and Jason's upcoming trip to the States. For example, we discussed the fact that Japanese men love large wallets, some big enough that half of them stick out of yer pocket, which would definitely not work in most large cities of the States. We also talked about that great classic work of movie history, The Wizard of Oz, and Jason and I commented that all Americans of our generation still know all the songs. I wonder now how true that may be...and whether or not the generation past us will know anything of the Great and Powerful Oz at all.
Afterward, we returned to the lair to continue gaming, but Dr. Wily proved to be a bit too tough for me. Not wanting to put it off any longer, for fear that we'd be unable to continue, I let Jason take the control and blast Wily into complacency once more. Oh, but the crafty Doctor was able to escape yet again.
After the world was saved yet again, we decided that it was time to watch a movie, and loaded up Sword of the Stranger, one of the very best samurai films, let alone anime films, that I have ever seen. As far as I know, it's currently making all the film festival circuits, and has been put up for nomination for three Academy Awards. Here's hoping that it goes all the way.
After that, bed.
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January 3rd - A Touch of Awe
Big plans on Saturday, quite literally. We were planning on heading out to Ushiku in order to see the country's largest Buddha statue and the third largest statue in the world (2nd until the completion of the Laykyun Setkyar in Myanmar last year). We met up with Sane before taking the train down. Grabbed some lunch at a convenience store in Ushiku before grabbing a bus down. It wasn't very long at all before we could see the big boy in our sights.
Once we'd arrived, I really honestly couldn't say to you why this Buddha is so unknown to most people. The most famous Buddhas in Japan are definitely the Kamakura Buddha and the Todaiji Buddha. They are worthy of note, however - the former for the fact that it is the only huge Buddha in Japan to have gone without change (including restoration) since its construction, and the latter for sitting in the largest completely wooden structure in Japan (and possibly the world). But even both of these hulks sit at a mere seventh of their youngest brother's size. In fact, even I didn't know about the Ushiku Buddha until I was chatting with another teacher (thanks Frances) who clued me in on the truth. I'd been hoping to visit it on my first trip out, but that was not to be. And now with the Buddha in full view, it was simply amazing.
Of course, as with anything dealing with a Buddha, there were things to do like ringing the bell, lighting incense, etc. We also enjoyed a little walk along the fishy pond, and another little stroll down a footpath that no one else seemed to want to use, leading us around the small little pond where, according to pictures, flowers bloom in a vortex of color each spring. Each step closer to the massive statue just made us all take another breath or let out another exclamation at just how big the thing was. Let's take a moment to get some perspective. The Big Buddha is 110 meters tall, with a 10 meter pedestal, total 120m or 394 feet. In comparison, the Statue of Liberty is 46 meters, on a 47 meter platform. Total height 93m or 305 feet. Big Ben's tower is 96.3m or 315.9 feet. This thing is just huge.
Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that when we entered the Buddha, we were greeted by brightly-colored Buddhas lit with neon colors, a golden statue of Buddha prominently displayed in the center of everything, and beyond that a Star Trek-style light strip guided us to the staircase. On the second floor we found a gift shop that contained a 1:1 scale of one of the Buddha's toes, though I have no clue which one. Beyond that was a display hall where people had written well wishes, or simply their name, or the names of other people, for all to see.
The third floor was truly spectacular. A high-ceilinged area where the walls were simply filled with miniature Buddhas, most of which had been purchased by donations to represent a person, group, or family. All of them were a striking gold color, leading me to assume I'd entered some sort of palatial estate on first sight. It was simply astounding to see so many of the little guys around me. Unfortunately, we were unable to proceed any further, due to the highest floors being closed off for that day. We were, however, content with what we'd seen, and progressed once more down the stairs and out of the lotus throne, leaving Buddha behind.
On our way out, we decided to do a bit of shopping, and came across a bust of Ronald Reagan of all people, with a little Q&A saying that there was no real reason for it being there. Jason purchased a Fukubukuro for his hosts at our party later that evening, and we left. At the bus stop, we were surprised to find that we were about a half-hour late for the last bus, much to our annoyance. But not to be dismayed, we dashed for the lone taxi in the nearby parking lot, plopping ourselves in the seats and zooming off to the station. Fortunately, the cost was only double that of the bus with the three of us, so it wasn't bad at all. At the station, we took a train down to Sanuki and Jason let his Japanese teacher know we were coming early. She picked us up in the Crampmobile, or at least that's what I called it due to my knees being higher than my chin, and my head at an odd angle due to hitting the ceiling.
The house was absolutely fantastic, a real old-style Japanese house complete with the little outdoor walkways leading to different areas (though they were covered with glass here). Jason's Japanese teacher, Chiharu, had also invited some friends along besides us, one of them being Angela, a Korean student who Chiharu'd met some time ago during a homestay in Canada, and another, Shi, who was an old school friend. Later, we were also joined by Akiko and Satomi, more school friends. Their English was terrific, as Aki had spent several years as a child living in Durham, England, so she had a distinct accent. Satomi had spent a long while backpacking and hitchhiking around Australia, having picked up an accent herself. While we may have been two Americans, six Japanese, and a Korean, the feeling at the dinner table was very international.
The feast started with a distinctly Korean fare, as Chijimi and Kimchi were brought out to the table, followed by carrots and dipping sauces. Once everyone had gathered, we began making takoyaki, a very popular dish (much more popular in the Kansai region) which consists of a batter, green onions, ginger, breading, and the prime ingredient, octopus. Just for kicks, we also added some kimchi to a few of them to see what kind of effect that would have. Unfortunately, as much as I love watching takoyaki being made, I can't always stomach it. My body tends to reject onions as though it were some kind of poison. The octopus itself tastes like a springy, spicy sausage, so that's never been the problem (though I always feel a chill when my tongue slides across a sucker). I managed to drizzle enough takoyaki sauce over the top that I could chomp them all down, but my body really wasn't too happy with me.
After the takoyaki, there was sushi, and while all the eating was going on, we had plenty of fine discussion, from our musical tastes (due to the fact that MTV was playing behind us all on the TV) to language learning to travel experiences and on and on. And of course, the beer was quite free-flowing, though the ladies wound up sticking to softer drinks. It was the most at-home atmosphere I've had in quite some time, perhaps the first I've felt so comfortable in a large group since my Thanksgiving experience in 2007. And it only got better when we started playing games together.
We began with a rousing game of Uno. Unfortunately, despite it being an American game, those were a couple of disappointing games as Jason lost te first round and I lost the second. Afterward, we played a game featuring a former big star of Japan, Razor Ramon Hard Gay, often just called Hard Gay (the first link is a YouTube video. Safe for work, but a little suggestive). The game itself was also rather suggestive, featuring a barrel where one places swords into various slots. If the player is lucky, HG lets out one of his trademark phrases, such as "Foooo!" If they're unlucky, the spring releases and HG launches out. We had a few different variations, such as placing your forehead over HG, or aiming him at other players and trying to fire him. After that, it was on to the next game, a version of Jenga with colored bricks. We ended up making several teams in different playthroughs. Random couples, Gaijin vs. Japanese, and Men vs. Women. I didn't lose a single time, mwaha! And after that, it was time for some last-minute card games, as we had to depart soon after. In Kansai, the game is called Zabuton (seat cushion), where a deck of cards is spread in a circle, players flip a card in turn, and if the number or suit matches, everyone moves to slap the pile. The last slapper keeps the cards. Then we played another game with pens. Everyone has four cards, and each player passes one to the left with very little time to think. One player makes 4-of-a-kind, he grabs a pen, and everyone else tries to grab one. Last one loses.
Once the games were done, we went back to the station and hopped on the car. Actually, we wound up boarding a green car, which one is not allowed to enter without a special ticket. Hoping not to be caught, and feeling a little silly, the three of us (Sane, Jason, and I) played a little Metal Gear Solid, rushing through the car and peeking around corners with finger-guns. Fortunately, no witnesses. When we wound up at the last car, we laid down a perimeter, kept watch for any officials, and when the train stopped, we dashed off to the next car, a normal non-green, where we could kick our feet back and relax until we finally arrived in Moriya, parted ways with Sane, and Jason and I returned to the lair once more. I spent the rest of the night packing while Jason played Fatal Frame, and beat the first boss. We had another big day planned for Sunday, so it was off to bed a little earlier.
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January 4th - Samurai, Servants, and Shrines
Big plans for the 4th. Being that it was my last day, we planned to visit some of the famous sights of Tokyo. But first! Jason's Japanese lesson. Which gave me the time I needed to finish packing all of my things. Hopping down to Tokyo station on a later train, I needed to secure a storage locker so that I wouldn't have to lug y bags around everywhere. Given that my suitcase was holding both my PS2 and PS3, plus tons of other heavy things, I really was hoping to avoid that. And I was fortunate enough to come across a French couple who couldn't fit their bags into the locker no matter how hard they tried. I was looking to see if any others were open when they simply asked if I wanted theirs. Ching! After that, I boarded another train to go to Shinagawa, the point of our first trip, and waited for Jason, gorging myself on some authentic Indian curry in the meantime.
Our first stop? Sengaku-ji, the resting place of the famous 47 Ronin. I won't go into too much detail, as there's not enough space here to include all the intrigue and greatness that the story entails, but the basic plot is that one lord Asano was treated rather abruptly by one lord Kira in Edo while Kira was supposed to be training Asano in etiquette for an upcoming reception. Asano took it for a long while, but finally couldn't stand any more, drew a dagger and attacked Kira, giving him a minor flesh wound. For even drawing a weapon in Edo Castle, one is condemned to death via seppuku (self disembowelment by sword). Asano's family was left with nothing, all lands and goods were confiscated, and his retainers lost their titles and privileges. 47 of his retainers, led by Oishi Kuranosuke, decided that their lord needed vengeance, and banded together, formulated a long-term plan, and carried out a raid on Kira's manor, decapitating Kira and bringing the head to their master's grave, receiving much praise along the way. They had upheld the samurai code. Unfortunately, for disobeying the shogun's direct orders that there be no revenge, they were ordered to commit seppuku, and were interred in the same place as their master.
The temple itself was very nice, and the graves of the ronin were burning with incense offerings that the various visitors were giving to each one, honoring their spirit. There was also a nice museum with depictions of the entire incident, pieces of authentic armor, writings of the period, and a whole collection of wooden dolls painted to look like each individual member of the team. Jason and I discussed the interesting point about the story being that each of the 47 Ronin is known (at least to the Japanese), and has his own story. It's just got a whole lot of intrigue built up in this little story.
After that, we went to Akihabara. It was around 1600 and that meant it was a perfect time to advance to the second attraction, the oh so famous Maid Cafe of Akihabara. At these cafes, all the servers are women dressed up in various styles of maid outfits (the uniform varies from shop to shop), and they greet the customers as though they were lord and master of the house. While I'd always had a passing interest in seeing what it was like, I was a little afraid of simply being overwhelmed (in a bad way) by the cuteness factor known as moe. But hey, we're manly men, and we can take it!
Having chosen a maid cafe that reviewers said was good for communication (we both wanted to practice our Japanese), we went to the @home cafe, up to the 6th floor. Didn't take too long to get a seat, thanks to the time we'd come. Once we were seated, though, it did take quite a while for our server to come and get our order, something we noticed was not the same with the customers around us. Still, they were polite and courteous, and each one complimented our Japanese, despite our mistakes. I ordered the chocolate milk and the fudge bear cake, my partner ordered hot caramel milk and the fudge bear cake. Just after we finished ordering, the hourly show began, with something called "Moe moe janken" being the main attraction. It was basically an uber-cutesy rock-paper-scissors game. I got all the way up to the 3rd round, and told Jason I was going paper, but at the last minute I lost my nerve and went with scissors, which didn't beat the girl on stage. But nobody else beat her either, so there was another chance, which I lost again. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the two winners got up on stage, one won a final round, and then she got interviewed. Don't think I could have one that.
We received our food and drink, and had to infuse it with "moe" using a special incantation. Thank goodness our maid was quiet, because I heard so many maids around us practically screaming the incantation. Phew. Dodged a bullet there. The cake was absolutely delicious, though. A cupcake-like fudge cake and two smaller dots of fudge made the bear shape, with a hand-drawn face of frosting, and whipped cream bursts everywhere, all covered in chocolate sauce. Not my normal fare, but when in Rome!
We'd also both ordered a "cheki" which is Japanese for a Polaroid. The maids decorate the picture personally before delivering it to you, and you get to choose any maid currently serving to take your shot with you. I had no clue who all the maids were, so I had our server bring a list and did the old eenie-meenie, while Jason chose one of the girls he'd seen on stage. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to make our own poses. They told us what they wanted us to do (in Japanese), and we did it. But it wasn't that bad. Perhaps the most embarrassing part about it is that you're doing it on stage in front of everyone else. And once that was done with, we paid our bill and received special membership cards (site in Japanese only, but you can see the ranks and how many times you need to visit to get it). Apparently if you level up, you get special cheki and commemorative items. That Platinum Card is ridiculous, but I feel a bit relieved that no one's gotten the Black Card yet. To make 2,000 visits, you'd have to visit every day, without fail, for more than 5.5 years!
And once we were done there, it was off to Asakusa, to visit one of the most famous temples in Japan (yes, the title of this section said shrine, but I was going for alliteration), the Senso-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo, having been originally built in 645, and rebuilt after World War II due to bombing damage. Actually, the way we ended up doing it was going backwards, entering the Senso-ji grounds through one of the side paths, then heading to the entrance, which meant passing through the Hozomon, a curious gate adorned on the backside with 400kg sandals and thee large lanterns. Past that, we went through the Kaminarimon, the true main entrance to the temple and the outer gate, guarded on each side by the powerful gods of Wind and Lightning, Fuujin and Raijin. There were also quite a number of food and game booths, perhaps because of the New Year, or perhaps they do it all year round. I saw a copy of Chrono Trigger for the DS available at one of the cork-shooter games, but alas I couldn't get it despite hitting the target with all but one of my cork bullets! Oh well.
Afterward, Jason and I proceeded to a nearby Starbucks, where we simply relaxed and discussed the events that had gone on in the past few days, what would happen in the future, and other general stuff. This lasted until it was time for me to head back to Tokyo station and grab my things. We separated at the train station, and I got my luggage, went to the platform, and had a nice long chat with the train conductor while we waited for the Shinkansen to appear. I was a little worried when he suddenly told me it looked like the train was 10 minutes late (my last train home was leaving 20 minutes after we were scheduled to arrive in Kyoto), but we apparently made up for it along the way, as we arrived only 2 minutes later than usual. Made the transfer, and I was soon home again, home again, jiggity jog.
And that's that.
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See you next time, Space Cowboy!
Pictures are here:
New Year's - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/NewYearSEve20089#
Ushiku Daibutsu - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/BIGBUDDHA#
After-Buddha Party - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/AfterBuddhaParty#
Tokyo Excursion - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/TokyoExcursion#
Videos:
New Year's at Meiji Jingu (countdown starts near 4:00 in) - http://www.dailymotion.com/kyoushibanzai/video/x7z7gb_meiji-jingu-new-year_travel
Making Takoyaki - http://www.dailymotion.com/kyoushibanzai/video/x8088w_making-takoyaki_travel
Before we get to the main part of the journal, I'd like to add a special segment:
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CHRISTMAS ADDENDUM
Seems I forgot to mention something in my last journal. For Christmas this year, I dressed up in a Santa outfit that would have been totally impossible if not for the help of my mother, who sent me the pants, shirt, and undershirt that I needed to pull it off. And let me tell you, I make a fantastic Santa. Can't be beat! Almost makes me want to be old now so I can see if I'm still in a holly jolly good mood.
Also, I had said that the only gift I hadn't received was the Call of Duty: World at War game I'd been hoping for. At the time, it was simply a joke, as I'd already received quite a bit and really wasn't expecting anything more. The VERY NEXT DAY a package arrived at my school. Lo and behold, what was inside? The game. Delicious.
And that's all there is to say but that.
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I've recently returned from my week-long trip to the Kanto region, and I'm here to offer you my full report. Shall we proceed?
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December 30th - Meeting a Train
I'd already shelled out my 2.5 man ($250) for my tickets to Tokyo and back. I would be leaving Kyoto at 1409, meaning I'd need to arrive an hour early in order to procure provisions for the trip. To get to Kyoto at 1300, I would need to leave Katata at 1230. But that was absolutely no problem! I was completely packed and ready to go...at 1130. Unfortunately, I'd unplugged the TV, my gaming consoles and computer were packed away, and having stayed up the previous night, I didn't feel I had the energy to read a book.
So I played the most dangerous game known to man (after "Russian Roulette" and "Is This Poison?"). I like to call it "Just Five Minutes." The game consists of lying on your bed and shutting your eyes, telling yourself that you would only be resting for 5 minutes before you'd recharge your batteries well enough to go on.
I lost.
1220: I receive a message on my phone, causing it to vibrate strongly enough to jolt me from my slumber. Jason's message saying he'd meet me in Moriya. I immediately bolt out of bed, call a taxi to the station, grab the suitcase + trash, bolt out the door, chuck the trash, catch a ride to the station, hop in the train at 1230.
Getting to the Shinkansen was uneventful. However the ride was not. At some point, in the middle of a tunnel, our train stopped and I couldn't figure out why. That is, until I looked to the front of the car and saw a news report flashing by, telling me that a man had "entered the tracks and met a train." I can't say that the meeting ended very well. The police were involved and a safety inspection team had to be dispatched. Fortunately it wasn't our train, though. It took a full 90 minutes before the train started moving again. To my later regret, I eventually started cursing the man who'd been hit by the train rather than feeling sorry for him. Around that time, I just went to sleep so that I could put it all behind me. Even after we started moving again, we had later delays to allow other trains to catch up. Added another 30 minutes of wait time, total.
The remainder of the trip was largely without incident, and I got to Moriya sometime around 1930, having originally planned for 1730. Oh well. After meting with Jason, we were immediately whisked away by taxi to his house, where he graciously lugged all my things up the stair and threw them into his apartment before we continued on our way to a drinking party that was in progress. Met a few of Jason's students, and another friend of mine, Matt, there. We chatted at length about music, technology, politics, movies, and more. Unfortunately, no one wanted to stick around for karaoke, so we all went our separate ways. Jason and I returned to his apartment and chatted for a long while before drifting off to slumberland.
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December 31st - Started Slow, Over in a Flash
Having not entirely recovered from my trip up, we decided to make New Year's Eve largely about relaxing and gaming. So Jason and I ended up playing a series of games, including Narutimate Accel 2, Soul Calibur 4, and Rockman 9 (known as Megaman 9 in the West). There are probably many people out there thinking that something more significant should be done on the last day of the year, but hey, it's Rockman! He can't be denied!
But that's certainly not all we did. We had planned to slip down to Meiji Jingu, the most famous temple in Japan, to pack ourselves in among the crowd and wait for the boom of the drums to signal the new year's coming. Didn't quite work out like that. A call from our friend Tina came, and Jason and I were invited to spend the eve with her. Having had my heart set on the shrine, I went on down to Harajuku myself while Jason went off to be with Tina, though we'd already planned for me to catch up them once I'd finished.
We ended up catching a pretty early dinner and so I found myself standing at the front of Meiji Jingu at about 8:30, with almost no one else in the area...relatively. I'm not sure whether or not I expected it to be very crowded considering how early I'd arrived, but somehow I thought there would be more. I began to think of changing my plan and going to Shibuya instead, to go see what was going on at the most famous crossing in Japan. But I decided against it in the end, and was much happier for it. Around 9:30, there were around 5 rows of people, and only half an hour after that, it was so packed that I didn't think anyone else would be able to enter.
I had a pleasant conversation with the group of people standing next to me for a long while, and at some point I was even interviewed by a reporter, though I have no idea what paper, or if it was even printed, considering how many people he must have spoken to. I was asked how long I'd waited, whether I came every year, where I come from, my thoughts on the old year and the new year, things I planned to do, etc.
The only cloud in the joyous feeling of being around all those people was one woman who had positioned herself behind my right shoulder and wasn't able to muster up enough spirit to stay awake. This is where she used her Japanese train-rider experience to sleep while standing up...using my shoulder as a pillow. Now, I wasn't going to just shove her aside, but neither could I afford to simply sit still. My legs were already aching from not moving, so I decided to do the only thing I could to get my legs moving and simultaneously get the woman off my shoulder.
That's right, I danced. Or..well...rhythmic rocking. Did you think I relocated? Sorry, crowd was far too large for that.
I already had the headphones on, so I just started moving to the music, which naturally presented a moving target for my sleepy friend. Any time should would place her weary head on my tired shoulder, another little bump would wake her enough to give me 5 minutes or so of peace. The difficult part was doing my little dancing for 2 hours straight.
Finally, the appointed time had come. One guy had it on good authority that he was the expert of time or something, and was continually giving updates like "33 minutes left," "29 minutes left," "21 minutes left," and so on. Unfortunately, when it came to the final countdown, he was about a second ahead of everyone else. Of course, the possibility exists that he was on time, and everyone else was a second behind. That will be up to history to decide, as I simply observed and recorded the moment. Nonetheless, once the entirety had decided the new year, coins were immediately launched from dozens of people behind me, raining down a monetary storm upon a large area set aside at the front of the temple, followed by the sound of many hands clapping together as those same people prayed for good fortune in 2009. At the same time, the boom of the giant drum echoed throughout the courtyard and likely to the throngs of people waiting beyond.
And just like that, it was over. The man in front of me, the time expert, who had been so eager as to tell me about every passing minute, finished up his prayer, let out a little satisfied sigh, and packed up his things to leave. So I figured I should do the same. After all, I had a train to catch and while I was happy to have been part of the experience, my after-party was meant to be with my friends.
Along the way, I picked up a couple souvenirs, such as the Demon-breaking Arrows and a collection of charms, one each for travel, success, studies, luck, and sickness. I figured I'd let my friends pick one each (except for success, that one's mine!) and then proceeded to the food area to pick up an authentic donner kebab before heading to the train platform. Given the expected increase in volume for the evening, it was no surprise they had trains coming practically every few seconds to pick people up. I managed to catch an earlier train up to Toyoda than originally expected, and from there took a taxi up most of the way.
Unfortunately, the taxi couldn't seem to find the right place, as Tina's apartment is in the Twilight Zone. Instead, I got dropped off at a 7-Eleven and was suddenly charged by an Irish bull named Jason. After getting some alcohol from the shop, we proceeded to Tina's brand new several-boxes-not-yet-open apartment, where we didn't eat, but we drank and were merry, listening to nostalgic music before finally dozing off. Was it 3 or 4? I can't remember.
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January 1st - Getting Off to a Good Start
No clue when I woke up, but I believe it to have been around 12:30. The others were roused soon after. None of us were in the mood for a quick start today, nor did we have any plans which required immediate attention, so instead we simply devoted some time to the appreciation of the arts, and in doing so we listened to more nostalgic music some more. In addition to that, we took some time to flip through the Kindle and delve into some poetry. Having the entire Harvard Classics collection on this baby really does come in handy (mental note: add a cookbook). Some of the poems, at least those I recall, are here:
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
TO THE MEMORY OF MY BELOVED MASTER WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, AND WHAT HE HATH LEFT US - Ben Jonson
THE ISLES OF GREECE - George Gordon, Lord Byron
SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY - George Gordon, Lord Byron
THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB - George Gordon, Lord Byron
WISHES FOR THE SUPPOSED MISTRESS - Richard Crashaw
Tina also treated us to a track from the Space Ghost: Coast to Coast CD, with a parody of Tennyson's (read here as "Tennis Anyone?") poem read by BRAK: BRAK'S VERSION.
Once we were finally up and about, us guys packed up our things and vacated the apartment, walking down the path towards the station. We noticed that it was already approaching sundown, so that any plans we might have had for the day would have to be put on hold. It was rather fortunate, then, that we had made absolutely no plans for the 1st. Meandering down the road, we wound up at a Big Boy restaurant and had ourselves some meat and potatoes, with Tina getting the "Wahoo!" set (pardon the pun...Wafuu means Japanese-style, but I can never resist saying it as "Wahoo!").
Once finished, our paths diverged as Tina went back home while Jason and I proceeded stationward, and were headed back home. We didn't go directly there, however. Instead, we wandered through the streets of Akihabara. Unfortunately, many shops were closed for the holiday and many more were closing up early. Though we'd arrived at 7, even the larger shops were shutting their doors.
One particularly interesting thing about the Japanese New Year is the merchant tradition of the Fukubukuro, or Lucky Bag. In America, one might call it a grab bag, but I don't think they are the same, as Lucky Bags often have a number of goods exorbitantly more expensive than what one paid. Often, there will simply be a listed price on the bag, along with a general description of what is contained inside ("fragrances," "household goods," "digital camera," etc). I was thinking about purchasing one at the electronics store we passed, but we went shopping elsewhere first, and I missed the chance. But the shopping was nice, and afterward we had some excellent kebabs at a little trailer shop.
Once we'd finished with all of that, it was finally back on the train and off to Moriya once more. We ended up grabbing a light dinner (having had our first meal around 4-5 and our kebab snack around 7, and ended up playing Haunting Ground until the late hours of the eve. I do believe it was the first time I ever heard Jason emit a high-pitched squeak. At least, one of surprise.
I heard from one of my friends that there is a superstition stating that what you do on the 1st sets a precedent for how the rest of your year will go. You should not work too hard, because that will mean your year will be stressful. If you are sick or in pain, that is how your year will go. My 2009, then, must be pretty darned fantastic. Woke up among good company, got the creative juices flowing with poetry reading, reflected on the past with Tina's music selection, carried on the day's activities in a leisurely fashion, bought gifts for others, and played horror games.
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January 2nd - Vegetables and Tenderized Meat
Waking up, I suffered from a god-awful shoulderache that has been plaguing me quite a bit recently, and one I absolutely couldn't explain. It was getting so bad that turning my head to the right would cause my entire back to flare up. Not being the kind of self-diagnoser to say "Well, I just won't do that," I decided to see if a massage would work. In order to do that, we would have to take a trip to the mall!
Jason actually wound up there ahead of me, though for reasons I have simply forgotten. We had lunch together, chatting about aesthetics and the difference between cuteness and beauty. Afterward, we wandered around looking at Fukubukuro (see above) sales, though nothing caught our eye at the time. We'd been waiting for an answer from Jason's friend as to which massage parlor would be best, but unfortunately it never came. Since we were downstairs at the time, we went directly to the massage parlor on the lower floor, only to be told by the manager that they would be opening at 5:20...it might just be me, but is that really the ideal time to start your business? Although, reflecting upon it now, I guess that would ensure you get the just-off-of-work crowd who could really use it.
With that option out of the way, we went upstairs to the other massage parlor, which was open and ready for me. I had to fill out some little info sheet and then it was off to the massage table. Placing my head through the ring, I waited for a good 5 minutes before my masseusess came. Once we got started though, it was amazing. With her gentle touch and the right pressure, I could just feel the stress melting off of me. Well, that's what I'd like to say. The truth is she dug her fingers deep into the base of my skull to get started and I seriously thought I was about to die. I'd answered on the form that I wanted a normal-strength massage..I pray to never find out what the strong massage is like.
It wasn't all bad. When she actually got to the parts that had been hurting, the feeling was such that I was laughing. I've heard that laughing during a massage shows just how much stress has been accumulated, but I've never been sure of the origin of that. Even though those parts were great, that was only about 25% of the time. I will admit, however, that once everything was finished, there was no pain, and I was able to twist my head in any direction without problem.
On my way out of the mall, I saw a pretty heap Fukubukuro sale at a perfume shop, and decided to pick up a ladies' bag for the three gals in my school, the manager, the new teacher, and the children's teacher. On a whim, I also purchased a mens' bag. Some of the scents I got, I can only find on Japanese websites, but in the ladies bag, I ended up with:
Juicy Jewel Oil Sheets (630 yen)
Juicy Jewel Mysterious Fruity Body Mist - 140ml (1680 yen)
Christina by Parfums Christina - 50ml (5250 yen)
Miss Soprani by Luciano Soprani - 50ml (7245 yen)
Exult by Naomi Campbell - mini (997 yen)
Incanto Heaven by Salvatore Ferragamo - 30ml (5775 yen)
TOTAL - 21,577 yen
The mens' bag had:
Feroce by Tonino Lambourghini - 50ml (2835 yen)
Intense by Issey Miyaki - 40ml (4000 yen)
Instinct After Dark by David Beckham - 50ml (4000 yen)
Mixte Pour Homme by Jeanne Arthes - 7ml (590 yen)
Samourai Hair Wax: Glaze - 80g (1260 yen)
TOTAL - 12,685 yen
And I got a Ferrari lock as a bonus for purchasing more than 1 man ($100) of stuff. All in all, a huge discount, wouldn't you say?
Went back to Jason's to divvy up the stuff and then to play some Rockman 9. Got all the way up to Dr. Wily's second stage before deciding it was time for dinner. We had actually been hoping to round up a troupe for a merry round of karaoke, but it seemed that none of Jason's friends were around or up for it. So we went to Coco's instead, where we met with Sane, one of Jason's friends I'd met before. We had a nice, long chat, largely about Sane and Jason's upcoming trip to the States. For example, we discussed the fact that Japanese men love large wallets, some big enough that half of them stick out of yer pocket, which would definitely not work in most large cities of the States. We also talked about that great classic work of movie history, The Wizard of Oz, and Jason and I commented that all Americans of our generation still know all the songs. I wonder now how true that may be...and whether or not the generation past us will know anything of the Great and Powerful Oz at all.
Afterward, we returned to the lair to continue gaming, but Dr. Wily proved to be a bit too tough for me. Not wanting to put it off any longer, for fear that we'd be unable to continue, I let Jason take the control and blast Wily into complacency once more. Oh, but the crafty Doctor was able to escape yet again.
After the world was saved yet again, we decided that it was time to watch a movie, and loaded up Sword of the Stranger, one of the very best samurai films, let alone anime films, that I have ever seen. As far as I know, it's currently making all the film festival circuits, and has been put up for nomination for three Academy Awards. Here's hoping that it goes all the way.
After that, bed.
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January 3rd - A Touch of Awe
Big plans on Saturday, quite literally. We were planning on heading out to Ushiku in order to see the country's largest Buddha statue and the third largest statue in the world (2nd until the completion of the Laykyun Setkyar in Myanmar last year). We met up with Sane before taking the train down. Grabbed some lunch at a convenience store in Ushiku before grabbing a bus down. It wasn't very long at all before we could see the big boy in our sights.
Once we'd arrived, I really honestly couldn't say to you why this Buddha is so unknown to most people. The most famous Buddhas in Japan are definitely the Kamakura Buddha and the Todaiji Buddha. They are worthy of note, however - the former for the fact that it is the only huge Buddha in Japan to have gone without change (including restoration) since its construction, and the latter for sitting in the largest completely wooden structure in Japan (and possibly the world). But even both of these hulks sit at a mere seventh of their youngest brother's size. In fact, even I didn't know about the Ushiku Buddha until I was chatting with another teacher (thanks Frances) who clued me in on the truth. I'd been hoping to visit it on my first trip out, but that was not to be. And now with the Buddha in full view, it was simply amazing.
Of course, as with anything dealing with a Buddha, there were things to do like ringing the bell, lighting incense, etc. We also enjoyed a little walk along the fishy pond, and another little stroll down a footpath that no one else seemed to want to use, leading us around the small little pond where, according to pictures, flowers bloom in a vortex of color each spring. Each step closer to the massive statue just made us all take another breath or let out another exclamation at just how big the thing was. Let's take a moment to get some perspective. The Big Buddha is 110 meters tall, with a 10 meter pedestal, total 120m or 394 feet. In comparison, the Statue of Liberty is 46 meters, on a 47 meter platform. Total height 93m or 305 feet. Big Ben's tower is 96.3m or 315.9 feet. This thing is just huge.
Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that when we entered the Buddha, we were greeted by brightly-colored Buddhas lit with neon colors, a golden statue of Buddha prominently displayed in the center of everything, and beyond that a Star Trek-style light strip guided us to the staircase. On the second floor we found a gift shop that contained a 1:1 scale of one of the Buddha's toes, though I have no clue which one. Beyond that was a display hall where people had written well wishes, or simply their name, or the names of other people, for all to see.
The third floor was truly spectacular. A high-ceilinged area where the walls were simply filled with miniature Buddhas, most of which had been purchased by donations to represent a person, group, or family. All of them were a striking gold color, leading me to assume I'd entered some sort of palatial estate on first sight. It was simply astounding to see so many of the little guys around me. Unfortunately, we were unable to proceed any further, due to the highest floors being closed off for that day. We were, however, content with what we'd seen, and progressed once more down the stairs and out of the lotus throne, leaving Buddha behind.
On our way out, we decided to do a bit of shopping, and came across a bust of Ronald Reagan of all people, with a little Q&A saying that there was no real reason for it being there. Jason purchased a Fukubukuro for his hosts at our party later that evening, and we left. At the bus stop, we were surprised to find that we were about a half-hour late for the last bus, much to our annoyance. But not to be dismayed, we dashed for the lone taxi in the nearby parking lot, plopping ourselves in the seats and zooming off to the station. Fortunately, the cost was only double that of the bus with the three of us, so it wasn't bad at all. At the station, we took a train down to Sanuki and Jason let his Japanese teacher know we were coming early. She picked us up in the Crampmobile, or at least that's what I called it due to my knees being higher than my chin, and my head at an odd angle due to hitting the ceiling.
The house was absolutely fantastic, a real old-style Japanese house complete with the little outdoor walkways leading to different areas (though they were covered with glass here). Jason's Japanese teacher, Chiharu, had also invited some friends along besides us, one of them being Angela, a Korean student who Chiharu'd met some time ago during a homestay in Canada, and another, Shi, who was an old school friend. Later, we were also joined by Akiko and Satomi, more school friends. Their English was terrific, as Aki had spent several years as a child living in Durham, England, so she had a distinct accent. Satomi had spent a long while backpacking and hitchhiking around Australia, having picked up an accent herself. While we may have been two Americans, six Japanese, and a Korean, the feeling at the dinner table was very international.
The feast started with a distinctly Korean fare, as Chijimi and Kimchi were brought out to the table, followed by carrots and dipping sauces. Once everyone had gathered, we began making takoyaki, a very popular dish (much more popular in the Kansai region) which consists of a batter, green onions, ginger, breading, and the prime ingredient, octopus. Just for kicks, we also added some kimchi to a few of them to see what kind of effect that would have. Unfortunately, as much as I love watching takoyaki being made, I can't always stomach it. My body tends to reject onions as though it were some kind of poison. The octopus itself tastes like a springy, spicy sausage, so that's never been the problem (though I always feel a chill when my tongue slides across a sucker). I managed to drizzle enough takoyaki sauce over the top that I could chomp them all down, but my body really wasn't too happy with me.
After the takoyaki, there was sushi, and while all the eating was going on, we had plenty of fine discussion, from our musical tastes (due to the fact that MTV was playing behind us all on the TV) to language learning to travel experiences and on and on. And of course, the beer was quite free-flowing, though the ladies wound up sticking to softer drinks. It was the most at-home atmosphere I've had in quite some time, perhaps the first I've felt so comfortable in a large group since my Thanksgiving experience in 2007. And it only got better when we started playing games together.
We began with a rousing game of Uno. Unfortunately, despite it being an American game, those were a couple of disappointing games as Jason lost te first round and I lost the second. Afterward, we played a game featuring a former big star of Japan, Razor Ramon Hard Gay, often just called Hard Gay (the first link is a YouTube video. Safe for work, but a little suggestive). The game itself was also rather suggestive, featuring a barrel where one places swords into various slots. If the player is lucky, HG lets out one of his trademark phrases, such as "Foooo!" If they're unlucky, the spring releases and HG launches out. We had a few different variations, such as placing your forehead over HG, or aiming him at other players and trying to fire him. After that, it was on to the next game, a version of Jenga with colored bricks. We ended up making several teams in different playthroughs. Random couples, Gaijin vs. Japanese, and Men vs. Women. I didn't lose a single time, mwaha! And after that, it was time for some last-minute card games, as we had to depart soon after. In Kansai, the game is called Zabuton (seat cushion), where a deck of cards is spread in a circle, players flip a card in turn, and if the number or suit matches, everyone moves to slap the pile. The last slapper keeps the cards. Then we played another game with pens. Everyone has four cards, and each player passes one to the left with very little time to think. One player makes 4-of-a-kind, he grabs a pen, and everyone else tries to grab one. Last one loses.
Once the games were done, we went back to the station and hopped on the car. Actually, we wound up boarding a green car, which one is not allowed to enter without a special ticket. Hoping not to be caught, and feeling a little silly, the three of us (Sane, Jason, and I) played a little Metal Gear Solid, rushing through the car and peeking around corners with finger-guns. Fortunately, no witnesses. When we wound up at the last car, we laid down a perimeter, kept watch for any officials, and when the train stopped, we dashed off to the next car, a normal non-green, where we could kick our feet back and relax until we finally arrived in Moriya, parted ways with Sane, and Jason and I returned to the lair once more. I spent the rest of the night packing while Jason played Fatal Frame, and beat the first boss. We had another big day planned for Sunday, so it was off to bed a little earlier.
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January 4th - Samurai, Servants, and Shrines
Big plans for the 4th. Being that it was my last day, we planned to visit some of the famous sights of Tokyo. But first! Jason's Japanese lesson. Which gave me the time I needed to finish packing all of my things. Hopping down to Tokyo station on a later train, I needed to secure a storage locker so that I wouldn't have to lug y bags around everywhere. Given that my suitcase was holding both my PS2 and PS3, plus tons of other heavy things, I really was hoping to avoid that. And I was fortunate enough to come across a French couple who couldn't fit their bags into the locker no matter how hard they tried. I was looking to see if any others were open when they simply asked if I wanted theirs. Ching! After that, I boarded another train to go to Shinagawa, the point of our first trip, and waited for Jason, gorging myself on some authentic Indian curry in the meantime.
Our first stop? Sengaku-ji, the resting place of the famous 47 Ronin. I won't go into too much detail, as there's not enough space here to include all the intrigue and greatness that the story entails, but the basic plot is that one lord Asano was treated rather abruptly by one lord Kira in Edo while Kira was supposed to be training Asano in etiquette for an upcoming reception. Asano took it for a long while, but finally couldn't stand any more, drew a dagger and attacked Kira, giving him a minor flesh wound. For even drawing a weapon in Edo Castle, one is condemned to death via seppuku (self disembowelment by sword). Asano's family was left with nothing, all lands and goods were confiscated, and his retainers lost their titles and privileges. 47 of his retainers, led by Oishi Kuranosuke, decided that their lord needed vengeance, and banded together, formulated a long-term plan, and carried out a raid on Kira's manor, decapitating Kira and bringing the head to their master's grave, receiving much praise along the way. They had upheld the samurai code. Unfortunately, for disobeying the shogun's direct orders that there be no revenge, they were ordered to commit seppuku, and were interred in the same place as their master.
The temple itself was very nice, and the graves of the ronin were burning with incense offerings that the various visitors were giving to each one, honoring their spirit. There was also a nice museum with depictions of the entire incident, pieces of authentic armor, writings of the period, and a whole collection of wooden dolls painted to look like each individual member of the team. Jason and I discussed the interesting point about the story being that each of the 47 Ronin is known (at least to the Japanese), and has his own story. It's just got a whole lot of intrigue built up in this little story.
After that, we went to Akihabara. It was around 1600 and that meant it was a perfect time to advance to the second attraction, the oh so famous Maid Cafe of Akihabara. At these cafes, all the servers are women dressed up in various styles of maid outfits (the uniform varies from shop to shop), and they greet the customers as though they were lord and master of the house. While I'd always had a passing interest in seeing what it was like, I was a little afraid of simply being overwhelmed (in a bad way) by the cuteness factor known as moe. But hey, we're manly men, and we can take it!
Having chosen a maid cafe that reviewers said was good for communication (we both wanted to practice our Japanese), we went to the @home cafe, up to the 6th floor. Didn't take too long to get a seat, thanks to the time we'd come. Once we were seated, though, it did take quite a while for our server to come and get our order, something we noticed was not the same with the customers around us. Still, they were polite and courteous, and each one complimented our Japanese, despite our mistakes. I ordered the chocolate milk and the fudge bear cake, my partner ordered hot caramel milk and the fudge bear cake. Just after we finished ordering, the hourly show began, with something called "Moe moe janken" being the main attraction. It was basically an uber-cutesy rock-paper-scissors game. I got all the way up to the 3rd round, and told Jason I was going paper, but at the last minute I lost my nerve and went with scissors, which didn't beat the girl on stage. But nobody else beat her either, so there was another chance, which I lost again. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as the two winners got up on stage, one won a final round, and then she got interviewed. Don't think I could have one that.
We received our food and drink, and had to infuse it with "moe" using a special incantation. Thank goodness our maid was quiet, because I heard so many maids around us practically screaming the incantation. Phew. Dodged a bullet there. The cake was absolutely delicious, though. A cupcake-like fudge cake and two smaller dots of fudge made the bear shape, with a hand-drawn face of frosting, and whipped cream bursts everywhere, all covered in chocolate sauce. Not my normal fare, but when in Rome!
We'd also both ordered a "cheki" which is Japanese for a Polaroid. The maids decorate the picture personally before delivering it to you, and you get to choose any maid currently serving to take your shot with you. I had no clue who all the maids were, so I had our server bring a list and did the old eenie-meenie, while Jason chose one of the girls he'd seen on stage. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to make our own poses. They told us what they wanted us to do (in Japanese), and we did it. But it wasn't that bad. Perhaps the most embarrassing part about it is that you're doing it on stage in front of everyone else. And once that was done with, we paid our bill and received special membership cards (site in Japanese only, but you can see the ranks and how many times you need to visit to get it). Apparently if you level up, you get special cheki and commemorative items. That Platinum Card is ridiculous, but I feel a bit relieved that no one's gotten the Black Card yet. To make 2,000 visits, you'd have to visit every day, without fail, for more than 5.5 years!
And once we were done there, it was off to Asakusa, to visit one of the most famous temples in Japan (yes, the title of this section said shrine, but I was going for alliteration), the Senso-ji, the oldest temple in Tokyo, having been originally built in 645, and rebuilt after World War II due to bombing damage. Actually, the way we ended up doing it was going backwards, entering the Senso-ji grounds through one of the side paths, then heading to the entrance, which meant passing through the Hozomon, a curious gate adorned on the backside with 400kg sandals and thee large lanterns. Past that, we went through the Kaminarimon, the true main entrance to the temple and the outer gate, guarded on each side by the powerful gods of Wind and Lightning, Fuujin and Raijin. There were also quite a number of food and game booths, perhaps because of the New Year, or perhaps they do it all year round. I saw a copy of Chrono Trigger for the DS available at one of the cork-shooter games, but alas I couldn't get it despite hitting the target with all but one of my cork bullets! Oh well.
Afterward, Jason and I proceeded to a nearby Starbucks, where we simply relaxed and discussed the events that had gone on in the past few days, what would happen in the future, and other general stuff. This lasted until it was time for me to head back to Tokyo station and grab my things. We separated at the train station, and I got my luggage, went to the platform, and had a nice long chat with the train conductor while we waited for the Shinkansen to appear. I was a little worried when he suddenly told me it looked like the train was 10 minutes late (my last train home was leaving 20 minutes after we were scheduled to arrive in Kyoto), but we apparently made up for it along the way, as we arrived only 2 minutes later than usual. Made the transfer, and I was soon home again, home again, jiggity jog.
And that's that.
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See you next time, Space Cowboy!
Pictures are here:
New Year's - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/NewYearSEve20089#
Ushiku Daibutsu - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/BIGBUDDHA#
After-Buddha Party - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/AfterBuddhaParty#
Tokyo Excursion - http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/pigonjinn/TokyoExcursion#
Videos:
New Year's at Meiji Jingu (countdown starts near 4:00 in) - http://www.dailymotion.com/kyoushibanzai/video/x7z7gb_meiji-jingu-new-year_travel
Making Takoyaki - http://www.dailymotion.com/kyoushibanzai/video/x8088w_making-takoyaki_travel