"One Can of Dr. Pepper Please" Week 9-November 2nd-November 8th

Week 9

After coming to about 10 minutes before check out at Nagoya Capsule Inn out I stumble out of my capsule and quickly determine these things are much easier to enter than exit. It also helps if the complimentary boxers are not so small that they work they way down when descending the ladder (my apologies to the elderly gentlemen that had to see me descending a ladder with no pants on).  After a search of the premises for the shower I then find that the showers were closed at 8AM after speaking to the front desk clerk.  Another great thing about Japan is you quickly learn to adapt to any situation.  At home you might question why you close the showers at 8AM when checkout is 10AM but as I have come to learn it is best to accept it and move on.  If someone tells me not to drink iced tea with pants on I just say Sumimasen and move on with my life, arguing is also not done here so just save your sanity and stop doing whatever you did to offend regardless of how innocuous it may appear to you.  I quickly grabbed my stuff and headed across the street to the Kanayama train station to grab my train one stop ahead to Nagoya where I could board the Shinkansen bound for Kyoto (although a 3-4 hour drive the bullet train makes this trip in a little over an hour).  Once aboard the train I settled in and listened to music as we sped towards Kyoto.  Upon arrival in Kyoto I met up with my friend Garnett at the station and from there we headed out to the Kiyomizudera Temple situated above the city. After touring around the grounds of the temple which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, snapping a few photos we walked back down and did some shopping at the trinket shops that line either side of the narrow streets as you descend from the temple area.  While leaving the temple we even were interviewed by KBS Kyoto who were soliciting American travelers about the upcoming American presidential election.   The funniest part of my interview is the reporter repeatedly asking why Americans hold signs and cheer at political rallies and parties.  He made it a point to say that Japanese do not do this and worded several questions to ask me if I did this as well.  I tried to explain that it comes along with political support for a candidate that if you go to a rally you would perhaps hold a sign or cheer but I think after the interview concluded he still believed it quite strange.  From the temple we headed off to the large shopping district in Kyoto where Garnett picked up a pair of all gold Puma’s.  After shopping we took a cab to find the jazz club Garnett wanted to go to and had dinner at a local Ramen shop.  Unfortunately when we did locate the club the admission was well over 50 dollars to see the jazz trio she wanted to see so instead we found an Irish pub were we decided to stop in for a few drinks to celebrate her birthday.  The nice thing was when the waitress heard it was her birthday she asked if we could wait about an hour while she baked a special cake in her honor.  We decided to stay and it was nice of the staff to make such a fuss over her birthday since I would imagine being so young and far from family and friends must be tough.  I think she really enjoyed the attention and it was nice for her when the special cake came out with candles to celebrate.  Since I was fading pretty badly from the previous nights festivities I decided to stay in Kusatsu with Garnett and literally was asleep as I hit the futon she provided for me.  In the morning we headed to a large shopping store in Kusatsu were I exhibited some behavior of someone slightly homesick as I had a Starbucks, ate some KFC then headed to the International Supermarket and picked up some instant oatmeal, Old El Paso taco mix and a cold can of Dr Pepper (those three things are not found in Japan).  After heading for home in the afternoon on the Shinkansen I stopped in Nagoya to meet with a new friend, Akiko who I had met through the language exchange board at the Nagoya International Center.  The funny thing about this initial meeting was us sharing text messages about first where to meet (the golden clock in Nagoya station) and then our physical characteristics.  After receiving Akiko’s text that she was 27, smallish, Asian, and had black hair I replied to look for someone American, large, wearing a bright red Phillies hoodie and shockingly she found me first.   Not wanting to appear lecherous I asked if she wanted to get something to eat or grab coffee to which she replied “Can’t we get a beer”.  Anyone meeting a strange American and then requesting a beer has my immediate respect so we headed across the street to an Irish Pub for a couple pints of Guinness and the agreement to meet again in the near future to talk and grab some drinks.

Cute Kid Story #248  I have gotten some feedback requesting I go easy on the “Oh these kids are so cute” stories but I am afraid much like miso soup, cooked rice and fish heads they are in abundance here in Japan.  This week my manager notified me that my 3-year-old private lesson student’s mother wanted me to do the Halloween lesson this week for her since her little girl was sick the week I delivered it to my students.  This student always makes me laugh because at only three she talks to me non-stop in Japanese with the intensity of an insurance salesman.  Even with me kneeling next to her nodding but never replying it never seems to her I do not understand and often will talk at me for 5-10 minutes never once stopping.  She also is addicted to Minnie Mouse and often brings two with her to class.  During the class she will only participate if I treat each Minnie as though each is an actual student.  Even funnier one Minnie is inexplicably retrofitted with a foot long tiger tail one might find hanging from the antennae of a 69 El Dorado.  Also while she is always happy to see me in the lobby when we enter the classroom and I take my seat on the floor across from her for the first few weeks she would always take refuge behind her mom with her arms gently around her neck.  This week was no different as I began teaching her pumpkin, black cat and the like.  Only during the lesson as I turned away to get my cards she came from behind Mom and completely unannounced sat down in my lap, quietly looking up at me as I prepared to go through the cards with her.  As I looked at her Mom she seemed to be as surprised as I was.  The amazing thing about kids is their quick ability to take you from stranger to someone they know and trust and that is perhaps the best part of this job.  While I have always liked kids my participation with them usually ends with throwing a ball for them to go fetch or making a funny face at them to try and make them laugh.  I didn’t realize I might have needed to come all the way to Japan to appreciate what all the fuss is about with them

"Inglwood Up to No Good" Week 8-October 26th-November 1rst

My 8th week (has it already been that long) in Japan began with me sleeping in a bit Sunday before heading off to Nagoya and the Toyota Museum of Cars.  This day was also my first real mulligan of the trip when after consulting my Japan guide book I believed the museum was located in one of Nagoya’s suburbs, namely Sakae.  Believing it was fairly close from the train station I decided to take a cab and save some time and trouble since by the time I arrived in Nagoya it was raining as well pushing 3PM and the museum was closing at 5PM.  Once we set off and began the slow ride through Nagoya after 20 minutes I began to see the outskirts of the city.  My cabbie who was very friendly spoke no English but seemed clear where we were headed even if I was not.  As we began to leave Nagoya I realized that actually there are two museums belonging to the Toyota company and although I was headed to the one I wanted it was actually several miles north of Nagoya.  After the 30 minute trip we pulled up to the museum and I not so happily handed over 6800 yen ($65) for the cab’s services.  Although I was still mad at myself for screwing up the directions the museum was great and housed roughly 300 cars from all nations from FDR’s presidential sedan to a limited edition Lamborghini Countach as well as many early Japanese models.  I also learned something new about Japan as I began to depart the museum near the closing time and had yet not had any lunch.  At the modern silver and glass cafeteria in the museum I saw they were advertising “chili dogs” which was quite surprising and something I had not seen since arriving in Japan.  Being enticed by the thought of a chili dog (all the car viewing had me in an all American mood maybe) I plunked down my 300 yen and waited.  The clerk took a seemingly average hot dog popped it into the microwave, waited the requisite 12 seconds and handed it to me with a polite bow.  When I asked where the chili was he pointed to a red picnic style ketchup container sitting quietly on the counter next to me.  Although the Japanese are nothing if honest and low key in their advertising calling a microwaved hot dog with ketchup on it a “chili dog” is a true affront to chili dogs the world over.  After leaving the museum this time I located the proper subway, which was ultra modern and by far the nicest I have seen yet in Japan.  As I made the 40 minute ride back to Nagoya, I paused and angered myself again as I paid about 5 dollars for the trip as opposed to the expensive route I took there earlier in the day.  Once returning to Nagoya I spent the remainder of my Sunday touring around the streets of Sakae and even located the Outback Steakhouse which I promise to use as Break In Case of Emergency location either for myself or an visitors should they make it to Japan and are in need of a good American chain restaurant.  I then headed home near midnight and called it an early night.  The following day was one of those lazy days that at times give me trouble here in Japan.   Other than a trip to the department store for a Starbucks, some food shopping as well as picking up my weekly dry cleaning I did little else to report.  For some reason doing absolutely nothing at home in the US seemed fine but doing that here in Japan feels completely wrong even though it is often what is most needed after the long workweek.

After another week at the office, and when I say office I mean 100 Japanese kids screaming and begging for me to throw them in the air on Saturday I headed to Fushimi to check out Ryan’s DJ gig at Club Maverick with some other English teachers.  The true fun part was I decided to take my first trip to a Japanese capsule hotel as a place to stay after my night out in Nagoya.  As I may have said before the only bad part at all thus far regarding public transport in the Japan is the lack of late night service.  Therefore rather than spending for the near 70 dollar cab ride home if you miss the last train (12:08AM) the 2800 yen ($26.50) price for a night in a capsule hotel is a much more economical and easy way to enjoy a night out without worry.  After stopping in Kanayama to drop off my bags at the hotel I headed to the club and had a fun night listening to some music and meeting some friends over some (OK many) drinks before returning to Nagoya Inn Capsule at about 4:30AM.  The hotel is located in a rather plain looking office building in the area of Nagoya known as Kanayama.  Kanayama is one of those typical Japanese locations, crowds, bright lights and tons of traffic, it sort of reminded me of the town on Mars from the Schwarzenegger movie, Total Recall where he meets the chick with three boobs.  After reaching the 7^th floor and removing my shoes I headed thru the large TV room where several Japanese men were sleeping off hangovers on weathered couches before reaching my capsule.  I climbed the ladder and hopped in and immediately was taken at how spacious and comfortable the space was.  Although the unit would never be called “big” it is certainly a more than adequate place to sleep after a night out.   The unit which is about as wide as a double bed even allowed me to sit up without my head touching the top of the capsule so it certainly is not “underwear-drawer like” small either.  On the side are controls for the built in TV as well as a panel containing a small shelf for belongings, a built in alarm clock, personal air conditioning control as well as a radio. 

     So this is where Week 8 comes to a close, where I always hoped it would falling asleep in a capsule hotel in my new city in the wee hours of the morning, rain falling in buckets outside with Kyoto and clear skies on the agenda for tomorrow.  As I have often spoke of before there are things about traveling that can be frustrating but the high one can get from not only surviving but surviving well in a completely foreign place is unmatched.

Japanese Baseball Update  After winning the championship last season after years of futility (sound familiar) my home team, the Chunichi Dragons from Nagoya had a rough off-season as their best and most popular player, Fukodome took off for the greener pastures of Wrigley Field in Chicago.  This year after a somewhat lackluster regular season they played well down the stretch and made it to the playoffs as a wild card ultimately knocking off the heavily favored, Hanshin Tigers (Red Sox of Japan, years of futility, recent success, rabid fan base) of Osaka in the first round of the playoffs before falling to the hated Yomuiri Giants (NY Yankees of Japan, deep pockets, insufferable fan base) of Tokyo.

One interesting thing to note about baseball in Japan is the ability to tie in a post season game (if the game if still tied after 12 innings it is called a draw as the Dragons/Giants Game 3 was) as well as the top team having all playoff games at their stadium, as a wild card team the Dragons never played another home game at Nagoya Dome once the regular season ended.  I’m sure someone could do a much better job of summing it up but baseball is a good social barometer for the differences between Japan and the US.  I can never envision a situation in a tooth and nail playoff series two teams playing to a tie and the fans being satisfied with that in the States.

Inglewood Up to No Good  One of the best parts of this week was hearing California Love by 2PAC at Maverick as Japanese club patrons bounced happily on the dance floor.