Where can I watch a Cockfight?

..and other equally useless phrases in Japanese.

Though I am quite glad to have my phase book here, I am constantly astounded by some of the phrases that are put in there, as if they are really applicable to daily life or travel. Yes, there are the standards of directions and “where is there an internet café?,” but some that Frommer’s felt necessary to put in are absolutely ridiculous. For example, there’s a whole section devoted to “getting to know someone” which is a cover for cheesy pick up lines. Like, “You dance so well” and “You have such beautiful eyes” as well as, my personal favorite, “You look like the most interesting person in the room.” Ugh I can just picture the eyebrow wags and tawdry smiles that would accompany those gems.

But with that discovery on the plane, such began my flirtation with the Japanese Language.

Now I began using the Rosetta Stone program in the states, which I have continued here, which really helped me with prounuciation and understanding of sentence structure, if not learning mainly useless vocabulary. But that, combined with the smattering of grammar explanations, the why and wherefores of object particles, and (mostly) useful phrases from my Frommer‘s Book, I’ve garnered enough Japanese to at least find the subway. But more importantly, it helped with two of my favorite activities: shopping, and eating.

I already said I would say something about the shopping, specifically the 100 Yen store, and it is definitely something that garners notice. I had heard Japan was a consumer society, but I wasn’t prepared for how pithy that statement is in comparison to reality. Consumers ARE the society. Stores are everywhere, and Sakae, the Mecca of shopping in Nagoya, is almost overwhelming. Actually, scratch that, it is overwhelming. The whole of Sakae has a massive undeground mall that covers many miles below the city streets. Big department stores, like Mitsukoshi and Melsa, are giant sky scrapers of buildings in the center of town; multiple floors devoted to clothes, jewelry, and electronics. And unlike electronic stores in America, which can seem a little loud, this is a flurry of noise and lights, where every CD is being played by every speaker, and a different anime, movie, or video game is on every screen. Its loud, obnoxious, and, to be honest, kind of awe inspiring. First time I was traveling the stores it was early Tuesday afternoon, not a time I’d expect to be busy. And then I traveled to the basement levels.

This is where, in Japanese department stores, they sell food, at least where I went. Though not loud in the way electronics department is, it is a different and special kind of loud. It is the deafening noise of people. Unless its drinking hours, the Japanese are a generally quiet people. Yet in this section? I was overtaken by the noise and power of the shoppers; little obaa-san pushing past me with no regard as they scoop up every type of food imaginable. Hawkers scream to me, pushing chocolates and sample onigiri on me. Now I’m a generally unruffled person when it comes to noise and busy areas, but without a doubt, I had a deer in headlights look when I entered there. After a few minutes we then rather quickly, and at a near run, escaped from this overwhelming shopping experience. I still feel rattled thinking about it.

But the prize in all this is, the top of the shopping heap, is the 100 yen store. In the 7th Floor of Melsa, there is a magical place where you can get anything imaginable for about one American dollar. And this, my friends, is the 100 yen store.

And really, only a picture collage of some of the items bought would do such place justice.

My snail magnets, sickeningly cute in their own way

This awesome kitchen knife, with my nails to match.

This cutting board, also sickeningly cute.

Orange and green slippers, since I need to train myself not to wear shoes in other people’s homes.

This tea set, which really marks me as a gaijin.

And then, the pinnacle of my collection...

NINJA CHOPSTICKS

Which are apparently too awesome to ever be photographed clearly. Believe me, I tried multiple times.

But shopping aside, that leads me into the more important part of acquiring language. And that is, as every good Italian girl knows, eating.

I have been equally overwhelmed, but in a much better way, by the food so far. From the really good Japanese interpretation of foreign cuisine to real, traditional food, I have been enjoying everything immensely so far. My favorite are the little shops where you can get donburri bowl with rice, pickled vegetables, green tea, and other small concoctions for about 400 yen. You walk in, sit, are served at lightning speed, and yet still get a real cooked and unprocessed meal. It puts new meaning to the term fast food.

And though I spent the entire first week eating out and about in my neighbourhood, my favorite was probably the night I went to an Izakaya. It’s like the equivalent of a traditional Japanese pub, with real rustic touches, like a sliding door, numerous lanterns, and tatami mat seating in the back. Amelia and I traveled to one in Imaike, a neighbourhood near by, and found a random one down a side street. We were greeted exuberant exclamations and smiles, and chose to sit and the counter and watch them a foot away prepare our food. It was smoky, cramped, and absolutely fabulous. Since drinking it traditional, we ordered the local sake (watered down of course), and then went on to order an amazing amount of small dishes of fried tofu, fish, grilled meats, pickled and fried vegetables, and copious amounts of rice. Everyone was smiling and welcoming and we left a little tipsy, extremely full, and only 2000 yen lighter in our wallets.

But I can’t always eat out, so I also finally traveled down to my local supermarket. There are some thing easily recognizable, other things not so much, but I was still seduced by all the smells, choices, and amazing amounts of already made food. I ended up coming back after wandering the store for two hours with a full stock of groceries, a few ready made foods, like an interesting fried prawn and egg sandwich (which is way better than it sounds), and a desire to really learn how to make Japanese food.

So all in all, I love the shopping and the food, yet still are discovering new stores and food every time I wander out. And this is all thanks to my very limited Japanese skills.

And in case you were wondering, if you ever do want to find a fowl fight in Japan? All you need to ask is tookei wa doko de miru koto ga deki masu ka.

Just Like David Letterman, Only Not as Funny

So I finally have access to internet! For a country so technologically advanced, it was way harder than it should have been to finally post. But truth be told, my first few days here were so exhausting that it was more of an effort than not to try to find an internet source. Even with my new Japanese cell phone that does everything short of cure cancer, I haven't had reliable internet, and it may be another two weeks till I have it set up in my apartment. But now, right in Sakae, I found this phenomanal internet cafe and once again seem connected to the world.

So as I write, its been exactly five days since I’ve been here, though with jet lag and all I’ve had to do it seems much, much longer. The travel, in truth, was much more tiring and long than I anticipated. The initial flight was fine. I actually ended up sitting next to two older Filipino people who were unrelated, a man and a women, because after Nagoya the flight was going on to Manila. They were absolutely charming, told me way too much about their separate lives and grandchildren, excited me with stories about Japan, and ended up figuring out that the women went to high school in the Philippines with the man’s wife over 40 years ago. It felt way too much like the plot of an independent film, but I concluded that I love Filipinos.

But it was after the flight that it got exhausting, because I had been traveling for over 24 hours at that point when I needed my energy the most. Not only did I have to lug two bulky 50 pound bags behind me as well as two heavy carry-ons, but I had to do it while navigating several train and subway stations while trying to meet up with Patrick, the representative of my Leasing company. Even though it was nice to have a partner through all this, a lovely girl named Amelia, it left me utterly drained. I ended up arriving at my apartment at 10:30 that night, paid my leasing company my initial rent, and promptly passed out.

But after that the adventure began. The next day Amelia and I got a personal tour of the area by Patrick, and after that we took to exploring. Getting the business of registering with our ward office and buying cell phones out of the way, I have traveled much of my neighborhood and the downtown Sakae area (a fifteen minute walk) in the last few days. Sakae in and of itself is overwhelming to describe, if not just the massive stores and restaurants themselves, but I can leave you with a quick list of my first impressions of Nagoya. I will call it...

Kate’s List of Things She Finds Weirdly Fascinating

1. Trucks Talk to You

Along with everything else here. Vending machines, trains, photo booths, crosswalks, cell phones and countless other items all feel the need to talk to you here. They sing infectiously cheery songs and speak very polite sentences. In fact, one photo booth I used went on to tell me how great a job I was doing and to keep it up. We never get self-affirmative technology in the states. But the trucks, by far, are my favorite. Every time they turn a corner, a decidedly feminine and high pitched voice warns everyone of their approach. Somehow the high female Japanese voice seems at odds with the big hulking piece of machinery making a large turn.

2. In Japan, Women Don’t Feel the Cold

At least not in their legs. Now, it is February 8th. And though it is slightly warmer than home, its still cold. And yet I have seen countless women in short skirts and shorts with bare legs. If it was just a few, it could be called a fluke, but I have seen a large percentage of the female population of Nagoya walking around without stockings and legs bared to the February air. At least a few wear shorts with tights, but I can’t even fathom the number of people that would think to wear shorts at all in the winter. As a side note, I find the Japanese to be a very fashionable lot in general, but the shorts seem absurd to me.

3. Random Western Celebrity Product Placement

In America, Tommy Lee Jones would never think of be a spokes model for vending machine coffee. But in Japan apparently he has no such qualms. If I could count the number of big A-List celebrities I’ve seen already advertising soft drinks and snacks it would blow your mind. As interesting as it is to see people like Brad Pitt and Nicole Kidman plastered across bill boards, its also very funny. I guess they think it wont really leak to the West if they do it in Japan. But now because of me, their dirty secret is out.

4. Masks for Everyone!

So this is phenomena I was vaguely aware of, but it wasn’t until I got here that I realized the large number of people that actually wear them every day. Age and gender are indiscriminate in who wears it, and even people working in stores and restaurants wear them like its nothing. I’ve even seen a few commercials on television for specialized ones. I understand that its done as a measure to keep from being sick, but for some reason I find it very, very odd, like the pink elephant in the middle of the room no one says anything about. I know this is just me being a foreigner, but even I’m surprised by how odd I find the entire institution. Like, how are non mask wearers not offended by such things? Because, really, what that person is saying is that he doesn’t trust that everyone around him is healthy or clean enough to not get him sick. But politely of course, because this is Japan.

5. Random Landmarks

So cuteness and “Engrish” abound here. And since I can barely read any of the kana, and absolutely no kanji, I find myself using odd things as landmarks. And really, even if I could read the sign, who wouldn’t want to use such things as a landmark? Like the huge sign with the pink dog and dancing orange monkey. Or that one with the clown that vaguely looks like Ronald McDonald. Or, best of all, the sign that proudly states “Goo” and “King Jim.” What are these actual establishments? I haven’t the slightest, but their hilarious signs help me find my way home.

6. The 100 Yen Store

An establishment so amazing it deserves its own post, and believe me, this ain’t your mother’s dollar store. In one of the large department stores in Sakae, the entire 7th floor is a 100 Yen store, and let me say, I will never shop anywhere ever again. Amelia and I spent way too much time there, and I ended up furnishing my apartment, kitchen, and bathroom for about 18 American dollars.

But all in all, the people are absolutely lovely and polite, the city much more beautiful than I imagined, and I’m just adjusting to life here. There are bits that are odd or just downright weird, and I’m sure that there will be many more, but it all culminates to make this experience what it is. I feel like my time is always busy, and I haven’t even started working yet. But I look forward to the challenge.

And so it begins...

Friend, family, or random internet wanderer, welcome to my blog!

I really hate first posts. They can range from very clever from the right person to downright inane from the wrong one, but they seem too much like first date conversation for me to truly like them. I find myself fighting from giving too much information too fast, thus overwhelming the reader with boring unnecassary details. But since I wanted to blog about my travels and time in Japan, here I am trying to compose the dreaded first post.

I have not blogged since my time in Rome, but I remember it very fondly as one of my favorite things about traveling, for a few reasons. Not only did it allow me to tell my loved ones what was going on in my day to day life, as well as relate things I found interesting or downright ridiculous, it also enhanced the overall experience for me. I found that by thinking over things I've witnessed, and by relating them back, they were more memorable. So in attempt to recreate such a feeling, and share with all of you, here I am again. Back to blogging.

I leave in approimately 7 hours from now for Nagoya, Japan, a city I knew very little about before I got placed there a few months back. In truth, Japan itself was a country I knew very little about until the last few years. My first fleeting connections were as a child playing Nintendo games and vaguely knowing they didn't come from America. Then as a teenager, spending 4 o clock on saturday evenings, that time right before saturday night where there is nothing to do, watching vintaged samurai movies and old Akira Kurosawa flicks on IFC. But still, even when I was playing the old NES or dazedly watching black and white subtitled movies, Japan still seemed distant and inaccesable.

Then I went to college, and the world, as it does, opened up to me. I was drawn to history and art, and studying such things, the world that had one time seemed so out of reach started to feel less so. And after living in Rome, I was bit by a travel bug that has not let up since. I came back to college to finish my degree and, since I had traveled to Europe a few times by then, turned my sights to Asia. And that's when I really started to learn about Japan.

So a few comprehensive history and art classes later, I was charmed by the land of the rising sun. And circumstances and my own temperment being what they are, I find myself now going to live there. For just over a year, I will be teaching English for an eikaiwa in Nagoya. And as I sit and write this, I am such a mix of frazzled nerves and untempered excitment my stomach hurts. But I wanted to write this down before I left, as a kind of symbolic beginning to the next chapter of my life.

So what will this blog be? Probably about my life, about the places and people and day to day, but I hope to go beyond just observations. I want not only to report but share what I'm doing and what amuses me. And to echo the sentiment from my old blog, this may be an exercise in fruitless self indulgence, but this time I know it will also be a collection of memories.

And about the title I chose for my blog, Japonisme was a term used to describe influence of the arts of Japan on the West. In the late 19th century, it inspired innumerable artists in both form and subject, one of which is the header of my blog (Its called Caprice in Purple and Gold No 2 by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, if you're interested). And like that, I hope to be influenced and inspired by Japan.

So the next time I right in this blog, I will be moved in and living there. I hope you enjoy this blog as much as I know I will enjoy writing it. My posts may be stupid, thoughtful, funny, or simply ridiculous. They may be observations and discussions, or a travel log. It can be pictures, videos, links, or pithy little thoughts. They may be anything, but more than anything, I hope they are interesting.