kobe

(continuation of a multi-part Blathering which begins here)


Friday September 7th, 2001 (cont'd)


My mother was born in Kobe, which is why I wanted to see it. Jeff and I used our JR rail passes with no problem...I'd definitely recommend these passes for anyone planning a visit to Japan. We had briefly considered going to Hiroshima as well, but realized that we'd rather spend more time in one place than very little in both.





My dad had said that my mom's childhood home had been destroyed in the big earthquake of '95, sadly, so I wasn't able to see it. Jeff and I visited The Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Reconstruction Promotion Center in the Phoenix Place, which was also a community and support center for those who had been affected by the quake.





The women behind the information counter spoke flawless English, much to our surprise. We browsed the displays and watched a number of short films about the quake. The films were all in Japanese, but the center provided wireless headphones for those who wanted a translation in English.


Must admit I got all teary-eyed through some of the films, watching how the city coped with the aftermath (6400 people died, 40,000 were injured, 450,000 households destroyed), and the support that flooded in from the rest of the Japan and the world.





Other information in the center included causes of an earthquake, what steps Japan took in preparation for future earthquakes (e.g. in building construction), tips for how to survive an earthquake. Kind of unnerving, really. Allison tells us that according to local news, we've already experienced one earthquake, but it was a small one and occurred while we were sleeping.


It rained most of the day, so Jeff and I decided to take a tourbus that did an hour loop of the city. There was a pretty young Japanese woman in a tailored outfit narrating the entire trip. Jeff and I were the only passengers for part of the trip, and I thought it sort of funny that our tourbus guide was doing all this talking, and that her only passengers couldn't understand any of her narration. Perhaps she thought I was somewhat fluent and could translate for the gaijin, who knows.





Anyway, it was an interesting look at various parts of Kobe. During the entire trip, I couldn't help but keep thinking, "I wonder if Mom ever saw this part of the city? I wonder if she was ever standing where we are now, as a young girl, looking at what we're looking at?" It gave me a bit of a lump in the throat, wishing I could just call her up and ASK her. But it was also a very positive experience for me, helping me feel a connection with the young girl my mother once had been.





An amusing part of our tourbus ride was when we passed through Kitano, a pretty hillside neighbourhood where some of Kobe's early Western residents used to live. Local tourists can check out foreign-type houses without ever having to leave Japan. :-)


We arrived back in Tokyo in time to greet Alison when she got home from work, and had dinner at the same great ramen restaurant where we had eaten a few days before.


Next: conveyer belt sushi!




Today's Blatherpics:


- Some say Kobe beef is the best beef in the world. Note the price of the package shown above is equivalent to about CAN$140. (!!!)


- Shinkansen. I think these trains look very cool, don't you?


- Exhibit in the earthquake information centre.


- Ad on one of the drink-dispensing machines. We've also seen Bruce Willis in ads and commercials.


- Kobe tourbus.


- Western style house in Kobe. Tourists pay to see what Westerners live like.


Today's Poll:



Have you ever experienced an earthquake?

tea ceremony

(continuation of a multi-part Blathering which begins here)


Thursday, September 6th, 2001 (continued)


When we got back to the ryokan, we took another bath. There's something wonderfully decadent about sitting in one's room in what was basically a bathrobe, waiting for dinner to be served.


Jeff and I had wondered whether or not we would get the same dinner as the previous night...most visitors tend to stay at a ryokan only one night, after all. Instead, our maid (a different one from yesterday's, and who turned out to be the same one that JeffL and Alison had, and in fact we found out they had the same ROOM as us, and apologies for this run-on sentence) brought up a portable gas stove and pot, and then the makings of sukiyaki. My mother used to make this quite often when we were kids, and I always loved it.





Basically, sukiyaki consists of vegetables and thin slices of meat cooked in a broth of sake, soy sauce, and vinegar. Our maid also stirred in a raw egg at one point. Delicious!


Jeff and I had asked about the possibility of witnessing a tea ceremony during our stay, and the ryokan people had said there would be one that night. A few minutes after we asked the maid for a confirmation about when this would take place, the manager came to get us. He said we could stay in our yukatas.





I had half-expected to be part of a crowd of tourist onlookers, so was surprised to find Jeff and I being the only attendees. The manager took us into the garden (we had to change from our house slippers to garden slippers) where we used stepping stones to a waiting room.


After a few minutes, an older Japanese man named Ken introduced himself and gave a short talk about Yoshi-ima, which was built in 1747, and the surrounding area. He even mentioned "Memoirs of a Geisha", which surprised me since I had heard that most Japanese didn't like the book, and encouraged us to take an evening stroll for a chance to see geisha or maiko (geisha-in-training).





Side note about geisha: Geisha are not prostitutes (this seems to be a common Western misconception). They are basically women trained from an early age to entertain. Some pay more than US$3000 to spend an evening being entertained by two or three geisha, whose main function is often to break the ice at a gathering of Japanese businessmen. Entertainment consists of a wide range of visual and performing arts, including singing, dancing, playing the three stringed shamisen, as well as social entertainment such as pouring drinks, lighting cigarettes, and keeping the conversation lively. You need an introduction of an established patron before being invited to witness a geisha performance. Apparently there are about 100 geisha and 80 maiko in Kyoto. (these facts gleaned from the Lonely Planet's guide about Japan).





Anyway, Ken also gave an overview of what to expect from the tea ceremony. A few minutes after he left, a gong sounded, which signalled that the ceremony was about to begin. A woman came to take us to the ceremonial tea house. Before stepping into the tea house, we removed our slippers and stepped through the nijiriguchi, a two foot square sliding door to the room. The purpose of the small door was to force people to bow as they passed through, enabling them "to become humble enough to enjoy the tea party equally and peacefully" (quote from a booklet we were given by Yoshi-ima).





Yet another Japanese woman came into the tea house, and told us that she would be translating what was happening for us (she spoke very fluent English). We could sit cross-legged or kneel, whatever was most comfortable.


An older woman entered the tea house and began the ceremony. Every movement was carefully choreographed. Apparently it takes many years to master the art of the tea ceremony. Also a lot of money, our young guide told us enthusiastically; the courses cost a ton. Later, Jeff said he noticed the older woman (who never said a single word during the entire ceremony) giving our guide a couple of looks whenever she waxed too eloquently about the cost involved in the learning the ceremony, or how much the teachers were paid.





We were given a small block of sweet bean paste-stuff (sorry, don't know the proper terminology) which she said was supposed to counteract the bitterness of the powdered tea. It was fascinating to watch the older woman, knowing that every move was the result of a lifetime of study. Also interesting to try powdered tea instead of the usual green tea made from leaves; it's frothy on top, and more bitter.


After the ceremony was complete, the older woman left. Our young guide encouraged us to ask questions, and also encouraged us to take an evening stroll around the area. If we were lucky, she said, we might even see a geisha or maiko.


We were met by yet another young woman (this made a total of six people involved in the tea ceremony just for us, wow) who gave us a tour of Yoshi-ima as well as some of its history. I made a major gaffe as I stepped up from the garden into the ryokan: I HAD FORGOTTEN TO REMOVE MY GARDEN SLIPPERS! The slippers weren't at all dirty, of course, but the changing-slipper thing is a major deal in Japan...I thought the two women were going to jump me! I quickly removed my slippers and went inside to put on my inside slippers, much to their relief. :-)


I was intrigued by the romantic image of the elusive geisha mentioned earlier, so Jeff and I decided to change our plans (which had originally been to crash fairly early) and go for a walk. We didn't see any geisha, but we did see several inebriated Japanese men happily reeling down the sidewalk after their Thursday night binge. :-)


Next: Kobe!





Today's Blatherpics:


- Our maid making sukiyaki with Jeff observing. :-)


- One of the side dishes for our sukiyaki dinner. The stick-ball thingy was crunch on the outside, soft on the inside, was very tasty, and I have no idea what it was. The spherical thing was some kind of cooked nut, I think. The maid showed us how to peel off the outside.


- Tea ceremony out in the garden.


- Tokonoma (alcove) in the ceremonial tea house. The Yoshi-ima teahouse was modelled exactly after an authentic ceremonial tea house created by a famous tea house artist in Nanzen-ji Temple.


- My teacup and a sweet (mostly eaten).


- Sign across the river at night reads "OPEN BAR NOX". Not sure if "Nox" is an English typo which should be "Now", or if it's the name of the open bar. :-)


- This photo helps demonstrated why Jeff kept accidentally banging his head against the doorframe separating the two sections of our room. The Yoshi-ima booklet says, "Watch your head! Because the Japanese were commonly only about five feet tall in the formerdays, the basic scale for the structure in this country still has been standardized at about six feet, a unit called ken." To give you some perspective, our maid stood in the same position (after seeing Jeff bang his head)...the top of her head came to the bottom of the topmost white square.


Today's Poll:



Do you prefer black tea or herbal tea? (choose YES for black, NO for herbal) If you don't like tea at all, don't answer.

kinkaku-ji

(continuation of a multi-part Blathering which begins here)


Thursday, September 6th, 2001 (continued)


After lunch, we set off for Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Temple), one of Japan's best-known and most-photographed sights. The original building was constructed in 1397 as a shogun's retirement villa, but an unhappy monk burned the whole thing to the ground. The temple was reconstructed in 1955.





After we figured out which bus to get on and when to pay for our ticket (you pay as you exit the bus), an Asian-looking couple also boarded the bus. They looked a bit confused, obviously searching for something, and then asked Jeff in English where to get tickets. Jeff answered, and as friendly conversation ensued, it turned out that the couple was visiting from Korea for the husband's physics conference.


It was a fun moment, meeting another English-speaking couple whose native tongue was NOT English. They were super-nice. We parted ways when we reached the temple, but ran into them a few times later on.





The second and third floor of Kinkaju-ji is covered with gold leaf on Japanese laquer, making quite a striking scene in the sunshine....I'm not surprised it's such a popular tourist attraction.


There were a ton of schoolchildren there, and of course that's where I met the three schoolgirls who interviewed me for a school project.





Next, we walked to Ryoan-ji. This temple belongs to a Zen school and was founded in 1450. Jeff and I only had about half an hour, so we beelined it for the main attraction, which was the zen garden (kare-sansui, or dry landscape). I have to say that although the rocks and the raked sand made a pretty scene, I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about (Debbie cringes as Zen-types jump on her). The rest of the grounds were GORGEOUS, with weeping willows draped over scenic ponds, cranes, flowers, beautifully kept gardens.I really wish we had more time here. Anyone planning to visit Ryoan-ji should definitely allocate at least a half day to wander the gardens and pond.


Jeff and I have decided that we have to come back to Japan someday, hopefully within the next five years or so. We'll be better prepared, and both of us plan to study the language. I also plan to learn how to read well enough to be more useful in terms of navigation and reading tourist signs.





Next: sukiyaki and traditional Japanese tea ceremony!


Today's Blatherpics:


- Photo taken by the nice Korean couple we met on the way to Kinkaku-ji.


- Chic girl we encountered on our walk.


- Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Shrine)


- Another photo of Jeff and me with the schoolgirls who interviewed me.


- Sign outside the public washroom.


Today's Poll:



Are you friends (with regular contact) with anyone whose main language is not the same as your own?

rickshaws and shaved ice

(continuation of a multi-part Blathering which begins here)


Thursday, September 6th, 2001


The next morning, our maid came at 8 pm to put away our futons and bring us breakfast. We had opted for a Japanese breakfast, of course. Who would come to Kyoto and pay for the ryokan experience and choose a Western breakfast?? Jeff was somewhat hesitant (he had heard rumours of raw eggs, for example), but discovered his fears were unfounded...nothing on the dishes the maid brought looked scary. Everything was delicious!





We checked out some of the little back streets in the area; some streets were so narrow you could almost touch both walls if you held your arms out straight to either side. If any of you have read Memoirs of a Geisha, we were in the Gion district. The small restaurants were all still closed, but we had fun checking out the different types of architecture. A LOT of wood (I hope they have a good fire department in Kyoto!), beautiful and simple lines. As in Tokyo, some of the English translations were entertaining to read (see "Sent James" on sign above).





Despite the heat, both Jeff and I loved walking around Kyoto. We got much more of a sense of "old Japan" than in Tokyo...no wonder tourists flock here in such droves! Most tended to come in cooler weather, especially during cherry blossom season.


My dad had actually advised Jeff and I not to go when we did because of the heat and humidity. We decided to go anyway because of the unique opportunity (staying with our friend Alison, having the benefit of her expertise and advice, etc.). So far, I've only found the humidity really bad on this one full day in Kyoto. Whenever I felt like complaining, however, I reminded myself that at least (unlike our Killarney hiking trip), I wasn't carrying a 40-lb backpack and climbing up rockslides at the same time! :-) Sure helped put things in perspective.





I did a little souvenir shopping in a few shops where the prices weren't too bad. I also followed a pair of trendy-looking young women into a trendy-looking shop which was pretty much the equivalent of a U.S. "Origins" or Canadian "Body Shop". I had seen so many women carrying out white bags with a stylized logo of a woman's face, and was curious.


To help cool down, Jeff and I would pop into air-conditioned shops fairly often. We also found an icecream shop where we bought a bowl of strawberry-flavoured shaved ice (made of shaved ice, fruit flavouring, sweetened milk, called uji kintoki). Yummmmmmmmm!





In Maruyama park, Jeff stretched out on a bench and took a short nap. A number of other men seemed to be doing the same thing. I decided to wander a bit instead, and ended up spending most of that time standing outside a sushi restaurant, entranced by the strains of koto music (Japanese harp) coming from a second floor window. I thought it was a recording at first, but then the performer made a mistake and had to repeat a phrase. Koto music is gorgeous! I want to learn to play koto someday.


After Jeff woke, we continued our exploration of Kyoto. We checked out the Koto Handcraft Center, where I picked up a gift for my sister, then had lunch in a nearby noodle shop where the plastic food displays outside looked pretty good. I took a photo of the dishes we wanted to order on my digital camera, just in case we had to use the photos to show our waitress what we wanted. Fortunately there were photos and prices listed on the menu inside, so ordering was easy.


Next: making friends with locals and tourists, visiting the Golden Shrine and Zen Garden





Today's Blatherpics:


- Exploring the streets of Kyoto.


- Sign down the street from our ryokan.


- Strawberry shaved ice.


- Rickshaw. These guys were similar to the ones in downtown Toronto in that they were pretty aggressive (in a friendly way) about soliciting customers. They always targeted me since they assumed Jeff couldn't speak English (little did they know that I couldn't speak English, either :-)). They were pretty cute. :) :) Later on, Jeff and I realized that it might actually have been a good idea to get a rickshaw ride, but we had been so conditioned to turn down the Toronto rickshaw guys.


- Jeff taking a nap in Maruyama Park.


- Me after doing some souvenir shopping. Note how I'm prominently displaying the bag with the trendy logo.


Today's Poll:



When you're exploring a new city/area, do you tend to like to have certain destinations in mind (e.g. certain tourist attractions, etc.), or do you prefer to just wander on whim? Choose 'YES' for destinations, 'NO' for whim.

ryokan feast

(continuation of a multi-part Blathering, begin here)


Wednesday, September 5th (cont'd)


We had picked 6:30 pm as the time we'd like to eat. Right on time, the maid came in with the first tray of food.





Each tray was filled with small dishes, and each dish contained a different part of the meal. Every item was arranged carefully, the colours, textures, and arrangement turning each into a miniature work of art.





The maid went up and down the stairs a few times, each time arriving with a tray of still more dishes. Each time she put the dishes on the table, she would explain (with short Japanese words or hand motions) how to eat the contents of various dishes, what sauce went with what food, etc.





When most of the dishes had been laid out, the maid gave us each a bowl of steamed rice and a cup of green tea. She left a larger container of rice behind in case we wanted more, as well as the thermos of tea.





Jeff and I had a lot of fun going through various dishes and trying to figure out what each was, taste-testing. With only one or two small exceptions (mostly because of texture), we found everything absolutely delicious.





Partway through the meal, we realized that we were whispering to each other even though our room was completely separate from everyone else's, and was as soundproof as a regular Western hotel (at least we never heard any of our neighbours during our stay at the ryokan).





After dinner, the maid came to clear away the dishes. After the table was cleared, she dragged the table and chairs into the smaller room and brought out our futons and pillows, which had been stored in a small storage space beside the bathroom.





The pillows were filled with rice husks. Neither Jeff nor I minded this, but I know some others might want to bring their own pillows (though this might be a pain to carry on a plane). The futon blanket was too short for Jeff. He was definitely taller than the average Japanese person...the poor guy kept accidentally bumping his forehead into the low doorframe into the smaller room. :-(





Jeff is constantly having to watch out for doorframes during our visit. He even has to duck slightly to get into Alison's apartment. Guidebooks all warn Westerners, especially tall ones, to not count on getting shoes in Japan...it will likely be difficult to find the right size!





After our bath and wonderful feast, Jeff and I were both ready for bed soon after the futons were laid out.


Next: exploring Kyoto!





Today's Blatherpics:


- Jeff at dinner.


- Most of the rest are close-ups of some of the dishes we were served.


- Maid setting out our futons.


- Good night message we found as we went to bed.


Today's Poll: (courtesy Alison George)



Do you tend to want a dessert (or at least something sweet) after dinner?