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!
Posts tonen met het label bath. Alle posts tonen
Posts tonen met het label bath. Alle posts tonen
maandag 17 maart 2008
woensdag 12 maart 2008
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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