HC goes East

Signs

2008-11-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

In my first days in Japan i really was surprised seing so many pannels, telling me what to do and what not. I recall someone telling me about a sign saying "stick to the rules". Of course there is no such sign, but that's the impression you get.
So i have been thinking about that. It's not that there are more or radically different things you are told to do/omit. So what's the fuzz about it?

As you can see on this page, japanese signs tend to be manga style. They're funny and most imortant of all, these images are real eyecatchers. (Who cares for all the "strictly forbidden"blabla to be seen in western countries anyway). It's just like advertisement. By the way mangas are rooted in early stage publishing business, where one-sheeted graphic stories for the (low educated) masses preceeded modern newspapers. So the imagry is something to be understood by everyone.

Of course rules and social order is something very very important in this country. That doesn't only mean you have to "stick to the rules" but also that the authority is responsible to provide and ensutre them, to never leave the subject without guidance.

Moreover, the concept of a soul, in that special case the notion of a good and or bad conciousness rooted in christianism, is not that important. Moral is something rather practical. It's achildrens phrase "If noone sees it, it's ok".
So the omnipresence of signs is also intended to remind you of the social framework you're alway in, even if "noone sees"...

Commonly told untruths about Japan

2008-10-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Some months have passed now since i returned home and there wasn't much time to look back. But i won't leave this blog behind unfinished, so here we go:

Japan is expensive
Of course that depends of current exchange rates, but as said before in general things of every day life are rather cheap and you always get good value for what you pay.

Everyone is in martial arts
Most people like Baseball and Soccer has become rather popular for watching as well as playing it themselves. Of course people do practice martial arts, expecially young people consider it as something folkloric though and prefer western things.

The 18 something ways of separating your waste
Basically you have two main categories, which are “burnable” and “unburnable waste. Then there is cans together with bottles and if you have a lot of it: paper. Confusion starts when time enters the calculation. You have to put out different kinds of garbage at different days of the week. Furthermore you're supposed to put the garbage-bag outside no more than one or two hours before the garbage truck arrives in the morning (most people nevertheless do it on the evening before). Eventually that means you either dispose bags half empty or you end up storing them in your flat.
In a land where everything is meant to be practical, waste separation probably is a most unnecessarily complicated matter.

Subway intervals of 1-2 minutes and subway stuffing people into subway cars
Notorious Marunouchi-Line knows intervals of about 2 minutes for a period of 10 minutes at around 8 o'clock, the rest of the day and on practically every other line you have intervals of about 5min or more.
I never experienced the stuffing staff myself, not even early in the morning, but I got reports on it. What's common: the last two (usually guys) entering a full car step in turned around, pushing the crowd further into the compartment with their backs. Only those are definitely not paid for their “service”.

Tokyo is not Japan
Certainly it's different from the countryside, just like every large town is to the province. Only, regarding word largest town, you expect something like internationality... Wrong! There might be a lot of foreigners, but what about some hundred thousand in between 20 millions? And no one is speaking english!

Japanese can't say no
In fact to be polite, you have to avoid a direct negation. Nonetheless there is a word for no and it is used. You even can express dissent. But only to weaken a compliment received.

Mangas are read from right to left
In fact this is correct: Only that any printed matter is read from right to left, including books and newspapers. So mangas aren't something special.

So what about Canada?

2008-04-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

I am back home for some weeks now and all of my trip seems so distant and long ago somehow. But there's so much left to tell. Anywhay, no way just walking away leaving this blog unfinished. So i start with a swift report on my visit to Canada.

I spent some days together with Kathi in Ottawa, so glad to be reunited once again. We went around this not that well known capital and i liked all the garish neo-medieval architecture. As there's not enough space for two in the student's dormitory single room, and i hoped to see somewhat of the country after all, we soon hit the road!

Besides the somewhat calmer mood of Canadians over their southern neighbours, they prove to be real revolutioners concerning speed limits, which are as low as in the US, just that nobody cares.

Moreover if you leave the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal axis, you quickly get to know the ambiguity of the term highway, which may not imply more than a paved strip through endless woods, one typical thing for Ontario.

As i recently had my temple-and-any-other-traditionall-stuff-hangover from Japan and still remember the corn-one along our way west in the US, it's the forest-and-lakes hangover you get up in the borealm. Nonetheless the mostly slight hilled landscape can be very impressive and we did some hiking tours in the provincial parks; at least as far as we got without snowhoes (we tried them only once at Mt.Tremblant).

Mid march in Ontario still proved to be mid winter, but temperatures weren't that bad anymore (people wearing t-shirts above 0°C). Nonetheless winter tourism isn't that develloped, and the "closed for season"-sign got our companion everywhere we went. The farther north you get, the less dense population gets and the heavier industries. Final leader was Timmins, a 50.000 soul logging town, stretching out 40km in every direction (The "Welcome to"-sign inmidst the taiga really was fun). All in all, from a visitor point of view, Canada turned out not to be that different from the States after all, an impression rehabilitated only by what we saw from Quebec and its own culutral touch, and me being so glad getting my hands on real food again, after having had to drop low from japanese delicacies to ever recurring burger or steak menus *puke*
Montreal with its multicultural flair and cool places to hang out, became our welcome back to civilication after having left behind 3000km of boreal forest.

And once again the day to say good bye came far to early. But from now it's only one more month until my love will come back too. Let's see about what adventures settling down rather than travelling foreign lands will bring along. Here the map of places we went:

Back from our tour

2008-03-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

3000km through Ontarion and Quebec. Now we're back but no time so far for a recount, but there are plenty of fotos:

Ottawa and Ontario photos

Oh Canada....

2008-03-11T10:17:00.000-07:00

I slept well in my in the basement room i got, spent my last money to get to Westminster, Elephant&Castle and for a steak pie with a half stout. I realize it has really been a long time since i have been the last time to London, and after so long a time in Tokyo this metropolis rather looks small as for the buildings as well as the dimension.
I am experiencing reverse culture shock, which isn't too surprising, but funny anyway to be enstranged by something you have known for your whole life. Here is a list:

People are open and emotional.
People are loud and noisy.
People are dressed casually.
Blond women catch my eye (especially my very own one...)
There is so much more space, people blocking entrance/exit areas anywhay (just an international phenomenon)
Eating with knife and spoon at every meal.
Meals are large, and there is so much meat and no rice and I am having a hard time.
Everyone speaks english.
I have to think about how to do and say when I want to pay in a restaurant.
You better tip.
Waiters putting the change on the table rather carelessly. (Probably because off having forgot above)
No shoes off/slippers on inside living spaces.
So many really old houses..

The flight from London to Ottawa was very relaxed. Rather spacious seats, good meals, only no window at my seat, so i head to look out of the one to the front seat, and i could as there was now stupid shutting policy. More frozen landscapes. I saw the southern tip of Greenland, attached to an iceberg stiched polar sea, then the vast lands of New Foundland, patterned by frozen lakes, great, but couldnt take any pictures.

Now in Ottawa together with Kathi again. -4 degrees and lots of snow, and that where I just had welcomed spring temperatures.

Lift Off

2008-03-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Ok just a little update as i am now in London for some 24 hours, enough to make it to the center village and have some fish and chips and of course beer with nothing else going with it.
The flight would have been ok, but somehow, lights were turned out and everyone had to pull down the shutters, on a day flight, so to rather watch the stupid TV program than the vast landscapes of the frozen sea north of russia. Of course i couldnt stand such ignorance for too long, and took some time to stare out anyway.
And as always Heathrow offered its regular troubles, this time it was delayed baggage, so basicely all people from all planes arriving waited in the small baggage hall (really small in comaprison) 90min for their luggage.

But Baywaters is a cool place, rather touristy though, but with a good spirit, am getting somewhat of the expected reverse culture shock, amazing to be in an really international city again. But its strange, i really have to change habits again, I nearly forgot to tipp at the cafe tonight.
Futhermore English isn't the signmark of foreigners anymore, but of course in London people are from anywhere. And it wasn't so easy to find soe non-asian food for me.
And yes, Jetlag has its impact too, awake now for 24hours something.....

Last days in Tokyo

2008-03-05T04:37:00.000-08:00

So finally I'am back! One week at the same place, and in an city i am familar with. Somewhat like home. Although Hotel Maruchuu in Minami-Senjuu is an interesting place. I thought about staying at the same place as when i arrived for the first time, but opted for this one, as its really tidier new and near to the next station. Although Minami-Senju is not far from minova, the surrounding is less inviting, infrustructure is rather low here, but i like the somewhat urban wastelandish atmosphere here, people all rather being workers than tourists, and the 9 floored building gets tottaly deserted after around 9am. Once again, i got a room with cool view, looking down on the freight-train terminal, having and the distant plattenbauten and innercity highway.

I am glad not doing too much of sightseing anymore, nevertheless couldn't prevent go to my favorite nearby places like Asakusa, Ueno and Akihabara of course shopping too (glad to have an additional suitcase by now...) and preparing to finally leave. Upcoming days it's finally say good by to fellows and friends...

Tokyo Fotos

Nara and Kyoto

2008-03-01T04:01:00.000-08:00

The second day in Nara i went straight to the student Volunteer Guide office. Together with the guide we went around visiting temples, the prefecture adminstration building and Nara machi, wherer there are a lot of old style houses preserved. She told me a lot about the sights,　but the real fun of course was chatting about different lifestyles of east and west, me learning new japanese words and "teaching" some english in return...

Today i went to Kyoto to get the cheaper bus to Tokyo. To be honest i had been disappointed by this town when i went there for the first time during winter, but today i liked it very much and discovered somewhat of its more discrete charm. Finally i made it into Nijo castle and the Nijo-Jinya, both having been closed during nenmatsu (year end period). The latter used to accomodiate feudal visitors to Kyoto who didnt make it into the Nijo-Castle. the cool thing about it, rather than wandering vast but empty tatami floored rooms you get a glance of the organisation of the tiny building and its structured with hidden doors, tunnels and so on to monitor and protect (ah the ever recurring japanese duality!).

To avoid notorious queeing along the temple gardens i skipped Ginkaku-Ji and visited Kodai-Ji instead and was rewarded afterwards by a pleasent stroll through the small alleys nearby.

Now i am spending some time in a stylish internet cafe before finally returning to Tokyo by nightbus, where i`ll stay for a week to get organised before leaving, meet friends and of course do all the shopping i postponed so far.

And i am really glad now, to stay at one place for a little longer time, as the constant changing of places really has become tiring. Nevertheless my stay in Japan finally comes to its end and as much i am looking forward to finally see my girlfriend again and returning to my homecountry, i already start to miss Japan somehow...

Kyoto Fotos

Osaka

2008-02-29T03:00:00.000-08:00

How i have been missing a proper routing system in the streets!

As i had to stay in bed, i didnt see so much of Kansai main city Osaka. People seem to be really nice once again, although it seems rather common to talk to oneself (No, there was no headset, i looked). Futhermore people line up on the right side of esacalators, but tend to walk on the left in the streets nonetheless (so it actually can get even more complicated).

I visited the history museum, probably the most pointless museum i've entered in Japan so far, totally superficial explenations additionally, after multimedia experiences at places like AXA Space Center and Kagoshima Meiji restoration museum, this one gave an example of how to do it wrong. I escaped to nearby Osaka-Jo, impressive already from distance, but snow finally drove me back to the hostel to not worsen my weak condition, so all i had left was the day of departure.

I went to the seaside Cosmoplaza, where there are some cool architectural landscapes, and a made a brief stop at Amerika mura (village) where everything is supposed to be the american way, in fact it reminded me more of Camden Market in London, regarding stores and people. In the meanwhile i made it to Nara, so one more temple tour for me (this time merely looking at), got a really cool place to stay, atmospheric and popular with foreign travellers, meaning i once again have the bathtup all for my own...

Osaka Fotos

Icy wind...

2008-02-25T21:00:00.000-08:00

It turned out, i had made the online reservation at the wrong hotel at the wrond prefecture (Fukushima in Tohoku) so rather than showing me the way, the tourist information made a new reservation for me (Business Hotel Senba).
Tokushina City is one more of a standard middle size Japanese town, and hasn't really much to offer (who said Shikoku was remote anyway....).

Nearby Naruto has its whirlpool in the sea between Shikoku and Awa-Iji. The time was rather good, as around full moon the phenomenon has its strongest appearence. Nonetheless there was no drain visible, only water turning around in the circle, which was impressive anyway. The boat went straight into it, so it was turned around by the water, then we went back again.

Despite 15° in Tokyo and even in Vienna, there was an icy wind continuing to blow for three days which finally brought me down, so i am now lying in bed of totally new J-Hoppers Osaka, rather than visitin castle, history museum and aqaurium...
Let's see how my condition will be tomorrow...

Naruto Fotos

Spirits

2008-02-24T01:54:00.000-08:00

From Matsuyama i went on the 100km something to Saijo. Not only didn't i get a temple stay (probably for henros only), i had to call 5 different hotels until i got a room, they where either "full" or "on holiday" as i was told on the phone. Aoki Hotel right next to the station gave me a room finally. More temples in Saijo, but i only made it to two of them, as i found out about a walkway up to temple number 60, the most remote one around Saijo, promissing escape from the heavy artery traffic.

That promise was kept and so i made my path along the chine of Shikoku mountains. You sure know the shape of these from samurai films or similar, it's totally steep at the foot, getting flat once you made that. For me, i was totally exhausted after the first path, moreover i somehow underestimated the distance, so it took me three hours to make it. 900m high there was still much snow, and it was freezing, so no rest for me at the temple, better this way anyway, as i arrived back in the urban sprawl around sunset. So no more temples on that day for me. But Houju-Ji (No. 60) definitely was woth it.

Next day brought enlightment of some different sort, i visited Asahi brewery. Everything was made up for presentation including an hourly shuttlebus to and from the factory. I got my single person guided toor, from the second floor you look down through windows to the ground level where all the silos, boilers, quality check laboratorys and botteling lines are. The guide explaining in english (read from a sheet), we chatted half english half japanese. This way i learned the stuff i drink taking it for beer so far, actually is happoushuu, with it's share of malt reduced, it slips through taxation levels, making the stuff cheaper (still around 190Y a can). Unfortunately no fotos allowed on the tour.

Next day was Zentsuu-ji (Station Hotel, shabby and rather far from the station). I visited temples 72 (Mandara-Ji) to 75 (Zentsuu-Ji), the whole walk was somewhat more relaxed than the day before, only around 5km one way. The latter temple was the place of the boyhood home of Kobo-Daishi, the founder of the pilgrimage.

Next will be Tokushima, my hub over to Osaka, not many plans for there, Naruto has a giant whirlpool.

Saijo & Zentsuu-Ji Fotos

Matsuyama

2008-02-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

I landed on Shikoku at the Port of Matsuyama. As i was totally powered out by moving on day by day, i stayed there for three nights to get some slight rest and organised again. I finally decided to skip Hiroshima, because i didn't care for the atomic bomb memorial, and I've already seen some Toori in the water, so no need for more. Being a rather busy business town not so different from any other middle sized Japanese city, Matsuyama has an impressive castle on a hilltop just in the towncenter. Structure and interior date back from 1850 something, so it stand a closer look too. (Most of the rebuilt in the 60ies castles i have seen so far didn't).

By the Botchan Ressha, a former steam train now running on electricity i went over to Dogo Onsen, just on the town outskirts and took a splash in the Honkan, where once more the structure of the historic facilities remains up today.

But the main thing on Shikoku is the 88 temples pilgrimage, making a tour all around the island. In fact i thought about doing the whole thing by cycle, but despite being on the same height as places like Tel Aviv or Malaga, this part of Japan is rather cold at that time of the year, so i chose the itinerary I am following now. Nonetheless as I am here, i'd like to get a glance of the path, so i am following parts of it by foot. In Matsuyama, i went from Temple No. 48 (Sairin-Ji) to 51 (Ishite-ji). Most of the time, i had to walk along roads with heavy traffic. But it's really impressing how the atmosphere changes once you enter the temple area. The structures itselves might not be so vast and impressing like those let's say in Kyoto (no queing all along the gardens) but the feeling is all so different.

Most pilgrims equip themselves with a kitschy white shirt, a hat, a walking stick, a bracelet and a ticket from the next travel agency, to carry them by bus from one temple to the next, doing the route in some 10 days. The few serious once, doing actually the whole way by foot, don't need any of these. A white scarf or something similar is all those i met on the road wore.Next day i will take the bus to Saijo, more temples there, and as i didn't make it to the Sapporo brewery on Kyushuu (!) i will visit Asahi's here.

Stayed at: Superhotel Matsuyama
Matsuyama Fotos

Steam

2008-02-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

The Shinkansenride lastet only for 40 minutes, then i had to change for the relay zubame (so the line to hakata is definitely not finished yet). And i forgot my book during the unexpected change. This time i didnt have the whole dorm for me alone in the youthhostel i stayed. Having left my luggage i hopped on the next bus up to Naka Dake, once more an active Volcano. No hiking up there, as "for safety reasons" you have to go by your own car along the tollroad or take the ropeway, so the operating companies have the safety of a steady source of income. In fact the steam ascending up from the bottom of the caldera really is awful, put all chemistry experiments together and you get it. Nontheless it was an exciting experience!
As i needed to walk a bit i hooked on a path further down, leading to the next peak, promising once mor 360° view. But as it was rather steep and icy, i decided to stop halfway, as i could see most of the valley and the neigbouring cones, from where i went.
Aso Fotos!

Thanks to a hint from a guy i chatted with over supper, i took the bus over to Beppu rather than the train the today. This took one hour more, but the view of the ever changing landscape was great. We went over a mountain pass, and it snowed heavilly! Glad to have safely arrived i checked for accomodiation and everything else i needed, then started to visit the "Hells" Beppu is famous for, it's a variety of natural hot-spring phenomena, put up for mass tourism, there's a small geyser and various pools of steaming hot spring water, i only really liked the "Pool of blood"-Hell, the water coloured red by the clay ground. As I'am at the very Onsen mekka of Japan, no way avoiding the hot springs, i tried Hyotan-Onsen, offering Rotemburo, Steambath and a Waterfall bath, very relaxing climate there.
Tomorrow, since i have time until the ferry at 4pm, I'll go for one or two more hells, try the mud-bath and hope to visit the infamous sex-museum (not covered in official tourist information;-)...

Beppu-Fotos.

Sandbath, cones and space center

2008-02-15T02:15:00.000-08:00

Where there are volcanos, hotsprings never are far, as i waited for the rocket launch day, i went south to Ibusuki, famous for its sandbath on the beach, you lie into the warm sand and are buried up to the neck, it can get really hot, but its just so relaxing. Only the constant sound of digging shovels is somewhat scary, reminded me of a burial ground. Anyway the salty thermal water is everywhere, steam from the beach, steam from the canals along the road and even the bath at the youthostel i stayed at, had it's own onsen.

As bathing is best after a long hard day, not that i needed a pretext, i went further south to the symetric cone of extinct Kaimon-dake. It takes 2 hours along a narrow path winding up around the mountain. The last kilometer contained some climbing and ladders, but i really enjoed the first serious hike, since my passage over Gas-San last september. On the top, 900 meter above the close seas level, i had a stunning 360° view, wow!

Ibusuki Fotos

As today was the assigned day for a rocket launch, i hopped on the jetfoil (a calm ride, despite the rough sea) down to Tanegashima, where rifles were introduced to japan, to watch the launch. Unfortunately it was cancelled, so i had to content myself with a visit of the spacecenter, together with the launch facilities situated in front of a great beach scenery.
Tanegashima Fotos

I will stay in Tanegshima business in tonight, and would like to even longer, as the island is very nice, but as it's definitely time to get farther up north, it'll be the jetfoil once more, and i wont be able to avoid the shinkansen on my way to Aso-san, despite my intention to use no more rapid transport once in Okinawa...

Under the volcano...

2008-02-13T04:26:00.000-08:00

I left the ferry somewhat weak in the knees. As Kagoshima welcomed me with bright weather, and unuasual high temperatueres, i went straight over to Sakura-Jima, on the other side of Satsuma bay.

Once having been an island, sakurajima now is a peninsula, as major eruptions connected it with the main island. Smoke is raising from the Crater top just all day long, bringing ash-rain from time to time. In fact Sakura-jima is a construction sight on its own. There are artifical hills meant to protect the port form downpouring lava, and they built giant drains to draw possible lava flows into the southern part of the bay. Around the mountain top, which is off limits vor all visitors there is one construction sight next to the other. You don't see much of that, as it's rather distant. The view is great anyway.

Kagoshima itself has some mediterranean flair, people are very stylish again, but not so uniformed like in Tokyo. And having left Okinawa, thinking, my Japanese became good enough, i had a very hard time getting the Satsuman dialect at all. It's very differentfrom anything I've heard in Japan so far, the sound of it is very light, and there seem to be many As and Es.

Kagoshima is more over full of history, as it's omnipresent hero Saigo Takamori coinitiated the Meiji Restoration, leading the opposition to it afterwards. Moreover, Kagoshima has been the landing site for Francisco Xavier, the first Catholic missionary entering Japan. So i just needed to go to one of the few catholic churches in japan and was warmly welcomend by the people there, hearing i come from catholicistic Austria ;-)
I stayed at the nice but somewhat old Busines Hotel Suzuya, the newer and cheaper option would have been one of the hotels just right when leaving the station.

Kagoshima Fotos.

Leaving the Ryu-Kyu realm

2008-02-10T02:21:00.000-08:00

I only spent one full day in Naha, which is a nice middle size town, if it wasn't for the circulation, which is horrible. But strolling along the backroads is always a fun thing in Japan. I did some sightseing, like Tsuruba Pottery district, Shuri-Castle and the Budokan. I hoped to go to the wartime Naval headquater too, but an incredibly lousy busservice including uninformed busdrivers (certainly unique in all Japan) prevented me from that.
Okinawa main island also serves as the base for US-army troops, one full day spent in the city, i saw nothing of any GIs, the bases all being up north. Of course that didn't keep locals from taking me for an American, which got me several frosty non-welcomes in shops and restaurants. But certainly no way for a Japanese (even though Ryu-Kyuan) to resist japanese politeness, so until leaving the atmosphere had got friendly all the time.

What I actually witnessed of US-army presence in Naha, were several overflights of fight jets directly over the city and at low height, making even more noise than all the cars on a major road together. What i got out of an embarressed shopkeeper, is that those flights seem to be rahter regular. The following day has one more long ferry ride (25h), and one more early morning leave, arrgh! The next morning will be Kagoshima, on the volcano island Kyushuu.

Naha Fotos

Cutting through the waves up north...

2008-02-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

Once again a ferry ride and once more strong waves conveyed by wind from the north. I hoped to get some sleep during the journey, so i layed down at once after boarding at 6. Although luying flat on the matrass, i completly lost balance, only this time this was no alcohol induced waggeling, but rather the some 100m long vessel itself, lifted by the rough sea, giving me moments of levitation, then hitting the water surface again, So i opted for a rattan armchair in a windowed corridor (thanks for the hint dad), to spend my wake there. Going by ferry is not so popular anymore, as regular flights link even the remotest Okinawan islands with the rest of Japan and its not much more expensive taking the plane if you book early. Therefore one line going to the southern islands stopped passenger transport at all.

The ships of Arimura Line are part Cargo part passenger ferries (very common on all islands) and there is only one ferry a week back to Naha. There are several classes, the first, the regular one, with cabins for 6 people and a 2nd class-type with bunk beds equipped dorms, no sign of tatami dorms i read about on the internet. Although going by ferry might not be the most convenient way of travelling anymore, as it takes 14h from Ishigaki to Naha (around 450km) it's a good way to experience the distance between the islands and let you feel that you're actually in the middle of the sea, a fact the japanese seem to try to make you forget.

Despite an island country there is not much sense for the sea here (except fishing). In Honshu you'll never see anything of the sea, if you not really go for it and Tokyo is even worse in that regard (artificial Odaiba doesn't count!). On the other hand this isn't really surprising regarding the countries self chosen isolation, where it was forbidden to leave the country for several hundreds of years, neither were tall ships allowed to be build. So even today, the ocean seems to rather mark a definite border than something accessible.

Welcome to the jangeru!

2008-02-06T02:27:00.000-08:00

To Iriomote it takes 40min by speedboat, enough for me to be ready to puke, but just right for a copassenger who slept during the passage, dispite all the shaking and horrible noise on the open deck (we have a winner....!).
In Iriomote it's all Yamaneko (Wildcat), tours, shops, dorms, even a marathon is named after them! As there are only some hundred of these critters, which naturally avoid human civilization and moreover are only active during nighttime, you never see the real ones, but tons of signs instead, warning you to not roll them over on the street (otherwise being severely punished...;-O

Iriomite is covered with jungle forest, human settlements nestled along the westside coast. I went up Urauchigawa, a scenic river bordered by mangroves. From the landing site there is a path crossing the whole island. Most visitors including me stick to the nearby waterfalls, which can be reached within 45mins. But that's quite fine to get a glance how a jungle looks like. There were quite a few cool things to see.

Not only did i forget my umbrella in the bus (i never have one longer than a week), but the pension i had made the reservation at, told me they wouldn't pick me up when i called them to, because they were on vacation ("...but this is Ryuu-Kyu!"). As my mobile didnt work in the jungle the boat company let me use their phone. Of course not much choice this way, so i ended up in rundwon Pension Taira, without meals but moldy walls instead. Actually this seems to be nothing uncommon for Uehara, the village i stayed, as all Hotels here are totally run down. Only the price isnt. A real backdrop considering the beauty of this island.

Having had enough of no warm water, no mirrror in the bathroom, and no sink (therefore no shaving, how did this place make it into LP recommondations after all?) after one night i had the luck, the clerk at deserted Uehara port getting me a room at Pain-Kan. After all the troubles with accomodiation i enjoyed a decent room near the beaches (swimming, once more at great sites), eating wild boar carpaccio at the near izakaya and drinking yamamori-sake together with the people from pain-kan! So i got glance of life on that island too.
Today after a short morning dive, i took the bus to south side Ohara port, as Uehara was still closed for northern winds conveying high tides, and watched the jungle landscape through the windows. One more speedboat-ride back to Ishigaki, taught me about northern winds strengh, as the vessel jumped several times, after hitting the waves. Tomorrow i continue back to Naha by early morning ferry.
One funny thing i heard about ishigaki: Visitors from nearby Taiwan like to buy apples as souvenir gifts, as they are thought to be so cheap (1 apple is 150-200Y).

Best of falling asleep on public transport

2008-02-05T02:57:00.000-08:00

As promised, an update on the ranking, and a new number one rank at once!
1) Yaeyaman senior dozing off on the outer deck of the noisy shaking splashy speedboat to Ohara (see below).
2) Man dozing off while unfolding a peace of paper.
3) Woman sleeping while on an escalator.
4) Girl satnding sleeps while holding herself up on a grab handle.
5) Girl fallen asleep while typing a message.

Far from Tokyo...

2008-02-02T05:43:00.000-08:00

Entering the half cargo half passenger ferry in the dark, i had the chance to watch the dawn (sun didnt really break through) on open sea. Arrived at around ten o'clock in Ishigaki-City, 2200km away from Tokyo and already close to Taiwan. I left my luggage at the somewhat shabby but internet-equipped Rakutenya, went straight on to Taketomi-Jima, a small island just close to Ishigaki, where a traditional village has been preserved and is a major tourist destination now. Once more unpredictable rain didnt keep me off the beaches, which were deserted until i arrived. Met a bunch of friendly people today.

I think I understand now, what irritated me first, as people rather say "Nippon" than "Nihon", the first being considered carrying a rather nationalistic undertone and which i didnt hear so far except from right-wing-car-mounted speakers. I first thought it to be such a nationalist turn, but obviously it is more a way how people are expressing their cultural distance from Japanese main islands. Like during a conversation over some delicious grilled fish today: "You know, this is Japan. But this is Ryuu-Kyu... It was Ryuu-Kyu."

Ishigaki-Fotos

Finally I updated my maps:

Größere Kartenansicht

Miyaku. part 2

2008-02-01T02:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday i went to Irabu, just short from Miyaku main island, rented a bike and went around the island and its neighbour island connected by many bridges. More great beaches there, and a pilot training site, whith starts every 10 minutes until noon. I finally jumped into the water at Nakanoshima-beach, the most beautiful, being sheltered by overhanging cliffs. Unfortunaltelly the occasional rainshowers turned into continuing rain accompanied by strong wind, which made me return after being soaked within 10 minutes.

Today it finally cleared up, making the island even more beautiful, once more snorkeling from a deserted beach. Great. Tomorrow i will go on to Ishigaki, departing at 5 in the morning...

Miyako-Jima

2008-01-31T01:36:00.000-08:00

I got in the plane at Haneda airport, which is built on reclaimed land and reached via Tokyo Monorail. After having checked in my luggage (it's enough to be there 20min in advance) it took 2,5 hours to reach Naha airport on Okinawa, where i was welcomed by rather high temperatures and humidity.

I didnt see much of Naha, because i had to take the ferry the same day, and thanks to a lousy busservice (No destinations on bus-timetables, 20min delay etc) i had to skip Shuri-Castle. Okinawa is a car society as Japanese use to say, and the only american thing for me to experience, as i did only see one westerner during the whole day, so the Americans seem to rather stay on their bases. Ok, there are lots of Steak-Houses though, of course i eat champloo instead , the obviously name-giving dish for the Samurai Champloo anime (both great!!!). From the rather run down Shinko (New Port) in Naha, it takes 8h by ferry to get to Miyako. I slept well and didnt get sick.

At Miyako port i was picked up by the proprietor of the Kuromonchou-Minshuku, who is a totally nice guy, later that day, he showed me around all over Miyako main island from north to south with his car, told me a lot, and in the evening we had dinner together with one of his friends, exchanged sake and home made Schnaps from Austria. Today we did some snorkeling on the eastern coast, the water being warm, but probably not what you need for that kind of activity, so we had enough after 30min. But i am relaxed knowing now there'll be no problem swimming in 20degree warm water (just as air temperature). Only backlash: it is really cloudy and rainy all the time, and you're not able to foretell the next shower (which normally is over again after half an hour something again).
Watch the Fotos!

Goodbye Tokyo!

2008-01-27T05:09:00.000-08:00

Last days in megalopolis! Having left my room with its great view, said good bye to all friends and collegues, i am on my own now once again.

To miss no experience i decided to stay the last night in a capsule hotel in Akihabara, the part of town where all the computer nerds an otaku kids make their shopping dreams come true.

Tomorrow i take the plane down to Naha, Okinawa's main town and from there take the overnight-ferry to Miyako-Jima the same day, an island even farther south, already close to Taiwan. I'll stay there at Minshuku Kuromonchou, the house having been built around 100 years ago, something really special regarding the past, as okinawa islands where the only part of Japan being conquered by US-troops.

I hope to find calm weather there, it's said to have around 20°C, unfortunately it'll be rather clowdy. nonetheless i hope i can go swimming, as the beaches should be magnificent. Saturday i will go on to Ishigaki, the most southern Part of Japan, before returning to Naha, and from there going north again up to Kagoshima.

Some Akiba-Fotos.

Sumo!

2008-01-24T06:06:00.000-08:00

As its tournament time now in Tokyo, i finally could witness the best in this traditional style of wrestling. The tournament goes on for two weeks, and takes from early morning until 6pm, when the two Yokozunas (grand champions) have their fights. Of spectators particular interest are of course the major rounds (makuuchi), where the highest ranked compete against each other, from around 4 pm. In fact those guys are not just fat, but incredibly well trained. (Its all muscles, you know...).
As this is thousands of year old practice, it is filled with ritualistic gestures and movements, but those aren't mere decoration. The preparations before the actual fights, with all that throwing of salt, getting in position and then raising again, slapping own bodyparts..., is already a form of engagement. And its possible to estimate who is going to win even before they touched each other. For that it was good to see the minor fights too, because there you see the uncertainties of the contrahents, who don't synchronise that perfectly as do the champions, the later making you think it was only a ceremonial.
Although japanese in tradition, sumo today is rather international, quite a few of the grand wrestlers being of Eastern European origin and the two Yokozunas both being Mongolian.
Watch the clip of one single competition:

And of course there are Fotos as well...

Ekimae

2008-01-19T21:16:00.000-08:00

Ekimae means in front of the station. Other than in Europe, where train stations aren't really the place of your choice, in Japan with its public transport society, all revolves around it. So when you tell somebody where you live, you rather say the line and the station where you get off. And of course that's where you meet friends and colleagues or go shopping after work. So the bigger stations (Shinjuku and Ikebukuro being worlds largest) are at once giant department stores, where you can buy what latest fashion trends prescribe, there are floors filled up with restaurants, bars and so on. As the railway companies own the stations, they also usually own the stores (Odakyu in Shinjuku, Seibu in Ikebukuro, again one of Japans largest, and Lumine at major JR-stops).

As it is a meeting point it doesn't stop at the station itself, but the area around those are places to spend free time, where even more shops, bars, game centers and of course red-light related businesses (Shinjuku's infamous Kabukichou) are nestled along, where neon signs or megaphone using staff crying up their services. So today stations picked up a role, filled out by temples and shrines in former times, this tie still being present in the name of the area around Harajuku station, named Omotesandou, literally meaning front way to a Shrine (in this case the Meiji-Jingu).

Also, the places you get to know as a tourist, like the above mentioned are those around the station. And European railway companies seem to try to inherit that concept, e.g. the new central station in Berlin, and the efforts (?) made by OEBB, to modernize their buildings.

Fotos

In the evening, there are often music performars of varied talent gathering around the station to promote their art. One particular good one i saw, was Re-Trick in Shinjuku:

Beans and Rice (part 2)!

2008-01-16T02:18:00.000-08:00

A speciality in Eastern Japanese cuisine is Natto, that is fermented beans, you mix with soy-sauce, mustard and scallions and then pour it over your rice. It is said that foreigners and even kansai people cant eat it. In fact it smells rather funny, and is often compared in its taste to mould cheese, which is somehow fitting and then again not. I tried it sometimes, and could eat it without problems (surprise, surprise), nevertheless its consistence is rather hard to get over, because it is really sticky (“newa newa” as this type of food is called in Japanese) and the look of it is just gross! Despite it is considered uneatable, there seem to be even more smelly foodproducts in this country.

All in all, food is very important here. I first realised that when turning on the tv, and there you have at least 2-3 channels, where there is some food related show. This doesnt stop with all the dull cooking shows, i know back from home, but includes presentations of the current seasons specialities, or those of the different regions, or from all over the world (This years rice, hokkaido clambs, beaujolais nouveau). The very unusual about it, you can watch people eating the most diverse things on screen and yelling “oishii” or “umai” to confirm its tastiness, which can also go wrong from time to time (like with one show, where the showmaster had to taste dishes prepared by fans of the show and just couldnt keep up his face...).

And of course there are eating contests, its contestants having some sort of celebrity status.
But this goes right into daily life. After having been dared by my iaido sensei with strange types of sushi, like wasashi (raw horsemeat), yuke (sliced raw beef topped with a small raw egg) and last but not least the infamous shirako (sperm filled fish testicles), which i had to eat while being oservated by him as well as the shopkeeper, i could proudly yell “oishii” at the next occasion, whereas the members of the dojo really had a hard time swallowing!

Food related Fotos.
Couple who just had to carry the natto-experience to excess.

Another newanewa dish: Me eating Sticky Seaweed soup at Nokogiriyama

Tonoyaki at Torigoe-Jinja

2008-01-11T23:48:00.000-08:00

Somewhat awkward title, i know, but thats how its called. Shops and restaurants all reopened again, but The New Year period lasting for quite some days here in Japan and are followed by various typical acitivites. One i visited is the said Tonoyaki, where New Year decorations are burnt. Additionaly, people hold Omochi into the fire, using long bamboo sticks. Both of it is considered bringing good luck, for the new Year. This custom used to be a rather widespread one, but in Tokyo now it only survived at Torigoe-Jinja.

Omochi is typically eat for new year, it is a small cake made of - Yes! - rice. You hold it into the fire until its starting to turn black. Then you can eat it. I got my own stick, and roasted my own one. The taste was funny!

A more relaxed way of roasting your Omochi
The Dark side of Omochi

Video

Where we went....

2008-01-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned before, my girlfriend and I travelled to central Japan during the winterholidays.
We started in Hida-Takayama, the capital of Gifu prefecture, famous for its quater of dark wooden buildings dating from the Edo period and also its beef, which in fact is delicious, but somewhat expensive. You eat it together with cold soba noodles. Takayama is rather small and very calm so its perfect for just walking around. And i spotted snow for the first time, since i came to Japan!
We stayed overnight at a youth hostel adjunct to Tenshoji one in a row of buddhist temples at the east end of the city. A great place! Overall there seem to be much more temples than Shrines in Central Japan, just opposite to eastern part.

Further up north is Shirakawago a narrow valley beneath a reservoir. Ogimachi is its largest village consisting mainly of old farmhouses (gasshotsukuri), with their triangle shaped roofs, beneath which silkworms where bred in former times. The silkworm waste then was buried in the ground under the living space, where it transformed into a base material for gunpowder, and remained the main source for it for several hundred years. We stayed in one of these old houses. Otherwise than stated on their homepage they didnt serve dinner at the fireplace, where a small stove directly is put on the ground. So unfortunately we missed that experience.

Finally we arrived in Kyoto, the must-see-town of Japan. There we got a glance of Kansai-livestyle. People seem to be much more relaxed over there, walk slower, talk louder and laugh more. Kyoto is the spiritual center of Japan. As a tourist you experience that as a decent sightseeing tour threatens to turn into a temple-marathon. We tried to avoid this, but had a somewhat hard time doing so, as non spiritual facilites where practically all closed down for the Year End period. Nevertheless the temples are impressive, not least because of vast meditational gardens surrounding them. Personally i liked Touji the most, because of the magnificent groups of buddhas and boddhisavatwas inside the lecture hall.
Our base there was Shimaya, just between towncenter and the station, the atmosphere there was one of the best i witnessed in Japan so far!

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T04:43:00.000-08:00

After a short but pleasant journey over to Kansai we celebrated New Year back in Tokyo! Despite theses days being the main holiday season here, it is rather a quite time, families coming together often from far distances. And there are just no fireworks at all. As my girlfriend returned today, we had to get up early and skipped heavy partying, instead dancing to the tunes of the danube waltz home, after we heard the temple bells starting around midnight. Later on we followed customs and visited a shrine in the neighbourhood bowed and drank some warm sake afterwards.

Much happiness and all the best for 2008!
It's the Year of the rat now!

Japanese New Years customs
Photos from our the Journey

Christmas in Tokyo

2007-12-23T22:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a big thing here. Of course there is no real tradition for it so it is something rather modern and therefore are some funny things to find. Nevertheless, not quite different from the copy and paste food (i will report of later) i am somewhat disappointed because of the decency with which things are put up here all in all. I only heard “Last Christmas” twice. Most of the time You have dimmed down classical music or choruses chanting even very rare themes from my home country like “Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen”.
Yesterday i passed by Roppongi Hills with my love, who is staying in Tokyo at the time, and we stumbled into a Christmas Market, where you can get lots of wooden craft, sausage and kraut, and even sweet hot wine (Glühwein)! Yeah!

Anyway it really is birthday time now, as the Japanese Emperor is celebrating his on the 23rd. We took the rare occasion to enter the area of the Imperial Palace which is closed except for two days of the year and get a glance of the buildings as well as the royal family, showing up on a balcony and addressing the crowd.

Then we went on to nearby Yasukuni shrine, which in fact never has been visited by the present emperor, there we had some soba among ultra nationalists and an assembly of Yakuza, who nevertheless gathered there for that particular day.
All in all exploring Tokyo together with my girlfriend was a very exciting and romantic time. Today we will celebrate Christmas together, and from tomorrow travel to Takayama and Kyoto.

Merry Christmas to all of You!
Kathi and Christian

Christmas Fotos

Samurais can cath a cold too....

2007-12-20T21:00:00.000-08:00

Funny commercial from Contac...

Trade

2007-12-14T21:43:00.000-08:00

As it seems to be the appropriate time to talk about consumption, I continue with two major trading spots in Tokyo.

Tsukiji Market Japans largest one and also one of worlds largest wholesalemarkets. But the main thing of interest there is fish. Auctions taking place there in early morning, and you can watch all steps of fish being processed. Away from the hectic tuna auctions the goods being delivered to merchants, who saw the big animals and sale pieces of several kilos weight, which move on to the sushi-stores, were they once again are sliced up into much more tinier pieces, fitting on a small rice ball now. Besides fish you can get anything which used to be living in the sea. Especially in the morning it gets very hectic and you really have to be careful about all the small pick-up-carts entering even narrowest galleries, its already difficult to pass on foot without stumbling over anything. We ended our visit with a plate of freshest sushi possible. It was delicious, but as it was early morning and also some special titbits topping the rice, it turned out to be a particular challenge. And again it was early morning!

The other one is Tokyo Stock Exchange. Again one of worlds largest as probably anyone knows. But no hectic there, as floor trade has been put down and anything is computerized now. Instead of closing everything down for public too, as the paranoiacs did in New York and Chicago, they put up a giant screen where the quotes of all major listed companies are displayed. Nowadays there are only some system maintenants working there along with agents from finance news corporations. The giantesque arrangement seemed to be rather useless, but it reminded me of those science fiction movies as well as the funny Go for it (“Zwei bärenstarke Typen”). As this place is not among major tourist spots i had my guided tour together with only one guy from the Netherlands being into commodities trading.
Very interesting tour!

All fotos on Trade!

Overall favorite Tags on Flickr!

2007-12-12T23:44:00.000-08:00

I really was surprised when I saw this:

Japan being among the most frequently used tags on flickr, just after Wedding and together with Family, Party and Travel. So this country really seems to be very popular with travelers. I wasnt aware of that at all! Quite probably this is because it particualrily attractive for all the technic-afficiandos which are certainly overrepresanted on flickr...

Melons for 60Euros each – Costs in Japan

2007-12-09T04:17:00.000-08:00

I went to Japan somehow anxious about the high prices, i have heard of. Tokyo is said to have been worlds most espensive city up to 2005 now being the second to next.
But as soon as i got here I got more relaxed. Thanks to a strong Euro together with a weak Yen (different interest rates along with a weak dollar the Yen is tied to) the widespread horror stories are definitely outdated today (for Europeans at least...)

In fact there are some things that are really expensive here, especially in Tokyo:

Housing (this applies definitely to Tokyo, this is also why so many people taking daily rides of 1h and more).
Riding the Shinkansen (Taking the local trains or rapid ones is cheap, but as you have to get along with distances quite often, so you will want to get on a limited express or the said Shinkansen and a seat reservation there doubles resp. tripples the price).
Fruits and vegetables: The melons are still expensive, and a single apple costs around laughable 1,5 Euros. But it is possible to get around that somehow. Tangerines (what a stupid word for Mandarinen!) and Banans are ok. Replace lettuce with soy sprouts and it is ok too.

But just like the mentioned points above, the real costs are not about about what you need, but what you can get.
This city is defintely a shopping mekka! I always wondered about all the people relating Tokyo to shopping (and consumption in a more general speaking). The point is there is an endless variety of stuff. You can get the cheapest (all the 100Yen shops), you can get the most luxuriest (Ginza), as well as the most kinky (Akihabara, Harajuku) and of course all the traditional (Asakusa) stuff. And you get what you have paid for practically all the time.
Myself surely being far away from a shopping junkie, the more i see, the more difficult for me it gets to set back. Never experienced such a situation in all my life so far...!
Fitting topic for Christmas approaching somehow...

Hakone – Fujispotting and Leaves Hunt

2007-12-01T01:10:00.000-08:00

After several weeks in central Tokyo it was definitely time for me to get out and experience some nature. So i took the Romancecar last Sunday and went over to Hakone, just at the border of the Kanto plain. As it was the right time, weather was promising and it was the last day of a long weekend, this japanese tourism hotspot par excellence was crowded just like back at Shinjuku station where I started my trip.
At Hakone Yumoto, I had to change for the Tozan small railway up to Gora, a way which is said to be scenic, but as it was just like metro at rushhour i couldnt get much of the scenery.

Up there, i had to change two more times, first for the Tozan Cable Car, then for the Hakone Ropeway. Just a fine variety of means of transportation i had there! When the Ropeway made it over the final ridge up to Owakudani, the reason why this spot attracted hordes of visitors became evident as the Fuji was raising in front of a bright autumn sky!
What an impressive view!

But Owakudani is an attraction by itself, as the mountain crest is covered with sulphuric hotsprings and steam fuming out of the rugged ground. Unfortunately the nature-trail leading right through the moonlike landscape was closed down by the time, so i had to content myself watching it from some distance. Furthermore Owakudani also has its culinary speciality, that is black eggs, which are boiled in pools of the said hotsprings, giving them a dark colour thanks to a chemical reaction.

By then i definitely had to escape from the crowds and make my way down to lake Ashi along a hiking trail, leading through a forest in full autumnal decoration. It is momijigari season, the time Japanese are hunting for turned red leaves and its considered to be just the autumn equivalent of cherry blossom, well covered in weather reports. And in fact, besides the famous radiant red you have all kinds of different colours.
After stopping at a temple and a tea house, both well hidden in the forest i got to the lakeshore of Togendai from where i took the megakitschy pirateboat ferry down to Hakone-machi, which is once again offering great views of the Fuji. Down there is the reconstruction of Edo-period Hakone Checkpoint, one of many posts serving to collect taxes on goods arriving form outside Edo as well keeping the few female inhabitants of the city inside (and therefore the daimyos loyal?). From there I walked over to Moto Hakone with its famous Shrine.

That's where I decided, to stay overnight as i definitely wanted to hike a little bit more and soak in an onsen without being worried about getting the last connection back home. So I stayed at Moto Hakone Guesthouse (Just a walk form the lakeshore up to Ashinokomae bus station, (0460-3-7880), where i got a small but cosy room for the night.
After having spent the evening at the great Mori no Yu, I got up early the next day and made my way back to Yumoto along the Stone Paved Edo Time Highway, going down from the vulcanic heights along a scenic valley. Back at Yumoto i dipped once more into an onsen pool at the rustic Kappa Tengoku, before finally returning to Tokyo.

All Hakone fotos!

In the ropeway up to Owakudani

Sayonara Sobu-Line...!

2007-11-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

In the meantime I moved to central Tokyo. From the tiny suburb mansions to modern several storeys high buildings (I live at the 5th floor now, getting a great view of Shinjuku...). Going to school by bicycle rather then by train, it takes laughable 15 minutes now to get there. Furthermore, there is no more temple gong in the morning, but much sharper church bells, and in the evening no more factory-pipes fluting from the distance but drive-by-promotional-enchantments (“Gyooooza yasuiiii....!”). And between the traditional restaurants, sake bars and workshops nestled along the main street, there is some american style coffee shop or a french bakery to find here and there.

Nonetheless Akebonobashi is a mainly residential area, my room is oriented away from the main street and its quite calm, not what i expected from living in Tokyo at least (Traffic here is just not what you are used to in big cities in the west). But it is not only the outside that has changed. I share the apartment with three people, who are all nice, and we are doing much things together, talking, cooking, going out. But no more of the hospitality of my former hosts, who I liked a lot, and who I really miss. Being on my own now meaning also preparing my own food, shopping (trying to find all the good things i simply ate and drank so far), doing my laundry and putting out the garbage (one of the few things i really think is unnecessarily complicated here).
And all these things work just a little bit different, but that's the fun finding out how...!

More Fotos of Akebonbashi...
Now I have Videos too!

Farewell Sushi in Hamano

So what about school...

2007-11-13T04:37:00.000-08:00

GEOS Kudan (just smile, my dear colleagues, this one happens to be quite a big language school chain) is located in central Tokyo, just a 10 minutes walk from the imperial palace. It belongs to Chioyda business district, but it is not really downtown, the big business places are located in the southeast (Otemachi, Ginza) or even farther off in Shinkuku. Besides the offices present here, you have a lot of universities around, and the lower part of yasukuni-dori (avenue) is full of bookstores.
First school day, was like total chaos! There was the placement-list for all the newcomers, the names written in katakana (the syllable-script for foreign words. No problem writing, but try to find your name on such a list. Furthermore they use forenames, so I had to look twice anyway...). Class started at 13:30 after a short self-introduction by everyone with the teacher just talking rapidly in japanese and – oh my goodness – the students just responding in japanese in a relaxed manner. While i didn't understand anything!
In fact class is held in japanese only. So new vocabulary is described with (mostly) more basic words. This is an overall characteristics of teaching here, things are not explained but shown (in a more or less transparent way). That applies to the structure of exercises as well. With some it took my over 2 weeks to figure out, how they really work (Especially those with pictures only, leaving you just wondering what they are supposed to mean already).
The level of the course I am in, is quite challenging for me, it is at about the level of the university course i took in Austria. But it is much more relaxed and fun, and there is a lot of interaction. Not only plain grammar repetition. After all I am quite positively surprised.
A propos repetition, yes, you have that kind of jointly reading aloud texts, fortunately only for some short times during the whole week.
One more thing: School is crowded, like most places in Tokyo, there is not much space. Classrooms are mall and 15 people fill it up quite well. During the breaks you can stay either in the classroom or in the hallway, where it is crowded. So most of the time I join smokers in the closet (smoking second hand). This is just the only place where you need not constantly give way for someone passing by.

Food

2007-11-05T02:50:00.000-08:00

The Japanese word for meal is “Gohan” literally meaning boiled rice.
And boiled rice is just what you get all day long. Boiled rice in the morning ("asa-gohan"), boiled rice at noon ("hiro-gohan") and yes! boiled rice in the evening ("ban-gohan").
But that doesn't at all mean it is bad! It's the opposite! Rice is just the best thing to get you fed. And if it might sound strange to have rice accompanying spaghetti with sauce, it just does what it has to do. And you'll never experience that strange feeling of not being satisfied after having eat.

In fact, back then at Hachigome (Dewa-Sanzan), as season was low, all i got for dinner were two small pieces of onigiri (rice-sandwich, left). Normally these are filled with fish or something alike. But those only contained a single sour cherry. And I really worried, how I would make it through the evening only having eat those two tiny pieces.
But it lasted. And not a second I wasted a thought on getting more somehow.

Of course there is much much more than that, and especially in Tokyo you can get everything! One popular all days long food is noodle soup (“ramen”, “udon”, “soba”), you can find it just everywhere in this country! But it doesn't need to be a traditional dish. In the supermarket you can get yummie things too, like a soba-sandwich....

Beans and Rice!

2007-10-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

During the weekend I went to Chiba City, to see what it's like. Being not that tourist-mekka, Chiba has its sights, such as Chiba-Castle, a zoo and the Port Tower, all of these linked by Chiba Urban Monorail, worlds longest suspension type monorail. Most of the day i spent at the port area, which is one of the largest in all of Japan. Just some minutes walk from Minato Station there's a small piece of green in midst the never to end industrial architecture spreading along the eastern coastline!

Just at the waterfront of this recreational area, there is the port-tower, a slender building of 112m height. Still not totally gotten used to outdoor background music, i stood in its shadow amazed and listened to jazzo-electrified popsongs (something that met my liking at last). I went it up of course, trying not to mind looking down 112 meters through a translucent glass- and steel construction. But you also have a great view over all the vast commercial area, up to Tokyo where buildings slowly disappear in the fume. Ships coming in and going out again, waking some wanderlust in me just at the other end of this beautiful earth.

Outside people were taking advantage of the accessible waterfront. At a small renaturalised bay surrounded by a factory- and silo-landscape, people were relaxing, surfing, fishing crabs (leaving aside the flying fish, which are lots of fun to watch) and looking for seashells (me too!). Still not having had enough of industrial coastline, i went on a boat, that did the port tour, allowing me to experience the view from the seaside.

I went back again by the monorail, stopping at Chiba Park to relax a bit, before continuing to the city center to experience Chiba after nightfall. In fact, by then the scenery totally changed. And daytime-commuters giving way to a more younger townsfolk looking for entertainment. Finally I let myself convince once more by some crazy background outdoor free jazz, to look for the place where they had that. But in vain. All in all I had quite a hard time getting a simple drink! That's because on ground floor, there are mostly shops. Clubs and bars, are on higher floors, so no strolling by, checking if the place is what you're up to right now. Instead there are panels in front of the elevators, turning out to be totally undecipherable for me, including signs saying pub, while the place turning out to offer some slightly different kind of leisure. I got my beer at last. In a restaurant.
Link to the Foto-Map (Thanks go to Thomas here!)

Best of falling asleep in a train (respectively in public)...

2007-10-22T06:35:00.000-07:00

1)Man dozing off while unfolding a peace of paper.
2)Woman sleeping while on an escalator.
3)Girl satnding sleeps while holding herself up on a grab handle.
4)Girl fallen asleep while typing a message.
To be continued...

Those who are not reading or utilizing their mobile-whatsoever in the wagon are asleep. And that is about 50% of the passengers.
At first i found that really funny, how people managed to sleep in the most inconvenient positions you can imagine.
And I wondered how so many people could burden themselves with de facto no-quality rest. But after some days of commuting I now understand why.
Going for 1 ½ hour by train just drains your brain.
After about 60 minutes I just don't want to read any more.
Nothing at all!
And despite just not being able to, i realize getting near the point just dozing off too. And most of the time I arrive at school feeling like have been hit on the head by a stone.

Hamano. Satellite View

2007-10-17T17:08:00.000-07:00

The distinctive coastline is shaped by land reclamation programs started in the sixties.

Chiba City Blues

2007-10-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

Literally not a just title I am borrowing here. As Chiba City is rather far away and it takes about 20 minutes to get there.
The town I am living at is Hamano, still part of the never seeming to end agglomeration of Greater Tokyo Area, inhabiting around 35 million people (it's 20 more minutes by car farther south that urban area finally ends).
Despite its name (Hamano meaning “seaside fields”) you never see Tokyo Bay from anywhere here, as heavy industry, which Chiba prefecture is known for, is spreading down along the seaside and entering is prohibited (i tried to).
But just like of the nearby coastline, you never notice anything of all these kind of plants, power-, petrochemical-, what so ever, at the house where I stay.
It is situated in midst of a nice residential area, a shrine or workshop here and there, some traditional restaurants, as well as your “conbini”(-ent store) just around the corner. The hosts are incredibly friendly people and I like them really much. Of course there are these rules you have to stick to, but as we (there are more guests) are staying in a separate building, there is at about enough privacy and yes! there's space too!
The traditional room I live in might have 15-20m², opening up to a small garden with tiny crooked trees, full with strange fruits that are only not edible (probably for the best).
You might think you are living in a small town just like anywhere in Japan.
And a swift ride by train is probably the best cure from such delusions!
It takes about 90 minutes to get to school, but only if you get the rapid train, which in fact is quite popular among commuters, meaning you won't sit down for most of the ride. (It's crowded just all the time. From 11:00 to 16:00 it might be, let's say, less crowded.)
Of course there are the local trains too.
So enjoy reading a book during 1h45. Or find out why all the mobile gadgetry packed with the latest killer application, just no one cares for back home, is such a big thing over here!

Only that a plain tourist visa exempts you from the merits of postpaid-service. So no mobile plugging into the net for you, cowboy! (In fact I know quite a few people who didn't manage to get a mobile phone at all).
Another funny thing about commuting 90 minutes in one direction, is that the worlds best working public transport system situated in the worlds largest metropolitan area simply stops at about midnight. So when you go out make sure to head home at 22:30 at the latest, or otherwise be prepared to stay up all night. Much time to spend at home therefore!
Despite my hosts having put up a WLAN router, i hoped if not mobile so i could simply connect to the internet, without having to walk over to the noisy entertainment-center. But the thing just didn't work. Flatline! Eventually I spent two further weeks without permanent internet-connection, experiencing just how dependent on it one is today. Dependent, as it actually fullfils a purpose. But I tell you, this was cold turkey!
No skypeing with my girlfriend, no news, no getting organized on a more than basic level, checking train connections, anything...!
By now its fine. No more hanging around at strange manga-shops, or slipping onto the next seat released at school, to check emails and occasionally write one...
Junkie-time definitely is over!

Zao Onsen – Crater lake and Rotemburo

2007-10-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

I arrived at Yamagata-city totally exhausted. Despite the assistance from the tourist office I didn't manage to find the hotel recommend in my wise book, so i stumbled into the next not to stylish looking business hotel just outside Yamagata station to the left, which called itself plainly “bizinesu hoteru”.
Having slept quite well i took an early bus up to Sao Onsen, a renowned ski and hiking resort, where i would allow myself 2 days of relaxation. I stayed at “Minshuku Boku no uchi” (Tel. 023-694-9542, literally meaning “my home”, which turned out to be a great name to earn surprised reactions, when being asked where i stayed.)

Zao Onsen offers two main attractions for visitors during this season: The first one is Okama, a crater lake in midst of a reddish moonlike mountain scape. As I definitely have had enough of exhausting hikes i eased my way up there by taking the ropeway, so i only had more or less to follow the the chine to access a spectacular view. Just like at home, people here use to greet each other on mountains, and as during these days mountains were about as crowded as Tokyo subway is at rush hour, i soon felt like a supermarket cashier.
Put the view payed it all back! In fact the crater housing Okama lake, is only one of several craters. The sichle-shaped chine you walk around, while looking down to Okama, seams to be itself formed by volcanic activity.

Apropos energy from beneath the earth, Zao Onsen's other attraction is its hot springs (“Onsen” actually meaning hot spring, therefore Zao Onsen means nothing other than “Zao Spa”). The characteristic sulfuric smell welcomes you as soon as you get out of the bus up there, and you only stop to dislike it as soon as you slide into the hot water of a rotemburo (open air basin). Despite the long way up from the village-center (my legs still ached from the day before) i preferred the Dai-rotemburo, which might be the more basic one, but which offers the most natural beauty.
So there i really found much needed relaxation before returning to the hectic metropolis of Tokyo.

Dewa Sanzan II - Don't try this at home: Climbing up Gas-san in bad weather

2007-10-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

I didn't get too much sleep that night as the said wind, howling over the roof. As i opened the shutter to peer into morning light i was quite disturbed seeing no more than a light grey flatness. The shukubo was covered by clouds piling up at Gas-San and it rained from time to time. I was quite undecided what to do. There was no more bus for Tsuruoka and the weather really looked bad, despite the forecast reporting about good weather today.

So i waited for nearly three hours, but nothing changed, it even got worse. I could have called a Taxi, but that would have cost me around 100€ and i would go the opposite direction i wanted to go. So finally I decided for going over the mountain top. As the people at the shukubo didn't try to hold me back, i thought to myself, it will be ok.
But it got hard.

I lacked the appropriate equipment, especially boots and trousers, which would have been no great trouble, if weather had been better. But it started to rain again just 10 minutes after i had put on my backpack weighing around 10kgs and settled off. My jeans soon got soaked and the nice wooden planks, changed to a stone path even worse than the steps the day before. Sight was about 5-10 meters at the best.The higher up I came, the stronger the wind got, and it went cold. Balancing on the stones which were itchy and wet, i more than once nearly got knocked down by sudden blasts. The only thing preventing me from turning back were some other guys who went up too. Their equipment was much better than mine, only none of them seemed to care for their heads, as they didn't use theirg hoods, or anything, one of them wore a baseball-cap.

After two hours walking at a military pace (official walking time: 3hours for 5km and 600m height difference) i reached the mountain top, on which there is Gas-san jinja (Gas-san shrine). This one was closed as had been all the other huts on my way up (strange thing buildings suddenly taking shape out of grey nothing). At least i found shelter behind the walls surrounding the shrine. I was exhausted and hungry, but i had nothing to eat, so i went on down the other side, towards Yudono-San, the third mountain, which you luckily simply pass by descending. At noon rain finally stopped and after about one hour later i got beneath the clouds, offering less winds and higher temperature. On the way to Yudono-san Jinja (shrine) a small river went along the path, but as i already got used to balancing over slippery rocks this was no major obstacle for me. But i realised i steadily got weaker, and lost security of my step. Finally i went down some ladders (slippery too) after which i got to Yudono jinja and finally got some rest.

Yudono jinja is not a building like the other shrines but an about 3 meter high orange rock, from which a hotspring is pouring down. To worship it, you first receive a blessing by the priest, rub yourself with sacred paper, then you may walk it up along the warm well. Leaving, there is put up a small basin where you can soak your feet in the hot spring's water, which i did just gladly, before descending farther to Yudono-san hotel, which i thought to stay at, without having seen it. But as they charged 8500 Yen for a night in this run down concrete block dating probably from the 60ies, i decided to go to Yamagata-town directly, despite being totally exhausted.

Dewa Sanzan I - Haguro San

2007-10-06T05:22:00.000-07:00

The next day i got up early and went to the Tsuruoka tourist office, where i got all the information I needed. The nice clerk even made the reservation for me at Hachigome Shukubo (Temple Lodge at "Eight Station" on the way up to Gas-san (Information, tel. 090-3022-1191)). So this was my plan: I would go from Tsuruoka to Haguro-Town by bus then hike up Haguro. As business would close down on the same day around Gas-san, i were lucky to take the last bus to Hachigome, where i could stay for the night and the next day proceed up to Gas-san and farther on to Yudono-san, from there continuing to Yamagata-city. So i would have to carry all my lugage with me.

After a short ride I got to Haguro-town, where you just turn left, to get on the path up to the peak. Haguro-San is the lowest of three sacred mountains. Pilgrimage there was established by Prince Hashiko in 594 AD, who practiced ascetism there. The three peaks have ever since been related with the idea of unity between shintoism and buddhism (shinto-deities are understood as incarnations of buddha), which was in fact the offical doctrine during Edo-Period. So just after the start of the path, i perished in a dense forest of tall cedar trees. The trail itself consist mainly of some 2000 stonesteps. Unfortunately these steps are not made for contemporary europeans feet, so i had to decide either going up there on my toes, or otherwise do it telemach-style. I decided for the latter.
On the way up, you pass by many shrines and also a 1000 year old Pagoda (that you normaly only find next to buddhist temples), as well as a 1400 year old cedar. After about 2/3ds of the way up there is a traditional teahouse where i stopped to have some matcha (powderised green tea) and enjoyed the plains stretching out at the feet of Haguro-San. You also get your certificate of achievement there, proving that you did all the way up on your own.

After the teahouse it's only a short hike, then the path ends just next to Sanjin-Gossiden, a tall red shrine, housing all three gods of the mountains. It is the main building in a vast complex of shrines, lodges, a museum, including some souvenir-shops that also serve soba (noodle soup).
I got the before mentioned bus that went up to Gas-san eight Station this season, meaning also that i definitely had to go on to Yamagata, as there was no returning to Tsuruoka by public transport within this year. The bus winded up its way up to Hachigome, where i went directly to the shukubo, which was a basic mountain hut just next to a shrine. I seemed - once again - to be the last guest this season as i shared the large loft just under the roof with no one (which was a creepy experience, when cold autumn wind howls outside). As there was some time left of the day, i was strolling a little bit around, impressed by the view, following wooden pathways, to whichs sides laid marsh-ponds, and i was just glad having weather on my side.

See all Fotos here!

From Aizu to Tsuruoka

2007-10-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

The same day I went to Tsuruoka, which i read was the best stay on my way to Dewa Sanzan, the three sacred mountains: Haguro-San, Gas-San and Yudono-San, each holding a Shinto-Shrine.

I reserved a room at Nara Ryokan in Tsuruoka (down the main street away from the station, tel. 0235-22-1202) with simple tatami beds and western style bathrooms and a very kind landlady.

To get there i had to change trains at Niigata a middle sized town at the japanese sea.Having stayed on Honshu for some days now, i hoped to get to the seaside and taste some fresh fish. Unfortunately, i didnt come farther than to Shianano river delta, when it became already time to return and not miss my train.Still thinking the european way, i thought, where there is a nice view and good atmosphere, there must be some restaurant or at least a tea- or coffehouse. But the only thing that caught my eye was a big convention center. There, i said to myself, there i must get something to eat.

In vain.

Actually there where some buisiness folks sitting around tables on a beautiful terrace, but what they were drinking from, were oneway bottles and they had brought their bento with them.
Quite disappointed i went back out the the roadside, passing by a big storage hall.And thats where i noticed some flags with the character for fish. So just out of curiosity i stumbled into the open hall, where my eyes instantly got caught by the view of a large grill and tasty seafood roasting over burning wood. But they would only sell it starting from four o'clock, when i would be already continuing for Tsuruoka.

Now having the delicious goods right under my nose, i simply couldnt turn around and go away. So i told them my situation and begged them to make an excemption. They did. And luckily I carried my catch back to the Shinano where I had my lunch, just the way i had hoped it to be.

Aizu Matsuri - Festival

2007-09-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

This is the festival to celebrate the beginning of autumn as well as rice harvest season. During three days there were celebrations all day long of witch i visited the evenening lantern parade and the Bandai dancers as well as the samurai procession the next morning.
In the evening events took place in the towncenter where the main road was blocked for circulation. I came early so to see how things would develop.

First of all, no alcohol anywhere! Instead the sidewalk was rowed with stands offering, diverse specialties, like Tako-Yaki, which is some sort of Knoedel made out of octopus. Look here how its made!
So first came the pupils, who were each carrying a lanteren, then the street was open to the bandai dancers. The most impressing thing wasnt the opulence of costumes, but the sheer mass of performers! I didnt manage to count the children, but I estimated the dancers to be a 1000 at the very least (locals told me it was much more!) So there where nearly as many people involved in the dance, than where standing by watching. Perfomers not only came from diverese clubs engaged in some cultural activity but also from local companies, who seemed to have kindly invited their employees to join the celebration.
What they did, was dancing around a main stand at the central crossing of the road, filling it up from one end to the other (about 1km). They where accompanied by the repeated enchantement of a female voice (which i first thought to be playback), who continued to chant for at least three hours long without pause. A really dionysic feast that was and you could feel a rise of temper just without any alcohol, people on the sidewalk gradually joining the dance as the evening advanced.

The next morning, there was a troop gathering at Tsuruga-Choo. Again there where several hundred people involved, wearing different samurai-costumes. They were welcomed by a assembly of the daimyo and other high rank warriors. During the day, they would make their way from the castle, again through the city center. I only watched the gathering, as I had to catch the train to Niigata, to go on to the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan.

You can find the complete album of the Festival here!

Aizu Wakamatsu - Last Samurai Experience

2007-09-26T23:40:00.000-07:00

So as troubles with getting internet access continue, I report a little bit delayed.

I went from Tokio to Koriyama with the Tohoku-Shinkansen Line and then by the local train passing many rice field as well as Bandai-San on to Aizu Wakamatsu. This one turned out to be a rather unimpressing middle sized town. I stayed at Hotel Alpha-1, one of these frequent buisness hotel-blocks you can see near every train-station in Japan (Tel. 0242-326868). In fact it was a convenient place, staff was very nice, and as i got a room in the 10th floor I could overlook the whole town, Tsuruga-Choo, as well as the mountains surrounding the town.
From the hotel the street leading to the town center is Dr. Noguchi-Street, which I started to like only after having it walked up and down at least twice. Because during the day local buisinessman came to the strange idea filling this narrow road inhabiting shops and soup-kitchens with music might raise the attracivity of this street (at least it was some turned down classical music!). Thing which reminded me a lot of Sugar Creek in Ohio, but in fact this turned out to be very common in Japan.

But Aizu has more to offer, in fact it has some very nice sights. So the next day i borrowed a bicycle from the hotel (which was free) and experienced the bike-friendliness of japanese circulation. It was perfect to reach the monuments.
Aizu-Wakamatsu has some historical background, which still lives on in the spirit of todays people (at least locals like to tell you that).
So when 1868 Emporer Meiji reclaimed power this lead to Boshin Civil war, in which he had to fight against ruling Tokugawa-Shogunate. And Matsudaira Katamori, head of the Aizu clan stayed loyal to shogun Tokugawa, opposing the emporer. In fact the Aizu where the very last to fight on against Meiji rule.
When Tsuruga-Choo was attacked by imperial forces and burnt down, a group of young samurai known as the Shiroi-Byakkutai (White Tigers) commited collective suicide, thinking their cause was finally lost. In fact the war continued on for about a month... (oops!). Anyway this tragic story is very popular in Japan. When I arrived on top of the mouintain a young woman reenacted the story. Also on the mountain, the graveyard of the dead samurai, as well as Sazae-Doo.
Not far from Imoriyama is the rebuilt residence of Aizu Bukeyashiki, displaying the composition of the daimyos estate. A little farther up the hill is another graveyard, where the members of the Aizu-Clan are buried. In fact all of the hill seems to consist of graves making a rather spooky hike.
On my way back I stopped at Oyaku-En, a meditational garden at the townborder of Aizu to relax a bit.

Tokyo --> Aizu

2007-09-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

I now left Tokyo for Aizu Wakamatsu a small town in the northeast. There will be a matsuri (traditional celebration) this weekend. I enjoy it very much here, I liked Tokyo too, but it was a somewhat hectic in the end (i finally experienced a subwayride during rush-hour), so this is the real holidays that starts now.
I managed to find a place providing acces internet (which was rather hard) and uploaded some fotos!
More infos will follow.

Tokyo-Gagaga?

2007-09-19T01:15:00.000-07:00

I Finally arrived. After so many weeks of preparation...

But despite many things here on the other end of this world are turned upside down like circulation, maps and so, and most people think I am American, and are suprised beeing talked to in Japanese, things are going very fine.

Okay, BA lost ma bagage, but they promised to deliver it directly to my school, so i will be spared the dirty work.

I am now at a Hotel in Ueno, a very nice place with a lot of tiny houses hosting noumerous workshops, people sitting on the pavement, a very relaxed atmosphere here, which I didnt expect at all.

Saying Good Bye!

2007-09-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

Less than 24 hours before lift off!

I somehow managed to finish all preparations by now.
So in principle I could start right off .
Nervositiy augments again, but I'm far away from the peak (at least I hope so).

I said good bye most of my people, family, friends, collegues...
Only my girlfriend now, who is still present.
But within some hours I will have to say good bye even to her.
That hurts!
It hurts to have to say good bye to folks, even when I am so glad to actually engage in this journey. Which I will do alone, leaving every other behind (if I may say so... But that's what it feels like) and thereby loosing all security!

Euch allen viele Liebe Grüße und eine gute Zeit bis wir uns Wiedersehen!

What I'm up to....

2007-09-04T09:46:00.000-07:00

Going to Japan, that is!
I got my sabbatical leave of 6 months which I will spend most of the time on the island of the rising sun.
I'll attend a language school in Tokyo.
Before returning home I hope to travel somewhat around, in any case stopping by in Ottawa visiting my grilfriend there.

But for now it's going east!
I will arrive at Tokyo 19th of september. My intention is to stay there for two days, then travelling up wrongfully neglected Tôhoku (Northern Honschu). One destination will be Aizu Wakamatsu.
The beaten track including Kyoto and Nara I'll probably take up later on during my stay.

29th of september I'll move to a host family. Course will start 1st of october.
So that's the plan so far....

Here an updated To Do-List

Travel Preparations

Writing down and memorizing graphic characters of locations I will visit. --> DONE!
Buying O-miyage (small presents) for host & others. --> DONE!
Make reservation for a room in Tokyo. --> DONE!
Asking for fees for a change in booking for my flight (so i can go to canada). --> DONE!
Buy a train ticket. --> DONE!

Insurance & Medical Matters

Take out a foreign health insurance --> DONE!
Vaxxination --> DONE! (except Typhus)
Collect Information about travel isurance --> DONE!
Filled out insurance-form in casd of emergency return --> DONE!
Visiting a dentist. --> WILL
Visiting a physician. --> WONT

Job & Educational stuff

Looking for the right language school --> DONE!
Try to get an arrangement with my employer. --> DONE!

Finance & Money

Opening a savings account. --> DONE!
Put back some money --> DONE! (hehe...)

Now it's set!

2007-08-11T04:24:00.001-07:00

I finally applied for a language course!

The school I chose is GEOS Kudan, who I have already been in contact with.
The nice contact is one main reason I chose them. Responses have always been rather swift, and they tried their best to help me with my questions.
Furthermore, the price is reasonable (150.000 JPY/term) and they are located not far from the emperors palace, so i hope it will be situated nicely. (In fact it seems to be quite near the (at least internationally) disputed Yasukuni Shrine, so I'll probably be right at the focus of controversy about japanese history).
Lastly, they will organize homestay at a reasonable price either. (By the way, there's a worldwide homestay marketplace online too....)

Anyway, the last few schools I wrote to, didn't reply at all (except one), so it seems to be silly season in Japan too. Actually I'm rather curious how the school will turn out to be.

Have to clear out my appart now, as I'll move out by september 1st.
Ahh, getting rid off all the piled up stuff, that'll be purifiying!

Directly into latest news.....

2007-07-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

So i have been working through about hundrets of Tokyo-based language schools, which are more or less very similar. What I'm disappointed of, i found no new ones that organise homestay. So the choice here's quite hard limited down to the three or four Institutes I have been envisaging from the beginning on.
Another thing that astonishes are rather flat tuition fees, which never leave the range between 150.000JPY and 220.000JPY for a term, everything included.
So now I included some more contacts which I think are good picks, for the one or another reason. See the list below:

LABO Japanese Language Institute
focused on "cultural exchange", has severeal language foreign langugae courses, so no Ghetto, about 140.000JPY/3months. No Infos on accomod.
Located:Shinjuku

Tokyo Central Japanese Language School
Includes Teacher-Education, nothing on accomodiation. Course 44.000JPY/month
Located: Shibuya (near Shinjuku, Yoyogi Park)

Tokyo Riverside School
Fall-Term fpr 175.000JPY, no infos on accomodiation
Located:Taito (Ueno, Asakusa, really just at the riverside)

AN Language School
Nice site, only to mention its-"Learner-Based" System, price is 150000/3mon
Located:Toshima (Ikebukuro)

Tokyo Shibaura Institute of foreign Language
No Short-Courses, perhaps on request.
Located:Minato (directly at the harbour!)

Shurin Japanese School
Nice Site, 150.000JPY/term, school-owned dorm, no further infos, Jap.-Teacher education.
Located:Koto (East)

Language Course Research

2007-06-21T02:54:00.000-07:00

I'll have to force my search for an aprropriate language school now.
I took me somer time to find it again, but here it is:

Association for the Promotion of Japanese Language Education

The have a list of all the schools over there, included a search by conditions (such as area and price).
So 'ill have to work through it now the upcoming days.

MAPS

Another thing relevant for choosing the rigt school: its location in Tokyo.
Here some links to maps
Tokyo City Map (at japaneselivestyle.com)
Tokyo Special Wards Map (TravelWiki)
Tokyo 23 Wards Map (J-accomodiation)

So long.

Preparatory News!

2007-06-11T02:48:00.000-07:00

As the project is official now, i'll step out of the shadows!

The bosses have been granting me the leave without any problems. I'm quite pleasently surprised!

Starting date will be the 18th of september 2007, i'll return at the end of march 2008.

I even booked the flight already. After a little dispute with the travel agency, i got the there and back ticket for laughable 600€s.
Next step will now be selecting an appropiate language school. But that shouldnt turn out to be too much a hassle, since the correspondance i had so far is quite positiv.
The final unknown so far: should I try to apply for a pre-college visa or not. If so i will have to book a course for 6months at once, meaning augmenting fixed costs: Visa assistance by the school is extra. 1300€ plus.
The consulate told me, i could stay for 6months visa free, only thing required: alien registration as late as 90 days after arrival, followed by extension for another 90.
Let's see...

What's my motivation?

2007-05-24T02:19:00.000-07:00

Basicly I wanted to learn one more langugage and live in another contry for some time. Only this time something more different than my stay in Switzerland (which has been rather nice after all).
From the beginnig on my choice has been either an eastern european or an asian country. While the first would have been much more easier to realize and also lucrative of some sort (regarding EUs eastward expansion) my decision fell on the latter.
That is because I wanted getting to know a really different kind of lifestyle and culture, which wouldnt be the case in an european county (who are all very much alike in the end).
So my preferred options narrowed very quickly to either Japan or China. That's based on my fascination for the grafic characters used both in chinese as well as the japanese writen language.
Besides at the final stage of my studies i rather accidently attended a university-course on chinese philosophy, which let my interest grow once more.
Finally I have already been training Iaido (Art of the Sword) for quite some time, so one more thing to make up my mind.
Besides Iaido it's my personal fascination for Japan, which has always been in the background of my perception during early youth, though always present.
There are the well known Cartoons made for European Television, as well as the expanding economy, which made the country in the news (about as much as China today), Tokyo as of beeing some kind of city of the future, where they are already building robots and at the other hand the land where there were samurais: at once a culture beeing in the midst of modern times but at the other hand rooted in a cultural background, which is totally different (That word defintily occurs a lot!) from mine.
So my final decision on focusing on Japan is not really rational, but more rooted in curiousness.

2007-05-15T02:28:00.000-07:00

No Yuippie!!!-Now-Me-Too-Im-Writing-A-Blog-Stopping-At-Once-After-
Two-Or-Three-More-Posts-rubbish here!
Practical stuff is to be put here!

What I'm up to (aka My preperations for going to Japan)

Job & Educational stuff

Looking for a language school
Try to get an arrangement with my employer.
Looking for possibilities for jobbing in Japan (Including getting in contact with the chamber of commerce, putting my profile online)

Insurance Matters

Collect Information about travel isurance
Get in contact with employment agency (so they wonct cut my claims by wangling interpretations: i paid my dues).
What help can really be expected from the visa travel insurance?

Finance & Money

Opening a savings account.
Put back some money (naturally!).

Health

Vaxxination.
Visiting a physician for preventive examination of health.
Visiting a dentist for preventive examination of teeth.

I know Im little bit pendantic.

Google Maps

2001-01-01T18:26:00.001-08:00

ljjhj

Google Maps

2001-01-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

Größere Kartenansicht

And many thanks Dieter for the advice!

Profilephoto

2001-01-01T10:10:00.000-08:00