Spring in Tokyo is quite a spectacle. This week, all the cherry trees in the city decided to bloom simultaneously, turning the parks and boulevards of the city into bright swatches of pink. On Wednesday I went cherry-blossom viewing with a couple of JPP classmates. During our lunch break we went to Hibiya Park, which has immediately become one of my favourite spots. This verdant pocket of tranquillity right in the middle of busy Marunouchi is an example of what I love about Tokyo. It has got an idyllic pond and a beautifully landscaped garden- surrounded by some of Tokyo’s tallest high-rise buildings. I love this contrast. Later in the afternoon, we went to the Ichigaya area where we walked along a boulevard lined with cherry trees. Salarymen were taking pictures of the blossom with their cell phones and students sat on blue plastic sheets for an early hanami. As the sun set, the slanting evening light rendered the blossoms almost transparent and made them look even more delicate. As I strolled down the boulevard, taking lots of pictures and gazing out over the river, I could completely understand the Japanese fascination with this fragile and transient beauty. It made me think of Lucebert’s poem ‘de zeer oude zingt’(the very old one sings), famous for its much-quoted line ‘alles van waarde is weerloos.’ (all that is valuable is defenseless)
On a more mundane level, this week at Hitachi has been busy but interesting. The research assignment I got from one of my bosses turned out to be more difficult and time-consuming than I had expected. I love a challenge, but in the end I wasn’t completely satisfied with my piece; basing research on online sources only is something I’m still very sceptical about. However, my boss seemed content with the end result and announced with a smile that more research work was to come. But for the time being I focused on assisting with the preparation for the HISTEP orientation day, cutting and folding nametags. On this orientation day the Japanese teachers that will be going to the US and Europe as part of the HISTEP exchange programme were briefed about their stay abroad. The first part of the day consisted of discussing practicalities concerning travel and the exchange programme’s schedule. It was relatively easy to follow and amusing at times, as every little detail was addressed and often discussed in great length. The teachers worried about things like fitting everyone’s luggage in a European taxi (a problem that we Westerners would just solve on the spot) or whether there would be a blackboard in the classroom (I assured them that yes, usually, European classrooms provide for adequate teaching material). Although this Japanese trait of meticulously planning everything beforehand often seems funny and sometimes stifling, it must be said that when Japanese plan something or create a schedule, there are very few mishaps or delays. Still, I think they go too far sometimes in their desire to plan and control everything beforehand, focusing more on the dangers and difficulties of such a trip than anticipating the pleasure it will give.
A similar principle applies to business meetings. I am, for example, allowed to sit in on the team’s weekly meetings on Friday mornings (to my surprise, I can understand a reasonable part of what is being said). What strikes me about these meetings is that we spend a lot of time going over what has been discussed last week, checking off whether everything is still going according to plan (it always is) and only discuss a handful of new additions to the unit’s planning, which, of course, have been discussed beforehand in one of the countless uchiawase (preliminary meetings). Coming from a country where holding meetings and reaching consensus are essential elements of the decision-making process, I understand why regularly confirming we’re still on the same page can be key to the team’s success, but sometimes I wonder whether all those meetings are really helping us improve our performance. Then again, if precision and perfection are what you’re going for, then the Japanese approach is definitely the best.
Luckily, it’s not just ‘all work and no play’ in the office. On Monday the China Business Department took me out for lunch in a traditional Japanese restaurant. It was great! They are a very lively group and asked me lots of questions. And although I can hold my own in casual conversation, I was glad they had a lot of patience, rephrasing or clarifying their questions in Japanese instead of switching to English, as some people do. It was great to get to know them better and I’m truly in awe of the Chinese in the team, whose Japanese is virtually accent-free. Apart from the Chinese team, we (my female colleagues and I) regularly have lunch with women from other departments and today, we had lunch with several men from our team as well. At the moment I am really looking forward to next week, as I will attend the 入社式 (welcome ceremony for new employees) next Tuesday. I’m curious to see what kind of people from my generation start working for Hitachi and how they are welcomed. I’m sure it will be another memorable ‘only in Japan’ experience and I will definitely write about it in my next report.
vrijdag 28 maart 2008
vrijdag 21 maart 2008
IX. Museum
Living, working and studying in Tokyo is a typical case of “work hard, play hard.” Work hard: although my working hours are more than decent and the work itself is very interesting, I am genuinely tired each night. At Hitachi, I have been working on my Corporate Social Responsibility research assignment, drawing up a framework and research questions. I’m very enthusiastic about this research project and don’t mind a little 残業 to make a deadline. Apart from this research, I sometimes get additional tasks such as translating or doing some research for projects that the team’s members are working on. The newspaper cuttings and magazines that are read by my colleagues are also passed onto me. I try to read most articles and grasp at least the essence of what is written, but I find my lack of kanji-knowledge renders me virtually illiterate. Especially since when someone reads parts of the article out loud to me, I can understand what is being said. This can be frustrating at times, although I try to give it a positive spin, trying to memorize new kanji as I encounter them in e-mails and the like. When it comes to using the Japanese-language version of Windows I can generally circumvent the problem as I have enough experience to know where I can find commands, even though I can’t read the kanji.
Play hard: whenever I have an afternoon to spare, I try to go and explore a new part of Tokyo. Last week on Wednesday I met up with some other JPP students for a drink at one of our favourite cafes in the Shin-Marunouchi building. An essential part of the Tokyo experience: drinking coffee & tea on the 7th floor terrace with CoolJazz floating out of the speakers and a view of the Marunouchi skyline. That day we also explored Ueno, strolling around the Tokyo University campus and having dinner at a dodgy izakaya crammed with blue-collar workers. This Wednesday was memorable as well. Although I must admit that I don’t know a lot about video games and had expected to hear a bit more about the company during our site visit to Sony ComputerEntertainment, it was nice to see how advanced the latest game computers are. I loved the idea of linking PS3’s worldwide to create a supercomputer capable of the most intricate calculations. It rather reminded me of SETI, a project that uses linked-up PC’s in order to scan the universe for signs of extraterrestrial life forms. It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, but it is, in fact, a serious research project by the University of California, Berkeley.
Inspired by futuristic ideas, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi. It was terrific! We had an amazing view over Tokyo and saw some great pieces of art. The visit reminded me of how much I love modern/contemporary art and so I decided to spend part of my free (but rainy) Thursday at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, which was equally impressive. This is one of the things I love about living in a metropolis like Tokyo: there is such a large volume and variety of museums to choose from and you can pretty much go and visit one whenever you feel like it as some stay open until late. It is nice to get out of the city once in a while, like I did last weekend when I went for a hike at Mount Mitake, but museums and cultural life in general keep pulling me back to the city. There are more cultural things I still want to experience, such as a tea ceremony or a Kabuki play, so I’ve started to compile a list- I don’t want to miss a thing.
Play hard: whenever I have an afternoon to spare, I try to go and explore a new part of Tokyo. Last week on Wednesday I met up with some other JPP students for a drink at one of our favourite cafes in the Shin-Marunouchi building. An essential part of the Tokyo experience: drinking coffee & tea on the 7th floor terrace with CoolJazz floating out of the speakers and a view of the Marunouchi skyline. That day we also explored Ueno, strolling around the Tokyo University campus and having dinner at a dodgy izakaya crammed with blue-collar workers. This Wednesday was memorable as well. Although I must admit that I don’t know a lot about video games and had expected to hear a bit more about the company during our site visit to Sony ComputerEntertainment, it was nice to see how advanced the latest game computers are. I loved the idea of linking PS3’s worldwide to create a supercomputer capable of the most intricate calculations. It rather reminded me of SETI, a project that uses linked-up PC’s in order to scan the universe for signs of extraterrestrial life forms. It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, but it is, in fact, a serious research project by the University of California, Berkeley.
Inspired by futuristic ideas, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi. It was terrific! We had an amazing view over Tokyo and saw some great pieces of art. The visit reminded me of how much I love modern/contemporary art and so I decided to spend part of my free (but rainy) Thursday at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, which was equally impressive. This is one of the things I love about living in a metropolis like Tokyo: there is such a large volume and variety of museums to choose from and you can pretty much go and visit one whenever you feel like it as some stay open until late. It is nice to get out of the city once in a while, like I did last weekend when I went for a hike at Mount Mitake, but museums and cultural life in general keep pulling me back to the city. There are more cultural things I still want to experience, such as a tea ceremony or a Kabuki play, so I’ve started to compile a list- I don’t want to miss a thing.
maandag 17 maart 2008
VIII. Apaato
Settling in in my new living/work situation is surprisingly easy, despite the occasional telephone-related hiccup. I love my new apartment. Although I do miss living in central Tokyo from time to time, my new neighbourhood is quite nice. It has got several supermarkets that stay open until late, and several small restaurants and cafes.
But the thing I like best is the apartment itself. Located on the 10th floor of the Hitachi dorm building, with the station ridiculously close by, it is very comfortable to live in. The building is so new that no one has lived in my apartment before me, which is a first, and the apartment itself has got everything I need- more, even. Apart from being quite spacious for Tokyo standards, it has got a wooden floor which I’ve always wanted to have, a balcony, a kitchen, a washing machine and, above all, a bath! Most appliances are, of course, Hitachi products. The only drawback is that all the buttons have kanji on them, some of which I can’t read, and all the manuals are in Japanese. But I figured I’d just give it a go- it was a great moment of victory once I got my bath to re-heat the water without actually refilling.
I don’t spend a lot of time at home, though, since there is still too much to do. Even in my own neighbourhood, there is a large temple complex just a short walk away. It’s a very nice place, with locals coming to pray at the various temples and old men with huge cameras taking pictures of early blossoms. With all its stray cats and tiny dark shops the place seems like it has come straight out of a Murakami novel. Very different is Colton Plaza, a huge American-style mall not far from my place, where the less culturally inclined locals go to spend their Sundays.
Of course, as interesting as my new neighbourhood might be, I still go up to Tokyo in weekends to have fun. As my choir rehearses near Yoyogi park, I figured it would be nice to finally go and visit Meiji-jingu. I went there last week, late in the afternoon. It was quiet at the shrine, but the sunlight was just amazing. Walking around a bit, taking pictures, I was just about to leave when a traditional Japanese wedding procession came out of the temple and started walking across the large square. I’ve been told that these are a fairly regular occurrence; still it was a beautiful sight to behold. Equally impressive, although less high-brow, was the visit to Studio Alta in Shinjuku. I went there with some friends from the Dutch embassy and we had lots of fun sampling contemporary Japanese youth culture, from frilly lace dresses to cowboy Wellies.
It’s good to see that, although I am now working most of the time, I still have some time left to experience Tokyo and discover new places. I can’t wait until Hanami begins- I’m already scouting for good spots!
But the thing I like best is the apartment itself. Located on the 10th floor of the Hitachi dorm building, with the station ridiculously close by, it is very comfortable to live in. The building is so new that no one has lived in my apartment before me, which is a first, and the apartment itself has got everything I need- more, even. Apart from being quite spacious for Tokyo standards, it has got a wooden floor which I’ve always wanted to have, a balcony, a kitchen, a washing machine and, above all, a bath! Most appliances are, of course, Hitachi products. The only drawback is that all the buttons have kanji on them, some of which I can’t read, and all the manuals are in Japanese. But I figured I’d just give it a go- it was a great moment of victory once I got my bath to re-heat the water without actually refilling.
I don’t spend a lot of time at home, though, since there is still too much to do. Even in my own neighbourhood, there is a large temple complex just a short walk away. It’s a very nice place, with locals coming to pray at the various temples and old men with huge cameras taking pictures of early blossoms. With all its stray cats and tiny dark shops the place seems like it has come straight out of a Murakami novel. Very different is Colton Plaza, a huge American-style mall not far from my place, where the less culturally inclined locals go to spend their Sundays.
Of course, as interesting as my new neighbourhood might be, I still go up to Tokyo in weekends to have fun. As my choir rehearses near Yoyogi park, I figured it would be nice to finally go and visit Meiji-jingu. I went there last week, late in the afternoon. It was quiet at the shrine, but the sunlight was just amazing. Walking around a bit, taking pictures, I was just about to leave when a traditional Japanese wedding procession came out of the temple and started walking across the large square. I’ve been told that these are a fairly regular occurrence; still it was a beautiful sight to behold. Equally impressive, although less high-brow, was the visit to Studio Alta in Shinjuku. I went there with some friends from the Dutch embassy and we had lots of fun sampling contemporary Japanese youth culture, from frilly lace dresses to cowboy Wellies.
It’s good to see that, although I am now working most of the time, I still have some time left to experience Tokyo and discover new places. I can’t wait until Hanami begins- I’m already scouting for good spots!
woensdag 12 maart 2008
VII. Ltd.
After my first week at Hitachi, I can say that it’s great to work in a genuine Japanese company, where overtime is the rule and it’s udon for lunch. I feel very welcome. So far, the work seems interesting and my colleagues are really nice- although I must say it has been quite overwhelming to go from being on a holiday to suddenly having to go to work every day. It is nice, though, to be working again and engaging in slightly more intellectual activities after the past 6 months of intensive language study.
On my first day I was introduced to over 30 people working on my floor, which was quite daunting. Luckily, my self-introductions went well and after chatting for a bit, most people thought me very “joozu.” I am now in possession of a thick pile of meishi, but I must admit I forgot which names go with which faces. I do know everyone from my team, though, as each of them took some time to introduce me to their specific area of expertise. They are seven in all, but one lady is currently working in Brussels. That leaves two bucho’s (managers), one of whom is my direct superior, two male colleagues and two female colleagues. We work in an open-space office in rows of three desks, grouped together according to division. There are big windows on one side and there’s an open space with round tables, like we saw at Taisei. This is where we have our division meetings. Our office is on the 24th floor, which means the view is simply amazing, especially at sunset. If I didn’t have to work, I would just sit there all day with a cup of tea and a good book. However, I do have to work. Luckily, my working conditions are quite comfortable. I’ve got a big desk, a chair with adjustable armrests, my own cabinet and, if I crane my neck a little, a great view of Marunouchi’s skyscrapers. Almost everyone, including myself, works on small Hitachi laptops with tiny screens. Also, instead of fixed desk phones, we have mobile phones sitting in a docking station on our desk.
Hitachi is a rather traditional company, and it shows. At lunch time, for example, I go for lunch with my female colleagues, as the men go their own way. Also, although there are quite a lot of women working on our floor, all managers I have been introduced to are men. As I get to know my female colleagues better, I hope to be able to ask them what they think about this- and how they see their own career prospects. For now, I am still absorbing the experience of working at a Japanese company. There are so many things that would never work in a Dutch working environment, induce ridicule even, but are perfectly normal in a Japanese setting. For example the start and end of each working day are punctuated by Big Ben chimes, as well as the lunch break. Not to mention the strains of violin music that pour out of the loudspeakers at three in the afternoon, when it’s… exercise time! (everyone ignores the soothing female voice, instructing us to stretch our muscles and rotate our head)
Each morning at 8.50 sharp, our working day begins. I try to be at my desk before the bell, and so far I’ve succeeded. The commute to work is hell, but that’s part of the salaryman-experience (or so I keep telling myself). Getting from my station to Ichikawa station is usually ok. But then, waiting the train pull in at Ichikawa station, its windows steamed up and faces squashed against the door, I never believe I’ll make it to work –let alone on time. Yet, although maybe three people get off, I always manage to get on the train, along with at least ten other Japanese who were waiting with me. I am now learning where and how to stand, so that although I will inevitably be pushed about, at least my ribcage will remain intact. On moments like this, I love my mp3 player and the illusion of private space it creates. Without it, I don’t know how I would get through this daily ordeal.
Luckily the work itself more than compensates for this minor inconvenience. From day one, I have been taken good care of. One of the bucho’s has really gone out of his way to help me get as much out of my time with Hitachi as I can. Of course I will participate in the division’s daily work, but as the first few months there isn’t much to do for me, he has come up with the idea of letting me do some research on Corporate Social Responsibility, the way Hitachi is implementing it and how CSR relates to the development work of NGO’s and organizations like the EU and the UN. It really is great to be given this opportunity to learn more about something that really interests me. Finally, as cherries on the proverbial cake, I will be working with the brand division and the advertisement department for one week each. All in all things look more than promising. To quote a famous musical and childhood-favourite: I think I’m gonna like it here!
On my first day I was introduced to over 30 people working on my floor, which was quite daunting. Luckily, my self-introductions went well and after chatting for a bit, most people thought me very “joozu.” I am now in possession of a thick pile of meishi, but I must admit I forgot which names go with which faces. I do know everyone from my team, though, as each of them took some time to introduce me to their specific area of expertise. They are seven in all, but one lady is currently working in Brussels. That leaves two bucho’s (managers), one of whom is my direct superior, two male colleagues and two female colleagues. We work in an open-space office in rows of three desks, grouped together according to division. There are big windows on one side and there’s an open space with round tables, like we saw at Taisei. This is where we have our division meetings. Our office is on the 24th floor, which means the view is simply amazing, especially at sunset. If I didn’t have to work, I would just sit there all day with a cup of tea and a good book. However, I do have to work. Luckily, my working conditions are quite comfortable. I’ve got a big desk, a chair with adjustable armrests, my own cabinet and, if I crane my neck a little, a great view of Marunouchi’s skyscrapers. Almost everyone, including myself, works on small Hitachi laptops with tiny screens. Also, instead of fixed desk phones, we have mobile phones sitting in a docking station on our desk.
Hitachi is a rather traditional company, and it shows. At lunch time, for example, I go for lunch with my female colleagues, as the men go their own way. Also, although there are quite a lot of women working on our floor, all managers I have been introduced to are men. As I get to know my female colleagues better, I hope to be able to ask them what they think about this- and how they see their own career prospects. For now, I am still absorbing the experience of working at a Japanese company. There are so many things that would never work in a Dutch working environment, induce ridicule even, but are perfectly normal in a Japanese setting. For example the start and end of each working day are punctuated by Big Ben chimes, as well as the lunch break. Not to mention the strains of violin music that pour out of the loudspeakers at three in the afternoon, when it’s… exercise time! (everyone ignores the soothing female voice, instructing us to stretch our muscles and rotate our head)
Each morning at 8.50 sharp, our working day begins. I try to be at my desk before the bell, and so far I’ve succeeded. The commute to work is hell, but that’s part of the salaryman-experience (or so I keep telling myself). Getting from my station to Ichikawa station is usually ok. But then, waiting the train pull in at Ichikawa station, its windows steamed up and faces squashed against the door, I never believe I’ll make it to work –let alone on time. Yet, although maybe three people get off, I always manage to get on the train, along with at least ten other Japanese who were waiting with me. I am now learning where and how to stand, so that although I will inevitably be pushed about, at least my ribcage will remain intact. On moments like this, I love my mp3 player and the illusion of private space it creates. Without it, I don’t know how I would get through this daily ordeal.
Luckily the work itself more than compensates for this minor inconvenience. From day one, I have been taken good care of. One of the bucho’s has really gone out of his way to help me get as much out of my time with Hitachi as I can. Of course I will participate in the division’s daily work, but as the first few months there isn’t much to do for me, he has come up with the idea of letting me do some research on Corporate Social Responsibility, the way Hitachi is implementing it and how CSR relates to the development work of NGO’s and organizations like the EU and the UN. It really is great to be given this opportunity to learn more about something that really interests me. Finally, as cherries on the proverbial cake, I will be working with the brand division and the advertisement department for one week each. All in all things look more than promising. To quote a famous musical and childhood-favourite: I think I’m gonna like it here!
VI. Kansai
Checking out of the Asia Kaikan at 5.45 in the morning, I had a feeling that our trip to the Kansai region was going to be more than just a relaxing outing. I was right; although the trip lasted only five days, we experienced so much it feels like we’ve been away longer. Maybe we’re turning Japanese a bit, cramming so much sightseeing in such a short period and taking way too many pictures. However, I believe we all had a great time and got a good impression of the Kansai-region. Also, this trip was a great way to get together as a group for one last time before we would be separated.
Our guide Watanabe-san, although quite small compared to us Dutch people, was very much in charge and guided us firmly but gently from the Shinkansen into the tour bus, and then to temple after temple, all the while telling us about Kyoto’s history, its people and its peculiarities. At first I tried speaking Japanese with her but as all of us found her English to be incredibly good, we gave in and just spoke English with her. Of the sights we visited on our first afternoon in Kyoto, I liked Ryoan-ji’s rock garden best, although it was lacking in serenity because of the tourist crowd. I also enjoyed visiting the Kinkaku-ji complex, although up close the golden pavillion was slightly kitsch. Perhaps I should read Mishima’s novel about it.
Luckily we did find some serenity and authenticity at our mountain retreat at Hiei-zan. The view from our room was just amazing: a steep slope, going down endlessly, covered with fir trees under a thick blanket of snow. Equally wonderful was the communal bath: big, hot, with a view of the mountain. At night, we had dinner together in our yukata, enjoying a Buddhist meal that, although some of it tasted strange, at least looked gorgeous. That night was my first night in a wa-shiki room, sleeping on a futon. It was surprisingly comfortable and I loved lounging around on the tatami. Getting up the next morning at a ridiculously early hour was hard at first, but after another hot bath, the early morning’s zazen meditation and a brisk walk outside through the snow, I felt like a different person. I was glad I’d brought my walking boots so I could actually explore the area and visit some of Hiei-zan’s temples, as the snow was very thick on the ground. Also, thanks to Watanabe-san, I discovered the genius that is the heat patch. What a terrific invention! You just stick one on your shirt, wait a couple of minutes, and voilà, you stay warm, even though you’re up to your ankles in snow.
We definitely needed those heat packs during the next days in Kyoto. Although it was warmer than up on the mountain, the wind was cold in the city. But this didn’t stop us from using our first free afternoon to walk around in Higashiyama and Gion, looking for geisha’s. We didn’t spot any, unfortunately, although we did keep bumping into other JPP students. To compensate, we decided that if we weren’t going to meet any geisha, we should perhaps dress up like one. Giggling in the photo studio at Toei Uzumasa Movie Village, first dismissing it as a tourist trap, none of us could resist temptation once we saw our fellow JPP-students dressing up as samurai and geisha. Having my “authentic” Japanese portrait taken was hilarious, especially since I had to twist and turn in strange ways until I stood in the correct pose for the picture. A nice way to loosen up the muscles for the mock-sword fighting lessons that followed. It was very amusing to learn some Samurai-flick moves and appropriate grunts, but I am not sure I can take out an attacker when necessary, especially since I usually don’t carry a wooden sword…
Although I loved the temples we visited at Arashiyama and thought the bamboo grove quite impressive, I was happy to leave Kyoto’s picture-perfect Japan for a day and enjoy the bustle of business-city Osaka on Tuesday. I took an immediate liking to it and although I’ve only seen a small part of the city, I definitely want to go back to explore it a little further. I had thought about returning to Osaka the next day but decided against it. Instead, I spent a day exploring Kyoto by bike, together with four other JPP students. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. The weather was mostly sunny, the bikes were sturdy and our route took us right through the city. We first cycled from the hotel to Toji temple, to view the largest pagoda in Japan. It was interesting, but our next stop, Fushimi-inari taisha was much more impressive. Our route took us through a beautiful neighbourhood with temples at every corner and spacious traditional houses in between. Fushimi-inari taisha itself, famous of course for its endless row of tori’s, was incredibly atmospheric. Walking under this red-wood canopy in the middle of the forest felt like walking through a National Geographic photo shoot: too gorgeous to be true. The same can be said of the sunset at Kyomizu-dera. We had timed our arrival at the end of the day and although the view was a little hazy, it was great to look over Kyoto at sunset. This cycling tour helped me to really appreciate Kyoto. On the first day, racing from highlight to highlight, I felt no connection whatsoever with this famous city. Cycling through it at a much more leisurely pace, I got a very good impression of the town’s lay-out and feel- I definitely want to go back to Kyoto when it’s warmer. Another reason to go back there are yatsuhashi, Kyoto’s local delicacy. These warm black-sesame sweets were too good to be true, especially after a day of cycling through the cold.
And then, finally, Nara. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I had been to Kamakura already to visit its famous Buddha statue. Now, standing in Todai-ji, gazing up at Nara’s slightly bigger and slightly more famous Buddha, I couldn’t help but liking Kamakura’s Buddha better. I think it’s more impressive, as it is sitting in the open air and you can walk around it more easily. Nevertheless it was great to be in Nara and view so many temples. My favourite has to be Nigatsu-do, as it is beautifully situated, has a great view and as there are less tourists than at other temples. Although Horyu-ji also deserves a mention, as it is incredible to see wooden buildings that actually date from the 7th century and are still intact.
All in all, our trip to the Kansai region was, of course, way too short- but this is a good sign. I had a great time and am definitely going to visit Kyoto again before I leave Japan. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photos and share anecdotes with my colleagues: they’re often amazed to hear that, being in Japan for just over two months, I have travelled quite a bit already. It’s a good start as it shows I’m interested in Japan, its history and its culture. Traveling as a networking tool… Who would’ve thought?
Our guide Watanabe-san, although quite small compared to us Dutch people, was very much in charge and guided us firmly but gently from the Shinkansen into the tour bus, and then to temple after temple, all the while telling us about Kyoto’s history, its people and its peculiarities. At first I tried speaking Japanese with her but as all of us found her English to be incredibly good, we gave in and just spoke English with her. Of the sights we visited on our first afternoon in Kyoto, I liked Ryoan-ji’s rock garden best, although it was lacking in serenity because of the tourist crowd. I also enjoyed visiting the Kinkaku-ji complex, although up close the golden pavillion was slightly kitsch. Perhaps I should read Mishima’s novel about it.
Luckily we did find some serenity and authenticity at our mountain retreat at Hiei-zan. The view from our room was just amazing: a steep slope, going down endlessly, covered with fir trees under a thick blanket of snow. Equally wonderful was the communal bath: big, hot, with a view of the mountain. At night, we had dinner together in our yukata, enjoying a Buddhist meal that, although some of it tasted strange, at least looked gorgeous. That night was my first night in a wa-shiki room, sleeping on a futon. It was surprisingly comfortable and I loved lounging around on the tatami. Getting up the next morning at a ridiculously early hour was hard at first, but after another hot bath, the early morning’s zazen meditation and a brisk walk outside through the snow, I felt like a different person. I was glad I’d brought my walking boots so I could actually explore the area and visit some of Hiei-zan’s temples, as the snow was very thick on the ground. Also, thanks to Watanabe-san, I discovered the genius that is the heat patch. What a terrific invention! You just stick one on your shirt, wait a couple of minutes, and voilà, you stay warm, even though you’re up to your ankles in snow.
We definitely needed those heat packs during the next days in Kyoto. Although it was warmer than up on the mountain, the wind was cold in the city. But this didn’t stop us from using our first free afternoon to walk around in Higashiyama and Gion, looking for geisha’s. We didn’t spot any, unfortunately, although we did keep bumping into other JPP students. To compensate, we decided that if we weren’t going to meet any geisha, we should perhaps dress up like one. Giggling in the photo studio at Toei Uzumasa Movie Village, first dismissing it as a tourist trap, none of us could resist temptation once we saw our fellow JPP-students dressing up as samurai and geisha. Having my “authentic” Japanese portrait taken was hilarious, especially since I had to twist and turn in strange ways until I stood in the correct pose for the picture. A nice way to loosen up the muscles for the mock-sword fighting lessons that followed. It was very amusing to learn some Samurai-flick moves and appropriate grunts, but I am not sure I can take out an attacker when necessary, especially since I usually don’t carry a wooden sword…
Although I loved the temples we visited at Arashiyama and thought the bamboo grove quite impressive, I was happy to leave Kyoto’s picture-perfect Japan for a day and enjoy the bustle of business-city Osaka on Tuesday. I took an immediate liking to it and although I’ve only seen a small part of the city, I definitely want to go back to explore it a little further. I had thought about returning to Osaka the next day but decided against it. Instead, I spent a day exploring Kyoto by bike, together with four other JPP students. It turned out to be a brilliant idea. The weather was mostly sunny, the bikes were sturdy and our route took us right through the city. We first cycled from the hotel to Toji temple, to view the largest pagoda in Japan. It was interesting, but our next stop, Fushimi-inari taisha was much more impressive. Our route took us through a beautiful neighbourhood with temples at every corner and spacious traditional houses in between. Fushimi-inari taisha itself, famous of course for its endless row of tori’s, was incredibly atmospheric. Walking under this red-wood canopy in the middle of the forest felt like walking through a National Geographic photo shoot: too gorgeous to be true. The same can be said of the sunset at Kyomizu-dera. We had timed our arrival at the end of the day and although the view was a little hazy, it was great to look over Kyoto at sunset. This cycling tour helped me to really appreciate Kyoto. On the first day, racing from highlight to highlight, I felt no connection whatsoever with this famous city. Cycling through it at a much more leisurely pace, I got a very good impression of the town’s lay-out and feel- I definitely want to go back to Kyoto when it’s warmer. Another reason to go back there are yatsuhashi, Kyoto’s local delicacy. These warm black-sesame sweets were too good to be true, especially after a day of cycling through the cold.
And then, finally, Nara. As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, I had been to Kamakura already to visit its famous Buddha statue. Now, standing in Todai-ji, gazing up at Nara’s slightly bigger and slightly more famous Buddha, I couldn’t help but liking Kamakura’s Buddha better. I think it’s more impressive, as it is sitting in the open air and you can walk around it more easily. Nevertheless it was great to be in Nara and view so many temples. My favourite has to be Nigatsu-do, as it is beautifully situated, has a great view and as there are less tourists than at other temples. Although Horyu-ji also deserves a mention, as it is incredible to see wooden buildings that actually date from the 7th century and are still intact.
All in all, our trip to the Kansai region was, of course, way too short- but this is a good sign. I had a great time and am definitely going to visit Kyoto again before I leave Japan. In the meantime, I will enjoy the photos and share anecdotes with my colleagues: they’re often amazed to hear that, being in Japan for just over two months, I have travelled quite a bit already. It’s a good start as it shows I’m interested in Japan, its history and its culture. Traveling as a networking tool… Who would’ve thought?
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