A Month Well Spent

Hi again everyone! Today marks a month and 3 days since I arrived in Japan, and I can honestly say that it has been a month of my life that I will never forget. Every day is an adventure here and there is always something new waiting around the corner. The last 2 weeks I have really focused on making new friends and growing the friendships I have already created. I have already become very close with the people that live in my apartment building. They are mostly in their 20’s and they are all very kind and unique people. Every day I usually end up spending time with some of them. Whether is practicing my Japanese with the Japanese PhD student Akina, getting dinner and seeing the city with my Canadian housemate Brad, or going to the gym with my Mexican housemate Aldo I can always find a reason to spend time with them. I have also made plenty of new friends at my school. I have gotten very close with the other exchange students and I end up hanging out with them often. I’ve also become more active in the club I joined, Niji no Kai (which essentially translates to the rainbow gathering). All of the exchange students are invited to join since it’s a club that seeks multicultural exchange. They have world study events every week and plan fun activities like barbeques and dinner parties. It has been a great way to make new Japanese friends and practice my Japanese with native speakers. I’m having a great time in Japan and I have learned so much. So without further delay I’ll share some of the more interesting things with you all! Please enjoy the picture of Godzilla about to destroy the city.

The Japanese approach to lines

              The Japanese people love lines. I’m fairly certain they are attracted to them. Most Japanese people have no problem spending hours in lines for things that they want. Whether it is for the fancy popcorn shop in Harajuku, or for the Tower of Terror at Disney Sea you better believe many Japanese would be willing to sacrifice a good portion of their day to experience it. However, while in Japan I have seen a few interesting twists on the concept of waiting in lines. The first of these I witnessed at Disneyland and Disney Sea. Most of you are probably familiar with the concept of fast passes. At many major theme park in America you can pay extra to wait in shorter lines. However, with such a high population density and with a culture that values fairness like Japan, this process would be hard to implement. Instead, in Tokyo Disney theme parks anyone can get a fast pass. These fast passes are only for one ride and you can only get 1 every two hours or so (and only while supply lasts). This results in everyone usually getting 2-3 fast passes in a single day. Is this system more practical? No, probably not, but it definitely is more fair. Furthermore, in the spirit of fairness you can generally leave your place in line to go to the rest room or get a snack and return without angering those around you. Another interesting approach to lines I have seen in Japan is at the public gym where I often work out. In America when the gym is crowded you end up waiting near whatever machine or bench you want to use while making sure everyone knows that you’re next. In Japan this would most likely be seen as disruptive and rude to the person currently using the machine. Instead the gym I go to has certain waiting areas for machines and they use a unique reservation system with strict time limits on the more popular areas. Once again it is apparent how important fairness is in Japanese culture. Below are some pictures of the reservation system at the gym, as well as one of the fast pass machines at Disney Sea

Rain in Japan

 In the past two weeks it rained... a lot. It isn’t even the rainy season yet, and it rained more often than it was sunny! I don’t enjoy the rain since it often brings my mood down, but there are a couple interesting things about the rain in Japan that I’ve noticed. First is that the average Japanese person will never be caught in the rain without an umbrella. There were multiple occasions where I forgot to check the weather and didn’t have one with me. However, regardless of where I was, the instant it started raining everyone had one! I have no idea where some of the men even kept theirs! The second difference about the rain in Tokyo is the wind it brings with it. Tokyo is a fairly windy city to begin with. In fact they have a word for the wind that gets amplified as it’s forced between buildings (ビル風) “biru-kaze”, which literally translates to building wind. However, when it rains the wind is even worse. My friend Rise brought an umbrella with her from America and it broke the first time it rained here! So a word of advice if you come to Japan; don’t bother bringing an umbrella since it probably won’t last long. I have heard that most of the umbrellas here are much strong than the average foreign umbrella, but even so, every time after it rains the garbage cans are filled with broken umbrellas. Honestly I am not looking forward to the rainy season what-so-ever… At least it will be warm though. Below are some pictures of the umbrella genocide that Tokyo rains produce.

Theft in Japan…or lack thereof

Another thing that has become blatantly apparent to me is how little danger there is of your stuff getting stolen in Japan. Every day that I walk near my school there are dozens of bikes littering the sidewalks, and not one of them has a lock on them. I see people studying outside and they fearlessly leave all of their belongings out when they go to the bathroom or get a snack. One of my friends left his credit card at a restaurant last week and got it back the next day, and another person I know has lost his passport and gotten it back. Twice! Needless to say, the Japanese take theft very seriously, and they pride themselves on being one of the safest countries in the world. You can stop by any 交番 “kouban” (tiny police stations that are on most major streets) and they will help you find anything you may have lost. Chances are you will get it back. Yes you should probably be careful when in crowded touristy places, but for the most part you should not stress out too much about theft in Japan. Below are some pictures of some bikes that would have lasted maybe 3 minutes if they were in a large US city.

More food

In the past two weeks I have eaten more delicious food! I had yakiniku, (traditional Japanese grilled meat) and gyoza (Chinese dumplings that are very popular in Japan) to name a few new ones. I even learned how to make gyoza! A couple of my housemates and I decided to make them and have a small dinner party out of it. It was delicious and super eat to make! I also went to a barbeque last Sunday with the club that I’m a part of at school. It was all you can eat for 1000 yen. It was a beautiful experience. Having delicious food with good friends definitely turns those meals into even better memories. Oh and I don't think I'll ever be able to go back to non-Japanese rice again. Its just too good. Below are pictures of the yakiniku, the gyoza I made, and a small portion of the meat we had at the barbeque.

Misc.

There are a couple pictures that I have taken that I want to put up here that I don’t really have much to say for so I’m just going to lump them into one random category. First of all I have seen more tiny dogs in clothes while in Japan than I have throughout my entire life. I’m pretty sure I have seen more dogs in clothes than without clothes. So here is a picture of that. I’ve gone to karaoke a couple times now as and I have finally gotten the hang of using the machine. It’s pretty complicated considering my Japanese is not that great, but its so much fun! Lastly they have some pretty advanced toilets in Japan, but I saw an interesting one the other day. From someone who has never used one like this before I wasn’t exactly sure how to approach it… so I just decided to find a different one. Sooo yeah.

These past few weeks have flown by for me. I can’t believe that I have already been here for over a month. I have done so many amazing things and met so many different people that I can’t even imagine what the rest of my time here has in store for me. Next week is golden week here in Japan. During that time students get the whole week off due to national holidays falling one day after another. Its the longest break until summer vacation in Japan. Needless to say, everything fun is super crowded. Personally I'm of going on a trip with my club Niji no Kai for the first half of it, and then I'll spend the rest of my time exploring the parts of Tokyo I have yet to experience. I’m sure it’s going to be an unforgettable experience. I can’t wait to share more of my adventure with you all! As always, thanks for reading! Here are some touristy photos I’ve taken that I think are pretty good.

Imperial palace bridge

Statue in front of the imperial palace

Ginza main road

View from Uni Qlo's top floor in Ginza

Shinjuku buildings at sunset

Kasai-rinkai-kouen park (BBQ location)

Kasai-rinkai-kouen ocean path

Kasai-rinkai-kouen ocean city view

2 Weeks In!

Hi everyone! I’m sorry that it’s been so long since I posted! I have been pretty busy the past two weeks here in Tokyo, but I already feel like I have gotten used to living here. The bright side about me not posting in a while is that I have a lot to share with you all! I have only been here a short time but I have already made some incredible friends and irreplaceable memories. In two weeks I have been all over Tokyo; from the city’s fashion capital of Harujuku to the familiar yet unique Tokyo Disney Land. Tokyo is truly an amazing city. Every day is an adventure here and I feel as though I have grown so much as a person through living here already. I truly hope you all find my travels and stories worth your time. Thank you for reading!

Hanami

花見 (Hanami) directly translates to “flower viewing” in English. Every spring the cherry blossoms in Japan bloom throughout the country. This has always been a symbol of the end of winter and is widely celebrated by the citizens of the country. The majority of the country’s population will find time to sit in a park with their friends, families or coworkers and enjoy the beautiful Sakura trees in full bloom. Last week I witnessed the peak of the flower viewing season and it was truly a spectacle. Hanami in Tokyo is truly unique for a number of reasons. The first reason is that you would not expect to see such beautiful nature in the hugeness of Tokyo. At the same time juxtaposing this nature with the thousands of people there to enjoy it truly shows a mix of the metropolitan and natural realms of Japan. Below there are some pictures of Sakura in full bloom and people enjoying Hanami. The park where these pictures were taken is Yoyogi Park near Shibuya Japan (one of the largest parks in the city). I have yet to experience a Hanami myself but I hope I can do one soon!!

Shrines 

Shrines are an incredibly important aspect of Japanese culture. From small local shrines to famous national treasures people around the country visit shrines to pray to various deities or attend culturally important events such as coming of age ceremonies and traditional Japanese weddings. So far I have visited three shrines in Japan: Hanazono Jinja, which I wrote about previously, Meiji Jingu and Kaminari-mon (two of the most famous shrines in all of Tokyo). Each of the shrines is unique in their own way and people visit them to pray for different aspects of their life. After three trips to Japanese shrines I finally feel comfortable with the proper procedures of paying your respects in the traditional manor. The proper way to pay your respects at a Japanese shrine are to approach the praying area after having washed your hands outside of the temple, carefully drop your small offering (usually less than 100 yen from what I have seen), bow once, clap twice, pray, and bow once more. The shrines I have visited have all been beautiful pieces of history and architecture. Below you can see some new pictures of the shrines I have seen. Next I really want to experience a traditional Japanese festival held at a shrine!!

Tokyo At Night

So far I have shown you the natural beauty that Tokyo has to offer such as Yoyogi Park and blooming Sakura trees. However, there is a completely different type of beauty the city has to offer that only comes out at night. Tokyo is truly a city that never sleeps. The lights never go out in this metropolitan giant. This makes the view of the city at night something that can only be described as breath taking. Whether I am simply walking around the city or sightseeing during the evening, I always seem to be awestruck by the lights of this city. As someone who has never really lived in a large city before this is truly a special part of my study abroad experience for me. Below you will see some pictures of the city at night from the street as well as from Tokyo Sky Tree (the record holder for the tallest tower in the world). In the future I will post more picture of the cities night view and beautiful lights!  

Friends in Japan

This past week was very special for me because some friends of mine from Osaka Japan came to visit me. These friends were exchange students at USC for a time and during their stay I took the time to befriend them and help them enjoy their time in America. An amazing thing about USC the international exposure you have available to you. Should you chose to do so you can make friends from around the world! As an international business major I find this to be invaluable. I strongly recommend any student, regardless of their major, to make international friends. You never know where you will end up and they could very well be the only people you know in some countries. Nanako (the one with the piece signs), Kento and Satsuki (the other boy and girl) took time out of their break to visit me in Tokyo, and thanks to them I was able to enjoy a number of things that would have been challenging to do on my own. Nanako was in town visiting her twin sister and took a day to hang out with me. Together we toured Yoyogi Park and she taught me how to properly pay my respects at Meiji Jingu. She also introduced me to a delicious Japanese dish called shabu shabu (which is essentially a more affordable version of the melting pot). We had a great time catching up and sharing our opinions on different aspects of Japanese and American culture. After Nanako went home Satsuki and Kento came to visit me. Thanks to them I was able to enjoy Tokyo Disney Land, Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo Sky Tree, and Kaminarimon shrine. The days they were visiting me were filled with fun and cultural immersion that I’m not sure I could have accomplished on my own. I am very thankful that I took the time to get to know them in America.

Food

One of the best aspects about Japan, in my opinion, is the food! I have been here for a little over 2 weeks and I have yet to eat a single meal that I did not find delicious. From REAL ramen to conveyer-belt suishi I have fallen in love with Japanese food. I have never been much a vegetable fan and even those are delicious here. I don’t have much else to say about the food other than I have become pretty competent with a pair of chopsticks during my time here. ^-^

The past two weeks in Japan have been so much fun. I am truly loving Japan for reasons I never even expected I would. Regardless of its big city feel, the nation’s culture leaks into every aspect of my daily life. I have always been taught to people and places through the lens of its own culture instead of placing my own culture’s standards on them. This is the first time I have truly been able to practice doing so. Every day is a rewarding experience and every minute I learn something new. I’m sorry this post is so wordy but it’s just so hard to decide what to tell you all about! I have already started thinking of ideas for next time and I think you all will enjoy them! To everyone at home I miss you all very much and I wish you could be here enjoying this with me. This adventure has only just begun and I will do my best to share it with you all!

(Here are some pictures and a video from club recruitment at my university! The Japanese really go all out trying to recruit new members!!!)

日本へようこそ！Welcome to Japan!

Hello everyone! Well I finally made it to Tokyo. After a trip that sent me a whole day forward in time I am ready to take on all of the challenges Japan has to offer me! It is currently the morning of my second day here in Tokyo and am I am just starting to feel normal after have some intense jet lag. My first night in Tokyo was rather uneventful. I took a bus to Tokyo and a taxi to my apartment in Shinjuku (a sub-city in Tokyo). There, I was finally able to see the apartment I will be staying in for the next four months in person. I am really pleased with how comfortable it is! After dropping my things off I went to the train station near my apartment to get my pre-paid transportation card that will allow me me to use public transit. Then I returned and went to bed.

Despite how tired I was, I forced myself to go exploring yesterday. I was not about to let a little jet lag keep me from seeing the city of my dreams. Before I went exploring I needed to grab some breakfast at the convenience store by my apartment. Japanese convenience stores (conbini as they are called locally) are truly unlike anything we have in America. They are essentially small grocery stores all over Japanese cities where you can get most of your daily necessities. This includes plenty of pre-made meals the staff will kindly heat up for you. After eating I started heading to downtown Shinjuku to do some basic shopping for my apartment. I took the train one station over and went to a store called Don Quijote, which sells household items, clothes, costumes, and everything in between (and I mean everything). Along the way I could not help but notice how the city seemed to go on forever in all directions. It was truly breathtaking to see all of the sky scrappers next to the side streets going deeper into the city. Once I was done shopping I surprisingly found myself near a fairly famous shrine in Shinjuku called Hanazono Jinja (Jinja translates to shrine in English). I was shocked to see such traditional Japanese culture juxtaposed against the massive city I had just been traversing. The deity of this shrine supposedly able to bring good luck in business. This is fitting as Shinjuku is one of the largest business district in Tokyo. After paying my respects and admiring the shrine I returned to my apartment. 

 When I got back I started organizing my apartment a bit, and I soon decided it would be a good idea to go see my new school and its surrounding area. After a 20 minute train ride with one transfer I found myself in what I can only describe as a Japanese college town. The streets were lined with small restaurants, shops, and apartment buildings, It was a completely different environment than what I had experienced earlier in the day. Unbeknownst to me I decided to visit on the day when the seniors at Waseda University had just graduated. The school and the surrounding area were filled with formally dressed students and their families celebrating their accomplishment. Most of the men wore suits while the women wore traditional Japanese kimonos. The campus was beautiful and seeing it filled with happy people made the experience even more enjoyable.

 After giving myself a short tour and grabbing some lunch I still had plenty of time left in the day. I still had a few items left on my list that I wanted to buy, the most important of which was a portable charger I could use for my phone and mobile wifi unit. So I decided to make a trip to Tokyo's electric goods capital (and somewhere I have always dreamed of going) Akihabara. Akihabara (or Akiba as it is referred to locally) is a mecca for fans of Japanese animation. However, it is also filled with specialty electronics stores that cater to any technological issue one may have. As I searched the various stores (most of which had 8 floors) I was amazed at the variety the stores offered. For example, the same store that was selling video games and CDs was also selling samurai Darth Vadar figures! The streets were filled with an incredibly diverse group of people as well. Foreigners, businessmen, school kids, and people dressed as cats and maids lined the streets of this town and somehow nobody seemed out of place. Akihabara is truly an amazing area of Tokyo. I spent 3 hours there and only went down one street! during the time I spent there I was able to get my shopping done and enjoy a unique experience at one of the city's famous maid cafes. 

After my adventure in Electric Town I returned to my apartment. It was about 6:30 pm at this time and as I laid down in my bed for a moment I immediately succumbed to my jet lag and fell asleep... I woke up around 10 pm. Since my sleep schedule was very off at this point I needed something to do to occupy myself for the next few hours. Fortunately there were a few people in the common area of my apartment that I was able to hang out with before I went to sleep for the night. 

So that was my first day in Tokyo! In the future my posts wont be so detail oriented about what I do everyday. I plan on sticking to interesting topics and trends I notice that I can show you all and expand upon in the future. However, I think this is a good first post to show you all because it illustrates an incredible point; Tokyo is huge. In one day I traveled to what were essentially 3 different cities. Each had their own unique points and were fundamentally different from one another. I have barely scratched the surface of what Tokyo and Japan have to offer me, but already I have experienced things that I could never find anywhere else in the world. Tokyo is a truly amazing city and I look forward to experiencing it and sharing more of it with you all. Thank you for reading!

Best Wishes,

Niko Zalesky