Ikimashou! A Summer in Japan @imdarahi - Tumblr Blog

A blurry photo of the view from the top of my dorm

Asakusa Temple

The Classroom

I'll spend this post briefly (as in, without pictures) talking about the classroom setting. As you all know, I'm here in Japan to study Japanese. However, this blog focuses mainly on the experiences of Japan, not necessarily my day-to-day life. Because, make no mistake, my day-to-day life is quite boring and centered around Japanese study and homework.

But briefly. My class is made up of maybe 80% males, and 90% Chinese students. Maybe 1% Korean. The Chinese and Korean students do not speak English. So, in class, the teacher only speaks Japanese, and students are required to speak only in Japanese, not their native tongue. (This doesn't keep me from muttering the occasional "I understood none of that" or obscenity when there is a pause in conversation, however). We learn 6 new Kanji a day, and 2-3 new grammar points. Also, personally, I learn like 20 new vocabulary words a day because evidently Brown University left me grossly unprepared for life in Japan. These classes are designed to get students ready to take the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test), which allows you to study (and maybe work?) in Japan on a higher level. It's actually amazing how effective this teaching method is.

At first I wasn't sure what to think of my Chinese and Korean classmates. As an American, I naturally assumed every non-Japanese thing they said to one another was making fun of one of the 4% of classmates who were also American, and initially I spent classes giving the stink eye to whomever I could successfully land it on. However, as time has gone by, I've gotten to know most--if not all--of the students, and have discovered that they're all really nice, and they all also judged the rest of us upon first meeting us. But we've all sort of changed our perspectives and have formed the closest thing to friendship such a language barrier can allow.

My favorite person I've gotten to know in class is a girl whose name (by Japanese pronunciation) is Setsugen-san. She's really pretty, wears adorable little outfits with the cutest heels I've seen in a while, and was one of the first students to answer a question in class. She was asked, "what makes you happy?" To which she replied, "eating meat."

She has gone on to say that she doesn't find children or baby animals cute, she doesn't like flowers, and she enjoys horror movies. I think she's awesome.

So that's a brief (sort of...) synopsis of the class environment. Maybe I'll post more about it later?

Success!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I've gotten into this interesting routine where I go to class till 12:15, head home (or explore Shinjuku/Harajuku and then go home), take a nap, wake up at 7, eat dinner, do homework while watching television or a movie, and go to sleep. So, really, I accomplish nothing.

As a result, I'll be posting multiple times over the next few days. In an attempt to keep up with events. (Hopefully I actually stick to this)

So. As to the title of this post. I have done it. I've been a complete creeper, but I have successfully obtained this footage:

And This

Now, the camera quality isn't the best, but you can sort of see what I'm talking about. It took a lot of spy-like maneuvering to get these pictures without being noticed, and despite the slightly perverted connotations (should I have been discovered), I'm ridiculously proud of myself.

Pants.

Mitama Matsuri

Last Sunday in Kudanshita, Tokyo (brief side note here to provide a disclaimer about all location--and just Japanese in general--names and both their spelling and their accuracy. Hearing Japanese words and writing them with English letters are two very, very different things. So wish me luck, and take it with a grain of salt, if you will) there was a very large festival called Mitama Matsuri. Ryosuke invited me to go with him and a group of his friends, giving me no greater clue of what it was going to be like other than, "It's a festival!"

As if I didn't get that from the word matsuri. Which means "festival."

So I show up at the Kudanshita train station at seven, wait by a column and take in all of the girls and guys my age running around in beautiful yukatas or summer kimonos. I glance down at my jeans--which I donned at the last minute as I considered the amount of rain falling in Kasai, my neighborhood, and deeply regretted some five minutes later as I attempted to trudge through the cloying humidity that resulted--and immediately feel wildly underdressed. But there's not much I can do except try to enjoy the festival anyway!

And, boy, did I!

^^ Unfortunately, due to camera flash troubles again, most of these photos are quite blurry. Apologies! But here's a nice shot of the sheer volume of people attending this matsuri.

Ryosuke's friends were all extremely nice, and funny, and most could speak English at least passably, if not almost fluently, which was nice. Although they also encouraged me to speak Japanese with them as much as possible, to practice.

The festival itself was held on a long stretch of road, initially lined with colorful stalls offering all kinds of foods and drinks, ranging from salted fish on a stick, soba noodles, "choco banana" (which I have yet to try but I hear very good things about), cucumber and miso on a stick, and okonomiyaki, to bubble tea, fruit juices, and--of course--wine and beer. Whiskey was even purchased at one point by Tasuku, one of Ryosuke's friends (and, secretly, my favorite. he was too funny.). As we made our way further up the road, the walkway became lined with chochin, or paper lanterns (as in the above photo). The result was an incredibly aesthetically cheerful view, which I only wish I could have accurately captured on camera. The end of the walkway was a shrine, which we didn't actually make it to because we decided we wanted to eat, and set up a little tarp off the main road. The rain had stopped falling sometime while I was waiting in the train station, because I didn't even need to use my umbrella the whole time we were at the festival!

^^ The best shot I could get of the side stalls and deliciousness they offered. The first full sign there is for cucumber on a stick and says kappa ippon (kappa is a Japanese river spirit who is associated with cucumbers--also with eating children, so I'm not going to pretend to fully understand his whole lifestyle). I ate one of those cucumbers. It was delicious.

So it occurred to me while I was slowly making my way through the crowd, talking and laughing with James, Shizuka, Hinano, Tasuku, Ayako, and two other Japanese guys whose names I missed, one Australian guy and his Japanese girlfriend whose names I actually just forget (they left a little earlier than everyone else)--but anyway, it occurred to me that this was exactly what I had been hoping for from my trip to Japan. I had met all kinds of friendly Japanese people, was making friends, attending a beautiful, culturally eye-opening festival, and I was entirely by myself in terms of bringing American friends along with me. I had sort of cut this tether between myself and the "safety" of the other language program participants, and, in essence, said "here you go, Japan!" in offering. It was a great feeling, and a fantastic experience, and I can only hope that there will be many more to come!

^^ Small group shot :)

A Welcome Surprise

So, when I found out that I was actually going to be going to Japan, I was (obviously) extremely ecstatic and excited. Japanese friends and others who had been here before gave me tons of advice and information about what to expect, where to go, what to eat, etc. However, no one could have told me, nor could I have possibly expected, to discover this small, delightful nugget of gold immersed within Japanese work culture. Naturally, I feel this has to be shared, being me.

A huge part of Japan's economic lifestyle involves the salary man. Some ridiculously high percentage of men work very, very hard to get a job in some corporation or another, and spend the rest of their lives working 6 or so days a week from 9-5, or in many cases for even longer, I'm told. There's a very good reason that one of the first kanji compounds I was taught in my first year of Japanese at college was 会社, kaisha, which means "company."

Every morning I wake up at 5:30am, get dressed, eat breakfast in the dining hall at 6:30 and head to catch the 7:15 train into Shinjuku. This time of day is commonly known as rush hour. My morning commute in whatever train car I choose is shared with some 50+ salary men also on their way to work, as well as a few younger students and the occasional mother--this results in a train car completely filled with bodies. And I mean filled. For the first three or so stops, no one even gets off; more people just get on. So I find myself standing, always, wedged tightly into whatever crack of space I could find between three or four salary men, with no space to grab a support bar or handle or anything. Few people do--other bodies are a pretty good stopper for losing balance, it turns out. I make this commute every weekday, and one naturally would assume I would grow extremely fed up with this situation. I guess I have.

But I haven't gotten fed up with the small joy I discovered about Japan--the attire of salary men. In particular, the younger salary men. Everyone working in a company wears similar clothes: white, button-down, crisp top, and black pants with nice leather black shoes. Sounds pretty run-of-the-mill. Except, for some reason, the younger generation favors what I have deemed to be the best pants ever created for men. Ever. They're tighter than your average men's slacks, and they...well, they make walking behind commuters a great diversion from the everyday, early morning routine. It's got to be one of the best parts of being in Japan; admiring well-fitted pants on a twenty-something year old Japanese guy was definitely not something I thought I'd be doing in my "when I go to Japan" fantasies, but it's definitely a welcome addition.

I'd really like to post some pictures, but that's a rather awkward thing to photograph, especially given the time of day and other such circumstances. And...you know...it is pretty odd. At least until you see it for yourself.

I mentioned this wonderful discovery today to my friend Anthony, and he was delighted--he had noticed it too, had even wanted to bring it up to a friend earlier today but decided not to. It's something we all can't help but notice (and enjoy), clearly.

I just wanted to post about it, briefly. I can say a lot of things about my time so far in Japan, but I think this suits me just fine for now.

Japan: dat ass, doe.

Clubbing in Japan

So, last weekend (around July 9th I think?), Friday night, I experienced the Japanese club life for the first time.

Initially, I didn't even want to go--my Irish, obscenely tall friend Jack had invited me earlier in the week, saying he was going with "some Japanese friends" of his (which obviously proved an incentive), and that I was welcome to come along. But once Friday rolled around and my friends Andrew and Gavon were boasting about a 70￥ beer place (which is ridiculously cheap. Essentially 70 cents for a beer) they wanted us all to go to, I found myself torn. But I had mentioned the clubbing idea to this guy Anthony, who was in my Group Session level, with perfectly curly brown hair and one of the whitest smiles I've ever seen--and constantly remarked on--and he messaged me on Facebook, insistent that we go.

The phrase "YOLO" popped into my head, unrequested.

So that's how, at 6:45pm, I found myself furiously ripping off my too-appropriate day-clothes in favor of a less-appropriate night-life dress, having said that I would meet Anthony downstairs at 7:10 in order to make a train in time to meet everyone in Shibuya at around 8:30.

Anyone who knows me, knows that the time frame stated in which I had to make myself presentable--especially for my first time at a Japanese nightclub--was damn near 無理 (impossible). So, he came up to my room at 7:20 and we eventually got to the train station and to Shibuya.

^^ Shibuya, worlds different from Kasai--or, for that matter, Shinjuku at night.

Shibuya was absolutely amazing, from the moment we stepped out of the train station--joined by my friend and next-door neighbor, Tiza. Actually, it was pretty interested before we left the station; understandably, being a six-foot-tall African American person in Japan, I recieve my fair share of gawkes and stares. However, there are occasionally people--usually children--who go above and beyond the "you're strange!"-face call of duty, and I always get a little...tickled, because these stares aren't with any sort of judgement or disdain or--as I was perhaps expecting--fear. Instead, they are predominantly marked by an open curiosity and fascination, which I can't possibly feel annoyed or angered by. In fact, I usually smile in response as I'm making my daily train transfer between lines and catch the eyes of numerous sleepy businessmen on their way to work. The usually-offensive "up-and-down" sweeping glance is seen more as a "OMG is she really that tall??" kind of check, and I can only accept such open staring gracefully and with class, a smile, and a nod of the head as if to say "yes, I realize I am different, hello, I'm going to keep walking now."

So anyway, this older businessman is entering the station as we are exiting, and--as I am usually absorbing as much as I can of both the people and the environment as I walk--we make eye contact in time for me to see his mouth drop open and form a perfectly oblong "O." He stumbles a bit, and we pass him, with Anthony commenting, "Oh my god, did you see that guy's face?" And I turn around, chuckling a little involuntarily, to see that this man is still stumbling away, looking back, that same wide-eyed, open mouthed expression painted on his face. I have no idea what was going through his mind, but that was, by far, the most blatantly surprised reaction to my presence in Japan that I've experienced to date.

So Shibuya. Sorry.

^^ Because the far-away lighting of Japan is ill-suited to my poor digital camera's flash capabilities, I have to shoot everything without flash, making my suceptibility to blurry photo-itis that much greater. That said, this is an attempted photograph of perhaps the busiest, most crowded walkway-intersections I have ever seen. Essentially, the cars drive for maybe 3 or 4 minutes, then the lights change to "people" (not green or red, mind you. "people" and "cars") and EVERYONE crosses in ANY direction they need to go. Sure, there are painted markings for the designated crossing regions, but, as I've learned is the Japanese mindset regarding anything painted to regulate the flow of human traffic, who the fuck cares??

We somehow manage to find Jack in the huge crush of Japanese and tourists alike (you'd think it would have been easier, given his height...), and we meet his friends; three tiny girls named Sumire, Misato, and Maria, and a guy named...well, I missed his name, but then he insisted we all call him "Loki" (or was it "Lucky?").

Since reservations at an Izakaya had already been made, we worked our way through the crowd and down an escalator into a delightfully Italian-themed restaurant. Joining our crowd was my aforementioned friend Malcolm, from my Akihabara adventure. We decided to do the nomihodai again--I don't remember if I've mentioned this concept, so here I go again. Essentially, in nomihodai, you pay a flat rate ranging from 1500-2500￥ and higher (depending on the establishment), and you have two hours during which you can drink as much alcohol as you want, provided that you also order about two food items from the menu as well. Here are a few photos:

(you'll have to pardon all of the sweatiness--it was like 93 degrees with 90% humidity that night--no one's hair was cooperating, ESPECIALLY mine)

....All of which led us to this final photo:

Of our whole group (somewhat expanded) right before entering AgeHa.

So, how was this Japanese club? Well, it wasn't in Shibuya, first and foremost. We caught a bus around midnight (and when I say bus, I mean comfortable Greyhound-like seating, and this seems to apply to all "buses" here) that was bound for Ageha only, and, as such, filled with already-drunk, excited Japanese people 20 and up. Anthony and I started chatting with a few guys sitting near us who spoke a bit of English and wanted to tell us about their love of B-boy dance and American music. As we exited the bus, we had to step over the spewed vomit of one overly-drunk girl, but that didn't phase us one bit. We made it!

Once inside the club (which took a LOT longer than I'm willing to dwell on, here), we moved around, separating into different groups and rejoining as we felt like it, to experience the entirely of AgeHa. There were maybe four different dance floors, each concentrating on a specialized genre of music.

The largest one, with fancy light shows and a DJ booth up front, played primarily top 40's songs, dipping back to hits from previous years every now and again.

There was a smaller dance floor by the indoor bar that played old-school hip hop, and was filled with men dressed straight out of such music videos (like...to the letter), dancing solo or with other guy friends, showing off their popping and locking skills. Which were many, I might add.

The third dance floor, and my favorite both in atmosphere and in music taste, was located just outside of the club on a veranda surrounding a decorative pool that bubbled up the letters "AgeHa" every few seconds, separated by a Caribbean-themed bar by large glass doors, that focused on reggae music. Reggae, like Sean Paul too--which is what caught and held my attention. By far the most populated dance floor (maybe just in my opinion, as the largest floor was almost filled, too, and also much larger so....but this was the most "packed," I'd say), I spent the largest portion of the night here.

The fourth dance floor was down the steps off of the reggae-floor deck, across some well-placed sand, near yet another bar, and under a white, tent-like cover. I heard mostly One Direction, Taylor Swift, and Gangnam Style emitting from that dance floor so, as could be expected, I stayed away.

Before I knew it, the sun was rising, and the evening was ending. I had made a bunch of new friends (but no real special friends, if you get my meaning), and, worn out, we made our way to the front entrance of the club. While standing there, Sumire, one of my new friends, saw a few people she knew and ran to hug them. They sort of melded into our group, and I started talking to this one guy, named Ryosuke. He seemed really nice, and was even 6'2, so his subsequent invitation to visit him in Yokohama (the invitation occurred on a later day and via facebook, not in person) was answered positively by me, and events following that first meeting led up to what will be the subject of my next post--the Mitama Matsuri in Kudanshita, Tokyo. Also known as the time my expectations for visiting Japan were fulfilled.

Duh duh DUHHH

Akihabara Go!

So, the very first full weekend I spent in Japan, around June 29th or so, I decided to go to Akihabara by myself and explore. For those of you who don't know, Akihabara can be loosely interpreted as "nerd's haven," a name that could not be more apt. Lined with shops offering everything from anime paraphernalia and video games, to the most recent model of cell phone, Akihabara is renowned far and wide as a "number 1" hotspot for tourists, and, judging by the incredible congestion of human traffic on every last stretch of sidewalk, this is a commonly-shared conception.

^^Attractions like this gathered hundreds of patrons, both inside and waiting outside (in the 90+ degree weather, I might add)

So, my first foray into independent travel through Japan did not exactly start off on the best foot. As I've said before, the train station is a straight shot from my dorm, which is really convenient for someone as directionally-challenged as I am--especially in a place like Tokyo, where, for some reason, street names are just not a thing. So I'm walking down this street, and I go into one of the myriad convenience stores dotting urban Tokyo to grab a cheap, delicious bite to eat. However, the Japanese are a bit odd about eating/drinking and walking--evidently, it's just considered rude and one should avoid doing it when possible. However, I was tired, hungry, and--let's face it--hungover, so I yanked open my coffee and tried to chug it as quickly as possible, so I wouldn't walk past someone blatantly drinking it.

Maybe 10 minutes later, I've fininshed my quick breakfast on the go, and can now concentrate on getting to the train station. But, as I look around me, I realize that I don't recognize anything about this street. It's a similar width, sure, but...there definitely wasn't construction on this side, and...was that gate in the middle of the road before? Suddenly I realize: upon leaving the convenience store, I lost my bearings and turned off of the main road, thinking I was heading in the right direction. I should have been at the train station by then, but I was...somewhere else. I briefly contemplated trying to continue going straight and work out a way to walk around the block....then quickly dismissed the notion. I wanted to get to familiar ground, not get myself more lost (which is what would have happened, no doubt).

So I eventually got back to the main road, and to the train station, squashed myself in with the other passengers and thanked the stars for in-train air conditioning on high, and after one easy transfer found myself walking towards Akihabara!

Now, one thing you should know about this district is that, if you aren't a die-hard manga/anime/video game fan, there really isn't much for you. Sure, walking past tiny Asian girls in full-on cosplay outfits handing out slips of paper and shouting "onegaishimaaaaaaaaaaasu" at everyone who passes by is fun the first...I don't know, three times. But then you've peeked into every shop, found out that some were actually hentai porno shops and recieved several aghast stares from older, lonely patrons, and eventually settled on just not ever entering shops decorated with busty anime girls again; and you've sort of "done" Akihabara. So I found myself in a tidy shopping mall, purchasing a rather cute tank top for about $6, and then I settled down in the only coffee shop I could find with empty seats. (That's one thing about Japan--every restaurant and coffee shop is always at least half-occupied, if not full. And loitering on public benches and stone walls is also a really common occurrence. It's actually quite nice to see people utilizing public spaces in such a way.)

^^ Actual footage of the actual coffee I drank that day. It was nice to settle down and read through my tourist-y guide book in a classy cafe. (Lactaid not included)

So I had been initially planning to spend only the early afternoon in Akihabara, and to head up to Ueno for the late afternoon and evening to explore the museums and zoo up there. But, soon after finishing my coffee, I glance up to the window and see two guys from my Japanese Language program staring down at me! I say "staring down" because they are both taller than me--something I had not thought to encounter during my time in Japan. Jack is about 6'8, with a thick Irish accent and an intense smoking habit, and Malcolm is maybe 6'3, a student at Harvard, with a very sturdy build and a great sense of humor. So I end up hanging out with both of them and enjoying a very delicious sushi lunch instead!

^^ The hard part isn't trying new things; it's cleaning your whole plate, even if you really didn't enjoy your culinary adventure. Thankfully, everything here was delicious (even that eggy custard over there on the right)

So, I ended up spending the afternoon with them, seeing Akihabara from a different light. I guess going to a tourist trap alone doesn't really allow you to fully enjoy everything. But all in all, Akihabara was an interesting venture, and I definitely wouldn't mind going back.

But I really want to go to Ueno still!!

And So I Have Returned

Hello! Long time no write!

I apologize for the lengthy delay, but I finally have my laptop up and running. There's absolutely no way I can cover everything that has happened in the past....2 weeks? But I'll do my best to post updates (with ballpark dates attached) as I remember them.

So. What has happened, briefly?

1. I tested into the Level 3 (Intermediate) Japanese Class

2. I explored Akihabara--initally alone, but wound up running into friends, surprisingly.

3. I obtained a denwa keitai (cell phone)

4. I went to my first Japanese nightclub

5. Karaoke happened

6. I have become swamped with homework

There's definitely more than this, but...I'll get around to it eventually. Also, it seems that the spell check on my laptop is gone, so if you read a typo, I am genuinely sorry about that. Learning Japanese seems to mess with my English.

I'll end this post with a short anecdote:

I was walking home alone one day--it's about a 15-20 minute walk from the train station to my dorm, a straight shot down the central avenue in my neighborhood--and I passed by a few Japanese businessmen and students. Ipod in one ear, I did my usual routine of crossing during the red lights and ignoring the occasional appalled response from Japanese pedestrians who obey traffic signals as if they too were cars (and, let's face it, that essentially takes away the one perk of being a pedestrian). As I reached the steps of my dorm and began to climb, I heard someone should something behind me. Turning, I saw a Japanese boy astride a bike--I remembered him from an earlier corner, standing, no bike in sight--he smiled up at me and handed me a small slip of paper.

"Sumimasen" he says, bowing slightly. I point to him.

"Is this yours?" I ask, hoping he understands the gesture if not the language I'm using. He just nods, smiling. I assess him for a moment, smile, say "arigatou" and head up the stairs to my dorm.

Unfortunately, I have not emailed him yet, and I probably won't. I just can't get over the fact that he somehow comandeered a bike and followed me to my dorm. In one world, that would be a very endearing, Notebook-like pursuit. However, in Japan, that is just plain creepy.

The Computer Difficulties Continue...

So, my laptop has decided to be an unhelpful friend and shut down every time I try to log in. I am currently in Safe Mode, and for some reason a byproduct of that is that my keyboard will spaz out and start inserting letters in the middle of my sentence or highlight everything and delete what I've typed.

As such, I haven't been able to post much, lately. But as soon as the problem is fixed (potentially Monday), I'll be back in action! Which is good, because there is a lot that needs to be covered.

Stay tuned!

All About the Meals

Perhaps the best part of dorm life so far has been the meal plan. My dorm offers breakfast and dinner every day, leaving lunch for us to get during our midday explorations of Shinjuku in between Group Session classes (which last from 9:30 am to 4:45 pm, I might add). Instead of having to pay a flat rate at the beginning to cover every breakfast and dinner we might possibly have, you pay for a meal ticket for that day's breakfast or dinner separately, and any day you don't want to eat at the dorm, you just don't buy a ticket. Breakfast costs 200￥ (about $2), and dinner is 500￥ ($5). Ridiculously cheap. And delicious!

The dorm boasts a full Japanese meal, complete with as much miso and steamed rice as you can eat. I've thoroughly enjoyed every meal so far. There are even the occasional Japanese mystery food, that I've never seen or experienced before, and in most cases I can't read the kanji enough to discern what it is before I put it in my mouth. This can end disastrously, of course, but it only adds to the excitement and elation of being in this amazing foreign country.

Here are a few photos from dinner Tuesday night.

^^ Don't let the glazed look in his eye fool ya--he was DELICIOUS. The problem was figuring out how to eat him with just chopsticks..

The biggest surprise on Tuesday was the "dessert," called chawanmushi. Like any other excited individual, I dove right in, not sure what to expect.

^^ From the outside, it looked like some kind of vanilla pudding. However, upon opening the product, I discovered it had a quivery, liquidy gelatinous-looking texture and a distinctly egg-like aroma. What exactly was I getting myself into? And what were those brown globs?

^^A closer inspection revealed that the "blobs" were actually mushrooms (which I've come to glean is what mushi means). If this picture doesn't give you some idea of how I felt before taking that first bite, I don't know what will. It tasted....like an egg-mushroom warm gelatinous but watery custard. In short, I did not finish it. I did not take a second bite. I barely finished the first one.

I will be avoiding chawanmushi for the foreseeable future.

Similarly, yesterday morning I was heading into Shinjuku with my friends--adding new friends Dominique, a student from the Netherlands, and Joy, a PhD student with perhaps the driest (and most hilarious) sense of humor I've ever encountered, to the mix--and I stopped for an energy drink. I bought a blue one that said "cool," thinking this would be a fruity, enjoyable time. Lo and behold, I popped open the can and took a huge, eager swig--and nearly choked to death. This beverage was not labeled "cool" because it threw the best parties. It was named such because it was actually the flavor of Listerine. Carbonated Listerine with a Robitussin-like, throat-numbing aftertaste. Foul.

Yet these are the kinds of new experiences I live for.

Shinjuku After Day

On Monday, we had about 2 hours of orientation, followed by a placement test to assess our Japanese language skills. After that, there was an interview conducted in entirely Japanese to further assess our ability. Actual classes don't start until July 9th--at present, the students who study at this school full-time are on their summer break, so us "short term summer study" students are to learn in a more informal manner. We got put into groups for "Group Sessions," which are designed to get us ready for the official placement test, which will ultimately decide which level class we are put in. The school has levels from 1, absolute beginner (with knowledge of the basic hiragana and katakana writing systems), all the way to 8; which is basically for those ready to attend college in Japan. The students in the short summer program range from levels 0 to 5.

I got my test results and found I was put in the second to highest group; for those around level 2, looking to test into level 3. (The highest group is for 4 testing into 5). Level 3 seems incredibly daunting, especially given that I've only had 1 year of Japanese instruction that focused mainly on reading and writing, and as such can barely speak a full sentence--let alone at the natural speed (CRAZY FAST) at which native Japanese people speak--but if my interviewer believes I can test into that level, then I'll give it my best shot!

On Tuesday, we had a tour of Shinjuku, the bustling semi-center of Tokyo. Here are some of the pictures.

^^ A beautiful shrine not too far from the school

^^ Most of my pictures are of the city bustle, like this. I'll never get used to the cars driving on the opposite side of the street.

^^ Perhaps the largest crosswalk I have ever seen in my short life!

^^ A freelance...calligraphy artist? He does good work, whatever it is.

^^Some more hustle and bustle. Shinjuku is a remarkable place to visit for the first time.

This Friday we'll be taking a tour outside of Tokyo to visit some interesting historical sites. I'll definitely be taking pictures of that. There are also plenty more pictures from my tour of Shinjuku that could go up at some time or another, so stay tuned!

#shinjuku

And So It Begins

It's been five days since I arrived in Tokyo, but it feels like I've been here for much longer. Japan is such a wonderful place. I've made a bunch of friends in my language program, and we're all working together to learn as much Japanese as we can. Most of my friends live in the same dorm as me, and we travel together into Shinjuku for our classes.

My dorm room is actually much nicer than I thought it would be; it's spacious, perfect for one person, with a nice private bathroom and more than enough closet and desk space. ^^ The view from just inside the doorway. There's actually a good three feet of space between the bed and that back window, which has a sliding door, screen, and spacious balcony overlooking the rest of the neighborhood.

I've taken up yoga and meditation, and have plenty of space to do both in the quiet of my room. The dorm rules are a bit more strict than in America--no loud music, shoes must be removed before entering, keep it tidy, no alcohol (haha yeah right)--but it makes for a very relaxing living environment, and great study space.

^^ I had a bit of trouble figuring out the futon-like arrangement of the bedspreads provided (this is not correct at all, in case you were wondering), but I've managed to make an extremely comfortable sleeping area regardless. Also, much to my surprise, the bed is the perfect length for me!

On Monday, I took the train in Japan for the first time. That was quite the experience. I went with a group of friends--Andrew, Tyler, Nathan, Daniel and Gavon--and none of us knew what to expect. We'd all heard stories about the sheer number of people who travel by train to work in Tokyo, but that could never have prepared us. We've been given enough tickets (pre-paid to cover the route from Edogawa to Shinjuku and not a stop further) to last us until our school can arrange for train passes, and the first step was figuring out how to get through the ticket/pass gates. Your ticket is returned to you, and you have to hold on to it to get through the 3-4 other gates along the way--something we found out when kind commuters tapped us on the shoulders as we passed through the gates to hand us the tickets we had almost left behind in our ignorance.

So we made our way to the train station, and found the correct train line and waited for the train to arrive. It was already full of people. In America, this would mean you wait for the next, less occupied train. In Japan, this means you line up in an orderly, yellow-paint-guided fashion, then proceed to shove your way onto the train, filling every possible pocket of fresh air. If it weren't for the air conditioning blasting down from the ceiling, this would have been an unbearable experience, especially for people shorter than me. For the next three or so stops, maybe four or five people got off, and at least ten got on each time, if not more. The last people on the train would turn their backs to the squashed commuters, put their hands up on the top of the door frame, and use it to push everyone in even tighter. You can forget about personal space on the trains in Tokyo--everyone is in everyone's grill. No grill is unoccupied. Yet the train is completely silent. It's just an unspoken understanding that, in such close quarters, with your face pressed up against the back of a sweaty businessman, everyone will keep entirely to themselves and, in doing so, maintain some semblance of solitude, even if only in their minds.

By now I've gotten used to the train ride--have even come to enjoy it, especially on the way back home when I might just get the chance to sit in one of the ridiculously comfy train seats, but as every time I board the chikatetsu there is a different amount of squishiness, it feels like a brand new experience every time.

^^Every experience in Japan is a good one. It's in JAPAN.

#japantrain #tokyotravel

Good luck on your placement test! (^.^)v

<3 <3 thanks booo!

I think I've been accurately placed :)

^^ Part of the lovely hotel lobby. I waited here for the shuttle to take me to the airport to meet up with the other students.

^^ One of the vending machines on my floor. The bottom left are hot coffee beverages--I haven't tried any yet, but these are all over Japan so I'll get the chance!

^^ Yes, that's beer in a vending machine. There's actually one like this in my dorm's cafeteria.

^^ My hotel room! I loved those window screens :)

^^And finally, the hotel lobby toilets. They come equipped with a heated seat, and buttons for bidet-usage (back and front). The bathrooms in the airport had "flushing sounds" as a courtesy noise while doing your business, too.

I'm finally in my dorm, and it's really nicely sized! But I'll post about all that tomorrow; tonight, I have about 6 hours' worth of studying to do for the placement test tomorrow. I'll also be taking the subway (chikatetsu) for the first time in Japan tomorrow morning, so that'll be very exciting!

And Then There Were Camera Difficulties..

I knew I should have forced my dad to let me bring his camera.

Instead, I agreed to take my mom's camera with me. We've had it for maybe five or six years now? Maybe more, honestly. I used it this morning to take pictures of my breakfast, the amazing toilet in the hotel lobby, and the vending machine down the hall. So imagine my surprise when I import the files and see that they aren't there at all! And, my laptop is programmed to delete the photos from the card after they've been imported.

I can retake the photos of objects around the hotel, but....I ate my breakfast!! It's to be expected, I know, but it was such an experience! The hotel had a full buffet (for 1,300円, I might add) featuring both Japanese breakfast items and what I assume are meant to be American foods. Obviously, I skipped those--they consisted of a watery, surprisingly orange batch of scrambled eggs; thin, pink, maybe undercooked bacon; sausage-but-not-really-at-all; tater tots that were actually just fried potatoe wedges; and pancakes. Yeah, they got the pancakes right, I just don't really like pancakes.

The Japanese breakfast foods varied from grilled fish slices with the silver skin still on, pickled vegetables, to braised seaweed and burdock, and of course miso soup and steamed rice. I tried to get a sample of everything. The fish was delicious, as was the seaweed and burdock. The pickled vegetables, which ranged in color from neon yellow to bright green and purple are definitely on my list of things I need to get used to eating. The miso was great and familiar, as was the rice, which you can't really go wrong with. There were also rolled eggs, which is egg (I assume) in a rectangular shape and that tastes...interesting. Certainly not like egg. I wish I had a picture of my meal.

Checkout time is 11am, which is in a little more than an hour. I'm going to try and get some studying done, and then the plan is to make my way to the airport in time for the 12:20pm meetup with the officials from my school and other students. From there, we'll be driven to our respective dorms and I can (hopefully) unpack everything!

Check back soon for the hotel pictures!

#deletedfiles #japanesebreakfast

I Have Arrived!!

I am officially IN JAPAN. It's crazy!

I wanted to write a nice, full post today with pictures and everything, but my hotel charges for internet and I don't have an adapter for my laptop charger, so the battery will die soon.

But Tokyo!

So I stayed up all night Thursday in order to start getting on Japan time. As a result, I couldn't keep my eyes open during takeoff. I had a window seat and everything! I flew Japan Airlines, which is just...ten thousand times better than any airline I've flown before. They fed us twice, both times were delicious, and I even got to exercise my new-found "legal drinking age in Japan" discovery with a few small bottles of red wine. But, despite how lovely the environment was, it was still a fourteen hour flight. That was the longest mess of my life. I slept in the beginning, watched a movie (the selection could have been better), and thought "I must almost be there by now!"

Loljk.

I was barely six hours into the flight.

Don't get me wrong, though. It was worth it, definitely. I just wouldn't want to do that again for like five months.

So landing was a particularly fun experience for me, as I got to see Japan for the first time. The first thing that came to mind was "green." Japan has so much more plant life than America, especially around where I live. Everything here was rolling green hills, thick forests, patches of farmland, even solar panels here and there! As I took a cab to the hotel I noticed all of the green along the highway, too. Also, I'm never going to get used to the whole drive-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road thing.

I'm already behind in my studying, and it's showing. I've had numerous opportunities to speak Japanese to people and English just comes out. When I make the effort to try and change that, I end up mumbling. A large portion of speaking a foreign language--especially in the country from which is originates--is confidence. Also just sucking it up and going for it. I should really just try, but it is more daunting than I thought it would be.

Okay, I would go on with more details about Japan or my hotel, but without pictures this just looks like an oddly-spaced essay. So once I get my camera and internet up and running, and am well situated in my dorm, I'll do my best to post frequently and interestingly!

Also, it worked! I'm not jet lagged at all!

Yet.

Edit: I did buy adapters, my dad just never gave them to me before I left. Or a shower cap, for that matter. The things I've forgotten....

#tokyo #arriveinjapan #hotel #speakjapanese #jetlag

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