941injapan

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Media Reflection

For my reflection on how the media portrayed Japan vs how it really was, I'd like to talk about Kabukicho in Shinjuku Tokyo, and Dotonbori, Osaka first. Both of these locations are vibrant and active areas famous for nightlife and great food. However, what some may not know is that these are the areas in which the hit video game Yakuza 0 takes place. Following two separate men and their journey to legendary status in the underground criminal world, Yakuza 0 was an interesting game with plenty to offer in terms of insight into the fun of Japan. Half of the game follows Kazuma Kiryu, a young yakuza in a place called Kamurocho in Tokyo. Can you guess where it's based off of? Kabukicho! The game bases itself closely on the real thing, minus the gangs and crime, but in the 80s. The red neon torii gate makes its appearance, batting cages, plenty of lights, bars, taxis, train stations, and even slot car racing places. It really felt surreal coming here and experiencing all these things in real life. Of course, as most video games are, there are dramatizations of things that aren't real occurrences, but the setting of the game really helps get the feeling of its real-life counterpart across. Dotonbori was the same way. In the game, Sotenbori is the place where Goro Majima, works as a cabaret club manager to pay his debts to the yakuza. The river, Don Quitote, takoyaki stands, the whole deal was in the game and in Dotonbori. Osaka was more believable in terms of the videogame, as it's not crazy to see uncommon occurrences or people. Yakuza 0 sold to me a very illustrious and embellished image of Japan, yet, the real thing didn't feel like such a far shot from it either. It brings me around to a bigger thought about media and its portrayal of real life, especially considering a place like Japan, whose main power is derived from its influence in media. Many times people will see Japan in a movie, game, social media, or picture, a build an idea of what Japan is in their mind. The Japanese are guilty of this too. Ever heard of Paris Syndrome? It's a very serious form of culture shock when Japanese people visit Paris and it is much dirtier and mundane than they had expected. Being in Japan so much, I've seen their French cafes and boutiques and it's no surprise that they still think France is in its romance era still. In a world more interconnected than ever with technology, it seems our connection to reality may even be weaker as our media evolves.

One thing I really wanted to note was the Shutoko Expressway in Tokyo. Shutoko, more commonly called Shuto Expressway, is a series of interconnected highway roads that reach many parts of Tokyo. I play a video game called Asseto Corsa, a hyper-realistic racing simulator that supports modding, or user-created content. A group of Corsa players got together to make the Shutoko Revival Project (SRP), to bring Japan and it's car culture to real life. Complete with traffic, realistic real-time weather, and full car functionality down to the windshield wipers, I've driven all around Tokyo long before I stepped on the plane. It's uncanny how 1 to 1 this game is, and it gives me great hope for the potential for making the many great roads of the world driveable for all. I've driven Japanese mountain passes, Tokyo streets, Fuji Speedway, and Ebisu circuit, all from the comforts of my home with real driving physics and experience. I can't wait to see the full potential of racing simulation. This example is the only example I can give of a game or media being exactly as it's portrayed, and it gives a positive image for Japan and all who dream to go there, to be able to explore Japan in a fun way without getting out of your house.

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Academic Reflection

I think that it's important I reflect on just how great the Osaka Aquarium truly was, and what I think it stands for both for the city and Japan as a whole. First, let me walk through my impressions of the aquarium. The aquarium does not look very large from the outside. The building itself is tall, but I've been to aquariums that cover more horizontal square footage than this one. Don't let that fool you, this is the most interesting aquatic activity you will ever see. Each section was divided up by region, starting with native Japanese ecosystems, then heading into the Pacific Ocean and many more world aquatic biomes. It was so captivating to see the difference of creatures across the world in such a cohesive and flowing format such as the layout of the aquarium. All sorts of sharks, cute and funny sea lions, seals, dolphins, penguins, and fish I have never even heard of before. As someone who grew up in coastal south Florida, with fishing being a huge sport and tourist attraction, marine culture is engraved in our way of life. Issues like conservation come up very frequently in our local political realms, and our schools have courses designed to teach about marine biology and coastal conservation as well. To see Japan's take on this was very cool, as the Japanese are known for having great systems for solving problems. Don't take it from me, go see it yourself and see the hundreds of people, schoolkids and civilians alike, who are in awe of each one of these aquarium's exhibits. The Osaka Aquarium serves as an icon of education and imagination, a colorful aquarium for one of Japan's most colorful cities.

Take a read through this article here from the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, an official Japanese government entity dedicated to all things ecological concerning Japan. This website link in particular goes over the many historical and current policies regarding both freshwater and saltwater conservation. Anti-pollution legislation, maritime laws, and initiatives for conservation and cooperation internationally. The parallels between our Florida legislation and the Japanese framework are there in terms of mindset. But what makes the Osaka Aquarium special is research. Scientists from all across Japan use this facility to study marine life and monitor Japan's waterways and oceans to ensure safety and life underwater. Many institutions across Florida operate with the same goals in mind and have done great strides in protecting our waters, marine life, and fishing culture. Pollution has been a very large issue in Florida but in a different way in Japan. Japan is mostly concerned about pollution from oil and ships. Considering the economic power of Japan that lies in their billions of dollars from net exports. Think about the soft power of Japan, and the way they get that strength overseas through their products. In Florida, we are mainly concerned about pesticides from farming. The advent of red tide, which kills thousands of fish and makes water unbearable to be around and even deadly for those with respiratory illness, all are byproducts of pesticide pollution and runoff. While both areas are surrounded by water, their topography and concerns are way different. I'm glad much of the modern world can agree on how important the oceans are to the economy and leisure and quality of life. Overall, I am very proud of how seriously Japan takes its land, air, and sea, and I hope this love for the natural world is reflected better in America.

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June 20th- Osaka day trip

Here it is, our last excursion as a group. Fortunately, it's not another Kabuki theater, but a day trip to Osaka. I've been to Osaka on both of my free days, as well as an afternoon on our way back from Himeji Castle, so I'm pretty well-versed in Osaka. I think that of everywhere we have been on this trip, I've loved Osaka the most. The streets are wider, the food is better, the trains are just as good, and there is some harmony about Osaka that I can't feel in either Tokyo in Kyoto. While it is a little more shady and gritty, the people seem to be happier and more relaxed. Sure there is a lot more smoking and drinking, but these people are having a good time and not causing a lot of trouble which is fine by me. Overall, I think that if I were to live in Japan, Osaka would be my choice. Just is more comfy for me. As for where we went as a class, we ended up starting out in a business district next to Osaka Castle. On my hunt for gyoza for lunch, I found out I ran out of data just as I went to meet up with the group again. Sucks, 1 more day left too. I had to make my way out of the market area and follow my steps back. I may have worried our guide a little, that's what you get for being so punctual the whole trip. We saw Osaka Castle, but I've seen it already. Still cool but the walk there didn't justify it for me personally, but the group needs to see it. Next, we went to Dotonbori, one of my personal favorites. We walked through a market street that spits us out on one of the river bridges. The reason Dotonbori is so cool for me is that half of the Yakuza 0 video game takes place there, so the area was already a little familiar. It's so cool how games can give us insight into real-world places. I felt the same way after playing Tom Clancy's The Division 2 and Washington D.C. I played the game a year after I went to D.C and the game is set in a post-apocalypse Washignton, so it was so strange seeing buildings all broken and overgrown, and desolate streets, that I've seen in real life but as normal. We ended the activity in America Town, an embellished and peculiar place that is supposed to represent America. I guess the world sees the U.S. as Los Angeles and New York and nothing else. I can't blame them, because when you mention Japan in America, we think of Tokyo.

The readings today were about urban planning, and just a general comment on it; the urban setup here in Japan is so much better simply because it is simple. So many rules and regulations in America just to make a poorly structured, car crowded city with no real flow it, while Japan keeps their zoning simple and their rules clear, and the city is laid out so much better. Not to mention the public transit is the best in the world. America needs to take notes.

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June 19th- Nara Day trip

The days are winding down here in Japan. Tommorow is our last group activity as a class, then the day after is a free day with dinner, then I go home. As much as I didn't think I would say it before I came here, I'm actually ready to call it quits and go home. This trip in this school oriented atmosphere has served it's purpose for me already. I understand how Japan operates, I'm able to adhere to the many unwritten rules here subconsciously, I can nagivate on my own and have many times, and I have a grasp on the culture and what to expect. Other than that, in order to pull more out of Japan, I'll need to be more independent, more skilled in the language, and specialized to something I really want to uncover like the car industry and culture here. I'll be back, one way or the other, but I got what I needed here for now. Anyway, today's activity was a day trip to Nara, a place know for cultural sites like temples, but more famously, deer. These deer are everywhere in Nara park and even the surrounding areas. They are very accustomed to humans. If I were to guess, people have been around these deer for many generations and are basically domesticated. You can buy what I think was rice crackers to feed the deer. These critters go wild for these crackers. They will gather up around you and even nip at your shirt if they are feeling impatient. I found these deer to not be that intimading unlike some of my classmates, so I made them do some tricks for their food. A couple deer actually stood up on their hind legs when I held the cracker up, many however, have become accustomed to bowing. So cool right? They point their head down and swing their neck to the floor and everything, it's really cool and one of those only in Japan moments. We walked on through to see some temples as well. One of which housed an absolutely massive statue of Budda. This thing was at least 5 stories tall, with a palm bigger than my living room. For lunch I got to have some delicious katsu pork in a broth with egg. It was so good even the UF Japanese head of department liked it. (Shoutout my dog C. Smith). Anyway, Nara was fun and relaxing, and I'm ready to head to Osaka again for our last activity.

The reading spoke about buddhism again and its origins and inner workings. Reading about these religions are always interesting, and yet I see them as so strange to actually believe. Christianity in America seems more believable and grounded in something physical like the bible, but maybe I just haven't looked into it enough. I thought the story behind the deer was cool. They are apparently messangers of the gods, hence, they are considered sacred and nobody bothers them. Nice.

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June 18th- Kyoto Manga Museum

Today our class went to the international manga museum here in Kyoto. Still a little tired from my free day, I did a lot of walking and sifting through crowds, so it's safe to say I got my money worth last free day. The manga museum was quite nice. Only 2 floors of stuff, the first floor being larger exhibits and the manga shop, and the upper floors had some more exhibits as well as the picture showroom. I was surprised to see how far back manga goes in history. It was very neat to see how the art styles changed over the years, as well as the themes and the way things changed postwar. My favorite section of the manga museum was the part with the molded copies of many influential manga artists' hands. You can tell the age and work all that drawing has put on some of these great illustrators and storytellers. After we saw a fun little picture show in the museum, I made my way down to the library sections to read some manga myself. I don't think I've ever actually picked up a manga book, I've just read online and scrolled through all my manga on the phone. I went with a classic, a nice and big book that was the Dragon Ball Z Buu saga. Such a timeless piece of work DBZ is truly defined the way we see shonen and action in our manga. Can you believe that Dragon Ball Z is more popular in Latin America than it is Japan? I don't blame them, I've seen some Spanish people put up some serious weight in the gym, they have to have Sayain power right? Anyway, jokes aside, I enjoyed all 400-something pages and went on my way. I went to Nishiki Market and ended up having ramen instead of street food. I don't regret it, ramen is pretty great wherever you go in Japan. I went to a sticker store as well. It's a place I've seen online that sells really nice, UV and waterproof stickers. I'm a big skateboarder, so I love having stickers to put on my deck. The selection there was great, so artistic and unique! I got some gift stickers too. Parakeet set for my parakeet-owning grandparents, a skateboarding samurai drawn in the traditional kabuki-looking style for my skateboarding homie, and some cool fish ones for my brother. I really maxed out there, something like 4000 yen worth of stickers and I really don't regret it I found great stuff. Even a keychain that was some little sharks in a fish tank, but the tank was actually a gumball machine. Little cool things like that is why I love Japan. My brother called me and said I've bought too many knick-knacks, but knick-knacks is what Japan does so well. Anyway, super tired after all that walking still. Time to rest up.

Something I've noticed here in Japan that the readings spoke about in regard to manga talks about the big Western influence in postwar manga. I've really noticed this trend too, so much that I have so much trouble finding merchandise for some of my favorite manga and games here in Japan simply because these works are western from the jump. My assumption was that this manga/anime/game/etc is so cool and it came from Japan, so Japan must love it and be really proud of it. I come here and not so much as a trace of these properties, even in the most niche stores. I truly believe that these manga are specifically geared to Western audiences, and it works really well, so much so that a clueless 19-year-old will spend thousands just to come to the source country too look for toys. The readings really emphasize that distinction of how manga has changed and it's true.

I thought there was a Nintendo store here in Kyoto, but I ended up in front of the gates of their corporate offices. Bummer. At least I got to see a few carp in this pretty canal close by. Still, too much walking for what it's worth.

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June 17th- Free Day

Today was the last of our full free days here in Japan. While I have been to and seen mostly everything I hoped to see this trip, I still had one more destination to go to, a place that is half the reason I decided to do this exact program. Today, I took the train out to Kansai Gaidai University. Nestled between Kyoto and Osaka, I had come in with moderate expectations from a school that I thought would be a hole in the wall. I was dead wrong, I couldn't have been more off the mark on this one. This university campus was absolutely stunning, each inch of it felt so premium and high end. Kansai Gaidai came to my attention when considering learning a new language at UF. I had to take 2 semesters of a language anyway, so I figured I should pick a world destination and get a little more out of my experience by actually taking extra classes to achieve fluency or even a minor. Japan was the location I settled on for a variety of reasons. As someone who works in communications, I think it would be useful to me, maybe even open up a whole new plethora of jobs, by getting things like language and culture credits. My plan was to take beginning Japanese 1 and 2 for my last year of college, then delay or do a masters since I'm 2 years ahead anyway. Ill have to work for the rest of my life, so I should take my time and get the most out of college experience. So, this Kansai Gaidai University was where I was considering doing advanced Japanese courses. They posed quite a bargain in my opinion. You get a fixed tuition rate with UF, so no wild private school prices and all the credits work with UF, so you don't have to worry about transfer credits or even paying Kansai, you just pay UF. Each dorm room was very modern and clean, all single rooms with views of the mountains or city for, get this: 400 DOLLARS a MONTH! What in the world are we doing wrong in America. Back at UF I paid 1k a month to live in a DUMP on campus with 2 other people!?! Both the academic and living spaces here were so modern and nice for such a low price, it's given me an animosity for UF in all honestly. UF is a top 5 university in America while Kansai Gaidai is just another Japanese school, and it put UF to unbelievable shame. I felt embarrassed as a realize how normal it feels to get the bare minimum, and the money I pay for that. Robbery. Anyway, the surrounding area; Hirakata, was quite nice with all the amenities like a nice train station central hub area, as well as the river and a hospital. Overall, I would love to study abroad, but I need to take care of business at home first. After the university, I made my way back to Osaka to look around some more. I tried out the shopping district area as well as going back to Dotenbori. I really like Osaka and how it's laid out, a refreshing medium between the chaos of Tokyo and the inconvenience of Kyoto.

Here is a picture of the library at Kansai. What a difference.

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June 16th-- Arashiyama Bamboo Forest

Here it is, the moment everyone has been waiting for. the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. You see it on Instagram, and you hear it from others, this place is one of those big spots that people need to hit when you are in Japan. In my honest opinion, the only thing I can confirm was the attendance. So many people here at this place, it was honestly not that great just because it felt so touristy like Disney. Having to navigate through the crowds and match pace with people sucks in all honestly. When you go to the forest, any nature attraction as a matter of fact, you expect to be met with the sounds of birds, and the tranquility of the woods, but not here. There was a shrine there that was supposed to help you with romance if I remember correctly. I didn't spend much time in there, I'm 19 and clueless so I have no business with that kami. We continued on and went to go have lunch in a gorgeous river town. I liked this place way more than the forest. It had great views of both the water and mountains, there were people on boats, and there was plenty of food. Paradise! I sat around after eating some fried food and listened to some music before gearing up to head to the monkey park with my group. It was a little bit of a climb, but at the top was a spectacular view of Kyoto. It's safe to say it was the nicest view competing closely with the Skytree and the Mt Takao views. As for the monkeys, they were more aggressive with each other than they were with us. They simply walked about, scratching at the ground and lounging around. I don't blame them, it was pretty nice up there and it doesn't take an ape to see that. Afterward, I made my way down the mountain to head over to A pit Autobacs. Remember that place in Odiaba where they had all those brand-new aftermarket car parts? This one was even nicer and had actual cars for sale too. Not just that, but they let you sit in them too. Best believe I took the opportunity, on this say in Kyoto Japan, I got to sit in my dream car for the first time ever. The mk5 Toyota Supra. I was ecstatic, it was just as nice as I expected, and fit me like a glove. I can't even imagine how well it drives and how fast it is. I won't bore you with facts or details, so I'll segway into the academic part now.

In the readings, it spoke about how land is managed in Japan, particularly Arashiyama was mentioned too. What surprised me is that many of Japan's natural parks and preserves are deliberately set up for scenic views and erosion management. Just as they plan their cities closely and with great care, their natural spaces are set up with the same level of care and deliberate action. If we ever need to start life on a new planet, I'm asking the Japanese to set it up. They'll find a way to even make Mars red rock look pretty.

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June 15th-- Kyoto Imperial Palace and Kyoto Museum.

Today was a rather light day but was not short of any substance. We began our day over at the Kyoto National Museum. This relatively small yet interesting museum showcased many rare and culturally significant artifacts from across Japan. Upon your entrance to the first exhibit, you are greeted with large statues of both Buddhas and Shinto Gods. While I bet that there is an important and cultural impact to how these Shinto gods pose, I still can't help but remark how strange I find them. For beefed-up, muscular, and scary-looking gods, they take on some unintimidating poses. There were smaller statues there of the many kings of hell as well. Throughout the exhibits, there were many examples of ancient Japanese texts, artifacts, dishes, art, and even some interesting kimonos. The Kyoto National Museum did not take very long to look through due to its size. Our class then went over to Kyoto station to get ready to head to the palace. I decided to eat ramen once again in the underground shopping center at the station. It was delicious, but to be expected as anywhere in Japan is supposed to have tasty ramen. That's like getting a bad burger in America, just doesn't happen, and if it does the restaurant is a disgrace to the land of the free and home of the brave. We went to the palace via train and were met with a large park with wide gravel roads. The palace itself was quite large with very few small structures; each section was large like the gate and waiting room and emperor's garden. The tour guide spoke pretty good English and gave great insight on temple life logistically and what each section was used for. He spent a decent amount of time talking about the cypress-layered bark roofing which was cool I guess. I took myself back to the hotel to get some more rest in and called it a day.

In the museum today I saw a 10th-century double-edged priest sword that was really cool. Most Japanese one-handed weapons that were bladed had only one edge, but this sword was very European in appearance. The closest thing I can compare it to is a gladius sword, just with a less wide blade. Anyway, what surprised me about it was the fact that priests had swords in the first place, nevertheless the cool ones. I guess it was for more ceremonial purposes rather than the priest being ready to clash swords with a warrior. The handle was golden and ornately made. A rare find and I'm glad the museum has their hands on it.

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June 14th-- Fushimi Inari Shrine

Counting down the days in the program, its been a ride so far. Tokyo felt like yesterday, yet so far away. I'm getting used to being here in Japan, so much that I find it hard to accept that I have 1 more year of hard work in Gainesville. No doubt I'll need to return to Japan, especially with an international driver's license. Today's activity was the Fushimi Inari shrine and the surrounding mountains. This shrine is the one you see all over Instagram and travel blogs when you mention Japan. A long winding stone path covered with torii gate after torii gate. While I did find it quite interesting to see the sheer amount of these structures, I couldn't help but get that feeling of tourism again like I was at Disney. Many people are from many walks of life, and instead of exploring, it's like walking in a line with random people before and in front of you. When I initially was coming to Japan, I felt so special. Nobody in my family line has ever been here, and if they were, it was for war, not studying, vacation, or anything in between. Nevertheless, my parents and grandparents don't have passports, and my brother has one but has yet to go overseas. I felt like the chosen one. My family, peers, and friends all thought as if I'd taken this big leap to venture into the unknown and undiscovered. I arrive and it's like I'm one of many many foreigners who just need to see a shrine I saw online like a drone. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I get my money here in Japan by going and visiting restaurants, talking to people, and buying rare merchandise to set myself apart and have a unique abroad experience. Anyway, I went up a good chunk of the mountain and decided to follow the water back down and was rewarded well. I was met with a calm and relaxing stream trail and lush forest. Near the bottom, there was bamboo and a sports car! I saw a Mazda rx8 tucked away in the forest next to some motorcycles and a shed. It was in great condition, someone must have driven it up there to work that same day. Despite having awesome styling, 50/50 weight distribution, and superior handling, what makes the rx8 so special is that it's the last of the rotary engine production cars made by Mazda. The Renesis engine is very unique, as it uses rotors instead of pistons like normal gas cars. These Dorito-shaped rotors spin around the crankcase, creating the necessary compression of the different gaps between the triangle and wall. These engines could easily rev to over 9000 rpm, compared to most regular cars revving to about 6500 rpm, more or less. This allows the rotary engine to access much more power in each gear, so this particular rx8 I saw today paired with a 6-speed manual transmission could prove to be a menace on the mountain roads. Car babbling aside, I walked through a neighborhood, saw kids leaving high school, and made my way to the hotel to take a nice nap. Osaka had me beat, so hopefully we can get out there tomorrow and make the most of the trip.

In the readings, the Inari is both a Buddhist and Shinto figure. A god that comes in many forms, yet foxes are seen often at inari shrines. Foxes are Inari's messengers, and they love jewels and rice. It is said that Inari prayed for a good harvest. As agriculture phased out of the main occupational activity in the modern era, Inari has now taken shape as an aid in business success rather than crop yield. My favorite part of the reading was when one of the priests said that their congregation may actually be one of the lost 12 tribes of Judah. I found this very intriguing, and have heard similar theories for other world religions. Makes me wonder if at the end of the day, we may all be talking about the same God.

I hate to say this, but today I forgot to charge my gopro, so I have no pictures for you, but I promise tomorrow will be different. Please forgive me.

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June 13th- Free day

Today was our first free day in Kyoto. I had planned plenty of things to do today, and I'm glad I was able to do most of them. I decided to head to Osaka again to hit some places in this amazing city. I began my journey at Osaka Castle. This castle was an important shogunate site that withstood many battles and changes in power. Inside the castle, there were many artifacts as well as war history exhibits. At the top, there was an amazing 360-degree view of Osaka. After the many flights of stairs to get down, I began to make my way over to my next stop. The Osaka Aquarium. This Aquarium is world famous for having not 1 but 2 whale sharks in their Pacific Ocean exhibit. This aquarium had an excellent setup and flow. You began in native Japanese water exhibits, with Monterey bay and Icelandic exhibits, then the rest of the exhibits went in a circle around this huge Pacific Ocean tank. Massive grouper, all kinds of sharks, stingrays, manta rays, the whole deal. Along the way, I saw dolphins, seals, sea lions, and many more cute and playful aquatic creatures. I saw a king crab for the first time and my gosh they look like aliens or something. It then takes you down to the deep sea area with jellyfish and bioluminescent sea cucumbers. Finally, you get to the Arctic section with penguins and ice-cold water fish. Easily the most impressive aquarium I've seen, and the competition is fierce. I worked my way out of the bay area to go to see Tsutenkaku Tower, a radio tower that is basically Osaka's Tokyo Tower, as well as do some merchandise shopping in Den Den town. I was impressed with Den Den town, much more than Akiharaba. They had more cool stuff instead of cute stuff, and none of the stores felt questionable like in Akiba. I landed a rare cowboy bebop figure and went to my last stop. I walked for about 50 minutes through neighborhoods and markets to get to a place named UpGarage. You know how much I love cars, so I relish in part shopping even though Japan doesn't even have a single part for my car. Up Garage was special, and I really loved the gig they had there. Up Garage is a used performance parts store that sells items like rims, suspension, exhaust, and even body parts for cars. I was blown away at the markdowns here. Fully functional coil-over sets, just dirty but otherwise in perfect working order, from 200-400 dollars. Just wow. Coilovers brand new in America goes for 1000+ easy, very easy. The main issue I have with car customization and racing is just how much money the sport costs. But here, if you're not going for looks, but for real performance and gains, you can slice the price of your racing-bred machine in half. I don't think people realize how insane that really is. I found gauges for the Japanese counterpart of my car for 4 dollars, 4 smackeroos. That's like 2 single cheeseburgers at Mcdonald's for a 100-dollar part used on eBay. It made me really want to move to Japan for a year or two just to get a car cheap, clap it out for cheap, and race these stunning mountain roads just to send her back to America when I'm done. Gosh, I need to get my degree and marbles together so I can live that dream while I'm young. I ate gyoza at some hole-in-the-wall restaurant and the waitress there spoke perfect English which was nice. I ordered some thin beef thing over some sushi rice and they actually came out with a torched and cooked it. After my meal, I went back on the train and got ready to crash for tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll definitely take it easy, after that hike, I'm 100% going to nap. Great day today, a great city, and great interactions. That is the Japanese experience.

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June 12th-- Kiyomizu and Gion

I think today marks our 17th day in Japan. What a ride this has been so far. Walking the streets now feels so normal to me, like I've had a job here for a few months now and I get the swing of things. Our class went to Kiyomizu temple today. This is a very popular tourist spot amongst both foreigners and Japanese natives. This beautiful temple is ecthed in a mountainside and had things that affirmed this temple was for the god Kannon, referred to in many ways but most popular as the goddess of mercy. There were things like Kannon's slippers and staffs, one of them being a 8-9 foot tall solid metal pole that was almost impossible to lift. There was also Kannon's womb, a pitch-black tunnel symbolizing rebirth, as well as some places that had sacred water or something along those lines. The view was good from the temple, and the surrounding vegetation was very lush, a common theme in the Japanese mountains. Afterward, we broke away to explore the surrounding traditional-style architecture market area. Some of the souvenirs were a little pricy, so I opted to browse around for good street food. I had a duck skewer that was good, some fried chicken, and a candied apple, the first one I ever had. All of these eats were delicious, so as I waited to kill some more time before our next activity, I got lost in the sidestreets and found a small area which I assumed to be a store with racing memorabilia. When I walked in, I was met with a few expressions of shock from the back room, as if I was not supposed to be in there. I kindly asked just to look at all the memorabilia, and an older gentleman came out to ask if I like racing. If you've read my previous blogs, you know the answer to that. He proceeded to talk about the Le Mans 24hr and Le Mans classic races. Many of the photos on the wall were from this race, a good amount of them were signed. He told me about a master racer who drove from team Toyota and Porshe. I was so appalled at this, and I was even more surprised when he showed me pictures of him driving in the Le Mans classic! How cool! I wish I got his name and picture, but it was such a brief moment and he went back to his work in that back room, but I was so grateful for his story. I'll see if google can figure him out later. After that, we did our other activity, and I wrote this bad boy up.

In the readings, there was the explanation about Kannon, whom it relates to the temple. I found it a little strange how ambiguous Kannon is. With a culture with strict gender roles like Japan, Kannon took on many forms. Male or Female, Strong or Merciful. It's said that people pray to Kannon for all sorts of things, but it's for this life, not the past or next life. Overall, I'm glad Japan can just agree on what works for them when it comes to getting your wish granted. I guess you don't really care if you're praying for health, love, or wealth.

Here is what I think is the Kamu river. Correct me if I'm wrong

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June 10th-- Himeji jo castle

Today is day 2 in Kyoto. Our class went to Himeji jo castle and this was probably the coolest cultural site we have visited so far. This castle was situated on a hill overlooking the city and had ornate and beautiful architecture. The stories inside were just as impressive as the castle itself. I got so many good pictures and I was actually able to find a gift for my grandparents: a Himeji-jo puzzle. Inside the castle, it was mostly wood. This continues to surprise me when I see traditional Japanese architecture, as I have not a clue as to how this wood does not rot out over hundreds of years. The view was immaculate, many windows of the castle had picturesque views of both the mountains and the city. There were many stairs, some with very low ceilings, but overall it was a nice experience to learn about the military history of Japan, something that we haven't talked too much about in the program. The train ride was quite long, but it was pleasant, as I was able to see Osaka and Kobe from the window. On my way back, I decided to take a detour and get my first venture into Osaka, and I must say, I like Osaka better than Tokyo and Kyoto. Despite the area being a little dirty, with more people smoking and drinking, there was some kind of harmony there that the other two cities don't seem to have. the locals appear to be having a good time and look more relaxed than they do tired unlike in Tokyo. The sidewalks were more spread out, and the city just felt more roomy and genuine. I walked around Dotenbori, a place I first learned about from a video game. The river was a nice relief in the bustle of the city. The Takoyaki was good, and the 10 yen coin cheese waffle thing was delicious. The great thing about Osaka is that its train system, while not as many stations, was just as good. As someone who is into car culture, I found the car-to-walkability balance in Osaka to be pleasant and somewhat familiar, as if it was supposed to be this way. Otherwise, I made my way home so I could take a good shower after the long day.

In the readings, the article talked about castle towns and how the daimyo authority allowed for economies and towns to form around these structures. Economies would focus around the castle, allowing the daimyo to establish their own economic domain. The military strength of these Daimyo castles allowed new eras of freedom and society to form independently, allowing these regions to make great advances in culture and urban setup.

Sort of unrelated, but I figured everyone would post a picture of the castle, so here is something different. This is a 90s era Mazda miata that has been customized by someone in Osaka. What makes this car special to the others is not just it's racing seats and body kit, but the pop-up headlight modifciation. Notice how the squares on the hood are different? the one on the left is an actual headlight, while the right, protruding headlight slot has actually been replaced with and air vent! This can only mean one thing, this car has an aftermarket turbo kit that needs this extra cooling and airflow. With how lightweight this car is, there's no telling how fast it truly is with a turbo. Japan knows how to race!

[941injapan]

June 10th-- Kinkakuji

Day one in Kyoto, let's get this show on the road. Hailed as the cultural capital of Japan, these next two weeks should give me a closer look at Japan's history. Today's excursion was to the Kinkakuji temple and Daitokuji Zen garden. On our way to the temple, I can't help but sorely miss the convenience and room on the trains in Tokyo. The bus is quite literally the worst-case scenario here, as it is packed and the ride is rough and long. We arrived at the temple and while it was quite beautiful, I couldn't help but feeling like it was not special as there were crowds of tourists. When you see things like this temple online, you think it is a very secluded and quiet and spiritual place that you can go to and reflect and appreciate. But when you have kids running around and tourists speaking all sorts of languages everywhere, it makes this experience feel like Disney or something instead of a unique cultural experience. When we broke for lunch I waltzed into a hole-in-the-wall sushi place and I don't regret it at all. I ordered the sashimi set as it was the only thing I could read on the menu and it was stunning. The fish just melted in your mouth, the steamed bowl of what I assume was root-type vegetables were sweet and soft, and the miso and rice were on point. I always say, the more beat up a restaurant looks, the better the food here. Our group then made our way over to Daitokuji to see the zen garden. The 500+-year-old building houses a zen rock garden. The rocks represent flowing water, and some of the larger rocks represented objects and animals. The whole thing was supposed to show the path to nirvana in the Buddhist religion. My question is, why didn't they just use real water. The sound would probably be immaculate and good for meditation, and it would be a lot more pretty. Maybe that's just me injecting my American Exellence™️, but I digress. I made my way back to the hotel to rest up a bit, as that bus ride back was brutal too. When I awoke, I went to Chao Chao Gyoza, a spot that I learned about on Instagram. I got their signature crispy gyoza, pork tomato and cheese gyoza, and deep fried chicken cheese gyoza. So delicious! I went to the arcade and spent way to much money and went back home to cook up this blog post.

I wanted to glaze over the readings and talk about how strange the one about Kinkakuji was. I found the writer of that book to be a little strange. As he spoke about this temple as his idealized standard of beauty, he kind of fetishized it in a way that I think nobody would really say about a building, even if it was beautiful. He made some questionable remarks and when he actually saw it, he went a little crazy. Some people just need to go outside and make a few friends, it's never to late, even for Japanese majors.

[941injapan]

June 9th- Shinkansen to Kyoto

Here we go, round 2. Today our class is traveling to Kyoto via the bullet train, or the Shinkansen as they call it in Japan. Have you ever seen the movie bullet train? It's pretty good, give it a watch. I started my morning by beginning to pack up the last of my belongings. I had some stray clothes and items lying around that I had to stuff into my duffel, but somehow it all fits. We get to the station after an uncomfortable train ride, as it was packed and I had a backpack that took up the space of a whole other person. Looked around the station a bit and finally boarded the bullet train. Plenty of room and i finally got the window seat. I've been snuffed out of window seats all the time this trip, so I'm glad I got my win where it counts. The train ride over was fast and pretty. I got to see parts of the countryside, rice farms, Nagoya, and all sorts of towns. I will note that it was not a clear day, so Japan looked a little bleak and sad, and industrial. We arrived and some goofy goobers didn't get off the train. Man, I'm getting tired of traveling in such a big group. People are loud, taking up the road, crossing the crosswalk while it's red obliviously, and getting lost and late for everything. All this money and time to get here just to wait around for some people who act like it's a Miami vacation. I feel bad for our tour guide. She's so nice and sweet and these University of Florida goons are making her work to the bone over the dumbest things. My restaurant, leisure, and overall experience have been fantastic when I move alone or with my roommate, so the problem is quite obvious. Anyway, we get to our stay and it's nice. The view from the balcony is great and I like the freedom these door keys offer over our other stay that had 1 key at the front desk. I decided to explore after a little nap and ended up back at Ippudo Ramen. It was completely on accident, but I won't complain, as it's the best bowl I've had here in Japan so far, even though the one I had in Tokyo was better because I had company. I then went and browsed around Kyoto station, and played the Initial D arcade game with some Japanese schoolkid. He was a pretty good racer and I had fun.

The readings really spoke to me about how brilliant the Shinkansen really was and how it untied Japan in a way like never before. Distances that were once seen as too large were now accessible without the need to build an airport. The train goes something like 200mph which is crazy fast for passenger rail. Now you have Japanese people accessing different parts of Japan in larger numbers, bolstering the economy, jobs, and overall growth of the country. The bullet train wasn't just a wonder in engineering, but a miracle for the country.

I hope you'll forgive me, because my GoPro was in my bag on the train so I couldn't get some pictures on the train.

Here is Kyoto instead

[941injapan]

June 8th- Final Free Day in Tokyo

Today is the day, my final day in Tokyo. I woke up early to prepare my luggage to get shipped over to our stay in Kyoto. This was very convenient and I'm glad we opted to do this. Afterward, it was time for me to complete the last of my shopping. All of our time here in Tokyo, I have been scoping out stores and items that I wanted to double back to. First, I went to Akihabara again to pick up a Dragon Ball action figure. I'm a big sucker for posable merch like that, as I love setting them up in cool fighting poses in my room. After dropping that off back at the hotel, it was off to the Uniqlo flagship store in Ginza. 12 floors of great clothes at even greater prices. I ended up buying like 4 shirts, one of which was a collaboration with a famous yakiniku restaurant in Ginza, a beautiful dark denim jacket, an off-white overshirt, and some shorts all for under 80 bucks. So crazy! Brand new! I went back to the hotel to catch some Z's before the highlight of the day; my first visit to Shinjuku. I've already been around some of the areas in a video game called Yakuza. I went to the neon red torii gate in front of Kabukicho, I went to the arcade and won a desk fountain, and played some initial D with a guy from Hong Kong. I stopped by the batting cages and had an absolute blast, and ended the night with some gyoza. Side note, I think I'm starting to have an affinity for gyozas and dumplings. They are all so delicious, and this last spot in Shinjuku was the best so far. I ordered a variety set and it came with 2 sets of 5 gyozas. The order was pork and garlic gyoza, mushroom gyoza, shrimp gyoza, and cheese gyoza. I couldn't tell what the last one was but it was delicious too. Came back to the hotel to get in bed while I have the chance because ill have to pack up my things tomorrow to take the bullet train over to Kyoto. Halfway through this adventure, this experience has already taught me so much about Japan and myself. i can't wait to see what Kyoto has in store, as I did little research on it, unlike Tokyo, so ill be in for a surprise.

[941injapan]

June 7th- Mt Takao

Let's go! More hiking this is pretty great. Today was Mount Takao, an all-day excursion where we reached the summit of the mountain and made our way down over a variety of trails. When we arrived at the town, I was once again impressed by the quiet relaxed suburban area. The food I had was good, it was a little pizza with an egg on top. I find that Japan can prepare an egg in the best ways over all other cultures. I opted to take a ski-style lift up the mountain to get to the trail to the summit. These old rickety seats provided a nice and deep view of the mountain forests, a peaceful and tranquil ride with tall, laser-straight trees. Upon reaching the trail, all the vending machine prices went up 70 yen. Not surprising. We hiked through the ridgeline and saw a few shrines. In one of the shrines, there was both a Buddhist and a Shinto shrine. Apparently, the story is that it was a Shinto shrine, but later, Buddhists realized that the kami there was an embodiment of a budda. Small world I guess. Anyway, we reached the summit and the view was incredible. I think it's safe to say I liked it better than the Skytree even. After that, I took a more challenging route down. It was rocky and had plenty of large roots, but it made up for it by having plenty of wooden platforms to step on. There was a running water section which I'm a sucker for. I love little streams and waterfalls in forests. I saw a worm the size of a snake, this thing was gigantic. I got to the base and walked all the way to the Takao train station, which was like 45 minutes, but I got to see the town and the river so I don't regret it one bit. I found the very first and probably only root beer I'll ever see in Japan at a vending machine in front of the station. After a long ride home, I got some food. One thing I'm starting to love eating here are these convenience store pancakes. They are very soft and come pre-buttered with syrup. They always hit no matter the day or time. I went to the arcade to play some initial D and went to bed after doing some laundry. Tomorrow is my last day in Tokyo, so hopefully I can make it memorable. I'll miss this city, but I still can't make up my mind if I should work or go to school here. I get polarized feelings, on one hand, I feel welcomed by very nice people, but on the other, I feel different and as if I don't belong. Who knows and who cares, I'm here now baby.

The readings spoke about how Japan has maintained it's rich greenery over the years. The well-kept forests and parks are thanks to centuries-old restrictions on land for farming and timber. There were rules in place that required those who used the land to basically replenish the soil and regenerate the forest. Today, these practices have allowed Japan to maintain a balance of modern cities and rich natural areas just minutes away from one another.

[941injapan]

June 6th-- Hakone

June 6th is here. Only a few more days in Tokyo before we head on over to the second half of our trip in Kyoto. Today's visit was to Hakone, a mountainside town, where our group took to the trails to see some sights. Our initial journey began on a train that scales the steepest slope of any other train in Japan. It had to change direction 3 times just to get up. Next, we took a cable car even higher. As we went up, the view just got better and better. We passed over a volcanic steam vent area with many pockets of sulfur. While the group didn't seem to enjoy it, I thought the view was great and the cold wind to be polarizing and refreshing compared to our days in the city. I ate not 1 but 4 of these eggs that were boiled in natural volcanic water and they were black. Not sure if it was healthy, but protein is protein. Hakone must be quite a tourist destination, as I saw many foreigners and both the cable car and train were packed. We took a wire car back down and then got on a boat to cross Lake Ashi. On the other side, we were met with fishermen and a few beautiful shrines, unfortunately, there was some bad weather, and it really put a damper on the experience. The bus ride back to the station was neat too. Going around these mountain roads had me really itching to drive. Such stimulating, twisty, and scenic roads, ; just superb. I even saw my dream car, an Mk5 Toyota Supra, going for a nice drive on the downhill. So cool!! I really fangirl over everything cars here because the roads and the car scene here are a match made in heaven.

I wanted to remark on the readings for today that spoke about sekisho, or barriers in English. These buildings were a type of checkpoint before reaching the city of Edo, or Tokyo, to prevent contraband and weapons stockpiling against the Samurai. What made this experience extra interesting, is that there was an episode of Samurai Champloo that had one of these barriers as a major plot point. The layout was already familiar to me, maybe it was based on the same checkpoint? Anyway, the checkpoint had a display of weapons to intimidate people who may be committing a crime, and even jail and lookout. Overall, it was an interesting and historically significant site, who knows what the daiyamo would have done if they could smuggle their wives or hoarded weapons.

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