Home again

Well, I'm now back home and happy to be back home, the trip was long and fun but I am happy with the memories of it, I'll be going through the photos and putting them up slowly over the next few weeks, but for now another post.

If I can share some things:

The most interesting conversation I was part of and how I interpreted it.

I was in a shop in Ginza that sold antique Katana swords, I asked the elderly gentleman behind the counter writing with a calligraphy brush.

Me: Sumimasen (excuse me)

Him: Hi (Yes)

M: eigowa wakarimaska (do you speak English?)

H: Iie (No)

M: uh... Shinai, Bokken wadokodeska (Shinai, Bokken, where is it? I know for a street name this would work but I was wanting to know where a shop selling marshal arts supplies was.)

H: Ginza, Bokken, sen, *this was accompanied by a shake of the head and a expansive motion with his hands. * (There is no shop like that in Ginza)

H: Suidobashi Sayokai, Karati-do, Iaido, Akido. (???? there is a shop that deal with these things)

H: Tokyo, “JR” Ochanomiza, Ochanomiza, Suidobashi *accompanied by hand gestures indicating stops * (I think this was directions, I pull out the map and find Suidobashi, he got the change wrong it was at Akihabara not Ochanomiza)

he then proceeds to draw a map with lots of Kanji on it, my rail map had both English and Japanese so I recognize the box he labeled as Suidobashi, figured that the black lines where roads and the blue one may be a river??

M: Arigato Gozimus *with a bow* (Thankyou)

Anyway 30 minutes later I find myself outside a shop in Suidobashi selling MA supplies, the name above the door kind of looked like the scribble provided to me.

The most interesting TV (not that I saw much)

This one would have to be a tie between the “name and shame show” no idea about its real name but they had security footage of shoplifters that had been caught, ran a commentary about it (I think it was in Japanese) and did all they could to discourage shoplifting. I think this would work on me, the idea of all you friends and family knowing you have been caught would do a lot of prevent shoplifting. Could never be done in Australia, to many bleeding hearts who would make a fuss about it and really, its a lot better and short lived than having a criminal record.

The other show I liked was a driver awareness show, it was aimed at motorbike drivers and if I had to sum it up I would say, “you are on the bike, you have control, its up to you to not be hit” it pointed out turning times for cars/trucks, blind spots, what to do in the dark, when a car does something silly, an example is: “you are on a road with two lanes going in both directions, you are in the outside (curbside) lane, there is a car stopped in the middle lane indicating to turn right, and a car in the same lane as it in front of you. The car driving in the middle lane will likely move to the outside lane to drive around the car wanting to turn right. So if you are in that situation, dont drive up fast, hold back from the car thats moving so that if it does change you wont bu in its blind spot or side swiped by it.” It seemed like a good thing for anyone wanting to ride a bike, a bike is useful for parking and low fuel use, not so you can drive through insanely small gaps to be surprised when you are wiped out by a car that doesn't see you.

Now for the fun part of doing some photo editing.

11th and still in Tokyo

Well its been a little while since my last post, things are going well. Now what has been happening since I last posted... I met up with some nice Americans staying in Kimi Ryukan, we where having breakfast and dinner together for two days, gave me someone to talk to, they have gone leaving German and French guests who have nothing to say to anyone else. I have found that if an extrovert is someone who gets there energy back from being with others rather than being alone I am an extrovert, I`m thinking I`m the most reserved extrovert I know.
anyway its all good, over the last few days I have seen a lot of Tokyo, from the view from Sunshine City Tower (one of the better views) to the depths of Akihabara (supposedly a geek Mecha, but the most overrated thing in Japan so far, some cool stuff, but...) I`v had steamed buns and Okonomiyaki an all kinds of foods

A few notes about accommodation in Japan. The first place I stayed in was dormitory type accommodation 6 beds per room, nice, basically western, the rest of the place was very nice, and social, it ha a large Japanese style area with a low table and 10 cushions around it and a TV, next to the kitchen area there was a smaller full height table with 6 chairs and a book case against the wall, I kind of liked that setup with the book case at the table like that, ok, not a formal table but I still liked it.

The next place was Japanese, it was very odd, the bedding is reversed and... let me describe it, first of all it was a slightly upmarket traditional Ryukan, not cheep and had a lot of the finishing touched that let you know this. also the meals served were very traditional and formal. So the bedding... Most western people have firm beds and soft pillows, this place had large pillows filled with rice to form a kind of hard been bag, after searching through the linen closet I found one that had half foam half rice that was soft enough for me. The mattress, was much nicer than futon mattresses I have slept on in Australia, quality does tell. Anyway sheets, it had a fitted sheet and a flat sheet, the fitted one went round the quilt/blanket leaving a window in the top to see the central part of the patterned quilt, the flat sheet was wrapped around the mattress, it looked good, the room was nice, lots of tea in the room (NOT green tea, I hate the stuff) and a good atmosphere.

well its time for me to head off, lots to do. So until later.

Easter Sunday (8th)

Hi all, well another post from me
It has been good fun writing this up, but the posts are gong to get fewer as I will be doing more things that only appeal to a small subset of people so I wont be boring you with the details. (if you want me to anyway let me know)

(on the 7th)
Thankfully everyone is free to play instruments of almost any kind in the park, So I was able to play the tinwhistle, playing “Mairi's wedding” as the wedding was going on in Sydney. So Colin and Jo you can now say the wedding was an international event

Last night I went to the local Laundromat to do some washing and had to walk through the back streets, it was so nice, this area of Tokyo is from before WW2 and some of the buildings I walked past are probably original ones from before then, the rest are in a similar style (damn the incendiary bombing, its ruined so many good things) anyway the backstreets in Tokyo are safe, and all the interesting things happen there, I got some dinner at a small shop there while my clothes where in the wash and as I ate I was watching all the locals stopping by to eat or chat, or just say hi, and wile I say small shop I`m talking about a board across the doorway to a house with a small cooker on it, grilling some kind of meet in sauce, (I wasant going to ask what, Japan is not the kind of place where I feel I have to be to worried about things, they are clean and healthy) If you ever travel to Tokyo try to get away from the lights, things are much better away from them.

Tokyo Union Church met today, the only place in Tokyo that I have seen that recognizes Easter in any way (I want lots of chocolate eggs/bunnies when I get back) it seemed ok, if slightly prosperity based, “God of Easter Hope”. “Power of Love stronger than death” and the word “Sin” mentioned only once, and that was during sacrament. The entire thing was very formal the pastor singing “the great prayer of thanksgiving” was a bit funny.

Then I went to Yoyogi Park, it was nice, to walk around and I noticed some really BAD people swinging sword shaped sticks around, they combined the worst of east and west, they where truly horrific(one was talking about the "best move", not the best move to do X or the best move in response to a particular action of the opponent but as an absolute.) I had fun baiting some Karate people who also don’t understand fighting no matter how much they do the Kata, in fact the best conversation I had regarding fighting arts was with a tai-chi (but not, I forget the exact version they where doing) he understood it and could really describe how this helped in the long run and one of the most important things he was saying was “this will help you as a fighter but will not make you one, if you don’t do some fighting and learn some sport-fighting arts this will only be a meditation, if you combine this with real experience then it will make you great.” Apparently one of the people who does it regularly fights in Pride and does well.

Anyway today, being Sunday I went to Shibuya because being Sunday the Freek-show, er, Fan-girl, er, Cosplay girls where out, that’s a whole other world, these girls have issues to be gathering there like that, still I suppose they find fellowship in doing it so, no harm done... probably. For whose who don’t know the Cosplay girls are school aged girls who get dressed up on the weekend and gather at a place in Shibuya in costume each trying to out do the others in every way, they are organized into gangs of like minded girls (OKOK there was one boy dressed in a maids outfit, some of us wondered if he lost a bet to someone.) the story goes that these are the girls who are picked on in school so they do this as a release, a way of getting attention, they really play to the camera.

Anywy more later.

Update for the 5th and 6th

on the 5th I got on the train from Kyoto to Tokyo, (top speed was 274km/h) once I got to Tokyo I stoped in for a while at this internet cafe, it was huge and someone had joked to me about spending the night there because it was cheaper than any other accommodation, and I looked up the prices and yes it would be a lot cheaper to stay there but I was not prepared to do that, it would be to much like the job I used to have many years ago doing satellite monitoring, (only more sleeping I hope) so I went to a capsule hotel, now this was an experience, and Im not sure it is a good one, the hotel was ok but the lonely planet warned me that this was in a bad neighbourhood, little did I know how bad, still it was a site worth seeing, if only you closed your ears to the calls of Jamaican men asking you if you "have had a Japanese woman yet" (no, I have no idea why everyone who approached me was black Jamaican, there where lots of other people but they where the only people pimping to westerners), now that I`v seen that area I don't think I`ll go back at night. The capsule hotel was an experience, it had a lovely bathroom (I had to look very carefully to make sure I had not gone into the women's one by mistake before washing) but it was where I should be, the sleeping accomidation was... efficient. I`ll put up some info on the capsule hotel later.

On the 6th we went off to Fuji-san (Mt Fuji) on a tour, so I got on a buss with all my gear knowing I would be staying in a lovely hot springs resort, The tour guide was VERY knowledgeable and also very funny I would have to say the best guide I have had on the tours, he spoke about everything from history to employment statistics to weddings and lots besides.
After a long trip we got to a spot where we could view Fuji-san and while it was playing "peek-a-boo" through the clouds I got some nice photos. I tried to get some with me and Fuji-san in the photo but there being about 6 stops of lighting difference it was a bit hard, then I remembered the flash I had sitting int he bottom of my day pack, I put that on and that worked well, I have no idea if the photo is going to work as I was relying on a kind persons photography skills, I didnt want to press the friendship any more, but at least I have more proof that I was in Japan and witnessed that. We then drove half way up Fuji-san, it was the third time this year that the road was open to 5th station, and once again Fuji-san cooperated with photos. 5th station was the one place in Japan where there are tourist trap prices, strangely enough I didnt get anything other than some nice sake (I have yet to drink it, it was a nice container and I decided to give it a try)

We then went to Hakone, my first comment is (to Catherinise it) "Scarf and Beanie for the WIN!" it was COLD, on the boat I traveled up the top trying to get a few photos out of dead batteries (I had the charged ones in the buss, I was not happy) the boat ride was chilly but the views where nice. After this we went to the top of a mountain by cable car, up there it was FREEKING COLD!!! I had the beanie on and the scarf wrapped up over my mouth and nose, one kid commented "A ninja on holiday!" it muse have looked odd with a black top, black beanie that is cut to cover the ears and then a scarf wrapped around the throat, mouth and nose, but I needed it. the trip up there was worth it, I had the best view of a Shinto shrine on the mountain top, framing the building and tori gate, I will be very disappointed if none of those photos come out, I certainly took enough of them (20 from various positions with various framing's) also a few photos of the view, but I dont think any of them where worth much.
After that it was the the hot springs resort, it felt odd to be walking around inside a hotel and have shoes on, However it has been great, I found some important things, one is the difference between Sushi prepared by a master and "SushiTrain" there is no comparison, it will be hard to not snub my nose at the stuff we get in Australia.(joking) Second a good Sake jug should be small but thick, being thick enough that the jug warms up and holds the heat to keep the Sake warm, if its a thin jug there will be nothing to keep the heat in. Also Japanese hot springs are great, its so nice to relax in one. a proper outdoors one, with steam rising off the water, sorry given that its in use and not a mixed sex (clothed) one it would not be appropriate to take a camera within 50m of the place so you will have to look up on flickr if you want photos of them.

Nara

Hi all, I`m now in Nara, its cold and wet, my scarf and beanie have proved themselves yet again, They are now the most important thing I will ever take with me on a trip (unless its to a warm place)

Anyway I got up early today and had a western style breakfast, now having seen what some of the others where having as Japanese breakfasts I will NEVER be tempted to have that, there is no way that would see me through a day(or see the insides of my mouth). When I got outside to go to the deer park it was raining so realizing that there is nothing else to do in Nara (people, make it a day trip from Kyoto) I decided I was going to walk around deer park rain hail or shine as I had traveled to far to not, so I legged it to the local Circle K (a convenience store) and got a good quality large umbrella for the equivalent of $6.80 (once again Japan is not expensive) walked to the first site through the rain where upon the rain stopped completely and the sun even popped out for a bit. There are deer everywhere, I think the only reason they don’t become a menace is they are so apathetic, they are milling around as if `feed me or not, take photos or not, I just don’t care, just don’t ask me to move because then I wont know if I should summon the effort to move or summon the effort to defy you.` there is one I called Venison, because it was sitting there while this crow ripped out hunks of its winter coat, while I do know this is normal and both parties are happy with this it but first looked like the bird was ripping up bits of meat and the deer was not trying to stop it, just eating away(ok, just a bit twisted)

Anyway the sites where worth seeing, I even took a walk up the nearby mountain that has views across all of Nara (they call it a mountain, I would just call it an annoyingly large hill. Hard work to climb up but hardly a mountain)

I headed back and the rain started up just as I finished photographing the last thing I was going to see. Obviously lots of other things happened but I will have to show you the pictures later, I just cant do it justice in words. Now after a lunch of curry tofu udon I`m going to see the local shops, I think I`v seen enough shrines for a while, the next time I look at a shrine will be Monday the 9th.

I have put a pic or four up on my flickr page to tie people over untill I get　back, I will put more up as I go along but not many and only random ones rather then the best.

For those who have forgotten its http://www.flickr.com/photos/troubadour/

“Expensive Japan” how wrong this is!

I`v found Japan to be much cheaper than Sydney, a 600ml coke from a vending machine is about $1.60 Australian, post cards are 80c at the real tourist spots, I just look around and find almost everything is much cheaper than at home, I have been eating large meals for under half the cost I would in Sydney, the rail network is so much cheaper than Sydney, $1.20 to get across Kyoto (I think 7 stops) ok its not third world but its not expensive, this may be due to the comment I made before this on such a large proportion of the population having lower wages and still living well, but that for discussion in person.

The money in general:
I have found it very confusing despite it being, ‘drop two 0’s off the end then that’s the price in AU$’ I just have not been able to deal with a cost of 750 yen and pull a 1000yen note out of my wallet, I don’t know why, anyway I`m gong to go and chat to new people and get more saki. Tomorrow night Ill be in Nara so I`m not sure I will have net access.