Japan - Tokyo Trip

Really, what would be a trip to Japan without visiting its capital city, Tokyo? Recently, I took that opportunity.

Like my home in Kochi, Tokyo is a prefecture and the name of the predominant city. But in Tokyo there are 23 special neighborhoods, or wards, that make up one of the most populated (although not the most dense, as we will see) areas in the world. That is no surprise, Tokyo is almost famous for its massive population. Take for example the city's anti smoking laws. At least in Chiyoda, were the Japanese Palace resides, it is illegal to smoke not because its bad for public health (nationally, smoking in Japan is not make illegal by Article 25 of the Health Promotion Act) but because the streets were so crowded that the people began to report very high numbers of accidental cigarette burns.

That's a good story, but did you also know that Tokyo is the most populated metropolitan area....in the World?! Yes, in the World. As of 2011, there are 13.2 million people living there, at about 6,000 km² or 16,000 square miles. For comparison, Manhattan houses 1.6 million people though at a much higher density of people at 27,345 km² or 70,825 square miles, and San Francisco houses just under a million people with 840,000 at a density of 6,898 km² or 17,867 square miles.

Historically, Tokyo was first named Edo. It was named and founded by the, you guessed it, Edo clan in the late 12th century. And for a while, in the ensuing years, the clan and city grew in strength, commerce, and popularity. Eventually, the small town was to grow exponentially and become the focal point of attention because of just one man's social and cultural status. So much so, that by the 18th century, the city rivaled Kyoto, home to the Emperor. That man responsible for Edo's large popularity name was Tokugawa Ieyasu, and he was to rise to the level of Shogun in 1603, and transform Edo into an informal capital itself. Essentially the leader of the nation's entire military and president of foreign affairs (the emperor, having appointed the shogun, was little more than ceremonial at this point in time), he commanded the legendary Samurai warriors who, despite largely began putting down the sword in favor of aristocratic positions, still held the authority to cut down any commoner for lack of respect without question. 

The shogun Tokugawa housed his military strength in Edo and what was once a small fishing village became the new political capital. Kyoto and the Emperor were being overpowered. In 1868, when the Tokugawa Shogunate (also referred to as the Edo period) ended and the Meji Restoration began, the emperor moved from Kyoto to Edo, and renamed it Tokyo. A similar even occurred in 324 AD when Byzantine was inaugurated as Constantinople (dedicated on May 11th - the same day as my birth), and reformed many times over into what is now modern Istanbul. So it has been.

My mother once asked me, "Andres, I love your photos, but where are all the people?"

Although I really do love living out in the country side, where the air is so fresh and I don't have to wear a watch, there is still something in me that can't help but to frolic happily in city streets. The concrete, the sounds people in motion, and cool frames such as this.

For my stay, I made a reservation with a nice man Peter from Air BnB. Like that last time I used this room for rent service, I was completely satisfied with what I paid for. This is the view outside my room.

Just down the street from my place, Tokyo Tower. Still a popular tourist attraction, the tower is now overshadowed, quite symbolically, by Tokyo's newest and tallest building, the Sky Tree.

Unfortunately, the rain seems to follow me in my travels. From my long days spend cycling under the rain in Kyushu, the dark clouds are back in Tokyo, and they've brought high wind typhoons with them. 

Bike parking, Tokyo style.

Watching the rain as I wait outdoors, foolishly, for the rain to pass by.

Eventually, the rain and storm did pass by and the sun came out to play =) Still early in the afternoon, I took the rest of the day to walk around the famous neighborhoods. 

Random corners in Tokyo's famous Shinjuku.

Walking around Shinjuku.

After a little lunch, made my way onto the not so complicated subway system and off at the massive Shibuya crossing. This is that popular intersection that cuts off traffic for people from five corners to cross the street in a hurry. Its not as hectic as you think, and no one amazingly runs into each other.  

Playing tourist and looking up at all the cool signs. 

I had walked for so long, entertained by the lights and stores, and new faces that the Sun began to set before I knew it. Not that that stopped me from my bi-pedal exploration. 

I like to praise cycling as a means of travel, however since I've left my bicycle at home, walking around has made use out of forgotten muscles. I am glad I did, I got to see so many other things by looking up that I have to believe I would have missed if I were cycling, observing traffic and avoiding collisions. Here, in what was the brightest moon in recent memory, I sat and sipped my coffee. Seriously, the moon was as bright as a streetlight.   

Like most big cities, Tokyo is constantly under construction.

With the night came more of my excitement. I was expecting neon beams of light, drunk laughs and conversations down the street, and hurried excitement that can never be copied outside of a Saturday night metropolis - but this was all more than I expected. Tokyo at night is all that amplified. I didn't even want to go eat dinner inside because I wanted to just soak up all the atmosphere I could until I was bloated in saturation. And even then, I knew there was much more to see, good food to eat and smell, and random streets to get lost on.     

Along the way, why not take a random store elevator? No good reason not to, that's why.

"Gothic" is what I thought to myself as I stared up at this clock-tower for the better part of ten minutes. "Straight out of a Batman comic book."

Lucky for me, there is only an overnight bus between Kochi and Tokyo, so I hopped on the late bus, fell asleep like a baby, and woke up practically at home. Great times all around. I'll be back.

Much, much Love,

-A

Tosa's Summer Festivals

IKonichiwa and hello!

Its sometime in the end of November and seeing the Holidays just around the corner I thought it good time to go back and put post the summer's missed pictures. Most of these are from the the August break, which for half the time I went cycling around the island of Kyushu for a bit of wet fun and exercise. Looking back, the days were so hot compared to this oncoming winter. Back then, I would wake up and sweat a little inside my tent once the Sun reached out over the synthetic rainproof fabric. Now, I imagine, I would want to stay inside those yellow flaps and wait out the day's warmth a bit later than 6:00 am. Anyways, I won't do much explaining here, the photos are just a little eye candy and a peek into the array of festivals that happen during Summer in southern small towns, Japan.

Undoubtedly the biggest festival by number of people attended that month was this one. This summer celebration came in full force with music, food, fireworks, and a huge ceremonial dance competition. On the main stage before you is where scores of groups come and unify in synchronized movements to taiko drum beats and traditional music to compete for best choreography and entertainment. All in all, the competition starts in the morning with the young children's division and continues on all through the evening. Not that there are not some children in the later sets too. As per usual, the most famous teems are scheduled at the end of the night, which is fine because in Japan, you can drink in the streets. Basically, have a friend save you a "spot" while a beer run to the corner store happens, and smooth right back into the show.  

While cycling around the island of Kyushu, I found myself in Amakusa with my friend Yoshi and another friend Konosuke. I was only with them for one night since I had to keep moving, yet one night was all I needed. And as it happens, a festival was to ocupy the streets that night with Konosuke's mother in full spirits (pictured here). Spectators are welcome to join the dancing =)

A float from the festival night in Amakusa.

Back in Kochi city, the festival continued way into the night. This is one of the more popular dancing groups. My friends tell me this team wins every year, and so they did in tonight's competition as well.

Although the big stage at the heart of the city drew many of the families and visitors attention and cameras, there were many many other events and smaller parades throughout the night. I don't know how anyone got around in a car that night, impossible. 

So used to American parades and outfits and music, I am sure that many of the local spectators here felt like they've seen it all before, but I enjoyed the fresh take on collective conviviality. 

Back at home, literally from my balcony, the town residents celebrated every weekend, sometimes in the middle of the week as well during August. I was delighted to see so many of my students elegantly marching past, enthusiastically smiling and not just wondering "how much farther?" 

More parades and proud parents on a different day. This parade was small, and indeed was short as well. So much so that when I left my third floor apartment after snapping this shot, the parade line was all but over and the back up of cars eager to begin driving freely again.

Without a doubt, the most popular festival of the year in Tosa City is tonight. For some reason (that I could never get a straight answer for despite my casual questioning) the lost sport of tug-a-war is the defining festival of our little town here. Apparently the challenge goes back a long, long time and many generations. The modern embodiment of this tradition entices and enlists people of all ages to dry off their hands and grab some twined rope. I saw groups made up of both sexes, young adults, and even an over-forty challenge tug against each other. The photo here however is obviously not between groups of locals but a race to determine just which group could pull a full length tour bus 100 meters the fastest. 

All through the day and along the main street, this long braided rope lined the walkway. Its sheer length and untouched look about it teased me, stating that something big was going to go down later. Until then, you'll just have to daydream.

Finnally, after all the carnival games had been won, and the last group had pulled the worn bus across the last 100 meter stretch, it was time for half of all the participants to align on one side of the rope, and the other along the opposing side. A line was drawn in the middle pavement. Then, slowly, everyone began to pick of the massive white rope that had been rolled out into the middle of the street moments before. The rope itself so large that people had trouble holding it up, much less getting a good grip under their arm and give it a good pull. The "war", in this way, was extremely comical and the crowd couldn't help but to arbitrarily cheer on the efforts of the soldiers. 

Then for some reason the men lost their shirts and had water sprayed on them. 

Of course, my summer time was not all beer in the street walking, tug-of-waring, and sleeping until noon, I also took in a couple of shows. I feel that people look at me and wouldn't guess classical music. Maybe its the goatee, I don't know. In any case, classical music rings my triangle bell. Sure. What draws me to classical section is the teamwork. I hear a good classical score like I see well preforming sports team. At its basic, there is individual effort, everyone has a part to play and success is found when everyone does the job that the instructor expects from them. Some people are the wide receivers going for the touchdown, others play the oboe. Doesn't matter. The pleasantries of a successful performance relies on teamwork. And if you think classical music is not contemporary or relevant in the way sports can be, I challenge you to listen to a little Symphony No. 5 in C Minor during those last couple laps around the track, or turn up Carmina Burana: O Fortuna during your next set. But I mean, really turn up it up; listen for those subtle strings, set your speakers or earphones to "rock show." For me, that song that gets me up the mountain is, fittingly,  In the Hall of the Mountain King. Everyone I hear it's anthem, it's a sprint fest on my bike. And Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G is purely orgasmic. Enjoy.

Right, that's all for now my friends. That the Holidays are upon us, I thank you and wish you all happy celebrations. You know I would be there with you if I could.

Love,
-A

Japan - Non Sequitur Photo Blog

こにちわ and good evening!

Have you ever taken a snap shot. Odds are you have. Recording moments in time by snap shot is as practiced and ubiquitous as cups of morning coffee in America. I have many pictures stored on electronic devices, and not all that I have the time or care to slop over casually onto publishing sites - but nice pictures all the same that do deserve some home somewhere. And what more appropriate place to show off all these photos than in a blog post that really has nothing to do about anything except for the part that that states I would like to share them with you. Keeping it simple today folks.

I am amazed everyday at the agility and balance of the young Japanese youth. Even in semi soggy sand, these kindergarten children  keep a steady balance across the yard on these hand made walking sticks. I think there is another blog post where I pictured another youth climbing a planted bamboo shoot straight up about ten feet. Again, the young athleticism in this country is remarkable. 

This one I did post on Instagram recently, although I love it so much here it is again. Unicycles are surprisingly common in Japan elementary schools, the single wheeled cycles are racked right in the entrance of the schools, right next to the little kid's shoe lockers. I imagine they have much practice with riding one, so I find it so strange that no one uses unicycles as transportation. I guess its all for fun out here. 

One of my early morning schools is on route past an informal recycling facility. Or, maybe its a storage place for all the miscellaneous glass, I'm not sure. But whatever it is, it fascinates me and compels my attention every time I cycle past it. What I mean is that I live in a country that is hyper aware of disposal contaminates, and very well practiced in hygiene protocol - in every school office, including the teacher's lounge and behind the principal's desk, there is a sink station to brush teeth and wash hands. Trash is practically non existent in the streets or even in the homes really. So its hard to come across random junk piles like these. Impossible really. In fact, they are so rare that I had to sneak over a wired fence to snag a good picture for you.

Really, I don't go crazy for chocolate. An ex girlfriend once told me that there are two kinds of people on this Earth, people who like flavors, and people who like chocolate. I am apparently of the former. Still, its not like I loath chocolate. That's my small tangent into an explanation for this very rare Ecuadorian chocolate that happen to come upon me by chance through a friend. Its always a treat to explain the idea of multi-nationalism to the Japanese. "Yes, I am American. But, I am also have Mexican and half Ecuadorian." The resulting expression on their face is priceless. Anyways, its not that surprising that my friend remembered and gifted (which, on a side note, is a huge altruistic economy here) accordingly, when you speak in Japan, people listen earnestly.

I believe it was the last post, if not the one before last, that I remarked on the strong sun rays that penetrate my bedroom in the morning hours. If I sleep the opposite way, this is what I see along the inner walls of my bedroom. The edges, lines, and agreeing angles of this photo are really what got to me that morning. If you look to the bottom edges of the sun squares, you can notice a little bit of grating. The effect is much more pronounced in person. Its from the grated wiring that reinforces the glass sliding doors leading to the balcony from where the sun enters the room. Its too bad the photo couldn't capture these lines more clearly, the grid effect was truly cool and reminded me of those early cyberspace conceptual designs from the minds of the mid eighties, where imaginations envisioned the net as some infinite three dimensional grid of intersecting lines spotted with the occasional cube or floating sphere.  

My morning commute traffic. Or. as my friend Max said, "rush hour."

This is essentially the best snack that I've found in Tosa city. Edible wasabi-seaweed paper. I like to put this in everything from homemade onigiri to miso soup and everything in-between.

Of course, I'm no saint. And alcohol is so entwined in social culture here, even more so than my university days if you can imagine that. It might have been twenty years ago in Japan that you could charge up a tab, play a round of golf, hit the sauna for a few hours, and charge it all to the company as a business expense. Know what I have found has changed in twenty years? Only that you have to now pay for your own round of golf when your boss calls you in for a "meeting." If there was ever a reason to learn the Japanese adopted Chinese characters called Kanji for me, its to learn to good sake from the mediocre. 

The guardian to the beech.

Hanabi is the Japanese word for fireworks, but its not as simple as that. There are several, many different types of fireworks in Japan that range in size, shapes, and colors. If you were, however, to categorize them all, you would come in line with four major sets. First, you have the Warimono. These are the "simple,"  single exploding outward types that appear as chrysanthemums in their circular design. They are usually one huge explosion that dominate the sky. Then you also have the Pokamono which make a sound as they pop in the sky and release multiple small wavy bands of streams in all directions, making for what looks like a head of frizzy hair. Hanwarimono is a conjunction of the first two types. You can think of these as smaller bursts of chrysanthemums, a small collection of bursting circles in an array of colors. That is what you see in the picture above. Then finally you have your Katamono. These are great if you can see them in person. I've been used to seeing them at festivals and family gatherings. Basically anyplace where you would expect both children and fireworks together. The style is arguably the most impressive and the most novel because when these suckers burst against the night sky, they incredibly light up images of octopuses or rabbits or even famous manga characters. Its all rather impressive really, the ingenuity to engineer an image after an explosion.

With Halloween passing us by, I would be remiss if I didn't remind you that I came back to this store right before the holiday to find that someone had bought the mask, and had dressed up as (I can only imagine) an Asian Barack Obama. 

Not sure what happened on the 29th that made this cat so grumpy, but he's not having a good time.

Lastly, we should all have been lucky enough to see some really spectacular moons phases in the last couple weeks. Here in Japan at least, the moon was shining as bright as the sun.

That's all for now my friends. There is still more to come, and more posts with more unifying themes and more muttering rants about nothing (if your into that sorta stuff). For now, I must collect my sleeping back, its the only blanket that combats the oncoming winter cold, and some mornings even it's goose down filling is just barely enough to ward off the frost.

Rest well and good night! Love,
-A