Obon - pt 4!!! The finale!

So somewhere before the fireworks there was a ferris wheel and a roller coaster.  Not sure when that was but it was fun!  We went to Sakuragicho and checked out the ferris wheel.  This is one of the biggest in the world so that was pretty nifty.  It’s called Cosmo Clock 21 and you’re in cars 112.5 m in the air.  I’ve never been on a ferris wheel before so this was a new experience.  Now I’m used to being on roller coasters that plummet to the earth so it was weird being up so high and expecting a drop that never came.  Kinda made me nervous.  And looking straight down also made me anxious – I kept thinking it was gonna break or something but I survived and was very happy!  And what a view!  Toyko has some amazing skylines.

Then we went on a small roller coaster that vanishes into a pool into a tunnel of lights.  It was pretty small but still fun.  And since I hadn’t been on a roller coaster in several years this one made me a little nervous but I loved plunging into a pool so I was a happy camper.  We also tried to get into the Cup Noodle Museum but tickets were sold out by 3pm! All these kids had their inflated bags of self-made cup noodles that were decorated.  We were a little jealous J  Someday…anyway!

Day 6 – Aquarium day! We went to Sea Paradise and loved every minute of it.  I had never been to an aquarium so this was very neat.  Animals seen – seals, walruses (walrusi?), a lazy polar bear, whale sharks, disgusting little worm-like eels, huge crabs, an octopus, jellyfish, sharks, a gross blobby sunfish, beluga whales, dolphins, penguins, otters.

We also saw this great mammal show where the seals, beluga whales, dolphins, and walrus performed.  They danced, hula-hooped with their necks, jumped, dived, balanced the trainers on the noses, and flippered across water.  It was fantastic!  The dolphins can jump ridiculously high and in such union it really is beautiful – it’s just a matter of time before they take over the world…

We walked through 3 aquatubes, which were gorgeous.  The best one was an escalator in a HUGE tank filled with “singing” fish, manta rays that looked like they were smiling, sharks, and other small fish.  Another tube was in Dolphin Fantasy where the dolphins swam over you and played with each other.  One looked really drunk with a silly smile on his face – no lie!  It was great!  And we saw a LOT of dolphins pooping!  So funny!!!!  I mean they have to do it but no one was expecting it to look like that!  It was fascinating :p

Day 7 – final day L We headed out to Odaiba again and walked around the boardwalk area.  It was full of different activities, amusements, and beautiful sights.  My friend got a picture with the mini statue of liberty (no idea why it’s there…) but it was really cool.  Then we checked out another mall, which are in abundance in Japan, and went to the trick art museum.  We were expecting to see those pictures you stare at and the image pops out 3D like – not the case.  These pictures are painted so like-like that when you take your picture with it it looks real!  We got pics of being eaten by sharks, being attacked by ninjas, looking thru secret doors, being trapped in a huge wine glass, and feeding animals.  It was so amazing that these can be painted so life-like.  We had a blast!  Then we went to Korea Town for Korean BBQ!  Yay!!!! Finally!! I had been waiting all week for this!  It was delicious and unlike any KBBQ I had had before.

Our order came with different types of kimchi, pork strips, vegetables, and we ordered the Korean pancake with kimchi – we really like kimchi!  The servers cooked the food for us and then we ate it with lettuce leaves.  It was sooo yummy. 

I was also introduced to K-Pop.  I found I really like it – who’d have thought?  It’s a little hip-hop based and not at all twinkly and sunshiney like J-Pop.  It was pretty cool!  Yay for new experiences!

Obon week was phenomenal!  I got to see my friends that I missed so much and I had many new experiences.  The best part?  Checking out the different areas of Tokyo so I can go back and explore some more.  What an adventure!  I hope the New Year’s vacation will be just as fun!

Obon - pt 3!!

Day 4 – Ikebukuro!  Another great place to visit!  My friend had been there before and was itching for us to check it out.  In Ikebukuro there is a mall called Sunshine City.  This mall has an aquarium, a planetarium, and a wonderful amusement area called Namja Town.  NT is so much fun.  There is winding town of super-small stalls and teeny restaurants that have the BEST gyoza ever!! No lies!  They are served in sizzling cast iron skillets so they are crispy all over.  They taste delicious – by far the best I’ve ever had.  We had the normal gyoza and a cheesy one with Italian herbs.  Ohemgee that shit was good!  The town was made to look like an old and rundown town area.  There were little rooms big enough for 2-4 people with small tables.  They had so many little details like broken TVs, bookshelves, animals, etc.  So cute.  No detail was spared.  Then through the winding and confusing town there was another town – a haunted town.  All the kids were running around with these winding toys looking for clues and trying to open secret doors.

            One guy told a friend to look thru the peephole of a door and she hesitatingly did.  We were all expecting her to see something thru the hole but suddenly BANG! Something slams the door from the other and she screams – we all did! Then the guy laughed and kept walking – he didn’t even work there!  Hilarious!!! There were hidden doors, scary cabinets with holes to stick your arm in waiting for things to jump out and grab you.  It was so fun!  Then on to Ice Cream Town!  Yup, you read right! And they weren’t lying.  There was thing large store with hundreds of flavours of ice creams – milk, salt, beer, sesame, fish oil, eggplant.  Weird ones, yummy ones.  Then there were the stands where you could get scoops or soft serve.  One of us got black sesame, another got beer (I think), and I got really cool mango shaved ice.  It wasn’t like kakigori!  It was fruit ice/ice cream that was in a block.  Then they thinly shave it off in a circle so you get layer after layer of this ice.  Then you spoon into it and you get all the layers and it tastes like fresh mango and you feel the ice crystals.  It was absolutely scrumptious!!! I want more!!!!

            Then we went to the planetarium!!!! It was beautiful! But we all so tired we fell asleep throughout the whole show.  And it was in Japanese so I understood none of it but it was really gorgeous.  So pretty and entrancing.  If only my room had that for its ceiling….

            Next we went in search of food and found this sketchy looking place in the basement.  We thought it was gonna be dead and we would be the only ones there – this place was bumpin’! So busy and the food was yummy! I had steak on the sizzling skillet with egg and rice and salad.  It was delicious – and then I got food poisoning.  It was good while it lasted J

Day 5 – Saturday was a lazy day.  Sam and I got up and slowly made our way to Futako-Tamagawa (essentially Tokyo outskirts, super-fun and busy) to meet my friends and the others who were staying at the other apartment to watch fireworks.  I was warned it was going to be busy but I was NOT expecting this for fireworks! Hundreds upon hundreds were pouring out of the train station in yukatas (I want one so bad) of all colours going to the river to sit and watch the fireworks.  My friend and I needed food and found a really good Italian restaurant in the mall and I also had a ginger ale made from scratch.  It was strong but was so refreshing and tasty!  The pasta was great too.  Then we waited for the other two and made our long journey to the other side of the river where my friends were meeting.  They had scored a decent spot right by the water and in perfect view of BOTH fireworks shows.  That’s right – there were two!

            Tokyo and Kanagawa both put on shows at the same time.  They both last for an hour straight and they are stunning!  We were trying so hard to watch both but in the end Tokyo won – theirs was just more spectacular.  Kanagawa did their best but choices must be made.  Tokyo had also not puts theirs on the year before b/c of the earthquake and flooding so their budget was considerably larger this year.  One whole hour of fireworks was such a treat.  At home they last maybe 15 minutes.  We were all very impressed.  One of our friends was ecstatic that she had dropped hanging out with her friend that night to come watch fireworks, hahaha! J

            It was a great night and I met new people so that’s another score!  Next - aquarium and trick art museum.  There were ferris wheels and a roller coaster in there somewhere...I'll fit it in! :p

Obon - pt 2!

The excitement continues!

             Day 3 – this day was a jam-packed day!...of waiting.  We planned on going to Skytree that day.  It’s the tallest TOWER in the world (the CN Tower used to be but this surpasses it by about 100 meters or so).  Yes there is a crazy tall building in Dubai that is the highest building but this is the tallest tower – not to be confused J.   And this looks just like the CN tower too so that was kinda cool, especially since I’ve never been in the CN tower before.  Skytree had just opened up a couple months ago and was crazy busy.  It was also Obon so there were even more people out in full force.   We had to get there by 9 to get our tickets.  It took about an hour and a half to get there (I think even longer, maybe).  We got there at 9 and had to wait in line to get a time ticket to wait in line again to buy our tickets.  So at 9am the earliest we could wait in line was at 1pm.  What to do for 4 hours?  We hit up Denny’s!  Wow is that different than American Denny’ s.  I got this hamburger thing with rice, corn, and demi-glaze.  Others got the rice casserole with cheese.  It was actually pretty good – go Japanese Denny’s!

            Then we still had more time to kill and were planning on going to the aquarium.  But then I found out there was a planetarium and stressed very much to my group that the planetarium would be sooo much better than the aquarium – I won! J  The lines for both the aquarium and planetarium were crazy long so we took our chances with either one.  So upstairs we went to wait in line to wait in another line…to wait in another line (no kidding!) and we finally made it to the front and I’m practically dancing b/c I’ve never been to a planetarium and they tell us there are ONLY 2 seats left! We have 6 – damn! I strongly considered going alone but I selflessly held back, hahaha!  So we ended up hanging out in a starbucks for about an hour then headed off to wait in line.  And wait we did.  We didn’t buy our tickets until after 2pm (5 hrs now!) and finally made our way up in the speeding elevators.  We were crammed inside like sardines and sped to the top, all the while wondering whether the elevators could take the weight of 15 people and strollers – that would be quite a long ways to fall…but we made it after several ear pops and emerged into the streaming sun 350 meters in the air.  It was outstanding!  The view was 360 degrees.  I could see all of Tokyo and beyond.  We saw Mt. Fuji, the entire cityscape, shrines, bridges, ferris wheels, cruiseships.  It was truly incredible.  I could have stayed for hours and was sorely disappointed we would not be able to watch the sunset.  The only downfall was the haze – Japan is really hazy in the summer and so not everything was as clear as it could be but still it was great!  I also got the chance to walk on the plexiglass floor where you see all the way down to the street under you.  It was very nerve-wracking but such a great feeling!

            Then we got into another line to buy another ticket to go up to 450 meters in the air.  The elevator for this was so cool! There was a window in the ceiling and we could watch ourselves rise, then after a few dozen meters we also got to see outside as the steel was replaced with plexiglass in front of us.  There was a collective “Ohhhh” as this happened – it was pretty fun.  This floor was completely different up here.  We walked thru a tube like walkway that was carpeted and all white.  There were windows on the side and as you walked the floor was inclined to take a little higher as you continue.  The view from there was also spectacular and beautiful.  All that waiting and it was definitely worth it!

            After that we headed to Odaiba (also in Tokyo) to check out the onsen.  An onsen is a place where one can go, strip down, and soak in hot baths for hours.  Natural onsens are better b/c they’re natural hot springs but there are none in Tokyo so they make these wonderful ones.  On our way, there were more trains (a fair few) and a monorail! The monorail was almost as good as the onsen.  We could see all of Odaiba and the friends I was with were at risk of getting whiplash b/c their heads were turning so much.  We passed the rainbow bridge (not to be confused with the Cdn/US one :), a huge ferris wheel, and some pretty impressive skyscrapers and waterfront.  Then the onsen.  I was expecting a small building with a locker room and hot tubs – nothing like what we got!  We walk into this large foyer where you put you shoes in the little cubbies and then get your barcode bracelet that you wear everywhere.  It was a cash-free society and so everything you buy is scanned onto your bracelet for you to pay when you leave.  I think that’s pretty dangerous b/c there was so much to buy!  We get our yukata robes and go to the first locker room to undress to bras and underwear and put on the robes.  Then we head out to the main area.  It was 2 huge rooms of food stalls, games, a resting room for naps, and food! Yes, food twice b/c there was so much including my fave, kakigori!  After wandering around like a dog let out of the car after hours we headed out to the back where there is a “wonderful and relaxing” stream where you walk on rocks to stretch out the muscles.  It was very serene out there.  So many people in pretty yukatas lounging in the stream on benches and relaxing in the garden with the lights coming on b/c dusk was upon us.  And then the death walk! It was NOT relaxing and, in fact, damn near impossible!

            This stream is full of small stones that change every few feet in size and pain inducers.  You walk along it and it is supposed to stretch out your muscles and feel relaxing after.  The only way I can imagine it feeling good it that when you’re done walking thru hell you feel excuberant b/c you survived!  I’m being dramatic but it was extremely painful, I almost fell several times, and one of my friends had to come back and help me walk even she was in pain too.  So anyway, the stones are small and sharp.  They are angled to get right into your foot.  B/c you have to walk on them all your weight is put on these little stones and there’s no getting away from them.  They are spaced just so so you can’t move around them.  But then you get to the smooth stones and it feels great…and then hell starts right back up.  The stone pattern repeated 3 times.  After we just sat on the benches and relaxed and complained.  I enjoyed it J

            Then off to the baths.  We go to another locker room and get these small towels – enough to cover your chest to crotch and leave everything else.  We walk out and there are pools after pools of different temperature water.  We head to the shower stall first.  They are these little cubicles with stools you sit on and bathe yourself.  They provide shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash.  Even a pumice stone.  I didn’t do my hair or face b/c I wasn’t going to submerge myself but I did scrub myself clean.  And yes, they were all women (the baths are gender divided) and everyone was naked!  So freeing!  There were huge barrels outside with warm water, and small pools inside with hot water and even a small pool with water that was 20 degrees.  Pretty cold!  The temperatures ranged from 38-41 degrees and there is quite a difference from 38 to 41.  Sometimes it got uncomfortably hot.  But it was so relaxing and great we thought we could stay there for hours.  Which we did.

            Quick note: Japanese women do not groom! I was told but I was very surprised.  My friends and I were the only ones taken care of.  I thought it was hilarious!  And it was also great to see so many body types in the onsen as I was expecting everyone to be teeny tiny.  Such an eye-opener.  Not being ignorant but I’ve mostly seen very small statured women so this was interesting!

            Anyway, after we had soaked ourselves prune-silly we got out, bathed, and headed out to get food.  There were so many options but I got gyoza and ramen.  It was ok, but again, I’m not a ramen fan so yay me for eating it!  And, of course, I got my kakigori!

            It was a long day but it was great! We got to see some amazing things and relax for hours in hot tubs.  All in all a terrific day!

Obon - pt 1

     So Obon was last week and it was by far the BEST week I've had since arriving in Japan.  We did so much and I got to see my training peeps!  I had 3 people come stay with me during the week and we met up with a couple others in Tokyo.  It was so great seeing them after so many weeks of short messages and texting.  It was kinda strange since we had done so much together during training.  I was really glad we had this opportunity to meet up again so soon after parting ways.  The next time won't be until New Year's and then it'll be different people - the ones who couldn't come this time so that'll be great!
     Day 1 - One of the girls came Monday night and we decided to check out the restaurant floor in my mall.  So far in Japan, I haven't found food that I really liked UNTIL Obon week.  I tried so many different things and found some definite faves.  In the mall, we went to an Indonesian restaurant.  I ordered shrimp fried rice with egg and my friend got a spicy seafood curry with rice.  They were both delicious.  I went back twice more that week and found out I get a discount b/c I'm a mall employee - score!  Then we saw The Dark Knight Rises.  I had already seen it but my friend hadn't and I wanted to see it again.  I am in LOVE with Bane and his accent and whole character.  I was a very happy person that night.
     Day 2 - After a harrowing and long and lost journey another friend made it to my place and we headed out to meet up with the others in Harujuku.  After spending only a few hours there I have deciced I love Harujuku.  It blows Shibuya out of the water!  Shibuya is nice but Haru is so much better.  The stores are cool, the people are so unique, and I wanted to buy absolutely everything I saw!  The harujuku dresses you see the girls dress up in are amazing and so cute.  I'm planning on getting one for Halloween, hopefully.  The only thing is you can't try them on in the store so you take your chances with the "one size fits all" rule.  Ganbatte to me! :)
     We walked around, made some cool purchases (including a friend that bought one of the dresses) and made our way to Shinjuku.  On our way to the train we visited a beautiful shrine .  It was quite a walk down this gravelly path but it was so peaceful.  You could barely tell you were in Harujuku - it seemed so removed.  That's why Japan is so nice - you can escape the busy life and explore traditional Japan so easily.  It's such a wonderful balance and something I am looking forward to doing more and more.  The shrine was gorgeous and had such intricate woodwork on the gates and buildings it's difficult to believe they did this hundreds of years ago without the tools we have today - true artists!
     We made it to Shinjuku and that was also great!  We saw some crazy stores - including a huge store that was described as Wal Mart on crack...it fits! This place is so many floors high and jam-packed with electronics, knick knacks, clothing, cosmetics, and everything else you could need.  It was a little claustrophobic but you can over it if you want some great deals.  And it's super-funny in there.  One of the brands on men's underwear was called "Black Man" underwear.  It had all these different kinds and crazy designs - every colour of leopard print you can think of.  And, if you're wondering - no, the men on the boxes were not in fact black...
     We also found the Red Light District (RLD) YAY!!!! I was so happy.  All these stores with curtains with these cute little hands on them warning not to enter if you're under 20.  There were so many hosts there as well.  Most had David Bowie looking hair, apparently that's the thing.  Unfortunately, we weren't approached by them b/c we're gaijin and we don't speak the language.  Dang! :)  We also had some cheap ramen for dinner - and I found out I really don't like ramen.  It's just not my thing.  That's too bad b/c it's soooo popular here.  I've tried different ones and it's just not my bag so I'm gonna have to find a cheap food substitute somewhere.
     We also checked out the The Hub - a British pub that's very popular in Tokyo - they are all over the place.  I heard they were terrible.  Indeed the one we went to smelled terrible and smoking is allowed inside but after a few Happy Hour drinks you can barely notice it! Gotta love that happy hour.  Colourful cocktails, hard liquor, and tall 2.5 pint glasses of beer.  Not so bad, after all.
     Next - Days 3-5!

Mt. Takao

     And so I climbed a mountain....

     A couple weeks ago my co-worker invited me to join him in climbing Mt. Takao.  It's a mountain (obviously :) about 1.5 hrs away by train.  It's an annual hike he does with a bunch of friends - I was super-thrilled he asked me to join!  I was so pumped!  I could finally bust out my new hiking shoes, which were light as a feather and required NO breaking in, and practice for my big hike up Mt. Fuji in a couple weeks.  

     The weather that day was brutal - 33 degrees by 10am and in the afternoon 44 degrees with the humidity - WHAT?  And I'm supposed to hike when the sun is at it's highest?  Nuts, right?  Well by the time we got there we were already hot and we started our hike.  At first it wasn't so bad.  Most of our hike was covered by trees and so it was pretty shady - thank god! Because if it was THAT hot in the shade I might have passed out in the sun.  The terrain was pretty difficult, too.  It was really rocky, uneven, and wet.  I slipped a couple time and almost hurt my ankle.  The paths are narrow too and only leaves room for single file.  When we passed people coming down the mountain we had to stand to the side.

     I was NOT in good shape for this climb.  It took about 2-2.5 hrs to climb and I literally wanted to just give up and turn around.  Only the hike down is even more dangerous b/c it's so slippery.  And I really wanted to accomplish this goal.  We took breaks a few times and I got my wind several times too but they didn't last very long.  At the end there were SO many steps to climb to get to the top (I don't know why there were steps at the end...) but I was really struggling by then.  It really hurt to lift my legs and I was totally winded and exhausted.  I honestly didn't think I would make it.  I'm being dramatic, I know, but it's really how it was.  Not to mention I'm pretty sure I was getting heat stroke - my stomach hurt the entire time, I was nauseous, and had a headache.

     But, whatever - I did it!!!  We got to the top and saw people splashing water on themselves at these outdoor sinks and I started whooping! Then my coworker said "there's still a little more..."  GAH!!! So I dragged myself up the hill and just sat down on a bench.  I had to wipe myself off, and brush my hair, and try to de-gross myself.  When I looked in the mirror I had to ask myself why I even bothered washing and straightening it - I had sweat so much (you try NOT sweating) that my hair had gone all wonky!  Kinda funny :)

     And then I saw the view - breathtaking!  There were so many "layers" of mountains in the horizon.  Just row after row and each one seemed more and more faded.  It was gorgeous and I couldn't stop looking at it.  The climb was definitely worth it!

     Then we celebrated my going to the BEER GARDEN after!!! It was buffet style and you can eat and drink (beer and liquor)!  My fellows got their money's worth but I was so hot I just wasn't that hungry or thirsty.  I did eat 2 kakigoris so I was in shaved ice heaven :)

     The view from the balcony was incredible at dusk.  At one side you could see those layers of mountain and a train running through one of them.  To the other side you can look down and see twinkling lights, cars, buildings in between the mountain valley.  What a sight!  I could have stayed there all night - but there's a time limit so we had to vamoose! hahaha!

     So fun things that happened:  along the hike we saw a monk/priest (not quite sure) in a fenced area performing a ritual.  It smelled like camphor (I liked it!) and he was rubbing himself all over with pounds and pounds of salt to cleanse himself.  The he threw buckets of water over himself to wash it away.  Then he walked down these stone steps out of view, praying and chanting and clapping the whole time) to stand under the waterfall.  We couldn't see him anymore and continued our hike.  We passed a fence with a hole in it - someone had obviously pulled it out - to see the man sitting UNDER the waterfall letting the liquid pound his back as he chanted and yelled.  What an incredible test of strength and determination. 

     We also passed countless people - young and old - descending the mountain.  When I saw the old people doing this I told myself, "If they can do, I can do it!"  It worked!  I don't know if they climbed up or took the trolley but the climb down is pretty dangerous and they did it, no problem.  

     Another nice thing is everyone says "Konichiwa" as they pass you.  In Japan, when you see people climbing or descending you consider them a part of your journey and say hello as a form of respect and unity.  I thought that was really great.

     As great as this hike was and as much fun as I had I realized one thing - I am not ready to climb Mt. Fuji. :(  So I'm going to try and prepare and climb it next year.  The Mt. Fuji climb is pretty hard and I don't think I could handle it.  We were planning on the night walk.  The hike takes 6 hours (at least) and you need to take a winter coat with you.  The only thing is, you can't wear it when you start b/c it's so hot and you have to carry it for hours until it becomes freezing.  Also, my winter coat in back home being sent at a later date...not ideal.

     At any rate, the hike was great, the view was phenomenal, and the realization of not being able to climb Fuji was sad but I'm glad I did it and can't wait to try something new soon!