My New Year

New Year is one of the few times that I get forced leave so you have to make the most of it. I was, by the time winter hit, desperate to go home to SA but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay R35 000 for a ticket. So I had to settle with spending New Year in Tokyo, not quite South Africa but it had to do – and at least I was in excellent South African company.

Saturday 26th December – Christmas
Despite all my planning and best efforts, including booking a later train, I only made it to Kitsuki station with 3 minutes to spare. I think I had over packed a bit, though in true Rhodent fashion much of it was a selection of the best South African wine I could find in my town.

After taking the Sonic from Kitsuki to Kokura I caught the Nozomi to Tokyo station. I love taking the trains. Asides from the small inconvenience of not having a place to stash your luggage it is the nicest way to travel. It is fast and comfortable and I have never slept so well on public transport. And, unlike flying you actually get to see the scenery. It is pure fallacy that you don’t get to see the countryside. In fact I would say you get to see more of it – just really quickly. Sadly it was dark by the time I got into the greater Tokyo area so I missed Fuji-san.

I was met at Tokyo station by Joe, a fellow Cape Town dweller who my travel mate on my flight to Japan, who then took me back to Shirokana dai where we would spend our first few nights. I was greeted at my accommodation with the small of roasting chicken – it was wonderful. Joss, my little saffer sister and Penny (Joe’s wife) had spent the day preparing a belated Christmas dinner – complete with roasted veggies, carrots and a salad that included feta cheese. It was the best meal that I have had since coming to Japan. They really went to a lot of effort as it is a mission to find a whole chicken in Japan.

The rest of the evening was just a blur of food, presents and German and South African wine. We also took the opportunity to watch actual television – just like Christmas at home. It was just so nice to be back in South African company with people who speak your language and understand what you mean when you say braai or robot. As Joss kept saying the whole holiday “Ons moet n ander taal praat” as the two of us proceeded to butcher the Afrikaans language.


Sunday 27th December - Shibuya & Harajuku
It had been decided that this would not be a hectic, mad rush of a holiday and that we would rather take it easy in Tokyo. So no getting up early to catch the train or mad attempts to fit everything in. So Sunday only really began at about 10 with a really late breakfast.

It was then time for our alternative tour of Tokyo as guided by Joss. We started off at Shibuya at the world famous statue of Hachiko. Hachiko is the Greyfriars Bobby of Japan who waited at the station for his master every night for 10 years. The statute dates back to 1936 and last year his story was made into a movie starring Richard Gear (though I have an inkling it was only “loosely” based on the real story). This is one of the favourite meeting places in Tokyo, though it still can be a mission to find the people you are looking for, as Shibuya is just so busy. In fact it is one of the busiest places on earth. Thousands of people cross Shibuya crossing on a daily basis to get to and from the station. Even at night it is just a mass of people. It is truly fantastic.

We then made our way through all the shops and side streets towards Harajuku. Penny, Joe and I were just so lucky to have Joss who pretty much owns the Tokyo. It is really nice to walk Tokyo but it does help if you have someone who knows where they are going and I am still insanely jealous of her placement in Tochigi.

Harajuku was something else. We took ages walking down Takeshita-dori which is an alley filled with lots of tiny shops. No Louis Vuitton or Channel here. It is the centre of Tokyo’s teen culture and rather alternative, so we witness to some of the crazy aspects of Japan. We were a bit late but we did get to see one or two Harajuku girls and a couple of the Elvis impersonators but didn’t see them perform. 

So after an evening of meandering and shopping, we grabbed a crepe and headed back to the house.


Monday 28th December – Senso-ji Temple & Akihabara
Penny and I started the day off bravely with a trip to the hairdressers. Yet again I had to break out my best charades skills to explain what I wanted. Though I still maintain that East London is the best place in the world to get a hair cut. It was actually quite reasonable for Japan – even in comparison to the crazy prices that Cape Town hairdressers feel they are justified in charging – and it included a head massage. The cut wasn’t too bad and it should hold out till I get home in July. They just have a habit, as Joss puts it, of blow-drying western hair in a style that would have been acceptable in the 80’s. It is just accepted that it is going to be easier to have long hair in Japan.

After a lunch of udon and tempura we made our way Senso-ji Temple, the most sacred temple in Tokyo. Sadly it was being renovated so we couldn’t see the main hall in all its splendour. Though the 5–story pagoda and Nakamise-dori still made it worth the visit. I was a bit worried about my fortune I received – though it was a bit better than Joss’, which was the “last and final” fortune. Mine was just bad. What happens is that after a donation of ¥100 you get to shake a box and pull out a numbered stick. You then take your fortune from the same numbered draw. This was mine (and in case you were thinking of commenting about the spelling and/or grammar this was is in fact an accurate transcription) :

No. 77 BAD FORTUNE
Everything stay and stick without progress. Even if you want to let other people know your name or try to get good fortune, never desire what beyond your control.
It is real hard to cross, on the boat, a pid and high wave is on your way.
Although your request seem to be granted, by enormous, barrier, your goal is far away like the earth to the sky.
* Your request will not be granted. * The patient is hard to get well. * The lost article will not be found. *The person you wait for doesn’t come. * Building a new house and removal are both bad. *To start a trip is no good. *Marriage of any kind or new employment are both bad.

So it is good to know all this now before I build my mansion in Camps Bay or plan my trip to the moon. I am also not sure what they mean by marriage of any kind…

Akihabara was our next destination. This is Tokyo’s electronics district, which developed out of the ruins of WW2. It is also otaku (easily identified by their backpacks and plaid shirts) central and we visited a 6-story manga fanatic’s paradise.  The area surrounding the station is just a blaze of colourful lights and shops selling electronics.


Tuesday 29th December – Kamakura Town & Yokohama
We decided to head out of Tokyo to Yokohama and Kamakura town. I love Japan’s train system and if you ever find yourself in Tokyo then get a suika – it makes life much easier and if you hide it in your gloves you can confuse the station guards by swiping you hand.

Anywho Kamakura is now my favourite place in Japan. It is just the most wonderful town and I would like to go back and see more. It was Japan’s capital from 1185 – 1333 though I beginning to realise that EVERYWHERE has been Japan’s capital at some point. The life span of Japan’s capitals seems to be a kin to that of the fame of UK reality TV stars – and sooner or later everyone gets a chance.  Regardless, Kamakura is worth the visit and I didn’t spend nearly enough time there. I really loved the tiny electric train that runs through the town.

Kamakura has over 19 Shinto shrines and 65 Buddhist temples as well as (according to my Kyoto-sensei) the biggest bronze Buddha in Japan. The Daibutsu, as it is known, was cast in 1252 and has survived every possible form of natural disaster (including Americans). And for a mere R2 you can go inside and admire the technologically advanced (for the time) casting techniques.

From Kamakura we stopped over in Yokohama for dinner in China Town – and it is amazing how you could tell the difference.  Almost every restaurant window had displays of the different size portions of shark fin soup, though it did not inspire me to try it. We ate at one of restaurants down one of the many alleys, where Joss and I were robbed of our dumplings. The food was really good and I am pleased to say they I did not have sweet and sour pork.

Next on the tour was the Cosmo Clock 21 the largest Ferris wheel in Japan and allegedly the world. It was a bit expensive but worth it to see the night lights of Yokohama. We also rode the rollercoaster, which Joss and I just laughed through, though I am still not sure exactly what was so funny. Though the best bit of that ride was the plunge into the tunnel.


Wednesday 30th December - Comiket
One of the best things about my trip to Tokyo was that we really did a combination of things. To truly visit Japan you have to explore all of its many facets, including the bizarre and alternative. You will get really bored if you spend the entire time visiting only temples and shrines. Sure, you need to visit some but Japan is much more diverse and interesting, and you can’t ignore the popular culture. So Wednesday was spent at Comiket also know as the Comic Market. This is was Comic Con is to comic book fanatics and Star Trek conventions are to Trekkies.

We met up with Tuan aka sunshine, and made our way along with the rest of Tokyo to Tokyo Big Site. This is in Odaiba near Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo’s only beach. It was incredible just due to the masses of people that were coming and going. At one point, we had to join this circulating sea of people and just move in a circle until we hit the exit like salmon. It seemed like the only way to get anyway was to join a stream and hope that you got where you wanted to go.

The exhibition halls were also packed with displays. Comiket is for fans who want to display there own, privately produced manga, fanfic and merchandise.  Everything is divided into sections and there was even one area dedicated to cat lovers. We didn’t make it to the commercial hall, as we took one look at the crazy queue and decided it wasn’t work it.

Though by far the best bit was the cosplay square, where fans dress up as their favourite characters and pose for photographs. Some of the costumes are just astounding in terms of the detail.  Tuan was particularly good at harassing the cosplayers into posing with his Springbokkie plushy. Cosplay isn’t really accepted in Japan – much like many other youth culture movements – and it is a crazy contrast to the usual rigid, formal norms of their society.

Dinner was eaten in Shibuya and followed with 3 hours of traditional Japanese entertainment – karaoke.  It really is a blast, though it depends on whom you are with, and really there is nothing better than blasting out the National Anthem after a rousing, rendition of Toto’s Africa (I think we scared our 2 American guests). It fact it could almost have been a castle advert.


Friday 31st December – 1st January 2010 - New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day
In preparation for New Year’s Eve we spent the day at the flat relaxing and building up some strength – and considering how our night ended up we needed it.

Tuan joined us at 6 and we had our starters, which included some Saffer original springbokkies courtesy of Joss whilst listening to a SA playlist, which consisted of Mango Groove and Johnnie C amongst others. We then reminisced by playing Nando’s ads and Whackhead pranks before heading back to Shibuya to meet the American at the dog.

Shibuya was packed with people waiting to see in the New Year, and we were there early so I can’t imagine what it was like at midnight. We chose instead to countdown at Zojo-ji temple. Every year thousands of people gather at the temple and at midnight release balloons with their New Year wishes attached. It was by far the most amazing New Year I have had. We were totalled crammed but right next to the count down clock to see in the New Year with the gongs. Zojo-ji is right next to Tokyo tower so that too was lit up like a Christmas tree.

After the celebrations calmed down we headed back to Shibuya for more karaoke while we waited until dawn. So after yet more Toto and other cheesy 80’s classics it was time to go back to Tokyo Tower for the sunrise. Somehow Joss and I managed to make it inside to join in with the masses for the first sunrise of the New Year. In Japan this is one of most important traditions of the New Year and it was really special. Everyone got really excited as the sun appeared in the sky and it came with a spectacular view of the city and I finally got to see Fuji-san.

Joss and I finally returned to base at 9:30. I consider that a New Year seized.

~~~

Although we had not quite recovered we managed to gather enough strength to get up again and go back to Shibuya for dinner. We then split up and Joss and Penny went shopping while Joe and I attempted find some where to watch Avatar in 3D. This became the biggest mission of all. We had to head all the way to Shinjuku to find a cinema showing the film in English and 3D. We nearly missed it after being misdirected, but we were both determined to see it on the big screen and in 3D otherwise I would have never have forgiven myself.

It ended up being the most expensive movie I have ever watched in my life. The tickets alone were ¥2000 or R200 (so I never want to ever here anymore complying about Ster Kinekor, R60 is nothing) and then because the trains stop running at 12 we had to get a taxi home which cost another ¥3800.

But I am glad I did it. It really was a fantastic way to end one of best New Year adventures ever. 


Saturday 2nd January – home time
All I did really was catch my train back. Though what makes this remarkable was that my shink arrived in Kokura LATE. I should have had 10 minutes to catch the Sonic back to Kitsuki but when I get there it was already 5 minutes passed before I realised my train had left. Though as it turned out my train didn’t even come. There was an accident somewhere along the line – from what I could gather with broken English and my Japanese – and I would have to wait until I could get another one. Though if I had listened to the first person I spoke to I would probably still be there.

I ended up waiting for 2 hours on the platform for a train back to Kitsuki. It was freezing and all I can say is thank heavens for video iPods. The wait in the cold was worth it though as I was one of the few people to get a seat by the time the train finally arrived. The cold and I are finally making peace.  I then nearly missed my stop as they were not displaying the stops and I had to listen to the Japanese announcements and then guess. It was karma as such things are unheard of.

Despite all the drama and adventure it was nice to get back to my own floor, but I am just glad I finally got to do Tokyo and in the best possible company.

My ice planet Hoth

So anyone who even vaguely knows me, knows how much I hate the cold. I think it must be the German blood. Even in summer I carry a warm top – just in case it gets cold. So on an average day in Japan I wear: Leggings, a vest, 2 pairs of socks, a long top, jersey, pants and a jacket – accessorised with a stick on Hokairo, and one in the pocket for extra measure. I would wear a scarf but I am verboten at school. I do have a Linus blankly though.

So when I initially agreed to come to the Arct…Asia, it was under the impression that Japan (being the high-tech country that it is) would be prepared for winter. It was only once I got here that I was told that there is nothing. They can handle an earthquake but apparently they haven’t quit conquered the annoying little hyperthermia problem.

So anywho, I was now faced with a summer of giant spiders and a winter of extreme cold and frostbite. And honestly I can’t decide which is worse so far.

This morning was particularly bad. I know this because I was cold under my pile of duvets and blankets. I could see my breath in my lounge – and that was after drinking coffee. I think this would have a lot to do with the fact that it was it was 8°C, inside, according to my aircon.

I really love the way that every heating device comes with a thermometer so you know exactly how much you are suffering and how ineffectual it actually is. And it is all very well having a heater in the living areas but where it really counts is the Frozen Throne that is the bathroom and toilet. I mean after all it is the one place where you remove the layers of protective thermal underwear. I am seriously considering that the risk value of “electrocution in return for warmth” may actually be worth it.

In fact 2 weeks ago I gave in and bought a kerosene heater. I was initially sceptical what with the dangers of flammable liquids, and not to mention the smell. But after receiving my electricity bill for the relatively (in retrospect) tolerable October, I decided that it might not be too bad. And it was worth it.

At first it was a bit like crawling into the stomach of a disembowelled tauntaun, but when it is as cold as it is here, and when you have my lower than average body temperature, you change your mind faster then the growing list in Tiger Wood’s little black book.

Oh and I forgot the best part. While I already have to defrost each morning, my teachers take great delight in informing me that it is really not to bad and it is only going to get worse – come February. I can’t help but think that they are trying to get rid of me.

I was particularly bitter this morning. Firstly, due to the fact that I woke up cold. Which is partly my own fault because after discovering that my heater was out of gas I was too lazy to go and fill it up. So I couldn’t set the timer so I could wake up toasty. And then despite the insane cold there was no snow. It would be the one compensation for the さむい (cold) torture from which I am suffering.

Then to my delight it started to snow! It was wonderful. Well it wasn’t real snow at first – just that initial icy stuff you get. But for an African I think it counts. It then later became more ‘snowy’ - if you could say that - with bigger flakes. Sadly it didn’t stick. It all seemed to melt as it hit the ground. Regardless it was enough keep me smiling for the rest of the day. Unfortunately for my 三年生 (3rd years) they are outside competing in their 3rd year sports day, while I get to stay in the (finally) heated staff room.

Hopefully it will continue to snow through the weekend when I can take advantage of the cold and keep warm whilst watching movies and drinking Milo… now that is hypothermia prevention.

My first sumo experience

Currently I am on my friend the Sonic on the way to Fukuoka. I is sumo weekend and the biggest sumo tournament in Kyushu. I have done some recon on event so it doesn't just look like 2 big guys running at each other. Though from what I have read it seems to be exactly that. But more on that once I have had some viewing experience.

…some time later…

So the entire weekend was fantastic. Sumo was much more fun than I had imagined. Fukuoka was lovely as usual and it was nice to sleep on a mattress again. Though let me start at the beginning.

I arrived in Fukuoka planning to check into my hotel and relax until I had to meet the rest at 13:00. Only the hotel refused to book me in until 3, leaving me with 2 hours to kill and not much enthusiasm to go to far. So after meandering aimlessly around the Hakata station shops I decided to treat myself to a manicure while I waited. And what is better than spending an hour being pampered. I went into a small salon under the station, and managed again after much charades and broken Japanese to explain what I wanted – a basic French manicure. From what I could gather this is not standard practice. Nail care here is an art. In fact they have “nail art” on the menu, and despite it not being my thing it is rather spectacular. There is nothing plain about the fake nails here. Each one is a tiny creation, consisting of diamante and other inlays to create a flash of glitter, colour and sparkle. When I first sat down and had to wait I was given a nail magazine to glance through (I wish South Africa could support the niche magazine industry that they have here) – it was the size of the special edition SA Cosmo. Consisting of pages and pages of the latest styles and techniques. Though, undoubtedly, my favourite article was the one on how to customise your nails to match your boots. And I am not talking to match black, brown or any colour. I am talking about the details such as pattern, style and details. So if you happen to be wearing pink lace up boots with purple details your nails should be pink with a lace up detail and of course some diamante for sparkle. Before I forget I must mention that no 2 nails are the same these are individually crafted and set into the gel – as far as I can tell – and not just plucked on.
I watched the woman next to me having her pink glitter creations removed. The manicurist had to file down the whole nail and remove the diamante implants with clippers. It was like watching someone trying to sand down tarmac. I have enough issues with filing my nails to have to sit through that.

It was an experience and I have to say she did a spectacular job with my nails. They feel like art works and I am loath to remove the varnish. Oh and the highlight was when she put on some cuticle oil from South Africa – you can find home in the strangest of places.

After my 1 hour of pampering it was time for sumo. There were matches throughout the day starting with high school and lower level wrestlers, building up to the big matches at the end of the day. When we got to the stadium we waited out side a bit to watch the wrestlers go inside. There men are huge, and I am not talking about fat - tall and built. SA would do well to employ some on our rugby team as there bodies are built to take the impact of their equally massive opponent rushing towards them. In fact I would like to suggest that sumo become part of the training regime for SA rugby, especially since that embarrassing loss to the frog eaters.

Before I start on the actually matches I would like to clarify one thing. Sumo wrestlers are not just the fat kids from school that needed a hobby. These guys are amazing athletes and they are not just fat. Underneath all the exterior skin is muscle. Granted some of them, okay most of them, have huge stomachs but the power behind them is not just the result of too much sake and rice. But when you watch these guys pound into each other – and there is almost a metric ton of force generated in doing so – their bodies just absorb the impact. There is not perpetual fat motion to be seen. In fact sumo is seen as a solution to combating obesity in children. Becoming a sumo wrestler requires a strict diet and parents of future stars are encouraged not to let them over eat. The training and diet turns excess body fat into muscle and many kids that start sumo lose weight as they progress. Regardless of this, I still don’t think that McDonalds is the best sponsor for sumo – and yes one of the top wrestlers has a McDonalds endorsement.

If you ever do get the chance to watch sumo it really helps to have someone with you who knows what is going on and can explain. As I mentioned before we had Yellie, a passionate sumo lover who was able to answer all our questions and give us all the details on the wrestlers. Each match is over pretty quickly. They take less than 30 seconds most of the time. Though we were treated, in the very last match between 2 tournament favourites, to one that seemed to last for ages. Most of the match is the purifying of the ring. Sumo has strong Shinto roots and before the match can begin the wrestlers stamp their feet and through salt to purify the ring and drive away evil spirits. Once they are ready to fight they have to get their breathing synchronised. This is considered essential in sumo tradition though many other foreign countries are becoming less and less concerned with the traditions – a matter of some contestation. After this the match is pretty much over in seconds. The aim is to get your opponent to step out of the ring or place some other part of their body (asides from the souls of the feet) onto the floor. Technique comes into play when you have to receive the impact of your opponent and then find a way to force him out of the ring or onto the floor. This can result in some pretty spectacular throws and more than once I was glad I did not have ringside seats as these huge men were flipped into the audience.

Sumo is becoming more and more international. Currently the top wrestlers are from Mongolia, and there hasn’t been a Japanese champion since the late 90’s. Many of the (go figure) ex-communist countries also compete and we watched a guy from Bulgaria beat one of the top 2 fighters. It has also become a Olympic sport, and so to comply to regulations women are also allowed to compete. Though they are (also) mainly Russians. However Shinto tradition does not allow for women to enter the ring otherwise they will destroy the purity and so they are only allowed to compete in certain places, and certainly not the most scared of Sumo halls. Apparently last year some woman tried to storm the ring and had to be taken down by one of the wrestlers.

The only annoyance was this Japanese hippy that complained that we were all making too much noise – I mean honestly who talks and gets excited at a sports event – and complained to the ushers instead of just moving to one of the hundreds of empty seats. I some times do not understand the Japanese. On the way back on the train I was placed next to a woman that chose to sit rather in one of the many empty seats on the car but still place her luggage right in front of her seat so as to make my life difficult.

After sumo it was just dinner and back to the hotel for the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time. I need to buy a mattress. I can handle the futon and I am quite used to it but I do miss the comfort of wire springs.

On Sunday, Ann and I headed to a flea market at on of the local shrines. I wish I had had more money and more knowledge of Japanese antiques. There must have been masses of treasures there. Some of the other ALTs found beautiful old Obos and kimonos. Flea markets tend to be the same regardless of where you go in the world but this really was wonderful – with almost everything being antiques (including classic Snoopy telephones) and odds and ends. No hippies in site and only one Serbian guy selling the usually silver jewelry. All bought, besides a bean paste fish, was a hand made wooden puzzle of a 5-story pagoda. Though, there was some really nice art from WW2 that, if I had the money, I would have liked to come home with.

Catch some of my pics here.

My Cooking Class

On Friday afternoon I joined the Home Economics Club for a cooking lesson. Our guest teacher – a rather well experienced local lady – taught is all how to make Dango jiro. – and it is not just a martial art.

From what I can gather, from besides my immediate consumption experience, is a rather well known dumpling soup from Kyushu, and specifically Oita. It basically consists of miso soup and vegetables, some kind of meat (in our case butaniku/pork) and dango, which are dumplings. The dumplings are made from flour and then stretched to create long noodles.

The vegetables in our version included carrots, daikon, shitakii, some weird root vegetable and a kind or potato.

I am not sure of all the other particulars, as it was a team effort and my translator Momoe kept me busy chopping and dicing while the rest of the group took care of the dumplings and soup. The end result was absolutely delicious and I will try to get a recipe or a translation of the one we used. Though there must be something on the net somewhere.

Though one thing I will not understand, or get used to, is the need to put seaweed in everything…

My Engrish

I found this at a ¥100 store. Not even my Japanese friends can decipher it!

My paradise

After being made to work on a Saturday – the school’s open day on which we attempt to lure students to the school –I decided to take the day back and turn it into a long weekend. As there was a public holiday on the 3rd I managed to wrangle a 4-day weekend and decided to join my friend Ann on her trip to Okinawa.

Day 1 – 31 October
Unlike my trip to Osaka, my train left at a reasonable hour for Fukuoka, where we would then catch the plane to Naha, Okinawa. SO once again I found myself on board my favourite Sonic Limited Express, with its comfy seats and relatively fancy interior. Sooooo much better than the Shinkansen, which may be faster, but is nowhere near as luxurious (in train standards of course).

I had heard from many people that Fukuoka is a really wonderful city and that they would have loved to have been placed there. After 10 minutes I felt the same. It could just have been the fact that it was a beautiful autumn day, that the sun was shining and that I was in the city park surrounded by the lake, trees and ducks.

I had 2 hours before I had to meet Ann so I spent the morning walking around Ohori Park and basking in the last of the summer sun. Within the park are various sports grounds and the ruins of Fukuoka castle. The park area reminded me a bit of Italy for some reason – I think it must have been the combination of the park and castle ruins. The climb to the top of the castle provided me with a wonderful view of the city and the park grounds. Unfortunately as they are ruins there is not much to see of the castle.

I then headed back to Hakata to meet Ann. We took the bus to Canal City, a rather large and well-known shopping mall In Fukuoka city, where we grabbed some lunch before filling our time window shopping. I didn’t spend anything as it was mostly clothing stores and the clothing wasn’t really in my style or price range – I will continue rather to make use of Uniclo (the Japanese Giodano).

The flight over was rather uneventful – asides from being stuck right in the middle of the plane with absolutely no view whatsoever. I had the same vile seats on the way back so I have no clue as to what Okinawa looks like from the air. In fact the best part of the trip was getting off the plane and being greeted by the warmth of a tropical paradise.

Due to the American base on Okinawa and the close “ties” to America (though the new government is doing their best to kick them out) – there was a lot of American influence about. I especially enjoyed the Hawaiian shirts. It felt like I was in a whole new tropical country, after leaving the rapidly cooling Japanese mainland.

Naha has a fantastic monorail system that runs through the city (the same of which can not be said for the buses) and only goes in 1 direction so it is rather easy to navigate and all the interesting city sites seem to be within easy walking distance. The sites outside of the city are also another story all together.

After dumping our things at the hotel we made our way to one of the bigger shopping malls in Naha for supper and did check out the chopping we had been told so much about. It was then that we made our most exciting discovery – deodorant. Everyone warns you when you are coming to live here that toothpaste and deodorant is a problem, as the Japanese versions just do not work. So this was a joyous discovery, though not surprising due to the American Military personal stationed in Okinawa.

Day 2 – 1 November
We decided that Sunday we would go to the Okinawa Ocean Expo Park, which has been strategically placed 1 ½ hours from Naha. The park has a number of attractions and you could easily spend an entire day there, though our reason for going was the aquarium.  It is considered to be the best one in Japan and is the second largest in the world. The only pain is getting there.

*I would just like to say at this point that if you are planning a trip to Okinawa I would highly recommend you rent a car.  It will make your life infinitely easier and it will be less likely you get arrested for destruction of bus network property.

We were urged by the lady at the airport information desk to join a tour group rather than attempt the 3-hour bus ride on the public transport – and it was well worth it. We chose one of the basic tours that included our tickets for the aquarium as well as the Pineapple Park, but also afforded us the longest time at the aquarium.

Our tour guide was amazing – this tiny lady in her pristine, pink Chanel suite and white high heels. She spent the entire ride telling the passengers – in Japanese – about the area (English tours were about 1 ½ times the price) and would randomly break into song.

I didn’t see a single rice paddy on the way to the aquarium and instead the scenery reminded me of a cross between Natal and the Wild coast. So it was almost like being home only slightly more tropical. The buildings however, are not as Japanese. Mostly flat roofs without the detail. More like the Maldives. The weather was also fantastic – sunny and warm – the best kind. 

When we finally got to the aquarium we were given free reign to do what we wanted for the 3 hours – and we could have easily used more. The aquarium is huge, and consists mainly of larger tanks than lots of smaller ones. The tanks are also naturally lit where possible to give you a more authentic experience. The highlight though was the main tank. It is huge. Two Oceans Aquarium – while prettier – had nothing on this main tank. The glass/acrylic used is 60cm thick and is home to 3 whale sharks, which are part of the breeding programme. The Aquariums café is next to the tank and we managed to get perfect seats right next to the tank so that we were eating lunch 6 feet from a whale shark. It really was the most amazing and indescribable experience that photographs just could not capture.

There were many other fascinating displays, including a hall of things that can kill you – reminding me why I am the only person in my family without a diving license (though my biggest fear still remains the octopus).  The shark hall included a model of the jaws of a prehistoric shark, which provided endless photo opportunities. I also saw my first giant squid, manatee and a selection of deep-sea marine life. Though sadly once again my sunfish dreams were squelched like a beached blue bottle.

Next on the tour was the Pineapple farm, which we were told, was a fun visit just for the WTF (just google it) factor. Sadly we only had 40min there so I wasn’t able to experience all the joys of the pineapple picking but I was able to sort out my omiyage for school. They also make wine and champagne, which was rather interesting, and very pineappley. Part of the tour was the all you can drink and eat section, they just don’t tell you that you can drink as much as you like from the provided thimble cups. I had to resist the urge to buy pineapple pie, pineapple cake, pineapple biscuits and pineapple chocolate – which, as a result of numerous samplings – was really, really good.

After a long bus ride back we went had supper at an American-Okinawan restaurant where part of my meal consisted of fried goya rings. Goya is a speciality in Okinawa – along with pineapple and sweet potato. Not many people like it as it is quite bitter. I thought it was a type of cucumber at first with its seeds removed so I don’t mind it too much. Though the fact that I eat it is still a mystery to some of my students.

Day 3 – 2 November
After having a bit more of a relaxed start to the day we caught the monorail to the end of the line and Shurijo castle. Shurijo castle was built around the 14th century, but unfortunately due to recent historical events it was completely destroyed. In 1992 they began to rebuild the castle to commemorate Okinawa’s inclusion in Japan. Historically it was the royal seat and which, through trade with China and other Asian cultures, helped develop Okinawa’s rich art trades. It must have been spectacular during its time.

We then decided to brave the 2-hour bus ride to Okinawa World – yet another attraction in the middle of no where without the comforts of train travel. I am beginning to hate the buses and this one needed new suspension badly. In the end it was well worth the pain of the ride. 

Okinawa world is basically designed to get you to spend money on the local crafts. The huge stores sell all the locally made specialties such as pottery, glass, weaving, lacquer ware and beer from the brewery. As well as sweet potato soft serve which was bright purple and completely delicious, and being a vegetable it could only be good for you.

Though despite it being a money trap it does have some other wonderful attractions. The craft area was a great way of getting to learn about the traditional arts and in case par take in the creation of glasses or pots. I really enjoyed the habu museum, which is really a reptile park providing information on the snakes that bear its name. The habu is one of the poisonous locals of Okinawa and the many varieties occur on almost all the islands. Mongooses were introduced to curb the snake population but as usual ended up doing more harm than good. The best part was getting to hold a python and watch a mongoose race a sea snake. And surprisingly the mongoose won, though I think this was due to the fact the snake had no desire to leave the water or get to the end of the tunnel.

The highlight however, was the Gyokusendo caves. The limestone caves run under the park and were only discovered in 1967. They are the largest in Japan. The tour path runs for about 900m through a constructed tunnel. This sadly means that many of the stalactites and stalagmites had to be broken to create the path, but I suppose that the sacrifice had to be made so that we could really appreciate the vast network of the caves. It is nice to see that the caves are fighting back though and reforming the broken bits, even if it is only slowly.

After another painful ride on the bus it was time for dinner at the akachochin and to do our final shopping before we headed back the next day.

Day 4 – 3 November
For our final morning we walked around the streets near the hotel and went to one last local craft centre. During our travels I am happy to report that I found fluoride toothpaste - yet another great discovery. Though I did also buy some more traditional glass wear too.

Of course we also ran into some hippies. So they also exist in Japan. They had come to the craft centre and were playing music and dancing in the strangest, and certainly not traditional, costumes.

Sadly from there it was back to the airport, where yet again we had the worst possible seats in the world. But thanks to my newly acquired sleeping skills I spent most of the trip asleep.

I knew it would be colder when we landed but I was not prepared for how cold – it was like the temperature had dropped a couple of hundred degrees since we left and I was longing for my down jacket that I had purchased recently. I found out later that while we had been gone there was an unusual cold spell on Kyushu – something usually reserved for December.

All in all it was a wonderful trip and I plan to go back, but this time for longer and to explore the islands and beaches. It was still nice to get a taste of another part of Japan – even if it was just to buy toothpaste and deodorant.

My harmony land

Once again, thanks to the Japanese government, I was blessed with a long weekend. However, I was not blessed with the funds to take advantage of it and explore some distant part of Japan. Instead I invited my South African friend Ann to visit and explore my home prefecture instead.

Initially when I invited her to come and stay and she asked me what there was to do around here, I drew a blank. Asides from Harmony Land I thought that it was rather unfair of me to ask her to give up a long weekend and come to Oita.

The guidebooks aren’t very helpful, and in fact, the Eyewitness only lists 4 attractions in Oita – (gaudy) Beppu, Yufuin, Usa and Usuki. The first two due to the hot spring attractions and the second for their religious history, Shinto and Buddhist respectively. This is still pretty impressive for a guidebook, as most don’t make it past Beppu.

However, after much thought I actually came up with a list of things to do and we didn’t get to all of them and managed to stay within relatively small area of Oita.

Day 1
Ann arrived at Kitsuki station at 14:30. The plan was to head to Ajumi and then to Usa. I was aware of the possibility of getting a bit lost and sure enough we ended up making a bit of a detour to get there. But at least getting lost in Japan always adds to the adventure.

Ajimu was holding a wine festival at its winery, with tastings of their products. I was unable to partake due to my status as designated driver, but the atmosphere was great – even with Michael Jackson’s greatest hits blaring in the background. From what Ann could tell me the wine was a bit on the juicy side – not much alcohol content and from what I could see it was rather light and without any legs.

We then treated ourselves to crepes – which is quite a common festival food in Japan. They also happen to be really good. From there we headed on to Usa, which is just over the hill to the famous Usa shrine.

The Usa shrine is an 8th century, Nara period, Shinto shrine. It I considered to e the centre from which over 40 000 other shrines originated. Due to its history the shrine has been the recipient of imperial patronage and is second only to the Ise Shrine located in Ise in Mie prefecture (where I spent my silver week). The shrine covers a large area and as it was getting dark we weren’t able to fully explore the grounds. Though we did get to pass through some towering Shinto gates and I saw some ducks, who were surround by koi that were twice their size.


Day 2
On day 2 we headed on to Oita Aquarium and Mt. Takasaki National Wildlife Park and Macaque reserve.

This area is one of the most common attractions of Oita. The aquarium and monkey park are right opposite each other and makes for an entire day of family entertainment.

Mount Takasaki National Park is on the side of the hill over looking the bay and is home to a large, really large troop of Macaque monkeys. In Nara I eventually got tired of tripping over deer and I had the same problem here, but only with monkeys. We took the scenic cable car route to the top and of course as soon as I had stepped out of the car, I was in violation of some monkey code. This also explained the weird “what not to do sign” at the bottom which, as Freda said, looked like “do not give angry monkeys tissues”. The tissue I think was in fact paper and I had to hide all the pamphlets I was given for fear of attack.

While they were quite cute (for monkeys) I still have my well entrenched African respect for wild animals, which caused me to jump every time one of them decide to chase their neighbour past my legs. Unfortunately we could not understand the speech that was going on though I am sure the woman said “wife” a couple of times. I am not sure if this group are the same species but they are certainly related to the Japanese Macaque that National Geographic love to show bathing in the hot springs in the middle of winter on Honshu.

We then headed down the mountain and over to Umitamago Aquarium, or in English “sea egg”. I think as I a gaijin I am without the knowledge as to why a egg is the logo of an aquarium (and it is a chicken egg). It would be like having a whale as the logo for the Johannesburg Zoo. But anywho, one just smiles and nods. Umitamago is, allegibly, the 3rd best aquarium in Japan, after Okinawa and I think possibly Osaka, and well worth the visit.

One thing I really appreciate about Japan is how easy they make it to navigate such places. There is one path and you follow it, so you get to see everything without having to constantly refer to a map so you aren’t missing out on anything. This can however lead to the horrendous queue hell that I experienced at Himeji Castle in Kobe.

My only disappointment was not getting to see the horseshoe crab. There seemed to be only one and he was hiding at the time. I would have thought with Kitsuki over the hill that they would have had more though I think their effort was dedicated rather to decorating the smaller tanks with dollhouse furniture. No really. Some of the tanks had small playground equipment for the fish, others had a nursery – I expect as part of some breeding programme. Though my personal favourite was the shrimp’s tank that had been fitted with a gas stove.

Other things we saw:
1. The world’s largest amphibia (no, this is the correct spelling apparently)
2. Piranha
3. Dolphins
4. Sea lions
5. Various seals
6. Otters
7. Sloths
8. And my personal favourites – the walruses (or lolrus as is their meme term)

Though it seems that it is true and that in Japan you slowly start to look at everything as lunch and soon Ann and I were imagining some of the exhibits in an aquarium of lemon butter with a side of fries.

We were lucky enough to catch both shows that afternoon. The first one was the dolphin performance. The audience right in the front were thoughtfully given towels for the performance, not that it helped. All I can say is now I want to be a dolphin trainer.

The seals and walruses, all of which were incredibly cute, followed. The difference being that, unlike Eini, Mienie, Miny and Moe (of my EL childhood days) these seals were brought out the enclosure and performed in front of the audience. There were also I couple of acts with audience participation, where the children got to interact with the seals and one little girl received a sardiney kiss.

Though without a doubt I enjoyed the walruses. They were adorable and I think it was due to the fact that the audience got to touch them and was lucky enough to have I received a rather fishy kiss from the one of them. It was too cute. Though admittedly it took a lot of washing to get rid of the fishy smell from my hand but it’s not something I am likely to forget anytime soon.


Day 3
Harmony Land!

Firstly I needed to explain something. Hello Kitty is an institution in Japan. It is almost worshipped. Where ever you go you will find Hello Kitty souvenirs of whichever tourist attraction you may be at. Even some of my male teenage students have Hello Kitty pencil cases. So it is not uncommon for even adults to indulge in the kawaii world of Hello Kitty.

That said, Harmony Land is still considered to be a small kids attraction. But this did not stop Ann and I from indulging our own child-like desires and spending the day in the presence of Hello Kitty and friends.

Harmony Land is about 5 minutes drive from Kitsuki station. So it is really easy to get to and there are busses running between the station and the park. The decision to go was an easy one. How can one come to Japan and not got to a crazy theme park. I had also been sent a link to the worlds 10 weirdest theme parks and Harmony Land inclusion made it a must see (out of interest my next one on the list in Communism Park in Estonia). Besides I needed a wanted a new profile pic with Kitty and me.
We got to Harmony Land as it opened – along with all the other happy families and their small children – and it is quite something to behold. The cute is completely overwhelming and I have a feeling that all the employees go home and watch slasher horrors just to return to normal. Everything is pink and cute and happy. While the park is still a bit old it still has a happy magic about it. None of the rides are high tec – this is after all for small children and it panders to that childhood wonder you lose as you are forced to get older. In fact it reminded me a bit of Marina Glen, so even those most prone to motion sickness will enjoy it. Though I would suggest taking it easy on the spinning teacups - it was a while before I was able to eat.

One of the more technical rides was the 3D theatre. They change the show every few months and we got to watch a ride based on a Japanese anime show called GeGeGe no Kitaro. It was one of those 3D rides where the chairs move and they spray smells into the air. It was great but also the only ride in the park where they had English instructions – so we were strictly informed not to undo our seatbelts. The movie was about a race and got pretty bumpy at times when there was crashing and dodging and falling.

Over all the whole kitty experience was a complete jol and I left rather happy and full of good feelings to the world, even though my shopping needs had not be completely indulged.

<3 Pics are here!