So, so, so Lost in Translation Part I

I know that this is my first attempt to post since arriving in Japan. But there have been a couple of reasons for this. Internet cafes are hard to find, expensive, and the Japanese keyboard drives me absolutely insane.

I am right now enjoying my last hour in Kyoto before taking the shinkansen back to Tokyo tonight. I am not even sure how to begin the telling of this part of my adventure. I left Hong Kong last week and did the most amazing thing: "City Check-in". At a couple of the major stops along the airport express route, you can check in like at the airport. So all I had to do at Kowloon station was walk up the the JAL ticket counter, like I would at an airport, and give her my luggage! No line-up! No carrying that backpack all over the HK airport. It was very civilized. I wish it was like that everywhere.

Upon arriving in Narita I followed Mark's in structions to find the Kesei line and take the Limited Express to Nippori. It's amazing that I was able to do the things necessary for this to get done. I got some cash and followed signs. But I had to laugh out loud because I have never seen so many people in an airport in my whole entire life. I got on the train and then had to sit for an hour scrutinizing each stop to see if it was "Nippori". All of the announcements were in Japanese so in the process, I learned that "Nippori des" means "this is Nippori". Anyway, Mark warned me that it would take over an hour and it did. I then got off into a station the size of Union back home (and this is a small station!) and after a few false starts eventually found the North gate where he was waiting. Good thing too because we knew that if something went wrong, we had no alternate plan. He wasn't even sure which train I was on. But it all worked out and I had my first introduction to the Tokyo subways system because it took 3 more trains and another hour to get to my apartment...or else it would have if Mark hadn't forgotten they key and we had to make a pit stop at Kamaya's office.

Since Kamaya's job as an English teacher comes with an apartment, and they live elsewhere, I have my own little tiny place about half an hour from the main subway lines of Tokyo. I don't think I can begin to describe the sheer size of this city. You can't walk around. Even a single neighbourhood is difficult and time-consumming to do walking. It just goes and goes and goes. That night we went out to their favorite sushi restaurant in Okurayama (the stop where I am) and had some fantastic sushi. My new favorite is scallop (hatake). They restaurant owner had a tendency to repeat our order very loudly and announce every dish as we ordered it and as we arrived. I have learned that this is custom and meant to show us that he approves of our choice. You can't even buy a banana without the clerk announcing the banana, the cost of the banana, how much money you are giving her, and how much money you are getting back. All in Japanese, all with little bows. It's great.

The next day was Saturday and Kamaya works Saturdays and Mark spent most of it recovering from jet-lag and preparing slides for his talk at the conference in Sapporo. So I went into Tokyo on my own and chose the neighbourhood closest to me: Shibuya. I went in to Harajuku station and walked to the Yoyogi park and saw the Meiji shrine. I saw not one but two wedding processions. Two attendants dressed in kimonos leading the way, and the bride in a gorgeous kimono with a giant head piece.

I will have to write more later. Have to go to the station. Thanks for visiting.
Leslie