Let's Nihon-go!

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5 pictures that leave me with more questions than answers

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May 28th, 2019

Today is our last morning in Japan! I am sad to leave because I’ve made some amazing friends on this trip. I will be dedicating this post to everyone on the trip by sharing something that I am grateful for. I am grateful to Logan for helping me when I got lost. I am grateful for Teri for all the amazing hugs. I am grateful for Harvey who was always joking around with me. I am grateful for Sanya for our conversations about Islam. I am grateful for Shreya for always listening to me. I am grateful for Cartier for holding my bags. I am grateful for Jeshua for sharing his breakfasts with me. I am grateful for Jenn for including me in her adventures. I am grateful for Jenna for playing bangers at karaoke. I am grateful for Davis who carried my suitcases. I am grateful for John who explained answered my questions on Japanese culture. I am grateful for Danica who checked my extra suitcase. I am grateful to Christine for her wisdom and empathy. I am grateful for Karly and Ivanna for the laughs and inside jokes. I am grateful to Chase and Aidan for encouraging me to be more independent. I am grateful to Nik and Caitlin for the fun times we shared with the BGU students. I am grateful for the hugs I got from Colten. I am grateful for the kindness and friendship from Natasha. I am grateful for the meaningful conversations with Cyndora. I am SO grateful for Kayla who did my hair! I am grateful that I got to hear Julian sing! I am grateful to Leighton for encouraging me and giving this opportunity to come to Japan! Lastly, i am grateful for all the people who helped me on my journey and the locals for being so understanding and kind! Goodbye Japan!

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May 27th, 2019

Today is our last full day in Tokyo :( We visited the Canadian Embassy in Japan to learn more about the social and economic relationship between the two countries. I learned that Hokkaido and Alberta are sister provinces. And about the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). Canada has a lot of natural resources and is an agriculture-rich country which makes trading with Japan, a resource-poor country a lucrative relationship. For example, Asahi Brewery imports grains from Alberta. I hope Canada-Japan relations continue to improve so we can access more exports from Japan, such as KitKats and snacks. Something interesting to note, it was easy to apply for the tourist visa in Japan which is an indication of the openness to foreign tourism. As relations between Canada and Japan improve, I think it will become a key travel destination for Canadian tourists. After the embassy visit, I went to 7/11 and bought all of my favourite foods for one last 7/11 buffet. I am going to miss the mochi ice cream and the frozen mangos so much :( Afterwards, I decided to pack and weigh my luggage as I now have 3 suitcases and will be bringing back clothes for Logan and Sanya. Afterwards, we went to a conveyor belt sushi, an izakaya and then to Ban Ban karaoke! It was a great group bonding experience and I had the chance to sing and spend time with almost everyone on the trip. Around 3am we decided to go home. Today, I am grateful that John came to say goodbye.    

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May 26th, 2019

Today we returned to Tokyo which is bittersweet because I loved exploring the area but sad because we’ll be leaving soon. On the Shinkansen, I was thinking about how the relationships on the trip have changed. I remember worrying if I would make friends or if I could trust people on the trip. I am thankful that I decided to come to Japan because I would have never met all these incredible people. It is strange to think we all have been in the same school but never met each other. I’m going to miss living with everyone but more than that I will mss the frozen mangos. When we arrived in Tokyo, I went down to the 7/11 to buy bags of frozen mangoes. I wonder why the 7/11s in Kyoto don’t carry them? (I checked 5 7/11s!) Afterwards, we went shopping at Sunshine City to get gifts for Leighton, Teri, and Christine. In the Louis Vuitton, there is an employee whose sole responsibility is to open the door for people. I was thinking about how Japan is automating the food industry by using iPads/computers to order; that automation is ignored in the clothing industry. From what I have experienced in Japanese shopping, service people are needed to reinforce the economic hierarchy. For example, GU, a teenage clothing store, has automated the check-out process while luxury brands still have people up open doors or press elevator buttons. Overall, I had a good experience shopping because I navigated us to different shops and picked up snacks from Dons! Later on, we all headed to the izakaya and I got to sit and drink with people I don’t often go out with. We all decided to go to karsoke for our last night! Today, I am grateful for Cartier for holding onto my luggage during the train ride. I have no idea how I’m going to carry my bags to the airport 😭.

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For future participants, I would recommend having an album to listen to when visiting Kyoto. Listen to the album when you’re alone and on the shinkansen. Now when I miss Kyoto, I listen to this song and I feel like I am back there. 

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May 25th, 2019

When researching activities in Japan, I made an Excel spreadsheet to track everything I wanted to accomplish in Tokyo but I did not prepare a list for Kyoto. So, I decided to tag along and go to the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Monkey Park Iwatayana. At the train station, we bumped into Andy and his friend and they joined us for our journey. The bamboo forest is very beautiful, we actually saw a foreign couple getting married there! However, it was filled with tourists who took photos of our group. I did appreciate that the forest employees are making efforts to protect the bamboo from tourists. For example, there are signs translated into multiple languages warning against touching the trees. Something that made me uncomfortable was the rickshaws at the bamboo forest because it must be extremely physically exhausting to pull, I feel bad for the employees. I wish I could have spoken to an employee to ask him how he feels. Afterwards, we decided to go on a boat ride on the Katsura River! This has to be one of my favourite experiences on the trip; the boat ride was cooling and relaxing in the +35 weather. We then walked over to the monkey park which turned out to be an hour-long hike. Right outside the park was an ice cream and takoyaki vendor. Here I had the best mango ice cream. Natasha, Shreya, and I went back to the hotel to meet up with Logan, Sanya, and Cyndora. Cyndora gave us a tour around the Kyoto station. She showed us the observation lounge, the staircase of lights, and this romantic indoor cabana. We even saw some teenagers on dates! The Kyoto train station design is elegant and regal; I wish our train stations could be like that. This time I made sure to pack my luggage and then headed out to the British Pub. In Kyoto, I am grateful for the change in pace and for Cyndora showing us around. 

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May 24th, 2019

Today we visited Chase’s favourite company, Asahi Brewery! Asahi is almost completely run by machines. The entire process of brewing beer, bottling, labelling, and packaging is done by machines. The robots are unbelievably fast and accurate, for example, within seconds the labelling machine prints and attaches labels to up to 6 beverages at a time. This facility is able to produce 100,000 of cans of beer every day. After the tour, we sampled some drinks. The non-alcoholic drinks did not suit my tastebuds but I know others enjoyed the free beer! I was able to capture a photo of two Asahi representatives in Osaka😂. Osaka is different than Kyoto or Toyko because people will try to persuade you to go into their restaurant and it’s rude to ignore someone you can understand. For lunch, we found a conveyor belt sushi restaurant that also had the option of ordering using an iPad in English. I think the sushi in Osaka is more similar to back home because I could order California rolls, tempura rolls, and spicy tuna sashimi. I think the food culture is an indication that Osaka has become a tourist destination as this area wasn’t authentic. Logan and Shreya weren’t feeling well so they went back to the hotel to talk to Teri. While shopping in Osaka, I heard sirens but couldn’t see what was happening because the street was crowded. As I continued down the street, I saw that someone was injured and was receiving medical attention from EMS. This made me really uncomfortable because the ambulance had to be parked at the end of the market, then EMS had to push through a crowd to reach the injured person. To make it worse, people walked around the injured person like they were an obstacle in the path. I don’t think I have ever witnessed apathy like that. To conclude, I am grateful there were non-alcoholic drinks for me at Asahi and EMS was able to assist the person in Osaka. 

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May 23rd, 2019

Today we visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum which was an emotional trip. The museum focuses on telling the stories of victims of the atomic bomb, specifically the narratives of women and children. After visiting the military museum, I knew to critical question the exhibits. Again, there was no mention of the crimes committed against China and Korea. Instead, the exhibits framed Japan as an innocent victim. While at the Peace Park, I noticed lots of school children were on trips to visit. There was a man taking photos of the school children that made me uncomfortable. I think it’s inappropriate and creepy and I doubt he would do that in his home country. After we travelled to the Himeji Castle which noble families used to reside in during times of war. Teri pointed out features of the castle that were designed for war, for example, little holes for arrows to fly out of and narrow entrance ways. Visiting the museum and castle was very draining so I left for the hotel. At the hotel, Shreya, Dani, Christine, and I did face masks and ate ice cream from 7/11. Shreya, Dani, and I had discussed today’s events and went out for mango parfaits. On our way home, we passed by a pet shop! The cats are so adorable but I think they are bred to remain small. I wish I could have visited Tashirojima, the island where cats outnumber the people but I probably wouldn’t come home. Today, I am grateful for Christine because she was able to help a friend out and bought us ice cream. I am also grateful for the friendships I made on this trip. 

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Photos of People Who Are 100% Done With Me Taking Their Photo

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May 22nd, 2019

Today we visited the Toyota Kaikan Museum and the Toyota Tsutsumi Plant in  Nagoya. First, we went to the Kaikan Museum which had fully functioning cars on display! The museum also had games for us to learn about the process of building cars. I think Canadian museums need to create educational games for adults. Afterwards, we went to the Tsutsumi Plant where we could watch machines assemble cars. In the plant, we witnessed jidoka, as the employees work with the machines to assemble the cars on the conveyor belt. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take any photos. At each station, there is a screen where employees can call over the manager if there is a production issue or signal for more parts from other employees. I think it must be stressful to work in a just-in-time environment because everyone is relying on you to finish your task so they can complete theirs and if you make a mistake everyone will know. After returning to the hotel, I decided to explore Kyoto by myself and try to locate a nail salon. I was not able to find a nail salon but I did find a grocery store and bought some fruits. I love eating fruits but I don’t think I could afford to do so regularly in Japan. I find it difficult to understand that people discard “ugly” fruits and the amount of packaging used to protect the “pretty” ones. However, the fruits in Japan are tastier than the ones at home. To conclude, today I am grateful for the courage to explore the area and the silly pictures Cyndora took. 

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May 21st, 2019

I am really excited to go to Nara! It was on my list of things I wanted to do in Japan. The deer are so hungry, I had to stop one from eating a cable sticking out of Teri’s pocket. I was a little scared the deer would try to bite me but they were tame and if you ignored them, they went away. After visiting Nara we went to the Todai-ji Temple which has the world’s largest Buddha statue. There were lots of Japanese school children around who said hello to me and asked me to take their pictures. Visiting Nara and Todai-ji was an interesting experience because it feels like it was built to be a tourist destination. In the temple, I didn’t see anyone who was practicing and it was filled with other foreigners. I wonder how the locals feel about their home being crowded by tourists? How does it impact their everyday lives? How can we be better guests when visiting more rural areas? After visiting the temple, we went to Sakura Burger which served large burgers made from local ingredients. Afterwards, Logan and I hung around the park and got some ice cream. Logan mentioned wanting to go on the JET program after graduating; I think he would make an excellent teacher. Back at the hotel, I met with Shreya to finalize some details for Danielle’s surprise birthday party. Most of us went out to get donuts with Danielle (and distract her) while Sanya and Kayla bought matcha Kit Kats and cake. Everyone came up to the rooftop to sing happy birthday and then played some board games. Tonight I am grateful that everyone was able to come together to celebrate Danielle’s birthday and for the great conversation I had with Logan. 

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May 20th, 2019

Today we went to our fourth company tour at the Omron showroom which was exciting because I am interested in working in the technology industry. Omron’s mission is to use technology to improve people’s comfort; they are working on technology that can determine your mood and adapt your home to make you feel better. For example, turning on/off lights based on your movement in a room. Omron might remind people of a Black Mirror episode but the company continues to pursue the original mission of “improving lives and contributing to a better society”. It is evident in the current projects of creating collision free cars, maximizing energy efficiency, improving infrastructure, and using technology to improve healthcare. I think their technology might need some time because the machine above thought Harvey was a 10-year-old girl 🤣. Afterwards, I made sure I thanked our tour guide for the experience; I hope future groups will be able to visit Omron. Afterwards, a group of us decided to go to Pasta More! We ordered pasta that uses local ingredients and it was delicious. I did notice that when we were seated in the restaurant, the music was changed to trap/hip hop which was very thoughtful of them. After eating lots of pasta, we reunited with everyone to go to the Nishiki Market in downtown Kyoto. We shopped at the market and I bought some local sweets. We decided to walk around downtown Kyoto until it was time to celebrate Sanya’s birthday. We went for bubble tea, got massages, shopped at Uniqlo, and had dinner before going to Round 1. We played some arcade games and went bowling before heading home on the last train. Unfortunately, we separated from the group and got lost so we were drenched from the rain by the time we got back. In our room, we gave Sanya her purse and a strawberry cake we bought her. I hope she had a good birthday! Today I am grateful that Jenn brought an umbrella and that the massage parlour had time for us. 

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May 19th, 2019

We finally arrived at the hotel around 6:00-6:30am and I hadn’t packed my suitcase because we were rushing to go to the club. I took a short nap and woke up to quietly pack. Before leaving Tokyo, I wanted to stop by this Middle Eastern grocery store that Cartier, Logan, and Jeshua found for “anyone who has dietary restrictions”. It really touched me that they found a grocery store for me and Sanya so I really wanted to see if they had any good food. Unfortunately, they do not make ready to eat meals but I was able to pick up spicey instant noodles and Lebanese halva! I am surprised to see halal meat being sold in Tokyo, I wonder what the demand is like? We then travelled to the Sanja Matsuri Festival and I spent most of the festival exploring by myself. After the baseball incident, I need to be comfortable exploring alone. I was able to pick up hand-painted teacups for my mom and eat some shaved ice. I ended up getting lost at the festival because I was following the crowd but it was worth it because I got to march with the people carrying the mikoshi. I got the chance to touch it but I would never want to carry it, it looks so heavy! After the Sanja Matsuri Festival, I fell asleep on the Shinkansen, thankfully Teri woke me up when we arrived. We dropped our bags off at the Seiki hotel and explored the train station but I just wanted to sleep. For dinner, almost everyone ate at CoCo Curry which the first time I have eaten spicy food in Japan. I noticed some locals were struggling to finish their meals. At CoCo Curry you can customize every aspect of your meal such as, size, spice level, and amount of rice. CoCO Curry is a popular chain in Japan so I wonder if it reflects changing diets as it is spicey, non- traditional, and comes in large portions. After dinner, I needed to go to sleep, thankfully, the Seiki hotel is much cleaner than the Sakura and the tatami mats are ridiculously comfortable. I think I fell asleep within seconds of closing my eyes. Today, I am thankful that we made it back to the hotel safely and for Jeshua for sharing his breakfast with me. 

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May 18th, 2019

 I have come to a place where I am really happy, excited, and thankful to be here so I don’t want to waste any time today. For breakfast, I went to the French Bakery that Teri likes and their red bean croissant was so tasty. After our group decide to go to Shinjuku to shop at Muji and We Go. I thought Muji only sold pens but in Japan it carries everything you need, it’s like a Walmart Supercentre but clean and fist-fight free. It even sold groceries! Pens that cost $10 in Canada were being sold for $0.50! Afterwards, we went to We Go and I purchased more clothing. I always forget that shoes cannot be worn in the change room so I got scolded for doing that. We had to discretely shop for Sanya’s birthday present and Jenn found a really cute holographic purse. Afterwards, I left to attend the baseball game. I was a little nervous about going to baseball because I don’t trust the country kids to look out for me but I really wanted to see a game. When I arrived at the train station, I could not find the arena, there were no flags around or signs in English. I tried messaging/calling the people who were there but the only person who responded was Harvey who was also lost. My phone stopped working so I asked locals who gave me different directions. I resorted to what I usually do when I get lost, follow someone who looks like they know where they’re going. I followed the man in the baseball jersey for a couple of blocks and he led me to the arena. When we arrived at the arena I explained to him what happened and bought him green tea to thank him. I don’t think he completely understood but was happy to have the green tea. I was upset that no one from the group, other than Harvey, made any attempt to help me but it made me realize that I have to be more independent with navigating and it proved that I can’t rely on them. The game was an incredible experience and I am very thankful I went. The crowd was singing for each player in, people would politely clap when something bad happened, and they coordinated a wave with holographic umbrellas. The couple sitting behind me was so playful, they kept teasing me for wearing a Tokyo Swallows jersey and would hug and high five me when the opposing team won a point. There were beer girls selling drinks so by the time I arrived everyone except Harvey was inebriated. As the game came to an end Aidan informed everyone that it was “every man for himself” to get back to the hotel; I don’t think that applied when their group held hands throughout the journey home. 

At Ikebukuro, Harvey and I went to a vegetarian sobu restaurant. To order you had to enter what you would like on the computer which prints a ticket for you. You would present the ticket to the cashier and then the chef would prepare your dinner. I wonder how Japan will continue to automate the food service industry. Harvey and I headed back to the hotel just as Sanya, Hazel, Natasha, Jenn, and Logan were going to head out to the party in Roppongi (the French students invited us). They invited me to come with and we stayed out until the 5am train. I am surprised how safe it is to be out and about in Japan, we only had an issue with catcalling/leering, the only people who wanted to start trouble were other tourists. We wandered the area, ate at McDonald's, were reunited with people we met on the trip, and hung out in a beef & rice restaurant until the train station opened. This has to be my best day in Tokyo. Today I am grateful for Kayla who did my hair, I am very surprised it survived this long day & night & day. I am grateful for Harvey, the baseball guy, and the locals who helped me make it to baseball. Lastly, I am grateful for the couple who educated us on the baseball cheers so we could sing along. 

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May 17th, 2019 

Today we visited Waseda University, the campus is so beautiful we ate sushi and pizza in the garden. I think everyone was feeling a little shy so I helped Professor M handout chopsticks and plates. I tried to talk with a couple of students and met Takashi (featured in the second picture). Takashi is very friendly and personable so I brought him over to a group of students sitting on the grass so they could socialize too. I think the Waseda students were prepared in advance for this meeting because Takashi knew I was in his group and everyone I met had similar questions prepared. During the lecture, I sat with French international students who invited us to a party tomorrow night but I don’t think I’ll go it sounds a little suspicious. In the discussion groups, we were able to talk about the difference between work/recruitment culture in Canada and Japan. In Japan, employers can look into your family history; if a relative has done something bad in the past it could negatively impact your career. Waseda students were surprised to learn about workplace discrimination in Canada because diversity has a different meaning in Japan. Uncertainty avoidance is evident in the recruitment process. The candidates must wear the same outfits, go through the same interviews, and the recruiter conducts a background check. In contrast, candidates do not know the placement position until they become company employees. I don’t think I could ever apply for a mystery job. Afterwards, we met with Jenny, Jenn’s friend from Waseda, and Andy, Logan/Jenn’s friend from high school and went to different izakayas in Piss Alley. John met us too and so did a couple of his friends from Waseda who are also international students. Jenny lives by Shinjuku so she knew all the best places and what to order. It was really nice to have someone to show us around the area. Jenny just completed her internship in recruitment and we discussed what Japanese employees look for in a candidate. Here they don’t have video interviews but request a picture of the candidate. After the second izakaya, I suggested we should pay for Jenny’s drinks/food to thank her for taking us out. Tonight I am grateful for making new friends and all the delicious food Jenny ordered.  

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May 16th, 2019

Today we visited Nichirei Factory and Logistics which is my favourite company tour. The employees at both locations were very friendly and asked us lots of questions to get to know us. The supply chain at the factory is incredible, we witnessed the chicken cheese products being cooked, toasted, frozen, and be packaged entirely by machines. In the case of an accident, there are cameras all around the facility. Nichirei does not mess around when it comes to failsafing, for example, the washroom door would only open when you sanitized your hands. After the tour, we had an interactive presentation and had the opportunity of eating some Nichirei frozen foods. My favourite has to be the cherry drink and the frozen cheese chicken. I think Canadain companies have lots to learn from the quality standards, failsafing practice, and the tasty frozen food at Nichirei Factory. I really appreciated the food being labelled! I think one of the speakers noticed that I didn’t eat anything with pork because he asked me if I found the food labelling useful and if I know any way to improve it. Eating in Japan has been a bit challenging for me so I really appreciate it; I told him his signs were more detailed and useful than Canadain standards. I made sure I thanked all the employees (even the CEO was there) for inviting us here and I got to take a selfie with the plant manager! Afterwards, we travelled to Nichirei Logistics where they also had bento boxes prepared for us (more kaaraga for me!). I think I may have entered a food coma during this tour because I don’t remember much. On the train, almost everyone decided to go to DisneySea. Something uncomfortable happened when we arrived at the station. F went to the washroom but had an issue with their outfit and their clique decided to leave them behind. Our group stayed back to help and were able to find a solution to their issue. It was mean for the group to leave F behind but I hope they know that other people are here for them. It was kind of funny to be at Disney and dressed so professionally but I had a great time and today’s events have definitely solidified a new friendship. Tonight, I am grateful for the time, energy, and effort from everyone at Nichirie Foods.  

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May 15th, 2019

Today I finally had the opportunity to sleep in! Around noon, we all decided to go to Denny’s by exit 28 at the train station. I haven’t been to Denny’s in Calgary but I already know it will be a disappointment after eating here. They have an entire mango menu😍  ! And you can order your meal using an iPad in English. The only issue I’m noticing in restaurants is it is very difficult to split the bill. I think that could be because it is polite to pay for your company’s mean in Japan. After debriefing the events of last night we travelled to  Pembroke Real Estate in Roppongi. Our speaker was very friendly but I did fall asleep during some parts of the lecture. I remember him discussing the sunshine laws, which means in real estate the neighbouring development cannot block your sunshine but other developments can. Japanese people have very personal attachments to their homes so selling to developers can be challenging. Something interesting to note is Pembroke builds western style homes for temporary foreign workers with only washrooms having a Japanese design. I wish developers here did that. He also mentioned that you should not make any money off your first business deal in Japan, it is all about creating a relationship of trust. I asked him about how we should get started if we want to work in Japan and he said to move here and begin applying for jobs. Companies need to know you are fully committed to working in Japan. He does not look at any applications with international addresses. I don’t think I am there yet but I would love to work internationally in my career. Afterwards, I went back to the hotel and went shopping in the neighbourhood. I noticed that scissors are not put on display. Shoplifting isn’t a serious issue in Japan so I think this might be a safety precaution. I’ll double check my assumption when I see John. I’ve bought so many KitKats and chocolates to bring back home. Tonight, I am thankful that Donquijotes has a detailed map in English and that DBD has caught on.