久しぶり、インターネット！
So, it's been almost a month since my last post, and I've been busy!
I've decided to split this blog into multiple parts, since there's plenty to discuss and I don't want to miss anything out. My thoughts are likely to occur at random points, but I'll try to keep them consecutive with regards to the blogs. So there could be some backtracking involved, which would likely lead to heavy use of Shift+9 and Shift+0.
On the 10th February 2012, the O'Dwyer family made the (as they put it) once-in-a-lifetime trip to Tokyo, Japan. I disagree with this statement, as I intend to come back to Japan a great deal in future! However, it is the furthest that my Mother, Father and younger sister have travelled - and I certainly hope I didn't disappoint!
I started, as I do most things, by being late. They were due to arrive at just before 10.00, and thanks to being a minute late for the train, I had to wait an hour for the next one. So by the time I arrived, they had been at the airport for about an hour and a half. But they were remarkably happy to see me, and I they! There's something fantastically overwhelming about walking across an airport towards one's father - in fact I was unable to keep a straight face!
We made the journey to our hotel, and I got to show off my Japanese several times (not actually complex stuff, but it's always impressive!) - asking for tickets to Ueno and directions to the hotel. After depositing the baggage, and making our first foray into Japanese cuisine at Yoshinoya (牛丼), we found a Starbucks and got the first of what was to be many coffees.
The next day, the plan was to do something not particularly strenuous, so we hit Asakusa (as many signs say "a mere 4 stop train journey") and enjoyed the shops and the Sensoji temple, with a brief education in some of the simpler points of Japanese culture... Mainly the difference between shrines and temples, and how to wash one's hands before praying.
We had a good look around Ueno park and zoo as well - I saw my first panda! And my first polar bear... The polar bear was much more awesome than the panda - I think we named him Reginald.
It is a testament to how pale Elsie is that less than 24 hours into being in Japan, she drew stares, and at one point a man blatantly filmed her just walking up the stairs of the temple. Further to that, little Japanese children at the zoo seemed to think that the family of four 外人 were another attraction, and we also drew many stares.
It's odd that I've only noticed this phenomenon just now, though I'm certain it doesn't occur at other times. Naturally, the little kids are slightly more amazed to see us, but I imagine when I was their age, seeing somebody with a different colour skin, or differently shaped eyes was astounding!
That night we dined on ramen (after having several more coffees during the day to keep certain people's blood sugar up *ahemDadcoughcoughElsiecough*) and it was another success! I was beginning to think that Dad wasn't going to have the difficulty with Japanese food that we had all anticipated... Famous last words!
On Sunday, we made the trip to Shibuya, Yoyogi and Harajuku that I made during my first month here - courtesy of Yoma Shimada. We only got lost a couple of times, and whilst we did stumble onto some weird stuff in a Shibuya underground shop, Yoyogi park and Harajuku (I decided to get the most unusual stuff out of the way first), we had a good time!
A combini lunch in Shibuya was most delicious, and gave us sufficient energy to find Yoyogi park. There appeared to be some kind of market thing going on at the entrance, which we wandered around for a while before hitting the park itself.
Having never been to Yoyogi park on a Sunday, it was a new experience for me as well as the family. A drum circle, small dance troupes training, and a dog that was either 2-legged or whose shorts had fallen down so far that he was basically just pulling himself forward with his front legs all pale in comparison to the two most bizarre sights of the day:
The first was some kind of expressive dance/art sort of thing. A young fellow (maybe late teens) was setting up an easel, and had an apparently home-made DJ rack strapped around him. He began the show by dancing a little to some odd music, and then broke it down and cracked out some smooth beats whilst he began to work. Spray paint flew, the craft-knife sung as it sliced across the paper, all whilst he was constantly changing the sampled track and dancing. It was a sight to behold - not least because of his outfit (photo to come).
We stayed to the end, and left quickly. As we found the exit, and made for Meiji-Jingu, there were more dance troupes - this time not training, but apparently performing... Not well. They weren't even coordinated! Men (and women) in Elvis-style hairdos, and either head-to-toe leathers or denims were dancing 60s and 70s style, most poorly it has to be said. What's so weird about that, you say? The fact that there were three groups of them within a space of about 15 metres, all dancing to different music (right down to genre). The cacophony of noise was unbelievable, and made the experience all the more surreal. I may go back regularly and try to persuade them to have a dance off, or something. It was all very "Grease."
Harajuku was Harajuku. Just. Plain. Strange.
We got to the end of the main street where all the odd things can be seen, and came back on ourselves - finally missing the turning to head back towards Shibuya and the train station, so coming back again. The number of cosplayers, and abnormally dressed folk was amazing! One might say it was all a bit peshwari.
Dinner that night... Wasn't quite so successful as previous nights. At least, not for お父さん. His udon was drenched in miso soup, and he (like me) is not overly fond of it. However, he was a trooper, and lived until the next day...
To be continued...
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Thursday 2 February 2012
Just another 外人 in Akashi
So, the long awaited (and what promises to be a rather lengthy) Kobe blog! Though I know what it is you're all really waiting for is the 10 reasons why Japan is better than England (stick with me guys, I'm getting there!)
Day 1
Shinjuku station is enormous, and unbelievably difficult to navigate at the best of times. But thanks to an alarmingly unhelpful 駅員and an inability on my own account to print a map to the bus terminal, it was down right appalling. Having said that, I was able to find the place thanks to ringing Kester様 and getting the name of the building.
The check-in room was freezing, but I survived... Only to be fuming when I discovered that the departure lounge was lovely and heated. Tits!
Unlike my first ever flight to Japan (back in Year 11... Wow!) the leg room on the coach was not pleasing. Coupled with a rather large bag with all my stuff, less than an hour in I was already numb in the leg...
After sporadic sleep, I got to the first of the drop points (Kyoto I think - brought back memories!) and a considerable number of passengers got off... Including all six in the surrounding seats, but not the fellow next to me... Perhaps some innate inability of Japanese to break the rules, he remained in his seat all the way to Osaka where he finally realised that a double seat would allow more space to spread out.
Arriving in Sannomiya felt very Lord of the Rings-y, when I called Kester to find out where he was waiting and he said "looks towards the sun." After a manly embrace, we got on the train to Akashi and saw the wonderful Akashi bridge and the mountains... Pretty epic views!
The drinking began early (after receiving free booze as well as the crate from the sake shop) and we got the beers in and started out with an extraordinary amount of FIFA, 20 minute halves, no less :D
Day 2
Rising early and hungover, we played one round of FIFA before heading out for some tasty, tasty ramen! It was most amusing to see that Kester was so hungover, he forgot how to speak Japanese (in the process making me feel a little better about myself).
The plan for the day was to hit an Irish bar in Akashi - so to pass the time until then, we watched Jurassic Park 2 and made plenty of japes (Don't go into the long grass! You don't have any pokeballs! etc.)
Hitting Akashi with the Kobe-krowd, we got lost on the way to the pub that Kester swore he knew the way to. Not to worry - some random little Japanese old man asked us if we were lost, and offered directions! When he said he didn't know the place we were headed for, he wandered off... Only to literally chase us down the street to tell us that he'd asked directions and knew where the place was. I love Kansai folks!
Day 3
Went to collect Kielちゃん from Sannomiya, and hit up Akashi park on the way back... After being three very camera-happy 外人, we all turned out to be far too pussy to ask to take any photos of the cosplayers in the castle's park.
The afternoon passed in a bromantic blur and we hit the all you can eat (and drink) meat grilling feast :D After lots of meat and beer (ordering 8 in the last 15 minutes is always a good move) we headed back to Kester's for some Anchorman fun (during which I passed out in the kitchen for a little while).
Admittedly, three boxer-clad men sharing a semi-double bed is a little homoerotic, but it's all pure bromance (y)
Day 4
The day of the marathon... A short trip to the ramen shop for another bowl of delicious ramen to cure Kielちゃん of his hangover and a beer run. And so it begins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_zYLIM5_o
The rest is a blur of tiredness, alcohol and hangover, but rest assured... It was a hell of a weekend!
Day 1
Shinjuku station is enormous, and unbelievably difficult to navigate at the best of times. But thanks to an alarmingly unhelpful 駅員and an inability on my own account to print a map to the bus terminal, it was down right appalling. Having said that, I was able to find the place thanks to ringing Kester様 and getting the name of the building.
The check-in room was freezing, but I survived... Only to be fuming when I discovered that the departure lounge was lovely and heated. Tits!
Unlike my first ever flight to Japan (back in Year 11... Wow!) the leg room on the coach was not pleasing. Coupled with a rather large bag with all my stuff, less than an hour in I was already numb in the leg...
After sporadic sleep, I got to the first of the drop points (Kyoto I think - brought back memories!) and a considerable number of passengers got off... Including all six in the surrounding seats, but not the fellow next to me... Perhaps some innate inability of Japanese to break the rules, he remained in his seat all the way to Osaka where he finally realised that a double seat would allow more space to spread out.
Arriving in Sannomiya felt very Lord of the Rings-y, when I called Kester to find out where he was waiting and he said "looks towards the sun." After a manly embrace, we got on the train to Akashi and saw the wonderful Akashi bridge and the mountains... Pretty epic views!
The drinking began early (after receiving free booze as well as the crate from the sake shop) and we got the beers in and started out with an extraordinary amount of FIFA, 20 minute halves, no less :D
Day 2
Rising early and hungover, we played one round of FIFA before heading out for some tasty, tasty ramen! It was most amusing to see that Kester was so hungover, he forgot how to speak Japanese (in the process making me feel a little better about myself).
The plan for the day was to hit an Irish bar in Akashi - so to pass the time until then, we watched Jurassic Park 2 and made plenty of japes (Don't go into the long grass! You don't have any pokeballs! etc.)
Hitting Akashi with the Kobe-krowd, we got lost on the way to the pub that Kester swore he knew the way to. Not to worry - some random little Japanese old man asked us if we were lost, and offered directions! When he said he didn't know the place we were headed for, he wandered off... Only to literally chase us down the street to tell us that he'd asked directions and knew where the place was. I love Kansai folks!
Day 3
Went to collect Kielちゃん from Sannomiya, and hit up Akashi park on the way back... After being three very camera-happy 外人, we all turned out to be far too pussy to ask to take any photos of the cosplayers in the castle's park.
The afternoon passed in a bromantic blur and we hit the all you can eat (and drink) meat grilling feast :D After lots of meat and beer (ordering 8 in the last 15 minutes is always a good move) we headed back to Kester's for some Anchorman fun (during which I passed out in the kitchen for a little while).
Admittedly, three boxer-clad men sharing a semi-double bed is a little homoerotic, but it's all pure bromance (y)
Day 4
The day of the marathon... A short trip to the ramen shop for another bowl of delicious ramen to cure Kielちゃん of his hangover and a beer run. And so it begins. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_zYLIM5_o
The rest is a blur of tiredness, alcohol and hangover, but rest assured... It was a hell of a weekend!
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