Japan Day 6

Left Tokyo by chartered bus to go to the Ibaraki prefecture and my host city of Kamisu. Before leaving I took a trip to Ginza where I caught a festival where they carry portable shrines called mikoshi. It was a party atmosphere as hundreds of people came dressed in their Hapi coats to carry the gilded shrines.

Then, we set off for Mito...the capital of Ibaraki. On our way, we stopped by Kairaku-en...one of the top three gardens of Japan.

Another beautiful garden and shrine...Kairaku-en boasts a large plum forest, bamboo grove, springs, lakes, caves, cherry trees, and the Kobuntei (traditional Japanese bldg). Built in 1841 by Tokugawa Nariaki...Kairaku-en was unique where she was open to the public. After all her name means "a park to be enjoyed together".

Tomorrow marks the meat of the program as we have various visits with schools over the next few days. Whew...I'm beat.

Japan Day 5

This was my only totally free day throughout the duration of this trip. So, I had to take advantage of it and go big. I caught the Nozomi Shinkansen (the fastest bullet train) at 6 AM for a 2 hour ride to Kyoto, the cultural capital of Japan. Upon arriving, I joined up with a tour group that went to several of the top attractions within the city.

The first stop was Nijo Castle which was built in 1603 and was the Kyoto residence of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nijo is a fascinating building that still has functioning Nightingale floors and gorgeous interiors hidden in a solemn exterior. Nijo castle also has a wonderful garden.

Stop 2 was Kinkakuji Temple and it's Golden Pavillion. Nestled in its exquisite gardens, the Golden Pavillion rests upon a serene pond. She glitters and gleams in gold leaf. Having burned down three times previously, she rises from the ashes much like the pheonix that adorns its roof.

The third stop was the Shinto shrine of Kitano Tenmangu. Kitano honors the spirit of Michizane Sugawara who was then named Karai Tenjin. Tenjin is now regarded as the deity of scholastic studies, and is extremely popular with students preparing for high school or university entrance examinations.

After lunch and some shopping, we went to the fourth stop of the Heian Jingu Shrine. The Heian Shrine has the vermillion court replica of the Imperial Palace and the beautiful Shin-en gardens that sprawl over 30,000 sq. meters. The gardens are home to various ponds, bridges, and buildings.

Next was Sanju-Sangendo Hall which houses 1001 statues of Kannon dating back from the 13th century. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed of the hand-carved golden statues, but each one is magnificent and unique.

The final stop was the Kiyozimudera Temple which rests atop the hill and looks over all of Kyoto. The only way up is a quaint old lane lined with stores. Atop the temple is a terrace that provides a gorgeous panoramic view of the city and the surrounding environs. Nestled in the area is a three-story pagoda and a waterfall that splits into three channels that are attributed to wisdom, health, and fortune.

Whew, what a busy day. All in all, each day has been filled with walking and travelling. It is important to note that there was a 7.0 earthquake that occured in the northeast area of Honshu by Iwate and Miyagi...I was fortunate to be several hundred miles away. However, apparently Tokyo felt the shocks.

Japan Day 4

Started the day early by going with some new friends to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. This is an extremely busy area with warehouses, alleys of small stores and restaurants, the auction area (which is now closed off to tourists), and lots and lots of fresh seafood. First of all, this place is a BUSY area...even at 5AM...and you need to pay attention at all times because knives are flying and cool little speed carts rush in and out between the stalls with little time to regard silly tourists taking pictures. Not that the workers are rude, but when it comes to fresh fish, time is money and we are intruding on their job site. Amongst the stalls of shops and restaurants, we stumbled upon a small restaurant with handwritten scrolls that meticulously explain how to order, what kinds of fish are available, and other helpful things in English. This was the best place since the owner is a very amusing and extremely friendly host who studied in Scotland and makes it a point to teach and help foreigners while in Japan. Great food and nothing like fresh fish in the morning. It is also customary to say a greeting before and after eating. The word "Itadakimasu" (eat-uh-ducky-mas) is said prior to eating to give thanks for the food. After eating, "Gochisosama" (Go-chee-so-sah-mah)is said to show appreciation for the meal.

After rushing back to the hotel for the days lectures and workshops, we ended the work day with some traditional Kabuki and lessons on other Japanese arts.

Of course, I'm out to maximize my time so I caught the JR rail to go sea Disney Sea. There's a special cheap price to go into the park after 6 and worked perfectly. Disney Sea is awesome. All the attention to detail that Disney parks are known for with the efficency and work ethic of the Japanese. We got to ride the big rides such as the Tower of Terror and the Indiana Jones ride and still catch the BraviSEAmo show. Great stuff...I would definitely go again.

Japan Day 2 & 3

Okay, Day 2 was our first full day in Japan and we were busy! We started the day going around Akasaka and went first to the Diet Building. No, the Diet Building has nothing to do with food. The Diet is their main government building that houses their Representatives and Senators. The Japanese government is very similar to the British government. The Japanese do not have a king, but they do have an emperor. Both really don't have a lot of governmental power, but they are still considered important. The Japanese also have a Prime Minister and 2 Houses of legislators. While we couldn't take pictures inside the Diet, I can say that the building is very impressive with lots of marble and inticate designs. Oh yeah, it is super clean much like the rest of Japan.

We then went to Asakusa where there is a famous Buddhist Temple and Shinto Shrine. Shinto is the religion that is originally from Japan. It is based on hero worship and some nature worship. On the otherhand, Buddhism is from the Chinese and generally believes in a deity called Buddha.

After our sightseeing trip, our group watched a Kyogen performance. Kyogen is an old style of Japanese theater that have the actors talk in a very sing-song type of voice and dance in very controlled movements.

Day 3 was very informative. We spent the day mostly in lectures and workshops about Japan's economy and in a discussion by some of the top legislators for Japan. We also went to catch a baseball game with the Seibu Lions vs. The Hanshin Tigers. The Japanese are big fans of American Baseball and go all out at their games.

Japan Day One

Flying to Japan is not an easy task. From San Francisco, it took over 10 hours straight so it should be about 5-6 hours from Hawaii. Eitherway, try sitting down for that long without getting up and moving around much. Also, when you fly to Japan from America, you have to cross the Interational Date Line which means that you have to add one day ahead. So, if it is Monday in the US, it is usually already Tuesday in Japan.

Nevertheless, the moment you see that first glimpse of Japan from the plane window, the time spent on the plane is well worth it. Japan is not a very big country at all. It is a group of islands that is about the same size as California when you put them together. However, most of the people live in the Tokyo Metropolis which keeps the rest of Japan fairly agricultural.

After arriving in Narita International Airport, I had to clear their Customs procedure first and get a stamp in my passport to let me in the country. Then, our big group of teachers were escorted to buses that then took us into Tokyo (about 1 1/2 hours driving). We got to our hotel which is located in Akasaka and is centrally located near their governmental buildings.

My first task was to get acquainted with the Tokyo Metro subway system. Tokyo has a very busy but thorough and convenient subway system. You can just about get to anywhere in Tokyo via the subway. In fact, the majority of the people ride the subway to work and school everyday. Even young kids use the subway on their own. Of course, if you are new to Tokyo and her subway system, it is very easy to feel scared and intimidated during rush hour. During the busiest times of the day, people are literally pushed into the train system by attendants.

So, in my adventure to get familiar with the subway, I traveled to Shinjuku, Ginza, and Harajuku. All are popular shopping areas and are well known for interesting fashion. The people here all very friendly and polite. They will go out of their way to help people especially foreigners.

Japan T-Minus 2 Days!

I'm in San Francisco for the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund Orientation. Over 160 fellow teachers have gathered plus the IIE staff to share this wonderful opportunity with me.

I have met teachers from all over the country including a teacher from Alaska who teaches in a school with only 20 kids and two teachers. On the other hand, I also have met a teacher from Florida who teaches in a school with over 3000 students. We come from very different backgrounds, but we all will be sharing the same experience for the next month or so.


Today's orientation included listening to staff people and previous scholarship recipients who have already gone to Japan. We then ended the day with a dinner at the home of the Consul General Nagamine of Japan. The Consul General is a Diplomat, or a person who represents his country and makes sure their country has good relationships with other countries. He and his wife threw a party for all of us and served various Japanese foods such as sushi, sashimi, edamame, tempura, and Kobe beef. His home rests on top of the many hills of San Francisco and has a gorgeous view of the Bay.

Japan T-Minus 3 Days

In just a few hours, I'll be boarding a plane to take me to San Francisco for Orientation and then to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun!

Excited is an understatement right now. I've just finished packing and am hoping I don't forget anything.

I've been told that suit and ties are very common there and we are required to wear jackets and ties for a number of activities during our stay there. This is a bit intimidating since I am used to wearing shirts and shorts in Hawaii. As always, we will adjust and adapt.

If I had to choose one thing that I am most excited about, it would be seeing all the shrines and temples. As you may know, Mr. Troi likes architecture (how buildings look) and I just dig how these shrines and temples feel and look especially since some have been around for over 1400 years!