Exploring Tokyo

A narrow street in Shinjuku.

Yesterday I went into Tokyo with my roommate Kim for the first time since arriving. We got on the bus that stops at our school, the 93, which took us to Musashisakai station. From there we took the Chuo line and got off at Shinjuku. Tokyo is its own city, but it’s comprised of many slightly smaller cities, or districts. From my experience on the train so far, the most popular cities in the Tokyo area are Shinjuku and Shibuya. Harajuku is Tokyo’s well-known fashion district.

Kim and I planned to go to a highly-reviewed cat cafe in Shinjuku. When we got off the train and onto the street, it was overwhelming. There is so much to see and look at, so many cool things to take pictures of, and so many people to avoid bumping into. I have never been in a place so busy. Even the busiest parts of San Francisco come nowhere close to how crowded the main parts of Tokyo are.

Tokyo’s layout is interesting, because it has wide, main streets, but the majority of it is actually dense, narrow streets packed with dozens of restaurants and clothing shops. These smaller alleys aren’t laid out on a grid, either. They wind, bend, go up, go down. On one small alley that’s maybe 50 feet long you could have 20 restaurants. Many shops are hidden on upper floors or down some stairs.

Kim and I made our way to the Calico Cat Cafe, which was on the 5th and 6th floors of a tall building in Shinjuku. The only way we found it was from the brown sign I recognized from the street view of Google Maps that had a picture of a cat on it. We went into the building and walked up some narrow, steep stairs to the 6th floor. It appeared to be a tourist destination, because along with Japanese people there were also people from other countries. I don’t think that many countries have cat cafes.

The Calico Cat Cafe in Shinjuku.

The cats wander freely on the 5th and 6th floors. There are about 20 cats there. They were interesting breeds that I had never seen before – most of them had squashed faces and short ears. Most of them were sociable and would approach you, but once they found out you didn’t have any treats they quickly lost interest and went in search of a new friend.

After the cat cafe, Kim and I got lunch at an Italian place! Yes, Italian. We had been eating Japanese food since arriving and wanted something different. The restaurant we went to had really good pasta with red sauce, Canadian bacon, zucchini, and basil. It was 690 yen, or about $6, for a large portion. That was a decent price, but we have come to discover that much of the food here is quite expensive. That’s unfortunate for us because we have to buy every meal, even in the dining hall.

The Shibuya crossing.

After lunch, we wandered around Shinjuku a bit more then decided to take the train to Shibuya, which is home to the “world’s busiest intersection.” The train system, though very busy, is an easy way to get around. The trains come every three minutes, without fail. They have to, because even in those three minutes the platforms in the stations almost completely fill up with people. We got on the Yamanote line to Shibuya and the intersection we were looking for was right outside of the station.

It was incredible – I have never seen that amount of people in any one area. I read that during rush hour this one intersection can have 2,500 people passing through it at one time. There were other tourists like us, but most of the people there were going about their daily business. It’s amazing to me that a city this busy can be a part of some people’s daily routine. And I thought I was cool coming from the city of SF! Tokyo is like San Francisco 10.0.

The train station at Shinjuku.

Kim and I walked around Shibuya a bit, which is even more downtown-like than Shinjuku. Bright signs everywhere, crowded alleys and streets, shop after shop after restaurant after shop after restaurant. We went into one store and I bought a pair of purple lollipop earrings. C’mon, I’m not going to find large purple lollipop earrings in the US.

The women here have great style. The young women, dressed both casually and professionally, really know how to put an outfit together. I really have yet to see one young Japanese woman who is ill-dressed. A popular style here is calf-length, brightly-colored, high-waisted skirts worn with flats or heels. People here take care with what they put on, and most look like they’ve actually put thought into it, unlike… some in the US.

New Friends

Yesterday was mostly spent in orientation for the new international students. After a riveting 3-hour long powerpoint presentation that taught us lessons we had never heard before, such as not to drink too much alcohol and not to go out alone at night, we split into three groups and went to City Hall to get a residence card and sign up for National Health Insurance. Everyone is Japan is required to sign up for National Health Insurance, including citizens and those who are residing in the country for more than three months. NHI will cover 70% of all medical fees.

We were led to City Hall by two Japanese students, Reimi and Yuko, who volunteered to accompany us and translate for us. When we were gathering in the lobby of the dorm to leave, I went up and introduced myself to them. Yuko is going to be a freshman at ICU and Reimi is going to be a sophomore. I think they thought it was very interesting when I said I was from San Francisco.

Along the way to City Hall, I tried to get to know Reimi and Yuko more. Reimi grew up in Tokyo and is interested in intercultural communication, which is why I think she volunteered to be our interpreter. She expressed excitement when she found out I had taken an intercultural communication class at UCSB. At ICU, students don’t declare their major until their junior year – their first two years are spent in general studies. Reimi also likes fashion a lot, and she says she goes to Harajuku, Tokyo’s fashion district, almost everyday. She was happy when I suggested we go there sometime. :)

Yuko is beginning her first year at ICU this September, and currently lives in an apartment off-campus. Similar to Ami, Yuko has to live in an apartment off-campus because there isn’t enough dorm space on-campus for all the students. I feel bad that short-term international students are taking up dorm space that new freshman could be using. But we would be hopeless trying to get an apartment around here, I think. Yuko says her sister is currently studying in France, and when she returns to Japan they’re going to live together.

Along our journey to City Hall I also made friends with some girls who live on my floor who have been here since summer. They are also from University of California. After getting back from City Hall we took the bus to Musashisakai and went to a large department store to buy toiletries and groceries. Sarah and I got dinner at a Japanese restaurant and I had ramen with pork, green onions, and egg. It was good! Sarah taught me how to ask the waiter to get something on the menu in Japanese politely (while pointing at the picture of the item you want): “Kore o onegaishimasu.” (This, please/I’ll have this, please). The most important and polite thing is to say, “Arigatou gozaimashita.” (Thank you very much). A lady at City Hall seemed impressed and smiled warmly at me when I said that to her as she handed me my residence card. Also to bow slightly at whoever helped you as you leave.

Yesterday was fun and interesting, even though it started off with a boring orientation. At least they gave us free lunch. Today my roommate Kim and I are going to a cat cafe in Shinjuku and then to the famous Shibuya Crossing, the busiest crossing in the world (I think?). It seems really easy to get around – there’s a bus straight from campus to Musashisakai station, then take the Chuo line from Musashisakai to Shinjuku, then the Yamanote line from Shinjuku to Shibuya.

On Campus

Yesterday morning I left my hotel in Musashisakai and took the bus to my school, International Christian University. The bus loop near my hotel was a little confusing – none of the signs were in English, so I had to rely on the numbers on the bus to make sure I got on the right one. Once I was on the bus, I matched the characters on my phone to the ones on the bus’s sign that tells you what the next stop is. I also looked up how to pronounce the characters so when the bus announced the stop I’d be able to see and hear that it was the right one.

As I was on the bus, an elderly lady sat next to me and started speaking to me in Japanese. I smiled at her and said “Wakarimasen.” (I don’t understand/I don’t know). She laughed a little and went across the bus to ask another lady directions, I assume. She was nice. I think it’s a little funny she tried speaking in Japanese to the only non-Japanese person on the bus.

That’s something I’ll have to get used to while I’m here, I think. Both on the train and on the bus I was the only white person, and I assume the only non-Japanese person. That doesn’t bother me, as I come from the very diverse city of San Francisco and have been in situations where I’m the only white person in a room or on a bus. But it is interesting and different to me, to be the only person not of a particular nationality.

As I arrived at the school, loaded down with my immense backpack and my camera bag, I went up to the gate of the school and noticed two security guards there. I thought I’d have to say something to them before I entered the school, but we weren’t able to communicate. Fortunately right then, a girl came up behind me and translated for me. Her name is Ami, and she is from Delaware. She is Japanese, and knows Japanese and English. She helped me find my way around campus and asked several people for help. I think I would have wandered around much longer if I had not run into Ami.

My dorm room is very nice and spacious. My roommate and I (my roommate is from UCSB too) have a large bedroom to share, two large desks, two cabinets and two closets, a mini fridge, a microwave, a bathroom, and an entryway. It is about three times bigger than any dorm room I’ve had at UCSB. I think I’m going to like it a lot.

My dorm room - big and clean!

After unpacking, I decided to take my camera and explore around campus. The campus is about 1/4 the size of UCSB, so it only took me about half an hour to see it all. It is so green. Beautiful trees with intricate branches everywhere, secret paths, and bamboo forests here and there. There are also a lot of stray cats on campus, but the ones I’ve met aren’t very friendly.

I passed a sign along my journey that said, “Watch out! Bees are flying. Be careful enough to go around.” I thought that sign specifically meant bees, and since I didn’t see any near me, I decided to continue on. After about ten minutes I had received 11 bug bites.

A hidden path on campus. Home to many mosquitoes.

The main gate to campus.

First Day in Japan!

I made it! After a very long day of travel, I write this post from the sanctity of my small hotel room. The room is small but pleasant. It’s in a quiet neighborhood, and every so often I can hear the train rattling through Musashisakai station, which I enjoy. It’s misting out, which I also enjoy, because I don’t think I’ve been in rain of any kind since December, and I love the rain.

The street outside my hotel
in Musashisakai.

My flight was only 9 1/2 hours long – I say “only” because I had been expecting it to be 11 hours, and 9 1/2 was surprisingly bearable. I find it astonishing that after only some hours on a plane you can end up in a completely different country.

Right when I got out of customs and into the main terminal, a man wielding a brightly-colored microphone came up to me and asked me in Japanese (translated by an interpreter) if I’d give him an interview. There was even a cameraman. Apparently it’s for some TV show. I just hope it’s not for some show that makes fun of dumb Americans. But he asked me questions like, “Where are you from?” “Why did you come to Japan?” “What do you look forward to doing in Japan?” so I doubt it actually was for a show making fun of dumb Americans. But a show like that is certainly warranted, so you understand my misgivings. He was very polite, though, and seemed interested in what I had to say. I think he thought it was cool when I said I was from San Francisco. I thought it was funny that that happened right when I left customs and was trying to find my bearings.

The Narita Express, straight from Narita Airport to Tokyo.

From the airport I took the Narita Express, which took me straight to Tokyo Station. Tokyo Station was busy, but it was nothing like that horrifying video I saw on Facebook a few months ago of dozens of people piling and getting shoved into the train. Muni is more crowded. Ultimately I found the trains to be quick, efficient, and clean, and as such, as far from Muni as is possible.

 My hotel provided me with slippers and a kimono-type robe garment. I don’t know if I will find use for those in the one night I’m here, but it was interesting to come into my room and find those neatly laid out.

My hotel bathroom - I have to step up a
ledge to get inside!

My small yet comfortable
hotel bed.

I can’t help but feel bad that I don’t know more Japanese. I do know some useful phrases, such as thank you, yes, no, sorry, excuse me, my name is…, etc. but so far today when I’ve entered into a conversation with a Japanese person I don’t feel comfortable saying anything other than “arigatou.” Hopefully that will change. I feel like they feel as bad about not being comfortable with their English skills as I with my Japanese skills. But each side tries their best, and as I’ve said, the people I’ve talked to today are accommodating and gracious. I’m going to try to become more confident speaking Japanese. The only problem is, there is a 98% probability I won’t understand what they say back to me.

Last Day in America

Tomorrow morning I leave for Japan! I am very tired right now – I’ve spent the last three hours packing. I guess that can be thought of as a decent amount of time spent packing since I’m going away for three months. I’m none too satisfied with the ultimate weight of my backpack, though. But, what are you gonna do? Shoutout to my mom for masterfully helping me cram everything into neatly zipped containers. (She just asked for a shoutout so I gave her one). Well deserved, though. :)

Last night was the first time in the run-up to this trip that I started to get nervous as the reality of my trip hit me. I started the application process for EAP (Education Abroad Program) way back in January, and this entire time it never felt like it was really going to happen. It just felt like an event that was in the distant future. But now it’s here, and I have to say, it still doesn’t really feel like in 24 hours’ time I’ll be in Japan. Luckily it’ll be 2PM in the afternoon there, so perhaps it’ll be slightly less disorienting than if it were nighttime.

My main concern is the trains – I saw this video a couple months ago that showed a Japanese train station during rush hour that had people who were hired to push people into the trains. The “pushers” shoved an unbelievable amount of people into this train. I did not understand how something like this was possible – how does one get off at their station? I wonder if I’ll encounter that during my time in Japan. I just hope it’s not when I take my first train ride from the airport to my hotel!

I am very grateful to have this opportunity to study abroad, and every time something makes me nervous, I try to think about why I want to go in the first place. I hope to travel a great deal in my life, and hopefully Japan is the first of many extraordinary places I’ll see.

Sayonara!

First Post! 19 Days Before Departure

I’ve decided to make a blog so I can share my first international experience easily with friends and family. I have never had a blog before, and I’m excited that my first blog will be on an interesting topic, so maybe people will actually read it!

As it stands today, I have 19 days until I leave for Japan. I have never been on a flight longer than 6 hours, so this 11-hour flight will be an interesting experience for me. I am not the best flier, but I have a CD case filled with around 25 DVD’s, so I think that’ll entertain me for most of the flight. 

I’ve discovered on a recent flight to Minneapolis that as long as I have something to entertain both my auditory and visual cortices, I refrain from staring out of the window every few seconds to make sure the engines aren’t leaking smoke and the horizon doesn’t look any higher or lower than it was five minutes ago.

I have never been to another country before (unless you count going to Victoria, Canada for one day on a week-long outdoor education field trip in 8th grade). Japan will be quite an experience. 

Many people ask me why I chose Japan, to which I always simply reply, “It seemed like the coolest country in the EAP handbook.” Japan seems so different from the United States. I wanted my first international experience to be in a place that was completely different from here. I’m glad that I will still be in an urban center in that of Tokyo. I greatly look forward to city life there, and seeing how it is similar to and different from San Francisco. I look forward to the nightlife, and exploring the many streets awash in the neon glow of numerous street signs. I look forward to discovering true Japanese cuisine, even though I have never been much of a fan of seafood. I look forward to living in a country in which English is not the main language, and having to make my way nonetheless, as so many others have done in this country.

As excited as I am to live in Tokyo, I also plan to explore the rest of the country. I want to see the shrines and temples in Kyoto, and the magnificence of Mt. Fuji. I’d like to stand in humbled reflection at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, and I’d like to see just how fast the bullet trains go.

I am all set. I have my passport, my student visa, my round-trip plane ticket (special thanks to my Aunt Ann for helping me with that), and my UC fees paid (thanks to financial aid). 19 days left in the United States, and then my 90 days in Japan begin. I can’t wait!