Journey’s end: Kyoto Part 1

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The shinkansen ride to Kyoto went by in a blur, perhaps fifteen minutes at most. You never really get a sense of the speed of one of those until another passes you by, they are incredibly long, yet they pass each other in fifteen seconds or less. This was to be my fourth trip to Kyoto, and even after that many times the old  capital still managed to impress me and reveal a few more secrets.

After arriving at the Kyoto Cube station we decided to first check in at the hotel we would be staying at. It was just about a ten minute walk or so from the station. I use the word hotel but it really was more like a large guest house. A nice old lady own and ran the place. She asked when we came in if we were English teachers, which is the standard assumption for older looking Americans, while I was 20 at the time, I had a pretty heavy beard which throws the Japanese off about your age. She was a bit surprised when I said we were college students.

The room had a bit more leg room than the tiny room we had stayed at in Osaka, tatami mat floors as well. We headed out to eat lunch after settling in, a few minutes walk led us to an underground McDonalds, strange eating in a McDonalds with no windows, rather crowded as well.

Temples are a dime a dozen in Kyoto with no end of interesting places to visit, there was a temple we had eyed near McDonalds and decided to stop in and check it out before heading out into the city proper.  I had never actually been to this one on my earlier trips. It had a very large sloping roof and an expansive main hall. Outside the main hall were rows of shoes, taken off in order to respect tradition and not damage the tatami mats within. I would recommend anyone visiting Japan to wear easy to slip on shoes. Outside the temple, school girls were feeding a large flock of pigeons, one had two perching on one arm and another one on her other arm. It never fails to see flocks of pigeons near temple grounds.

After that detour, we went over to the bus station near the Kyoto Cube, to pick up some bus passes, which I recommend anyone visiting Kyoto to do. While the subway is the preferred method of travel in Japan, I recommend the bus system in Kyoto, they have some lines really catered to tourists, they are fast, reliable, and clean.

Our first stop was the hanging temple of Kiyomizu, always a great trip. What made this trip really special was that it was during the school trip season in Japan. In Japan, it is typical for schools to have organized class trips to various parts of Japan where a great amount of responsibility is placed upon the students to be independent, function in groups without much adult supervision. They are often given tasks to perform which I encountered in the throng of school children enveloping the temple paths. It was actually quite a sight to see these masses of blue dots among the crowds, those navy blue sailor uniforms.

One little group came up to me to ask questions, since foreigners are often seen visiting Kyoto, they were given a set of questions to ask in English to foreigners they encountered. I could imagine if I had been that age, probably around 11 or so, I would have been terrified to talk to a stranger in a language I barely comprehended, although I suppose children can be quite bold at times. They asked me where I was from, my name, and then if I spoke any Japanese which I answered in Japanese, “yes, a little”. I heard one girl exclaim to the other girl, “Umai” which basically meant, “he’s very good.” It was a nice little moment that I still remember vividly.

After exploring the temple, we walked around the path near by that leads through some gardens and such. Suddenly sounds of a flute came drifting up the path. An rather dapper older gentlemen was playing a flute on a bench. He talked to us for a little bit. Funny thing when we mentioned we were from Alabama he mentioned two things, “Forrest Gump” and “Sweet Home Alabama”, I almost felt like slapping my head, the phrase “Run, Forest, Run” has haunted me for years, you couldn’t run anywhere when I was growing up without someone yelling that at you, it may have died down now in recent years, at least I hope so. He played “When you wish upon a star” for us, it was actually a very unique and pleasant experience, another indelible stamp on this trip to Kyoto.

Our final stop of the day was Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion. We actually reached there about five minutes before closing time, but they let us in anyway. Due to this fact, a security guard followed us all the way through, a little odd, but we were the only people there which made it a bit more mysterious and peaceful, as usual you could see a reflection of the pavilion flickering on top of mirror pond. Unfortunately due to the time, the gift shop was already closed. I had hoped to get another traffic safety charm, these little charms of various types are sold at many temples throughout Japan. I bought one at Kinkakuji in 2005, and it still hangs in my car to this day, 7 years later. If I ever go back, I will be sure to pick a few up again.

With the sun setting, we headed in for a early rest for the adventures of the next day and more memorable events were to follow.

Journey’s end: Osaka Part 2

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Now I sift through my memories and continue the story where I left off 4 and a half years ago. On our second morning on Osaka, we decided to just wander around for a bit near the hotel and see what we could find. We ended up at a temple nestled among the tall buildings, a typical but wonderful thing in Japan. You never know when a temple will appear out of nowhere, almost like a magic. We spent a little while just admiring the meticulous landscaping and the unique architecture. There seemed to an aura of peace surrounding it even though we were steps away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Having skipped breakfast, we stopped in at a convenience store just a few blocks away from the temple. We both got a carton of orange juice and some random fruit filled pastry. They had a little table inside where you could eat at.  There are not called convenience stores for nothing.

The main attraction in Osaka is Osaka castle which is where we headed next. It was actually an interesting trip in itself just to get there.  We took a subway to get close to it which lead out by a very large circular staircase, it was a surprising exit to a subway station, rather grand, standing at the bottom it seemed to reach up to the sky.  We noticed they had a tram service right outside leading to the castle, so we decided it would be fun to ride it over there.    The ride actually lasted for at least fifteen minutes, so it was actually a good idea to take it. The park surrounding the castle was very large, much larger than the others I had seen around castles in Japan.

Osaka castle did not disappoint. Most castles in Japan have a very similar architecture, distinctive from the European variety. They always looked more like fortresses to me than anything else which I suppose is the point, they have a very powerful presence and must have been very awe inspiring among the villagers in feudal Japan.  What impressed me the most was actually not the outside of the castle but the inside. It had the most impressive museum of any castle I had been to. There were lots of ancient armor and swords kept in pristine condition. No photography was allowed inside, so I unfortunately do not have any pictures from it, but it definitely left an impression on me.

After the castle and wandering around the park, we wrapped up the night by eating at an Indian restaurant in the underground mall near the subway. It is fascinating to be underground when eating. You feel like there is a whole underground world in Japan, fully functioning separate from the world above.

The next day after pondering whether to take the local train or the Shinkansen to Kyoto, we decided on the Shinkansen. I wanted Zack to be able to ride it at least once, I sat into the all too familiar seat for the next leg of our journey, the old capital.

Journey’s end: Osaka Part 1 (6/21/07)

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On June 21, 2007, Joseph wrote:

It has been a while,
After a little over a month of being back, I thought I needed to
write some more emails putting a little closure on my time in Japan,
talking about some of the events that happened near the end. The month
of May passed off very quickly. It began with a holiday in Japan known
as Golden Week, a week which encompasses 4 days of holidays such as
Nature Day, Constitution Day, and Children’s Day. It is also a prime
time to travel in Japan which is one reason why I was recommend not to
since everywhere would be crowded. I saved my traveling for after
Golden Week. I spent my Golden Week with friends as well as taking the
time to read a few books. After Golden Week, my friend Zack came to
visit from America, and we did some traveling.
The first place we visited was Osaka which is a city that I have
never been too. I had heard so much about it. Everyone talked about
how friendly the people were and just what an energetic place it was,
so I wanted to be sure to go there at least once before I left. Every
city seems to have a life of its own, and when you are driving into
the heart of the city, certain unique characteristics always appear.
Just like when I mentioned how Hiroshima seemed to have a much more
down to earth feeling than Nagoya although that necessary did not mean
that I was more fond of it. When we were pulling into Osaka, we saw
many famous corporation building over the skyline, such as Bandai, as
well as other striking building. The entire layout of the city was
very different than Nagoya, it had a much more layered feeling, with
things stacked on top of each other and interconnected, criss
crossing. When we pulled into the station, it was already late in the
afternoon, and we were pretty exhausted from rushing to get to the bus
on time, but we had to push on and find the right subway line which
would take us to our hostel. We found that the subway system in Osaka
was not as nearly as user friendly as Nagoya. After having been to
many different cities in Japan, Nagoya seems to have the most well
laid out and ease of use than other subway systems in Japan. This is
due to the fact that one of their main lines is just a giant circle
with other lines crisscrossing it. However, I was also very familiar
with the names of the subway systems in Nagoya as well which could
have been one cause for the discomfort in Osaka. Osaka’s layout was
definitely more convoluted though and interestingly each stop was
numbered as well which while as an afterthought could be more
convenient but didn’t help at the time. We were able to find the right
line though and managed to drag ourselves and the luggage to the
hostel. The room turned out to be exactly as advertised, it was big
enough for two futons on the tatami mat floor and a small television
but it was all we needed. I always enjoyed sitting on tatami and
sleeping on futons anywhere, and we didn’t need anything bigger.
After resting for a while we walked around the vicinity of the
hotel for a bit. The first thing that we both noticed and agreed on
was how much the city felt like New York. We have never been there,
but there was just something about the air, the atmosphere that felt
like New York City. It might have been the cracked sidewalk, the dark
atmosphere, and the almost inner city feel, but those are of course
all images probably instilled in us from the media, television,
movies, etc. As we walked further suddenly a crowd of people, bright
lights, and tall building greeted us. We found an underground
restaurant center and entered in hopes of getting something to eat.
While we were walking around, some students walked by us and said hi,
how are you and then giggled and walked away. That had never actually
happened to me in Nagoya, and it made me think that perhaps it was
true that people were more friendly and open in Osaka. We stopped at
some Italian restaurant although I can’t remember the name. We ordered
some kind of pasta dish, that I swear tasted like ravioli. I had not
have ravioli since I left America. Many times when I was in Japan, I
had experiences where I tasted something familiar in an unfamiliar
dish, for example I had peanut butter tasting tofu once even though
the Japanese are not very fond of peanut butter, making it hard to
come across. While eating dinner a song came on the radio, Faye Wong’s
“Eyes on Me” an old favorite from a Japanese video game Zack and I had
both played many years ago. It was very nostalgic, there was just
something wonderful about sitting underground in Osaka listening to
that song, whoever thought life would take such turns. It was an
almost rewarding feeling. I wondered how many people in the restaurant
knew that the song was from Final Fantasy VIII. We both agreed that it
had to have been more than if we were in America right then.
After eating we headed over to McDonalds for a Mcflurry at Zack’s
recommendation. I had never had one before, how interesting to have
one for the first time in Japan. They had two flavors, Oreo and
Kit-Kat, and what is funny is that even though Kit-Kats are made and
sold in America, there is no Kit-Kat Mcflurry in America, so we had
one for the first time in Japan, kind of an odd occurrence, sounds
like such an easy product to be found in America, but no only in
Japan. It was actually quite good. Shortly after we headed home, tired
from the long day. I think I will end this entry right here, there
will be a few more emails, part 2 of Osaka and then writing about
Kyoto. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. As always, send me an
email when you can. Take care.

Sincerely,
Joseph

The earth moved (4/15/07)

On March 15, 2007, Joseph wrote:

I just wanted to let everybody know that I am all right in case you
hear about an earthquake that happened today in Japan. I have not
heard anything official yet, but a few hours ago I heard a sound which
I thought was just from the next room over and then my desk and table
started shaking. There was an earthquake about a month ago but only my
chairs and legs shook a little. This one must have either been closer
or more powerful because the desk and the chair were moving. It was a
real interesting experience though. It really was like the whole world
was moving. It lasted just maybe 10 seconds or more, it was definitely
longer than the last one. This will be the fourth earthquake that I
have been in since being in Japan but only the second I have felt. I
was not scared or anything though, and I did not hear anybody else
seem to panic either, I suppose it was just a normal thing, no police
sirens, nothing. It might not have been as strong as I thought, I
might have just been closer to the epicenter. Well that is all, just
wanted to share my experiences and let everybody know I am all right.
Take care.

Sincerely,
Joseph

Rebirth under the cherry blossoms (4/11/07)

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On April 11, 2007, Joseph wrote:

Greetings from Spring,
The cherry blossom season is almost over here in Nagoya. Last
week my class had a day where we went to Tsurama Park to hanami
(flower viewing). We were supposed to interview some Japanese people
there about hanami, and then report our finding to the class later
that week. It had been cloudy for most of the week before that day, so
I was a bit worried that it would not be the most suitable day for
flower viewing, but thankfully it was a very beautiful day. I had
never been to Tsurama park before, and honestly I was expecting a
really small place, especially since I had never heard of it, but it
actually turned out to be huge. It is probably one of the biggest if
not the biggest park in Nagoya. Apparently it held an expo many years
ago.
We arrived around 9:30am, so there were not very many people
there at the beginning, but  there were a few people spread out on the
blue tarps under the cherry blossoms as you can see from the photos.
Some people had a piece of cardboard taped to them, listing their
name, phone number, and day they would be there. People try to reserve
the best spots. In the tradition of hanami, people would gather with
their friends and family while eating and drinking sake. It is a time
of relaxation from the very stressful and busy life of the city life
in Japan, especially for the company workers. I don’t believe I
mentioned this before but there is a term in Japanese known as “death
from overwork” due to many people dieing in companies for that very
reason, usually from a cardiac arrest, so I believe times like hanami
are essential to the well being of the Japanese company workers.
As the day went on, a huge crowd of people appeared in the park.
It was really amazing, there was so much energy, so much joy, you
could really see people enjoying themselves, relaxing. The cherry
blossoms provided a wonderful backdrop. The cherry blossoms are very
special to the Japanese. Pretty much the whole world associates Japan
with cherry blossoms. They have influenced Japanese artists, writers,
and ordinary people not only for their beauty but because of the
brevity of its beauty. It takes about a week for the cherry blossoms
to mature and then about a week later the petals have all fallen off,
beauty faded away. This week as I have walked to school, I have seen
petals falling, blowing in the wind, touching the ground, there is
something very moving about it. The ephemeral nature of beauty. It is
something we should all keep in mind. Beauty only lasts for a short
time, so just enjoy it while it is here. The wonderful thing about the
cherry blossoms though is that they will come again, born again each
spring, only to last a very short time. Remember the beauty of life.
Take care everyone.

                                         Sincerely,

                                                   Joseph

SL (3/14/07)

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On March 14, 2007, Joseph wrote:

Hello All,
Hope I didn’t worry anybody too much. I am doing fine. I am sorry it has been two months since my last email. I returned from America safely, and now almost a month has passed since then, amazing. Interestingly, there was not any reverse culture shock at all, maybe because I knew I was going to just be back for a short time. I am not sure, I guess I will know for sure when I return for good in May. America was just like I left it, and Japan was just like I left when I came back. I don’t think by any means that I am now a bicultural person or whatever term you want to use, it just might be my personality, not sure. There are still many facets of Japanese culture and society that I have yet to penetrate, so maybe I have just gotten comfortable with my own view of Japan. Anyway, the worst thing about getting back was the jet lag. It really gets to you, since Japan is around 14 hours ahead of America. I got back around 10pm on Monday night and had class the next day, rough. After a week or so though I was back to normal.
The cold weather returned. I talked to a friend, and he says that the weather in Japan right now is as it should be, so it seemed the unnaturalness possibly caused my global warming has passed for now. Actually I am glad that it turned cold again. It makes me appreciate the warmth more and at the same time there can be something soothing about the cool air as well, that I think I will miss once it goes away. Also, I believe next week the sakura (cherry blossom) trees will bloom. It is something I have dreamed about for some time, the beauty of ephemeral nature. They burst forth with radiant beauty only to blow away in the wind a short time later, a short life, but appreciated forever. I will be sure to take lots of pictures and send some when I can. I heard there are many places here good for Sakura viewing.
Let’s see…any cultural observations. Ah, I have been told that it is impolite in Japan for a guest’s glass to be empty, but I had not had the chance to see that in action. Well, I went to a friend’s birthday party last week at his host family’s house, and it seems to be true. Whenever I would finish my drink, the host father would immediately offer and pour me another drink. I am sure we have a similar custom in America, but I think it is more likely to be like self-serve, instead of the host pouring you the drink. I know it is a small thing, but I guess I haven’t had any big eye-opening events lately.
Ah, I did take a trip about two weeks ago sponsored by the university for the international students. We took a bus to Shizuoka which is the prefecture where Mt. Fuji is. I have not been in that area since I climbed Mt. Fuji. We didn’t get to see Mt. Fuji though. I wanted to, but we did something a little different. In Shizuoka, they have a Steam Locomotive, actually known as an SL in Japanese. It is a real steam locomotive, but of course it has been converted into a tourist attraction. I heard that last Steam Locomotive in China stopped running about a year ago, and I thought that was the last one, there may be some parts of the world still using them though, anyway I always wanted to ride one. I mean there is something nostalgic about it, something that connects you with the past, with the people of the past. We even got a boxed lunch in these wicker boxes for lunch while riding the train. The train had nice seats, but you could tell that it was old. It of course wasn’t very fast, but there was a lot of beautiful scenery that we passed by. Over all, I really enjoyed it. The Steam Locomotive of course will never be used as a form of modern transportation, but I think that we should never ride anything off completely as outdated. Just because something is outdated doesn’t mean it is useless, we just have to accept and enjoy the limitations. Well, that is about all I have to talk about this time. Hope everyone is doing well. Take care.

Sincerely,
Joseph

A new start (1/14/07)

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On Jan 14, 2007, Joseph wrote:

Hello All,

      I just registered for classes last week and classes will be starting tomorrow. I know it seems really late doesn’t it? I really don’t know why they give us so much time off. I am going to have three week long breaks this semester as well, one in February for entrance exams, one in March for Spring Break, and one in May for Golden Week. One reason though is that last semester was only 4 months long and this semester is 5 months long, so I think all those breaks help cut it down to about the same length of time. Interestingly enough though even though Nanzan University focuses heavily on their international students, the Japanese students that go there are still on the Japanese schedule which means that their last semester will end the beginning of February. They will then have a two month break and then their first semester will start in April. So it is a bit different than in America. That means that for two months there will hardly be any Japanese students on campus which makes up the majority of students there, it will probably seem like a ghost town or something and then in April a whole bunch of new freshman will be coming on campus. It should be interesting. Oh, I don’t think I mentioned this as well, but it seems that the amount of classes that the Japanese students take is different as well. You see usually 4 classes is the norm in America with them being anywhere between 1 and a half hours a week for three days or 3 hours a week for two days, but in Japan they take about 10 classes each meeting only once a week. All my non-Japanese language classes at Nanzan are the same way, meeting only once a week. Honestly I find it a little counter-productive, I mean having a whole week between each class is just asking for procrastination as well as forgetting everything you learned the previous week, but I only have to take 4 classes here though since Japanese class meets every single day so it counts like 3 or 4 classes combined. I couldn’t imagine taking 10 of those hour long classes. It would be too much to keep straight each week, but I guess you could get used to it.

      Well I was gone last week for about 4 days on the international student orientation, but this time I went as an assistant. One other girl from last semester went as well as an assistant. 11 new students came to study for the spring semester, about 15 students left after the previous semester, so the total number of IES Students is about the same as before. It was real interesting going back to the hotel that I first stayed at in Nagoya, a bit nostalgic. It was hard to believe that it had been about 4 months since I last stayed there. I could remember how I felt and what I did….it seems far away while at the same time almost within an arms reach. It was interesting to talk to the students and listen to why they came and see their expectations. I am sure they will all gain something that they never even expected to find. Another interesting thing happened the next morning when we were set to go to Inuyama again, snow began to fall heavily. I had heard that it wasn’t supposed to snow until February. It was really beautiful, but I was not looking forward to the cold it would bring. It continued to snow for a while which provided for some beautiful scenery at Inuyama and thankfully the snow actually melted after a few days. As I am writing this, the weather has returned to its unusually cool weather for January at least, but as I have said before February is supposed to be the coldest month, so we will just have to wait and see how cold it really gets and if the snow will not be so forgiving next time.

     One more small thing which I finally just figured out. For the longest time I was looking for a buffet here. It seemed like there wasn’t one in sight, but my problem was that the word for buffet in Japanese was not at all what I expected. It turns out which I found out on the trip from Satoshi, the IES director, that the word for buffet in Japanese is Viking (Baikingu), apparently since Vikings are famous for pillaging and looting everything. What a funny and novel concept, and sure enough when I was out walking yesterday I came across a restaurant sign that said “Lunch Viking,” I will definitely have to stop by there sometime. Ha, you have to wonder who first came up with that term though. I mean it makes sense, but it is just a little funny, memorable though. Well I just thought I would share that with everybody. I hope everyone is doing well. Take care.

                   Sincerely,

                        Joseph

Riding the boar into the new year (12/31/06)

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On Dec 31, 2006, Joseph wrote:

Hello All,
I hope everyone had a very wonderful Christmas, and I wish everyone a Happy NewYear! This year was the year of the dog, and 2007 will be the year of the boar. There are painting, ornaments, stuffed animals, etc. of boar all over Japan now, as you can tell by the attached photo:) The boar is associated with fertility and virility, so I believe that this year that if we all try new things they will sprout and grow into the fruits of happiness. If there is at least one resolution that everybody should add to their list, I believe it would have to be to make sure that every morning we wake up, we realize how lucky we are to have a whole new day ahead of us, a whole new day to start over, to keep going, to look back, to look forward, to laugh, to cry, and to live.

    As I mentioned earlier in Japan New Year’s is the biggest holiday of the year. I like to think of it as equivalent to how Americans celebrate Christmas. On New Year’s in Japan, families come together, make the first visit to the temple of the new year to pray for a good year, and relax at home spending time with their family and watching the NewYear’s television programs (Like the Kouhaku Uta Gassen which is a musical competition that has been going on for 56 years). Actually as I type this, I am watching Kouhaku. There have been some really amazing and moving performances. One performer sung John Lennon’s Imagine. About half way through, the curtain raised to reveal people from all over the world who finished the song with him. It was really moving, and even though it was written over 30 years ago, the ideals of the song hold even more true to today than the did when it was written.

    Just a few hours ago, I saw my grandmother off at the airport. She came here on the 22nd, and we traveled for a few days to Kyoto and Hiroshima and spent the rest of the days in Nagoya. Near Hiroshima is Miyajima or Shrine Island which is called one of the three most beautiful views of Japan. When I saw Niagara Falls last August I did not think I would ever see anything so beautiful, nothing could compare….or so I thought….when Grandma and I got on the ferry to Miyajima I was quickly proved wrong….there is so much beauty in the world….a calm wind was blowing and the island lay shrouded in mist…it was really moving….when we got to the island more beauty awaited us….tame deer roam the island and came right up to us. I think it was the first time in my life that I ever got to pet a deer. The whole island had this very peaceful feeling….some parts really seemed to resemble those images of ancient Japan that many people may have in their minds….there is so much I could say about it…but I will let the pictures do the talking.  It was really great to be able to spend time with my grandmother and show her around Japan. She helped me see the good points about Japan and helped bring some warmth back into my life which has been missing for some time….I will always remember our journey, and I hope she will too. Everybody please show affection to those you care about, give them that human warmth that everyone needs….remember that in the new year….try new things….be happy. Happy New Year everyone!

                  Sincerely,

                         Joseph

It truly is a small world (12/14/06)

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On Dec 14, 2006, Joseph wrote:

Hello All,

      I hope everyone is doing well. The weather here has been pretty consistent lately, pretty cold but not deathly cold yet. I heard that it gets the coldest here in February with a good chance of snow, so that should be interesting to see. I think I am used to snow now after living in Ohio for two years, but we shall see how it affects things over here. Today though is exceptionally beautiful and not too cold. It is a shame to be inside, so soon I will take a walk outside. I might get off at one of those random stops on the Meijo line that I have yet to visit. You never know what surprises await. Speaking of surprises, the other day when I was walking to the subway from school to go home I ran into an interesting character. It was raining that day, and I was trying to hurry and get into the station when this man came up beside me with an umbrella and started talking to me. I thought it was rather strange for anyone to come up and talk to me, it is a pretty rare thing in Japan, the man had a European accent which I originally suspected he was from Britain. The first thing he asked me when he came up to me was if I was from England. After talking about the weather and the fact that I did not have an umbrella he asked me, “Being from America, I am sure you are familiar with Jehovah’s Witnesses?” I did not let my surprise show, but indeed what are the chances of running into a Jehovah’s Witness on the way to the Subway in Nagoya….pretty slim I would imagine. The last time I was solicited by a Jehovah Witness was probably about 5 years ago when my Dad and I were living in an apartment in Ashland, AL. I clearly remember this smiling guy talking about it which I politely declined. But this man I was talking to was not trying to push anything on me, he started though talking about how there are so many problems in the world today, which I responded that there have always been problems…the conversation went on like this until we reached the ticket machine and he gave me a pamphlet and said he hoped we would meet again. Over all he seemed like a nice guy, it was just real strange to be solicited by a Jehovah’s Witness in Japan. It really made me think that this world is so so small. Just like when I was in Kyoto for the first time about a year and a half ago. I was on a bus, and this other American guy on the bus started talking to my group. It turned out he was also from Ohio. I thought wow what were the odds of meeting a guy from Ohio on a bus in Kyoto. I guess we should never assume that the world is not somehow connected no matter where, everything is connected.

      Hmm well one other thing. As you can see from the picture, I found a KFC Colonel statue dressed up with a Santa suit, maybe since he had the white mustache and  hair…it was not the first time I have seen this image in Japan. On the fliers at school the Santa Claus looked just like Colonel Sanders. The guy that took the picture with me told me that apparently in Japan they take pre-orders for Christmas Chicken from KFC. He said it was probably something some American executive came up with, you know tell the Japanese that it is an American custom and then it will spread. I do not know though, maybe just maybe the chicken here is better, but if not I can not imagine people actually taking pre-orders for chicken from KFC. I will say though that one time when I ordered a biscuit from McDonalds here, the biscuit actually looked like the picture. I mean it was not all runny, sloppy, or disheveled with cheese everywhere. It was very well made and it perfect proportion. I mean it still tasted about the same, but something noteworthy. I have no plans to get some Christmas chicken, but if you want go to some KFC In America and go up to the counter and say, “can I pre-order my Christmas chicken. It is an American tradition after all, right?” Well that is all for now. I have two more finals left and then this semester will come to end. How the time flies. Thanks as always for taking the time to read my email. Take care.

          Sincerely,

               Joseph

Why is it so cold…wait no indoor heating right? (12/5/06)

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On Dec 5, 2006, Joseph wrote:

Hello All,

     Sorry that I am little behind in my email this time. I am doing well though. As I mentioned earlier, the weather here has been unseasonally cool so I though, and even the first day of December here was not cold. I thought it was a good sign. I mean if it could be warm in December then I thought for sure it would last just a little bit longer, but unfortunately the very next day the cold set in. It has been very cold ever since December 2nd. Now I get to experience winter cold in Japan which is augmented by the fact that generally in Japan they do not have indoor heating, sure in public buildings and such like my school does, but in homes they generally do not. I used to question why that was the case. I mean on hearing that one would probably be shocked, you might say that Japan is a modern supposedly high tech country, so they should of course haveindoor heating…but it seems indoor heating is something that we take for granted over in the states. After staying here, I think I know why they do not use indoor heating here, it is not that they are backwards or anything of that sort, it is because of the incredible limited resources this country has, everything has to be saved, and energy consumption is very very costly as well as water, every other basic necessity. Now America is a large country and we are able to freely use our resources without much worry, but Japan is an island nation, a very small island nation, a little smaller than the state of California actually, so imagine a whole country of people living in California. Another issue is that Japan is very mountainous so actually very little land is actually livable. I have seen testament to this in my travels, I was amazed by all the opposing mountains which stood in defiance to the areas around them, it was actually comforting to me though knowing that no matter how hard man tries we still can not over come nature, but at the same time it does make Japan even smaller in terms of livable area. I already mentioned before about how many people hang their clothes out to dry to save electricity, the whole nation seems to be environmentally conscious, but of course it all has to do with the fact that if they weren’t there country could not survive. One advantage of being such a small country though is that changes can be implemented throughout the whole country must easier and quicker. I was talking with a friend the other day how such conversation techniques used here, such as everything being recyclable, all the garbage bins almost are divided into burnable, non-burnable, plastic, and otherwise, I mean they are everywhere, so everyone is recycling. It took a bit getting used to at first, I would have to think, wait a minute is this burnable or not, or something like that, but it does not take long. The thing is though that I know that Americans could get used to it as well, because if we had those recycle bins all over the country and that is all we had, well we would not have a choice, but the thing is it just will not be that easy over in America, the country is large and all the states have different conditions and considerations to think about, so it would be quite difficult. That is just some thoughts I have been having lately. Of course do not imagine that I am frozen solid over here. They do use portable heaters here, just conservatively.

         Less than two weeks of classes left, then I will have three finals the following week. The day of my last final, my grandmother will arrive, so that should be a good day. I will be down with my work and then I can spend time with my grandmother. Before that though, I have several projects to take care of and finals, so it will be a busy few weeks. Oh, as for the attached picture taken on the subway, I just thought it was interesting to see this guy sleeping on the train hugging this huge teddy bear. I suppose that could only happen on the weekend, because the subway is so packed on weekdays. It was just one of those interesting things, one of those windows into life, that you see on the subway. Honestly, I always enjoy riding the subway. It is one of the best things about living in Japan. For one thing, it is amazingly convenient, and another is all the various people from all walks of life that you happen to come across. Plus they put up advertisements and such so you know what is going on lately. Well, that is all for now. Everybody keep warm and keep up your good spirits during the holiday season. Take care.

             Sincerely,

                  Joseph