Osaka Adventures: Shinsaibashi 心斎橋

           I can't say this enough: Kansai Gaidai is located in an awesome spot. Being literally an hour to an hour and a half train ride from a number of places means that my weekends are jammed packed with exploration. For my first official weekend since school a bunch of friends and I decided to check out Shinsaibashi. 

     Shinsaibashi is a shopping district in Osaka. It spans on for blocks in an open air mall type fashion, filled with food stalls, clothing shops, Pachinko parlors, and the like. They also have all the high class name brand stores like Gucci, Chanel, Armani, Dolce&Gabbana, and Versace (not that I could even afford to window shop in  any of those stores). There is also a ton of arcades, restaurants, clothing shops, shoe stores, electronics, and even massage parlors and palm readers. If you cant find a store dedicated to what you want in Shinsaibashi than it probably doesn't exist! .   

The Famous Glico Man in Dōtonbori

For me, the whole experience was a tad bit overwhelming. My senses buzzed with different stimuli, the bells and whistles of the Pachinko machines, the calls from vendors, glowing sign after glowing sign. My head spinning between taking in my surroundings and watching where I was going, trying many times unsuccessfully to not bump into the masses of other shoppers. We went into various shops, from fashionable clothing stores, 100 yen shops, to the ground floor of Tsutaya, covered with Manga and Anime merchandise. We also found a three story arcade with Purikura!
     For all of you who don't know, Purikura is a Japanese photo booth, that "enhances" your face while allowing you to add a variety of effects. They are really fun but the end result...can be a little shocking. For example, Purikura turned me into soul sucking void of uber cuteness (look into those cold empty eyes...look at them).

I am what nightmares are made of.

          Besides discovering my ability to be horrifyingly cute, I tried for the first time the Japanese's take on pizza. I am not a fan of pizza in the States (I know completely unamerican right?) so I had my doubts about Shakey's, an all you can eat pizza buffet akin to Cici's or Little Caesar's. However, their pizza was great! Who knew squid on pizza could taste so good? But my greatest discovery, a marvelous hidden gem deserving of the highest praises was dessert pizza. I could see a line slowly start to form at the buffet station, people hovering and grabbing returning with plates full of a strange looking thing. My friend kindly grabbed me a slice before they ran out and what followed after my first bite was a series of simultaneous epiphanies. 
Why didn't anyone think of this before? 
Why aren't there dessert pizzas on every menu in America? 
Plastered on billboards,
 Given on birthdays, holidays and anniversaries.
Covered in the morning section of the daily news!  
     Maybe I'm overstating here, because if you put dark chocolate and strawberries on anything you can be sure I will devour it.  Seriously America, dessert pizza. Look into it.

Isn't she pretty?

     For those who love shopping in any form, Shinsaibashi is the place to visit. As the day came to a close the streets got even more crowded.  People standing in groups, people passing out night club, karaoke, and food advertisements, and bustling in and out of stores. As I weaved my way in between the masses, past girls with their hair meticulously sculpted, and guys lighting up cigarettes smoke billowing above their heads in the cold. I felt a little lost and yet at ease, that I was just another face passing swiftly unrecognized amongst the idle chatter and city lights.

Kyoto Excursion

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     I had the opportunity to go to Kyoto during orientation week, an opportunity that I eagerly accepted! We were divided into groups and accompanied by Japanese Kansai Gaidai students. Luckily, Kyoto is only about an hour train ride from Hirakata-Shi Station, and relatively cheap as well. I've always thought of Kyoto as the land of the geisha, a hub of old Japan. I was more interested in shopping than hiking up a billion and one stairs to an old Buddhist temple. But my group had decided on going to Kiyomizu-dera and I wasn't going to be the Debbie Downer. So somewhat reluctantly I agreed, and I don't regret it. Japan has pushed me into doing things that I might not have tried elsewhere (good things don't worry). Just like I've only had a glimpse of Kyoto, I've only had a glimpse of Japan. And I'm constantly finding new things that inspire, amaze and surprise me. 

Another part of the temple

 

The pagoda of Kiyomizu-Dera was under construction

The old and new living in harmony is something Japan does marvelously well. And so far I've found the best demonstration of this wonderful harmony in Kyoto. It's a place where one moment you're here and the next you're some place else, suspended, and ethereal, in some sort of  transient limbo of time. You get lost in the wafting earthy smell of temple incense, the small winding streets crowded with shops and food stalls, the the hum of visitor's voices, snapping of cameras and feet on concrete steps. All heading forward up the Otawa Mountain towards Kiyomizu-dera, an Heian period Buddhist temple.     

Inside you can make an offering, ring the bell and say a prayer

     When we reached the temple I felt like a bystander. I watched a mother teach her son how to bow, she fixed his socked feet tucking them under his tiny legs and bent his head down to the floor beneath the Buddha statue, visitors drank and washed hands in the Otawa Waterfall for health, luck and longevity. And there was me, fumbling my way through, not knowing when to bow, to take off my shoes, to make an offering, or to pray. But the thing was, I was okay with it of just observing. That was what I loved the most about Kyoto. To me it was like a story book read to me by someone else, elegantly distant and hauntingly present.

Do you like my artsy natural lens flare?

Wifi Woes

           Coming to Japan I had this preconception that everything would be all futuristic, technologically advanced,  robots serving you your meals (that might be a little much). But come on their toilets have heated seats, food serving robots are not far behind. The last thing I thought I was going to have to worry about was something as simplistic as WiFi. There would be WiFi up the yingyang, I could probably update a status from atop Mt. Fuji for Pete's sake. Wrong-O! There is WiFi, but that WiFi is protected and ultimately unavailable much to my sad unprepared disappointment. You don't know how difficult it is for me to not be able to obsessively check the weather five times, or scroll through Facebook on my phone. (#firstworldproblems) However the most difficult thing is, without WiFi I can't update anyone or anything.       But don't let me scare you technology lovers, if you are coming to Japan you do have some options! You could rent/buy a Japanese cell phone from SoftBank or another carrier. This option is slightly less appealing if you are attached to your money. Second is purchasing a pocket WiFi. This is probably the best for those only planning a semester stay. The plan is good, its only a 100 dollar cancellation fee and depending on where and when you go you might be able to get a free tablet with your contract! I got my pretty red one at Edion, I recommend bringing a Japanese speaker with you though as they might not have an English speaker on staff.      But anyways this is my long winded way of telling you all the reason I've been delayed in updating! But now that I've officially been here over a week, have adjusted, and have WiFi, I can start regularly updating! I hope you look forward to my posts as much as I look forward to sharing my adventures with you!  \ (・∀・)/

  

Surprise Going Away Party? You Shouldn't Have ;)

      I came home after running to the bookstore and was welcomed by a surprise party! With balloons and streamers and everything!      It was so heartwarming to have all my friends and family crowded together in my little kitchen, shouting over each other (lovingly of course), and dancing horribly to throw back 90's songs (okay maybe I was the only horrible one). I love my family and last night I was reminded of their unending faith in me. Their reassuring comments of  "you'll be fine" or their confident mutterings of "if anyone can do it it would be you," left me with a new-found confidence and the stomach tingling, tear brimming feeling of being loved. 

     So here's a big thank you to everyone! Especially my Aunt Renee! I'm blessed to have you all behind me and am continuously honored and encouraged by the faith you all have in me.

Pre-Trip Jitters and A Fear of Traveling

 
 

       I am probably the biggest worry wart you'll ever meet. So going on a trip to a non-English speaking country for the first time by myself is like a field day of emotional distress. I don't worry about the larger details. No, because that would be understandable right? 

Instead, I worry about the tiniest, the most implausible, and insignificant details possible. Like, what if I accidentally packed medicine that's illegal in Japan (despite the fact that I've meticulously checked and re-checked the list)? What if I get stranded in another country? What if I forget all my Japanese and make a fool of myself? What will happen if I run out of deodorant? 

There's nothing like calling home to tell your mom you got busted for smuggling Tylenol Cold.

     Here's the thing, traveling is frightening. Maybe not the act itself but all the "what ifs" and possibilities it brings. I've always admired those travelers who can just spontaneously, with little planning go out into the world and enjoy it. Heck, I need a plan just to go to the supermarket! But this is why I decided to go to Japan, to face this fear and open myself to spontaneity. Now I'm not saying I'm going to be jumping on the next impromptu backpacking adventure. Let me first get through my neatly planned to the tee Japan trip!

-Danya

   

   

ようこそ Welcome!

     

     Hey there, glad to have you along on one of my first big adventures - studying abroad in Japan! I've always considered myself to be a homebody suffering from incurable wanderlust. And until recently I've never quite worked up the nerve to actually start...well, anything. But after months of aggravating paper work, arduous application processes, several mental break downs and path questionings, I've bought a ticket to Japan and was accepted to a study abroad program. 

     There was a quote I once heard (my English major is showing here)  that I thought was really inspiring.

     "Every few hundred feet, the world changes." - Roberto Bolaño

I can't say that this notion doesn't both excite and frighten me. I've always been a little resistant towards change (okay, a lot resistant) but I hope by undergoing this journey I can grow use to its presence and appreciate its advantages. 

      So there you have it , here I will be chronicling my travels in Japan for all of you to see (all of you most likely consisting of my mom and dad). I'll document my experiences, my adjustment, and the interesting things I find. I'll hope you'll enjoy the adventure as much as I. 

-Danya