Japan Day 55: The Last Day

Today is my last day in Japan, as I am departing at 5:50pm from Narita Airport to go back to Philadelphia. I don't want to go, but all good things must come to an end. I think that I was able to accomplish all that I've wanted to and more on this trip. As I hurriedly packed my suitcase, I've realized that it was very difficult for me to fit all of my belongs into my luggage. When I first came to Japan, my suitcase was pretty empty, but, as time went on, it slowing began filling up with souvenirs from friends and other meaningful items I have collected. As a reflection on my time in this country, like my suitcase, many things in Japan have become a part of me. As I travel back home, the memories and happiness that I have experienced here will continue to stay inside me, and I have truly grown from this international experience. 

Japan Day 54: Not Goodbyes

Today, I was able to catch a glimpse of my final gnome (floating in the koi pond). If you can remember, there is an urban legend at Showa Women's University that states that, if you can see all seven gnomes in one day, one of your wishes will come true. Before today, I was only able to see six, and I found it interesting that I saw my last gnome on my final day at Showa. Even though I did not see them all on the same day, I hope that my wish of being able to return to Japan will come true.

Later at lunch, many of the friends I made during my trip came to visit and wish me a good trip home. We took pictures, laughed, and promised that our paths will cross again in the future.

At the end of the workday, the office also threw us (the other intern and I) a farewell party with cake and presents/cards signed by everyone in the office. I was very touched by the gesture, and I'm so happy that I was able to work with such great people.

Some more friends visited us at the office and we exchanged gifts of fruit (fancy ones), cookies, and more promises to stay in touch. 

When worked ended, I had my last dinner in Tokyo with my homestay host and other friends. It was so nostalgic to reflect on how much I have learned in Japan and the fun that I experienced. I know that I said a lot of goodbyes today, but now that I think about it, they are not goodbyes. Instead, I think that I made more promises to return to Japan and see all the sights and friends again. さようならじゃない! 日本, またね!

Japan Day 53: Last Meals and the Movies

I had one of my last meals in Sophia (Showa's school cafeteria) today, and I ordered some pretty Chinese dishes– hot and sour noodles and annin tofu (or almond jelly). Both were pretty good, but I am sad that I will be leaving this cafeteria behind. The food was a lot better than my normal college food and cheap too!

After work, we went to visit our regular soba shop for the last time this summer. Kikui-san gave us some melon as service and much noodles in my noodle soup that I could not even finish! We told her we had to go back to America, and she gave us our meals for half price! I also left her with a gift of some maple syrup pudding, which she said she liked. Next time I visit Japan, I definitely have to come back to this shop!

Later that night, I went with a friend to see "Maleficent" at Toho Theatre (near Shibuya Station). I thought that the movie was very good because of the effects. The plot-line was a bit predictable, but it is a classic story so I suppose it can't be helped. The theater also sold various movie memorabilia outside, which was a practice I had never seen before. The quality of the movie seemed to be a lot higher in Japan than the U.S. and the seats were so spacious and comfy! I had a great time there!

Japan Day 52: Brazilian Barbecue

After work today, I went out to eat Brazilian barbecue with some Japanese friends! It was a very fun meal (with tons of meat and warm pineapple with cinnamon as dessert), and we spent a lot of time talking about funny things. I found that I had surprisingly learned a lot of Japanese while I have been here. The most used phrase that I can think of is やばい (yabai), which is like OMG in English (and it can have either a positive or negative connotation). The meal was definitely a great way to spend one night of my last week in Japan. I will miss all of the people I have met here, and I hope to see them again! Next time, I promise that my Japanese will be better!

After eating way too much meat, we went to get some ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I got the Papa Coconut flavor (pineapple and coconut), which was very good. I thought I was very full, but it seems like there is always room in one's stomach for ice cream! We bonded some more over ice cream, and parted ways, promising to remain in contact!

Japan Day 51: A 45-Story View

After a slow day at work, I visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatory, which has been on my bucket list for a while. The building comprises of two parts, each of which has an observation deck that is about 200 meters high. It is very popular with tourists since it is free (which is why I wanted to go)! There seemed to be many tourists from China; I heard a lot of people speaking Chinese there. I think this deck is a better alternative to the Skytree or Tokyo Tower viewing platforms, whose prices can be quite hefty. The elevator for tourists basically just has three buttons (for the 1st, 2nd, and 45th floors), and the view at the top is indeed pretty incredible (though it was somewhat cloudy today)!

After visiting the observatory, I went to visit my friend at her workplace in the nearby area of Shinjuku. She works at a pretty European-themed restaurant– very chic. I ordered the Spicy Hawaiian sausage, but it seemed more German to be because of the sauerkraut it was accompanied by. Still, it was delicious and a great way to end the day!

Japan Day 50: Cookies and Summer Festival

Today was the first day after the end of the program going back to office work. Daytime was pretty uneventful, but I went to visit my friend tonight at her workplace! She works part-time at a shop near Harajuku Station called Cookie Time, which has its origins in New Zealand. We were able to eat delicious cookies, and the store was full of memorable cookie-themed paraphernalia! (I got the lemon white chocolate flavor!) There was also a cookie car in the store, where you could take photos! 

After my friend got off of work, we went to a summer festival– matsuri (祭)! The lanterns that lined the festival stalls were really pretty, and many people were dressed up in yukata (浴衣/summer kimono). I really felt the feeling of summer there! We only stayed for a short while because we arrived at the festival's end, but I was able to eat some takoyaki (蛸焼/octopus pancake balls)–the quintessential summer festival food. It was my first time having it in Japan, and it was very delicious though a bit hot! I had so much fun today!

Japan Day 49: Night Lights

Today, I went to a salon in Shibuya called "The Eight Hair Salon" to get a haircut and a perm. It took a very long time (since the staff did not really know any English), but I now have slightly curly hair! Later, I went to Miraikan on Odaiba for a special exhibition about poo! I think the purpose of it was to explain to children how they should not be embarrassed about pooping. In any case, the exhibit was surprisingly popular. The waiting time outside was 40 minutes, and the line inside for the giant toilet slide was just as long. We decided to skip that part of the exhibit, but we were greeted by singing toilets at the end of the tour!

Later, we went to a Japanese fusion reataurant, where I had foie gras (fatty duck liver that is a delicacy) and shabu shabu for the first time! Shabu shabu is kind of like hotpot, except you just cook strips of meat on the spot and then dip it in sauce. It was so good and fresh, and the foie gras was also very delicious (tasted like peking duck)! 

Afterward, we walked around Odaiba at night, and we rode the rainbow ferris wheel and saw the Gundam show at Diver City Plaza. Reaching the top of the ferris wheel was actually pretty scary, especially with the wind! However, the view of Tokyo was worth it!

We were able to see a beautiful view of the city, including Tokyo Tower in the distance! Later, we went to the beach, where I touched the Pacific Ocean for the first time! The water was not cold, and the sand felt great between my toes. The lights at night were especially beautiful from the buildings to the ferries to the Rainbow bridge. It was like being in a movie!

Japan Day 48: Farewells and Disneyland

Today was the last day of SSIP (Showa Women's University Summer International Program), the program I have been helping to organize for the last three weeks. Although I will be in Japan for another week, the friends I have made in the program will be going back to their respective countries (9 countries total) this weekend. All of them were great people, who wanted to explore Japanese culture while sharing their own cultural perspectives. I will miss everyone! During the closing ceremony, I even got a bit teary eyed, but, in the words of one of the participants, "Today is not a goodbye, but a hello to more adventures and reunions in the future!" I wish I could write more, but my feelings at that moment cannot seem to be captured into words.

After that bittersweet farewell, I actually went to Disneyland with one of my friends! We got the "Starlight Passport" which allows you to get into Disneyland Tokyo on a weekend after 3pm for only ¥5,000! We had a lot of fun! The place was indeed very magical, and it brought back many memories from my trip to Disney World in Florida when I was in the 4th grade. I revisited iconic rides, such as Splash Mountain and Space Mountain. (Although both rides are a bit scary, they provide such great sensory experiences that you need to try them!) Waiting in line at Disney was also very tiring (since we came too late to get the FastPasses), but the rides are worth it. The ending show was a perfect wrap-up to my eventful day!

Japan Day 47: Art and Shiseido

Today, we visited the Setagaya Art Museum, which was holding a special exhibition on "Western Artists and the Allure of Japan" from the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, one of my favorite art museums! The main work on display was "La Japonaise" by Monet, which has recently been restored, so the color of the painting is more vibrant. The museum was not too big, but I found it to be full of beautiful works. My favorites included pieces by Utagawa Kunisada and other ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which have a distinctive Japanese style. I was unable to take photos in the museum, but I got the chance to visit the museum library, which was full of great titles. 

In the afternoon, we received a company tour of the Shiseido buildings in Ginza, a high end district of Tokyo! All of the employees that guided us were very accommodating, and a senior representative gave us an opening speech about Shiseido's brand and company culture of "Omotenashi," a term used to describe customer service that anticipates the needs of the customer. We first visited its headquarters building, and then went on to the Ginza store and the Shiseido Parlour (which has Michelin-star rated restaurants)! One fun fact about Shiseido is that it actually started as Japan's first western-style pharmacy, and was also the first to serve ice cream floats in the country! We tried these ice cream floats, and the company was generous enough to gift us with pudding and oil blotting paper as we parted!

Japan Day 46: Elementary School and Karaoke

Today, we were able to visit the elementary school of Showa, where we saw many classes in action. The kids were doing a lot– from playing on melodica in music class to doing English worksheets. (I tried to help one student with her worksheet, but the teacher called me out!) I was especially impressed by the woodshop class. They were making chairs today, and I though that they were very high quality! I could totally see them being sold in Ikea or something, and I was also surprised to see so many kids wielding saws and other equipment with no fear. (This must have been the inspiration for The Machine Girl!) We also had lunch with some fourth graders. They couldn't speak English, but they were very nice to me. I said that I liked pineapple, and they gave me a slice for dessert!

After the schedule program ended, I went with some people to karaoke! It was very fun! Karaoke in Japan is basically having a private room for yourself and friends to sing. We each payed about ¥100 for 30 minutes in the room and ~¥400 for one required drink. It was pretty cheap (at least compared to the U.S.), but one of my coworkers told me that the price quadruples after 7pm! I am glad I got to experience karaoke in the country where the term was coined!

Japan Day 45: Ghibli and Aikido

I was able to visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka today! The visit brought back so many memories from my childhood, and it was very magical. I think that Ghibli to me was what Disney was to other American children (since I didn't like Disney as much as a child). We were not supposed to take pictures in the museum, which was disappointing, but I still enjoyed the elaborate recreations of famous Ghibli films. At the museum, there is also a special short film that can only be seen at that location. It was about a little girl traveling through the woods, and I thought it was very funny! The museum building itself has great architecture, and I felt like I was in a Ghibli movie!

For lunch, I ate in the nearby area of Kichijoji at a cafe called J.S.Pancakes. I got the avocado and salmon pancakes! The ingredients were fresh, and I enjoyed the herb dressing sauce that accompanied the dish. I have had a similar dish in America, but with salmon and avocado on a crêpe. I really like smoked salmon, so I wasn't surprised that I enjoyed this meal so much!

In the afternoon, we were able to visit the Aikido club, and they showed us how the sport worked (with many impressive flips!) Two club members demonstrated a competition match, and then we learned how to do some basic Aikido moves. It was really great to learn about defense, and I felt stronger afterward!

Japan Day 44: Kabuki and PASMO Food

Today, we went on a bus tour, passing by the Imperial Palace, the National Diet Building, the Prime Minister’s House, Tokyo Tower and Zojoi Temple, andTokyo Station! It was pretty good weather for sight-seeing, so I was glad! 

Later, we went to the National Theater to watch a kabuki performance– Keisei Hangon Kō by Chikamatsu Monzaemon (known as "Japan's Shakespeare"). Kabuki is a traditional Japanese theater art that is performed by all men. There are a lot of special effects involved (such as a rotating stage and an extra platform that goes through the audience viewing area); the announcer described kabuki as a sensory experience. I thought that the play was pretty well done. However, it was a bit lengthy, so I couldn't help but feel drowsy during some parts.

After the three hour show, I came back to eat around the Nakameguro area. I wanted to find a restaurant that accepts PASMO (a card that stores money for transportation), but the only place that took it was a soba restaurant where you had to stand to eat your soba. We ended up eating at a sushi place, where my total bill came to about ¥300 (~$3)!