Bouldering

I have now had my first experience with bouldering.  In case you're unfamiliar, bouldering is like rock climbing but you don't have a rope and you don't climb very high.  There is normally a soft pad beneath you in case you fall.  Drew took me to the rock climbing/bouldering gym in Oyama so that I could try it out.

Wow!  It had been awhile since I'd rock climbed and I had forgotten how tired your forearms get from trying to grip the wall.  I had to stop long before my legs and biceps wore out because I could no longer grab anything.

Look at how Drew almost takes up the whole wall.  Once he reaches out his hand he is already at the top!  This is probably why I was more scared to fall off the wall than he was.  It was a longer way down for me.

We were sore for days after this and it was impossible for me to open any jars.  Maybe next time we will try the rock climbing wall so I can be roped in.

Elusive Mt. Fuji

My idea for something to do over Drew's break was to go to Fuji Five Lakes to see Mt. Fuji, as I had never seen it before.  I should have known it was doomed from the start because I was the one to suggest it.  Thus far in Japan I haven't had a very good track record with actually getting to do any of the activities I've come up with.  I'm beginning to think I'm cursed.

Here is the weather we were dealing with.  Yes, those are the clouds coming down the mountains.  I have never in my whole time in Japan seen a day this cloudy.

And here is where Mt. Fuji usually stands.  Not quite as impressive when you CAN'T EVEN TELL WHERE THE MOUNTAIN IS!!!

We decided not to worry about seeing Mt. Fuji and instead explore the sights in town.  Well, turns out the bus that we bought a pass to use only ran until 5:00 pm.  Our hotel was already a good 20 min. walk from the nearest bus stop so by the time we got checked in and back to the bus it was already past 3:30 pm.  All of the attractions we were interested in were too far away to go to and risk getting stuck without a ride on such a cold night.  Therefore, we settled on getting dropped off at a stop about an hour walking distance from our hotel so that we could get some food.  

Next problem...there was no food to be found!!  Either the lights were on but nobody was inside, the hours said they were open but the lights were off, or the lights were on with people inside but said they were closed when you asked for a table.  I, unfortunately, have a little bit of a "hangry" problem (aka. angry when hungry) and was getting close to having a meltdown over not getting dinner.  We did find a rundown convenient store where we bought Oreos, Doritos, and peanut butter sandwiches just in case.

After our EXCRUCIATING LONG walk (hangry people are known to exaggerate) back to the hotel, we got the good news that we were not too late to join the other guests for dinner.  Dinner was delicious and the lobby had a wood fire going which made the whole experience very cozy.  That night we also got to use the private onsen (hot spring).  Perfect for such a cold night.  We wore the traditional robes of course.

The next morning brought us the best view of Mt. Fuji that we got the whole time we were there.  Yup, that was it.  Just a tiny peak.

While visiting we did make a trip up the rope way.  Normally this is where you get an awesome picture of you and Mt. Fuji.  Instead I just got a nice picture of Drew.

The rest of the sights turned out to be a bunch of tourist traps set up for people who came to see Mt. Fuji but weren't able to because of the weather.  We were supposed to leave around 6:00 pm that day but ended up leaving at 1:00 pm.  It was time to get out of that place!  There are other towns that have good views of Mt. Fuji that we can try next time.  I'll be letting Drew make the plan for that one...

Emperor's Speech

On January 2 of each year, the gates of the Imperial Palace are opened and the public is allowed on the grounds in order to watch the Emperor give his New Year's speech.  The only other day this occurs is on the Emperor's birthday.  The rest of the year the grounds are closed to the public.  Drew and I were excited that we were free to go check it out.

I ended up being amazed by the number of people that showed up for this event.  I had never before seen so many other foreigners in Japan.  It was obvious that everyone was excited to get to go through the Palace gate and onto the grounds. There were security guards all over the place, which is not something I usually see in Japan.  I was able to snap a quick photo of Drew before that security guard ushered us along due to the large crowds.  Just look at how friendly he is!  Japan is great like that.

We arrived during the Emperor's lunch break and had to wait in the crowd for a little over an hour.  Luckily it was a sunny day and not too chilly.  The officials had passed out Japanese flags and I had mine ready to go.

Even though we had to wait awhile, getting a spot early made it possible for us to clearly see the Emperor and his family.  The old man, third from the right is the Emperor.  His speech was only a few minutes long but it seemed to get the crowd excited.  Too bad I have no idea what he said. 

Here he is appearing to the crowd.  Flags ready!

Maybe you can help translate.

After the speech, Drew and I visited Meiji shrine in Tokyo.  As I mentioned before, it is tradition for everyone to visit a shrine at the beginning of the New Year.  Meiji shrine happens to be the largest shrine in Tokyo and, therefore, the most crowded during this time of year.  We had to wait in line for about 45 minutes just to get up to the shrine.  They even had a large TV screen with commercials that had been made specifically for people waiting in the line for Meiji shrine.

The crowd was never ending.  Let's just say I was getting a bit tired of being in a mob of people by the end of the day.

Looking ahead toward the front of the line

We finally made it

Shrines normally have some sort of box to put donations in.  However, at this time of year there are too many people to even try to have a box.  Instead, they draped out a large sheet in front of the shrine to toss your money in.  People were actually throwing coins over several rows of heads because it was almost impossible to get to the front.

This was the white sheet

To end the day we enjoyed some Thai food.  Super tasty!

Japanese New Year

Japan's biggest holiday seems to be celebrating the New Year, which is why Drew and I wanted to be in Japan on New Year's Eve this time around.  At midnight it is tradition for Buddhist temples to ring their bells 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins.  Right after midnight, Japanese people start visiting their local shrine.  The first trip to a shrine in the New Year is called Hatsumode.

Months before New Year's Eve Drew had already scoped out the shrine that he wanted us to visit.  It was in Yuki, a town nearby that is known for their silk.  I had also been planning for months how I was going to keep warm on this journey, as it is a 45 minute bike ride to Yuki and we would be making the trip twice in the middle of the night.  In preparation, I had bought those warming packs that you shake and normally stick in your pockets.  I was lucky to find some that are sticky and I was able to put one on my lower back, one on my upper back, and one on each leg.  There was then a leftover that I kept in my purse just in case.

We made it to Yuki without any trouble (it was a warmer night than usual) and we were able to hear the bells ringing at a temple and see the festivities at the shrine.  I mentioned in another post that people buy a "good luck" wreath/amulet for the New Year.  Here is the fire that was set up outside of the shrine for people to bring these items from the past year to burn.  After midnight there were stalls where people could by their new one for 2013.  I'll admit, I was happy for the warmth.

The shrine looks empty in this picture, but by the time midnight came around there was a long line wrapping around the complex with people waiting to make their first visit.

They were serving a warm rice/mochi type drink at the shrine that helped with the cold.  Mochi is rice that has been mashed up a certain way and it is a traditional New Year's food.  This drink was somewhat sweet and had little pieces of rice floating in it.  Drew really did not enjoy it but I didn't think it was too bad.  I've learned that there are actually a few deaths each year from eating mochi because it is very sticky and the elderly have a tendency to choke on it.  Crazy stuff!

We hope everyone had a fantastic New Year's celebration back in the States!

Christmas in Japan

After having such a wonderful Christmas Eve, it was difficult to make Christmas Day any better.  In my family it is a tradition to have a big breakfast Christmas morning and I was not about to let that slip in Japan.  Drew couldn't wait to open presents, so after all of the unwrapping I whipped up some bacon, eggs, and banana pancakes.  Turns out the bacon here is more like Canadian bacon and does not produce nearly the amount of grease that I am used to.  Nevertheless, it was quite a tasty meal that was reminiscent of home.

Due to my reduced state from jet lag, I never did get around to buying an actual Christmas tree.  We had to make due with this two dimensional tree instead.  There were presents under it so I think that means it counts.

We took a trip into Tokyo to see the sights and shop around for the gifts we've decided to get each other.  I want a nice Japanese kitchen knife and Drew wants a Japanese tool that is a mix between a hatchet and a knife.  It's easier if we pick out our own and Tokyo is definitely the place to shop.

While in Tokyo Drew said he had something he really wanted to show me.  By now I can tell when these statements are going to be followed by something ridiculous.  This was one of those moments.  As we rounded a corner, Drew pointed up to this statue explaining that it is fondly referred to in Japan as "kin no unko," or "the golden turd."  Apparently, this is supposed to be the Asahi flame.  Asahi is a beer company and their brewery offices are in the building to the left of the flame which was made to look like a beer mug.  Thanks Drew for showing me the poo.

We almost ate at a Thai restaurant that night for dinner but it just wasn't going to fit in with the Christmas spirit.  Instead, we resorted to a Mexican restaurant to make us feel more at home.  They even gave us a glass of sangria as a "Christmas present."  We did end up having to order extra food though because Drew's burritos were the size of tacos and my tacos were the size of nothing I've ever seen in America.  Even that tiny bowl of chips and salsa in the picture was $5.  By far the most we've ever spent on Mexican food, but it sure was fantastic!

Here's a little video just to capture how massive the crowds are at the crosswalk in Shibuya.

Christmas Eve and KFC

I can't remember if I already mentioned this or not, but Drew discovered, while teaching one of his classes, that Japanese people have a connection between KFC, My Old Kentucky Home, and Christmas.  He had brought in articles about Kentucky including information about the Derby, mint juleps, our state song, etc.  One of his students surprisingly knew our state song and said, "That's a Christmas song, right?"  This confusion has occurred because, apparently, it is a tradition in Japan to eat KFC on Christmas Eve where they happen to sometimes be playing "My Old Kentucky Home".  Thus, people have assumed our state song is actually a Christmas song. Ha!

In order to do as the Japanese do, Drew and I took a trip to KFC on Christmas Eve because where else would anyone eat on this special day?!  We were not disappointed with the experience.  By the time we placed our order there was a long line forming behind us and it was only 4:30 pm.  It wasn't even an option to eat-in because the dining area was roped off and being used for extra staff members who were needed to meet the demand.  It was also interesting to see what their menu had to offer.  The chicken and coleslaw were the same but they had no mashed potatoes and their biscuits were shaped like doughnuts.

See the hole in the middle?  Why?  I guess I've never actually seen a biscuit here, so maybe doughnuts are the closest thing they have.  They even sent packets of syrup as a topping.

That evening we headed to a Christmas "Illumination", as the Japanese like to call it, in the Ashikaga Flower Park.  Wow, wow, and double wow!!!  I can't even explain how amazingly awesome the display was.  My pictures will not do it justice.  Drew knows I love Christmas lights, so he got major husband bonus points on finding this place.

The entrance

Inside a Christmas tree

Wisteria flower display

Pyramids on the ponds 

Having a blast

I had to include a couple videos to at least try to capture the spirit of this place.

To finish off the night we had to, of course, have "Christmas Cake".  Their traditional Christmas cake is a white cake with whipped cream icing and strawberries on top.  Drew brought up three different flavors that were leftover from a Christmas party.  The original, chocolate, and some sort of nut.  

It was great to get the full experience!

The Cold

I've made it back to Japan and am working on getting my body to do what I want when I want.  Today a 1:00 pm (felt like 11:00 pm) nap was inevitable after waking up at 5:30 this morning.  No complaints here though because I've had a normal appetite and only a slight decrease in energy.

Turns out the mild weather in Kentucky was not a good thing to be exposed to before coming back to Japan during December. I was spoiled by the temperatures and by my parent's fully heated house the past two weeks.  The chill in the air never seems to leave our apartment here in Oyama and a bike ride to the grocery today was a lot different than my car ride to Kroger last week.

I've known that I would need some new indoor hobbies during the winter season since I will be avoiding the cold.  One of those will hopefully be knitting.  Thank you Kerry for providing me with the beginning materials!  I know absolutely nothing about knitting, which is evident by my many attempts to cast on, perform the knit stitch, and cast off.  It took me five tries and well into the night to get anything but a knot.  I'll be needing a lot of practice.

It's great to be back here with Drew but I will miss everyone back home.  Make sure to keep in touch!