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Independent Excursion

Next episode of Independant Excursions: Media Reflection. This time we go to Osaka!

I know my earlier post about Osaka basically just talked about how much I disliked it... but that's because I've been saving the good stuff: the street food! It was so good it pretty much made up for how dirty and smelly the city was! Plus it definitely puts Osaka above a lot of other cities I've been to. Most cities are dirty and smelly, but they don't have the incredible street food that Osaka does. Ok, enough beating around the bush, on to what I ate. I had an onion korokke, okonomiyaki, watermelon soft serve, and kushi katsu. Not to mention I tried a few things that other people got! Ian got these really good donut things, but unfortunately I didn't check the name to see if they were really just plain donuts. My favorite thing by-far was the kushi katsu. I probably got 10 of them myself! I really liked the soft boiled egg, cheese, and mochi. Deep-frying slightly odd things is very popular in the U.S., but I think Japan has us beat. The kushi katsu weren't too greasy plus the use of vegetables helps make sure it doesn't feel too heavy either. I don't really write about food at all, so I'm trying to recall the lingo I learned binge-watching cooking contests. The next best thing I had was the watermelon soft serve. I guess it should actually be called soft serve on a watermelon, but it is what it is. The soft serve was the best I've ever had and it was so nice to have some fresh fruit! I was also surprised by how reasonably priced it was compared to regular soft serve (only about 150円 more). The store had a sign out saying it won the semi-Grand Prix prize from Osaka, and I can see why!

Time to bring in my chosen media, the Netflix show Street Food. The second episode focused on Osaka, and it mentioned that takoyaki and okonomiyaki are two of the specialties for Osaka and also created there. I was unfortunately not that impressed by the okonomiyaki I got (the kushi katsu was much better). It wasn't bad, I just feel like I got some better ones in Kyoto. It was probably just the vendor I went to, but I was still surprised. I didn't have any takoyaki unfortunately, but judging by the lines I saw at the stalls, they lived up to the reputation. I'll have to try them the next time I go to Osaka (I'll probably go to the shop with the giant takoyaki on it)! Wow, I'm going to have to add a lot of pictures so it doesn't sound like I'm going crazy.

I want to bring in another aspect that Street Food likes to focus on: the chefs. It may seem weird to call them chefs instead of cooks, but these people really deserve the title. Not only on the show but also at some of the places I ate at. The chefs featured on the Osaka episode of Street Food were colorful and energetic. I definitely got that vibe even without talking to the chefs! The main main reason I felt that way was because of the ads. They were bold and showed off the personality of each restaurant so well. From giant crabs to dragons holding ramen, I didn't know which way to look when walking down Dotonbori! Circling back to the chefs, I have one thing I really want to mention. I didn't talk to the chef at the kushi katsu restaurant, but out of nowhere he just came over and said to us in English "Here's some ice cream for you!" We have no idea why, but it was a really nice thing to do! We hadn't even ordered much at that time, so I don't think we hit some sort of secret "you spend this much and get free ice cream" goal. I wonder if it was because he saw us all getting so excited over the food.

Works Cited

"Osaka, Japan." Street Food, season 1, episode 2, directed by Tamara Rosenfeld, Netflix Studios, 2019. Netflix. www.netflix.com/watch/80988024?trackId=200257859

Independent Excursion

Independent Excursion: Academic Reflection blog post time! I've decided to write about Hōryūji and fire risks in wooden buildings. Hopefully this seems logical enough, with Hōryūji being the oldest wooden building in the world. However, rather than why Hōryūji didn't burn down in the past, I want to focus on modern measures taken to reduce the likelihood of fires.

The article I read "Some Investigations on Fire Accidents and Preparedness of Japan Historical Heritages" gives data on modern equipment and causes for fires in Japanese heritage sites. With many of these heritage sites being made of wood or other flammable materials, it makes sense why it seems like every building in Japan has burned down at least a couple of times. For example, Honnoji has burned down a total of seven times! With track records like that, it makes sense that temples are now equipped with various firefighting measures. When visiting Hōryūji, things such as lightning rods, sprinklers, and fire hydrants were visible. Additionally, though not a modern measure by any means, the buildings are spaced far enough apart to help let firefighters access the buildings easily and to hopefully help prevent the spread of fires. As an example of the necessity of firefighting equipment, in 1949, a fire started in Kondo Main Hall but it was put out. Although the original paintings were lost, the hall wasn't completely burned down and it was able to be repaired. With even more advanced systems of firefighting, it would seem that Hōryūji is at a low risk for fire damage (or at least as low risk as a wooden building can be).

Having just said that, I want to focus in on the main cause for fires in various heritage sites. The primary cause is said to be "burning brands" in the article, which confused me a bit. I'm not familiar with the term, but I'm taking it to mean a type of handheld something that puts off embers (I may be thinking too much of a cattle brand). A later part of the article which states how the distance that "flying brands" can travel is a major cause for worry. This is again quite logical, with many heritage sites having flammable walls and roofs. I've seen open fires and things at some other temples, but Hōryūji didn't seem to have any. I also noticed fewer spots for incense, which could be a concern (especially if people bring in lighters).

I know this is a reversal of the system, but I'm going to have my more personal reflections here at the end. I really loved visiting Hōryūji, which hopefully is clear in the fact that I'm willing to write hundreds of words on just the fire safety measures. It was incredible to see such an old building, not to mention all the artifacts and national treasures. Being able to say, "That's only from the 1600s it doesn't matter," seems so incredible to me. With many of the other places we've visited having burned down, a certain level of awe is lost. Like when we went to Nara and saw the hall that had been rebuilt only last year. It was nice, but it just wasn't as impressive. So much changes and is forgotten over time, so to have something from over 1300 years ago to be able to learn from is honestly awesome. Plus the fact that paper and the words of people from over 1000 years age were able to be passed down thanks to the preservation of Hōryūji! I'm getting pretty cheesy here, but I think it's deserving! I mean, thinking of it this way, Hōryūji is over 4 times as old as the United States!

Works Cited

Sugahara, Shinichi. “Some Investigations on Fire Accidents and Preparedness of Japan Historical Heritages.” Department of Architecture. Faculty of Engineering University of Tokyo. 1996.

What a great final excursion! I didn't completely know what to expect, since I wasn't sure how just the bamboo forest could take up both the morning and afternoon periods, but all the different things were really nice. I've had to read so much of The Tale of Genji for other classes, but I've never read the section with the temporary shrine from the book (though I have read Nonomiya before). It was great to be able to see the temporary shrine in-person! I wish I had gone back after we were let out to explore more, but we continued The Tale of Genji instead (aka we went to Ujishi). Byōdō-in was incredible, even though the Phoenix Hall was closed. There was also a really nice museum where we saw the original phoenixes from the hall and also the bodhisattva on clouds. I hope anyone reading this will either know what I'm talking about or just Google it, since we couldn't take pictures and all the names were in Japanese. We also found the statue of Lady Murasaki! Ujishi was so much fun plus it was a nice continuation from the temporary shrine. And we got our third soft serves of the day... we have problems.

Final academic section! Hooray! Uh... I mean so sad! I know we're supposed to talk about the articles we read for yesterday, but I also want to mention the previous article about forestry as well. The bamboo forest definitely felt a lot more... crafted than the others we've seen. When riding the trains and climbing the various mountains, I don't think I ever would have guessed that those forests had all been replanted. With the bamboo forest though it felt so different. The forest was beautiful, but it was so weird that there weren't really other types of plants and trees mixed in. It's a fantastic tourist attraction at least! Moving back to The Tale of Genji stuff again, I'll try to stay academic instead of just fangirling more. The Virgin of Ise is a pretty interesting topic. I don't know much about it, but placing a princess or other high ranking girl in the Grand Ise Shrine would probably help give the imperial line more control and information over not only Ise but also other lesser Shrines. I imagine it would also help with the image of the imperial line being divine.

Definitely one of the best days of the trip! Visiting Hōryū-ji was a huge factor in that, but I'll save that for my academic post. Getting back on topic, Tōdai-ji and the Deer Park were both really fun. Even knowing the dimensions, I can hardly believe how big the Vairocana statue is! It didn't seem quite as big straight on, but once I moved to the side I realized the true scale. It's honestly hard to imagine how a statue of that size was able to be made in the 8th century! It would still be a huge undertaking today, nearly 1300 years later. Plus it has managed to survive nearly intact this whole time (minus the hands and head). Anyways, more on all this in the academic section. On to the Deer Park! I was pretty excited when I remembered that the Deer Park is in Nara, and I wasn't disappointed. The park was beautiful and the deer were so cute! Sure, one accidentally bit me instead of pulling on my skirt, but fortunately it didn't hurt much. At least I wasn't completely mobbed like some of the others! I imagine there's an interesting story that goes along with why the deer are so tame and I hope I'll be able to find it later. I also want to mention that I'm definitely going to make everyone going to Kansai Gaidai in the fall join me on a trip to Nara.

There were so many great academic sites to visit in Nara! Of course that includes Tōdai-ji. Prince Shotoku is accredited with spreading Buddhism I Japan and you could clearly see his influence throughout Nara. From the Vairocana statue to Hōryū-ji (a temple from the 8th century that has never burned down), Prince Shotoku commissioned Buddhist works that are still valued today. Focusing in on the Vairocana, I can see why it was said to reflect light on our impure world. Especially since I'm pretty sure the statue itself was shiny at some point! I'll make one pretty bad joke and say that for representing the truth-body, that was one big Buddha! Ok, ok, I feel better now. Sorry for the lame joke (or am I).

Osaka: the New York of Japan. I was pretty surprised to get off the train and realize it was disgusting. It really looked just like a New York subway! I've heard the stereotypes about Osaka, that it's louder, the people are blunter, and it's overall just a bit wilder than the rest of Japan. I didn't really believe it, but now I kind of do. Admittedly, we were in downtown Osaka and only there for 7 hours. I can't stop saying it; Osaka felt so American in the weirdest way! However, the ads were much more impressive than any I've seen in New York. There was a dragon eating ramen coming out of a wall, a giant hand holding a piece of sushi, and so many more. Walking down just Dontonbori was a sensory overload; it was nearly impossible to pick a restaurant. The one we did pick was delicious though! It served kushikatsu, which is apparently a specialty of Osaka. After eating, we rode the giant Don Quixote ferris wheel. It gave us a pretty good view of the city! Earlier that day we also went to another market and got some really good street food. I had some ice cream from a place that apparently won the semi-Grand Prix prize from Osaka City.

The museum yesterday was pretty good! I was a bit worried they would start to feel repetitive, but fortunately that wasn't the case. The artwork and sculptures were all gorgeous and very enjoyable. Plus I got to see the Standing Priest Kūya in-person! Ever since I saw a picture of it years ago I've really wanted to be able to go and see it. I had no idea it would be in a museum we were going to visit (and the first item no less)! Anyways, more on my weird love of the Standing Priest Kūya later. There were many other things I found interesting in the museum. The second-to-last section with all the loaned statues was incredible! It was nice to see the different styles from various eras. I have to say that the inlaid crystal eyes were kind of uncanny; it really made the statues look alive and as if they were watching you. My least favorite part of the museum would probably be the last section. I didn't recognize the monks, and the scroll felt like a knock-off version of Ippen's scrolls (the drawings weren't as elaborate etc.).

The reading on Ippen was a bit painful, but it really helped when going through the museum. The first object was Standing Priest Kūya from the Nanboku-chō period. It came from Yugyō-ji in Kanagawa, although there are other similar statues from different places. Kūya has six small Amida Buddhas coming from his mouth, representing the six syllables of the nembutsu. Something I found pretty interesting is that the number is based around syllables rather than moras (which would be seven instead of six). I don't know exactly why that choice was made, maybe it's because they represent spoken words rather than something grammatical or formal. I should probably ask our group linguist about it. Kūya was a traveling monk and as such he's dressed like one and is carrying an antler topped staff and a gong. Moving to other academic stuff, the scrolls about Ippen's life were incredible. They were so beautiful with full colors and gold detailing. The scrolls were a great supplement to the reading!

The Kyoto International Manga Museum was both really exciting and kind of meh for me. On one hand, it was great to recognize titles and info from last semester. In the other hand though, I already knew most of the information so it felt a bit boring at times. The one thing that definitely wasn't boring was the kamishibai performance! The performer was hilarious and so engaging. He tried really hard to make sure all of the audience members could understand and have fun, even if they didn't know any Japanese. His jokes were also hilarious! Probably less so for the non-Japanese speakers, but I think they still got at least some of the jokes. Even if they missed the jokes in the first part of the performance, the actual story had subtitles. Not that you needed subtitles to understand the best part: the kid who had the absolute best Golden Bat laugh! All of the kids were so cute and happy to participate. I imagine the museum would be tons of fun not only for adults/teens who want to learn about manga history and production, but also for younger kids who could do workshops and try to find their favorite manga (although I think we all did that last part). Speaking of finding manga, I was a little frustrated by the organizational system. In the main display, it was organized by year (which was fine), but outside it was alphabetical. Not a big deal, right? Oh no, the problem was that I couldn't find any of the titles past maybe こ! I would look around and find a spot where it all just restarted from あ! Oh well I guess.

I didn't get another pic of the museum, so here's a gif of a truck driving through the mall.

Probably the most obvious thing that was made clear from the museum would be how widespread and diverse manga really is. You can read in academic papers about it, but seeing thousands of titles spread across dozens, if not hundreds, of genres really drives the point home. Not only that, you could also see a wide array of people visiting. The main exhibit was pretty informational, but I feel like I already knew most of it from last semester. My favorite part in the exhibit was where they took the same page from a manga and drew it in different styles. We learned so much about how style can influence perception last semester, and that was the perfect example. A somewhat similar feature were the 100 maiko drawings done by all the different mangaka.

I loved today! The shrine complex was so massive that I really could have spent the whole day there. I also got more excited with every fox I saw. My research paper for the Japanese major was on kitsune so I had to do a lot of research on Inari as well. I've actually read the entire book that we read last night! It's a pretty good book if anyone is interested (and even reads my blog). I've wanted to go to Fushimi Inari for so long so I've been waiting for today the entire trip. There were so many people, which was expected, but I really didn't mind. I'll definitely go back super early the next time I go though! I got some nice pictures regardless. We were so lucky to see the ceremony the miko performed today, although I wish we could have learned more details. Switching topics real quick, Kadeen and I found those wish rocks! I'm really happy because we both found our rock to be light!

Okay, so I'm actually pretty happy to do the academic reflection today! Inari is such a massively popular figure in both Japanese Buddhism and in Shinto, which was perfectly reflected in Fushimi Inari. First of all, the complex was massive! There were so many tiny shrines besides the main shrines. These tiny shrines were quite similar to the many little ones we saw in Tokyo both inside and outside of businesses. Talkimg more about the popularity of Inari, it seems hard to not to mention the 30,000 torii that were donated! As a diety of both the rice harvest and business, it's understandable why there is such a large Inari following. Inari worship is also quite customizable (for lack of a better word), with there being so many different versions of Inari. For an example that's pretty relatable to all of us, there is a Shinto shrine for Inari by the laundromat and then there's a Buddhist temple for Inari in the mall. The two are quite different, with the Shinto shrine having many fox statues everywhere and the Buddhist temple focusing on the main image.

Much better than the Tokyo Imperial Palace! We actually got to see things! Okay, that was a bit harsh, but I really did like the Kyoto Imperial Palace a lot more. The tour was pretty interesting and I especially like how the guide explained all the gates. If the tour guide hadn't mentioned it, I probably wouldn't have thought about what gate the crown prince would use if he visited. It was also neat to hear about the different ways high and low class nobles were received. For example, the low class nobles couldn't arrive in carriages and their tatami was a different color. I feel like it's pretty easy to forget how even within a class there are still so many different hierarchies. The gardens were really nice as well, plus they felt much cooler. I love hearing all the stories about the gardens, such as how with this one represented the ocean. It really would have been nearly impossible for nobles (not to mention the emperor) to take trips to the ocean and see it in-person.

Kiyomizu-dera was pretty fun to go to. I think a lot of people didn't really like it though. Admittedly there were a lot of tourists and stairs which weren't so great. I just love going to places where I've read stories about it! I'm really considering going to Dōjōji either on the free day or after this class ends. It was also a nice surprise to see the staff that was supposedly Benkei's. Too bad the middle schoolers completely swarmed it! But to be completely honest, they were pretty funny trying to pick it up, plus they were so enthusiastic! The Chinese tourists were also so excited, so I didn't mind quite as much when they were pushy. Again, I can see why they were all so excited since the temple was so nice. Even the scaffolding was pretty! It was also great that we went right past Yakasa Shrine so we could get a good comparison of the distance. As for Gion, there really isn't a lot to say. I went there on the free day so I'd already seen a lot of the area. It was still gorgeous!

It's a bit hard to talk about what we did academically... Oh well. The story of Shintokumaru was interesting. Otohime was the most outstanding of the characters and Shintokumaru's father was pretty bad. I couldn't help but think of Hakkenden, with the main female character being the most moral and the father causing the main drama. Plus Fusehime was linked with a deity that is portrayed as both Male and female (like Kannon).

So... honesty time. I was pretty underwhelmed by Kinkakuji. Sure it was govered in gold leaf, but that and the phoenix are the only things the building had going for it. If the gold leaf was taken off, I feel like it would be super plain. Unlike many of the other temples we've seen, there didn't seem to be much detail work. I will say that even if I was a bit disappointed in the temple, the garden was gorgeous. Plus I would imagine it looks even better in the fall with all the changing colors. Probably the most amusing thing to me was the people cutting the grass. All I could think about was the quiz this morning where one of the choices was that dry gardens were popular because then the grass wouldn't have to be cut. The next most amusing thing would definitely be all the middle schoolers. There were so many of them! And so early in the morning too! I guess it's just impossible to escape them no matter what. Also sorry for holding the group up when I got swept away by a sea of them. At least I didn't drown!

I guess my academic reflection will be about Daitokuji. I was a bit worried I would be kind of bored with the dry gardens (like I was as a kid) and think the reading was overkill, but I actually really loved them. Knowing the history behind them and also so much more about Zen Buddhism in general, I feel like I understand why they could be used for enlightenment. It was like being able to visualize and interact with sutras. I imagine the creation or even maintenance of one would be quite the experience (probably somewhat similar to copying sutras). The final garden was especially impressive. I can see why people would sell/buy pictures of it! The way the pebbles flowed to create a larger narrative was pretty stunning. I could honestly have sat there for such a long time just staring. It was also interesting to learn about the nightingale flooring and how it was used to tell when someone was outside. It seems like such an easy and clever security system, though I'm not sure how good it actually was.

Himeji Castle was incredible! Seeing it from the station, it was hard to believe it was real. I've never seen such a well preserved castle like that, and especially not to that scale. My biggest concern going was about the weather, but I'm glad it didn't end up raining. The overcast was actually really nice! It was the perfect temperature for walking around and we also didn't get blinded by the sun. The train ride was also pretty decent even though it was long. As a bonus, I learned I can sleep standing up! Anyways, enough rambling and back to Himeji Castle. The architecture was gorgeous and there were so many little details to notice when you got close. I wish I'd had more time to read all the plaques and see if they explained the different kamon on the roof tiles. If I had to guess, I would imagine they belonged to the daimyo and other high ranking families. The shachi were also so incredibly detailed! I thought it was really nice that they had the little exhibit showing them from different eras.

There's so much that can be analyzed! First of all, the timber. Seeing those huge pillars in-person I feel like I can truly appreciate why the daimyo wanted to protect huge trees. It would have been nearly impossible to build something massive like Himeji Castle otherwise. There was also such a massive amount of thought put into the defense systems. Everything from the sharp turns to hinder cavalry attacks to the hidden rooms to hide soldiers in. Plus all the moats, gates, and gun ports! Seeing how highly defensible these types of castles are, it makes sense why the shogun would want daimyo to only have one. If a daimyo turned, it would be hard enough to take a single castle. In a way, I feel like the castle town is just another line of defense. Attacking armies would have to move through an unknown city, putting them at a disadvantage before they even get near the castle. The city could also provide supplies when constructing the castle and up to the last minute before sieges. A city would also provide plenty of soldiers! With all these advantages, it makes complete sense that daimyo would encourage the growth of castle towns. It also makes sense to leave the more day-to-day details to trusted commoners. That would have built a sense of loyalty in the commoners while also leaving the daimyo free to take care of bigger things.

I love this area! We mostly wandered around yesterday and went to the nearby shrines and temples. Yasaka Shrine and Kōdaiji were especially nice! There was a wedding going on at Yasaka Shrine, which was really nice to see. We were careful to avoid being in any pictures of course. We went by the shrine again later and it turns out there was also a festival going on in a slightly different area. As for Kōdaiji, it was probably my favorite temple I've been to so far. There was a huge Kannon and it was dedicated to all the soldiers who died in WW2, even non Japanese soldiers. It also seemed to have some connection with matchmaking. I'm not sure of all the details, but I think I'm going to go back and look around the rock garden too. At the end of the day, some of us went and watched the new Godzilla. I was so excited for it! Unfortunately, it was awful. They decided to focus on plot instead of monster fights (a valid choice), but the problem was that they butchered whatever plot they were going for. It was basically some lame family drama chock full of cliches. Godzilla movies typically deal with whatever problem is facing people at the time, but not this one. They essentially just shove their basic message down your throat near the beginning and then just ignore it. I kept thinking they were going to actually develop some interesting story, because they set up a couple possibilities, but no. They even ruined the fights by using weird close ups and shaky cam. I should really just stop watching American Godzillas...

We basically just rode the shinkansen all day, so I guess it was ok. The views were nice, but trains make me really sleepy... yeah, I slept most of the time. I slept much more deeply on the shinkansen than on the local lines, and I think that was for a few different reasons. First of all, the ride was very smooth. There was a lot less stop-and-go than on normal trains, plus people weren't really moving around. I also didn't feel the need to try to constantly listen for my stop (which contributes a lot to me only sleeping lightly on local lines). It was a nice bonus that the seats were quite comfortable and I was able to lean on the window. Shout out to Lilly and Seth who passed out in the row with me. I guess we were a bunch of sleepy bois. Another shout out to Rebecca who started all the boi jokes. Anyways, back to train stuff. It was also really nice to reserved seats *cough* Fuji Gang *cough*. I'm not sure how long in advance you're supposed to reserve seats, so it could potentially still be a hassle to get tickets. Again, I was sleeping a good chunk of the time so I didn't notice how full the train was either.

Oh joy, the academic reflection. Actually, I did have fun analyzing some of the stuff I saw. We passed so many rice paddies! I know the tariff on imported rice is outrageous, encouraging the sale of Japanese rice, but it's still incredible to see how many paddies there were. It was especially interesting to note how many paddies were in the middle of towns. I feel like that would be quite the unpleasant smell, potentially encouraging a poorer image of small towns. With the article's mention for the potential of shinkansen negatively affecting small towns, it made me kind of sad.

So... not the best day. I typically get breathing problems with this cough thing I have and I was certainly feeling it. I used to have an inhaler, but it's been so long since I've had a cough that I didn't even think to get my prescription renewed. Live and learn I guess. I was able to see some nice views for the 1/3rd I actually did hike up and I hope to see pictures of the higher views. I didn't realize how steep it was, so I really put the blame on myself. There isn't really much more I can write about Mt. Takao (in a nonacademic way) unfortunately. After Amaya, Rebecca, and I went down (thank you Prof. Smith!!) and were able to breathe we did have some fun. We all felt too bad for food, but we had some really good shaved ice. It definitely made us feel a bit better. After making it back to the apartments we finally felt up for some food. We ate at Mos Burger and then went back to the boonies so I could pick up my laundry. Then a bunch of us ate at the Okinawan restaurant and later did laundry. The laundromat gave us a bit of a wild ride, so all the details of that will be going into my final project.

Even though I didn't get to see much of Mt. Takao, I was still impressed. It's so hard to believe that all that dense forest is actually quite young. The massive deforestation before the 17th century is understandable, what with Edo expanding the way it did, but a really great job was done with regrowing the forests. The author of the article we read was exaggerating, however it's true that Japan would be in a lot of trouble without reforestation. There are so many mountains that the potential for landslides is already very high with forests. Take away the forests and there would be very little holding the soil in place. Besides safety and such, it also helps Japan economically (considering Japan can only domestically supply all of its own water and lumber).

Today was a much better free day than the Fuji Debacle! I went to the Pokemon Cafe with Kadeen and Lilly, then Lilly and I went to Character Street, and finally Seth, Amaya, Lilly, Valerie, and I went to Akihabara. The Pokemon Cafe was adorable and so much fun! There were people of all different ages getting so excited when pikachu came out. There was a pokemon store right by the cafe, but we also found one in Character Street. Character Street was a lot of fun, even if I didn't know a lot of the characters. I was really sad that the Snoopy store was so expensive! Fortunately the Ghibli store had some more reasonably priced items that I could get for friends. I also found a store for some game I used to play that I had no idea was so popular (it's about growing mushrooms)!

As for what we did in Akihabara... it was uncomfortable. Valerie convinced us to go to a maid cafe and we had some issues. It was ¥500 per hour plus our orders. The problem was that the hour was almost up and they still hadn't brought out some of the things we ordered! The good thing was that we talked to our waitress and she said we wouldn't have to pay extra (plus we got drinks on the house). It worked out in the end, but that on top of (most) of us feeling uncomfortable definitely makes that my first and last maid cafe visit. I guess I can see where people like it, but I really couldn't get into it.

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