Hiroshima and Miyajima

My computer occasionally goes through phases where it decides it wants to be in Norwegian. These phases are getting worse recently and I have no idea what sets it off. This computer didn't even go to Norway!!! /(>.<)\ I don't understand in the least... Just now I tried made a search about Hiroshima just to make sure I was getting names right. This is what happened: There are two in english, but google kindly offers to translate those for me. Thank you computer. Thank you.

 In other news... Hey! It's been a while. And actually there has been a lot going on. My life over here rarely gives me a moment to breath but I really wouldn't have it any other way. But, I'm going to backtrack in a time a bit back to October. October was the AKP fall field trip during which AKP took all of the students to Kurashiki, Hiroshima, and Miyajima. I'll be honest Kurashiki wasn't particularly memorable but Hiroshima and Miyajima were absolutely wonderful! Of course Hiroshima was not the happiest of places but it's a place that I think more people (and I don't mean more Japanese school children, there were enough of those) should go. AKP also arranged for a survivor of the bomb to come and speak to us and should anyone be interested in it, I have the print-out of his speech in english. It's quite interesting, he has a surprising way of telling his story.

Moving on. Pictures!

First off, Hiroshima

View from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, you can see the Genbaku (atomic bomb) dome in the background.

Memorial statue for the children who died due to the bomb. The group of kids in front sang a song and then presented the 1,000 cranes they had made.

The monument is made specifically in honor of Sadako, a girl who was 2 at the time the bomb was dropped and later died at the age of 12 due to after effects of exposure. Sadako spent her time in the hospital folding paper cranes as the old story said that those who completed 1,000 paper cranes would have their wish granted.  The colorful boxes behind the monument were full of strings of 1,000 cranes that people had folded.

The Genbaku Dome: the largest (maybe only) structure left standing in the city after the bomb detonated almost directly over it.

And now on to something a little happier, Miyajima! I'm willing to bet the name means nothing to most of you, or at least I had absolutely no idea what or where this place was. But perhaps this picture can help...

The Torii in the water. Probably one of the most iconic locations in Japan. The shrine was funded by Taira no Kiyomori who, despite this place being so popular, is very much an unloved figure in Japanese history.

There were a lot of deer. At least they didn't attack as much as the deer in Nara...

The shrine without water...

The shrine with water...yay...

I hiked to the top of the mountain spur of the moment with another friend. It was supposed to be a roughly2.5-3 hour hike up. We didn't in a little over one hour. We were on a time frame, had to be back for the boat and we all but had to sprint back down.

This is from about halfway...maybe less than halfway up the mountain.

Turns out, we also took the "pilgrims path" up. Meaning suffering, more or less. (It was steep)

Kyoto and What Not

I suppose I should give some background as to what I’m doing, where I’m living etc.

I’m living in Kyoto, I’ll be here for the next…seven months or so, attending school at Doshisha University while living with a host family.

Kyoto is, as the old woman I met in the bath the other day says, “the most popular destination in Japan”. Why? Kyoto is what you might call the historical center of the Japan—the place is chock (I have never typed that word before…it looks funny) full of historical sights. I kid you not, I can walk down almost any street here and run into a small temple or shrine.

Very close to Kyoto (it takes me about 40 minutes/1 hour from where I live) is Osaka. I kind of like to imagine Osaka and Kyoto as siblings. Kyoto is the much more elegant, refined, and cultured of the two. Osaka is just all-around awesome and up-to-date.  If you want to see crazy fashion and hairstyles (and colors) somewhere besides Tokyo, Osaka would be the place.

So yeah. There’s location.

School wise, I attend Doshisha University, as I said. It takes me about 45 minutes to get to school from where I live including a 10 minutes walk, a train ride, and finally a subway ride. I’m taking Japanese (obviously), religion, and history. As Japan’s history is very closely tied to its various, melding religions, religion and history are more or less the same class—the same subject, different views. 

Down the street from my school there is...wait for it... NINTENDO HEADQUARTERS!!!! However, as it is the actual place where they do their amazing work, there are no tours or visitors. It is just a very plain, white building and the "Nintendo" on the front is written is silver, not red, so it doesn't stand out as much. Still amazing.

Alright. Done with that stuff.

Side note, went to Osaka yesterday. To go to Spa World. http://www.spaworld.co.jp/english/

Awesome.

6 hours of various themed onsen. They had waterslides, lazy river, the fish that would eat the dead skin from your feet. Men and women were on different floors for the baths since everyone is naked (that took some getting used to).  The levels switch each month. This month the guys had the European floor which had a Roman bath, Atlantis (with an aquarium under the bath), Finnish Sauna etc. Womens level was Asian themed so there was traditional Japanese, Bali, Persian, Islamic etc. Definitely the most relaxing day of my life.

Thursday, AKP is taking a field trip to Hiroshima and a couple other places. I’ll try and post pictures of that.

Why Hello There

Let me just say, I think my hair has expanded to at least double its original size.

Also. Anyone who thinks eating a cherry tomato with a fork has CLEARLY never tried eating a hardboiled egg with chopsticks. While it's moving around in soup broth. Impossible.

I think I've been here for about three weeks or so and all in all I'm having an amazing time! Especially as it is now cooling off.

Writing everything takes too much energy. So I give pictures instead! :D

Plane ride over! We were not so happy at the end of the 11 hours flight. Mostly just tired and gross looking.

New AKP friends! We actually think this was a house...We got some weird looks for going in.

The first morning I accidentally ordered green tea ice cream and Special K. The second morning I ended up with Spaghetti...

Kyoto from the top of Kyoto Tower. SO BIG!!! I'm often lost.

As I said. Lost. We were trying to find Nijo Castle. Instead found ourselves in a shopping center.

But we met some girls who go to the same University!

AKP has a mandatory Disaster Prevention Center trip. This is the earthquake simulator.

It went up to level 8.

We also got to put out fires, experience typhoon winds, a mudslide, fire escape, and a 3D eathquake movie!

Food! My family took my to a yakiniku restaurant. Order what you want and grill it yourself!

Went to an all-you-can-eat. Since it was our first time, we had to wear these.

 I went to Kinkakuji (the golden Pavilion) and Nijo Castle together with some of the other Whitman girls. I can't say I enjoy the crowds, but they were both amazing places!

The photo that everyone who comes to Japan takes.

The better version.

This is kakigori. An upgraded version of hawaiian shave ice.

Tie vending machine. Just in case...?

Nijo Castle!

 We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the castle, but here's one on the outside.  The castle was enormous and beautiful! I included some pictures of the garden. Despite being "compact" as my host mom says (conpakuto), the Japanese are quite good at creating amazingly beautiful gardens to reflect their surrounding nature on a smaller scale.

I was really fond of this rock for some reason. It's kind of sphyinx-like.

 Went to the botanical gardens and art gallery this weekend! The art gallery was more or less a large open space with gian sized replicas of famous works of art.

Found Jesus.

Biko (center guy) became Jesus.

Found the "devil's cave"

A giant gourd.

Lots of gian gourds.

...jungle?

This is my host family. I've got my parents and an older sister and they are all wonderful! My host mom cooks amazing food for dinner! Always accompanied by a bowl of rice and Miso soup. I've got my own room in the house which has Tatami floors and a futon.  The bath I'm slowly getting used to. I'll explain that issue in more detail later.

So. I actually need to go write an essay for Japanese.