勉強時間 Time To Study

Now that I finally have school work to do...and a lot of it all at the same time I don't really have too much time to update my blog. Sad Face :(

But I have still been up to a lot of exploring and such! Here is a really quick run down

Liann and Victoria's birthday! We went to Disney Sea in Chiba prefecture. An amazing theme park, I read it was one of the most expensive ever built. I loved Journey to the center of the earth!

Amazing Disney Sea EntranceMe and the Birthday Girl, Victoria :)

This is my last week with my home stay family! I'm so sad, they are wonderful people and they have given me so much. I will be grateful to them for a long time to come. Last weekend, they took me on a trip to Hakone. We went to Onsen, A sulfer volcanoe called Owakunidani, and went to Ashi no Ko. Wonderful time!

My Mother and I Before Entering the Hotspring

Owakunidani, They Were Boiling Eggs in the Sulfur Hotsprings

Me at Ashi No Ko Lake, With Hakone Shrine's Peace Torii in the Background

This last weekend early on Sunday morning I made my way with some friends to Mitaka to the Ghibili Museum. The Ghibili artwork never ceases to inspire and amaze me! After the Museum I shot over to Shinjuku to eat and to explore!

At Mitaka Forest Ghibili Museum

Rainbow Themed Sweets Paradise (all you can eat desserts) in Shinjuku <3

Street Near Shinjuku East Exit, Street Closed for Shopping

勉強しなきゃ！
I have to study!
Cary

忙しい！ So Busy!

I just finished one of the longest weekends of my life. It began on Saturday morning around 5am and only ended about an hour or two ago this Wednesday night at about 5pm. I took lots and lots of photos so check on facebook ;)

On Saturday morning, Oct 31, I woke up early to attend the International Bus Tour planned by my University's Study Abroad office. The Destination was Yamanaka Lake near Mount Fuji. The area was very beautiful, we could see mount Fuji very well. Upon arriving we gorged ourselves on Yakiniku, or literally Cooked Meat! Delicious. Then from eating, we took a walk to the lake for about an hour and then returned to paint cups. Sounds a little weird, but it was done at an art store and we painted the cups in order for them to be glazed and mailed to us later. While on the tour I spent most of my time with Christine Chiang, Joel, and three amazing new Friends, Manami, Sakami who studied abroad at UCLA, and Akira. We didn't make it back to Shinagawa station until about 6 something, and then back to Totsuka, MISH (the study abroad student dorm) until 7ish.

Mount Fuji!
Dallas Village Yakiniku Resturaunt
Beautiful Fall Leaves

From there, I Showered at MISH, and then ran around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to put together a Halloween costume (Prince Charming, we all went with the Disney Theme). Then I attended the MISH Halloween Party. Actually it was quite fun, every one's costume came out great, and it was plenty of fun to take pictures together. It was 10 o'clock went the night really started. From there many of us, including some Japanese students, made our way to the club "Ageha." This is the largest club in all of Asia, and it was amazing. I met up with the 3 amazing new friends that I made on the Bus Tour, Sakami, Akira, and Manami, and danced with my friends all night! We didn't leave until about 5:30 am and I didn't make it back to my bed until 7:00am Sunday morning! After sleeping until about 2pm, I grabbed my things and headed off to MISH again to meet up with Myrna, and Victoria to grab Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner (I had a delicious bowl of shrimp noodle soup), and to spend the night so that I could leave early the next morning to Nikko!

Halloween Disney Style

Nikko is a beautiful city in the middle of the forest about 3 hours north of Tokyo. It houses one of Japans most famous shrines, the Nikko Toshogu 日光東照宮. This shrine was dedicated to the first Shogun of the Edo period, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was given the posthumous name of Tosho Gongen, before his spirit was interned in the Shrine with his same name. The shrine contains beautiful buildings plated with real gold, and many other famous objects of art such as the 3 monkeys, and the sleepy cat carvings.

The Toshogu Shrine's Youmeimon 陽明門, An Iconic Building Known Throughout Japan

The Three Monkeys: Kikazaru, Iwazaru, Mizaru

Our trip to Nikko started out early from Totsuka station. We left at 7am and after some fuss (Victoria almost passed out on the train, it was full to the brim with morning commuters) we made to the Tobu Nikko Station at about 12:30. I will just say this now, it poured non-stop all day! Regardless, the forest and the Toshogu were still beautiful. The colors of the trees changing, with the rain clouds and fog moving through the mountains was breathtaking. Through out the day we made our way through Rinnouji Temple 輪王寺, the Toushogu 東照宮, and finally in and out of Futarasan Shrine 二荒山神社. We then grabbed a bite to eat, where I tried a Tofu dish (I think) called yuba, all the while trying to dry off. From there we made our way to your hostel for the night.

View of the Mountains From Rinouji Temple

Beautiful Fall Leaves, Rinnouji TempleMe in Front of the Youmeimon of the Toshogu Shrine

When we arrived at the station in the middle of the night in the pouring rain, and there was not even a single light on the train platform, I felt a little scared. When I stepped out of the station and there was no lights and the building across from the station which was supposed to be the hostel was a small house, I felt even a little more scared. Where the hell was the hostel! It turned out that the small house across from the station was the front desk of the hostel and the rooms were various properties near-by. To sum up my experience at that hostel in one word, I would say exceptional. The Room, or I should say house was one Japanese style cottage. Everything was brand new, there was a huge room, a kitchen, the smallest TV Ive ever seen and an i-pod with the trendiest play list. We had Sushi ordered into our room and because my math skills are so bad, the women who delivered it gave us a discount. We ate sushi, then drank tea, and finished the night with the movie Lost In Translation, appropriate. In the morning the weather cleared and after taking a look at the longest avenue in the world, Nikko's Cedar Avenue, we were off to Chuzenji Lake!

Jenny and I in ouｒ Japanese Style Hostel Room

Sushi Dinner!

Hallway of Hostel

After eating a yummy Italian lunch, we boarded a bus bound for the Chuzenji Lake. Chuzenji Lake is one of the highest altitude lakes in Japan, created by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Nantai thousands of years ago. Thus, to get there the bus climbed and climbed through the Irohazaka pass. Along the way I could see the beautiful scenery, the previous nights rain had left the mountains covered in a white blanket of snow, and I also caught a glimpse of some silly red faced Japanese monkeys. When we arrived at the bus station, and after being shocked by the ￥1,100 fare, or 11 dollars, we stepped of the bus into literally freezing weather. We walked along the lake, all the while taking pictures. Then we took a look at Central Futarasan Shrine (an extension into the mountains of the previous days Futarasan Shrine). It was beautiful, with the snow coming down, and the lake, mountains and trees as a backdrop, everything just felt wonderful. We then walked back towards the bus stop and made our way home (for a miserable 4 hours or more on stupid local, not rapid trains). This was not done however until after seeing the magnificent Kegon Water Fall 華厳の滝.

Tori Gate of Central Futarasan Shrine with the Volcanic Mt. Nantai in the Background

Chuzenji Lake and Snow Covered Mountains

Kegon Falls

The next day was a nice and relaxing one. My wonderful home stay parents took me to Odawara to see the Odawara Castle. In addition they took me by Hotoku Ninomiya Shrine, as well as to indulge in a great sushi lunch. I had a lot of fun with them as always, and it was really great to dress up with my Ka-san as a samurai and maiden!

Sushi Lunch!

Odawara Castle　小田原城

View From Top of Castle

Odawara Caslte from Base

Me and My Ka-san Dressed in Warring States Period Clothing

じゃバ、
ケアリー

歌舞伎 Kabuki

Today my host family took me to see　歌舞伎　or Kabuki at the 国立劇場 or National Theater of Japan! I was really mesmerized by the performance.

The play that we saw was titled 京乱噂鈎爪 or "kyouwomidasuuwasanokagizume." That's a mouth full for sure, but with the English assisted audio guide, it was quite easy to understand. Currently the National Theater is showcasing what is called "New Kabuki" or Kabuki written after the start of the Meiji period (1868) to about the beginning of the Showa period (early 1900's). This particular play was set just before the start of the Meiji period in Kyoto amongst the turmoil of the rebellious Choshu and Satsuma domains against the Edo Shogaunate.

The play opened with a group of dancers yelling "eejyanaika!" or nothing really matters anymore. These dancers were quickly slashed down by the main character, who is a half human/leopard who kills at will, and resembles a western vampire, with white face and long beastly nails. The plot quickly thickens and we are introduced to many characters, a doll who lives by the will of Daiko's (a huge women who serves as comic relief) mirror, an evil court advisor who casts' spells upon others in order to influence political outcomes and the emperor (he gets his head cut-off by the leopard man), and many more.

I cannot remember every character's name, or the story so well for that matter, but I do remember how well done it was. For example, how truly scary it felt "to be there" when the scene changed to the court advisers hideout, with strikes of lightning, human shaped monster dolls, evil incantations, and scary music.

Another interesting note, all the performers where men, the female roles are played by "Onnagata" or "Women Shape" men. Kabuki is really a fantastic, funny, beautiful art.

All in all I had a wonderful day, my host parents are so sweet! They bought me (in addition to travel fare and play tickets) a yummy bento box while in the theater and took me to their private health club to eat a a fancy shmancy Chinese dinner afterwords. They are not sweet because they merely buy me things however, they are honestly interesting people and I love talking with them. We often talk about the difference between the U.S and Japan, and related issues, and though it is in Japanese which is great practice, I feel like I am making a true connection with them!

Ka-san and I in front of Shibuya Station with Hachiko (transferring trains to get to theater)
The Advertisement for the Play We Saw,
The Man in Blue and Red was the Court Advisor...So Evil!!! (taken in subway)

National Theater of Japan, Kokuritsugekijyo

O-bento Before Seeing the Play, Plain but So Delicious

Me Inside the National Theater of Japan after Performance
National Theater of Japan

The Supreme Court of Japan is next to the National Theater of Japan ;)

家で At Home

So last week I caught a little bit of a cold. It was not much, just a fever and a soar throat, the usual cold that I keep getting since about a year ago (for whatever reason). It was doing much better and by last Friday, I was pretty much better, all I needed was a day more of rest and I would have been fine. But who has time for rest when studying abroad! Of course I partied all weekend long including going on an all day long field trip to Enoshima and Kamakura and then staying out all night to go to a club and being extremely drunk while doing so. It was fun, but to say the least, I had a little relapse into sickness. So Now I have time to catch up and write a blog post!

I have to say how wonderful my host family is! They are all so nice, and that is an understatement. they take care of me so well it is amazing. They are taking me to see Kabuki this Saturday, I'm very excited. My mother or Ka-san is so nice to me, she has taken me to see the doctor three times now, all along making me the most wonderfully well-balanced and delicious meals. That is not to mention the fact that everyday she cleans the house, makes everyone three meals a day, does all the dirty laundry by hand, and still so much more. She even is taking an English class that meets once a week on Wednesday mornings. She is amazingly Genki!

Today, Ka-san brought over her girlfriends so that I could help them with their English homework before they all went to the supermarket to buy things for dinner together. They are all so cute! They were very curious about me and asked me so many questions, about me and about English. Then I helped them to complete their homework, and finished off by showing them pictures of my home, family, and adventures in Japan. They seemed to enjoy talking with me, and I've been invited to their homes to meet their families :D

About the jam packed weekend. The field trip was to Enoshima and Kamakura to see the Buddhist Deity and one of the 7 lucky gods Benzaiten, and the Giant Buddha at Kamakura. The field trip was for a class, so we went with everyone from the class, including the professor. It was a fun trip! On Enoshima I ate this food called Taco Senbei. Senbei means rice cracker and Taco Octopus, so octopus rice cracker, or so you would think. In actuality, Taco Senbei is just Octopus pressure grilled in a cracker. Actually quite delicious. From there we took a famous train line along the coast (called the Enoden 江ノ電) to Kamakura. We went first to Hasedara, a famous Buddhist temple with a giant (I mean absolutely huge) Kannon (or in Chinese Guan Yin) statue. It was so beautiful. From there we finished the field trip by seeing the Kamakura Giant Buddha, also huge. If you would like to see more of the happenings I would suggest looking at the Facebook album!

That night we celebrated a friends (Derrick) birthday in at two different clubs called Arty Farty and the Annex in Shinjuku, ni chome to be specific. Look the area up ;) It was pretty fun...at least I think it was, I was a bit tipsy the whole night, haha

Angel, Christine, and I in front of entrance to the temple with Benzaiten

Two statues of Benzaieten, the naked one is about 600 yrs old, the 8 armed one 800 yrs old

Mitsuyo and I about to eat our Tacosenbei

Giant Kannon at Hasedra
Me with the Giant Kamakura Buddha

スイパラ、文化の日、皇居、大江戸温泉物語！

I have been so busy lately! Classes have started, and that in tandem with having started my home stay means I have no time to post to my blog after doing so many things and commuting home! These amazing things include an all you can eat dessert restaurant called Sweets Paradise, Participating in a Japanese traditional arts day, going around Chiyoda ward to see the Imperial Palace among other things, and also going to an Onsen or Bath House/Hot Spring/Theme Park.

Here is a super fast summary, just so I can get a blog post out :P

Classes are very short, once a week for an hour and a half each class. There is little work and the classes seem for the most part easy. The professors vary in terms of teaching skill I imagine, but there are great ones, including my professor for Political Economy of Human Rights, a professor from Hope College.

Many Many people got together to go to Yokohama and eat at an all you can eat desserts restaurant called "Sweets Paradise." It would kill a Diabetic person, but it was wonderful. Stuff your self full of very high quality desserts for an hour and a half. That was Friday.

Kay Itoga (Sweetest Japanese Student who is Taking a Japanese religion Class with me) and I!

Cake! (This Place Would Kill Kiran)

Saturday was an all day event where the study abroad students participated in traditional Japanese cultural arts such as Tea Ceremony, Paper Craft, Calligraphy, Flower Arrangement, and most popularly, wearing Kimono for girls and Hakama for men. The garden that we did this at was a beautiful one in Mejiro, and the staff was wonderfully sweet.

Myrna and I experiencing Japanese CultureSado or Tea Ceremony (Vitoria, Gideon, and I)

Washi or Japanese paper Crafts

Myrna and I Wearing Women's Kimono and Men's Hakama

Sunday was a trip to Tokyo station to sight see. Attractions included the Imperial Palace, Hibiya park where a global festa of NGO's was occurring (I also saw a statue of Dr. Jose Rizal, Red) The National Diet building, the Prime Minister's residence and the Cabinet meeting area, and Yasukuni Shrine, a very controversial shrine due to its internment of Japanese war dead including convicted war criminals. Interestingly enough, our Japanese friends would not pray at this shrine because they felt uncomfortable or 怖いからしない。Thank you so much to the above mentioned Japanese friends for coming along! Kahori, Mariye, and Yuri, it was so fun!

Imperial Palace or Koukyo

Dr. Jose Rizal In Hibiya Park Near the Imperial Palace

Yuri and I in Front of Kokukaigijidou, or Japanese Congress Building

Kahori and Marie with the Hello Kitty Tour Bus

Myself at the Highly Controversial Yasukuni Shrine

Finally we finished the day off with a trip to an Onsen in Odaiba, it was called the "Great Edo Onsen Story" or 大江戸温泉物語。It was an amazing recreation of Edo era Tokyo, and was full of various baths. The baths felt amazingly good, from extremely hot baths to one that was very cold. My favorite was a combination of a blazing sauna directly to a cold bath. It was an amazing experience, and so relaxing! All though many of the study abroad students were very shy to be naked in front of one another, it was no problem at all. Every one of us got use to it right away, and the consensus was "Lets Go Back!" It was probably the most fun cultural experience I have had yet Japan.

Bus That Took Us From Tokyo Station to Onsen,
Of Course I couldn't Take Pictures in the Onsen ;)

Cary