Does a brief stopover at the airport in Tokyo count as visiting Japan? Probably not. Well I suppose this means that April 11, 2008 was my first time actually being IN Japan. Can you imagine a better way spend 4 days before mid-terms? As exciting as sitting in a library sounds, jumping on a plane and flying across the sea wins my vote. But don't fret. Studying has resume d after the journey.
With my study abroad program, I visited Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. The first evening, we stayed in a traditional Japanese-style inn. We were served a multiple-course meal sitting on cushions on the floor. I tasted nearly everything that was served to me, which was quite an experience given that I am not accustomed to the world of raw fish, squid and other cuisine from the sea. However, there's a first time for everything right? The food was beautifully presented with the flower shaped radishes and colorful array of sushi. I am impressed by the delicate arrangement, but Korean food is more so meets the needs of my taste buds.
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Apparently, climbing through this hole, which is the size of the nostril of the giant Buddha will bring you good luck. This hole is meant to show you the immense size of the Buddha.
My favorite place to visit in Kyoto was the Silver Pavilion (or rather the gardens and sights surrounding the actual building). The Silver Pavilion was under construction, but I still found the place to be fascinating. When leaving most of the attractions, shops offered samples of various Japanese snacks, which I happily accepted. I couldn't resist plopping cherry blossom candy after candy or sweet bean paste rice cake after rice cake into my mouth. Perhaps it has to be with my turtle or tres leche cake withdrawal (at Cafe Latte) or maybe it has nothing to do with that and I was simply giving into my sweet tooth.
As you most likely know, Korea and Japan have a complex relationship. I asked a speaker for the Japanese word for a Korean person and he said this seemingly simple questions cannot be summed into one word. It requires some explanation. In Osaka, we walked through the city's Koreatown. These alleyways and streets we explored did not really resemble the other sections of Osaka we had explored. However, this phenomenon reminded me of the Chinatown I had visited in Chicago, which like Koreatown, seemed to present an entirely different world in itself. It was interesting to see how Korea was "represented" in this small area of Osaka. We passed a K-6 Chongryon school for North Koreans, which apparently used to not be recognized as a significant source of education because it did not teach a sufficient amount of Japanese history and culture (rather it focused on Korean history and culture). Students must pass an additional exam to be eligible to take the actual placement exam into a normal school in Japan. Although things have changed over time, people I encountered still discuss past events which have created tension between nations. Although on an individual basis, I was told (and have noticed) that the two countries get along.
On a different note, our hotel was in the heart of Namba, which is a hot spot for shopping (although extremely expensive with the exception of my belt^^), eating (okonomiyaki and sweet potato ice cream...) and activities. My eyes were fixed on the stylish/fashionable young people passing by gravitating up to the intense hairdos and down to the various pairs of high heels that would have caused me to fall face forward into a the crowd. This is why I enjoy the sneakers in Korea, which allow me to remain close to the ground (being a bit of a clumsy person myself). Another thing that definitely caught my attention was the female employees. My friend retreated into a clothing shop to purchase a spring jacket. So I resorted to leaning against a wall adjacent to the shop. And I certainly was amused by one the workers, who was circling the shop beckoning customers to enter the store (in a very high-pitched voice). My friend told me this is not her actual voice because she has heard the girl speak inside the shop. I had never encountered this before in Seoul. (Anime... gotta love it).
I noticed many small cultural differences during my time in Seoul and Japan (although I have not visited Tokyo). In Japan, I was permitted to shop without having several employees surround me. People duck out of your way if you are taking a photo, rather than walking through it. Secondly, cars seemed to be passive-aggressive by softly honking there horns, while in Seoul a driver would nearly run me, as a pedestrian over unless I quickly moved out of the way. Thirdly, it was easy to catch a taxi (doors automatically opened), while in Seoul we frantically attempted to flag down a taxi driver. Overall, initially people seem more polite, but I think it has something to do with how the two cultures define "personal space." And when eating, it was accustomed to lift the bowl to your mouth rather than keep it on the table. Japanese cuisine was usually not spicy, which was a switch from the red pepper sauce that was present in most Korean dishes. I am trying to acquire a taste for seafood, so I sampled everything that was served to me including eel, baby squid and raw fish. I will continue to work on acquiring a taste for some of the dishes... but remember, I tried! We were served a dainty dessert at most of the meals, which was a pleasant surprise because in Korea this usually does not happen (usually fruit or tomatoes with sugar<--yum! is considered a dessert).
We took a photo with some of students taking a field trip to one of the various cultural attractions in Japan.
"V" for victory still applies in Japan... This photo reminds me of the Korean boys high school I visited in 2006. Those who were on the tour with me, remember this experience?
Too bad you weren't here to experience the leadership dynamic on our Japan excursion. Oh very memorable indeed. ...Sue, Gucci Sann!!!! *^^*
I do miss the clean air from those 4 days! But here is a video to remember the fabulous Japanese technological hospitality. I have decided to post the video horizontally for your viewing please... Tilt your head ever so slightly. I suppose it allows for you lay down while viewing my blog... Careful not to get splashed.
This is my my Korean language class (one of our two teachers (선생님). I'm not going to lie. Our class is a good time. Yes, we celebrate birthdays(생일) with cake (less sweet than what I am used to in the states, but still quite satisfying). And yes we play number games (삼, 육, 구...) for ice cream in the basement of the KLI (Korean Language Institute). Jealous? I know. Besides, how can you pass up such "angelic" faces? haha. I love my class, for the language course material and the people.
