Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and stuff

Hey... I was thinking about some big ole post detailing the adventure from City to City, but then I realized that it'd be better to post the pictures I took instead.

So for now (until I get like 5-7 hours of free time) check out "red's web album" (my photo site) for pics of the adventure Tink and I are on.

Thanks~

~J out

My first visit to Tokyo was something out of a Sci Fi film. I wasn’t expecting much other then a big city, what I got was something else.

Coming from Sapporo Japan (5^th largest city in Japan) I thought I knew “big cities.” Standing on the cold platform of Sapporo Station I wondered how much different this new metropolis they call “Tokyo” will be to my Sapporo. Riding the train out of the station made me feel a sense of loss as I went past familiar places and stations. I was leaving a home, bound for adventure in places I’ve never been before.

The train trip itself was nothing special. In brief: “farm…. Farm…. Trees…. Farm….. car…. Farm…. Tunnel…. More farms” Yeah… that’s the same Japan we all know. It’s a lot of farmland and housing. The Tunnel was cool though…. Well ok for about 2 minutes. This tunnel I speak of was the tunnel that connects Hokkaido to Honshu. It’s an underground tunnel that goes on and on. The cool thing about it is that it was created and that it’s there.

The whole trip lasted about ten hours with three neck breaking transfers (i.e. 4 min to get from one train to the other) and one really bad fish bento. The best part of the trip, however, was the last transfer…

Riding the Shikansen (bullet Train).

They don’t call this thing the bullet train for nothing. With its long nose and aerodynamically shaped hull, this puppy shot me down the east side of Japan at 201 kph (124.90 mph). Riding in a bullet train is like riding is like riding in an airplane. The stewards go up and down with snacks (you can buy) and the seats recline easily. What’s different is that, on a bullet train, there’s twice as much leg room, you’ll never have to turn off your cell phone or electronic device, you can call anyone from the on board phone (if you don’t have a cell phone), and on some trains there’s a vending machine. Yes… Japan has come along nicely. In fact, both tink and I think AmTrack could take a lesson from Japan!

Anyway the bullet train pulled into “Tokyo” “Tokyo des.” The excitement built up for me as I stepped off the train and onto Tokyo Station’s platform. My first visit to Tokyo was something out of a Sci Fi film. I wasn’t expecting much other then a big city, what I got was something else. I had to get from Tokyo Station to Gotanda station. Using the Yamanote loop line I got on and rode one of the most futuristic trains I’ve seen yet. On the outside these were just the same commuter trains you get in Sapporo, on the inside, however, there was two televisions. One broadcasted t.v. commercials and the other gave you a map of the Yamanote line and the precise time at which you would arrive at your station… AMAZING!

The city was big and full of lights and sounds that big cities have. The sectors of the city showed different sides of Tokyo’s attitude. “You could get lost very easily if you weren’t careful” I thought. There’s a side of Tokyo for everyone too ya know. There’s a historical side, an Otaku (anime) side, Electronics side, an American side, Euro side, etc etc. anyone can fit in here and get a job if they needed too.

Tink and I were to meet at the KFC outside Gotanda. Those that have been to our hotel before told me it was pretty easy to find… No joking either! There it was. It wasn’t a long wait till Tink arrived. We trudged along till we found the Ryokan (Japanese style hotel) and checked into our little room with tatami mats and a little bathroom and a little (separate) toilet.

The next day we toured the Ueno Park and walked around. Late that night we met up with our friend Alan who took us out for some dinner. We really appreciated that too! We look forward to our next time in Tokyo coming up soon (in a couple of days). Anyway that was a little taste of my adventure.

~J out

Merry Christmas from Japan!

Right now it’s 11:30pm and I can feel Santa making his rounds… even here in Japan. Before he comes however I’d like to say a few things to you all…

First Thank you for reading my blog for the last three and a half months or so… It really means a lot to me and for logging in and reading I feel that’s the best present of them all. Christmas in Japan is similar to America, in that it has all the hustle and bustle of shopping and good tidings, but I feel that it’s also different. I’m lucky to see Christmas from another point of view. It’s special in so many ways.

Christina and I are sharing a Merry Christmas here in Osaka, and so from the both of us

We would like to wish you all a...

Very Merry Christmas!!!

From Japan

I'm Back!

Yeah Finally I found a hotel with free internet! Ohhhh the stories I have for you all. The pictures... the tales... the everything!

But first I should tell you that Tink and Me met up in Tokyo and all is well with us now. We're safe here in Osaka, Japan. However... we're a little hungry from the train trip over.. After we get a little to eat and check out just where the heck we are I'll post all I can about the trip from Sapporo to Tokyo, Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Himeji Castle.

So I'm back to Blogging however it is now "RedinOsaka." So check back in a little bit y'all!

~J out

Japan Rail Pass

Friends and folks here is the Japan Rail Pass... As the brochure bosts:

"Your Sight-seeing Passport to Japan"

Indeed it is... This little feller will let you ride any Japan Rail service from Trains to Buses to Ferries even. It's usefulness surpasses anything I've ever bought (including the New York Metro Pass). How to use the pass is pretty easy, but mine doesn't start until Saturday.

In the same breath that I say it's useful, I'll say it's also expensive. At $488 USD it's nothing to scoff at... However, the trip from Sapporo to Tokyo alone will undoubtably make this little piece of paper worth all the hastle (because prices for Japanese citizens are outragous!).

This pass is the last of the three, one can buy. The 21-day pass is good from the 16th of Dec-5th of Jan (i.e. my trip) and so this is really what really makes my trip somewhat doable.

Speaking of the trip... it wouldn't be me if I didn't let you on the bulk of my travel plans...

From Sapporo I make my way to Tokyo where i'll meet Christina (my girlfriend). Two days later we'll depart and make our way to Kyoto where we'll see hundreds of temples (it seems) and castles including Himeji which is on our "side-trip" tour.

After Kyoto the plan is...

(from Kyoto) day trip to Nara
(from Kyoto) day trip to Himeji
Osaka
Nagoya (where I flew in 3 months ago) with a side trip to:
-Ise
and back to Tokyo with a side trip to:
-Kamakura
-Nikko

then fly home on the 4th of January. It sounds busy and expensive (I know). The hotels for the trip will roughly be about $1500 usd. However... I'm going places I've wanted to go my whole life so if it's between money and an experence of a lifetime, then I'm choosing the later. Of course with the help and contribution made by my parents, this opportunity would never of been possiable... so A big thanks to them!! If for some reason I never get to comeback then I'll never regret what i'm about to embark on in just 3 days.

stay tuned for my grand summery of everything post. I'm going to try to say everything I need to say then, but it won't be the last post! I assure you that.

Thanks for reading!

~J out

The Speech

For Japanese class we had to write a speech. The difficulty was based on our level of Japanese and so for class 3 Japanese we had to write like 700 characters using the grammar we learned in class. So I'll go ahead and post my speech. This speech is about the Japanese vending machine. I basically compare it to the American vending machine. If you can read Japanese　（日本語のできるの人なら） then どうぞう：

ウィラー・ジョシュアのスピーチ：

はじめまして、わたしはジョシュア·ウィラーです。自動販売機について話します。日本の自動販売機はかっこいいと思います。

日 本へ来る前、自動販売機はつ まらない物だと思っていましたが、日本へ来てから、自動販売機はかっこいいと思うようになりました。どうして、日本の自動販売機は、アメリカの自動販売機より かっこいいんでしょうか。それは、たぶん、日本の自動販売機とアメリカの自動販売機が本当にちがうからでしょう。アメリカの自動販売機はコーラーとジャン クフードと（時々）おいしくない料理があるだけです。でも、日本の自動販売機には色々なものがあります。例えば、タバコやたまごやライスやうどんやアイス やビデオ(DVD)、CDソフトやしたぎやトイレットペーパーもあります。

いつから、じどうはんばいきは普及したのでしょうか。エソールトメントドットコム（essortment.com）の話によると東京の１９６４年のオリンピックに多くの人が来ました。でも、多くの人が来た時、かかりがほとんどいなかったので、飲み物と食べ物をうるために、自動販売機が普及するようになりました。

札 幌市の自動販売機はとてもかっこいいし、使いやすいですが、時々変です。でも、一番変で、かっこいい自動販売機は東京にあります。東京にはいろいろな自動 販売機があります。それに、ぜんぶとても便利です。アメリカの自動販売機にはコークスとジャンクフードがあるだけなので、日本に来た時、私は本当にびっく りしました。

アメリカへ帰る時、日本の自動販売機を一つ持って帰りたいです。でも、たぶんこれは無理でしょう。なぜ、日本の自動販売機はアメリカの自動販売機より、かっこいいのでしょうか。もしかしたらアメリカの自動販売機もこれからもっとかっこよくなるかもしれません。

I'll try to translate it later for you English folks...

~J out

EDIT:
Fixed some mistakes but I give it tomorrow... Wish me luck!

Japanese Culture (文化) Part 3: Language and the language gap

Again from the same book as before, the author remarks on "borrowed words." First I'll give you what he wrote and comment later...

"Borrowed words" (外来語・gairai-go)

The Japanese Language has incorporated so many English words that many people find it hard to talk without using English. Today's young Japanese, who grew up using more that any other generation, will likely have a hard time telling foreign words form Japanese words. But many still have a problem with correct English pronunciation...

Comment:
I find this one to be the biggest joke here... Often, if you ask a Japanese person, "can you speak english?" "英語はできますか" the common responce will be a resounding "no" "ぜんぜんできません！" but perhaps later on as the two of you chat, you'll notice the common use of English words to describe either new gadgets or places. It's weird! Like someone today (an American) asked me how to say "good-bye" in Japanese? To be honest it's..."Jaa Ne Bye-bye" or just bye bye. I tried telling this to a Japanese person that if they willed it they too could speak English.

However, while the words are the same the spelling is in Katakana (or one of the two phonetic alphabets) thus forming what is called "Katakana-go" or "katakana Language." This only applies to speaking however... Japanese people can read English amazingly well and understand a lot.

I'd also like to tell you that often the English words that are borrowed are American English words, meaning that the word "Color" is spelled "C-O-L-O-R" and not "Colour" as it would be in say... England.

~J out "bye! bye!"