Yea, I have no excuses anymore. I really have no idea why I can’t bring myself to write about Japan. Whenever I sit down to do it, I think of something else to do, preferring that over the former. It’s not due to dislike of the country, because I genuinely did love Japan (although I ultimately decided that I could never live there for an extended period of time, I'll explain later), and I’m not too busy to write, because I’ve posted plenty of times since then… I really think it’s just laziness. So, here’s me trying to tackle that laziness to finally share with you more of my experiences in Japan.
So, to continue with the lists, below are all the cities that I visited. My aunt was the master brain (I guess the correct term is “mastermind” but I like using the word brain whenever I can) behind the whole trip, responsible for scheduling & booking EVERYTHING. Mad props to her! We visited more cities than I thought was humanly possible over 8 days. I suppose Japan isn’t the biggest country, but still. Read on and be impressed & jealous of our travels all over Japan!
1. Osaka. is the third largest city in Japan and is known as the commercial/economic center of Japan as well as its "kitchen" for gourmet food. We didn't explore Osaka too much, though; it really just acted as our travel hub for the first couple days. So, I became very familiar with the early morning & evening activity of the city. It was always a vision of businessmen & suits. They all looked quite dapper, speeding off with purpose in quick strides. I always became so aware of my current unemployment & youth in Osaka, surrounded by all those professionals.
2. Kyoto. We did a lot of sightseeing in Kyoto on our second day! First, we went to Nijo Castle. It was built starting in 1601 as a residence for the Tokugawa Shoguns. It consists of several chambers, all of which were modestly but elegantly decorated with delicate wood carvings, fine panel paintings, & shining gold leaf accents. The floors, called "nightingale floors," were designed to squeak when walked upon, a precaution against potential intruders & attackers. The surrounding gardens were beautiful, designed by a famous landscape artist Kobori Enshu. We also went to the International Manga Museum, which had an impressively large collection of volumes, spanning several decades & covering a wide range of titles. I particularly liked, though, that they sold sheets of cake & small tubes of chocolate frosting for guests to draw on & decorate. Yummy & creative! Double win! We then hopped over to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, so named because, you guessed it, it's golden!
We got there just as evening was beginning to fall, and the blushing sky was wonderfully reflected in the lake. Across the water, the pavilion looked positively regal, standing out against the greenery of the surrounding gardens. We finally ended the day in the Gion District. It was one of the most famous Geisha districts in Japan. Not to be confused with a red-light district, the Geisha houses here were purely for entertainment, eg. traditional Japanese dancing, singing, etc. Now, it's a popular strip of shops. The buildings & streets remain preserved for the most part in their historical glory on the outside, with the addition of bright white lanterns lining the road. But the interiors have changed to accommodate candy shops, mochi vendors, & modern tea houses. We walked along here for a while, buying snacks & souvenirs, before giving in to weariness & heading back to the hotel.
3. Miyajima Island. Located in the city of Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, we went here on our third day to see the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (& to feast on Okonomiyaki, much to Auntie Wawie's excitement.) We took a ferry (yay boats!) to get there, watching men harvest pearls and admiring the famous bright red gateway of the shrine, which in the distance seemed to float in the high tide. Once on the island, we were accosted by deer. No joke. They roam freely in the area & they were everywhere- lounging in shady patches, nuzzling babies in strollers, trying to eat your city map... It was pretty awesome, but admittedly strange to be able to pet them as you would a puppy or cat.
We walked along the coastline, which was lined with small shops & eateries, to the shrine. Itsukushima was a series of wooden piers and structures, painted warm orange with white accents. It was all built on the water because, historically, the island was considered so sacred that people were barred from setting foot on it, instead only allowed to approach by boat. It was all in all a very lovely place, my favorite part being all the paper fortunes folded & tied everywhere, creating a strange, white ivy weaving throughout. Leaving the shrine, we later explored the surrounding market area, where I bought a cone of the most delicious green tea fro-yo that I've ever had. Win.
4. Shirakawa-go. Easily my favorite place in Japan! It's a small, historical, rural village (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) in the Shogawa river valley, tucked in the northern mountains. To get there, we took a 4 hour train ride, most of which I spent glued to my window, staring at the passing scenery. I don’t know if I’ve made this clear enough, but I LOVE long trips through raw landscapes, next to a window. My eyes glazed over as cities shrank to towns, towns to villages, villages to farmland & finally farmland to wilderness. The train cut through mountains & valleys, and I could spot mumbles of fall in the changing leaves of trees. After frolicking in tropical countries where fall is nonexistent, my heart cartwheeled seeing the warm colors of my favorite season. After tunneling through a particularly long mountain passage, we arrived at the village. I felt like Lucy walking through the seemingly innocent wardrobe, then discovering the wonderful, fantastical world of Narnia. (Only, no fauns/James McAvoy.)
The village was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I spent most of my time there staring in awe & amazement, wondering mentally & aloud, “Is this REAL?!” The houses are constructed in an architectural style called gasshō-zukuri or "prayer-hands construction." They are so named as the steep slant of the thatched roofs resemble two praying hands pressed at the fingertips. The whole village looked & felt like a prayer, really- bright wild flowers grew along pathways; rice fields & vegetable gardens lay spread like a patchwork quilt of agriculture; darling trees offered musical rustlings of wind brushing against their changing leaves; small streams branched off & and ran everywhere, babbling & laughing; & the air tickled my nose with its chill & autumnal sweetness. It was wonderful & I promised myself that I would come back with my family.
5. Yokohama. is the second largest city in Japan in population. Historically, it was a simple fishing village. It became a major port city of trade in the mid 1880s, when the western world demanded that Japan end its national seclusion & engage in international commerce. The city then experienced alternating periods of great economic & industrial growth, and devastating set backs that came in the forms of the Great Kantō earthquake & World War II. Now, it is a lovely city, with much to entertain! We spent a whole day there, walking around & exploring. We went to/saw the historic port area Kannai; Yamashita Park; the tallest inland lighthouse in the world; Yokohama Chinatown (they had a TON of panda-related merchandise here.
Even the steamed buns were made to look like pandas!); Harbor View Park (had a delightful rose garden!); Landmark tower, the tallest building in Japan; the Cosmo Clock 21, which is actually a huge Ferris wheel; etc. Yea. Yokohama was pretty awesome.
The last major city that I have to write about is Tokyo, but I think it deserves its own post. That and I'm getting really tired. Haaa. Gnight, world! And Happy Thanksgiving, America!
