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Well, I am writing again, though it is later than I had hoped. I have been too busy to update properly, which results in me having a ton of things to write about when I get the chance. So, here goes, starting with April. Since I still don't have much time, things might get a bit condensed.
On April 7th, I went with some other students and my film teacher to the Studio Ghibli Museum. Studio Ghibli is a famous animation studio headed by Hayao Miyazaki, who is often compared to Walt Disney. The studio has produced many classic children's and family movies that have become loved world wide. On the way, we stopped to have lunch at a good yakitori place. Then we started walking to the museum, which is located in a quiet, pretty location surrounded by trees, resembling the setting of many Ghibli films. Cherry blossoms (sakura) were in full bloom, and it was a lovely place for a walk. The museum is rather small, but has some interesting exhibits to look at. The building itself is of interesting architecture that seems like something from a fairytale, with winding staircases and stained glass windows depicting Ghibli characters. One room showcases old animation technology, some of which I had never seen in person. The thing that was most fascinating to look at was a device which, using figures, rotation, and lights, produces the illusion of the figures being animated and parading around. It stops, and onlookers can see the set up of hundreds of little stationary figures arranged in a circle. Then it suddenly starts to rotate so fast that everything is a blur, and strobe-lights start flashing almost faster than the eye can detect. The figures then seem to move fluidly, as the characters from a classic Ghibli film "My Neighboor Totoro" run, ride bikes, jump rope and more. In a room upstairs, visitors can look at designs and documents galore from the most recent Ghibli film. Another room is set up to look like the personal room of a story creating animator, such as Hayao Miyazaki. There is a desk and shelves covered in various books and models, and storyboards and drawings hanging all around the room. At first it looks like a cluttered mess, but if you observe it closer, you can tell that this must be the sort of room creative geniuses thrive in. Back down stairs, visitors can watch an original short Ghibli animation that is only shown in the museum. A new one is released periodically. Of course, there is a gift shop in the museum as well. Before leaving, I realized I had not seen the famous statue at the museum that is always shown in pictures. I tried to figure out where I hadn't been, and then a friend and I noticed that the staircase on the outside of the building that people were climbing led to the roof. We went to check it out, and sure enough, there on the roof in a little garden was the statue of the robot from "Laputa". We looked around a bit more, and then the few of us who were left at the museum went to dinner.
Not long after that, I decided I should take the chance to go "hanami", or flower viewing, while the sakura were still in bloom. There are many places around Tokyo that are popular hanami spots, but I did not get the chance to go very far. I decided to pay another visit to Kitain, since I had read that there were a decent amount of sakura trees there. I went on a Friday after class and before karaoke with a friend who had not been to Kitain before. We arrived and walked into the central plaza. The atmosphere was quite different than it had been during my previous visits. There were people sitting and eating under the canopy of sakura, and food booths scattered about. It felt festive, as children ran around playing and cherry blossom petals danced in the wind. During that visit, I also learned more about the temple's history. We discovered where to buy tickets to go inside the temple, as well as inside the Gohyaku Rakan area. First, we entered the main building. Among the rooms in Kitain are the only remains of Edo Castle. My friend and I walked through the rooms and viewed various treasures. Behind the building, there was a lovely garden. Supposedly there are also the graves of several Daimyo who ruled over the Kawagoe area. We walked through a covered passageway into the main hall, where we could get a good look at the alters. From the ceiling hung large gold ornaments, and the inside of the alters were filled with various figures. On the walls were scrolls and posters with mantra written on them. We quietly observed the room and then headed back outside. From there, we went to look at the Gohyaku Rakan statues. It was much more interesting to see them up close. They all have their own expressions, poses, and accessories, and some are rather comical to observe. A man who hopefully worked at the temple approached us as he collected coins that had been left on the statues and asked us where we were from. We told him, and he thanked us for visiting. We decided to leave coins on our favorite statues as well.
Shortly after that, a classmate invited the JSP students and our host families to hanami at a park. The park is near my host family's house, so we walked there. Only about 5 students and their host families showed up, but it was a pleasant time. The weather was perfect, and as typical of hanami, we sat under the trees and had a picnic while being showered by the delicate pink petals. I played some catch with the other students and my host sister, walked around a bit, and then headed home.
April continued to zoom by, and I attended a somewhat uneventful tomodachi event and explained Easter to my host mom's students. The time for mid-term papers and examinations arrived quickly. One day, I decided to pay a visit to the gardens of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. I went with the same friend who I had gone to Kitain with not long before that. We made our way to Tokyo Station and found the site of the palace from there. The East Gardens are the most popular, so that was our main destination. After a bit of wandering around, we found the correct entrance, and spent some time strolling through the garden. It is the original site of Edo Castle, which as I mentioned does not stand anymore, but we could see some of the original guard houses that had been around it. After that we made a short stop at the Pokemon Center and went home.
Soon enough, it was time for this semseter's Kansai trip. I was the only student who had been here last semester as well, so it was the nine Spring semester JSP students, coordinator Matt, and me. We met in Ikebukuro and went to Tokyo Station, where we would board the Shinkansen (bullet train). We bought bentou for the trip at the station and boarded the train headed to West Japan. After about 3 hours we arrived in Hiroshima. From there we took a local train to where we could board a ferry to Miyajima. As for more details about all the places I mention, I will include them with the photographs. We first visited the famous shrine of the sacred island, and then walked through some beautiful scenery to where we could board the ropeway to the summit of Mt. Misen. Along the way, we saw many deer, which roam the island free of predators and walk through the town among people. There and in a few other places in Japan, they are about as common as pigeons in a big city, since they are seen as messengers of spirits and not hunted. We rode the ropeway, yet as we approached the top we were engulfed in fog. Upon reaching the summit, all that was visible was a wall of white. According to Matt, it was the first time that students were unable to see what is considered one of the most beautiful views in Japan. Great luck I have. We went back down and walked to where we would be staying for the night. The place was a ryokan, or Japanese style inn. The 4 other girls and I went to the room we would be sharing and sat down for some tea and snacks that were provided. After we spent some time chatting and trying to solve shape puzzles, it was time for dinner. We all met in a room downstairs, where a feast of Japanese food was presented to each of us. We sat around two tables, and as we ate, several courses were served. I ate the most of anyone at my table, being the only one who finished everything but a couple bites of something that I did not like. After the filling dinner, we once again visited the shrine. This time, the famous Torii that stands in the water could be reached by foot because of the low tide. People staying at various inns stood around in their robes and admired the giant illuminated gate. Before returning to the ryokan, we tried to throw pebbles onto the beams and stick coins in the cracks of the gate for good luck.
The next day, we left Miyajima and went back to Hiroshima. We spent a few hours there visiting the Peace Park, which is located near the epicenter of where the atomic bomb hit, and includes various monuments, the famous A-Bomb Dome Building, and a museum. I had seen pictures of the park before, but something about actually being in the spot where thousands of lives were extinguished instantly had a much larger effect. We all explored on our own, so at the designated time we reconvened at the station, ate some Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, and once again got on the Shinkansen. This time we went to Kyoto, where we would be spending the next three nights. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and all met up to go to dinner, but ended up going in two different groups. I had Italian food because it was the choice of the vegetarian in our group. We looked around the rather impressive Kyoto Station and then went back to the hotel, where I shared a room with one other student. The next day, we went on a tour by bus to various spots in Kyoto. Unfortunately, it was raining buckets, and according to Matt, it was the first time there had been bad weather during the tour. Again, my luck was awesome (not). First we went to Kinkakuji, the "Golden Pavillion", followed by Nijo Castle and Kiyo Mizu Temple. We ate lunch at a somewhat upscale hotel buffet. Then we went to the historic entertainment district to watch a performance by modern geisha. Some sat off to the sides playing music and singing while others danced. Each dance told a story, and the setting spanned over the four seasons, starting and ending with spring. The costumes and stage sets were amazing, changing with each dance. The sets used various backdrops, lights, and moving parts. Of course, I could not get pictures of the actual performance anyway, but it was right before the show that my camera died, resulting in the pictures from the remaining two days all being taken by cell phone in low quality. I had not yet realized that there is a better quality option on my phone. Darn it again. That evening we explored the large station again, and before bed I went searching for a bar with the group of students who I had not spent much time with. We found a little place, and sat and chatted over a few drinks before heading back.
The following day and a half were "free days", so everyone could do as they pleased. On the full free day, I chose to go to Universal Studios Japan, located in Osaka. I watched various shows and went on some rides, and had a pleasant day. The next day I went to Nara to visit Todaiji, a famous temple which houses a giant Buddha statue in the largest wooden building in the world. Nara is the most famous place where, like mentioned before, deer roam among people, and visitors can buy special crackers to feed them. Once you have crackers in your hands, you will have deer swarming around you. I bought some crackers to distribute, and a male who had been waiting around the stand suddenly approached me. I gave him a cracker, and then went to give some to other deer, but he wouldn't stop following me. I succeeded in giving crackers to some others, including a cute younger one, all the while being headbutted from behind by the persistent male. I then visited the temple and walked around a bit before heading back to Kyoto. Everyone met up at the station and we got on the Shinkansen home. The trip had gone by quickly, but it was a good time.
About a week later, I went on another trip with my host family. It was during golden week, a period when there are 4 national Holidays within the time span of a week. My host dad's mother, who was living with us at the beginning of last semester and had since been living nearby, was moving back in with her husband in Nagano, so we all went there together. On the way, we stopped at Ueda Castle, which was owned by the Sanada clan. The main part isn't standing anymore, but we went into the parts that remain. For dinner, we stopped at a little place that specializes in fresh fish from the river that runs next to it. We ate a ton of fish prepared in various ways, and then headed to the grandma and grandpa's house. As everyone else went to a public bath, I stayed back and looked through albums of photos taken by the grandpa. The next morning we went to Matsumoto Castle, the oldest standing castle in Japan. We crossed the bridge over the moat and went into the area where we waited in line for about 20 minutes to get in. Once inside, the line continued to wind through the determined tourist path, so it took a few hours to get through the whole castle. It was very interesting to me, so I was fine spending that much time there. After that, we visited a lovely place next to the Japanese Alps. We ate lunch in a park and then took naps outside in the nice weather. Afterward, everyone went to another public bath, so I joined them this time. It was my first time at one and it was an experience, haha. Upon entering the women's room, I was surrounded by naked and undressing women. Apparently, it was a particularly crowded time, so I had to be careful not to bump into anyone. I tried to observe what I was supposed to do while not being awkward. My host mom thought I would be less embarrassed if we stayed apart, but it made me more nervous. Once undressed, I wandered into the indoor bathing area, where off to the sides, people sat on small stools and showered. For anyone who is not familiar with Japanese baths, you always wash before entering. Shampoo and soap is all used outside of the bath. The bath water is supposed to be clean and relaxing. All of the showers were being used, so I stood nervously off to the side waiting for my turn. When she was done, my host sister spotted me and gestured for me to take her spot. After showering, I headed outside. It was nice weather and I had wanted to try an outdoor bath. I spotted the nearest empty spot and hopped in. I suppose I don't need to give so much detail about a bath, but it is a type of experience you can't really get in the US. The outdoor area had a little garden and was fenced off. I had no idea how long I was supposed to sit there, so after a while I headed back inside. My host mom, sisters, and grandma were getting dressed so it was good timing. Overall, I decided I am not a big fan of sharing baths unless it is a really nice place with good scenery. Fortunately, that is just what I got during my next "onsen" experience, which was recently and I will write about it later to keep in order.
The next day was May 3rd, and I had made previously made plans to attend a cosplay event in Tokyo. My host dad made arrangements so I could get back by bus since the family was spending some more time that day in Nagano. They drove me to the bus stop, and I got on and waved goodbye, especially to the grandma who I figured I won't see again before I leave Japan. A few hours later, I arrived in Tokyo and met my friends in Ikebukuro. We all took the train to Tokyo Big Sight, where I had previously attended the anime fair. Cosplay events in Japan generally work quite differently than those in the US. Most require a fee to get in and you must change once inside. People in costume were not allowed outside of the designated hall, even into other areas of Big Sight. Once in costume, cosplayers stand around chatting, taking pictures of each other, and posing for crowds of non-costumed cameramen. Unlike in the US, people usually don't ask for pictures while someone is walking. It is only appropriate when they are standing in one spot, and you must ask for permission. A line is formed in front of each cosplayer, and each cameraman gets their own photo-op. Unlike at Tokyo Game show where I didn't really know what I was doing and the Sengoku event where I was too shy to ask for pictures, this time I actually stood in line and properly thanked the cosplayers whose pictures I took. It was fun and I really wish I had the chance to take more part in cosplay culture in Japan, but between studying and sightseeing I don't have much time.
Not long after that, I went to see a movie with a couple friends. One is a TIU classmate, one is the ASU classmate I had met with once before, and one is a Japanese friend. It was my 5th time seeing a movie in Japan, and we watched Trigun the Movie. It is a new addition to the popular anime series from the late 90s. The next interesting event was when I went with some classmates on a fieldtrip to watch live sumo. I had seen it in videos but it was interesting being the actual arena watching. Soon came the Nihongo Happyokai for this semester. This time around, my class of 3 did a skit. The premise was a dating show involving a well-known Japanese TV performer, Mario, and a ninja. I think it should be obvious which one I played, so I'll leave it to the pictures, haha.
It is now June and I have about 2 weeks left before I return to Arizona. I have already done some exciting things this month and will surely do a bit more before I leave, but I most likely won't have the chance to write about it until I go back. I will at least add the pictures, and then update once I get home. I am looking forward to seeing people there, but I will definitely miss living in Japan and plan to come back for visits in the future! That's all till next time.
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