May 29 - Typhoon Songda!

            Today was intended for a trip to Inujima Island to see contemporary art installations located in abandoned industrial sites. The group was looking forward to the ferry ride and a biking adventure. We had also hoped for a break in the rainy weather and to see and feel some sunshine. However, a typhoon impacting our area cancelled our plans. (Safety comes first!)

           Although we were bummed out about having to stay indoors with gloomy weather everyone made the best of it. Another day of rest, drying out our soggy shoes (Hannah learned they dry out faster if you stuff newspaper in them to absorb the moisture), catching up on assignments, and contacting family and friends is always good. Many of us went shopping in Takashimaya and picked up lunch. Having a hotel connected to a train station with tons of shops and food is very convenient!

   The day ended with a group dinner out at a Japanese restaurant. We all were given 1500 yen to spend. It is amazing how much food we receive and even more astonishing how every time we manage to clean our plates and still have room for dessert! Our table was filled with edamame, octopus, eel, salmon sashimi, eggplant casserole, dumplings, steak, chicken wings, squid, salads, and spring rolls of sorts. After a delicious dinner, seated around an ambient-lit private table in a Japanese environment, we left for some soft serve ice cream. We found an open soft serve shop at the train station and enjoyed the single mystery flavor they served. It was rich, creamy, a little nutty and doubled as a lip moisturizer. What ever the case may be, it will forever be known as Jergens to the 2011 Japanese Tour Crew.

Sayonara,

Piper, Bernice, and Hannah

May 26 - Castle In a Box

                   We woke up feeling refreshed after a night of DELISHUS relaxation at the Yumenoi Ryokan. We had a long and restful bus ride back to Himeji City where we checked into Hotel Claire Higasa. We then headed towards Himeji Castle, but not before having lunch and an epic dessert as always. (Can we say FRUIT EXPOLSION?!

                  We arrived at Himeji Castle, which some of us joked was limited edition and could be taken home in a box. We were all amazed at how immense it was. As some people would agree, it was an anticlimactic experience due to the scaffolding structure that surrounded the Castle under renovations. Overall, it was remarkable to see the renovations in progress as well as tour the main tower and get an inside look at the original interiors of a Japanese castle.

                  After touring the Himeji Castle, we made our way to the Koko-En Garden where we had a chance to practice our tea ceremony etiquette during a private tea ceremony. We made it inside the tea house just as the rain arrived. The tea house provided us with great views of a garden, great hospitality and tasty, delicious sweets and green tea.  After having great conversation with the ladies that served us our tea, we walked through the gardens and admired the landscape and ponds full of Koy and Carp.

Although it was raining, we were able to enjoy the gardens without school kids in every other photograph and take in the peaceful views. The day ended with every one splitting up for dinner. Hannah opted for a yummy sushi and mango dinner from the grocery while Piper and I joined Rochelle, Jesse and Amanda and had a SCRUMPTIOUS Chinese meal and enjoyed a couple of rounds of arcade games for dessert.

Until next time!

-Bernice, Piper, Hannah



May 23 - Rain, Rain, Go Away!

            Rain streaming down endlessly, we began our morning with much-needed beauty sleep. Today was deemed a free day; allowed to wake up as we chose, most of us, unsurprisingly, chose to sleep in as late as possible. Our shoes were still a bit damp from yesterday, and the sky gave no hope of drying them out any time soon; in Kyoto it rained from sun up to sun down.

            As per the unsatisfactory weather, some of our number chose to utilize the free day for catching up on reading, managing photos, or contacting family and friends. Others, less inhibited by the rain, ventured out into the soggy city to sketch, shop at our group's favored Japanese dollar store, or simply walk around to escape our hotel. 

            In the evening, some of the group went downtown and had an interesting dining experience. Upon entering the establishment, they found a vending machine that displayed dinner options, which ranged from individual selections to entire meals, that they paid for and were in turn given a ticket. The waitress collected the tickets once they seated themselves, and in a Jetson-like fashion they were delivered their food. The waitress struggled with explaining the concept of bottomless bowls of rice, just as they struggled with understanding why a vending machine should replace a waitress. The highlight of the night was the waitress' comical explanation: "Many, many rice, eat, okay."

            Although the day was not as eventful as our other days in Japan, the group concurred that the rest and rejuvenation was well needed and well deserved.



May 20 _ Scenic Views and Sushi

Today we woke up refreshed after getting much needed sleep at Nine Hours Hotel. We were also thankful that David decided to push our check out time to 9:00 am to give us two extra hours of sleep. After walking to the subway and realizing we were not at the close entrance we decided to take cabs. We enjoyed the views of the city of Kyoto on our ride to The Palace Side Hotel.

            After dropping off our luggage we took trains to our destination. Upon arriving we split up for lunch. Some of us enjoyed fried pork and onions on a stick and green tea ice cream. Afterwards, we made our way to the Tenryuji Temple and had a scenic walk of a beautiful river with the mountains of various shades of green in the distance.

            The Tenryuji Temple was fascinating. The gardens were large and plush with ample trees, bushes, rocks, creeks, and the mountains in the background. The group enjoyed sitting on the tatami mats in the large room that looked out onto the garden. The views were so soothing that the entire group was tempted to remain there to take a load off our feet and enjoy the cool breeze.

            Next we walked through the Bamboo Forrest and were awed by the height and amount of the bamboo. The light filtered in through the leaves and was gorgeous. This area of Kyoto provided lots of impressive traditional ceramic pottery and bamboo shops.

            We then arrived at Nembutsu-ji Temple at Adashino where we were able to appreciate the sea of Buddha gravestones since we were not allowed to photograph them. Afterwards we went our separate ways for dinner, which turned out to be a rather interesting experience.

            Some of us went to the sushi-go-round where we were able to choose our preferred sushi from a conveyor belt or request a special order from a digital screen. If digitally ordered it would arrive directly in front of you via a miniature replica of the JR train. Once we were satisfied with our usual selections Rochelle had the bright idea to play “sushi-go-round of disgust” where everyone (except Piper) willingly participated. The group decided on a gag-alicious roll for each participant to eat. We then traded plates and ironically we all preferred each other’s rolls.

May 17_ "Exciting!"

As we sit here with stinky, sore feet and begin to recollect our daily activities, everything feels like its coming back all at once. It was a day filled high levels of both restraint and exuberance so its as if we had a taste of all the colors of the rainbow. We were ready for a new adventure as soon as breakfast was over. Hannah successfully lead us to Namba station , which was only our first mode of transportation to what we would soon find out to be a lengthy but well worth trip.

We were transported to Tadao Ando ‘s Church of Light in out first taxi ride of the trip. The driver is head to toe in uniform (white gloves and all) and the seats are covered in white lace. What we as Americans would treat as a menial job, the Japanese treat with the utmost seriousness. Yes, even a cab ride is given the attention we would expect from a limousine rental service.

We are dropped off right next to the Church of Light which is located in what would be best described as a residential neighborhood  here in Osaka. We are told to approach the site as a work of art and indeed it was. The images in books that we’ve studied just don’t do this spectacular space justice. It was both small and grand all at once. Quiet, yet said so much. As we sit and contemplate the journey we are on the serenity felt while sitting in the pew inside the church is surreal .

Our second destination is The Mother Ship! Ok maybe not, it was the Osaka Dome where we definitely went (to quote Rihanna) “from 0 to 60 in 3.5“. It was the Osaka Buffaloes versus the Hanshin Tigers. We entered the dome fearing our goodies would get confiscated; luckily it was totally cool for us to bring dried squid, pastries, strawberries, chocolate koalas and a box of almond pocky into the dome. We sat near left field in the fourth and fifth rows, close enough to get wacked in the head with a home run ball! It was, as our friend who sat behind us would so enthusiastically exclaim, “EXCITING!”

The cheers were easy to follow seeing as to how they were repeated over and over by the awesomely dedicated Tigers fans. Beating our Tigers bats together, attempting to keep up with the locals and their cheers, we all couldn’t help but notice that this was probably the most fun we would ever have at a baseball game ……. EVER! Although the cheering was one of the highlights of the night , I think most everyone’s favorite part was at the beginning of the 7^th and 9^th inning when we blew up balloons, (suggestive anthropomorphic balloons I might add),and let them go  to create a sea of awesomeness inside the dome.

THE HANSHIN TIGERS WIN!  Can we say, BEST GAME EVER?! With our adrenaline running at high levels, we leave the stadium giving high fives all along the way while repeating after an older Tigers fan shouting “UEMOTO!, I LOVE THE TIGERS, and “We Love Japan!” The first couple of times it might have just been repetition, but I think in the end it truly was a great way to sum up that night!

-WE LOVE JAPAN!