Moving

Jan. 22, 07

I like this picture I took at MacDonald’s. There is an intensity that belies the absolute exhaustion I was experiencing as I sat in that junk food mecca on Omotesando awaiting my future. I had barely slept the night before, consumed with packing and cleaning. I think I awoke at 6 am to continue packing and cleaning. I barely got things done and Andrew arrived while I was still cleaning. We broke the ice that had set in from a month or so ago. It was like coming full circle. But it was stressful and exhausting. I barely had time to say farewell to Kakegawa, but I did take a moment at the Shinkansen station while I waited for the train to arrive. I had so much luggage, I could barely carry it. But I waved good riddance to the town that had trapped and smothered me.

By the time I arrived in Tokyo I was mush. I had some sake to commemorate the moment, so I arrived to the big city depleted. It was pretty unforgettable, my arrival into Tokyo. I could not find the Marunouchi exit that I had familiarized myself on prior trips. Instead I was dragging all this heavy luggage around Tokyo station and ready to cry cuz I could not find any lockers. My first victory was in finding some lockers to stash my luggage. From there I made my way to Omotesando’s McDonlad and pretty much planted myself there, as I could not move around much with the guitar and computer that I had in tow. I spent several hours pondering my future.
I had struck gold with housing. I found a place to share with a friend of a friend of a friend who was also Nikkei and from Brazil. I was delighted to have a place to close to the metro and someone from the community to help facilitate my entry into Tokyo life. And located in Omotesando, it was a score. Plus I was delighted to make contact with another Nikkei in Japan, someone from Brazil, a country that has long fascinated me. Perhaps I could get the gist on taiko in Brazil. I had made my first big hurdle and landed in Tokyo.

My days were filled with non-stop interviews for jobs. I remained optimistic. I had to spend a great deal of time in McDonald as it had the best internet connection. It was such a glamorous area, I really could not complain. I awoke to a world of rich people in designer ware and models that walked the streets. This is the poshest area I have ever lived in my life. Ralph Lauren, Louis Vutton – I am cornered in by wall-to-wall designers. I rather spend my time in Harajuku with the trendy sugar coated Goths and punks. It is a great relief from Kakegawa and I love to remind myself at every opportunity. Yes, I am in Tokyo! I often walk down to Shibuya for whatever reason or to catch a train. I love it big time and I am becoming very familiar with the mad hub that is Shibuya.

Jan. 15, 07

Jan. 15, 2007

The countdown is one, one more week till I move and what has just stirred me to write? A tremor. I am certain that I felt a minor earthquake. I considered grabbing my laptop and dashing under the desk. Always good to have one’s priorities straight. I am living on the Tokai fault line and this area is due for a major earthquake. Every 150 years there is a major earthquake and 150 years have gone by and locals all know that a major quake can hit this area at any moment. Having experienced the San Francisco earthquake – I am a veteran. And I know an earthquake when I feel it. It was not some huge truck passing by. I checked the telly, but nothing is being broadcast. It was minor, but I felt the floor shake, followed by another tremor where I could feel the walls resonating. I think it is a good time to move away from the area.
While flipping through the telly, caught a bit of sumo, watching Asashiori take a magnificent match. I have caught the sumo bug. Also saw the handsome Bulgarian win his match. Saw a New Year’s matsuri festival, although I did not catch the area, where they burnt the yagura into the water. Saw a lot of men in fundoshi in the water. Probably not terribly pleasant in the winter. And a cute footage of a young boy playing the odaiko. His bachi was very short. I have not watched the telly in ages and it reminds me how it is a great source of ethno curiosity. Well here is hoping I escape further earthquakes. There is nothing quite dramatic as feeling the floors and walls move.

Tokyo New Years

Line ups for the temple on New Year's Day in Tokyo - patience is a given

Tokyo 2007

I had a pretty great New Year’s Day in Japan. I did the traditional foods for breakfast at my cousins – very awesome. Then I took off for central Tokyo where I spent the day hopping around to different temples.

I started off at Ueno, a funky place to begin. The temple had a huge line-up of people. It was a very interesting temple because it had all these interesting statues and plaques, one of which seemed to commemorate glasses. Another one had a stone carving of a koto. It was somewhat puzzling and I wish I could have read the inscriptions.

I came across the Dali exhibition going on in Ueno - would love to go!

Shopping and temple hopping around the Ueno area....lots of yummy food!




A familiar site on the left that boasts the ever present Nova, the bottom of the heap for English teachers in Japan. On the right, the very trendy Shibuay 109 (ichi maru kyu) where beautiful woman abound shopping madly. I heard the 109 in Shizuoka-shi was strictly woman only since men were known to have loitered around the staircases, looking up the skirts of woman shoppers! hmmmm




I could not resist this pic - little doggie mannequins. Boutiques selling doggie fashions can be found in every chic shopping area. The sizes tend to be small, as these mannequins will attest. I have seen plenty od dogs dressed up. I have not seen any fashions for cats, btw.

I noticed that many shops and vehicles had special New Years adornment like the police car picture. I went to another temple around the Ueno area and had my fortune given to me by a Buddhist priest and it was very cool and inspiring. I then made my way to the stalls and it was packed with people. I bought a bunch of cool things for myself as a birthday present. I love shopping in Japan! There were all these bargain bags for sale everywhere – Fukubukuros. You around 50 – 100 bucks and get a bag full of goodies and this was going on big time everywhere.

I continued with my shopping and temple hopping spree, but this time in the Shinjuku and Shibuya area. I went to the Meijijingumae and a tiny shrine off Omotesando, bought some good luck amulets and headed to meet up with friends. All in all a most awesome New Year’s Day and a great way to start off 2007.

Quiet day in Tokyo, as you can see there are few cars. I believe this is Shibuya.

New Year in Japan

Altar decorations for New Year's at Narita Temple

New Years In Japan

I arrived back in Japan for New Year’s Eve. When I left the Narita airport for xmas in Vancouver, the place was decorated for the Xmas theme. When I returned to the airport on December 31, the airport was transformed for the New Year's occasion. It was quite a surprise. I had to take a picture.

My cousin’s wife had prepared a delicious spread of traditional New Year’s food. After feasting, I headed out accompanied by my cousin’s wife, to the famous Narita Temple to hear the chiming of Buddhist bell. Apparently the Narita temple is one of the top three temples in Japan to visit for the New Year.

My cousin warned me that there would be a huge line and he was right. We spent an hour in line and I never actually heard the 108 chimes that rang in the New Year. Still, there was something to be said about being part of the greater whole, as we all inched out way along.

The temple was magnificent, but the crowd was so huge and intense, that we were pushed along and out from the temple grounds and I did not have a chance to take a decent picture. I did pass the bell and it was huge.

I hope that paying our respects at this auspicious moment might bring some good tidings for the New Year.