A Busy Last Day

            It was our last day in Japan and we had a full schedule. The trip had been amazing. It was fun, educational, and exhausting. Our morning started by heading to a more peaceful place called the Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo.

By the Giant Torii Gate

            As we got closer to our destination we were surprised to find less giant buildings and more trees. The shrine was in the middle of a big park. The trees were huge and shaded all the paths. It was relaxing and nice to get out of the middle of the city. The shrine was built to commemorate the great Emperor Meiji and the Empress Shoken in the early 1900s. Emperor Meiji was a great ruler who led Japan into prosperity. He also created friendships with foreign countries.

The Meiji Shrine

Priests and Priestesses at the Shrine

            To get to the shrine you have to take a few steps. First you walk along one of the many paths in the woods to the Torii Gate. Once you cross the gate you go wash your hands and mouth in a stone basin. This area is called Temizusha. Afterwards you go to the shrine. There is a big box where you can throw a donation or offering. Then you bow twice, clap twice, and bow once again before you make your wish. Near the shrine there is a place where you can write your wish on a piece of paper, put it in an envelope, and slip it into a box. Otherwise there are big hanging wooden plaques that you can write your wish on. This was a beautiful place to stop and get out of the hustle and bustle of the city.

Harajuku

            Next we traveled to Harajuku. This area in Tokyo is full of fashion for teenagers and young people. It full of all sorts of styles of clothes, accessories, and really delicious crepes. I expected to see people in cosplays and some really outrageous clothes but everyone was dressed pretty normal. I loved all the cute skirts and tops. Japanese fashion is very cute. I didn’t make any big purchases other than a backpack that I found. Also, down the street there was a little booth where a man from Istanbul was selling Doner Kebabs. I couldn’t resist! I had been craving one of those since I had been in Europe.

Me with the Main Palace Bridge in the Background

Entrance to the Palace Grounds

            After doing some shopping we traveled to the Imperial Palace. This is where the Emperor lives. We were unable to enter the gates because it is currently closed to the public. The palace grounds are huge and surrounded by an inner and outer moat. The buildings used to be made out of wood but were damaged by fire so now they are a bit more modern, although still traditional looking. The palace is built where Edo Castle used to be. The current emperor of Japan is Emperor Akihito. Similar to other countries, the Emperor does not have political power; he is more of a symbolic figure of Japan.

            The next stop on our busy day was the Mitsubishi Corporation. The other university in attendance, Rice University from Texas, was honored to be visiting the corporation because it has offered them scholarships. The meeting definitely wasn’t what I expected. I thought we would be learning about Mitsubishi cars but in reality the company does all sorts of things. It is more of a trading and manufacturing company that imports and exports all sorts of goods and materials. It has a global network and “more than 200 offices and subsidiaries, as well as over 500 group companies in approximately 90 countries around the world.” This had been my first time learning about such a big corporation. I was amazed at how much detail they needed to pay attention to and how many different things they did.

            To end our day we headed back to a government building in Tokyo to get our debriefing. Each school was given a small amount of time to give a speech touching on a few questions. Important people from the Japan Foundation were there. For our group, Alex and I gave the speech. Rice University knew about this in advance so they were a bit more prepared. This made the UW Oshkosh students nervous. When brainstorming the idea of what were going to talk about I offered to share my blog. The point of this trip was to promote Japan and I thought my blog could show how people in the U.S were learning about Japan by what I have been writing. Alex did an amazing job of opening up our speech; he even made people laugh with his sweet sense of humor. Then I showed and explained my blog and how it relates to this 10-day trip and promoting Japan. Luckily, our speech was a hit! I was so happy that I was able to represent the students from UW Oshkosh in such a positive way.

Our Last Hurrah

            Everyone was pretty tired. It had been a long day and a busy trip. We fought our sleepiness and went on the town to give Japan one last hurrah. With the help of Sam’s two Japanese friends we found a place on the second floor of a building nearby. We were only out for a couple of hours but I was able to enjoy a few glasses of plum wine and conversation with the wonderful people I had spent the last few days with.

            This post was actually written from home. The 12-hour plane ride was long, but not bad. Reflecting on these past 10 days, I just wanted to say that I learned so much about Japan. I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity by the Japan Foundation and Japanese government. I am excited to return to this country in a few weeks!

Art, Electronics, and Friends from Spain

My body has finally become used to the time difference; which means I no longer wake up so easily in the morning because my body realizes it is tired. We visited many places today but only spent a short amount of time in each place.

Learning how to dance

            First we went back to the Tokyo government building and attended a lecture. It was all about traditional Japanese dance. Nishikawa Minosuke gave the lecture. He has won many awards for his dance. He showed us some of the basics of Nihon Buyo. This type of dance tells a story. The way the dancer moves depicts if he is acting as a boy or girl character. Faster movements with arms inwards depict a younger character. Slower movement with arms wider depicts a mature character. He also uses props like a fan or a towel to help tell the story. The way the dancer moves also shows what he is doing. He could be writing a letter, rowing a boat, or cleaning a shop. Minosuke also showed us a dance called Itako Dejima. It is based on a folk song from the town of Itako. It talks about a boat ride and the beauty of the Irises all around. We were able to go up in small groups and learn parts of the dance.

The "Mono no Aware" and Japanese Beauty Exhibit

            Next we went to the Suntory Museum of Art. They had a small exhibit there called “Mono no Aware” and Japanese Beauty. The art focused on the changing of the season and the phases of the moon. We were able to see many beautifully decorated scrolls and screens. “Mono no Aware signifies the deep, sensitive, exquisite feelings experienced in encountering the subtleties of human life or the changing seasons.” All the art was very beautiful.

Akihabara Electronics district

            Our busy day led us to Akihabara. Akihabara is a district in central Tokyo. It is famous for all of its electronic shops. It is also known as an Otaku (die hard fan) area because it has a lot of manga and anime. They also have maid cafes there. Ladies dress up in scandalous maid costumes and serve men tea. We weren’t given much time here so I did some shopping. Liz spent her time in a cat café. This is where you pay a small cover charge to go in a café that has a bunch of cats. You can play with the cats and drink tea and coffee. She had a really good time.

Kabukiza Gallery

            The last stop of the day was the Kabukiza Gallery. Kabuki is a form of theatre that is performed by all men. They play and dress up as the female characters in the show. They wear lots of makeup and use props. We were unable to see a show but we were able to visit the gallery. The current exhibit was “Elegance of Kabuki Spring.” This focused on the use of cherry blossoms and flowers in their design. We were able to see the floral set pieces, costumes, and props. It was a cool experience but I really wish we would have been able to see a show.

            The days are really winding down. Tomorrow is our last full day before we fly home. Jess and I were lucky enough to get in contact with some friends from Salamanca, Spain. My friends Akane and Yoshi came while Jess’s friends Eriko and Keisuke came. Now I can gladly say that Eriko and Keisuke are my friends as well! Our time together was short but so much fun. The group went out of their way to come to Shinjuku (the part of Tokyo we are in), to meet us at our hotel. Then they took us to a restaurant on the third floor of a building. We had to take off our shoes when entering the restaurant. To order food there was a touch screen that you pressed. They ordered us all sorts of great and interesting food. We had takoyaki, which are octopus balls, some really delicious shish kebabs, tofu, octopus in wasabi, and Japanese fried chicken.

            Afterwards we went to a Japanese photo booth. It took lots of pictures and in the pictures it magnified our eyes. After it was all done we were able to draw on the pictures and change all the backgrounds. It was really fun. In all, it was so great to see people from Salamanca and I am so thankful that they took us out tonight. I was so happy at the end of the visit when they told me that they would see me again when I return to Japan. Also they said the soccer guys really wanted to come but were unable to; but that they do want to play soccer with me this summer. I cannot wait! It makes me look forward to my future travels.

  

Visiting some very important People

            We packed up our suitcases and loaded the bus. This was our last day in Chiba Prefecture. We had a few stops left to make before heading back to Tokyo.

Makuhari Messe

            We started the day by visiting the Makuhari Messe International Convention Center. It is the second largest convention center in Japan. The facility was huge and the design was very modern. The main exhibition hall is split into eight parts. Depending on the size of the event the walls between the conference center can be taken down to make the space larger. One space was huge. It could probably fit two great big airplanes. We also learned that to rent one space for 24 hours it would cost 2,000,000 yen or 20,000 American dollars. The whole area is really huge. They’ve had everything from concerts to conventions there. While we were visiting there was a convention presenting science research.

Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line

            Next we visited the Tokyo Bay Aqua-line. This giant bridge and tunnel connect Chiba to Tokyo. Before the bridge was built it would take an hour and a half to get from Chiba to Tokyo. After it was built it only takes 30 minutes. There is a giant bridge over the water and an underwater tunnel. At the middle of the bridge there is a museum and a spot to get out and view the Aqua-line. You can walk around and take pictures or there are some shops and restaurants. Liz and I got frozen yogurt at one of the little shops. It was so good! I had this amazing kiwi flavored yogurt.

Frozen Yogurt

            After this short side trip we went to the most important session of the day. We arrived at the Chiba Prefectural Government Office. I was surprised to see a bunch of people that I had worked with selling sausages the other day. They were all in very fancy suits. Many of them worked as subordinates of the Governor. It was so funny because at the International Flea Market I was speaking to them very casually and as if they were good friends because I didn’t realize how important they were. They were super happy to see me. One lady had printed off pictures of us at the Flea Market and gave them to me.

The Governor of Chiba

            At the office the first thing that happened was the CWA (Chiba-Wisconsin Association) president gave a speech. I was happy to see Mori-San, part of the steering committee there. He was at the Flea Market event as well. I also saw the government official that I had spent much of my day at the International Flea Market with. I had walked with him to the Chiba-Wisconsin sister-state monument the other day and we talked so much. It was weird to see him so dressed up. He was happy to see me there and we got to talk a little bit again. I felt so proud and special because I knew so many important people. Now I think I understand the meaning of “networking”.

            Next the Governor of Chiba, Kensaku Morita, gave a speech and welcomed us. He was a really friendly and funny guy. He started his career as an actor and singer then later in life pursued politics. His chat was very short because he is a very busy guy. This made me realize once again how lucky I am to be on this program. I didn’t realize how important the Chiba-Wisconsin bond was. We were specifically selected because of this.

Me sitting in the Chairman's Chair

            Afterwards we watched a video about Chiba and then toured the government building. We visited the crisis center, which had a bunch of cool TV’s that showed video of the city. We also visited the official chambers of the government where representatives would sit during their meeting. In all, the visit was very flattering. Not many people are invited to the government building.

            After finishing our visit we drove back to Tokyo. Liz and I wanted to visit a Cat café. It’s a place where you go to have tea/coffee and play with cats that they have there. My roommate You and another girl came along. Our professors helped us figure out the metro. It was so busy. We found our way to the café only to find out that it was closed.

            Tomorrow sounds like it will be a very busy day.

Rainy day at Chiba University

           Usually in Wisconsin when it rains it gets cold. Here in Japan, when it rains it only gets more humid. We took our umbrellas and headed to Chiba University. The campus tour had to be shortened because of the rain. We saw a few of their buildings but mostly tried to stay inside. One cool thing that they had was an English area. It was part of a building that had an upstairs and a downstairs. The downstairs had nice places to sit and someone selling tea. Students could come to this place to practice their English. Upstairs they had a bunch of English books and a TV to watch English shows. They also had little rooms for when they had guest speakers come. One of the English professors spent some of her time upstairs tutoring students. Students could come at any time to this place. This is something I want to take back to my University. Perhaps we could start a Spanish room.

English Room

            During the next portion of the day there was a mini club fair. Students showed off their clubs. We saw Iaido sword art club, an acapella group, traditional Japanese music club, and juggling. They were all very excited to show off their hobbies.

Juggling club

Acapella Club

            Next we had dinner at the cafeteria and then went to two lectures. The first lecture was about University life. We sat with Japanese students and discussed what our schools were like. We talked about what was similar and what was different. Then we had a lecture on the Globalization of Hello Kitty. The lecture showed how one small icon could become so popular throughout the globe. The day seemed to go by quickly. Chiba University was very hospitable to us.

            After returning to the hotel we had “Western style” dinner. Some people in the other group had dietary restrictions. One girl is allergic to fish. Because of this we are not having much traditional Japanese food because a lot of it has fish in it. This means we are forced to have western food. This means that Japanese people are cooking what they think American food is like. To be honest, it hasn’t been very good. Jess and I picked at our dinners and then decided we were going to go out to get some decent food. The mood was not good. We walked around for a long time, without finding a place. Jess got some stuff at a bakery and then walked home.

Wet from the rain and at the restaurant

            Liz and I didn’t want to go home so early. We stopped in a little place that looked lively. There were only about 5 tables in the whole place, and four of them had people at them. A very old lady about 4 inches shorter than me guided us to a table and brought us silverware. Then a younger guy asked us what we’d like. He knew no English and we didn’t know any Japanese. We both had a drink. Then a girl came and brought us a menu. It was all in Japanese. I flustered and tried to explain what I wanted. I told her dumplings and she showed me a plate with a little rolled up ball. It looked small so I asked for 5 but then she ruffled her face so I asked for four instead. What I got was surprising. It was four great big onigiri. Onigiri are balls of rice in a triangle shape. In the middle there is a surprise. Mine had salmon in them. They are wrapped in seaweed. They were so good. Liz helped me eat some because four was way too much and we didn’t want to leave any food uneaten.

            It was a really fun time. The place was small and homey. They had real seafood. I saw an octopus tentacle by where a man cooked. When we were all done eating the waitress and waiter walked us to the door and said goodbye. I was really worried that they would be upset with our inability to communicate but it didn’t matter. They were so inviting.

            After all this walking I was tired. It is our last day in Chiba and our hotel has an Onsen, which is a traditional Japanese bath. It is usually a hot spring but this one was in our hotel so it was more like a bathing facility. My roommate had been going to the Onsen everyday with a group of girls on the trip. I did not go with them because you have to bathe naked in the bath. Since it was the last day here I decided that I had to go.

            Here’s how it works. You go in the locker room and take your clothes off then you enter the shower room. There are a bunch of little stalls with stools that you sit on. In your stall is a little showerhead, a bowl for pouring water on yourself, shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. First you wash yourself off and then you enter the bath. It’s dark and there is water running into a big tub very similar to a hot tub. It’s quiet and when you sit in the tub you can listen to the water rush in. The water is so hot. Afterwards you get out of the tub and shower again.

            Although the experience was awkward at first, in the end it was very empowering. All different women with all different bodies bathe together. No one is shy. They just come, do their bathing, and then leave. You don’t feel any body shame because everyone is so unique.

            Tomorrow we head back to Tokyo for the last couple days here.