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Two month of Japan

a travel blog by JuergenS

Hello to all of you!

I am going to travel through Japan for two months, starting July 10, and hope to create a blog that can represent my experiences, at least at a basic level. I plan to do this quite like a diary.

Having long since honed a desire for seeing the world, especially Japan, and being in the lucky position of having time and money align now, I am quite excited to set off!

One crucial part of this journey will be the language, and it will be interesting to see how far my Japanese will get me.
Oh, and don't forget the Japanese cuisine!
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Preview: Yokohama and end of solo traveling

Tokyo, Japan


Planning

Tomorrow I will visit Yokohama for its Chinatown and Landmark Tower. Also it would be kinda weird to live in Yokohama for a month and never get to its center, no?

Also, starting next Monday I won't be traveling alone anymore, as my girlfriend will finally join me for the last two weeks of this journey. One week in Tokyo, the other in Kyoto and heading back home from Narita, that about sums it up. We will do some things I already wrote about (I will dump some pictures of those, if we take interesting ones) as well as visit places I do not know yet. I will try to keep you updated.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 19, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Yokohama

Yokohama, Japan


Chinatown

Just a quick note: Finally got to visit Yokohama today. It is just a half-hour jump from where I live, which by region is actually part of Yokohama, not Tokyo.
The city sports the biggest Chinatown of Japan and this was the first point on my agenda. There are ten colorful gates serving as entrances and the flair of China that is probably the same all over the world. Of course lots of red and blue and many many eateries, from small stalls selling steamed dumplings to high-class restaurants. Ate at a place that was recommended by my Lonely Planet and way more classy on the inside than it appeared to be on the outside, with separate greeting lobby, classical music, huge carvings and all. The food was great, the impact on my wallet too.
Pictures:


Chinatown gate

Chinatown

Chinatown gate

Chinatown gate

Chinatown

Chinatown

After some shopping I continued to the bay area and the artificial islands that were constructed there:


Yokohama bay

Yokohama bay

Yokohama Small Sight?

Spirit of Water

Yokohama bay

Yokohama bay

Walked along the harbor and came by this amusement park:


Park attraction

Ferris wheel

Didn't really interest me, had some customers though.

After a while I reached the Landmark Tower, the highest building in Japan and its surroundings. Lots of shops there of course, some performer showing off his skills and a cluster of fast food restaurants.
Pictures:


Landmark Tower

Landmark Tower

In front of the Landmark Tower

Square deco

Square deco

Didn't do much more that day, went home after I got my Yokohama-HRC-shirt.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 20, 2010 from Yokohama, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Azabu Juban Festival

Tokyo, Japan


Azabu Juban Festival

The Azabu Juban Festival was going on in Azabu Juban this weekend, a giant culinary market with lots of foodstuff to try and an international corner as well! Of course I had to take a look/taste.

The first thing I couldn't help to notice were the pure masses of people drifting through the stall-lined streets, navigating here was going to be a pain:


Azabu Juban Festival

Azabu Juban Festival

Azabu Juban Festival

Azabu Juban Festival

Letting the crowd take me where it would I wandered the area for a while, taking a taste here and there, stopping for a sake seller with samples and a breather.

The food ranged from local specialties of all over Japan to the usual Matsuri fare.


Crepes

Takoyaki

I have no idea what they are selling

Matsuri food


Namahage
Also present were two Nagahame, mystical creatures often impersonated to scare children into obedience if they don't behave at home.
Screaming and crying are pretty much an expected part of this with kids around, with their parents offering a safe haven for then and gaining proper behavior that way. They were more of photo models here though.

The shrine of the area had something going on as well, was too crowded for me to get there though, but the music drifted over.


Azabu Juban Shrine

Azabu Juban Festival

Being a practical people, the locals took this opportunity to sell some of their stuff as well, a flea-market of sorts formed in the side-streets.

Azabu Juban sees a lot of foreigners with many embassies from all over the world being located there, and so is the Austrian one. Went there to take a look, who knows if I need it someday if loose my passport or something. The operating hours immediately reminded me of home.


Embassy of the Republic of Austria

Feels like home *lol*

Stuffed and packed with potential souvenirs, I left the crowds behind and went home, to prepare for my girlfriend to arrive. She will probably hijack this blog some times, so be prepared for that.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 21, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Cultural: Bath houses and onsen

Tokyo, Japan


Funaoka-onsen entrance

As Japanese houses are, mostly, pretty small and apartments or rooms for singles even more so (don't get me started on students..), many Japanese don't have their own bath (e.g. shared bathroom with a shower in a guest house or the like). To compensate for this, and provide a means of getting some relaxation in a tub filled with hot water, sentos (bath houses) can be found pretty much in every neighborhood. You pay your fee there and can stay as long as you like.
The procedure is as follows_

You start by taking off all your cloth in the locker area and enter the bathing area only with a small towel and your hygiene products. In there you usually find a wall lined with small plastic seats, mirrors and showers. Head for those. Here you get yourself clean, and I mean really clean. You can do more than just scrubbing yourself semi-raw by the way, I say guys shaving and brushing their teeth, so as long as you get clean, pretty much everything is fine. Use your small towel as a washcloth.

When all the bubbles were washed away, you are ready to enter the baths themselves. Depending on the size of the sento there may be different dimensions, temperatures, tub materials and water properties to choose from. Kusuri (herbal/medical) and electric (yes, with an electric current running through the water) baths may be available as well. You can start at one and try them all, as long as you don't pass out from the heat.
In cases where the water comes from a hot spring, its called an onsen. There are public ones to use just like your regular sento, others however are included in ryokans, traditional lodging houses.

The onsen I recently entered was part of the Turtle Inn and indoors. Outdoor baths (called rotenburo) made of stone or wood are the more popular alternative however, especially in winter. Those are nice, really.

While most bath are separated by gender, there are some onsen offering co-ed bathing. Whether you want that or not, your choice.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 24, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Tokyo hopping

Tokyo, Japan


Tokyo Tower - Floor window

With Marion having arrived and recovered enough after the long travel we set off to make a big part of Tokyo ours today.
Oh, and with having two cameras at the ready now, expect more pictures of me, and of course of her, than till now in the following posts.

We started early in the morning with the Tsukiji fish market, where fresh seafood of all sizes and colors is sold everyday, the most popular part being the tuna auction in the early hours of the day where gigantic fish change owners to be used in high-class cooking.
Everyone is free to shop at this market of course and fish of this freshness and quality, but most importantly variety, is not easy to come by in most parts of the world.


Tsukiji Fishmarket

Tsukiji Fishmarket

Tsukiji Fishmarket

These vehicles are driving through the area all the time and can get quite dangerous. Taking kids there is not really recommended. They look pretty fun to drive, though *g*


Tsukiji sushi breakfast/brunch/lunch
Of course a morning at this market has to end with a breakfast/brunch of probably the best sushi in the world, made from fish that still swam freely a short time ago. We went to a small restaurant for this and, if a bit heavy on wasabi, it was of course delicious.
My eating habits changed quite drastically during my trip, the most obvious difference probably being the loss of my ability to eat large quantities without problem (the ones I celebrate with know what I mean), so the set I ordered was a tight fit. On the plus side I lost some weight and build some stamina, and not needing much food shouldn't be a disadvantage for a first-semester student having just come back from a quite expensive country ^^


Nigiri

Makimono

The next stop was Asakusua, the market, temple and Kitchen Town, but I already told you about those.


Senso-ji

Senso-ji

As my girlfriend put it, you haven't seen Tokyo if you haven't been to the Tokyo Tower, so that's what we did after the shopping spree in Asakusa.
Standing taller that the Eiffel-Tower, after which its modeled, it offers a nice 360° look of Tokyo on its Observatory platform. Nice to see all the way to places you already have been, e.g. the Rainbow Bridge of Odaiba.


Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower

Entrance to Tokyo Tower [chilled]

View from Tokyo Tower

View from Tokyo Tower

View from Tokyo Tower

Temple from above

Tokyo Tower mascot

Also in the area is the Hie-jinja, located on a bit of a hill. Unfortunately only a reproduction of the original, but a nice view nevertheless.


Hie-jinja

Hie-jinja

Hie-jinja

With hurting feet and a full camera we came back to Tama Plaza for some dearly needed rest.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 24, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Imperial Palace and Ghibli Museum

Tokyo, Japan


Imperial Palace East Garden

After a good rest and Marion having recovered enough from her sore throat/AC cold, we were of again, this time to see the Imperial Palace of Tokyo and the Ghibli Museum.

The Imperial Palace East Garden is the only part of the Imperial Palace open to the public and offers pleasant walks, a nice garden and massive walls build solely from fitted stone blocks.


Otemon-gate

Imperial Palace East Garden entrance

Imperial Palace East Garden

Imperial Palace East Garden

Rest house

Imperial Palace East Garden

Imperial Palace East Garden wall

Imperial Palace East Garden

Moat

Imperial Palace East Garden

Taking a rest

Dolphin, according to description

Painting the waterfall

Not much more to say about that, except that it was really hot.

After grabbing lunch and visiting Akiba we headed to Mitaka for the famous Ghibli Museum.
In order to visit there one has to make a reservation in advance, which is possible outside from Japan by using travel agencies, inside Japan, however, you are limited to buy tickets at LAWSON convenience stores. Those have terminals installed (called Loppy) that let you buy cinema tickets and make various other reservations, including entering the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Actually getting them was not quite easy, as I did now how to get them (the LAWSON site has an English explanation), I was however unable to read the error messages displayed. After getting some staff member to read the kanji for me I finally got the tickets, 1000yen each. Had to improvise the time and date, as the originally planned ones where already sold out, but whatever.
After arriving there you get handed a ticket for the in-house cinema showing exclusive short films, the ticket itself being three frames of a film reel of a Ghibli movie. Picture taking is prohibited inside but allowed outside and on top of the rooftop garden.


Ghibli entrance

Group picture!

Laputa

The building is filled with exhibits showing the evolution and creation process of the movies, original sketches and drafts, lots of statues and interior deco that created the illusion of actually being inside the world of Ghibli.
Also a cat-bus for kids to play in/with and of course a souvenir shop.
We had reserved for the 16:00 admittance so it was late afternoon/early evening when we came back.

Visited Hachiko again, for Marion to see him properly.


Hachiko once more

We are going to do some shopping tomorrow and will spend the Saturday in a ryokan in Sarugakyo-Onsen, Gunma, where a fireworks festival is scheduled.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 26, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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A ryokan experience

Sarugakyo, Japan


Sarugakyo fireworks

Today we traveled to Gunma, for we had a ryokan-reservation at Sarugakyo-Onsen for the night. The ryokan had Onsen-access and was convienently located for the fireworks competition/display ("hanabi taikai") held that night.

We arrived a tad late and called from a station on the way to not loose our room, but everything worked out fine. Taxi from the Jomo Kogen station cost us 5000yen, but was the best choice.
We were shown around the building and got some explanations, everything in Japanese, but we managed.
Our room was on the first floor, here some pictures:


Our room

Table - Center or the room

"Lounge"

Sleeping area

Yukatas

View from the window

Wallscroll

TV area

The notorious toilet slippers

Deco

We had reserved for dinner and breakfast, but did not know exactly what awaited us until we sat down at the dining hall. The food that already was on the table would have easily qualified as a dinner, but the courses just kept coming! Marion had to scoop along the way, and I struggled to finish. We counted 16 (yes sixteen) dishes, everything included, which were as follows:
- Sweet sake/appetizer
- Tsukemono (pickles)
- Seaweed salad + carrots
- White (rice/veggie) gruel
- Crab legs
- Misoyaki
- Wagyu over mushrooms, cooked on the table in a giant leaf on a hot plate
- Local specialty of rice: Cooked with mountain vegetables and herbs as well as mushrooms
- Sashimi
- Fish-on-a-stick ^^
- Peeled tomato (I don't like tomatoes, didn't eat)
- Konjaku + veggie salad
- Tempura
- Soup
- Tsukemono 2
- Fruits

Pictures:


Overview main course

Side plate

Mushroom hot pot


Sashimi

Fish-on-a-stick

Fruits

Dinner - The aftermath [Camera dying]

As you noticed by now, my camera started to break down. After the thousands of pictures I took with it in the last weeks I probably should have anticipated it. Still a shame.

After dinner we forced ourselves up and went to the hanabi taikai, which was much like Silvester at home, only without the cold and on a professional scale. I especially like the picture I used as header.


Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks

Sarugakyo fireworks


Sarugakyo fireworks

Bon-odori center

Having returned to the ryokan we entered the onsen (hot springs ftw) and relaxed. Onsen dwelling is great, by the way. Unfortunately the rotemburo was going through maintenance at the time, so only indoor bathing, but still nice.
Originally we wanted to go to sleep early, happened to stumble over Harry Potter in Japanese though and watched the last bit. Pretty much the first time watching TV since leaving home.

Breakfast the next day continued the style of the dinner before, lots of dishes and every single one in a separate bowl, each different in form and color from the rest. Here is the list:
- Miso soup
- Rice
- Green tea
- Salmon fillet
- Sweetened egg
- Konjaku + veggies
- Smoked salmon over salad
- Tofu
- Salad with mountain veggies + herbs
- Seaweed salad + carrots
- Minced tuna + wasabi
- Tsukemono
- Sweet red beans
- Dish of flavorings (spring onion, wasabi, herbs)

Filled to the brim we got on the taxi to the station and made our way back to Tokyo for the last night there before going to Kyoto.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 28, 2010 from Sarugakyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Back to Tokyo and Kyoto-Preview

Tokyo, Japan


Planning

Having returned from Gunma, Marion wanted to see the Harajuku cosplayers and the Meiji-shrine, so that was our next destination.

Happened to be the time for the Super Yosakoi 2010, a festival sponsored by Volkswagen that features massive groups of dancers/performers with impressive music competing for the first place.


Super Yosakoi 2010

Sponsored by VW

Super Yosakoi 2010

Performers resting

The synchronous movements were really impressive and I would have liked to see more of it. Marion was disappointed because there were no cosplayers today, though.

Here a video of a past performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KFap64g4vs

At Yoyogi-park a group of other dancers assembled, living the American spirit or imitating Elvis, I am not sure what they did exactly. They had music running and Twisted and rocked to it. Many of them had tattoos, which is pretty uncommon in Japan, except for Yakuza.


Yoyogi blues?

Yoyogi blues?

My camera finally died for good then, pictures from here on were either taken by Marion or by me in the past.

You already know Meiji-shrine, so nothing to talk about here.

Went home, packed and prepared for the next five nights in Kyoto, the last ones of this journey.

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 29, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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Hijacking a Blog 1 [Marion]

Tokyo, Japan

So, yes that's me, the girlfriend we're talking about.
I'm Marion, and I made my _first_ flight and long-distance flight from Austria to Narita.
Don't expect any high written art of traveling from me, either in words or photos.


Marion - before flight

I guess my parents were more excited than I appeared to be, so I had a ride with Jürgen's sister.
My flight was ok. The landings are cruel anyway, so I just had to arrange with the small space around me. I am used to this somehow- thanks to Austrian public transport- but this was really small!
Had a chitchat with my neighbor, and then fought myself to sleep- or something like this was my plan. Of course it had to be other way: Couldn't sleep and when I was on the brink to dreamland the flight attendants offered ramen.

So what, I came to Narita quite dead, had to do the formals and find my baggage, and meet Jürgen- somewhere out of this bolted airport area.
Even deader than in Narita I made it to Shibuya- visited Hachiko - and lastly to Tama Plaza.

The next day was a faked Monday to me, because it was already Tuesday, and the day we hopped through Tokyo. (see Jürgen's entries.)


M- geblitz-dingst

Tsukiji Fish market


Tsukiji Fishmarket

The wasabi under this fresh sushi had quite the spirit- had a free nose afterward.


Makimono

Nigiri

Hopping through Tokyo without seeing Tokyo Tower is like you have never been there. Of course we got to the first platform and enjoyed the view over the melting cities.

Entrance to Tokyo Tower [chilled]


M- a golden AND beckoning Hello Kitty?!
In one souvenir shop I found this Golden Maneki Neko Hello Kitty.
During the time I realized that there is nothing without H.Kitty. From toothbrush to boxer shorts, special HK and figures to whole co-products (like Kuromi, Star Twins)- if you look for it, you find it.

Had a hard time finding a way to Hie-jinja, because there was some meeting at the parliament (of course on that day) and the streets were barricaded.


M- stairs to Hie-jinja

M- Hie-jinja

Right after coming home the woes began...
Due to this over-air-coning, my way of saying that the air-conditions are used not cool but to freeze, I caught a sore throat. For recovering we made a lazy day in Tama Plaza, me sleeping the whole day and Jürgen enjoying his book.

On Thursday, which was to me Wednesday, we headed out for the Royal East Garden, commonly known as Royal Palace.


Otemon-gate

Imperial Palace East Garden


Imperial Palace East Garden entrance

After surviving lunch hour which is just as busy as the morning public transport peaks, we made a stop at Akiba (where Jürgen bought the exact figure I had problems with to get for his birthday last year -_-") and then we were on our way for the Ghibli Museum.


Ghibli entrance

Group picture!

Sure there is lot to see, but photographing is not allowed, so we have to keep those images in our memories.
I was quite impressed by the sketches and the coloring Miyazaki provided for his Museum.
Cat bus was attractive, but I was too old... fifteen years at least.
Miyazaki truely deserves the title of "anime no kami", due to his incredible creations and stories. Nonetheless, to my mind, he didn't revolt the scene as much as Tezuka did, creating something totally new (only the technique).

Anyways, I strolled alone to Ikebukuro and Akihabara on Friday.
I missed the glittering and blinking Sunshine 60' and had a hard time finding the so called Otome Road. In the shops I really felt misplaced: though I "like" BL/Yaoi I faced two difficulties: 1) In a series it's ok, but as doujin I can't get into it easily (or something like that I thought) and 2) IT'S IN JAPANESE! With problems deciphering Kana, it will take me years till I get the context (and the magical triangle of semantics&co), where I will have visited Japan even twice.
Left my money on my beloved Copics *^* After recovering from a price shock in Japan I handle my money more freely than ever, including buying Copic Sets and numerous souvenirs.

On Saturday we made our way to the Gunma Prefecture, for a Ryokan class experience.


Sarugakyo fireworks

On the same day fireworks were held, to me it was better than Silvester, because my toes didn't freeze to death, and it was fun watching Japanese doing a traditional dance in great number.
The next day, we returned home, for the last points: Meiji-jingu and Yoyogi Park Cosplayers. My luck brought me the Super Yosakoi 2010, a summer festival with groups performing dances on the stage. Was impressive, too, but no Cosplayers in the narrow sense.


Super Yosakoi 2010

Home again, we packed our belongings and slept for the last time in Tama Plaza.

permalink written by  JuergenS on August 31, 2010 from Tokyo, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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The pain known as large baggage (or: Back to Kyoto)

Kyoto, Japan


Planning

We finally arrived at Kyoto, after dragging our baggage through multiple train stations and on a bus. Luckily the owner of our guest House in Tama Plaza gave us a lift to the station there, one problem less to solve. The staff from Fuji is a really nice souvenir, but a pain to transport.
Anyway, we made it and are now in Kyoto. We will probably do not that much you don't already know about, so I will post some culinary/cultural rants and possibly a picture dump.

Another topic that came to relevance is the monetary worth of my souvenirs, especially my cooking knifes, as customs are a hassle. Will probably exceed the 430€ you can bring with you without customs duty. By a lot.
At least the space-problem inside my trunk is pretty much gone, as I sorted everything I won't take back with me anyway out and packed it the way I will travel from here to Narita.

Still some days left, we will try to make them count!

So long and stay tuned,
JuergenS

permalink written by  JuergenS on September 1, 2010 from Kyoto, Japan
from the travel blog: Two month of Japan
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