Arashiyama Isn’t How I Remembered

It was bike day again today.

I wanted to visit Arashiyama, which is a town at the foot of the mountains in Western Kyoto. I’d been there before, many years ago, and wanted to explore it more thoroughly, and take some photos. My body wasn’t sore this morning, so I think it’s gotten used to being abused and tired out every day. I didn’t feel boneless, and my legs weren’t really sore at all. And I didn’t even go in any onset yesterday! Before I left for the day, I spent a bit of time at Mundo, doing boring things like laundry and trying to find accommodation in Shikoku (where I might visit in a few days, if things work out.) I also talked to Kazuyo, who is a new staff member, beginning today. She was really excited that I was going to Arashiyama, because she had read about an ashi no yu (foot bath) that is inside one of the train stations. I said I’d try to find it, and would take a picture if I did. At 11, I hung out my washing to dry, then borrowed a bike to ride to Arahiyama. It looked kind of far on the map, but I was sure I could get there without too much trouble. I was also excited because I had a bike with a basket today, but that actually made it harder to steer, and I kept thinking I was going to run into things when I had to go through narrow spaces.

I rode for a short while, then stopped at a supermarket to buy lunch. I had no idea how to work the bike stand, because it as different from the ones I’m used to, and I couldn’t get the bike to stand up. I must have looked like an idiot, because the supermarket security guy came over to help me, and assembled the stand in one easy, fluid motion. So I felt so stupid as I entered the store. But that wasn’t the end of my troubles. When I wanted to get back on the bike, I couldn’t work out how to make the stand go away. No amount of kicking made it budge, and I couldn’t see any levers or buttons that would release it. So I spent a while looking hopeless again, before and old man passing by stopped and helped me. Japanese people must think that foreigners are idiots.

It took me about an hour to get near Arashiyama, mostly because I and to stop at a lot of traffic lights. I also accidentally went to far south, and had to backtrack a bit, riding around a river. It was ever so slightly up hill, and I was riding into the wind. On top of that, the bike didn’t have gears, so pedalling was sometimes hard and sometimes way too easy. In any case, I soon reached the main part of Arashiyama, and parked my bike near the river (quite certain that it would fall over if anyone breathed on it.)

Arashiyama looked nothing like how I remembered it. I remember taking a bus to the middle of nowhere, and walking for ages through a sparsely populated town with only a service station and a few tiny noodle shops. This Arashiyama was bustling with visitors, and the streets were lined with food and snack stalls, restaurants, and large souvenir shops. There is a main bridge, which is supposed to be a symbol of the town, and people were walking over it to more restaurants on the other side. It reminded me of people walking from Jolimont station to the MCG. i have no idea why. There were sakura trees along the river, and some had started to bloom. I walked across the bridge and explored a few shops, many of which sold green tea products and ice cream.

I ate my lunch on the river bank, in a ‘park’ that was really just gravel on the edge of the river. But there was little benches so it was all good. I had the same salad as yesterday, which I am going to miss, and a new kind of onigiri that I’d picked up from Lawson. It was called ‘tsukune,’ so I was interested to try it (for those with a sharp memory, tsukune is the balls of minced chicken on a stick that you get from yakitori shops.) It did have a ball of chicken in it, as well as some kind of sweet orange sauce. It was interesting, to say the least. I’m pretty sure it’s not a new favourite, however. Then I had a sakura and matcha mix soft cream, because there were ice cream stalls everywhere and I really can’t resist. The sakura was different to the one I had in Kiyomizu. It had little pieces of the actual plant in it, and was a much paler pink colour. I don’t know which I prefer, they were both delicious.

Eating ice cream made me cold, so I piled on the layers and walked to the famous Bamboo Forest, which was much closer to the town than I remembered. It was also much less spectacular than I remembered. The ‘forest’ is contained within tall grass fences, and the bamboo is so tall and dense. It is very pretty, but the hundreds of tourists kind of ruined my memory of it. I remember being there with my mum, years ago, and walking along seeing only a few other people. I also remember it being a really long walk through the bamboo, but it was only about 200 meters. I think my brain has glorified a lot of memories of Japan, because the places that I revisit aren’t living up to my mental images. The whole town of Arashiyama is completely different to how I remember it, and Kiyomizu and Fushimi Inari Taisha were both also far removed. I don’t know if this is because they have become more commercialised, or because my memoirs are false.

Anyway, at the end of the bamboo forest, I wasn’t really sure where to go, so I walked through a park where a boy and his dad were playing baseball, and other little kids were running around with their friends. The park was on a slope, and I walked to the top of the slope to a ‘lookout point.’ I didn’t expect much, but the park was actually on the edge of a cliff, that cut deep down into a valley. The aqua coloured river snaked through the valley, and little boats were floating along the gentle rapids. The water was so clear that even from the hight, I could see the riverbed beneath. The mountain was dotted with patched of pink and white, where cherry blossoms and plum blossoms were preparing to bloom. A shrine perched precariously on the side of the cliff, covered with Himalayan prayer flags. For a long time I just looked out at the view in awe, and watched one of the boats do donuts in the water.

Then I headed right, to see what other visual gems were hidden up the back of the park. There were spots to see the river from different angles, and a few picnic places. Then I got to a sign that said (in Japanese) ‘the park only goes to here.’ Beyond the sign, a train covered in leaves led off into a forest. I had no idea where it went, and there were no handy signs to tell me, so I decided to have a quick look. The path wasn’t paved, and was uneven and covered in rocks and dead autumn foliage. I could see down to the river from some points, but other than that, I couldn’t see more than 10 meters ahead of me. The slope slowly went up, and I got further and further away from the park. I still had no idea where I was going, or how long it would take to get to wherever that somewhere was. But curiosity led me on, and before I knew it Id been hiking for about 20 minutes. In heals. I’d become one of those people who hike in boots that are made for fashion. I never understood how Japanese ladies could climb up mountains wearing ankle boots, or den glittery flats with bows, but I’d become one of those people. Oh, the shame.

Eventually, the path started to curve around, and I seemed to be going up at less of an incline. I heard a lot of rustling going on in the bushes, and instantly became paranoid that some kind of wild animal would attack me. There were signs in the park telling you what not to do if you encounter a wild monkey, and I was certain that one would drop down from the trees and ambush me, stealing my camera and my scarf, or something. I’d also seen cartoon pictures of inoshihi (wild boars) around the town, and wondered if they would chase me up a tree if they saw me. I wondered how long I would have to wait up the tree before they gave up and left me. After that, I kept hearing twigs snapping in the brush, and paused every few minutes to make sure nothing was stalking me. I came to a fork in the path, and had no idea where to go, so I chose the way that I thought led back to where I’d come from. It wasn’t the way I’d come, but I thought it might loop back towards the park. I walked for about three minutes, when I saw this…

Wow. Just wow. I think I actually said ‘wow’ out loud. The pictures don’t do it justice, but this view was incredible, and I could see out across the whole of Arashiyama, as well as some other parts of Kyoto. It was so clear, so I could see really far into the distance. I stood there admiring the view for ages, and then became a 14-year-old girl and took self portraits with the view- peace sign and all. Funny how amazing sights make my mental age and maturity evaporate completely. Feeling like my curiosity had paid off, I hiked back down the mountain and eventually ended up back at the park, just like I’d hoped. The descent was so much steeper than the ascent, so I was glad I’d walked clockwise instead of the other way around.

From the park, I walked towards the river and watched Japanese parents skim rocks across the water with their kids. People were eating noodles along the riverside, or rowing boats (badly) across the water. I headed towards JR Arashiyama station, because I wanted to try the ashi no yu that is inside it. I’d spotted it from the back-end of the station when I was walking around earlier. It was a tiny little foot bath, which you needed to pay 150 yen to enter (an honesty system, obviously, because there was nobody guarding the entrance, and you had to buy a ticket at the station window. You did get a free souvenir towel with the ticket though. The water was warm, but not hot, which was ok. It made my feet feel smooth, which was what matters. Sitting opposite me where two Japanese girls, probably high school aged, and they kept talking about me and saying to each other that I was pretty (obviously deluded.) They tried to be sneaky and take photos of me on their phones, but it was so obvious. Still, I pretended to be oblivious, and then got out my own phone and pretended to call someone. I talked to this pretend person in Japanese, just to see how they’d react when they realised I understood what they were saying. It was too funny. First they looked shocked and a bit worried, and then they talked about how amazing it was that I some Japanese and had probably understood what they were saying. We started talking to each other, and I learned that they were from Osaka, and had come to Arashiyama for the day. One of them had done a home stay last year in Melbourne, and she spoke English well. I gave them a clip on koala and then they wanted to take photos with me, so I obliged. I got them to send the images to my email…

It was already 5, so I decided to head back to Mundo. My bike was still where I left it, and someone had put the bike stand on properly, so obviously it had fallen over at some point during the day. I bought a few souvenirs for two of the staff at Mundo, to thank them for looking after me, and then I cycled back towards the hostel. I had a better idea of where I was, and it didn’t take that long to get back to central Kyoto, but when I was close to Nijo Station, I took a wrong turn and went south instead of north, and ended up in the opposite side of the city to where I needed to be. But I knew where I was, so it was ok. I ended up adding an extra loop to the return trip. I stopped at a few Lawson 100 stores to try and find the matcha pudding I’d eaten last night, because I’d offered to buy it for a few people who were interested to try it. I had to go to three different stores to find it, and when I did, they only had 2 left.

I got home around 6:30, and the house smelled amazing, because dinner was cooking. For my last night, we were having a nikujaga party. Midori and Kazuyo had been busy preparing kabocha and the nikujaga stew, using special potatoes from Okinawa. There were 10 of us at dinner, including 2 Italian girls, a French couple, Midori and Kazuyo, TIda the dog, and Kumiko-san (who kind of adopted the role of my mother at Mundo. At 7, we all sat down together to eat. We had special sekkihan rice, which is purple and is cooked with azuki beans, as well as miso soup with tofu and mushrooms, the simmered kabocha, cabbage salad, and the nikujaga. For those who don’t know, nikujaga is a very homely dish, and it’s basically a stew containing thinly cut beef, carrots, potatoes, and noodles. The food was incredible, and we had it with plenty of wine (Midori loves wine, and beer, and most alcohols.) I was really full after the first bowl of nikujaga, but I had 3 more bowl afterwards because it was so good.

We stayed up late talking and eating snacks, and I felt sad that it was my last night. I think I become attached to people really quickly in Japan. I felt like I was leaving another family. Mundo isn’t like normal hostels, where you fear everyone. Here, everyone is family. The staff and the people staying there change every day, but it still feels familiar and safe and warm. I just really like the feeling of homeliness. I don’t even mind being able to hear everyone moving around anymore.

Takoyaki Party

Before you start reading this post, please click this link and have the YouTube video playing in the background. You don’t need to watch it, you just need the sound effect.

Ok, so I’m a 90’s kid and and unashamed of the fact that I still think Pokemon is cool. Nerd at heart. After tiring out my body by walking for 9 hours yesterday, I thought that renting a bike would be a good idea today. The hostel I am staying at has a rainbow collection of bikes, and rents them out for 500 yen a day. So in the morning I set out on two wheels instead of two feet, ready to explore some more of Kyoto. I couldn’t help but sing the Pokemon bike theme tune whilst I rode along. It was seriously the most perfect tune to have looping in my head. I had that same feeling as when you first acquire a bike in the gameboy game- everything is so much faster and walking seems like a stupid idea. Ok, I’ll try to stop referencing now. Sorry. You can turn off the YouTube music too, if you do so desire. It’ll be stuck in your head for the rest of the day anyway.

I felt so free and speedy on the bike, and it hardly took any time to get to the parts of Kyoto that (on previous days) took me an hour to reach on foot. I was so surprised, and a little delighted. I suppose Kyoto is made for bikes. It is totally flat, and everything is laid out in a grid, so cycling is the best way to get around for free. There are bikes everywhere, and nobody wears a helmet, so they always look attractive when they ride along, instead of dorky. And nobody wears lycra, thank god. However, being on wheels does make you realise how slow pedestrians are, and I had to do a lot of tactical dodging and weaving to avoid them. You also have to be really good at riding VERY SLOWLY when you are stuck behind a bench of old people and want to avoid hitting them. Then you kind of have to wobble along at snail pace before there is an opening for you to speed up and ride like a normal person.  I rode almost all the way to Kyoto station, then headed East towards Kiyomizu-dera, which is a famous temple and a popular tourist spot. I’d been here before, and really enjoyed it, and I;m not sure why I wanted to return, I just felt drawn to visit the place again. I rode up a huge hill to get there, and then came to an intersection that was so busy with people-traffic that there were little guys in uniform directing everyone around with flashing LED sticks. Of course, stupid Steph had forgotten that it was Sunday, and a billion tourists (both Japanese and foreigners) would be out and about. There are two shop-lined streets that lead up to Kiyomizu-dera, which I wanted to explore. But they were packed with people, so I had to ditch my bike if I wanted to be able to see anything. Luckily there was a bike parking spot, which I assumed was free. That was the one downside of a bike, you have to find somewhere to leave it, and then you have to return to it later.

I walked up towards the temple grounds, eyeing off the stores that sold daifuku or soft cream, and occasionally turning around to look down on the hill I had climbed. When I reached the top, I realised I had walked up a side street instead of the main street, which explained why there seemed to be less shops than I remembered. So then I walked up and down the other side, which sold everything from green tea to fans to Kyoto style sweets. I walked up to Kiyomizu-dera, and looked around the parts that were free, but I didn’t really want to pay the admission fee and go inside, because about 1000 people were doing that and I knew I wouldn’t be able to see anything. So I walked around the back of the temple and found a huge population of jizo, all wearing pastel coloured bibs. Jizo are little statues that commemorate the souls of children that have passed away, and they are a common sight in Japan. They usually wear red hats and/or bibs, and often have little toys or offerings at their feet.

I passed back to the front of the temple, where flocks of school girls where talking pictures of each other, and kimono-clad girls were doing the same. I thought I should probably have lunch, so I sat down near a fountain and ate a salad (the same one I’ve had every day because it’s that good), and this little vegetable and tofu dish that had tiny baby prawns in it. I felt a bit mean eating their faces, but they were so tasty so it was worth it.

After that, I still had room for ice cream, so I got a sakura and matcha softcream, which was so amazing! I love matcha, but I had never had sakura before. It was so good! There was a little sweet biscuit kind of thing in it, which I used like a spoon, and then ate at the end. I’d seen lots of street vendors making these, so I think they are a famous treat in Kyoto. It was really really sweet, and hard.

There were also a lot of shops making and selling yatsuhashi, which is a famous traditional sweet in Kyoto. It’s made out of mochi, and filled with a paste that is usually anko. There are lots of different kinds, including sakura, matcha, black and white sesame, and salt. A lot of the shops had free samples, and some gave you a free cup of green tea to drink whilst you ate as many free samples as you wanted. I tried lots of different ones, including a banana chocolate one which was actually really good. My favourite was still the traditional anko ones though.

After my ice cream treat, I wondered around the street a little more, and bought some gifts for people back home. More bus-loads of tourists were arriving, and I even found this whole car park that was packed full of tour busses. There were tour guides everywhere, carrying sticks with little flags on top (or stuffed toy Hello Kitty dolls, for the fancier tours.) It reminded me of my first ever trip to Kyoto, when I went on a 3 hour tour like that and hated every minute of it. I don’t like being a tourist.

I walked back to where I parked my bike, and felt a little relieved to find it still there and still in one piece. Then I walked it down along the street because there were still way too many people there to be able to ride without killing anyone. I walked away from Kiyomizu, towards Gion, and then stopped at a street map to decided where to go next. After studying it a little, I decided to head towards the big park in Gion to do a bit of exploring. That’s when I was ambushed by a Japanese boy. He asked if I needed help going somewhere, and I told him I was ok and I wasn’t lost. But he kept asking where I wanted to go and if he could show me the way. I knew this was going to turn into one of those ‘show the gaijin around for a million hours and latch on’ situations, so I said it was ok, I was going to Gion and I could get there myself. But he insisted on showing me the shortcut, so I had no choice but to follow him. We rode to the maiko street of Gion, and that’s when I knew I had to change tactics and ditch him. I had thought about pulling a sneaky left when he was riding in front of me, and speeding away down back streets on my flimsy purple bike. But of course we all know by now that I am a sucker for being nice to people, and I can’t bring myself to ditch them. So when we got to Gion, I pretended I had to meet a friend in 20 minutes, so I had to go. I don’t know if he bought it or not, but he asked if we could meet up another day. Oh no, the clingy type. I said that unfortunately I was leaving Kyoto tomorrow, and he bought it. Then I was finally free.

I rode up to Maruyama park, then tried to find somewhere to leave my bike so I could explore on foot. This is the one downside of a bike in Kyoto- you can’t just park it anywhere. There are signs everywhere saying that if you leave your bike, it will be taken away and you’ll have to pay to get it back. So I walked around for ages with this darn bike, trying to find somewhere to leave it. I even saw two maiko in the full kimono and makeup, and I couldn’t even chase after them for a sneaky photo because I had to wheel the bike! I took it through the park and through a shrine (which I later found out was not allowed, but the sign that said ‘no bikes’ had fallen down at the entrance I went through.) There was a little collection of bikes parked at the entrance, so I thought that maybe it would be ok to leave mine there too. There weren’t any ‘no bike parking’ signs, at least.

So then I was able to properly looks around the shrine and park, which were both dotted with cherry blossoms, and were so pretty! I did a quick circuit of the shrine, but it was full of visitors, so I moved on to the park pretty quickly. I spent ages exploring the park, walling around the carp-filled ponds and checking out the little stalls selling ice cream and takoyaki. There were people having picnics everywhere, with the most popular spots located underneath the sakura. In one area, lights and decorative lanterns were strung up between the trees, and blue plastic tarps were laid out on the ground. I could just imagine how packed they are going to be when the blossoms are in full bloom. Japanese love their hanami, which is the term for viewing cherry blossoms. Everyone gathers to have picnics and get drunk under the flowering trees. I wish I could be in Japan with friends to experience this. At least once, so I could see what the hype is about first hand. I’m sure it’s an amazing sight.

After wandering around the park, I headed south and looked at a few temple grounds. I wasn’t really interested in the temples themselves, but I love the old back streets of Kyoto, and I wanted to fill up a few memory cards with pictures. I love the old style walls, and building facades, as well as the cobblestone paths. You can occasionally see into a residence or a tiny garden, getting a glimpse of the simplicity and serenity of a well manicured garden. There were a lot of people out wondering, being Sunday and all, including a bunch of school girls who were singing a ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ harmony at the top of their voices. They particularly liked the ‘oo-wahh-oouuww’ bit. It was pretty funny. After a bit more exploring, I returned to my bike, which I was relieved to find was still where I left it (and sans parking fine.) I didn’t really want to return home yet, so i cycled around some small streets, heading north again. Eventually I came to the big river that runs right through Kyoto. I cycled along this river for about 20 minutes, which was great because there was a path along the river banks, so I didn’t have to stop for traffic lights or pedestrians. It was getting really cold, and the mountains were starting to turn a deep blue against the sky. I could see the character 大 (“big”) on the side of one of the distant mountains. Every year, this character is lit on fire for a holiday called Obon. I think it would be amazing seeing this giant burning kanji in the hills. I cycled home really quickly, passing the Imperial Palace grounds on the way. I also saw something in a bush, and got all excited because I thought it was a tanuki, but I think it was just a bird or something.

I got home around 6:30, in time for the takoyaki party, which would start at 7. The Mundo staff where busy rearranging the living room, and setting up the little takoyaki machine, in preparation. The party was to celebrate the last day for one of the staff, S. As everyone started arriving home, we began cooking. Midori poured batter into the takoyaki machine and began cooking the little balls, and some yaki udon was being prepared over near the stove. Everyone helped, chopping vegetables, frying noodles, and chatting and enjoying themselves. We made lots of different kinds of takoyaki, including cheese and kimchi (together), plain octopus, and mini sausage with cheese. We topped them with takoyaki sauce, bonito flakes, kewpie, and spring onion.

Everyone sat around the little table and ate together, and there was always one person manning the takoyaki machine, so fresh batches of the tasty little balls kept appearing.

More people kept arriving, and snacks and drinks were shared around. I ate so many takoyaki, but the best kind were the ones with kimchi inside. I also ate pretty much a while bowl of vegetables by myself, because even just the fried vegetable was delicious.

After we had been eating for a while, the door slid open and a black dog came in. It was the hostel’s dog, who had been away for a few days but was returning home! His name is Tida and he is a black labrador. He is so cute and funny and everyone fell in love with him instantly and just wanted to hug and pat him. He is so well-behaved, he would sit inches from food and not even try to eat it. And he knows ‘sit’ in Japanese and English! I want to steal him and take him home.

After dinner we passed around chocolates and a cheese cake, as well as wine and ume-shu, which is Japanese plum liquor. It’s really sweet, and easy to drink. Before long, it was time for S to leave, so we all said goodbye and wished her a safe trip to Kobe. I clipped a koala onto her scarf and then everyone spent the next ten minutes taking photos of it. Then S left for the overnight bus, and everyone went back inside.

Later, some Italian girls who are also staying here came home, and Midori brought out a green tea cake that she had made in a rice cooker, because it was their birthday! We all sang happy birthday, and then ate the cake, which was really tasty. I can’t believe it was made in a rice cooker!

Here are a few more shots from Kiyomizu-dera. They are all ok to view like this, but the panorama really needs to be clicked bigger to be appreciated. Go on, do it, you know you want to!

Fushimi Inari Epic Hike

I think that the walls of hostel I’m staying in are made of tissue paper. Despite having a private room, I can hear every word everyone in the entire house says. I can hear the people in the group rooms down the hall, and the people in the dormitory downstairs. I can hear any sound that comes from the kitchen, and I can especially hear the loud, obnoxious foreigners in the room next to me. I pretty much know their entire life stories, because they wouldn’t shut up last night. Fair enough that they were excited to be in Kyoto, but after midnight I think its polite to keep your voice down in shared accommodation. But no, they were still yelling and laughing loudly at 2am. I had been trying to fall asleep since 11, and I was so frustrated that I wanted to cry. Or hurl something through the wall. When I finally did pass out, I slept poorly and kept waking up because the futon I was on was very thin, and I could feel the floor beneath it. Then at 6am other people started waking up, so of course I heard the noise. It wasn’t the best start to the day.

I tried to sleep a bit more, but I got up and ready at 8. I had breakfast and made myself a strong coffee with the free supplies in the kitchen. Then I set out for an epic day of non stop walking.

The walking plan basically involved a treck to Fushimi Inari Taisha from the hostel, and back again, with a few stops along the way. First, I wanted to visit Nishiki market during the day time (this is the place I went last night), then go to Fushimi Inari. I planned to hike around the mountain, walk back to Kiyomizu Dera (a temple complex) to see it lit up at night, and then have dinner in Gion (perhaps with a spot of maiko-spotting.) The walking part would take about 4 hours, and then I would need additional time for stopping and eating and admiring. Or so I thought. I ended up being out all day, for almost 10 hours.

So anyway, by the time I set out it was 11am, but I was really sleepy and needed a pick me up. So I stopped at the supermarket and bought a coffee and a salad to take on my journey. I got to Nishiki market quite quick, and wondered through the stalls selling pickles, sweets, fresh seafood, sembei, and anything else you can think of. I talked to a few of the store owners, one of whom wanted me to buy a packet of fried crickets to take home to my family. I would have, but I don’t think they would have made it through customs. At the end of the market street, there were more undercover walkways full of shoe stores, clothes stores and 100 yen stores. I wondered around a bit, then decided to head in the direction of Kyoto station, because Fushimi Inari Taisha is on the opposite side, and I thought I might be able to navigate from there. As I was walking along, I passed an onigiri cart selling all different kinds of onigiri. There was a chicken and vegetable one from Kyushu, which I had eaten in Beppu years ago and loved, so I bought one of those. I have no idea why, but the label features a cartoon picture of an old man with a runny nose. How appetising.

It took ages to walk to Kyoto station, probably because I went on all these back streets. But it was warm, and the roads are all flat, so it was ok. At Kyoto station, I had one task, and that was to cross the station from North to South. Not as easy as it sounds. I got trapped in a maze of shops and restaurants, and got so disoriented. I eventually came out one exit, but I didn’t know where I was, and I walked for a little while but then I found out I was going in the complete opposite direction to Fushimi Inari. I was also really hungry, so I found a bench and ate my salad and onigiri in the sun. As I ate, I watched the people walking along the street, narrowly avoiding stepping in this big pile of dog poo. At first, I cringed when someone got near, and thought I should warn them about the poop, but then after a while I really wanted to see someone step in it.

I bought a sakura mochi an-pan from a bakery (because I was still hungry and it smelled amazing), and munched on that whilst I decided how to get to the shrine. The roads on my map weren’t detailed enough for the south side of Kyoto station,  and I couldn’t find a big map in the station. So I decided to stop wasting time and get a train to Inari station, which was 2 stops away. That way, at least I couldn’t get lost.

The station is right at the entrance of the shrine, and there were about a million people there, which kind of shattered my serene memories of the place. I always held Fushimi Inari Taisha in my mind as a place of incredible beauty and serenity. After my first visit there, back when I was a gangly teenager, I always referred to it as my favourite place in Kyoto. But today it was absolutely packed with tourists and school kids, and the illusion of spiritual peace and harmony was shattered for me. Fushimi Inari Taisha (can I just refer to it as FIT now?) is an important shinto shrine, built around a mountain in Southern Kyoto. There is a large hall and shrine at the base of the mountain  and a hiking route that leafs to the top. Doing the rounds at this shrine is said to benefit health. But the main thing that attracts me to the place is the thousands and thousands of torii that line the hiking trails. They are literally everywhere, and sometimes so densely packed in that they create a tunnel of red that the sun cannot penetrate. There are also small inari shrines scattered around the mountain, with small statues of inari foxes and offerings of sake and fruits.

I don’t think that I walked all the way to the top of the mountain last time I visited FIT, so I was determined to reach the summit this time. The path to the top is about 4km long, but twists and turns around the mountain. And it’s covered in torii the entire time. I think there’s something like 30,000 of them, and most are payed for by businesses. I saw a few that had been recently installed, and some that must have been there for a long time because they were starting to rot at the bottom, and the shiny red and black polish had given way to the raw wood beneath. The climb is pretty easy, and lots of little kids and older people were making it to the top without much trouble. I even saw a small Japanese mother carrying her infant in a carrier on her front, and a 4 year old on her back. But luckily for me, a lot of people gave up before the half way point, and the crowds thinned out. That’s when it began to feel more like the FIT I knew. I passed tea houses and udon shops on the way up, as well as lots of small shrines and lit candles. Then all of a sudden I was at the top, which didn’t seem that triumphant because there wasn’t a huge sign or anything, just more clusters of shrines. But I liked that, it seemed more legit without the fuss. I stopped at the top and looked around, then continued down the other side of the mountain. The trail makes a loop, so you don’t have to see the same thing twice.

I got about half way back down when I came to a fork in the road. One path completed the mountain loop, and headed bac to the station, and the other apparently led to Tofukuji, another large temple complex. I asked a man selling shots of espresso how far that hike was, and he said it was about 40 or 50 minutes. I was planning to walk in that direction anyway, so I thought I’d follow the path through the forest to Tofukuji. It was downhill all the way, but by that time my legs had started to become shaky and a little weak. I had been walking since 11, and it was about 3:30pm. How the hell am I going to do Kumano Kodo, I wondered. Although there was only one trail, I kept getting paranoid that I was going the wrong way, and that I might end up lost in a forest. Eventually I passed a grove of bamboo and came out in a residential street, which had huge houses with modern Japanese facades. I wasn’t really sure where I was, so I just kept walking in what I thought was the direction of the train line. I stumbled across a little rock garden, where I stopped for a rest. It was on top of a hill, and I could see Kyoto Tower and Kyoto station, so I was able to gain a better sense of direction. Then a man and a women walking dogs passed by, and I asked them where the closest station was. They gave me directions, and I patted the dogs, and then I kept walking down the hill.

As I was walking, a huge temple complex came into view, and I wondered into the grounds to have a look. There were beautifully manicured gardens surrounding the huge buildings, and a group of middle aged Japanese tourists were talking excitedly and taking photos in front of the buildings. That’s when I realised I’d accidentally found Tofukuji. So I had a quick look inside, then continued down the street towards the station. I thought I might get a train back to Kyoto station, then walk from there, but I actually ended up walking the whole way to Gion. It was a nice walk along the river, where the cherry blossoms were blooming. All the Japanese people who passed stopped to take photos on their mobile phones, and there were people sitting along the river enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Around 5, it had already begun to get cold, and the wind picked up. I had reached the main intersection of GIon, and I was freezing and a bit tired, so I went into Takashimaya department store to look around and warm up. I walked around the book and stationary level, and the top floor restaurants, then switched to the basement and did some food admiration. I was trying to kill a bit of time before 6:30, when I wanted to head over to a street in Gion where you can sometimes see maiko walking around.

Next, I wondered along the banks of the river, where there are a lot of little restaurants. There is a street called Pontocho, which is tiny and narrow and brings to mind historical Kyoto. I loved just exploring all the tiny streets, keeping an eye out for somewhere to eat later on. Then I headed back across the river to the main area of Gion, which was all lit up and reminded me a bit of big city America. Like, broadway kind of. Not that I’ve ever been.

I walked around the ‘maiko spotting street,’ but it was freezing and there were only tourists there. I think it might have been too early. It was around 7, and I was already hungry (must have used a lot of energy today), so I went into a restaurant selling reasonably priced teishoku (set meals.) I had to wait for a little while for a place, but that was ok because it was warm inside. I was seated at the counter, which was great because I could watch all the staff preparing the meals. I ordered a set that had chicken soboro as the main dish, with a lot of little accompanimnets. It came really quickly, because most things were already prepared (like the pickles, for example.)

This is what it looked like…

And then you opened it all up…

The big bowl contained minced chicken (soboro) and shredded tamago on top of rice. There was miso soup with mushrooms, pickles, chahan-mushi, which is a steamed egg custard, and then a little tier of mixed dishes. They included some kind of meat with a mini potato and pumpkin, some tamagoyaki, sweet beans with tiny shrimp, and some slightly chewy and slightly sweet things on sticks (I had no idea what they were, but they were really tasty!) I ate everything really fast, because it was amazing. And the whole thing cost less than 2000 yen!

Next, I made the treck back to the hostel, which was freezing, but didn’t take that long compared to the first time. Probably because I walked really fast to stay warm. I stopped at a convenience store on the way to get some breakfast supplies and an azuki cream daifuku for dessert. When I got back, I ate the daifuku with a few cups of hot Japanese tea, and talked to everyone in the hostel. I had walked so far, and my legs were finally tired. I think I fell asleep immediately  despite the noise of everyone moving around.

Hi Kyoto, Remember Me?

I had absolutely no idea where I was when I woke up today. There was noise all around me, and it sounded really close. I felt a bit of shaking too, but it didn’t feel like the back and forth quivers of an earth tremor. Then I remembered that I wasn’t in Tokyo anymore, and that I was in a capsule. The noise was the other people in the room, and the shaking was the (slightly larger) person above me, climbing up and down from their capsule.

Kyoto! Good morning! I was really feeling the effects of going to bed after midnight, and wanted to roll over and sleep in again for another hour or so. But everyone else in the room was shuffling about, so I decided to get up too. It was 7:30, but felt much earlier. I don’t think I explained the capsule ryokan very well yesterday, so let me have another attempt. This place was pretty much dorm-style accommodation  with shared bathrooms, common room and showers. The only real difference was that instead of bunk beds, there were ‘Tatami Capsules,’ which were supposed to be really premium and fancy. Don’t get me wrong, everything was clean and new looking, and the bed was quite comfortable, but the place was definitely not a ryokan (as you’d expect for 3900 yen.) The capsules had little material screens that you could pull down for privacy, but they were definitely not noise proof, and you knew that you were sharing the larger room with other people. The person above me had tossed and turned and snored all night. Ya.

Anyway, I was really hungry this morning, so I went across the road to the Circle K (combini of choice in Kyoto), and bought a yoghurt and a coffee, and ate them with a banana I’d brought from Tokyo. Whilst I ate, I looked online at Kyoto guides, because I realised that I hadn’t actually planned anything itinerary wise, and didn’t have the luxury of time that I did in Tokyo. If I didn’t plan out what I was going to do, I wouldn’t have time to do anything. I did a quick and very rough list of activities, then headed back to the room to collect up my stuff and check out. In the room, I talked for a while to Sarah, the girl form Sydney who I’d met last night. We both weren’t really sure what to do for the morning, as we had to kill a few hours before checking in to our next accommodations. Sarah was headed back to the station to get some breakfast, and having no plans, I decided to join her for the journey. Something inside me last night told me that I liked her, and that our personalities clicked, so I was more than happy to walk to the station with her. We found a bakery in the shopping mall under the station, where I’d been last night, and Sarah grabbed a toastie and a honey and cheese bread, then sat down to eat. We talked about everything, and conversation flowed really easily. I felt like I had known this girl for a long time. I think that when you travel, you are more open to new friendships forming, and tend to build relationships with people much faster than when you are at home. Boundaries are broken down quickly, and the true characteristics of people are revealed. I think you are better able to judge a person’s character when you travel. Somehow your senses become more perceptive. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, we clicked instantly.

We sat in the cafe chatting for ages, then walked around the shops for a little while. Then we went above ground, and decided to walk to a nearby river and explore that area a little. Along the way, we slowly reveled each other’s inner nerd, which meant we were really comfortable with each other’s company. We have a lot of things in common, value and opinion wise. I kept thinking ‘wow, we are like, the same person!’ When we got to the river, we walked along the banks, which where lined with sakura trees in various stages of bloom. They were incredibly beautiful. But when they are all blooming, the river will look so amazing. Sarah loved the blossoms, and we both acted all touristy and made a fuss over them. But Japanese people do that too, so its ok. Then we headed back towards the centre of town, and crossed to the other side towards a park. We passed a lot of wagashi shops along the way, which all looked incredibly tasty. The park was beautiful, and had a huge open lawn, with blooming cherry and plum blossoms around the edge. There were little stalls vending snacks, and people playing ball games or picnicking on the grass. We wondered around a little, then went to a 7/11 to get some food for our own little makeshift picnic. The weather had warmed up and it was sunny, so it was perfect to sit under the cherry trees and eat. I had a salad with a new kind of dressing (which I had no idea what was in it), and a haru no takenoko meshi onigiri (Spring bamboo shoot rice.) There is an aquarium next to the park, and as we ate, we could see dolphins practicing tricks in a giant tank. After lunch, we headed back to the capsule place to collected our luggage, stopping at a wagashi store to share a traditional Japanese sweet. When we checked out, the capsule staff gave us each a pair of chopsticks, which he explained are for “eating sushi and other foods.” Then we parted ways, and made plans to meet up in a couple of days for an adventure to Arashiyama- a nearby town with an amazing bamboo forest. We thought we might bike there and take obento along.

My back was a bit sore from carrying my backpack around (filled with my laptop, two cameras, and the things I’d needed for my overnight stay), but I still decided to walk to the next accommodation, because it didn’t look far on the map. It wasn’t really that far, but carrying the heavy backpack, as well as two bags of gifts, really started to hurt after a while. I passed Nijo-jo on the way, and there were about five million tourists there. All foreign. I still don’t like being in places where there are tourists. It makes me cringe.

It took about 40 minutes to walk to the hotel, which is called Hostel Mundo. It is a little backpacker’s place, built inside a traditional old Japanese house. It can only host a few people at a time, and the rooms are private, which is perfect for me. I found it without much trouble, and then went to check in. The host, Midori, was surprised I could speak Japanese, and so explained everything in Japanese. I was actually quite surprised myself because I understood every word she said. Usually I have to pretend that I now what’s going on some of the time. My room is a tiny little tatami room, with just enough space for a futon, and a tiny table and chair (traditional Japanese style.) It’s perfect. I love it so much. And for 3500 yen a night, it’s really affordable! Plus its in the centre of Kyoto, so close to everything.

After relaxing for a while, and pouring over the maps that Midori gave me, I decided to go out and explore before dinner. I wanted to go to this street where there is a food market called Nishiki, but it was quite a long way away, almost back near Kyoto station. But I was happy just to walk around, and had no other plans, so I walked all the way there. It was dark by the time I arrived, and all the stores were closing or already closed. But it was huge, and undercover, and would probably be really busy when everything is open. I think I’ll go back and explore one day (during the daytime.)

Kyoto looks nothing like how I remember it. It is very city-looking and cosmopolitan. There is Starbucks everywhere, and a lot of the architecture is modern and funky. The streets are full of traffic, and there are lots of tall buildings. Of course, this is just in the main streets, and I’m sure that as I venture further out there will be more of that old Kyoto charm. It’s just like visiting a city I’ve never been to before, rather than one I’ve visited 3 times before. I don’t know why, but it makes me think of Sapporo. Not that I’ve ever been there before, and have no idea what it’s actually like. I just can’t help but think of Sapporo when I walk along. Perhaps I’ve been watching too much Anthony Bourdain.

On my way home, I stopped at a supermarket and bought some things for dinner, then walked all the way back to the hostel, which was much faster than when I had to lug around all my gear. When I got home, Midori and the other staff member were having dinner with one of the guests, and invited me to join. I heated up my dinner and sat down at the low table with them. I had some mini tofu burgers, some cooked spinach and carrot, which I topped with a soft boiled egg, a “20 things” salad, and an onigiri. Then I was offered pickles and sembei, which I nibbled on. I talked to the others for ages, completely in Japanese, and felt comfortable to hold up my part of the conversation. I guess I’m now able to ‘hear’ Japanese a bit better.

At 9, the other guest who was at dinner (I’ve forgotten her name, she’s a lovely Japanese lady who lives in Noosa) headed to the public bath, and I tagged along because I had also planned to go. I kind of wanted to go by myself, because I thought it might be awkward being naked in front of someone who I would see again, but it was decided by the group that we would go together, so I couldn’t really get out of it. Anyway, we walked along chatting together (in Japanese again, of course), and found the bath down the street. There is a separate section for men and women, and a whole bunch of different baths to choose from. First, you must wash your whole body at the showers, then you can get in the baths. I went in this one that was bright green and looked like jelly. It was green because it had some special healing minerals inside. And it was really hot! When I got out, I was completely pink, and sweating a little. I rinsed off and then went to a combini to buy an ice cream. It was vanilla ice cream with anko and mochi on top. Tasty!

Back at the hostel, everyone was arriving home and chilling, and I talked to the staff for a while, again in Japanese. It’s really fun! And I’m able to understand most of what is being said. We are going to have a takoyaki party on Sunday. Takoyaki is fried octopus balls, so it should be delicious! I was so exhausted, so I went up to my room, but the walls here are the thinnest I’ve had so far, and I can hear everything from the dorm next door, the dorm below, and the living room. The African and Phillipino people next door won’t be quiet. I think I should have kept the earplugs that the capsule hotel staff offered me last night.

 

 

All Day Train-Athon

Que that Pokèmon adventure theme music for me.

One girl, a solo traveller. About to face a journey of a thousand miles. A trek across a country of rugged mountains and thrashing oceans. A test of endurance and wit. A trial of skill and persistence. A journey so great that many have died trying to complete its unforgiving routes. This mere mortal, this brave individual, will today attempt the epic journey to cross Honshu from Tokyo to Kyoto.

Does that sound all dramatic and epic? Ok, so the reality is I’m spending the whole day riding low-speed trains across the country in an attempt to save a few dimes. So it’s still a test of endurance and skill of sorts; the endurance being against boredom, and the skill part… um, maybe switching platforms and train lines within specified time frames? I don’t know.

This morning I woke up an hour before my alarm, which was weird considering how tired I’ve felt the last few days. But I guess my body decided I needed more time to prepare the apartment for inspection. I actually ended up being really grateful for the extra time, because I didn’t have to run around ike crazy. My mind felt strangely focused and sharp this morning. A huge change from most mornings where I feel groggy and blurry and like I’ve been drugged. I felt like I could think logically and sequentially. Good start.

I had done most of the hard work packing last night, so all I needed to do was put the last few things in my backpack, and clean the apartment. I decided just to take a backpack with me on my journey today, and send my suitcase to Kyoto using this company called Yamato. Its kind of the best domestic shipping company you’ve ever heard of, and I use them at least once, every time I come to Japan. Its really cheap, and really fast. And this is Japan, so it’s also incredibly reliable. The logo is a black cat carrying a kitten, contained within a yellow logo. And there are dispatch areas everywhere. There are warehouses, of course, but you can also lodge items from some convenience stores and small businesses. Once you are aware of the black and yellow cat logo, you see it everywhere.

I threw the futon sheets into the washing machine, and folded up all the bedding. Then I cleaned inside the fridge and microwave, and scrubbed every inch of the bathroom. Cleaning was actually ok, because I had done it a few times throughout my stay and never let anything get gross. I just wasn’t sure how picky the inspection would be, so I took extra care to clean every speck. Finally, I vacuumed the apartment and threw out all the sponges and dish towels I’d been using.

The inspection was really quick, and really only consisted of a three second look, and then the return of my bond money. I have been in contact with the inspection person for my entire stay at the apartment, so conversation wasn’t awkward. He was happy with my cleaning job, so I handed back the key, and that was it. Bye bye Tokyo.

I lodged my suitcase at a Yamato warehouse, and was surprised that it only cost around $13 to send all the way to Kyoto. And it would be there by tomorrow. What a bargain. I think it would be too much hassle lugging it around on local trains, and many of the stations would probably have stairs going up and down to different platforms. I’m pretty sure trying to take it would make me miss a few transfers, which would stuff up the whole (immaculately planned) journey. If I only had to make one or two transfers, I’d consider it, but today I had to take 6 different trains. Then I walked to Tabata for the last time, to begin the second half of my Japanese trip.

The first train I took was about 7 minutes earlier than the one I was supposed to take, so when I arrived at Shinagawa station, I had a few minutes spare to buy an onigiri, which I stashed away for lunch, before jumping on the next train for Atami. Every transfer today needed to be done within 3 or 4 minutes, so I wasn’t sure where I was going to have time to eat. I hoped it might be ok to quickly munch on something on one of the trains, but because they were all local ones, I thought it would probably be bad manners. You’re only really supposed to eat on the shinkansen. I guessed I would have to play the ignorant foreigner card, or face starving to death.

The train from Shinagawa to Atami was a rapid one, and only stopped at major stations for the first half of the trip. It was going so fast that my ears felt like popping, but of course this wasn’t nearly as fast as shinkansen travel would’ve been. As the buildings thinned out and the ocean came into view, the train stopped being a Rapid train and began stopping at every station. The ocean was such a beautiful aqua blue colour. I really wanted to take a picture, but there was a mum with a baby sitting in front of the window, and I didn’t want her to think I was being creepy and taking sneaky photos of her child. At Atami (the end of the line), pretty much everyone changed to the train on the opposite platform, which was bound for Hamamatsu. It left only a few minutes after the previous one arrived. I wanted to sit, because I would be on this train for about 2.5 hours, and luckily I could find a space, because the train was only three cars long. At one stage, we passed Mt. Fuji, and I didn’t think to take a photo until the snow-capped peak was out of sight. It was huge, and the weather was clear and sunny, so I could see the shape of the snow against the deep blue of the mountain. It looked very impressive. At around 2pm, my stomach decided to protest against my attempt to ignore it, by pummeling me with bouts of hunger pains. We weren’t to arrive at my next place of transfer till after 3:30, and I knew I would soon start to feel sick if I didn’t eat. I kept looking around to see if anyone else was giving in to the temptation of a snack, but they weren’t. I got really excited when someone reached into their bag to grab a tasty onigiri, but actually they were only retrieving a gameboy. It took me half an hour to work up the courage to play the ignorant foreigner card. I ate my little salad at lightening speed, without looking up once or making eye contact with anyone. Same with the chicken and vegetable onigiri. By the time I got to my sakura dorayaki, I felt brave instead of embarrassed, and munched it down happily. This was the same dorayaki as the box that I bought for Chihiro’s parents, and I was glad that it tasted good. Even the tiny sakura flower stuck on top was tasty.

We stopped at Shizuoka briefly, and I was interested to discover that it was quite a built up city. I had imagined it to look very small-town, but it had huge buildings, close together, and wouldn’t have been out-of-place in inner Tokyo. Also at this station, another train was connected onto the train that I was on. The train conductors joined the carriages together, and they bumped and jerked a bit when they hit. So then there was a longer train to Hamamatsu. I was a little paranoid that half of the train would break off at some point and go somewhere else (this is the case when you go to Nikko. After initially being only one train, it splits into two pieces at one point. Half the train goes one way and half goes the other way.)

A few shinkansens passed us at lightning speed, and I thought about if it was worth taking a whole day to travel between cities. On the shinkansen, it would only take about 3 hours. I decided I didn’t mind the journey, and being able to buy more souvenirs was worth it.

At one station, a little old lady got on the train and came and sat next to me, which was fine. But I wanted to check the time on my phone, which was in my coat pocket on the side she was sitting on. So I leaned away from her a little to avoid elbowing her as I retrieved my phone, and she immediately zoomed away from me and switched to the next seat along. I think she thought I was leaning away because I didn’t like her. I tried to smile at her to let her know I didn’t hold anything against her, and didn’t mind her sitting next to me. But I just felt really awkward and spent the rest of the time avoiding eye contact.

At Hamamatsu, (which seemed like a place in the middle of nowhere), I had to switch trains again. I didn’t have to go far, as the train would arrive on the other side of the platform I was already on. A few more shinkansen passed by whilst everyone waited for the train. If you blinked, you would miss them. Seriously. When my train arrived, I almost laughed. It was a 3 car train, and it looked so tiny and pathetic pulling up to the platform. Especially after being used to Tokyo metro trains, which can be maybe 20 cars long. This train would take me to Toyohashi, which means about as much to you as it did to me. It was only a short trip- about 30 minutes- so I didn’t mind standing the whole time. I really liked it when we crossed the sea onto this little island called Bentenjima (Benten Island.) The water was an amazing crystal blue, and I couldn’t help but smile. I saw a giant torii standing out in the middle of the water.

I found myself doing a lot of people watching today, as I had a lot of spare time to do so. Lots of cute old couples and little kids, as well as shy school girls and middle-aged women on group outings. I also noticed a lot of people doing gross things. First there was the guy who picked his nose, inspected it, and ate it (not being discrete or ashamed at all.) Then there were the multiple people with stinky breath or clothing (I couldn’t tell) that smelt like poop or mothballs. Or the people who blew their nose loudly (which is supposed to be an incredibly rude thing to do in public.) Or the teenager who scratched at his acne-covered face, ripping open the pimples, which then formed perfect circles of blood and pus, which glistened in the sun.

At Toyohashi, I had 10 precious minutes to go to the toilet before catching the next train. Which sounds simple, but everyone else also wanted to do the same thing. Fortunately, everyone was in a rush, so the que moved quickly and I managed to get the next train with time to spare. This train was a rapid one, and the seats faced forwards instead of just lining the sides of the train. You could even move the backs to create forward or backwards facing chairs, which either made sets of 4 facing each other, or sets of two facing nobody. This was a faster train, which only stopped at big stations, including Nagoya and Gifu (those mentions are for you mum.) I was on this train for 128 minutes, so I worked on some files on my laptop, and watched the sun gradually set over the scenery racing by. We passed seaside towns, mountains, rice paddies, built up cities and small villages. I loved how it didn’t take long for the scenery to change. It got dark, and we finally arrived at Maibara, where I changed to my last train of the day. It was 6:42, and I was getting hungry. In addition, my back and butt were aching from being stationary all day. This train was on the opposite side of the same platform that the last one arrived at, and I kind of just ran across and jumped on before I even known where it was going. I just saw the time on the board, and heard the ‘train is leaving, like, NOW’ music, so I panicked and got on. But inside, two people assured me it stopped at Kyoto. I was actually pleased and kind of surprised that I hadn’t stuffed up any transfers or missed any connections for the whole day. This train also had the forward facing seats, and took about an hour to reach Kyoto.

And then I’d done it. The epic journey of excessive train travel was complete. And I had made it from Tokyo to Kyoto for under $25. The regular cost of this exact same route is almost $80. Suckers.

I spent a while walking around looking for food, and eventually settled on a restaurant in an underground shopping mall. It had both ramen and fish donburi, and I ordered a special set of a bowl of mini ramen and a bowl of mini sashimi-don (a selection of raw fish on top of rice.) The donburi was so tasty, and so fresh. But I didn’t realize that the ramen was made with pork, so I actually couldn’t eat it. I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I just left it and paid. Then I thought I should probably eat more for dinner, so I bought a vegetable salad and a noodle salad from a Lawson, and ate them inside the store at a bench. Then I got a chilli prawn steamed man, because they are always pork filled and I can never eat them. It tasted really fake and bad for you and I probably won’t be having one again any time soon.

Kyoto is much colder than Tokyo, and walking around the streets was freezing. I had a bit of trouble finding the hotel I was staying at, but of course it was in a super obvious spot and I just didn’t walk far enough. I am staying in something called a capsule ryokan. We’ve all heard of the famous Japanese capsule hotel (if you haven’t, climb out from under that rock and Google it.), and a ryokan is a traditional inn, kind of fancy and usually expensive. Well, a ‘capsule ryokan‘ combines the two. So it’s kind of a fancier capsule. And girls are allowed, which is kind of unusual for a capsule hotel.

I checked in at the same time as another girl, who was also foreign. I didn’t detect an accent at first, but later realised that it was because she is Australian, and so sounded neutral to me. We ran into each other at the convenience store across the road, and started talking. She’s from Sydney, and is staying in Japan to study for 6 months. She only flew in today. I bought an ice cream and the Sydneysider (named Sarah) got some snacks for a makeshift dinner. We ate inside the hotel together in the little common area.

Then I had a shower and climbed into my capsule, which is actually quite comfortable. But the person above me moves around a lot and its noisy.

Just like the Tabata apartment!

Note: I realize I’ve posted mainly ‘snapshots’ instead of ‘proper photography’ lately. I’ve been doing a lot more video work these past few days, but I can’t put that on the blog so you’ll just have to wait and see!