Konnichiwa! Moments of Japan.
I arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, August 26th, 2009. The following are some videos I've captured on my adventures. Tokyo seems very familiar to me, despite the obscure language. I thought it would be fun to document moments (literally, every video you see here is around or under a minute) of my experiences in this charming country. Please enjoy the naivete and quirkiness for what it is. Note: All videos are raw, none are edited....
Landed!
Fresh of the airplane, Maria and I embark on our 2 hour adventure to her house.
Back so soon?
I accompany Maria to NRT in search for a cell phone...
Shibuya 1
In search of the dog statue, Hichiko
WOMB
Yes, that's the name of the club. "I saw you from across the woomb..." The mirror ball was exceptional, and even more exceptional is Tokyo Blue Man Group's surfer band- so much fun! I captured a bit before I was censored. The staff there managed to "shew" us out of the club at 12am and continued to follow us and shush us as we walked down the street. Apparently people were sleeping. I learn later that no one would have lived in that area, and no one sleeps in Shibuya! Sound familiar?
"Drill Team" in Yoyogi Park
This is one of the few parks where one (or many in this case) is allowed to dance, play music, etc. Lot's of noisy cicadas and crows in the background... Japan's known for them. In the second video, they look very polished.
Kamakura
My friend Adam took me to Kamakura. We're checking out the map to embark (i love that word) on our hike and see temples and the Diabustu (Big Buddha) Adam also nicely handles my keen ability to be inappropriate.
Here's something I didn't know at the time: "Nestled in a cypress wood, Jochi-ji, established in 1238, is considered one of Kamakura's five great Zen temples. Designated as Important Cultural Assets, the three wooden statues on the central altar represent, from left to right, Nyorai: 'past' (Amida) 'present' (Shaka) and 'future' (Miroku). Current buildings post date the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake."
Another thing I didn't know at the time, the rope on the wall are sandals that school children made for Diabutsu. And once again Adam deals with my silly humor.
My favorite things
I'm sleepy and easily amused.
Asakusa
Taeko and I are accosted by a couple Japanese college students, Mariko and Shun. They took it upon themselves to give us a tour to improve their English. Little did they know who they were dealing with.
I am a Japanese National Treasure!
Fukuoka with Hatsumi
Hatsumi has been so gracious in inviting me to stay with her family. I was fed well, and had a great time. The following are some of our moments.
Next stop Hiroshima and Miyajima
I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Fukuoka to Hiroshima. Miyajima is this sweet island off the coast accessible by ferry boat. I encounter sociable deer, and beautiful shrines and temples. The Daisho-in Temple was by far my favorite temple on this trip- because if the beauty, many shrines, lack of crowds, and the opportunity to sit and meditate.
Daisho-In Temple. Here I'm trying to be sneaky in listening to the chanting. Can I go up the stairs without tripping?
