I'm in Japan!

Yesterday was such a crazy-packed day, filled with so many things that I’m just going to have to tell you about all of them in a straightforward, chronological manner. I’ve been trying to avoid “here’s what happened to me lately” posts on this blog (not that those are bad, I’m just trying to do things that are different), but I’ve been thinking for about an hour about how to get started on this post, and at this point, I just have to admit that too much happened yesterday for me to filter it down to one or two meaningful incidents.

So here goes!

I woke up early, feeling very rested. I’m sleeping more or less on the floor, with a futon that’s about an inch thick as all that stands between me and the hard wood. And I haven’t slept more comfortably in months. Either it’s some kind of miracle of futon technology that only the Japanese can explain, or else my mattress in Korea is just that hard. In any case, I’m sleeping great here. I love it.

Denton, Joseph and I slowly scrambled to get ready. Breakfast was donuts. Everyone had a shower. Denton scrutinized his subway map between glances out the window, gauging the weather for signs of sunshine. We had a big day ahead of us. It was important to have a plan. Finally, at about 11:30 we were ready to go. Denton had it all figured out. We would go to Ueno first, because the sights around there would be better in the day, while it was sunny.

On to the subway! Ads for a production of the Lion King. Ads for pop super-groups with 48 members, all scantily-clad young women. A statue of a big purple cow hanging down over a balcony in an apartment complex right along the subway line. Why the hell not??

We arrived at Ueno and headed for Ueno park. It features one of the most famous spots in Japan to watch the cherry blossoms blooming. During the summer, streets turn pink with cherry blossoms blooming, and Japanese people turn out in the millions to look at them. One wide and picturesque avenue in Ueno park is so renowned for its beautiful blossoms that it has become common practice for the lowest level employee at a company to be tasked to arrive there at the crack of dawn to reserve a spot for everyone. The other employees will show up later, and everyone will drink sake and watch the blossoms for hours.

The park isn’t quite the same in the winter, according to Denton, but I thought it was wonderful. It still looked beautiful and there were so many interesting things there besides just the natural beauty. There was a Shinto shrine, and Denton taught me how to wash my hands in the traditional way. There is a basin of water with ladles over it. You fill one ladle and wash one hand. Fill it again and wash the other. Then you get a little more water, and drink it out of your hands. After you’re finished you are purified, and ready to enter the shrine. Really cool.
There are also a lot of museums in the area. We didn’t go into any of them, but some pretty great stuff was outside. Like the life-sized statue of a blue whale. It seemed like you could spend all day in this area for several days. But, the sun sets early here, and it was getting late, so we had to get going to Asokusa to see the enormous Buddhist temple there while it was still light.

On the way back to the train station, Denton remembered a place that was so distinctly Japanese, so oddly memorable that we just couldn’t miss out on it. It was a toy store.

Now, toy stores are usually for children. For the most part, if an adult can get anything out a trip to a toy store, it’s a simple bit of nostalgia, or the novelty of seeing what the kids are into these days. In Japan, though, things are a little different. The nation that spawned Hello Kitty has commoditized childhood in the strangest way possible, making for some truly bizarre merchandise. We were at a toy store, but if anything, we were closer to being too young for it.

The best example might have been the Pussy Monster action figures. Or maybe it was the “gloomy bear” mouse pad (he’s sad because he’s bleeding from his head). Or maybe it was all perfectly summed up by the Jack Skellington glasses stand. It’s the head of Jack Skellington, from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and you put it on your bedside table, and place your glasses on his face, so he wears them while staring at you as you sleep. And you know what? I really wanted to buy it.

We’d explore each floor for 5 or 10 minutes and then move up. There were about 5 floors in all. The oddest moment was when we got to the floor that was actually for children. It didn’t feature bizarre merchandise like those just described. It had race car tracks, and stuffed animals (NORMAL stuffed animals) and a few other things that you might actually buy for a kid. Needless to say, this floor was pretty boring for 3 people in their 20s and we soon converged by the staircase, having seen enough. Reuniting with Denton, he looked at me and said “Kids’ floor.” Yup.

After that, we had a trip to Asokusa planned to see one of the largest wooden structures in the world, an enormous Buddhist temple. Naturally, nothing puts you in the mood for a temple like an insane toy store. This seems to be a theme for Japan. Next to the temple was an amusement park. You’d be checking out some statue and then you hear “Wheeeeeeeee!” from somebody a few hundred yards away. I wish I had more to say about the temple itself, but most of it was closed for renovation.
A bummer, but this is the off-season, and it’s got to be done.

Oh! I almost forgot. One of the best things happened just after we got off the subway in Asokusa. We happened upon some rickshaw drivers, and one of them spoke a little bit of English. He asked me “Why don’t you support rickshaw?” And I had no idea what to say to that. Why don’t I support rickshaw?

Anyhoo, we met with one of Denton’s friends and co-workers in JET, Marisa, and we all headed to Akihabara. Akihabara is sort of the nerd capital of the world. There are tons of shops full of video games and other electronics. The place is a zoo. Roaming the streets and young Japanese women dressed in maid outfits promoting their shops. Some of the maids have wings. Yeah, sure, a winged maid. Why the hell not??

I bought something in Akihabara. It’s a wind-up alpaca. Wind up that furry little fella and he will kick his little hooves as bravely as he can, running in little circles around your table. Only a thousand yen for such a delight. Who could say no?

Finally, we headed back to Satte. Just across the street from Denton’s apartment there is a restaurant run by a couple of Nepalese guys and it is just superlative. I got the vegetable curry with bhatura naan and some kind of thick mango drink. God, I love Indian food. I could eat it every day for the rest of my life. It’s the food of the gods. After 7 hours out in Japan walking around and seeing the sights, we were starving, and nothing could have been more replenishing. I hope we eat there again.

Alrighty! So there it is! That’s one day in Japan. I’m lucky to have such a knowledgeable travel guide. There’s so much to do here and so little time.

Until next time, be sure to wash behind your ears.