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.