Antics of the Drunk and Sober

So, to begin, allow me to explain. Electronic dictionaries cost around $200 dollars and they only do a limited amount. Also, they don’t have a touch pad, usually. So, to fill my need for a dictionary, and take advantage of the favorable exchange rate right now, I bought a Nintendo DS and a dictionary program. Now I have a dictionary with wireless that has a touch screen and I can buy other software for. And at a lower than average price since Nintendo probably sells the units at bellow cost to make a profit on the games. Probably the most expensive thing I will buy in Japan, but I needed a dictionary. That is what I spent most of Tuesday doing.

Then, Tuesday night, we had a party for Mori-mori, who seems to be one of the most senior of the tutors. Unfortunately the party started at 7, and he wasn’t supposed to arrive until 10. We made takoyaki, a Kansai regional dish, shown here.

Here is what it looks like when finished. If you pop this whole thing in your mouth right off the grill it can be quite hot. It does taste good though. Anyway, by 8:30 we had all eaten, by 9 o’clock 50% of us were totally smashed due to the small amount of food we had been given (I didn’t drink). By 10 the dorm father had to be walked home because he was too drunk to stand. At 10:20 Mori-mori arrived and had cake thrown in his face. The party got strange from there. Two Ryukoku baseball players showed up. One of the guys was pretty funny, and I would have thought he was hilarious if he hadn’t kept pretending to trip and then grabbing my crotch. That was more than a little awkward. I don’t know if it is just the baseball team or Japanese culture in general, but there seems to be much greater tolerance for behavior that Americans would consider “gay”. Although there is probably another layer to this. Anyway, he spoke no English, but we discovered he was the closing pitcher for the university team. He then proposed an American vs. Japanese arm wrestling contest. We grabbed Adam (whose sport is fencing), who had no idea what was going on and made him arm wrestle. The match went on for 5 minutes, and was close on both sides. It astonished us greatly when in the end Adam won. I told him later that he beat the second string pitcher, probably one of the strongest members of the baseball team. After this, the pitcher was not in such a good mood, but we made our best efforts to cheer him up.

The next day after class I decided to go to Kyoto. I had heard there was a monkey park and I wanted to go. I asked few people, but only Eric, Mary and Kari decided to come along. I promised them that if they didn’t see any monkeys I would act like a monkey and they could take pictures. This is Kyoto station. It is like a cathedral and is the nicest station I have seen in Japan. There are 4 shopping malls and one hotel inside the station. Also, it you go to the 12^th floor you can see all of Kyoto from above.

We took a train to something-yama (as I will call it since I have totally forgotten the name). We then disembarked and walked for 15 minutes until we got to this area. The signs are for temples, and there was an entire city block that was nothing but temples. Also, great lotus ponds.

And in the middle of the temples was this shrine.

Sadly, the temple charged a high admission price, and the Zen rock garden also charged a high separate admission, so we did not go into either. Instead, we just hung around the front and took pictures of these rocks.

We left the temples and ventured over to the monkey park, which we were pleased actually existed, but not pleased that you had to pay a high admission fee, hike to the top of a mountain and had no guarantee of seeing monkeys. But we took this picture anyway.

We then discovered this sign farther along the path. If I had known that the monkeys shoot flame out of their butt I would have definitely paid for admission. Maybe some other time I can see the majestic fire-butt monkey in the wild.

So, monkeys having not been seen, I fulfilled my promise.

We searched the area for hot springs for a while and wandered in the small town of something-yama. The town is entirely very high class restaurants, Ryokans, private homes and souvenir shops. Apparently there is also white water rafting, and we may be going back. However, we also saw some very tough looking men in suits get out of a car and go into a tea house, so we don’t know if we’ll be spending too much time there.

We returned to Kyoto and went to Starbucks. Coffee in Japan is apparently very weak and sweet. The coffee that we American students here have made was found appallingly disgusting by the Japanese tutors. Thus, most of my small party had to go to Starbucks to get some real coffee. We then walked to Higashi-honji Temple, the temple that founded Ryukoku university. Huge temple.

The main wooden structure, however, was being refurbished, so it had been encased in a warehouse to keep it safe.

We went in. The main hall was silent, since we found out later it was past closing time. It was dark, with the smell of wood. Very creepy.

After visiting the temple we returned to Kyoto station, let the girls shop a little, ate some alright food served by a really rude waitress and ate fabulous waffles. It was then that I tried fresh Kiwi juice. Please take heed. Do not drink Kiwi juice unless it is strained. When they blend the Kiwi the seeds are fractured and made sharp. The sensation is interesting. It feels like drinking sand. The bad part is, after drinking the Kiwi juice my throat hurt all night because of the tiny scratches left by the seed shards.

All in all, great two days.

How I Spent My Japanese July 4th

To begin with, a little disclaimer. In experiencing another culture, thing are not always, shall we say, PG.

So for fourth of July some friends and I headed down to the Tomato and Onion, the local american food resturant, to get some steaks and celebrate. The fact that a 4 ounce steak cost 15 dollars meant that we all got hamburgers instead. On a whole, I was not impressed with the hamburgers at the Tomato and Onion. They were overcooked, though admitedly, the tomatos and onions were delicious. After lunch Mary decided that she wanted to have one of the pins that read ``I love Tomatoni`` that the waitress was wearing, so I sucessfully negoicated in Japanese and got the manager to sell me one. I was quite proud of myself. I gave the pin to Mary.

We went to the store and walked around looking for a cheap umbrella since the rain had not let up. Among the intresting things I saw was the fact that the Nintendo DS has a japanese english dictionary program. I am going to research this further, and if it turns out to be true, then I might buy a DS, because unlike all the other dictionaries on the market, I can draw the Kanji that I need and it will look it up!

However, the higlight of the day was our visit to the Mens DVD store. Kari and Mary both really wanted to go, and the guys in the group were probably equally curious about what was inside a Japanese porn shop, though we were less vocal about this curiosity. It was very intresting. Inside was a normal store with videogames and toys (nonpornographic ones), which took up about half the floor space. But behind a curtin were huge celing high shelves bursting with Adult DVDs. They also had pornographic video games. To purchase the merchandise, you walked up to a screen that prevented the shop keeper form seeing your face so that you did not have to suffer the shame of being seen buying porn by a woman. Unfortunately for the single customer, who looked like he had just reached the appropriate age, we walked in to the adult section led by two girls, who arrived just in time to withness his moment of shame. Poor guy. I hope we didnt traumatize him.

However, while the layout of the shop was intresting, the content was largely not. I do wonder though, where do they find all the girls to act in these films? With the number of adult movies out there, I must have met somebody who has been in one.

The rest of the day was tame. Watched the Incredibles then Death to Smoochy. Then read and went to bed. And that was my day.

Forth of July, from Japan

So, I am trying a new method for loading pictures onto this site, so please forgive me if I fail in this endeavor and end up referencing pictures that do not exist. To begin with, the climate of Japan is rainy, as can be seen in this picture. This entire weekend it has rained to some degree. At the time of the writing of this post it was positively dumping. Because of this incredible rain, Japan is an umbrella country. You can buy an umbrella every block, there are umbrella racks in stores, and you rarely see anyone wearing a poncho. However, I find the rain to be good, because on days it rains it is not as hot.

So now that the weather stage has been set, let’s start on Friday afternoon. Well that day I went to see Chiaki, who Kari and I met, perform with her group. She had an excellent voice, and I felt terrible running out when I did but I had to catch the bus to get to the station. I plan to go again on Monday to apologize and tell her that she did a great job.

Anyway, I made my bus, and got to the station. Since no one else had arrived yet I had the chance to try some doughnuts from a local shop. In an effort to avoid being surprised by anything inside I bought a piece of bread that could not possibly have had cream inside because it was too small. I bit into it and found it to be filled with a disgusting cream. A short time later most of my class arrived, and after logistics that took forever we set off for Kyoto to visit Nijojo, the palace that the Shogun used to stay in when he visited the emperor. An inner gate of the castle is pictured here.

Here is a beautiful shot of some of the intricate metal work on this gate.

Pictures were not allowed inside the castle, but I did snap this one of the garden. The castle was very well preserved, and still had the old nightingale floors. By the way, I tested, and there is basically no way to walk on the floor without them making a sound. The floors are really clever. It was really more of a palace, since the gardens were incredible, but the defenses less so. After the castle we all decided to sort of go our separate ways, kind of. I predict now that logistics are going to be a major point of stress for everyone on this trip. Our group is too large for it to be pleasant. Some people want to do shopping and some think that shopping is best done on one’s own time, and besides there are more important things to see which you cannot do at home. Oh well. I feel I may be sneaking off a lot. We had sort of a dull afternoon, and then returned home.

Saturday, however, was awesome. In the morning we cleaned, which was far easier than I had been led to believe. The fact that I use my own sheet makes my job even easier. This silk sleeping bag liner is really one of the best purchases I have ever made. So after I cleaned the common room while everyone else was buys in their own rooms, we all decided to have our picture taken with the weekly tutors, who were leaving. About 30 cameras, and roughly 10 minutes of continual picture taking later, we were ready for food.

There is no picture for this. Some of us walked down to “Mr. Doughnuts” to sample the Japanese doughnuts. On a whole, they were not as good as the ones I had in Korea, but they were alright. Except one. I chose carefully to avoid anything with a filling, but obviously I chose poorly. I bit into a beautiful doughnut that had cream cheese in the center. Now here comes a rant. I positively hate how they make such good bread and pastries here and than RUIN them by filling it with something that tastes entirely out of place. Why can’t I just put cream cheese ON TOP of the doughnut if I want to? I have probably wasted over 1500 yen on bread that I thought was great on the outside but had some revolting filling. *Sigh* Anyway, after “Mister Doughnuts” some of us went to the “SupaSenTo”, a gigantic public bath. This bath was different from anything I had experienced before. For example, there was one tub that had electricity running through it. Very weird sensation. Another tub was filled with some type of medicine that turned it magenta in color. I had a great time at the bath, and came out refreshed. It was probably the second best sauna and bath place I have been to, after the Jim Ju Ban that I went to in Korea, of course. We then returned to Seta and went to Karaoke. Karaoke was a blast. I sang until I was horse, and danced until I could barely walk. However, we simply had too many people, which made it less fun then when I went in Korea, but it was still a blast, and I will go again. I really love to sing.

On Sunday almost everybody took a trip to Osaka. I chose to be in the group that went to Osaka Castle instead of going shopping. While still too big to be enjoyable, our group of 10 was much more flexible. Anyway, here is the castle.

Now the castle was entirely rebuilt in the 1960s as it was destroyed in World War Two, as were many other major castles and temples. However, the foundations were intact, and just look at these walls. Look at the size of the stones they used!

The inside of Osaka castle was a fantastic museum, but since I don’t read Japanese, I was only able to come away with a little knowledge. After the castle we went to the main areas where young people like to hang out. Here I found the moving crab that I have actually really wanted to see. I saw this crab in an Anime, and I have really wanted to see it in real life. It is sort of a symbol of Osaka.

So, after encountering the 12^th underground shopping mall that I have seen on this trip (they all look the same, only the clothing that the young women wear changes from place to place) we walked down a very crowded above ground shopping promenade. The highlight of this was playing a taiko drum videogame.

So, that was the first time I have been to Osaka. This trip was mostly fun, though boring at times. However, it gave me a lot of ideas for places that I will later sneak off to on my own. Hee hee.

Today`s Plan

So Kari and I have been attending the live concerts that are held on the quad of the campus we are on everyday. On Wednesday we were invited to see the concert of Chiaki, who we had just met, so today, provided the rain in not as severe as yesterday, I plan to go to that. After that our group is going to Kyoto to see the imperial villa.

Anyway, last night we threw a suprise party for two other members of our group, Cindy and Grace. Very fun party, but not enough pizza to go around.

So here is another thing I have observed: the students here dont seem to study as much as us, but they are really serious about thier club activities. I have not seen anyone studying, but the music club has been there everyday, working for hours to set up and take down the stage. And the Intercultural Communication Culb that some of our toutors are a part of seems to take up alot of thier time.

On another note, I just discovered that I was in such a rush to leave the building and beat the rain today that I totally forgot to put on deodorant. *sigh* 恥ずかしい。

감자함니다. <---Hey Lynn, I learned how to type!

The Whole Story

So it�s been a very long time since my last post. Sorry about that. Anyway, I have many things to tell. So when we last left off I was heading to Fukuoka by way of Osaka. On the 18th of June I left the Alkire�s house and decided to take the Shinkansen as far as I could. By the time I got to Shin-Osaka station, however, it was really dark, and I got the feeling that even if there were trains to Fukuoka I would not arrive in time to find a place to stay. So I decided to find a Capsule Hotel. After wandering around Shin-Osaka Station for almost an hour and a half looking for the right exit, I was finally told that the hotel was in the station itself. By the way, a Capsule Hotel literally is what it sounds like. For around 30 dollars a night you get to sleep in a room that is just big enough for human habitation (by the way, I�m lucky that I am the same size as a Japanese man, my feet would have stuck out into the hallway if I had been any taller). In the hotel there is usually also a lounge and a bath. In Osaka this lounge and bath were mediocre, but the facilities in Hotel Cabinas in Fukuoka were amazing. The final feature of the Capsule Hotels that I discovered was a large green button on the capsule with a sign in Japanese. The only word that I could read on this sign was �Free�. I sat for several minutes trying to figure out what this gigantic green button was, afraid to push it but dying to know what it did. Finally I decided that if the police showed up I could always just play the stupid foreigner, and since it was �free� I pressed it. It turned on the porn. I was a little more hesitant to touch anything in the capsule after that, as I imagined the thousands of people that had stayed in that capsule before me.

In Shin-Osaka station I took my first Ofuro (Japanese style bath). The first time was very difficult mentally, especially coming from America where communal bathing among men only really happens with sports teams. What made it even more uncomfortable at first was the fact that since I was a foreigner staying in a hotel in which apparently foreigners never stayed, many of the other guests would discreetly stare at me, especially when I was naked. However, everything went well, and my first ofuro went off without a hitch.

After a night of wretched sleep on a pillow that was actually the hardness of a bike tire, I decided that I had to visit Ryukoku University and see if I could store one of my bags somewhere. I hopped on a train to Kyoto, then took a train to Seta, then took a bus to the campus. I then wandered until I found an information desk and asked if there was anyplace where I could store my bag for a week. The people at the information desk were really nice and called everyone who they knew who stored luggage, however, since it was Sunday, there was no luck. Finally they said I should go back to Kyoto and put my bag in a coin locker and just leave it, which I did. I then wandered around Shin-Osaka station for several hours, eating udon, buying train tickets and using the free internet. Then I got on the train for Hakata port, in Fukuoka. By the way, the picture is of the Seta campus of Ryukoku Daigaku.

I arrived at Fukuoka and checked into Hotel Cabinas, the Ritz-Carlton of capsule hotels. Everything about the hotel was four star, except for the fact that you slept in a coffin and paid only 2100 yen (21 dollars) a night if you were a member (which I became). There was a problem with Hotel Cabinas, however, that only I (as the one foreigner) experienced. The girl behind the counter did a great job. She was quick, polite and intelligent. However, all of these things were a hindrance to my understanding of her. She spoke too fast, with words I did not know and had the vocabulary of a college graduate, while I have the vocabulary of a kindergartener. I don’t think I understood a word she said.

After checking in, I wandered around Fukuoka until dark. Fukuoka has the reputation for the best Ramen in Japan, so I had to try it. There is a promenade at the side of the river where all the Ramen vendors set up shop. Beautiful location, great Ramen.

I took a bath in Hotel Cabinas� amazing facilities that night and slept poorly again. In fact, I had not really slept well since I got to Japan, and I was beginning to feel the effects of this. In the middle of the night I woke up and turned of the TV in the capsule, and to my great surprise and excitement they were showing Osamu Tezuka�s �Phoenix�, which I have always read about but never seen, in a back to back marathon.

Anyway, the next day I walked around Fukuoka again. I decided to try to get to Fukuoka tower, and in the process, I ran across the walls that the Japanese built to defend themselves from the Mongol invasions in the basement of a university.

I also ran across some girls who interviewed me in English as part of their homework. I was very happy about this, and it made me realize that I had not spoken English for three days, and was also very lonely. Here I am at Fukuoka tower.

I was very impressed by Fukuoka. The architecture was more interesting then much of the rest of Japan, and it seemed like just a nice city. I ran into this magician in a shopping mall. He was pretty good.

After eating at a 24 hour Udon shop (which had the exact same atmosphere as IHOP, except that it served Udon), I went back to the hotel, bathed and tried to sleep. The next day I bought my shirt, socks and underwear from a vending machine in the locker room. The shirt was great, but the underwear was way too small. I then headed for the airport and flew to Korea. I arrived at Inchon airport a little early, and had time to change money before Lynn arrived. When she did arrive I was incredibly happy to see her. Traveling on your own is great because you can do whatever you want, but you get really lonely. Anyway, here we are on the bus.

So we traveled to Lynn�s apartment and dropped our stuff off and went to the farm where most of Lynn�s 11 dogs live. I met the Pomeranian breeders who were caring for her dogs and met her dogs (although I cannot remember all of their names). We sat around chatting for awhile in Korean, about Pomeranian breeding, which meant that I had no idea what was going on.

And here is Lynn�s dog Smiles, who is the Korean national champion.

So after being treated to a great dinner, we returned to the apartment with a different dog then we left with. Lynn�s parents also had a dog, but it needed a friend, so we were bringing Machi (a puppy) to them. The poor little guy had never been away from his brothers and sisters, so he was a little scared. Anyway, we left with Lynn�s friend Jay and went to the Jim Ju Ban (I hope I spelled it right this time). The Jim Ju Ban is a Korean style sauna which was open for 24 hours. For a very small amount of money you can go into a massive facility and stay for as long as you like. Jay and I went and showered and then met Lynn in the mixed sex area. It looked like a ballet studio, except on the walls were doors to different temperature rooms, there was a bar, and there were a lot of people sleeping on the hardwood floor. I tried all of the rooms, although at first it was a little difficult, I got to the point where I could remain in the same room as Lynn and Jay and not need to leave until they did. Since I had been told we would be staying here overnight, I asked where we would be sleeping. I was told we would be sleeping on the floor, and that I could use a pillow if I wanted to. I was very hesitant, but I was told that Koreans commonly sleep on such hard surfaces, and since it was a new cultural experience, I did it. I slept the entire night, and woke up feeling great. I think it is because the sauna leaves you so exhausted that your body does not fight the floor that it becomes so comfortable. The next morning we all arose and took baths. I also went into a room that was 92 degrees C. That was too hot. Anyway, I have never been as clean as when I left the Jim Ju Ban that morning.

Lynn had an appointment to get her hair straitened (which confused me, as it was already strait, but indeed, it was straighter and blacker than before), so she told me to ask Koreans in English the location of a park. Unfortunately, I immediately forgot the name of the park, and instead took a subway to the center of Seoul and visited one of the palaces of one of the old Korean kingdoms.

The palace was almost empty, and was very interesting. There were signs in English, so I was not totally lost.

On the way back to the subway station, I ran into this procession.

I met up again with Lynn and another of her friends. We went to a traditional Korean noodle place, where the noodles were made from acorns and were served at the same temperature as ice water. Then we traveled to the souvenir buying area of Seoul and shopped for a bit. We took a break in this restaurant and had a traditional Korean desert of iced mochi and red beans (shown in the picture). We then traveled to the young and hip area of Seoul and Lynn bought a belt at a very interesting shopping mall.

We parted with her friend, and met up again with Jay. Then we traveled to her aunt’s house. Both of her young cousins are studying English, and I was able to look at the books that they read. It was really hard stuff. The Korean government may be expecting a little much out of primary school students, since the things that they were reading in lower school were grammatically as complex as the things that lower school students in the US read. Despite this fact, very few Koreans can actually speak English. I find this very interesting since I actually am seriously considering becoming an English teacher in Asia after I graduate. It may be more important to teach useful phrases than to emphasize grammar so much in my opinion.

Anyway, then we went to Kalbi. It was very good. By the way, I ran into another major cultural hang up that I had. Koreans all eat off of the same plate, drink from the same soup bowl, and commonly share glasses and cups. This was very difficult for me to get used to. Here is a picture of Lynn�s aunt and cousins and I.

So we took KTX (the Korean Bullet train) to Pusan, Lynn’s hometown, that night at 9. We arrived at 1:00 and her father and mother had come to pick us up, which was really nice of them since they both had work the next morning. We went to their flat and I was able to get another good night’s sleep.

The next day Lynn and I took an excursion to the ancient capital of the Silla kingdom. Unfortunately I forget the name of the town. But here is a picture of the station.

Then we went to the tombs that had been built for the kings (and queens) of Silla. Really cool mounds.

Unfortunately, it was really freaking hot. I bought a hat that only tourists wear, but poor Lynn didn�t have anything to protect her from the sun, so she was not having the greatest time. Since, in Korea, girls are supposed to be pale, she was very sad when she got what I considered to be the perfect tan. This is an ancient Korean astronomical observatory.

This is an ancient ice house. When we saw there was no ice we were quite depressed. Here is a fun story. When I was standing in that doorway, a group of very young school kids ran up and when one of the kids saw me he screamed and ran away.

And this is not a bad picture of me.

So then we took the bus to this great temple, but we could only stay for 10 minutes because we had another bus to catch. Still, it was neat. Very pretty.

We took a bus to this place, which is the entrance to a holy grotto. We kept running into massive groups of school kids. Some had the courage to say �Hello�, so I would say �hello� back, which made them bust out laughing, especially the girls. The grotto was spectacular, but pictures weren�t allowed, so I don�t have any. We then returned to Pusan and had Brugalgi (forgive me for butchering the spelling) with Lynn�s mom. It was awesome, and nearly as good as Lynn�s.

So the next day we went to the fish market. This was definitely the most interesting fish market I have ever been to, because about half of everything you could buy was still alive. Tons of octopus, tons of shellfish, sea cucumbers, starfish, and so much more. Although it was kind of depressing also, because unlike other fish markets where everything has already been killed, in this one you could see the killing taking place. About half way through the fish market, Lynn said that there was also whale meat, and asked if I wanted to try it. I hesitantly agreed. We sat down at table in front of a large pile of what looked like very thick tire segments. She negotiated with the shop owner and we were amazed to find out how expensive it was. 10,000 won (about 10 dollars) for ten quarter sized pieces. I kind of wanted to use the price as an excuse to leave, since I was beginning to feel really guilty, but the shop owner had already begun cutting one of the pieces of meat that she had. She served us and I sat there looking at the meat for around a minute. Finally, I tried some. It tasted like overcooked duck meat, and was very chewy. I can’t see why people like it, but I guess they do. I really didn’t want to eat all ten pieces, and neither did Lynn, but I would have felt more guilty letting it go to waste, so I ate it all. With each bite I thought of the beautiful humpbacks that breach near my house. When I was done, I felt kind of sick to my stomach.

However, that was not the strangest thing that I ate that day, but more on that later. When we went to take the subway back to meet with Lynn�s mom (who I learned later had taken the day off of work so that she could spend it with us) I went to get coins to pay for my ticket. However, the coin machine and the lottery machine are right next to each other, and since I don�t read Korean, I accidentally bought a lottery ticket. I didn�t win much. 500 won (50 cents).

So then we went and had some of the best frozen yogurt I have ever had with Lynn�s mom and after that, Lynn and I took a tour of Pusan�s coast. By the way, it is a battle to pay the bill in Korea. I frequently found that Lynn had done some sneaky trick so that she could pay instead of me. I think she eventually started telling the store clerks not to take my money in Korean, because even though I would present a wad of cash to pay for something, they would take her money. The only time I was able to succeed at paying the bill was when she went to the bathroom, and I snuck up to the register and paid. Oh, so this is some of the new construction going on in Pusan.

Pretty.

So the cruise took us to these beautiful islands.

Unfortunately, this is where the pictures end and the really amazing stuff began. We went to a book store, then returned to the flat so that I could change out of my very American shorts and T-shirt into something nice. Then we met with Lynn’s father and went to dinner and a Korean style Japanese restaurant. Now, the only thing that was Japanese about this restaurant was the concept. Seafood served raw. Aside from that, it was very Korean. Everything was fresh…like, 1 minute old fresh…if that. Actually a lot of the stuff we ate was still alive. It was the most amazing feast of my life, and it must have cost them an arm and a leg. Here are the highlights: sea cucumber (delicious), squid (delicious), fresh muscles, tube worms, abalone, this other shell fish that was huge and you sucked out of the shell, delicious tempura of the entire shrimp (including the shell), acorns and more. The most amazing stuff, however was the stuff that could kill you. Live octopus. They take a tiny octopus and cut it up into segments, remove the brain and the organs and serve with green onions. However, everything on the plate is still wriggling. This dish can kill you if you don’t chew enough because the suction cups on the legs still work, and it can attach to your throat and choke you. If it chokes you the Heimlich maneuver will not save you, since the leg will be attached to your throat like it is glued there. Very few places serve this dish apparently because of the high mortality rate. It was tasty, and really weird feeling as it squirmed in your mouth. But that was not as amazing as what came next. Puffer fish. This fish contains one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man. If prepared by an inexperienced chef, you will probably die. I knew this when the waiter put it down on the table, and was very wary to eat it, but I finally got up the courage. I didn’t die. It was a thrill, but I can’t say the taste was anything special. Other fish taste similar. What came last was the most amazing. Now I don’t know if what I am saying is absolutely correct, as no one at the table knew English anatomical words, but apparently they use the gall of the puffer fish in a green medicine that they served after the puffer fish. This green liquid tasted just like medicine. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I though gall was toxic, and gall from a puffer fish…

Anyway, it was the most amazing meal of my life. And then we went to Karaoke. It was so much fun. The fact that I spent all day trying new things with people that I liked made me so happy. After the karaoke I literally could not stop smiling, which made it easy to brush my teeth. That was definitely one of the best days of my life.

I woke up the next morning and Lynn and her father drove me to the airport. We talked about history, and I tried another Korean soy milk drink. When I finally got all checked in and ready to go through the security check point Lynn gave me a book that she bought the previous day at the bookstore. It was a beginning Korean book. That was too much. I got all choked up and started to cry a little bit. I gave them both a big hug and bid them farewell. I plan to return to Korea someday.

So I got to Kansai airport and took the train. Nothing really special happened, but the train ride was kind of scary. I had discovered a very strange lump on my leg on the day that Lynn and I went to the town with the tombs, and the next day I had noticed that it was not reduced in size. At that point I had a very strong suspicion that it was a tumor, but I got my fortune told by a Korean fortune telling machine before we went on that cruise and I had Lynn translate. I didn’t tell her at the time, but before I had my fortune told I was quite sure that it was a serious medical problem, and I was extremely scared. However, Lynn translated my fortune well. It wasn’t that the fortune was good, or that the translation was particularly accurate, but it was something else about the way she delivered the translation that I cannot quite explain that put my mind to rest. I didn’t think about the growth on my leg for the rest of the day because I was having such a great time. However, when I had to take the train from Kansai to Kyoto I was alone with my thoughts, and the worst case scenario machine began to turn its wheels. I almost got really depressed, but before that happened, I thought back on my trip to Korea, and the worst case scenario machine broke down. Mercifully, I finally arrived at Kyoto. I retrieved my bag from the coin locker, got on an over crowded train to Seta with 3 bags and arrived at the exact same time as Kari and Noel, who I know from Davis. We shared a taxi to the dorm, got acquainted and went to the local department store, which is about a 40 minute hike in each direction. Actually our dorm isn’t near anything, as I discovered, so everywhere is kind of a hike. That evening we went to a ramen shop for dinner, which was alright, but I would not eat it again. However, I got to practice my Japanese, and I have to say that I like all of the students and tutors. Some of the students were kind of shy, but I have already started to see them grow. Some of the tutors have really impressed me.

So the next day I typed most of this account, which took 4 hours (darn it, you’d better like it!). Then I walked to the department store again and got everything that I forgot, well, almost. I also tried meron pan (melon bread) for the first time. It was not bad. Meron Pan is very interesting because it is one of the only Japanese foods that is surprising on the outside and normal in the middle (usually). There have been so many times when I have bought something in Japan and been surprised. In Fukuoka I bought this bread that was some of the most delicious bread I have ever had, but when I got to the center I discovered that it was filled with the most atrocious cream ever. Even though the bread was great and I was hungry, I threw the entire thing out because the cream was so awful.

Anyway, I returned to the dorm and basically sat around playing cards and getting to know my fellow students a bit better. Actually, I wanted to wander around the town some more, but since the growth on my leg had not gotten any smaller, I really did not feel like being alone anymore. After cards I offered my help to the tutors in getting ready for the party we had that night, but they never really told me to do much. The party that evening was interesting. I played a game with 4 others in which one of our sushi was filled with a lot of wasabi and the other 4 were OK. I got the heavy wasabi one and it felt like my sinuses were turning inside out. We had a good time, but nothing that I would consider interesting happened. Just a pretty regular college party. I stayed sober.

On Monday we all arose and had our first breakfast in the dorm. It was very good. Miso soup, rice, bread and assorted “western” breakfast foods. We then walked to the Ryukoku campus. I am pleased to brag about the fact that, despite the fact that I am the whitest person here, I am also the best adapted to heat. Thus, after we reached the class room, everyone else was bright red, but I was still my normal color. The fact that I wear a broad brimmed hat when I go out helps too. So we got acquainted with the Ryukoku campus and got many stares. As almost always, I was something of an object of curiosity, but by now I am really used to it. We toured the campus, which is small, and ate lunch. What I haven’t yet talked about was my mood on that day. I was scared, and because I was scared I was grumpy. Much of the politeness that I take great pride in just did not manifest itself on Monday. But I was thinking about more serious things. After lunch Professor Cheng and Morimori (one of the tutors, actually, something of a leader of the tutors) took me to the student health center so that the nurses and doctor could have a look at me. I went in alone with the nurses and tried to explain the growth. I was amazed at how competent I actually was at Japanese. I almost got my description understood, I think. Anyway, the nurses thought it was a swelled lymph node, which mad me feel better. I had been sick so that made sense. However, when I saw the doctor he said that there was no way it could be a lymph node because there was no lymph node in that part of the body. I got the impression that he thought it was some sort of skin cancer since he decided to send me to a dermatologist. Cheng Sensei and I decided to meet downtown at 4:00pm and go to the dermatologist together. I returned to the dorms (Morimori was good enough to wait with me at the bus stop until my bus came), then I put my computer in my bag and headed for downtown. I went a different way than normal, and I ran into hundreds of grammar school kids wearing yellow hats on their way home. I discovered that day that the JR Station area has wireless internet, which means that I can use my laptop provided I can find a place where I can sit down and plug in my computer for half an hour. I had a shaved ice and met up with Cheng Sensei. We went to Tanaka (the dermatologist and he said that it was a tumor, but probably benign. He suggested however that I get a second opinion from a doctor at the local teaching hospital the next day, which I agreed to do after some deliberation. It was after I visited Tanaka that I made the very unfortunate discovery that the health insurance provided by the program I am in will not pay for my hospital bills. Rather, I must pay for all of my medical costs and then they will reimburse me. I only have a limited amount of cash, and I was furious about this. I still am. What is the point of having insurance specifically for traveling if it does not work in foreign countries?! Thus, I needed to withdraw some cash so that I could pay for any future hospital bills. Cheng Sensei and I searched the town and finally found a cash machine that worked on the campus. He was nice enough to pay for the Taxi: 1090 yen. I will pay him back. I returned to the dorm just in time to walk with some students and tutors back to town to get some udon. The Udon was great, and I had a good time talking, but I may have been a touch gloomy on that walk. I came home, bathed, and eventually went to bed. However, there is one more story. So we share a dorm with the baseball team, a group of really tough guys. So I walked in to the bathroom and they were discussing something. I had no idea what any of the words they were using meant, but I was able to pick out one word in particular that they seemed to say with particular relish. This word I concluded must be important. I memorized it, went up stairs and asked Fumi what the word meant. I had a feeling that it was very crude speech, and Fumi said I was correct. She told me I should ask one of the boys. The boys informed me of the meaning of the word and also told me that saying it to a woman was considered sexual harassment in Japan. *Sigh* Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have accidentally sexually harassed someone while learning Japanese.

On Tuesday I awoke a little later and had breakfast. Then Fumi and I went to the teaching hospital that is in the area. The hospital was basically one of the most stressful places I have been, because while I needed to understand what was going on, I could not. Fumi’s English was good, but had to deal with specific medical terms and translate them. Once again however the really stressful part was not the medicine itself but the whole process of registration and payment. Reception ladies are too polite for their own good. I can never understand them. Fumi is great, by the way. Today was her day off and she went with me anyway. She seems to have picked up that I was nervous because she kept making conversation that was not exactly related to the situation. At one point she began to talk about her family. Well the diagnosis was that yes, indeed it probably is a benign tumor, but I should have it taken out the first chance that I get. I was thinking of having the surgery done in Japan, but the doctor’s schedule was full until two weeks before I leave, which is not enough time. I need to recover and get to Tokyo. I decided to have the surgery done when I return home to Hawaii. Well Fumi and I went and met up with the rest of the class. We ate, and then went to an orientation in which we got to use computers again. Thank goodness. To be without internet access as I am now is something that is very difficult for me. Internet is a vital part of this trip, and with out other people knowing how the trip is going, I almost feel like the trip is incomplete. I don’t know. It’s a surprisingly hard feeling to put in to words. I guess I feel powerless as well. Anyway, then we toured the library, and later in the day the university provided a party. The party was fantastic. I spoke with tons of Japanese people, and learned several new words.

So then I went to class the next day, saw a Japanese band perform, traveled to Kyoto to find internet access, found it and sent this post.

Alive

I`m alive, in Japan, with internet access. Korea was fantastic. So that rumors don`t start, yes, I have had medical problems. I have a subceutaneous benign tumor in my right leg and I am going to get it surcically removed when I return to the US. It is probably not dangerous. But Korea was great. More later. I have a really long post weitten, I just need to post it. Korea was great.

Still in Fukuoka

So Im sorry, I still cant post pictures (this computer doesnt even have proper punctuation, let alone a USB port).

I spent all day in Fukuoka looking around the city abd searching for a better gift for Lynns mom, with no sucess. Its hard to shop for a person who you have never met, from a diffrent culture.

Anyway, Fukuoka is great. The highlight of my day was when I found the old wall the Japanese built to defend against the Mongol invasions in the basement of a University I happend to be going through on my way to Fukuoka Tower (which was also cool).

In between the two I had my first set of English students come up to me for an interview. For some reason, when I am doing anything that is important, like paying for something or asking an important question my Japanese totally breaks down, but if Im just shooting the breeze it gets really good. Will have to do something about that.

Well, Ill explain more when the pictures return. Take Care everyone. And if any of the men in the audiance have a desire to come to Japan, I bought a card that allows you to stay at hotel Cabinas for 21 dollars a night. Access to the spa (which is the best I have ever seen, but thats me, not being from Japan) is included with your stay. Also, the pillows here arent as hard as car tires...but there is a story behind that.

Happy Fathers Day From Fukuoka

So in case you didnt get my email, happy fathers day Dad!

I am using a very limited computer, so I cant post any pictures yet. But I can summerize. Stayed in a dive of a Capsule Hotel in Osaka. Tried to find a place to put my bags all day. Came to Fukuoka. Checked into the ultimate Capsule Hotel. Like this city the most so far.

Thanks for checking in every one. Once I can post pictures or go into greater detail I will.

Feel preaty good, by the way. Had my first Japanese bath, and that seems to have helped. The naked with a bunch of older men part wasnt that great though.

I'm off

Alright, I'm well enough. I'm headed to Fukuoka.

Just an Update

Just leaving a post to keep you updated. I'm doing alright. Have a terrible case of the runs, and a dry cough, and less energy, but aside from that I'm nearly back to normal. Got all of my school work done, though, and I got two of the 5 books that I am supposed to read durring summer session out of the way. Regarding these books, here is the review:

Naomi, by Junichiro Tanizaki. Very easy to read book. About a teenage seductress in 1920's Tokyo. Well writen book. I hated it. The main character goes from being kind of like me, and ends up basicly becoming the slave of a 19 year old nymphomaniac who openly extorts him for all of his money and destroys his self-respect. I wasn't too big on that transition. I also kept hoping that something would actually happen in the story, but nothing did. No significant plot twists.

The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, by Yukio Mishima. Dificult to read. Amazing descriptions of the mentality of a madman. Really explores the concept of evil. Better than Naomi, but I can't say I liked it either. It is a book driven by well writen descriptions rather than action, and the descriptions go on forever. I have to say, it was intresting, though, and it got me thinking.

Yeah, so thats all I've been up to. Just trying to be better for Korea, so I'm staying inside yet again.

Consequently, I owe the Alkire's big time now.

Not so great trip to Nagano

So, this post isn't a very happy one, but I don't want you to worry about me mom. I'm fine now and everything worked out. Nothing really dangerous happened, I just got really sick in a really bad place. Don't worry.

Anyway, before I start my story about my ill starred trip to Nagano, I thought I would show you this picture I took of John. What's up with the collar?! When he came in and changed the channel to this pre-recorded interview on Bloomberg TV we were all making fun of him about the collar.

And this is John reciving critical adulation from his fans (the firends of David and Miles) after the interview was compleate.

So anyway, back to Nagano. I once again got up at 5 AM and went to Tokyo station where I bought the very first Shinkansen ticket to Nagano. I bought my Bento and borded my train. The guy who was sitting next to me seemed very unfriendly, so after failing to start up a conversation with him, I began to eat my Bento. At the next station, the girl in the picture bellow came up to me an tried to explain (in English) that I was in her seat. I was preaty positive that I wasn't, and said so in Japanese. On closer inspection it turned out that she was supossed to sit next to me instead of Mr. Grumpy Face. We struck up a good conversation in Japanese which lasted the entire train trip. Her name is Emi, and she was traveling to Nagano for vacation. When we got to the station she was nice enough to help me find my way around, although, I did not entirely understand what was going on.

And this is Nagano Station. I had to wait for a while for the information desk to open since I was so early. In the meantime I saw some middle school girls skipping school.

So when the information desk opened I asked what to do. I was beginning to feel a little tired for some reason, so I felt like taking a long bus ride into the mountians so I could take a nap on the way. I bought a very expensive bus ticket, 2300 yen, to Okusha (pronounced Ok'sha) a shrine in the mountians 1 1/2 hours away from Nagano that was said to be very beautiful. I tried napping on the bus, with little success as the roads that we took were the most severely curved that I had ever been on. It was like driving up Lombard Street for an hour and a half. Now I don't get car sick, but that drive left me a little queasy. When I got out I had my picture taken with this sign. You may notice that I am not doing the shaka. That is because I am clucthing my stomach, but not trying to make it look that way.

Okusha was beautiful.

The nature part was almost as beautiful as Hawaii, and the shrine buildings had a unique character.

Very impressive stuff.

Intrestingly though, for being a shrine, the forest had a very weak presence. In other words, it felt like it had once been much holier.