Food

This fish can kill you.
So why do people eat it?
It's not for the taste...

This was a busy two days as far as food goes. Yesterday a friend of mine from DC came to visit, he's here until Sunday. Before I had even left, my uncle recommended to me this authentic Neopolitan pizzeria found in Tokyo; it's supposed to be the best in all of Japan, and pretty close to what you can get in Naples. So we made a sort of pilgrimage there. It's in Roppongi Hills, a very high-rent district of Tokyo, home to all the designer stores. We were with a group of about eight, and when we got there they had no room for us inside. Some of the group wanted to try a different spot, but I could not be deterred. A friend who was with us speaks Japanese (thankfully; she's been kind enough to lead us around most of the trip), and she told the waiter that we would eat our pizza outside on some benches nearby. They only had two options, margherita or marinara, both done in a wood-fire oven. Apparently the chef/owner had studied for years in Naples to perfect the art. The pizza was in fact very good. Almost on the level of Di Matteo's. The portion definitely was not Italian, you get about 3/4 of the pizza for 1500 yen, about $15. One welcomed change was that there was some salt under the pizza in addition to the flour to keep it from sticking to the plate. I'm very glad I went, a nice pizza was a welcomed change of pace. And the company was excellent.

During the day today Steven and I went to Tokyo Tower. It's 333 meters high and modeled after the Eiffel Tower. We went up and got an amazing view of the city, despite the fact that it was a bit overcast.

Then tonight was the big night. My friend Steven and I went to try fugu, the poisonous blowfish. All fugu chefs have to be specially licensed, since eating a piece that was not properly cut can lead to paralysis and eventually death. We wanted to see what all the fuss was about. We went to a place that came highly recommended by a classmate. They had live blowfish in a tank and everything. When we sat down we were happy to find that they had an English menu, but the translation was so terrible it didn't do us any good. We ordered two things. The first was basically a blowfish carpaccio (raw), and the second was like a risotto with boiled blowfish mixed in. The only catch was that there was also a raw egg mixed in, making the whole thing all slimy. Both were moderately tasty. Based on the taste alone, I don't see why anybody would want to risk their life eating something that isn't exceptionally good. Well, it's all part of the experience, anyway. For a second I thought I felt light-headed or my mouth felt numb, but I'm pretty sure it was all in my head.

As we were paying at the register, we heard a loud thud behind us. The chef had just hacked the head off of a blowfish and was filleting it alive. It was pretty disgusting/awesome to watch. I hope I didn't distract him with the flash and make him cut the fish the wrong way...

Clean

You can't smoke on streets.
But you can in bars and clubs.
Weird. Go figure, huh?

Smoking on streets is prohibited here, and the rule is generally followed. In busy pedestrian areas they have little smoking nooks, and you'll see a bunch of people all standing around, looking down and smoking. Even in the rare case where people do break the rules and smoke on the street, they actually carry around a portable ashtray for their ashes and butts. That's just the way things work here - the city is extremely clean. The only place you can find a trash can is near a vending machine. People don't really litter, so it's rare to see anybody eating or drinking on the street. If somebody gets a drink from a vending machine they just drink it there and recycle the can (the drinks are smaller here, about half the size).

Speaking of trash, they have a pretty complicated system here. In our kitchen there are three trash cans - one each for combustibles, non-combustibles, and recyclables. There are different days of the week for taking out the different types of trash. In the apartment we take turns taking it out. One day my roommate absent-mindedly took the wrong type of trash to the street. That evening, there were notices on all the doors of our neighborhood, reminding everybody of the rules for separating trash.

There are some other differences in day-to-day life out here. For example, the toilet is in a room apart from the 'bathing room.' There's no sink in the toilet room. Instead, there's a spout on the top of the toilet, where the cover to the tank would be. The water that fills the bowl first flows through there for you to wash your hands. Oh, and most private toilets have that little mechanism to wash your butt. Ours doesn't work though. You have to plug in the toilet, and there's no outlet in our bathroom.

In the bathing room is our sink, vanity, and also our washing machine. Then in an adjoining room is the shower and bath. Traditionally, once is supposed to was up before going into the bathtub. This is because the bath is supposed to be a place to relax, and a family would use the same bathwater, taking turns going in.

My first few days here I didn't really know what to make of the bathing setup. The shower head is just sort of hanging on the wall, and there's no shower curtain, around the shower or in the tub. It's a tile floor, with no drain, so I didn't really know what the shower head was even doing there. So (much to my present embarrassment), I showered in the tub, always trying not to let ay water get anywhere. Well as it turns out, the whole room is a 'wet room.' The tile slopes towards the tub. Around the tub there is something like a moat, that serves as the drain. So now I know that using the shower is ok, much to my relief.

Another great weekend

I went to the beach,
Saw the Pacific Ocean.
It was a great day.

Well, the title about sums it up, it was a great weekend here in Tokyo. After dinner on Friday we headed out for the usual festivities in Roppongi. We started by grabbing a few beers at the convenience store and hanging out in the park. It was a nice tranquil start to the evening. After that we checked out a place called Heartland, this place that was supposed to be chock full of Japanese girls looking for foreign guys. Being a bunch of foreign guys, we decided to see what it was all about. After a fairly long walk we were pretty disappointed though, the place was packed with guys who had apparently heard the same things about Heartland that we had. So we left and went to our favorite place, Marine Hide-Out. It's a pretty wild place and we go pretty often, so the manager gives us a discount on drinks, and the free shots usually come out before the night is over. Not that we needed them. It turned into another long night, walking home to the rising sun.

Saturday might haev been my favorite day in Tokyo yet. When I checked into my apartment I got the email address of the girl in the office. She suggested going to the beach on Saturday, and I jumped at the chance. She took me to a place called Kamakura, a seaside town that reminded me of Newport to a certain extent. It was a cloudy day (as usual), but there were plenty of shops and shrines to check out. One of the local dishes there is called octopus paper; it's like a thin hard cookie, with octopus tentacles throughout it. I wasn't really feeling it, so Megumi bought me an ice cream, apple-mango, it was delicious.

There were a bunch of really cool shrines there, and we did a lot of walking. Unfortunately it started to rain, so we had to end our trip a little early. I was going to stay in because I was really tired from the night before, but it was a long train ride back to Tokyo and I slept for most of it, so I was feeling rejuvenated.

So I called a few of my friends who had met up for dinner and drinks. There's a girl on the program who was born and raised in Tokyo, and she takes some real enjoyment out of showing us around her hometown. As you might have gathered, we generally go out in Roppongi, the center for nightlife for foreigners. Our friend took us to Ginza, a completely different part of town. We went to a place called Clubtheque Genius, and we were the only foreigners in the place. It was loads of fun, the club was two levels and pretty packed. It was great to be off the beaten path and into an area more for locals.

As for today, I told myself that I was going to hang out at home and do some schoolwork, but I sort of got sidetracked by napping and watching Smallville on my computer. It's tough to get motivated, especially after that last exam we had.

Ohhhh, I almost forgot. I met a girl at the shopping mall here and got her email. She speaks almost no English, so our interactions are hysterical; here's a copy of the first email she sent me:

I'm sorry slowing the answer.
The sentence cannot be stricken in English.
However, because the site where Japanese was made English was found, it is
possible to finally answer.
Thank you for coming to the shop for the other day.
It was terrible and it was glad to come twice.
Are you for a long time in Japan?
Let's do tea by all means.

Priceless.

Rhode Island

Wherever you go,
Everyone knows Rhode Island.
OK, maybe not.

We had our first exam this morning, and I sure am glad I didn't study for it. The first question was basically a regurgitation of the first day of class, and for the second question our professor asked us to make up our own question and answer it. Ahhh, study abroad. After the exam we all went to an all-you-can-eat place. It was sort of like Fire & Ice in that you get all your food raw, but then you cook it on a small grill in the center of your table, and there is a sixty minute limit. When we first got there it was an absolutely crazy scene, tons of people trying to get their food and cook it as fast as they could. Things quieted down after a bit though, so we were all able to eat our fill. On one of my many trips to the buffet line I noticed a guy wearing a shirt that said Rhode Island on it. So I asked him if he spoke English. When he said no, I asked a friend of mine who speaks Japanese to ask if we could take a picture together. Turns out he wasn't Japanese either, so I just positioned him next to me and my friend took our picture. I wonder if has any clue what happened or even that Rhode Island is a place. Lunch was pretty filling; I think I'm the most full I've been since coming out here (which may not be saying much). Anyway, it was pretty wild seeing somebody with a Rhode Island t-shirt. Again, it was one of those feelings of connectedness, all the way out here on the other side of the world.

On the way home I had another such experience that should also tie together some blog posts quite nicely. I accompanied my friends to their metro stop where the school is located, and then set out on my 45-minute back to my apartment, I thought it would be a good way to digest. So I'm on my way home, and I spot a white guy, so we proceed to do the white guy head nod from afar. As we're getting closer to each other he starts asking me a question, so I took off my headphones and we chatted for a bit. It was his second day in Tokyo, and he was looking for grocery stores nearby. From how he was talking and the nervous look he had about him, I definitely saw my former self in him. Slightly overwhelmed by the big city, surprised at how different everything is, not sure if he had made the right decision. So I told him where he could go shopping, and then pointed him in the direction of some local real estate offices, since he mentioned he needed to look for an apartment. It was a cool feeling not just to be able to help somebody, but to have learned enough about Tokyo in the short time since I've been here to help out somebody less familiar with it than I am.

Best souvenir yet

Akihabara.
I got a samurai sword.
My bad, make that three.

Today I went back to Akihabara, the electronics epicenter of Tokyo. To be honest, I was expecting more cool gadgets - tiny cell phones, awesome digital cameras, robots, flying cars. But it was more like a huge concentration of electronics stores selling normal stuff. The phones here are actually pretty big, significantly bigger than the ones in the US. Although they're jacked up. I saw a phone today that was the size of a small digital camera. It looked like one of those Sony digital cameras where you slide the shutter cover down. It was a 5.1 megapixel camera. PS it was also a phone. It had a sliding number pad. So the phones might be bigger, but they've got a lot going on.

So a friend and I were on a mission to find a specific sword shop that was suggested to us. Apparently it is difficult/impossible to export an authentic, sharp sword from Japan, unless you're a museum or a super rich guy. And I'm neither. Sharp, hand-made samurai swords are designated as cultural treasures by the Japanese government, and they have strict rules about their export. So I had to settle for a decorative kind.

My friend and I were walking around asking for directions to this particular store we heard was exceptional. We asked a girl in a maid costume where it was, and she pointed us in the right direction. So we're walking around a little more, and decided to ask a construction worker for directions. I asked him the name of the place, and to our surprise, it was literally right behind us. We went up and the place was decked out with swords and other weapons. They were all replicas, but it was still impressive. I picked out some stuff that I wanted, and tried to negotiate down the price, which was sort of hard since the shopkeeper spoke limited English. he kept saying 'if you win, if you win.' Initially I was confused, but my friend finally discovered that this guy was challenging me to a rocks paper scissors match. What a fool! I actually brought a RPS Champion t-shirt. Good thing I didn't wear it, or he might not have challenged me. I obviously crushed him under an avalanche of rocks, and got a nice discount.

After buying the swords we met up with another friend and went to something called a maid cafe. We had all heard about them before coming here, so we decided to see what they're all about. The place is basically designed for pervs. The girls all wear maid outfits. They're not all that revealing; the shirts are sort of short but not excessively so. The decor was all pink and cute, there were lots of hearts all over and the girls talked in high-pitched voices. We had to pay 500 yen each for an hour of hanging out there, plus pay for food/drink, which was overpriced. I don't exactly see the point of these kind of places. Then again I don't see the point of anime, so maybe the two are related. Anyway, it was fun, and good to have a seat and hang out for a bit. I was going to get my picture taken with one of the girls to post it here, but that would have been another 500 yen, so I scratched that idea. Anyway, I've got a test tomorrow, so I've got lots of procrastinating to do before bed.

Take me out to the crowd

Time really flies here.

Having fun makes me busy.

No time for classes.

Time really does fly out here. Last night I went out again. It all started with a reception for students on the program. Then one of our professors took us out for drinks, and then I ended up back in Roppongi again. Our first stop was the Train Bar, a bar that was made from an old subway car. A cool idea, but it's really tiny, you could probably only fit about 15 people there, and even that would be squished. Anyway, one thing leads to another and it's another night spent watching the sun come up. I was dead tired all day today, and I just couldn't wait to get back home.

Today we had a tour of the Japanese Supreme Court. They even let us sit in the Justices' chairs, it was pretty fun. I think I look a lot like a Japanese Supreme Court Justice in this picture.

After the tour we went to a baseball game! We saw the Tokyo Giants play at the Tokyo Dome. I had never been inside a dome before. It was pretty cool, although I definitely prefer outside games. The game was a ton of fun. Man, the crowd can really cheer! I felt like I was at a European soccer game, there were huge flags and lots of singing. The home team won, which was a bonus I guess. A friend of mine almost caught a home run ball! Our seats were really good, we were right down the third base line in about the third row. There was a roller coaster right next to the stadium, but unfortunately we got there a little late and the game had already started, so we couldn't ride it. Hopefully I'll be able to make it back there, but there's so much to do who knows!

The weekend

Out till eleven.
It's a very lofty goal.
I didn't make it.

So like I mentioned before, my friends and I were intent on breaking my roommate's record of staying out until 11 am. We had a good plan - hit the bars/clubs, then have sushi at the fish market, then just sort of play it by ear for a bit.
Well, it was a great night, and I had a great time...but I regretfully did not break my roommate's record.

We started our night in the traditional fashion. Drinking before going out drinking; always a good decision. Then we went to an English pub for a bit and hung out there until a little after midnight. Then we left for the club, where we were meeting up with some friends. Most clubs around here have a pretty high cover charge, so it's pretty much unavoidable. The price to get in was 3500 yen, about $35. Although when we went inside I told the girl collecting money that the bouncer downstairs had promised us a lower price. After thinking about it for a second she let me and my friends in. I hope she's not reading this.

The place was absolutely packed inside. You couldn't dance so much as be moved by the crowd. Which is fine with me, I'm not much of a dancing/club scene kind of guy anyway. There was a breakdancing contest going on. I thought about joining in, but then I remembered that I can't breakdance, so I decided against it. We left the club around 5, still intent on staying out, so we decided to head to the fish market.

Continuing in our illustrious tradition of pregaming, we decided to eat before going to the fish market for sushi. Actually, it was more to wait for the trains to start running again. Whatever the motive, we grabbed a quick bite to eat, then headed for the subway. We somehow managed to find our way to the fish market. I think I mentioned this before, but it's where all the fishing boats come in and unload their catch to sell it at auction. The boats arrive early, so the market is busiest from 3-4, or so I've heard. We must have arrived there at around 630, as things were just wrapping up:

Yes, that's a mountain of styrofoam containers. Even though things were winding down, the activity at this place was unbelievable. There stands as far as the eye could see of small independent salesmen selling the freshest catch. There was processing and cutting of fish taking place, the bigger fish being flash frozen and passed through a huge bandsaw. There were tourists ogling the disgusting sights, and last minute shoppers making purchases. It was a wild scene and I'm glad we made it there.



Finally we settled on a sushi restaurant and got platters of sushi that were still swimming in the ocean earlier that morning. Now I'm no connoisseur, but it was hands down the best sushi/nigiri I had ever tasted (that's right, note the precise terminology). So all in all it was a great night, but at the table eating sushi is where our resolve left us. So we all got on the train and went our separate ways home. I was in bed by 8:30 or so. A valiant effort for sure, but alas I fell short of the finish line.
















So let's say I fell asleep around 9; I woke up around 11 and couldn't manage to fall back asleep. I blame it on my 'bed' - a traditional Japanese futon, aka mattress on the ground. So I talked to some friends of mine and we decided to go check out Tokyo tower. It looks a lot like the Eiffel Tower, only it's red. Behind it we found this really cool park to explore. There were some disgusting-looking hippies there, meditating right in the middle of the path. I thought they were homeless at first, but then they started doing some weird yoga stuff. Anyway, we went back and I rested in my friend's hotel room until dinnertime. We went to an Okonomiyaki restaurant. You order and they bring you the raw food in a bowl with a raw egg. Then you mix it all up and pour it on the griddle that is in the center of your table. It's sort of like an omelette and a pancake combined, then there's all different Japanese ingredients inside; ranging from noodles to beef to pork, rice, etc. Then we went and sang karaoke. Here you get your own private room with your friends, and the waitress comes when you press a button to call her. It was all very good fun. By the end of the night I was beat though, having gotten only a few hours' sleep the night before. Speaking of tired, I'm pooped. Goodnight, and happy fathers' day.

Oh, ps there was a small earthquake tonight. It was my first time experiencing one and it was pretty unnerving. I mean, the ground moves under your feet; the one thing that you wouldn't ever imagine could move. It was wild. All part of the adventure...

Harajuku

Claustrophobia.
If you have it don't come here.
The crowds will get you.

Today I went to Harajuku with some friends. It was the most crowded place I've seen in Tokyo so far. Besides shopping, Harajuku is famous for people dressing up in anime-esque costumes. There were lots of cool shops with really unique clothing. Some a little much for me, but some of the spots were actually pretty cool. I'll be going back for sure to pick up a few gifts. I got a few pics with people I found exceptionally weird, and most of them were pretty agreeable to having their pictures taken. Soon I'll be posting all of my pictures online at picasaweb.google.com/arthur.defelice. The crowd there was really amazing; absolutely packed with people. There was one point when we were walking through the Harajuku's central street and we actually came to a complete stop; we couldn't even move because of all the people. Plus there was plenty to see; absolutely crazy costumes. I saw lots of wild hair colors, caked on makeup, and insanely high platform shoes.

Past the main shopping areas for peoplewatching is the Meiji Jungu Shrine. It's located in a huge park, and it was cool to see all that green in the middle of Tokyo. The shrine was built in 1920 to honor the life of the Emperor Meiji. Meiji was the first emperor to open up Japan to foreign trade and culture and really set the tone for the modernization of Japan, and it's the biggest shrine I've seen so far.

As a side note, I still haven't done any reading yet. It's a bit to hard to motivate myself, considering that I'm in Tokyo and my grades don't transfer; all my credits are pass/fail. Anyway, I should probably get on that. I'll probably put up another post tonight to recap my weekend.

Shibuya

They drive on the left.
It makes it tricky to cross.
Always look both ways.

Yes, that's right. It's a SmartCar vending machine. George, this is definitely the craziest thing I've seen in a vending machine so far, but sorry to say I didn't get it for you. I went to Shibuya on Friday after class. It's a sort of trendy part of Tokyo, with lots of shopping and nightlife spots, and it's also home to the world's busiest pedestrian intersection. I think there are something like 5 crosswalks, and they all get the green light at once. I'm definitely going back to pick up some gifts and to take some pics of the intersection in action.

At the station there is a statue of a dog named Hachiko. Hachiko, an akita, is famous in Tokyo and his statue is a popular meeting spot. During the 20's and 30's Hachiko would wait at the metro station for his master to return from work. Well one day his master died and did not return home. Still, the dog returned every evening, at around the time his master's train was due to arrive. The dog continued this for ten years until the day of his own death. So Hachiko is still remembered to this day for his loyalty and devotion to his late master. A pretty amazing story if you ask me.

I tagged along with some friends who went shopping at Shibuya 109, a huge 6 or 7 level department store that sells exclusively girls' clothing. Now you may laugh, but it's one of my favorite spots in the city, it's absolutely teeming with girls. Luckily I saw a few things that I want to buy as gifts, so I'll be making a return trip there. Ok, I've got to run for now, but I will be posting another entry about the rest of my weekend.

Weekend again

Going out tonight.
Tokyo is getting costly.
Two month vacation.

Yesterday we had a guided tour of the Diet, Japan's parliament. It was pretty interesting, and as you can see, the building is amazing. We went out to dinner again after the tour. Dinner was great, and lots of fun, but I really need to tone down the eating out. I'm living out here, I'm not on vacation, and I need to start acting that way.

On that note, I went grocery shopping again the other day. I got some oil, vinegar, lettuce, tomatoes, and then I looked for the salt. The only salt-like container I could find (obviously I can't read Japanese) was a one-pound bag. It looked like salt, and it felt like salt through the plastic, so I assumed it's salt. So I took it home and made my salad. Then when I tasted it, it tasted salty. But then I got to thinking...is laundry detergent salty? I would have no way of knowing. Am I actually putting laundry detergent on my salad? (if any of you have ever eaten laundry detergent - by accident or on purpose - please let me know). Anyway I still feel fine, and I don't spit up bubbles when I drink water, so I can only assume I'm in the clear.

My friends and I are going out again tonight, and I'm really looking forward to it. Since we generally stay out pretty late we're thinking of heading to the fish market tomorrow morning. The Tsukiji fish market is supposed to be this huge, crazy fish auction that starts in the wee hours of the morning when all the boats dock to sell their fresh fish to restaurants, wholesalers, and whoever else might want to buy huge fish. I hear it's a tourist attraction for all its craziness, and lots of times people will go there after a night of going out and have sushi for breakfast. And tomorrow that will be me. The other night my roommate was bragging about his record of staying out late - 11 am. I guess I'll have to see what I can do (sorry Mom).

The Bicycle Thief

The food here is good,
Although it can't fill me up.
They eat lots of rice.

Like many people in Tokyo, one of my roommates has a bicycle. Much to everybody's surprise, her bike was stolen last Friday. I've always heard Tokyo is a really safe city, and it's largely true. So like I said, we were all surprised when it happened. (although she left her key in the lock of the bicycle, so she was basically asking for it). Anyway, so my roommate called the police. In Tokyo when anybody buys a bike you have to register its unique serial number with the city. Even though the odds are slim, she was hoping they would be able to do something for her. When she got to the police station, they had already found her bike without her even reporting it stolen! So then they asked her to fill out some paperwork, but she doesn't speak Japanese. She's from France and she also speaks English, so they had not only a French interpreter explain everything to her, but an English one as well, just to make sure that she understood everything. Then, when they were all done, two police officers took the back seats out of their car, put the bike in and drove her home. It's nice to be living in a city where the police have nothing better to do than spend so much time over a stolen bicycle.

Things are going well here. I still have moments of culture shock, usually when I'm out shopping, just because things are so different. Last night the program coordinators took a group of students out to a German beer hall. Earlier in the day I had issued an open challenge to Tokyo to really fill me up. The food here is great and all, I just don't find it all that filling. Anyway, I thought that if it would ever happen, it would happen at the beer hall - German food and the professors were paying. Sadly, it didn't happen...I was disappointed again. A bunch of us went out after dinner for a few drinks. I've definitely been acting more like I'm on vacation than studying abroad, but that's partially because I really am on vacation (sorry Mom). It's been a lot of fun so far, and I'm really looking forward to this weekend. We're planning on going to Harajuku, which is supposed to be the epicenter of girls in crazy costumes. I've heard that Sunday is the day when the most people are out in costume, so that's when we're going. Ok, that's all for now, I've got some postcards to write.

The White Guy Head Nod

The white guy head nod.
Round eyes in the big city.
It's how we say hi.

The white guy head nod is really a funny phenomenon. And I've talked about it to some of my classmates and they've also noticed it, so I guess I'm not just crazy. When I see a fellow foreigner (gaijin) on the streets I feel this kind of weird kinship with them. Of course we all stick out, so foreigners are usually easy to spot. Anyway, every time we lock eyes and share a knowing look, we follow it up with the good ole head nod. Sort of to acknowledge - 'Yea, it's hard here, but we're making it.' At least that's how I take it. I'll sometimes even spot an Asian person who I imagine to be American, based on the way he's dressed, and he'll get the head nod too. My success rate there isn't as good, but I'm working on it.

So this was my first weekend in Tokyo and it was amazing. There's a part of Tokyo called Roppongi, which is the most western-friendly nightlife destination. On Friday a group of us went there without any particular plan. We started in an Irish-style pub for a few drinks, then we were corralled into a nightclub by some other Americans we had met. I was a little hesitant about it, because there was a cover of about $35 (which included 2 drinks), and it reminded me of the nightclub scene in Florence - the club hires young, good-looking Americans to lure other tourists into the club, which ends up being just like any club in the US - loud, overpriced and full of Americans. And this place was no exception, although I'll admit, I did have a really good time. I received a huge shock as I was leaving though, and the sun was already out! I didn't get home until 6 because I had a bit of a walk to get back. But it was a really great time.

Saturday was also a really fun night. It started off sort of un-promising, because a ton of students got together and went out to dinner. The only problem there was the size of the group - it was hard to find a place that could fit us all. When we finally did I was pretty happy, since I was starving. I was actually going to go home after dinner, we were in the subway station and I split off from the group to take a train home. But then I thought about it and realized that it's Saturday night and I'm in Tokyo, so I ran to catch up with everybody. I don't know how it happened, but we ended up at a Japanese guy's birthday party, which was pretty crazy. Everyone was trashed (they probably split 2 beers) and singing and carrying on, it was really fun. Then we ended up in a bar/club and hung out there, again until about 6. Then today I met for coffee with a Japanese girl I met my first day, and it was cool to spend some time talking to her. I also bought a towel, and it felt like a huge accomplishment, not speaking any Japanese. Sounds funny to say, but it did. Let's see, then today we had orientation, which was obviously boring. The program here really isn't that well organized, but that's ok. My friends and I like to remind ourselves that we're not here for school, we're here for Tokyo.

Oh, ps, the picture is the view I have from my balcony.

Asakusa

I've decided to start each post with a haiku:

Tokyo is so great.
A small guy like me fits in;
They are not that tall.


First let me say it was really hot in Tokyo today. I went to the school building to meet up with a fellow program member. The walk to the school is an hour, and the sweating was underway when I got there. I have a feeling this is going to be Sweating 2008 (Mark, that one was for you).

The person I met is really cool. He's here for the same reasons as me, just to experience something completely different, and he also speaks no Japanese. So it's encouraging to have somebody in the same boat as me. We grabbed some sushi at a place right near the school and it was easily the best sushi I've ever had (sorry Ten). And the sushi chef was very nice and personable. After eating we went to the Asakusa neighborhood, which is known for its souvenir shops. There were a ton of shops, and I'm definitely going back to get some stuff. All the shops line a street called Nakamise Dori, so it's a really cool place to walk around and spend an afternoon. Nakamise Dori leads right up to Tokyo's oldest Shinto shrine, Sensoji Temple (completed in 645). Entering into a Shinto shrine is really cool, first you wash your hands at the fountain outside using the ladle that is provided. Then your purify yourself with incense. There is a huge pot with burning incense outside the shrine. You can buy some and put it in there if you want, of you can just waft the smoke over yourself. It's supposed to be especially good if you're sick. So then you go inside the shrine. There's a massive red paper lantern outside the entrance. Inside there is a shrine to the Shinto goddess Kannon, the goddess of mercy.

It's great that I got to go there today. It's June 6, and it's 2 years to the day that Nonna Clelia died. This morning I had a bit of a rough start just thinking about her, so this was a great bonus on the day. Another one of those 'colorful thread in the fabric of humanity' moments that are so great at making us feel connected, even halfway around the world.

Tonight should be a fun night too. I'm meeting up with a bunch of other students from my program to finally explore Tokyo nightlife. I'll be with a couple of native speakers, so I can't wait. I've just got to be sure I'll be able to find my way home tonight after it's all said and done.

Maybe I should put the haiku at the end, sort of as a reward for people who have read this far?

Fujisan

First off, thanks to all of you who have posted comments. It's encouraging to know that people are reading and interested in what's going on. Last night I met the first group of students that I'll be studying with; the rest I should meet either on Saturday or Sunday. We went out for a bit to eat. They all seem very nice, and it was great to meet them all. It was a treat to be able to interact with people so easily. We actually made plans to meet up again early tomorrow morning. There's a huge fish market in Tokyo (from what I understand one of the world's largest), and it's quite the sight to be seen. The only catch is that it's generally over by the time most people meet up. So we're meeting at the school at 6:30 tomorrow morning to go and check it all out and probably have some sushi for breakfast.

Today was my much-anticipated trip halfway up the summit of Mt. Fuji. Unfortunately, the views of the mountain itself weren't so great. This is the rainy season in Japan and today was a pretty wet day. There were lots of clouds and at such a high altitude they were more like fog, obstructing our view of the mountain. It was still a fun day though. The tour guide was amazing; a really positive and upbeat older Japanese man who so obviously loves his job. He told lots of stories about Japan, past and present, and even showed us how to make an origami Mt. Fuji. The highlight of the day, though, was getting to meet some other English-speakers. The tour was great and it was made even better by being able to share it with the other people who were there. I picked up some cool gifts/souvenirs and even sent a post card, so keep an eye on your mailbox, it could be yours. On the way back we took the bullet train; a commuter train that travels at almost 200 miles per hour. A few of them whizzed by us as we were on the platform and it was really amazing. Anyway, I've got to run for now, I'm determined to learn at least a little Japanese to make myself slightly more functional. Sayonara for now...

Herro!

So after a long day/two days of traveling I'm sitting in my hotel room. What a trip! The train ride from the airport to the subway was fairly without incident. I met this Mexican couple who had also just arrived in Tokyo. They seemed nice enough, and we exchanged information and may meet up tomorrow. But when I changed from the commuter train to the subway things just got crazy. The people were just unbelievable. At every stop they somehow managed to squeeze more and more people onto the train, all the while there I was with my huge suitcase and my backpack, not knowing how to participate in the hectic dance everyone was doing to cram onto the train. I hung out near the door, but unfortunately when we got to my stop the opposite door opened. I literally had to shove my way through the people to get out. I dropped my sunglasses but somebody picked them up and they managed to crowdsurf out to me. Navigating my way out of the subway station was another chore, but I managed to somehow stumble to the correct exit to get me closest to the hotel. Finding the hotel itself wasn't bad, it was only one turn from where I exited the subway.

When I got here I was sort of in a daze, just checking things out and recapping on my day so far. There are so many Asians here! It's unbelievable! Without exception, every person I've encountered has been extremely helpful, whether or not they spoke any English. So I left the hotel room and headed for Roppongi, a nearby district (15 minutes away) that the hotel manager said has lots of bars, restaurants, and just a lot going on. I didn't bring my camera, which turned out to be such a huge error that halfway to Roppongi I turned and came back for it. I only snapped a few pictures, but I'm glad I turned around.

So I was starving when I left the hotel room, and yet I couldn't bring myself to enter any of the restaurants I passed. Not because of the food or the people or anything like that. I was a little intimidated by the whole food-ordering process. Everything was in Japanese, and most places were full of people eating. So I just kept passing by restaurant after restaurant, until finally my hunger overcame my intimidation and I walked into this empty restaurant. It wasn't all that big, maybe about 10-12 seats around a bar. The only thing I could compare it to would be a sushi bar that stretched along 2 walls of the place (although they didn't serve sushi). That setup seemed to be pretty common as I paid more attention on the way back afterwards. Anyway, I tried to order from the guy behind the counter, but apparently you have to first go to the vending machine right by the door and make your selection. The machine prints out a little ticket that you hand to the guy, who then makes your food. It took me a while to understand that, as it was communicated via pantomime, since I speak no Japanese and he spoke no English. I ordered a noodle bowl with pieces of diced vegetables and chicken in it. It was pretty good, although I struggled a bit with the chopsticks. One of the kids from the back came out with a pocket Japanese/English dictionary and pointed to 'blend.' Thanks to my extensive schooling I was able to deduce that I should mix around the noodles and vegetables. Oh, and I found out that there were these little crispy things at the bottom, sort of like Kix but not as sweet. I'm pooped, so I just headed back to the hotel when I was finished. On the way back here I passed a group of Americans heading in the opposite direction, probably towards the bars and having a grand ole time. I felt like a chump walking home at 10, but I'm tired and I've got to move from the hotel to my guestroom tomorrow. But to sum it all up, Tokyo is awesome and crazy and fun, and I can't wait to sink my teeth into it tomorrow.

On the Road

I like to keep a journal when I travel, and this is an excerpt from what I wrote on the flight from Boston to Chicago. I was feeling pretty apprehensive, so I was trying to take my mind off
my nervousness. A girl at the bookstore had recommended Jack Kerouac's On the Road, so I started reading it. There were some great quotes that were especially poignant:

"If you drop a rose in the Hudson River at its mysterious source in the Adirondacks, think of all the places it journeys by as it goes out to sea forever."

"High up over my head the great hairy Bear Mountain sent down thunderclaps that put the fear of God in me. All I could see were smoky trees and dismal wilderness rising up to the skies. "What the hell am I doing up here?" I cursed. I cried for Chicago..."

"Sitting in the terminal all alone I felt at once like a grain of sand on a beach and a monolith among men. The whole big, huge, intimidating and welcoming, cold and hospitable, new and familiar world is out there, just waiting for me. Waiting for me to be that one drop of water in its ocean, one among infinity and yet an indelible part of its character and makeup. It's hope and promise and intimidation and foreboding, everything and nothing. Even among the faceless crowd in the airport terminal there are direct ties back to that's familiar--the businessman across the aisle with thumbs like Mom's, the joking family across from me, the Japanese boy with the Washington DC t-shirt. If it's ever possible to feel adrift and anchored, I felt it today."

There's more to it but it's boring me to type it so I figure it must be boring to read. More entertaining posts are to come.

Flight or flight

I'm almost done packing. Basically the only thing between me and Japan is getting on the plane. Now that sounds like it would be no big deal, and I thought it would be no big deal, but it's sort of a big deal. It's traveling to the other side of the planet. It's going to a place where everything is different (I think). So yes, I'm nervous. And probably more than a little. But I think that's completely normal. I'm embracing my nervousness as a healthy part of embarking on an adventure.

Not that I would put myself in their league or even close, but I sometimes think about the great explorers of history, from Marco Polo all the way through Neil Armstrong. Especially those pre-colonial guys, imagine how they felt. Looking across the horizon and seeing nothing but a hostile and seemingly infinite ocean. And then looking down at his ship and although it's state of the art, it's still just a wooden ship built by human hands, maybe even his own. There are certain risks inherent and inevitable in his voyage, one of which was plummeting off the edge of a world that was most certainly flat, if you were able to survive the sea monsters and other mythical creatures before the brink. And despite all that they pressed forward into the unknown. Who knows why, maybe a lust for gold, a lust for blood or maybe just a lust for life. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make (to myself) is that venturing out into the dark is a scary proposition, but if you do it right it can be incredibly worthwhile. Plus my way is lit not only by what I've learned about Tokyo before going, but more importantly by the support and encouragement of my family and friends. As cliché as it might sound, there's no way I would be able to be doing this without them. I have no idea what's waiting for me in Tokyo, but that's exactly the point, and that's exactly what makes it so exciting and so unnerving to be going.

Is that all too serious for a blog? I have no idea, I've never even read one before. Is anybody even reading this? If you are then I'll see you in Tokyo.

Un avviso

Per voi che volete leggere in Italiano, vi prego, me lo fate sapere via email - arthur.defelice@gmail.com. Se no scrivo solo in inglege, lo trovo piu' facile.

So let me start by saying that I hate the word 'blog.' It just sounds disgusting. That being said, on the advice of a friend of mine I've decided to create one chronicling my adventures in Japan. I figure it's better than a mass email list and better than not staying in touch at all, so here I am. I'll post at least once before I leave, just to talk about what I've been feeling leading up to this trip, and I'll do my best to update frequently while I'm out there for anybody who cares to read. Also I'm pretty sure that I can post pictures here, but if that's not possible, or if the site can't handle lots of pictures, then check out http://picasaweb.google.com/arthur.defelice. For starters though, check out my apartment, it's room 5D2, and take a look below at the Japanese subway system. Speaking of the subway, check out this link to just how crowded the subways can get during rush hour: Crazy! A tad bit intimidating but that's all part of the adventure.