My Japan Adventure18829
 Where's his Bat-package?
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by EbayMafia I'm glad you liked that one! I was actually very pleased to get it. Those tiny stations are really tough to photograph. Either my seat isn't in that one right spot on the train to see it while we're stopped and/or it whips by too fast to do anything because the train is moving. |
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scratchtasia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My Japan adventure has started now. I left my house at 5 AM Wednesday morning and flew to LAX. Then I switched airlines and flew to Tokyo, arriving at Haneda airport in the early evening to take trains to Fussa, where my brother lives. For an extra treat, I got on one of them going the wrong way and had to switch trains to reverse direction. I had a nice, reasonable room at the Toyoko Inn there, with the hardest pillow I've ever met. But after the 28 hours it took to get there, and only about 1.5 hours of sleep during the journey, the pillow presented no impediment to sleeping. My brother and I picked up a few things at some shops today--I should have brought a 3-to-2-prong adapter for this laptop--and I have made my way to Shibuya, home of the famously busy crosswalk and the Hachiko statue. A short time ago I checked in to my lodgings for the night, a hostel where my space is about the size of one of those capsules at a capsule hotel. And now I'm letting my phone recharge a bit before I head out for dinner and a concert. I'm off on my own for a while, as my sister-in-law will be returning home tomorrow after a week in the hospital with my brand-new nephew. In Japan and at least a few other Asian countries, the new mother stays at home with the baby for a month or so before venturing out or meeting other people. I'll be encroaching on that tradition somewhat before this trip is over, but first I want to give them some space and do my own things. For economical and PTO-scheduling reasons, it made much more sense for me to get here in December rather than wait until next year. I don't have as much of this trip planned out as I'd like, but I have some things in mind and will be doing some planning along the way, as well as winging it now and then. I managed to score tickets to Comiket, a two-day convention which focuses on doujinshi, independently created and published manga. I haven't read a whole lot of manga, especially not without translation, but it should be really interesting to walk around and see what people have to offer. But that's not for another few weeks. I'm in Shibuya for the weekend, with concerts on two nights, and I will probably fill the rest of my time here with record shopping and general exploratio. There are some amazing record stores here. |
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| Post 227 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Today was pretty special. I managed to accomplish the one thing I really needed to, but not much else. I started with a three hour train ride out to the boonies followed by another hour+ on a little rinky-dink train in order to reach Amanohashidate. Amanohashidate is considered one of the most scenic locations in the entire country. You'd think there would be better transportation out there, but maybe that's just me. Amanohashidate, the 'heavenly bridge,' is a thin sand bar covered in thousands of pine trees. It connects two promontories and forms a coastal lagoon. At the north end of the sand bar is Kono-jinja Shrine, and at the south end is Chion-ji Temple. I reached the south end first, but because my primary goal was Kono-jinja, I bypassed Chion-ji. In order to get to Kono-jinja, I had to take a boat and traverse the lagoon. The sightseeing boat was very nice and I was able to get a good look at the sand bar.  Kono-jinja is a very old shrine that can trace its history back to the 4th or 5th century. It venerates Amaterasu Ōmikami, goddess of the sun and progenitor of the Japanese Imperial family. It's a Shinbutsu shrine and one of the ones I was missing. Now it's dealt with. Sorry for a lack of photos, but photography was absolutely forbidden there.  I took the boat back to the other end of the sand bar and ended up having time to visit Chion-ji after all. This was a good thing because Chion-ji's principal icon is Monju, guardian of people born in the Year of the Rabbit, so he's my guardian. I try not to shine him on. Monju is the enforcer of Buddhist law. He carries a sword in one hand, a lotus in the other, and he rides a lion. Best to stay on his good side. The Monju at Chion-ji is particularly noteworthy because he is considered one of the three most prestigious icons of Monju in the country. The temple itself is nice, and it also has some very fun o-mikuji. O-mikuji are paper fortunes that a visitor to a shrine/temple can buy. Open up the o-mikuji and see if you have good fortune, very good fortune, a little fortune, or - uh-oh - bad fortune. After being read, the o-mikuji is often left at the shrine/temple. They are tied to designated places, frequently tree branches. Some places have a gimmick with their o-mikuji, and Chion-ji is one of them. Their o-mikuji are written on tiny fans that must be opened to be read. This means the low trees branches at the temple are full of tiny fans. It's quite a sight.  I'm now on a train headed back to Ōsaka. I usually write this on my Chromebook, but tonight I will be getting back so late that I'm doing this on my phone. It's tough getting photos to load because I keep going in and out of tunnels. Here is one of the only photos of Kono-jinja that I could get before I reached the no-photos-past-here sign:  Here's the big main gate and main hall of Chion-ji:   Hopefully tomorrow will be less with the travel drama and I'll be able to get back at a reasonable time and do this less piecemeal than I am right now. Tomorrow might be a day I spend in Ōsaka, or... I might be going to Hiroshima. |
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| Post 228 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @scratchtasia WELCOME!!! It sounds like you're going to have an amazing time with friends and family. It's cool that you stayed at a Toyoko Inn. I have a membership with them so that I can get a discount. Their hotels are very nice and you can't beat the free breakfast, but if you're traveling solo they get a little pricey. Room rates for a twin/double are great, but a single is only about $10 less than a double, so it's best to travel with an even number of people if you're going to stay there. I totally got on a train going the wrong way on my first trip! I hopped off, ran to the other side of the platform, got on the next train going back, and tried to pretend it never happened. I want to hear about your adventures! Please post whenever you feel like doing it.  |
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| Post 229 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Hawaiian burger in Japan? Why not? |
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| Post 230 • IP flag post | ||
 " . "
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Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd Looks great. Also, it actually makes a lot of sense. |
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| Post 231 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Here's a new one to try for dessert. Looks yum to me.   |
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| Post 232 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Davethebrave Honestly, it was delicious. I would totally have this again. Tasty, fresh veggies, too, and that's not always the case in a big urban city like Ōsaka. |
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| Post 233 • IP flag post | ||
 No rust here...
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Nearmint67 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Byrdibyrd The lagoon is refreshing to see. Water is tranquil on the eyes. Have a good evening, and an awesome day tomorrow.... | ||
| Post 234 • IP flag post | ||
 If I could, I would. I swear.
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DrWatson private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd What makes it Hawaiian? The onion grilled to look like a pineapple? It does look good. |
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 The Fifth Golden Girl
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| @DrWatson I was thinking the same thing..... | ||
| Post 236 • IP flag post | ||
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dfoster43 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd Technically this Nipponese Knockoff store appears to be "7 & i" but boy they got that logo nice and close   |
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dfoster43 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd Only mildly disturbing ....  |
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| Post 238 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @DrWatson @sborock The name of the restaurant is (as I recall - can't make promises as it's 4 in the morning) Kau'aina, and it's a Hawaiian restaurant. They had a pineapple burger, but I didn't get that one. I just wanted a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger. 🤤 Just noticed the burger is shaped like a boogie board. |
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| Post 239 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by dfoster43 Actually, 7 & i is a subsidiary of 7/11, so it's not a knockoff. I'm unclear on the reason for the name change, but they may offer some different services. I'd heard in the past that it was because '7/11' makes no sense in Japan, but I question that because there still are 7/11 convenience stores in addition to 7 & i. |
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Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd I hear ya. My years in China made me very aware of all the "look-alike" and blatant ripoffs that are literally EVERYWHERE there and so seeing this made me smile. |
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| Post 241 • IP flag post | ||
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Byrdibyrd private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by dfoster43 I remember thinking it might be a rip-off the first time I saw it, too. I'm still in the dark on what exactly separates one 7/11 version from the other, but it's possible it has to do with financial services. A lot of convenience stores in Japan have ATMs, but 7&i might do more. |
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| Post 242 • IP flag post | ||
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My bullet train will be leaving for Hiroshima soon. Today will be interesting because I will be starting and (hopefully) ending a formal pilgrimage. The only problem would be if one of the stops is unexpectedly closed.  The pilgrimage is the Hiroshima Lucky 7. It's a pilgrimage to 7 shrines/temples in Hiroshima, each of which will have one of the 7 Lucky Gods as an icon. This type of short pilgrimage is popular, and unlike a lot of pilgrimages, a Lucky 7 (there are a lot of them all over Japan) allows you to pray for anything, including worldly things like a winning lottery ticket or a hot partner.  We'll see if I can get the whole thing done in one day!  |
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 being an ass and being a clown are two very different things.
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| 7 is a very special number. | ||
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 It was a one trick pony show but always hilarious.
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GAC private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by DrWatson The only reason I can think of is that they tried to make the platter into a pineapple.   |
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| Post 245 • IP flag post | ||
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Quote:Originally Posted by GAC I hadn't considered that! A friend of mine also pointed out that it looks like I got a lovely - and very tasty - grilled Maui onion. |
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| Post 246 • IP flag post | ||
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Quote:Originally Posted by WMorse Indeed it is, and this one of the Lucky 7s that actually has 7 stops. As counterintuitive as it sounds, a lot of pilgrimages with a number in the title have more or fewer stops than the number implies. For example, the Asakusa Nadokoro Lucky 7 in Tōkyō has 9 stops, and the Gansō Yamanote Lucky 7, also in Tōkyō, has 6 stops. |
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being an ass and being a clown are two very different things.
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| Post 248 • IP flag post | ||
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scratchtasia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Byrdibyrd Thank you! I cannot post as thoroughly and informatively as you do, but I'll try to post something every once in a while. Funny you mention the free breakfast at Toyoko Inn--that was really interesting. Americans expecting cereal, scrambled eggs, bacon, muffins, or pancakes are in for a surprise. Instead of those typical "continental breakfast" staples, there was fish, broccoli, tofu, some sort of macaroni salad, something that looked like pears but wasn't, and other things I could not identify. The only thing that felt like "breakfast" to me was the orange juice, but the fish and tofu were delicious. I was disappointed by the broccoli (cool and soggy) and whatever it was that looked like pears to me. But I ate everything I took. I'm adjusting and figuring out how the trains work. I don't live in a city with mass transit like that, so I'm bound to make some mistakes, especially when I'm exhausted and attempting to lug heavy bags around with me. I got going the wrong way at least once on my last trip here in 2018, I did it the other night, and I might do it again before I leave. But I can usually catch myself before too long. |
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| Post 249 • IP flag post | ||
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| Stop #1 Shōkō-ji Temple  Icon: Hotei |
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scratchtasia private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I've got a few moments to upload some photos of things I found interesting so far, so here we go. To pass some time on the plane, I listened to a playlist of '80s Japanese pop. This playlist included a song amusingly titled "Monotone Boy" by Rebecca. Listening to it, I detected a clear '80s Madonna influence.  Tom and Jerry seem to be popular here. I'm not entirely sure what this is advertising, but it was posted at a train station.  My brother and I ate at this New York-themed bar and gyoza restaurant in Tachikawa yesterday. I was charmed by the blurb on the English menu. I'm not making fun; their English is far beyond my Japanese (which is nil). For the record, it was lunchtime, so I only ate the yummy gyoza and had some fun.  |
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| Post 251 • IP flag post | ||
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| Stop #2 Kokuzen-ji Temple  Icon: Daikokuten |
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Right now I'm in busy Shibuya, staying at a nice hostel called Turn Table. This is the entrance lobby. There is also a restaurant attached, but I haven't eaten there. Navigating the twisting, unnamed streets and alleys of Shibuya is dizzying, with stores, restaurants, and establishments of all kinds tucked into corners and stacked atop one another. Winding my way to a rock club last night, I was surprised to find a rare outpost of Shakey's Pizza on one floor of a nearby building. Once the most widespread pizza chain, Shakey's is long gone from the American midwest, but it appears they still have spots in Japan, the Philippines, and California.  I went to a venue called Club Quattro to see the Korean indie-pop band Say Sue Me, who I was already familiar with but had never seen. They were terrific, reminding me often of the band Alvvays, along with other, older indie-rock touchstones (they even covered Yo La Tengo's "Summer of the Shark" and Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End" ). I love seeing concerts in Japan. I've only seen a half-dozen or so in my three trips here, but they always start promptly at the advertised time, and the crowds are very polite. Instead of the constant chatter that plagues club shows in the U.S., you can hear a pin drop after the applause fades following a song and before the next song starts. There is plenty of excitement for the performance, but people don't rudely talk during the whole thing. Chatter is reserved for before, between, and after the bands. These are some pet peeves of mine about American shows, or at least those in my area--lateness, vague timing, chatter--so I love how they seem to run things here. The admitted drawback is that the shows do tend to be more expensive than I'm used to.  Walking back to my hostel, I noticed the sweets-themed hotel that I had read about somewhere online and couldn't resist snapping a few pictures of the exteriors. I don't know what the hotel is like, but the outside certainly stands out.    That'll do it for now. Today I'm going to hit some record stores and explore. Time to get out there. |
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| Stop #3 Onaga Tenman-gū  Icon: Jurōjin |
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| Stop #4 Hiroshima Tōshō-gū Shrine  Icon: Fukurokuju |
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