Where do I start? (Takebe - near Okayama, Japan)
The past 1.5 weeks have been amazing! Everyday I discover something new and interesting here. Some things are thought provoking, some tasty, others are cute and fun, others are just plain bizarre. Japan is all this and more, despite having worked for 2 Japanese companies in the past in the US and taking a couple of classes on Japanese business and culture in college. A surprise around every corner it seems.
Right now life is good - I am staying at a stylish government sponsored villa (Tax payer money at work!) right next to an onsen (Hot springs spa) all for the grand cost of about 3500Y / US$33 per day - onsen fee included. I have my own Western style room (Only the second time in Japan that I haven’t slept on a tatami mat on a floor). It comes with a very interesting shower/toilet/sink bathroom - although calling it a room would definitely be a stretch. This will make sense when I post some pictures of it. A bath closet is more like it!
As if some force had answered my request for more stimulus, it has delivered. While the things I have seen certainly deserve more thought and writing on my part you will have to be content with just a mere listing of what I have done for now.
- Tokyo - Tsukiji Fish Market - Toured the world’s largest fish market. This is a sight to see. If you never thought or believed the world could be overfished - come here. For comparison - I visited the Sydney, Australia fish market which is claimed to be the 2nd largest fish market in the world outside of Japan. There is NO comparison. The Tsukiji fish market blows it away. Fish arrive from 60+ countries to be sold at Tsukiji before being shipped to the rest of Japan.
- Rode one of the fastest commercial train services from Tokyo to Kyoto - Nozomi service Shinkansen (Bullet train), Speed is up to 270 km/hr or 162 mph on this section with the Series 700 train I rode. I also rode high speed trains on other links...though I think the one I mentioned is the fastest I rode in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/700_Series_Shinkansen
http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/news/99-04/nozomi.html
- Nara - Stayed in a Ryokan (Japanese Inn) with my own view of a peaceful Japanese garden - 4200Y/night
- Nara - Fed tame deer (Deer biscuits) in a park/temple area. Not a zoo, but just 1000+ deer that have co-existed with the populace peacefully. No fences or any enclosures. Every year there is a festival where the antlers are cut off.
- Himeji - Toured what is considered the best preserved castle in Japan
- Himeji - Dressed up in a full Samurai armor outfit and even got my picture taken on a horse. Only 1200Y (including museum admission, would have been cheaper but there was a special exhibit going on).
- Toyko - Went underground to look at an underground bicycle parking garage complete with bicycle “escalators.” I found this by accident.
- Hiroshima - Toured the site where the first atomic bomb was dropped during World War II.
- Hiroshima - Spent 1 night at what I believe to be the most inexpensive Youth Hostel in Japan, 1940Y / US$18. Most youth hostels average closer to 3000Y/night for a dorm bed.
- Osaka - Visited the 2003 Osaka Motor Car Show (Lucked out on timing!) where I had the opportunity to see many new concept cars (And attractive models) and learn about the latest auto technology from all the major Japanese automakers.
- Tokyo - Toured the new Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation where all sorts of cool exhibits (In English no less too) talk about the latest advancements in science, theories, and discoveries, including a replica of the deepest water submarine in existence - the Shinkai 6500 (Max depth of 6500 meters).
- Osaka - Saw a magnificent Whale Shark (Largest fish in the world) in captivity (Something which was out of season while I was diving in NW Australia) along with some very bizarre and “out of this world looking” deep water Spider Crabs who live as deep as 3000m / 11000ft+. Some how the crabs have been acclimatized to live in a low pressure environment. All this and more at the huge Osaka Aquarium. Although the whale shark in the tank looked pretty bored going in circles. ...the aquarium is next to a 112m / 335 foot ferris wheel. One of the largest in the world. Very impressive.
Apparently there is quite a competition to build ferris wheels among countries:
http://english.people.com.cn/200207/03/eng20020703_99059.shtml
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200310/17/eng20031017_126238.shtml
- Tokyo - Watched an early release (1 week before official opening) of the movie Last Samurai in Roppongi Hills, at what is said to be the largest theater in Japan. The Roppongi Hills zone is certainly one of the most, if not the most high tech shopping/living/entertainment/office complexes I have ever seen. Very futuristic.
- Tokyo - Experienced the peak hour of riding the subway where every subway car on a line is packed with commuters. Tighter than a can of sardines.
- Kyoto - Toured historical areas full of temples and gardens. Including the famous Zen Rock Garden temple and Golden Temple. While pretty, both of these were both a little too circus-like touristy atmosphere for me.
- Nara - Visited a temple which is reported to be the largest wooden structure in the world. Largest one I have ever seen.
- Nara - Played a round of Pachinko, one of the Japanese obsessions and promptly lost 1000Y
- Nara - Ate at a McDonald’s with a baby grand piano set amidst modernistic furniture
This is in addition to all the yummy food, bright neon cityscapes, funky neighborhoods, and fall colors I have experienced. There is so much more that I have read about in Japan to discover. Japan is full of colorful action packed festivals and other cultural aspects that take much longer to see.
To cap it off, tomorrow when I head to Narita / Tokyo airport I am going to stop in Osaka and go look for a vending machine (Japan has vending machines for almost everything it seems) that dispenses used school girl panties. An American teaching English in Japan who stayed here at the villa told me where to find it. The only one he has seen in 4 months and it is right down the street from where he lives in Osaka. Apparently, used school girl panties (Minimum 3 days without bathing) are quite an item for some men with this fetish.
Right now life is good - I am staying at a stylish government sponsored villa (Tax payer money at work!) right next to an onsen (Hot springs spa) all for the grand cost of about 3500Y / US$33 per day - onsen fee included. I have my own Western style room (Only the second time in Japan that I haven’t slept on a tatami mat on a floor). It comes with a very interesting shower/toilet/sink bathroom - although calling it a room would definitely be a stretch. This will make sense when I post some pictures of it. A bath closet is more like it!
As if some force had answered my request for more stimulus, it has delivered. While the things I have seen certainly deserve more thought and writing on my part you will have to be content with just a mere listing of what I have done for now.
- Tokyo - Tsukiji Fish Market - Toured the world’s largest fish market. This is a sight to see. If you never thought or believed the world could be overfished - come here. For comparison - I visited the Sydney, Australia fish market which is claimed to be the 2nd largest fish market in the world outside of Japan. There is NO comparison. The Tsukiji fish market blows it away. Fish arrive from 60+ countries to be sold at Tsukiji before being shipped to the rest of Japan.
- Rode one of the fastest commercial train services from Tokyo to Kyoto - Nozomi service Shinkansen (Bullet train), Speed is up to 270 km/hr or 162 mph on this section with the Series 700 train I rode. I also rode high speed trains on other links...though I think the one I mentioned is the fastest I rode in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/700_Series_Shinkansen
http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/news/99-04/nozomi.html
- Nara - Stayed in a Ryokan (Japanese Inn) with my own view of a peaceful Japanese garden - 4200Y/night
- Nara - Fed tame deer (Deer biscuits) in a park/temple area. Not a zoo, but just 1000+ deer that have co-existed with the populace peacefully. No fences or any enclosures. Every year there is a festival where the antlers are cut off.
- Himeji - Toured what is considered the best preserved castle in Japan
- Himeji - Dressed up in a full Samurai armor outfit and even got my picture taken on a horse. Only 1200Y (including museum admission, would have been cheaper but there was a special exhibit going on).
- Toyko - Went underground to look at an underground bicycle parking garage complete with bicycle “escalators.” I found this by accident.
- Hiroshima - Toured the site where the first atomic bomb was dropped during World War II.
- Hiroshima - Spent 1 night at what I believe to be the most inexpensive Youth Hostel in Japan, 1940Y / US$18. Most youth hostels average closer to 3000Y/night for a dorm bed.
- Osaka - Visited the 2003 Osaka Motor Car Show (Lucked out on timing!) where I had the opportunity to see many new concept cars (And attractive models) and learn about the latest auto technology from all the major Japanese automakers.
- Tokyo - Toured the new Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation where all sorts of cool exhibits (In English no less too) talk about the latest advancements in science, theories, and discoveries, including a replica of the deepest water submarine in existence - the Shinkai 6500 (Max depth of 6500 meters).
- Osaka - Saw a magnificent Whale Shark (Largest fish in the world) in captivity (Something which was out of season while I was diving in NW Australia) along with some very bizarre and “out of this world looking” deep water Spider Crabs who live as deep as 3000m / 11000ft+. Some how the crabs have been acclimatized to live in a low pressure environment. All this and more at the huge Osaka Aquarium. Although the whale shark in the tank looked pretty bored going in circles. ...the aquarium is next to a 112m / 335 foot ferris wheel. One of the largest in the world. Very impressive.
Apparently there is quite a competition to build ferris wheels among countries:
http://english.people.com.cn/200207/03/eng20020703_99059.shtml
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200310/17/eng20031017_126238.shtml
- Tokyo - Watched an early release (1 week before official opening) of the movie Last Samurai in Roppongi Hills, at what is said to be the largest theater in Japan. The Roppongi Hills zone is certainly one of the most, if not the most high tech shopping/living/entertainment/office complexes I have ever seen. Very futuristic.
- Tokyo - Experienced the peak hour of riding the subway where every subway car on a line is packed with commuters. Tighter than a can of sardines.
- Kyoto - Toured historical areas full of temples and gardens. Including the famous Zen Rock Garden temple and Golden Temple. While pretty, both of these were both a little too circus-like touristy atmosphere for me.
- Nara - Visited a temple which is reported to be the largest wooden structure in the world. Largest one I have ever seen.
- Nara - Played a round of Pachinko, one of the Japanese obsessions and promptly lost 1000Y
- Nara - Ate at a McDonald’s with a baby grand piano set amidst modernistic furniture
This is in addition to all the yummy food, bright neon cityscapes, funky neighborhoods, and fall colors I have experienced. There is so much more that I have read about in Japan to discover. Japan is full of colorful action packed festivals and other cultural aspects that take much longer to see.
To cap it off, tomorrow when I head to Narita / Tokyo airport I am going to stop in Osaka and go look for a vending machine (Japan has vending machines for almost everything it seems) that dispenses used school girl panties. An American teaching English in Japan who stayed here at the villa told me where to find it. The only one he has seen in 4 months and it is right down the street from where he lives in Osaka. Apparently, used school girl panties (Minimum 3 days without bathing) are quite an item for some men with this fetish.
<< Home