Ganbare!

Many things happened this weekend; oh where to begin?

On Saturday, it was pissing rain. HARD. As in, if it were snow, it would be a blizzard. But this is Kyoto and we don’t get blizzards; only genteel snowfalls (I want a blizzard!). And I had to meet up with some students to interview about their Machiya Light-Up project for Kyoto Journal. It turned out pretty ok for a preliminary interview in my halting Japanese; we will do a more comprehensive one in English, so I can record it next week. I was also invited to their bonnenkai (End-of-Year) party; I might go for an hour or so this Thursday.

That evening, I met up with Emily and we went to the old dorm where Colleen used to live for a Christmas party Emily was invited to; she asked me to come because she didn’t know anyone besides the guy who invited her and she didn’t want to be rude and turn him down. We ended up socializing/eating/mingling for about an hour or so and then we went back to my place (I live 5 minutes away), knitted and watched Grey’s Anatomy Season 3.

Yesterday, Emi my jazz singer/songwriter friend performed at ShinPuhKan. On my way there, I noticed that Higashioji-dori was blocked by traffic; after a few minutes of musing, watching people and reading kanji characters disjointedly, I saw the runners and realized, “Oh! It’s the Kyoto Marathon!” and asked the police officer. Actually it wasn’t; it was the national high school race or something like that. I saw the leader run by me; as runners passed, people shouted “Ganbare!” “Run hard!”

The concept of “ganbare, ganbatte, and ganbarimasu” can be applied to any situation requiring luck; so while it means “Good luck” generally, it can be translated to mean “Work hard” as well, dpeneding on the situation.

At ShinPuhKan, Emi’s whole family was there and it was really sweet; Emily and I were the only “non-family” people there. The songs are the same but it’s always fun to see her perform. After, Emily and I went back to my place: more knitting, more Grey’s Anatomy. My baby blanket is getting bigger and I can’t tote it around anymore. I started working on socks for my “tote about town” project.

Speaking of knitting, I got a nice little surprise today and just in time for Christmas! My package from the Kawaii Swap came in today: in it was a pack of Hello Kitty Christmas themed stickers, a small box of chocolate (which I promptly ate, yum yum!) and a amigurumi stuffed cat, with a letter on Chococat stationery. So adorable! I think I will name the cat “Neko-chan.” (“Neko” means “cat” in Japanese).

Namu Amida Butsu

Traditionally, most markets in Japan were held on Buddhist temple grounds. In Kyoto, Hideyoshi moved the temples to a part of the city which was later known as "Tera-machi" (lit. "Temple Town) and if sort of became a fair ground. Today, Teramachi has 100-yen shops, a foriegn bookstore and still, countless numbers of shops selling Buddhist paraphernalia. You can still smell the incense from the remaining temples behind the shops as you walk up and down from Shijo to Sanjo.

I had mentioned once before that there is a temple fair in my neighborhood. I later learned that it is specifically a "Tedukuri-shi" or "handmade craft city" sort of fair. It's actually pretty popular - so much that I learned after going there religiously every month for the past year that it is actually in Lonely Planet Kyoto, where you can see an "alternative" side of the city, whatever that means. You do sorta see the Kyoto version of hippies there, complete with dreadlocks.

Still, you cannot ignore the fact that it is on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, named Chionji. I certainly couldn't ignore the temple (and the ichigo-daifuku, oh yum!) yesterday, as there were sounds like drums coming from inside. Usually, the shoji screens were open, but yesterday they were closed. I noticed other people going inside, so I took off my Uggs, climbed the steps and went inside.

Turns out, there was a Buddhist service going o, complete with acolytes, a head priest and other monks. Inside the dais, two monks and two higher level priests were cleaning the main statue (don't know who it was unfortunately, no information on Google Japan actually) and those parishioners on the inner part of the temple were drumming on these things like wooden frogs and chanting. I sat myself down on the tatami in the outer part of the hall, and tried to do seiza, but lasted less than 5 minutes. Still need to work on that. So I sat indian style, as straight and respectfully as I could.

At the end of the service, the monks and priests and parishioners came to where myself and the other spectators were sitting, and a huge Buddhist bracelet was produced. I sorta followed what was going on thinking it would be rude of me to leave. I can now say I have participated in a Buddhist service in preparation for the New Year. We all sat around the bracelet and with our hands under it, passed it around and around to the chant of "Namu Amida Butsu," the Nembutsu prayer.


That I recognized, and chanted along myself, so I think Chionji is part of the Pure Land sect. I am holding it the wrong way in the picture. My legs are in seiza in that picture, but I stayed that way during the whole thing, even with my knees creaking. People bowed their heads as the main bead passed through their hands - I did the same and hoped for a good new year.

Jumping the Gun

I almost always jump the gun. It's a very annoying trait that I have and I know I have annoyed myself again. However, I am trying to look on the bright side of things.

I have not replied formally to my friend's invitation to Tokyo yet, and in a way it was a good thing I didn't. I was very excited about it, posting it here and such, but I jumped the gun. However, I was getting a bit of a "feeling," if you get what I mean.

I took a look at my bank account today and let's just say with grad school applications (sending stuff international is expensive, now multiply that by 8), Australia, a stipend coming late and the most likely trip to the Philippines in February, coupled with the dismal state of my finances (though I did get confirmation that I made the deadline for immediate reimbursement when I get to Australia so I don't have to worry about that, but I get it when I arrive in Australia) I really can't afford to go to Tokyo, what with Shinkansen ticket and spending money even with a free place to stay if for a few days. Things pile up.

I know it would be a treat to myself, but that money is better earmarked for the Philippines because the family is waiting for The Aussie and I. They actually don't know that we are coming, but I know it's important to The Aussie that we try to go as much as we can. Plus I need to save money for when I get home.

That doesn't mean that things are looking bleak. I met up today with my friend Emi and that Shin-puh-kan (a shopping center remodeled from a 1920s building; I will go back and take pictures) and she mentioned how she was going to perform there on the 23rd and I actually wanted to go - she is an amazing singer. So now, I will go and I think I am going to cook Christmas dinner for some friends. I like to host parties (or at least the idea of it, I haven't really done it yet, but I have had friends over and I like to entertain). I didn't get to do it at Thanksgiving, but I will try to do it now.

Kyoto actually looks very nice all decked out for the holidays. So I may not be going to Tokyo but in the end, everything will work out. Tokyo is really messy, so maybe I will be able to enjoy the holiday more here. Thus, the Starbucks Tall Non-Fat Peppermint Mocha is half-full.

I Wonder How Turkeys Say "Gobble Gobble" in Japanese

Or in my case, Turkish.

In lieu of a turkey dinner, Ingram, Alisa, Ted and myself went to have Turkish food. For Thanksgiving. According to Alisa, she put in "turkey" and "Kyoto" into the Google searchbar, and a Turkish restaurant is what she got.

For it certainly turned out to be an expedition. We got to the restaurant, only to realize that we needed reservations, even though the place was crowded. Japan is very weird in this respect - there are certain rules and even the Japanese don't get them.

So Alisa gave the lady her cell number and we trooped back outside, in search of a replacement. Thing is, this is the busiest weekend in Kyoto and all the tourists were out in force. Again, it's momiji madness - the autumn leaves. Pfft. My inner New Yorker says "Go away, tourists! Shoo! How can you NOT hear my bicycle bell!"

This Thanksgiving, I didn't need to take the bus down to Kyoto Station. It took me an hour last year!

But it took about an hour's wait for the Turkey - I mean, Turkish food. Good things come to those who wait because we were traipsing from place to place only to find they were full when Alisa's phone rang. Mmmm...Turkish food! Almost like Greek so I was really happy.

Lamb and chicken souvlaki, hummus, yogurt dip, the works. Not exactly turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes, but the company was the most important thing. To be around friends and have a good time, even if you are in a foreign country, where the largest oven to cook the smallest turkey is practically non-existent. For that I was thankful. We all had laughs and shared memories and overall had a great time.

This Thanksgiving was quite different from last year. Last year I spend it with friends and their mothers and had both turkey and then blowfish the next day - quite different experiences, but being with them was like being with family, and reminded me how mine wasn't there. Add that I was barely two months in Japan and I actually cried from all the emotion surrounding the holiday and being away as I walked home from the bus back to the house that I lived when I first got here. I actually felt very much alone then, and lost.

But now, while I miss my family - and thankful for their support in me being here - it doesn't hurt so much. I am not being cold, but rather thinking that I have changed and grown up a lot during my time here. Being away from family during the holidays does suck, but it happens. I think I am better at dealing with things like that, as if I have gained my footing on my own in this world, and can stand up by myself.

I am also thankful for living in this city and having the opportunity to live here; if it weren't for the scholarship, I would most certainly not be here. Kyoto is great for students and wonderful overall; it's not like Osaka or Tokyo, this big fancy metropolises. There are so many things happening and even though the tourists are annoying I know they are crucial to keep the vibe going. This place is not just filled with little old ladies in kimono. It's a thriving city with a distinct heartbeat.

And because I live in this city, I get to see things that I normally do not see on a regular basis since I grew up in a major metropolis. There are lights everywhere in NYC even in the quiet neighborhoods such as mine and you really can't see the stars, save for Venus and the moon. Lately, on my bike rides back home at night, I noticed that on clear nights, the sky glittered.

When I was in high school I had to prepare for this one event at the science competition, which involved my partner and I memorizing the constellations. I was pretty good at it; I forgot most of them, but when I looked up at the sky tonight, I recognized the Big Dipper.

I had seen it several times before in the past few weeks, but this was the first time that it was as clear as day. Not a cloud in the sky, and the moon was particularly bright. I never get to see a lot of stars, but tonight was spectacular.

It may sound silly, but for that I am also thankful.

Fall is Here

I started up a new project, for my sister: an iPod cozy. On DPNs (double-pointed needles). Quite ambitious, since I am STILL not done with The Aussie's scarf (never knit a 6 foot long scarf with finger weight yarn!). After several attempts, curses and watching a video on the use of DPNs, I finally figured out how to knit with 5 pointy sticks. I showed my mom via webcam and she was astonished. So was I. DPNs are cool. I don't think I will ever do socks via Magic Loop.

This morning was a meeting of a new Kyoto Stitch'n'Bitch group. Me and two others, met up at the Sanjo Starbucks and knitted for 2 hours. One of the girls uses Magic Loop for her socks, and expressed concern at the possibility of my poking my eye out. We showed each other our projects, and upon further examination of the yarn for The Aussie's scarf (I brought a new skein with the label still on it because I am almost done with my current ball), we learned that it's not just wool, but it consists of mohair (ok, thats normal) and REINDEER. That's what "tonakkai" means. Cool and weird at the same time.

After, I went to Seria (love that 100yen store) and rode my bike back home. It was a beautiful day; and the leaves are really starting to change. So I thought I would end here (and my day of relaxation, back to the grad school grind tomorrow) with some photos of Kyoto in autumn. Hopefully, there will still be momiji (the maple trees) that are red by my birthday which is in two weeks; according to Prof. S. they are turning late this year. Ginko trees, which line Kawabata-dori, turn a luscious gold.

Halle-bloody-lujah

It did NOT rain.

Or rather, it rained again when I was at El Coyote, but it did not rain when I rode my bike there, or when I came home. Thank god.

PS. Bailey's with milk is an awesome drink. Slight kick but not too strong. I have discovered that I despise strong drinks.

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

...come again on a day when I am not supposed to be going out!

First, it was the night I went to Sam&Dave (a club) a few weeks ago when Chen came back. I took a taxi because I wanted to treat myself. And tonight, it's Salsa dancing at the usual place, El Coyote for my Russian friend Uly's birthday. I want to wear my Tory's but it's bloody nuts out there. Pfft.

How the heck is a girl supposed to look nice when it's raining cats and dogs! I am NOT going to risk my nice shoes in this mess; there is a big spot on my riding boots now that doesn't seem to go away when my wet shoes fell on it and I didn't notice till it was too late.

It has been raining ALL DAY LONG. Since exactly 9:18am according to my keitai. And not just a drizzle - a proper pissdown!

How do I know the exact time?

I had my koto lesson this morning (today, I learned a Japanese lullaby - now I need to get the words to it to file away into my brain for future reference). I woke up to the sound of rain and thought, "Dammit, have to spend 500yen on the one-day bus pass" (I need to take two buses to get all the way down to the Kujo/Tofukiji area, a little south of Kyoto station).

Then, as I got outside my apartment, I noticed that there wasn't any rain. So, I hopped on my bike, knowing somewhat that I am risking it. It was a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation: if I take the bus, it won't rain. If I ride my bike, then it will rain.

It started to rain, just as I arrived at my teacher's house. Ok, I thought, it's just going to be for awhile and there will be a lull long enough for me to get to Ogawa on Sanjo for some coffee and to dry off.

Man, the Shinto god of rain must hate me, if there is one. Since I am not sure, I invoke Zeus as the person upstairs that hates me at the moment.

It has not stopped all day. Good thing I know how to ride my bike whilst holding my umbrella; I went slowly and meandered through the traffic without a hitch, save crashing on my ankle which I did to myself but it doesn't hurt now.

My legs were soaked (the umbrella only works on keeping your upper half dry, since you are still pedaling). The stuff inside my Herve Bag (waterproof it is NOT) is soaked. I felt like a cold, drowned rat.

Missing Autumn

It's getting cooler now, but the weather in Kyoto is such that it is nice and crisp in the mornings and the evenings, but boiling during the day. According to my sister, Leah, it's the same in Rome.

I have to admit, I miss autumn in New York. Call me cliche, but there is nothing more satisfying then getting out of the 17th street exit at Union Square on the N/R/W/L line and ascending right into the Farmer's Market, for one thing. For another, just walking down the avenues with a hot drink in hand or just hanging out, enjoying the weather.

The air is crisp - which means the regular icky city smells (which I barely comprehend because I am either used to it, or my nose is dead) are gone and it's just replaced with a fresh nip - along with the smells of Starbucks Apple Cider or Pumpkin Latte from the Starbucks on the corner of 17th and B'way (it was featured in an episode of SATC, when Carrie has a sorta fight with Aidan and leaves the apartment). Everyone still runs about, but there is a bit of a slowdown, especially on a bright and crisp day. So sunny in fact, that you still need sunglasses along with your scarf.

Sure, the leaves are not that great. They barely get any color and by the time they do, they fall. But I don't mind.

I have never seen a New England autumn, only in photos. I have never gone apple picking, or pumpkin picking for that matter. Call me cliche city girl, but unfortunately none of the family cars would not make it out upstate or to LI because they were quite old (but now that has changed! Parents got a new car - me yia tous*). However, if we went late enough in September to our annual Woodbury Commons pilgrimage for back-to-school shopping, then the Catskills would be aglow.

Last year, I experienced autumn in Kyoto - but in reality it was a blink-and-miss. The weather is so odd here; I was still just wearing a tshirt with a cardigan come the end of November with just a light jacket for the evenings. There was one weekend when all the leaves were out in their flaming glory and poof! They fell. I just kept on asking, "Where did autumn go?" This year, I am going to try to pay a little more attention to the weather and make my second Kyoto autumn more fulfilling.

Now that I am applying to grad school, in a way I sort of dread it for a silly but somewhat significant (to me at least) reason: if I do not get into School A (which is in NYC and my first choice) then I won't experience a fulfilling New York Autumn for a very long time.

*Me yia tous/Me yia sas - something you say in Greek when you get something new or succeeded at something, sorta like "Congrats". The former is plural and when you talk about someone, and the latter is singular and directed to the person - so if I was blogging to my parents directly instead to the world at large, I would say that instead of the former.

To Do: Months of October 2007 to March 2008

I make weekly to-do lists. I like to know at least the things that should be accomplished during the week; it is somewhat obsessive-compulsive and Type-A anal-retentive, but it makes me feel better. It sorta harks back to the homework pads that I used to have in grade school.

A few posts ago, I made a list of things to do. To make sure that I actually do them, I decided I should give an update. So here is update 1:

1) Antiques Grand Fair - check, with two kimono and a vintage Christian Dior silk scarf for my sister
2) Interesting field trips for my class that I am the CA for - check in progress, semester ain't over yet (so far: two museums, one shrine festival and a visit to a Buddhist graveyard at a temple this week)
3) Maybe a trip to Okinawa/Hokkaido with some of my students/classmates? - no check, 90% chance going somewhere over Christmas so this is off the list
4) Japanese language classes start up next week at Kyodai - check, I get the placement test results tomorrow
5) Need to blog on the Kyoto Botanical Garden - check
6) Fall Light-Ups at the Temples (and a VERY delayed post on last March's Spring Light-Up for context, and another delayed post on Shirahama) - Shirahama, still working on that. The Fall-Light ups: those start in November. I plan ahead in advance.
7) I need to go to Osaka to get Kate Spade refills for my organizer (yeah yeah, I know I can get a cheaper refill but KS is so pretty! And I am a stationary whore). And I want to go to the Umeda Sky Building. - check on October 27, though I am thinking of getting a Japanese diary thing for this year to save some money since KS stuff is expensive. I saw a pretty KS-ish one at Loft for 1800yen and it is both monthly and weekly. Plus, I won't have to carry my big gold organizer anymore - I get these phases where I don't want to use it, and now is the time, methinks for something new. As for Umeda, maybe next time - might go to Suntory Museum instead with my friend Emi.
8) Random free festivals at Shinto Shrines - check, going to Nonomiya Jinja in Arashiyama's bamboo grove this Sunday
9) Momiji Madness Month (aka people go gaga for fall leaves in November)- it's just starting to get chillier now!
10) More flea markets- most likely in December, as I am broke, going to Osaka next week and I have the flea market that Emi is running at her school's festival on November 3.
11) TRY to see Kabuki in December-working on that, but I have the rest of my life to see kabuki, really
12) Check out a Sake Museum possibly- probably in November
13) Get my bum over to Kobe for the Illuminarie in December and eat Kobe beef!!!- this is in December
14) I get to play teacher November 22, when I give a lecture to my students/classmates on expositions in the Meiji period- starting to get a bit nervous about this...though I am probably overreacting
15) Oh yeah...grad apps.- London advisor (L.a.)knocked off 4 from my list, but I put one back for my own sanity since it's a safety and now I have 7 as opposed to 10. I apologized to (L.a.) saying that my personal statement wasn't done yet and yes, I am guilty of procrastinating and he just turns to me and says "Calm down, you will do fine, you have done well, its only October."

That doesn't mean that my somewhat frayed nerves are not un-frayed. No matter how many people tell me that I did good, I still feel like the black sheep (since I didn't do the traditional East Asia Studies major and study Japanese like everyone else) and inadequate, but that's the topic for another day.

Nonetheless, still many things to look forward too. At last count, I have 1,113 photos of Japan alone in my iPhoto. And more this Wednesday (Buddhist graveyard/temple) and Sunday (Nonomiya Jinja and the bamboo grove).

And the Winner Is...

...the Ray-Ban Aviators, gold frame and pink lenses! If you want to see a very horrible pic of me in them, as the batteries to my camera are dead, drop a line in the comments section.

My reasons for ditching Kate this time were thus:
1) They looked quite snazzy
2) Mel told me pretty much I need to get metal frame sunglasses so I can stop whining every time a pair breaks (HIS Oakley's have lasted 7.5 years, so the man has a point)
3) Aviators, according to Wikipedia are so popular because they suit many faces (so that assuaged any uncertainties on it somewhat)
4) They weren't tight on my face to begin with, so that means they wouldn't stretch
5) My sister (my harshest critic) approved (thank god for cell phones with cameras and email capabilities!)
6) I wanted to start spicing things up in my wardrobe
7) I can literally say that I look at things with "rose-colored glasses." Not so much a reason but a funny little pun.

Besides, I am still loyal to dear Kate. I am going to Osaka the 27th and I am hightailing it to the store to get my refills (and to mentally drool over the bags, and to mentally scream over the prices). And I am still holding onto my old ones in hopes that I can fix them and use them as my "beach glasses."

I checked them out Sunday after the Antiques Fair because my friend wanted to check out the department stores. She saw my neck scarf and recognized that it was Celine. Now then, people would think that I spent like $300 on it, but nope! 1500yen. She was totally shocked, because she has worked in a Celine boutique before. I think I mentioned once before that some brands make these cheap-o handkerchiefs, which I use as "couture-on-the-cheap." So she wanted to check them out.

I also wanted to check out something as well. Rumor had it that Daimaru Dept. store was where J.Crew had their foothold in Japan. Well, yes they do, but no it's NOT affordable. A dress that I like (and I most definitely plan to get - on sale that is) is $220 in the states, $400 in Japan. HOWEVER...this means I can resort back to the old J.Crew modus operandi: try on in store, wait till sale, order ASAP when on sale.

Provided they have my size that is. However, I signed up for this one-month challenge from Self magazine, just to get my booty moving and some motivation. I start tomorrow and am quite looking forward to it - free workout plan!!! I am downloading all the A/V stuff and saving all the info into a doc file so that in case after the 4 weeks my account is deleted, I still have all the workout routines.

At first, I was freaked out by how the aviators looked, but then I got quite used to them. I am very cautious when making purchases say over $100 - in this case, I took the photos, asked people's opinions (I also emailed Elisa, my mom and I think Deena) and I converted the Japanese price into American dollars to make sure I wasn't getting ripped off (I didn't - $137 after conversion and that is WITH the tax, and its $129.99 at SunglassHut.com). Then I went back to Daimaru yesterday, walked right in and got them.

Now I wish it was SUNNY so I can wear them! It's been cloudy this week so far and it doesn't look any better for the rest of the week. I still have hope.

Water, Water Everywhere, and Actually a Few Drops to Drink

Yesterday, I went to the Grand Antiques fair in the Fushimi area of Kyoto, several minutes south of Kyoto station by train. I went there with another girl and in hopes of picking up a few interesting things.

Well, there were a lot of interesting things - but WAY out of my league in terms of price. Suits of samurai armor, old estate jewelry, vintage scrolls, laquerware, furniture, pottery, etc. etc. In short almost anything under the sun. Some prices were utterly ridiculous.

I did, however find some things within my budget. Note to anyone going to Kyoto for a holiday - the best sort of souvenier you can get is a kimono, so long as your in town for any antiques fairs or the monthly fair at Toji Temple which is on the 21st of each month. Kimono are cheap, gorgeous and make great wall hangings. And they can be found almost anywhere - there were more kimono at that fair than I can shake a stick at. How do I know? I got TWO.


The black one is a formal, five-crested (the little circles) kimono usually worn by older women for occassions such as weddings. Younger women wear kimonos with brighter colors and longer sleeves, so that is my next goal. When I was at the fair I even saw a gorgeous wedding kimono - not that I would get it to wear to my own wedding, but if I had the money (it was only 8000yen but I only had 7000yen total to spend) I would have gotten it, it was gorgeous. I got the black one for 2000yen.

The second one was the first one that I got. The good thing about going to the last day of the antiques fair (or at the end of any flea market) is that prices get marked down. Case in point: my Chloe bag was marked down to 400yen from 800yen and then to 300yen when I apparently showed some hesitation. The white kimono was marked down from 2000yen to 1000yen - and as you can see in the detail picture, it was actually the design that got me since it was folded.

Unfortunately, there are some stains but they are more on the front of the kimono; I plan to hang it showing the back of it off a curtain rod when I get back home. I am actually thinking of going to the Toji fair this month - the 21st is a Sunday and I figured I can finish up my kimono shopping there before it gets too cold. Apparently to get the best selection I need to be there very early - normally I would go at the end but for this fair, I would want to go early.

I also picked up some old pictures for my mom at 100yen each, but also got another bargain, this time for my sister - a vintage Christian Dior silk neck scarf for 300yen.

The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round and 'Round...

As a part of the course that I am a CA (course assistant, I don't teach, so I am not a TA, teacher's assistant) for, there are a lot of field trips - of a sort. They are meant for the students (and myself, because I do the homework too) to get out and about in Kyoto because the course is about Kyoto.

One assignment called us to go to explore nature in the city; I being a city girl myself and pretty much can't tell the difference between a maple and an oak tree (though I do know what a Japanese maple looks like) I figured the best bet was to go to the Kyoto Botanical Garden. One part of the assignment was to identify what the bug or the plant was and to see what kigo is assigned to it. I have my new nifty denshi jisho and could easily figure that out. The plus side of going to a botanical garden?

SIGNS. There are signs in front of the trees. And plus, it was an interesting take to see how nature was under a controlled environment.

So I went with one of my students/classmates (henceforth known as s/c) and my camera died shortly after we arrived. My s/c took take photos with her camera while I did denshi-jisho duty, and she let me keep my own copies of the photos. My favorite part of the garden was the greenhouse: the combination of the greenhouse, flowers and the small pond in front reminded me of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with the Palm House and the lily ponds in the front.

Today, I went with 3 other s/c's to the Tale of Genji Museum since on Monday the class tackles the question of where is the Tale of Genji is in Kyoto today. Simply put: nothing from circa 1000C.E. (the period where the story takes place and where it was written) survives in the city, save for one Buddhist temple called Byodo-in and some other few small sites here and there. Everything was made of wood and paper. Nothing survives.

So, people down in Uji (city south of Kyoto and the place where the last 10 chapters of the book take place) decided to make a museum dedicated to the story and make it also a center for research. The issue was to see how museums tell history and how it fulfills its purpose. Even though it's not so much as a Tale of Genji Museum as a Tale of Genji - Last 10 Chapters of the Book Museum it was very nicely done, fancy yet subtle at the same time (it's designed to look like a Heian mansion but more modern of course).

Boring, geeky academic stuff aside, it was nice to go see the museum. I have three versions of the story (2 translations, an abridged version of the translation) and added another - an abridged, children's version in Japanese. One of my favorite parts of the museum was this techo-modern take on the traditional Japanese arched bridge. I'm thinking it was put there because the final chapter of the book is called "The Floating Bridge of Dreams." I tried to jump in the air when this photo was taken, but the effect of it is still pretty cool.

Can Ya Pay Mah Telephone Bills, Can Ya Pay Mah Automo-bills

Oh sweet relief.

September was quite unbearably hot, which meant I used my air conditioner. I thought it would be quite a lot since there were some occasions in which I would leave it on all night. However, I did my green part - which, I do admit, was partially motivated by the fact that I do NOT want to pay an extortionate amount of money for my electric bill. I thought it would be around ichi-man, (10,000yen, or about $80-$100).


The electric meter dude just came by.

I opened my little envelope with much trepidation.

3,614yen.

That is how much I pay on average during the wintertime - thank god. I may have mentioned this before, but they are cutting my stipend by ichi-man next month: boo. Eh, now that Japanese language classes are starting next week, I won't be in my apartment so much, regardless.

In Japan, you can pay your utility bills at the combini (and you can do everything at the combini, I love my local combini and I think one of the people that works there even recognizes me at this point) - you take the big white piece of paper with the amount to the register and they stamp it, scan the barcode and there ya go. No need to go mail a bill and go through all that hassle of trying to remember to buy stamps, as you can also pay the bills at the Post Office ATM machine. That I have not figure out how to do, which in a way, is all the better, since the Post Office is now privatized.

Oh, My Poor Tory's!!!

I got caught in the rain today. And I was wearing my Tory Burch flats. Screw me getting wet, I was more concerned with my shoes getting wet!!!

Allow me to backtrack.

Today was the Takasegawa Fune Matsuri, or, the Takase River (well, it's more like a canal) Boat Festival. The Takase Canal is really old and one particular part of it near Nijo-Dori served as a major hub for transport in flat-bottomed boats, and was crucial to the economy, yada yada...

...but at this matsuri, there were maiko. Two of them. Serving tea and sweets.

And I got a picture with one of them. Not just OF them, but WITH them.

At first I wasn't really sure if I could because there was in fact a sign that said, "Satsue Kinshi" ("Photography forbidden"). In that sense, I internally played the "gaijin who can speak Japanese, but not read it card" and started snapping as discreetly as possible. Spurred on by the fact that the Japanese were taking photos with their noisy keitai (read: cell phone) and big fancy SLR's, I started to edge up a bit closer to the maiko.

Snap, snap. They serve tea. I stick around a bit more. Snap, snap. I think something up is with my camera (too many buttons and I do not know all of them - it's really Mel's camera) but I think I fixed it. Snap, snap.

At one point, the tea ceremony-ish part was over, and the maiko were actually serving tea to those who were present. I didn't get served tea myself, but I did ask one of the maiko if I could get a photo of her, and got both of them together. There was one foreign lady sitting near me and I asked her, as the maiko were milling about, if she can take a photo of me with one of the maiko if I asked them.

Let's just say, my hands were actually shaking a bit. To see a maiko walking in Gion is one thing. To take pictures of them at the Miyako Odori is quite another. But to take a picture with one? I totally acted tourist, but all I have to say is this - I asked her politely in Japanese, and I said "thank you" in the Kyoto dialect ("Okii-ni" as opposed to "Arigatou").

(Apologies for the frizzy bangs - it was very humid. Best to go over to my Flickr because you DEFINITELY want to see the rest of the pictures.)

Afterwards, I checked out the Shimadzu Museum (which will be a field trip actually for my course so more on that in the future) and then decided to check out this underground shopping center near City Hall. It looked cloudy. However it was still hot - so hot, that I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck. I want fall to come. NOW.

There was a flea market in the courtyard in front of city hall, and I walked around, in spite of the fact that they were packing up. Look what I found!!!

A vintage Chloe bag. I am pretty sure it is real if only for one reason: Japanese will not bat an eyelash at forking over hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for a designer bag. Quite 50's/60's-ish, don'tcha think? And it's in pretty good condition - I paid 300yen for it. It was originally 800, then down to 400, then because I was hesitating, the lady suddenly said "300yen." I was sold. Very classic.

Then the rain started. Very very hard. I contemplated riding home (because I had my bike and I do know how to ride my bike whilst holding an umbrella for all it's illegality) but instead I ducked into a store that I have been eyeing, called Florame. It's French and sells organic aromatherapy stuff. The lady in the shop gave me some cold tea and I picked up a a mini-soap in Verbena and a 3-pack of Lavender, Almond Milk and Vetiver. Much like L'Occitane - and in fact, there is one on Shijo. But I don't bother because I can get that stuff back home, but Florame isn't in NYC. I have recently been getting into scented stuff - I picked up scented tealights and a plug-in in from Yankee Candle Co. and brought them here with me. Now my apartment smells really nice.

But oh, my poor Tory's. They felt a bit squishy when I finally got off my bike and scampered up the stairs.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

I saw this this evening, as I left the co-op store at Kyodai in my mad dash to check out a denshi jisho:
The picture doesn't do it justice. Luckily I ran into my friend who took photos with his camera and his phone. That is the one from the phone. Now imagine that in a perfect arch. Sadly, I actually saw it fade away as the sun set.

It's Gettin' Hot in Herrre....

...and I just WISH I could take off all my clothes.

It was quite steamy when I was dropped off by the MK Sky Gate Shuttle Bus service last night; luckily, the driver was nice enough to lug my suitcase up the two flights of stairs to my apartment on the third floor.

On my first day back, I went grocery shopping. But first, I had to schlep over to Rits to sign in for my scholarship. While there, I asked when do I receive information about my plane ticket back home in March. I get information about that in November - I needed to know because I need to get my ticket before we get Mel's ticket for March.

The sun was boiling, and I didn't have my parasol, since I brought it home with me. Instead, I had my sunglasses, Fordham baseball cap, and my SPF 40 City Block. I just wore a t-shirt and jeans but it was still hot. And the Japanese girls were still wearing their long sleeves and their jackets and sweaters! I counted 4 t-shirts on one girl. Utterly nuts.

I then went to the shopping arcade that was near me on Imadegawa and Kawaramachi; Alisa told me about it and I have been there twice but this time i really perused what they had. I wanted fruits and veggies and those suckers don't come cheap. Luckily there was a fruit market that sold SIX apples for 450yen. What a steal!

And they were good quality; I also got 4 long and fat cucumbers for 100yen, 3 fat tomatoes for 250yen and bananas for 100yen. At the supermarket, I picked up some ham for sandwiches at the meat counter, 100g for 100yen. Sweet. I even got something that looks like pork chops, a good amount of chicken and some fish. And it was cheaper than at the other supermarket, and I picked up the last loaf of whole wheat bread! Score! Soo happy you have no idea. (The rice I got was cheaper too.)

Because my basket was full, I went home to drop off my stuff, then I went over to the QQ Shop (100yen supermarket) for the "basics". Like I have mentioned before, there are things at the QQ that I wouldn't even bother getting at the regular supermarket, like low fat milk, OJ, water, yogurt and some other things as well. It's just cheaper.

When I got back I was practically dripping. I made one FINAL trip out to Kizuna, the "hangout" place of sorts for the international students at Kyodai. They don't check ID and I lost mine anyway but I still remember my old student ID number, even though it's expired. Hey, Rits is really far! So I borrowed a book on Japanese history to refresh my memory.

I plan to go back there tomorrow to the lounge area to hang out; it is really hot here and I don't want to have my A/C going on all day and all night, like it is now. I was chatting with Elisa and she asked what the temp was. I go and check and the temperature was 93.

But in reality, it felt like 100 degrees, according to the Weather Channel.

A Cacaphony of Cicadas

So, due to the fact that it IS summer vacation and I do need a break after the craziness of the semester and trying to not have jetlag when I get home, I have been sleeping in till about 12pm. The latest was 2pm. Trust me, I am not normally like this; I think today is the last day that I sleep in late since tomorrow I am going for cake with Emi, Wednesday I need to go to Rits to sign for my scholarship and I plan to play tourist for a day on the 1-day bus pass and Thursday I need to pack and clean. However, that doesn't mean I am going to wake up at the crack of dawn.

Not unless the cicadas have anything to say about it.

Rainy season ended last week and I have been enjoying the sunshine either at the Kamo River or out on my teeny tiny balcony. However, the fact that it is now summer for real also brings along the cicadas. And their singing. I have heard about the cicadas; even thought I heard them at the start of rainy season as I rode my bike along the Kamo, but let me tell you, cicadas are bloody noisy. I was lolling away this afternoon trying to read Harry Potter in Japanese with the door to my balcony open; it wasn't stifling, but still hot and I didn't want to use my A/C (which because I am on the top floor of my building and heat rises and I do not get much of a breeze I have been using almost all the time). Every morning, I wake before my alarm say around 6am (I set my alarm for 9:30, not like that was happening these days) due to those damn cicadas. My ears actually ring when they stop making those sounds because it is all of a sudden so quiet.

However, there are a bunch of trees right behind my building and my balcony opens to those trees - the sound of the cicadas got so loud I was getting a headache. So I closed my balcony door; as I did a cicada flew away from the doorjamb and I jumped - those things are big!

Now, I have my Grey's Anatomy playlist blasting out of my iTunes so as to drown out the noise, which isn't working, really. Speaking of which, I should finish downloading the songs off Season 2, since I am done with Season 3. And make some more playlists, provided that my crappy 15gb iPod will survive the flight (highly doubt it, unless its plugged into my laptop).

The City of a Thousand Shrines

Kyoto is known as "the city of a thousand shrines" because well literally, there are most likely more than one thousand shrines. You have the circus that is known as Heian Jingu (seriously, don't get me started on that one, especially after this semester) then the really famous ones like Fushimi Inari, then the local ones like the one near me Yoshida Jinja that is actually famous for Setsubun. THEN you have the little itty bitty ones that dot the streets, and the ones that are still around the shopping areas - though I have seen more temples around Shijo than shrines, because the shopping arcade Teramachi literally means "temple town" - back in the day, that road (which is now a shopping arcade) was populated with temples.

I forgot to say that on the day I was accosted by two men, I went to Shimogamo Jinja afterwards. Every time I ride the 102 tourist express bus across the Imadegawa bridge, I always hear about this shrine. Turns out, it's famous for its association with the Aoi Matsuri - another parade, but this is from way back in the day. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see it, but it's sorta like Jidai Matsuri, so I know I am not missing out. Try the Heian Period, which was in the 10th-11th centuries. (Hmm speaking of Heian Period...I really need to finish The Tale of Genji, it's quite pathetic when you have three versions of it, and you haven't finished the whole thing. Don't even ask me if I am going to try that sucker in Japanese, that is going to be after I read all the other stuff - mega hard.)

I liked Shimogamo Jinja alot. I have to admit, I think I am a bit shrined and templed out; they are all starting to look the same. However, the atmosphere surrounding Shimagamo was different. It is a World Heritage Site so that would mean a helluva lot of tourists, but it's sorta in the middle of the forest that is in the Kamo River Delta, so a bit off the beaten path, if you will. Still, it was easy to get to; I had brought my guidebook with me just in case, but turns out I didn't need it. Unlike the circus say at Kinkakuji, or even Heian Jingu, Shimogamo was quiet. The forest around it is also like a little park, so you saw people walking dogs. After the Shiba (I want that dog!), Corgi's are really popular.

I noticed that they were prepping for maybe a festival; I wasn't sure, so I asked one of the shrine maidens manning the little shops - there is going to be a matsuri from July 27-30. It starts today, but maybe I will check it out tomorrow. Going to karaoke tonight.

PS. Unfortunately, Ingram and I didn't end up eating okonomiyaki because the place is closed on Tuesdays. Had pretty good Italian food instead at a restaurant in OPA on Shijo.

As George Michael Said, "FREEDOM!"

DONE! FREE! OWATTA!

SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE!

And to top it all off, it was a PERFECT day. Well the day is still going - its only 3:51pm here as I type this, but the last test is DONE! The sky is clear, blue with puffy white clouds, the Kamo River isn't overflowing, so people are in the river, it's not humid...but it is hot.

That's why I am back inside my shady apartment - the windows to the balcony face East, so from about 7am to 5pm, I have the sun blaring inside my apartment, which makes it hot. Today, I kept all my curtains closed, so as a result, it wasn't bloody stuffy in here.

After my test, I went down to Book-Off, the used bookstore (where the books are restored to newness) to see if they had Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the didn't have it in th 105yen section; they did have 1-4 in hardcover, but those were 1000yen, andI didn't want hardcover, I wanted paperback. At the 100yen shops, they have these nifty little box-bag things that you are supposed to put your manga series in, but I will get that before I go home to neatly transport all my Japanese novels. When I go back home, however, I will check out the Book-Off by the NYPL on 41st and Madison (yep they do have a branch in NYC! I got my first three Sailor Moon manga there, speaking of which, I need to complete my set) and see if they have the rest of the Harry Potters. The paperback price was originally 950yen, but I got it for 550. And it was the first one too so a nice way to start.

I was browsing again through the 105yen section when something caught my eye: Diana Gabadrudon. Huh? I pull it out - in the foreign section I pull or quickly look at the cover of the books as opposed to looking at the bindings since the titles and the authors are in katakana and just getting the cover is faster for me to understand the book - and on the cover underneath the Japanese title, it says: "Outlander by Diana Gabaldon."

OH MY GOD! THEY HAVE THE "OUTLANDER" SERIES IN JAPANESE!!! YOKATTA!!!

In case anyone doesn't know, the Outlander series is sorta in the romance genre, but not exactly the bodice-ripping sort of romance novel. I read one of those after I read Outlander back in 2002 when I was in Greece (my mom's cousin had the first three book) and I put it down in disugst; Outlander is much better. It's got your stereotypical Scottish hot guy in a kilt but the series is much smarter in the sense that it's not all about bodice ripping. That, and it gets better a it goes along; personally, I would choose Roger, Brianna's husband (olive skin, black hair, green eyes and 6'3") over Jamie (the red-head Scot who is Claire's husband and Brianna's dad) any day.

Seriously, if you do not have enough to read this summer, pick up the series. It gets better: each book is at least over 700 pages so for me as a fast and avid reader, that makes me happy. Thing is in Japan, longer books are cut up into smaller pieces; my copy of Memoirs of a Geisha is in two parts, and as Harry Potter goes along in the series, the book is cut up as well. Don't ask me why, but it's more for compactness (and maybe to make more money). I was able to find all parts of Outlander, but alas, not all were 105yen. The other two were 400yen each, so the whole thing was 950yen. In reality, it would have been 2,220 yen even in paperback. Yikes. No wonder places like Book-Off are so popular. However, they didn't have the other books - yet another reason to go to Book-Off in Manhattan. I took a look at the publication date: Outlander in Japanese came out in 2003 so maybe they don't even have all the books translated yet. Yikes.

Just did a check on Amazon Japan and they have up to Drums of Autumn...not bad. And they have a lot used, so I think I will get them from Amazon when I get back, just to have them and read at leisure. I did say I was going to get rid of all my English language books (o DRAT, I need to check if Book-Off had Pride & Prejudice!) and read Japanese novels for reading practice...

...Speaking of reading practice, after my test, my teacher (who was my old "homeroom teacher" back when I was in mandatory Japanese) said if I was going to come back next semester. I told her I didn't know if I was able to, but she said I was always welcome to take classes. WOO-HOO!!! I got her email address so that I can contact her at the beginning of the semester; if I can take Japanese at Kyodai for sure then I'm definitely going to do that as opposed to Rits, because the Kyodai classes are better.

So, after my heart attack and paying for the books, I went to the Kamo River in a bit of a dilemma: which to read first, Harry Potter or Outlander? I was in quite a pickle. In honor of Potter-palooza back home, I started with Harry Potter, and got maybe through one page. Now I am going to try out Outlander, but both will come home with me along with Girls Guide - now I am in the middle of god knows how many books! And in Japanese to boot. I should just start getting them from Amazon; especially Harry Potter because I want to keep all the covers in the series the same.

Now, I need to complete the Harry Potter and Outlander series and get Pride & Prejudice, and get more pretty book covers from the temple fair to cover and protect my books. I already have a cute one that I originally got for Memoirs of a Geisha, but now that I have more Japanese books, I am justified in getting pretty book covers.

The Day After

I don't WANNA study....blah...

I was fed up with my apartment and the studying that I figured I would go get my flat tire fixed. The day after the typhoon, and while the sky was still a bit cloudy, there was a nice breeze which gusted into my teeny apartment. I sat out on my balcony for a bit, but I thought, "This will NOT do!" (So sue me for the Regency speech, I just saw the trailers for "Becoming Jane" and the "Jane Austen Book Club" yesterday - Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books).

So I went to the bike shop near me, which incidentally, word on the street is that it's the best bike place in Kyoto. Strike another point for my neighborhood! I get there and it was so windy that the only thing I could comprehend from the bike dude was "Is that ok?" I just nodded my head and sat down. I felt like I was in an auto repair shop getting hte oil in my car changed or going for a tune-up, except that this is Kyoto, I still don't have a drivers license (don't plan on getting it this summer) and the ride of choice is my bright yellow bike.

I thought it was going to be like 3000yen, as the posterboard listing the prices and the guy said; but turns out the way he repaired my flat tire was just putting some rubber cement on the hole - it was just a tack, after all. So it only turned out to 840yen. To celebrate, I rode my newly repaired and tire-pumped bike down to Rue Ergo to study a bit, and drink - overpriced, but delicious - coffee.

Because its summer, rainy season AND a typhoon just hit us yesterday, the Kamo River was higher than usual. And the current was much, much faster. Normally, in the Spring, you see people going across the stepping stones (in the shapes of rectangles, or even turtles and boats) to go across the river; I did it myself once, back in October.

When I ride the bus to school, I cross the river; at the delta near Demachiyanagi, I can tell how high the river is by whether or not the water covers the stepping stones. Today, I didn't even need to go up close; as I was riding my bike to and from Rue Ergo I just stopped because the sight was amazing. The water going over the little ledges was so fast and so smooth it just looked like glass. Add to the fact that there were still storm clouds (which is why I left Rue Ergo earlier than anticipated, since I didn't have my umbrella with me, and there was a very light, slight drizzle) it was one of those things that you just needed to stop, and take photos of.

I lamented the fact that I didn't bring my camera but I remembered: "WAIT...I have a camera on my cell phone!" Normally, I really don't take pics with my phone but I figured this was something cool to put up here. Even though the quality isn't great (it IS a cell phone camera after all) I particularly like the contrast in the blue of the sky and the blue-green of the river.