Fun with haikus

The greenhouse really
Is another world. Please leave
Your shoes at the door

 

 

Oh! Japan never
Do you fail to with the range
Of flavours to try

 

The sea otter of
Russia ignored its surrounds
Instead choosing sleep

Sitting under a
Heat lamp waiting to see how
My hair will turn out

Note: it turned out awesome! I went with a very natural pink and orange (after much discussion, as my original red and blue was rejected outright, although I must say part of the reason I asked for these was because I knew the words…), although I thought we had agreed on pink and purple. anyway! I love it, and before my birthday in a few weeks I am going to get it the same, but with some spots of Very Bright pink and orange

 

Sipping on sake
After a long soak in the
Onsen – this is bliss

 

 

no long weekend for
a Salirian who works
really very hard

Random street in
Tokyo houses a good place
To drink and to eat

More Haikus!

Their stripes were long but
Their noses were longer still
They were so divine!

I also have a zoo post coming up. So many mixed feelings…

Peanut satay with
Rice seems incredibly hard
To make for dinner

It is so hard to
Show the quiet elegance
That is the new bike

I had a bike mishap – somehow a spoke came out and lodged itself in my wheel. Thus I needed a new one. I love the colours! If she was a person she would be from the 20s, wearing pearls and gloves

Night Sakura in
Kyoto is a thing of
Extreme loveliness

In Japan at an
Italian restaurant
This, the Paris set

Haikus

 

The seeds were placed
So neatly that no one could
Believe it was me

 

Today I got to
Try two more flavours of Kit
Kats – they were ok!

So for those who are playing at home! I have now tried milk, dark, matcha, cinnamon, orange, and hazelnut.

Hanging in the green
House topping up the water
For my baby plants

And we still went through all 800L of water! it was a close thing. I only need to do this 4 more times over the next 6 weeks. It takes forever, as I have to filter it (although at least I do not have to do that manually!) and I need to be organised and do it two days in advance so it is warm enough to not shock my babies!

Seasons change what was
Snow covered is now ready
To show it is spring

I was on my way to Toyama (post coming I swear!) and I did not realise that it was on the way to Kanazawa, which is where I went for Christmas last year. Last time I was here, these fields were covered in snow! Rice fields are such a nice way to see the seasons changing. I am going to attempt to take photos of the ones I cycle through.. 1-2 photos per week for a year!

Under my desk there
Is a mysterious place
Where socks go to die

 

the new shopping centre

the new shopping centre, a set on Flickr.

A few weekends ago (now over a month… man I am bad at updating this thing!) a new, big supermall opened up. Normally this isn’t something that would interest me (although opening specials interest me) but a dutch couple I met in cooking class invited me out for a ride – so of course I said yes! Another thing I have done in Tsukuba! (I have to say here and now, I actually like Tsukuba! But in terms of culture and things that make Japan so foreign and interesting, it has less of that. I do need to spend more time here though….)

Anyway! It was a pleasant cycle. Mainly flat. I am *fairly* sure I could find my way again… as far as places go, it is just like any other gigantic shopping centre. But a bit better organised – all the baby shops were in the same place! I live in a small town back in Aus (well, a big town. A small city), and we do not have very big shopping centres, so I still find them a bit exciting.

More exciting was going somewhere with new friends! Anyway, I had a small list of things to buy (including a thermos. I only remember that because I actually managed to get one. As well as some really disgusting sachets of cocoa. I got them to flaunt their beauty and deliciousness at my sister over skype, but well, that plan failed).

Stand outs for me were the puppies (although I am opposed to petshops, for many reasons. Man Japan, bring up all my animal issues!!! But it cannot be denied that puppies are Damn Cute), and there is a dog café there too! Alas, I think it is more a Bring you dog to the café, rather than Come pat our beautiful friendly dogs, café. Any people in Japan reading this: if you have a dog, I am so open to being friends (I am open to being friends anyway, but I do miss the dogs).

So the shopping centre was a shopping centre. The puppies were cute. Japan has awesome homewares and every shop has a mascot. The end.

Learning Japanese

I have started Japanese lessons, here in Japan. I started the intro course in January, and it ran for 22 lessons. We had a farewell party, which was really nice! Except the service… my meal took two hours to get there.

Class was… it was… interesting. I don’t know how much I got out of it – maybe a little more familiarity with common phrases, but I don’t think I really pushed myself to study. I guess that wasn’t surprising – I had class 2x per week, plus 1 on 1 tutoring once a week as well. And I was keeping up with kanji. The thing is, knowing kanji doesn’t actually help you talk. I don’t have that recall – when I see the kanji on the page, I can reason it out, and come up with the meaning, but tell me how to say “to intersect” and I probably won’t think of it (although I think it is probably majiwaru, but I am not totally sure right night). Anyway, I know I have this massive gap, and I have to fill it somehow. So I am trying to be a bit more studious with class. This is not working so far, but I have hopes. And I think what I meant to say was ‘oh, I didn’t study. Oops.

The second lot of classes has begin, and I still don’t study.. although I do do my homework at lunchtime the day it is due. But that will change, right?

Of course, banking brings it out. My lack of Japanese. I went to the bank the other day to transfer some money back to Aus. My bank people are really lovely, but the banking system here is difficult, and I don’t speak Japanese, and my people don’t speak English. So we struggle. We struggled harder this time. I had a phonecall when I was almost back at work (woo! Remembered to put the sound back on my phone!)  and I have that strained silent conversation where I don’t understand what Banker-san is saying (except for Ninomiya Tsukuba Bank…) and he says stuff, and I say (slowly) “do I need to come back now?” “nao..” he says. “Nao…” (omg! What kind of an accent do I have???) anyway, I finally dredge up “Ima, bank ni ikimasuka?” (did I even use the right particle?? I have no Idea), anyway it is good enough, and I get “thankyouthankyouthankyou” on the other end.

So I turn my bike around, head back and sign a form that we needed (and get a box of tissues for my troubles – hooray!!) head back to work, and get another call. This one I hand straight to my work colleague. It turns out they can’t read my writing, and can’t tell whether my capital R is a R or an N. Y’know, back home people think I have lovely writing! Anyway, a third phonecall occurs (I had a missed call, and got another one of my colleagues to call back) (it seems that I had overpaid by 1Y, and did I mind if they put it in my account…) and I didn’t mind.

Ah… so this post totally went off an a tangent, but that is kind of like my Japan experience!

Plum Blossom Festivals

Plum Blossom Festivals, a set on Flickr.

I went to two plum blossom festivals. I will let the pictures talk for themselves, but will give you some highlights.

Festival 1: Shrine in Tokyo. Yushima Temjin
The people I know here don’t really get out and do things on the weekend, so I put a note up on Couchsurfers to see if anyone would like to come to the plum blossom festival. Anyone who knows me would have noticed that I am lacking in friends >_<

The amazing thing was, I got responses! Four people came along – 3 from Tokyo (all Japanese) and a German girl who is studying in Saitama (I seem to meet a lot of Germans..) We organized it all over the message boards, and I am so glad for phone internet, as guess who was late. I swear I was running on time, but then my train to Kita-Senju suddenly started going half speed. I was 7 minutes late, which was enough minutes to miss my connection.

So I was late. So embarrassed. But I recovered and we went and wandered around the shrine grounds for a couple of hours. The plum blossoms are gorgeous. I like the pink ones better. I just like pink. The white ones were nice too. But it was fabulous to wander around the temple. There we got so many people, and so many food stalls. I still haven’t managed to have a chocolate banana, but I will dammit!! (side note: must go to a festival just to try the festival foods ^_^)

I got my first luck here! Actually that isn’t true. I think when Carina and I travelled in 2008 we got lucks from a shrine too, but we couldn’t read it. I got moderate luck, and wow! It was seriously lucky! The Good Luck and Extra Good Luck (I am sure there is one at that level) must be super duper! I wanted to keep it, but you tie it twine so that the luck some back to you, or something. Anyway, I kinda sadly tied it, then felt happier when I remember that I lose everything and it comes back to me (yes, I am thinking of the stickers which I lost today which I NEED dammit and also found again) so I now am ready to receive my moderate luck from the universe.

The lucks are really interesting, as they cover everything – money, happiness, love, learning, etc etc. There are maybe 9-12 different sections?

The plum trees were gorgeous. And there were birds everywhere. I have not seen much wildlife since I got here, so it was just delightful! I will let the pictures speak for themselves, since I can’t describe the prettiness and delicacy.

Afterwards we went out for lunch, and I find myself thinking (as per usual) I need more Japanese friends. Come on Nihonjin – why are you guys so hard to meet?! I had a fabulous time, and met wonderful people. So yeah – lucky!! On the way to lunch we saw the most orderly street march I have ever seen.

The second festival was at Tsukuba Mountain (wow… I did something in Tsukuba!) The Friday night had been a work colleagues’ wife’s birthday party, and somehow someone arranged for me and another work colleague to go to a plum blossom festival on the Sunday. We ended up going, because he had not been to a plum festival there. So he picked me up in the afternoon, and we headed out.

I think of Tsukuba-san as being rather close. But it is a 20min drive. Through Tsukuba. Not the most picturesque of towns, but we wound our way up the mountain, and lucky I was with a person who speaks and reads Japanese, as I totally would have missed the signs! (Huge as they were, I just couldn’t read them!)

The plum trees cover the hillside. It was really beautiful. And I admit it… I have a preference for the pink ones! This festival was not as big in terms of the festivities. There was a tent with some performers, and free umecha (which, I am going to be honest tastes like MSG. It just makes me think that it mustn’t be very nice if it has to be topped up with flavour enhancers… it was at both festivals too!)

So I looked at flowers, stalked small dogs, and tried to read the kanji I recognized on the signs. All in all, it was a lovely afternoon. The blossoms were beautiful. This is something I really appreciate about Japan – these things don’t just happen – they are celebrated!

Hakkone

Hakkone, a set on Flickr.

Back in Tsukuba we went for a bit of cycle, and I booked myself a hair appointment – on the wrong day as it happens. Why am I telling you about booking a hair appointment? Because it was hard! And so I had been putting it off.

The conversation went something like:

Me: sumimasen! Eigoga wakarimasuka?

Hairdresser: Chotto

You know it is a bad start when the question, do you speak English is answered in Japanese. Anyway, I managed to make a booking for the wrong day. Very confidently I might add. He totally booked the day in that I asked for, I just forgot the day I wanted it for…

Nicole and I had a ride around. I just want to state publically that I am a better bike rider than that trip made me appear! We went out for dinner which ended up being so late! And I struggled our way through the ordering. Seriously, they were really busy, and did not seem to want to deal with non-japanese speakers, which I understand. But I am glad we went

The next day we were going to head to lights festival and Nabano no Sato. Unfortunately I made this decision based on wanting to see it, not really accounting for the fact that it would take us about 5 hours each way. Also, we had a slow morning. But we were on holidays dammit. I think my favourite moment (and this just personifies Nicole for me!) was when Nicole walked through the kitchen to the lounge, where she says in passing “your toast is on fire”. I leant back from the desk to look and so it was. Alas, that piece of toast had no hope of redemption.

So taking all this into account, we decided to go to Hakkone. What I will say about Hakkone is I would go back. Winter is not the best time to see it, not unless you are staying at an onsen or something. We got the shinkansen to Odawara, and from there got the Hakkone Free Pass. It is good for 2 days, and gets you the round trip on the trains, cable cars, and a boat. It paid for itself for 1 day, and I think it would be incredible value for two.

Anway! First we got the train. And it was steep! And crowded too. I must admit I was a little over crowds at this point, but Nicole and I jumped on and got seats. The train zigzagged along – pulling into one station, and then the driver had to switch the tracks so that he would go up rather than down. That was kind nice. It was lovely scenery, but my strongest thoughts were this would be Fabulous in autumn (for the leaves) or spring (for the wildflowers). In winter it was a bit meh. But I could see the potential!

The cable car (or ropeway, the names of things were different to what I expected) was great! In a weird way it reminded me of the Jetsons, as we floated out over sulfur springs. There was dirty white snow on the ground, but c’mon! we had just come from Hokkaido, such snow wasn’t going to impress me!

After a series of ropeways we made it to the next part of the journey, which involved a trip across the lake in a Disney pirate ship. On our way down we heard drumming… and in lounge near the food parts there were maybe 20-30 people all doing taiko drumming. The sound is just so joyful! We waited on the steps, watching as much as we could before we hotfooted it to the ship. Made it on board, and as is par for the course with most Japanese things, there were not enough seats.

I am going to say it: I like sitting down. I don’t like standing for 45min to get somewhere. I do it when I have to (I am looking at you trips to and from Tokyo) but for a leisure cruise?? Upshot was we stood. And we ended up chatting to an American girl all the way over. It was nice. She was chatty, we were chatty. It was chatty all round.

A bite of lunch (English menu ftw!) then we waiting in line to get a bus to get back. Now, I normally wouldn’t mention a bus ride, but goodness Japan is Bad With Buses. There are never enough buses. They never have enough seats. We managed to get on this one, and we had to stand. Fine, fine, I don’t mind, only 40min. But you know what? 40min when there actually isn’t enough room to put your feet is Hell. Pure Hell. Nicole lucked out and was reasonably comfortable. I was unhappy. But we got the other end, booked our seats back home on the train, and it worked.

Take home message? It goes on my list of places to go back to. But given how long my ‘places to go’ list is, I don’t know how that will go.