Spring Break!

Like all countries, Japan has a number of set National Holidays. In my job, my holidays are determined by the national and school holidays. Usually I have a random day off every couple of months. So I was looking forward to Spring Break, where I would get a whole week off!

My Spring Break started from the end of March until the 5th of April, and I planned to cram a lot in while I could!

The weather during this time was up and down. The cherry blossoms flowered early because of the sudden heat, but then a cold snap and rainy time made them wither quickly.

I started the weekend off by going to a local Brazilian club. If there’s one thing I miss about back home, it’s the clubbing culture. Unless you live in a city like Tokyo or Osaka (and even then!) it’s not like back home where we go out dancing every weekend, sometimes even twice!

The music was good and we ended up dancing with some of the locals, so it was a fun night. I had my first McDonalds breakfast in Japan after dancing myself into hunger pangs!

Finally I got to go to Hanami, which is literally a “cherry blossom viewing party”. It was rather cold for the event, but we knew we had to make the most of the blossoms before they disappeared! I made my first Japanese picnic with kappa maki (cucumber sushi), pickles, chicken and takoyaki (octopus balls). We went to Kiryu Zoo, which had a large number of cherry blossom trees.

There was so much food and drink!

The scenery was beautiful, but it was just a little too cold for everyone! It probs didn’t help the fact we were drinking cold alcohol. I had a wander around the zoo to try and warm up. Although there were many lovely animals, their cages were rather small and they didn’t look too happy. Eventually we gave up and went to Global Lounge, the foreigner bar I mentioned before in Kiryu.

I really recommend finding your local foreigner bar, even if it’s in a different town from you! It’s the best place to make foreign and Japanese friends who can speak English! It can be difficult making friends when you live in a countryside region like Gunma, so I really recommend looking these bars up! Try Facebook or asking your teaching partner or boss!

The next part of my Spring break was to be spent in Tokyo. Usually, every time I go to Tokyo, I have events or people to meet, so it can be quite stressful and busy. Sometimes I have work the next day too, and as it’s a two hour trip either way, it’s a tiring time. So I wanted to go to Tokyo and not feel limited by time! However, it didn’t quite go to plan!

Unluckily, it was a wet day, which made traveling in the packed trains (with a suitcase) even more difficult. My first stop was Shibuya, which I had only been to once before (see previous post!).

I met a friend of a friend, who had contacted me through Facebook. The rain was so bad it was a little difficult to find each other!

People dressed as red oni (demons) picking up trash on a wet Shibuya day!

We made our way to a cheap sushi restaurant, which can be found anywhere in Tokyo. I actually eat sushi less here than I did back home- I’m not sure why, if it’s because it’s stronger or something? Anyway, it was still delicious, and pretty cheap. I got about four different types for under £6.

My new friend had to go back to work, so I decided to start shopping! After looking around H&M I finally found a pair of skinny jeans I could fit into! Japanese girls have much thinner and shorter legs than me so it was a challenge to find a nice pair!

Next I hit Shibuya 109 again, which is definitely one of my favourite places to shop. There are so many floors packed with cute clothes, and many are pretty affordable. Shopping with a suitcase is never fun, so I left mine in a locker near the train station. Most lockers are 400 Yen (about £1.50) but it can be difficult to find a free one during the busy times!

I paced myself, not wanting to spend too much too quickly! I bought some cute socks from Dolls Kill, some nail polish and a cute Hello Kitty pass holder for my train card.

After hours in 109, I had to head to Asakusa where I had found a really cheap hostel- New Koyo. It was only 2,700 for a one person room- under £20. In the Tokyo area, that is pretty unusual.

As my luck would have it, my iphone started to run out of battery and even though I had my charger, that was dying too. I got my trains and made it to the station before my phone completely died. I had everything on paper but the name of the hotel and the address, so I couldn’t even jump in a taxi.

I started wandering to try and find a combini to buy batteries. A kind businessman stopped me and asked in English if I was lost (I guess I had that look about me!). He used his phone to find the address of the hotel, and even wrote it down in Japanese for me so I could just hand it to the taxi driver! I honestly was so lucky and felt so blessed by this chance encounter.

It turns out I couldn’t walk to the hostel as I had assumed- it was a 15 minute taxi drive. I finally checked into the hostel and was surprised to find I’d been upgraded (because someone had smoked in my room the night before).

I had to hold a laugh when I saw my room. If this was the upgrade, I could only imagine what I was originally getting!

You can’t complain for the price…

I had an hour’s rest while my phone charger, then got some red bull so I could make the most of my night. As always, it was dark by 6’oclock. It took me a long time to find the bus to the main part of Asakusa, but I finally got there. It was a lovely atmosphere, and it reminded me a bit of Kyoto. The main street is called Nakamise-dōri and during the day is bustling with tourists and shoppers.

Closed for the night

It was quiet because it was a weekday and all the shops were shut. After a bit of a wander I decided to go and get some food. There were lots of outside-but-inside restaurants, set up with tent like structures. I picked a yakitori place and ordered up. I wasn’t the only gaijin either- there was a group of French tourists the table next to me.

After having some umeshu, I decided to explore again. I assumed the temple was shut, because every gate I had passed had been locked, but suddenly I came cross the main entrance.

The main gate to Senso-ji Temple

The cherry blossoms were out in full bloom and looked beautiful against the night sky. The temple grounds of Senso-ji were pretty quiet, so it was a great time to visit. The shops were closed, but I was able to get my fortune, which I was happy to find had an English translation.

I got “Best fortune”

The fortune closely resembled the one I had received from Kinkaku many years ago. It was full of good things. The translation was pretty good, but my favourite line was “If you have right mind and keep virtue as a man, you will be able to get best fortune”.

The main temple was very impressive, mainly red and gold as follows the Japanese tradition. It’s the oldest in Tokyo, and you can tell it is steeped in history. As I do at every temple, I made an offering. Usually there is a large bell which you have to ring after you throw your coins into the offering box. Then, you bow twice, clap your hands twice, make your prayer, then bow again.

Beautifully lit up at night

Although visiting temples and shrines during the day is an amazing experience, I far prefer going at night time. The contrast between the dark sky, the pointed roofs and the bright red colours is always awe inspiring. The atmosphere is more mystical and magical too. As I walked around the grounds, I felt very much at peace.

It blows the mind that this was constructed without machinery

Within the grounds there were lots of small shrines too. I don’t know enough about Buddhism, but they reminded me of the shrines to Inari I had seen before.

A shrine for a deity?

Pictures can’t really do Senso-ji justice. I had planned to return to see what it was like during the day, but I had limited time to cram everything in. Still, I’m glad I got to see it lit up at night.

Memories of Kyoto…

I had done a lot of walking that day, so eventually decided to call it a night (after a quick trip to Mister Donuts!) The bus stop was a five minute walk from the hostel, and there was a 7/11 where I got some drinks and food for the morning.

Unfortunately I didn’t get much sleep in the hostel, despite being so tired! The futon was comfortable, but the walls were so thin. I could hear the guy next door snoring his head off, people going for showers, banging doors etc. I tried ear plugs and soothing music but to little avail.

I got up early and had a shower, which were clean and high tech. The great thing about Japan is their pride in cleanliness and hygiene. Although the hostel was a little run down, the showers were like something from a 5 star hotel, complete with complimentary shampoo and shower gel! I also rented a towel for about £2.

It was a hot day this time, so I decided to skip Asakusa and head to the shops. I went to Harajuku first, and was happy to be able to take my time for once and shop leisurely. The surprising thing about Takeshita Dori, one of the main shopping strips of Harajuku, is the shops are not as edgy and cool as you would expect. Many of them have replicas of each other, and the clothes and cheap and poor quality. However, there are some great finds too, like Wonder Rocket, Liz Lisa, and of course Closet Child, the 2nd hand Lolita store. I was able to get an Angelic Pretty necklace I had been looking for, and a strawberry hair pin for another coord.

I love Spring fashion, and the shops were full of pastel shades. I bought a lilac skirt, a sky blue skirt (which turned out to be shorts!), some strap tops, and a pair of dungarees. I then headed to Omotesandō, which hosts the brand shops. I made my first trip to Forever 21 (which has only opened recently in the UK) and bought a beautiful mint dress, composed of my favourite things- sequins and chiffon layers!

After a quick trip to Claire’s Acessories for some 90s retro (colour hair extensions and a unicorn pin), I grabbed some food from a combini, crammed all my shopping bags into my suitcase and decided to head home as it started to turn dark.

Although it looks bad, it was the first time I had every went mad shopping in Tokyo!

I was so tired after my two days in Tokyo, so I took a day’s rest. My next adventure was to Kanamara, which was holding it’s annual Matsuri (festival). Although festivals are held all over Japan, this one stands out as being particularly unsual. Translated as “Festival of the Steel Phallus”, it is a fertility festival to celebrate creation. It was the strangest thing I had ever been to, but it was very interesting.

I wasn’t prepared for how packed the festival would be- streets were closed and police were everywhere. The number of foreigners was crazy- I’d never seen so many in one place.

We arrived in time to see the procession. The music was good, with people playing on the traditional taiko drums. There was a real party atmosphere, with people drinking and eating themed food to fit the occasion. It was a hot day as well, which made it feel more like a holiday.

The procession

It was so busy that after going around the stalls there wasn’t much else we could do, so we headed out of the crowds and wandered around the near by area. All the local shops were joining in the festival spirit, selling phallus shaped candies and the like.

You would never see this back home…

We came across another temple, Kawasaki Daishi, which was very beautiful with golden decorations on the top of it’s roof.

Beautiful blue sky and temple roofs are my favourite things!

There were many shops selling traditional Japanese souvenirs, food and teas. The heat soon tired us out and we decided to take the train to Ueno and get something to eat.

The Kanamara Matsuri was certainly interested, but seeing one time is enough.

So, that sums up my Spring Break! I spent a lot of money but got to see many new parts of Japan. Next time I’ll fill you in on my Golden Week experience!

 

Halfway Point!

So I have now officially reached the halfway point in this journey ^^ I’ve been in Japan for over 6 months now, and have 6 months left to go! I can’t believe it’s been so long, but at the same time, I feel like I’ve lived here forever!

I’ve been focusing a lot on my social life recently, but in this post I want to focus more on school and everyday things.

For those of you who want to teach in Japan, it’s good to know that the school terms are different from in the UK. School finishes at the end of March, and then we have Golden Week, the first week of April, when most Japanese have holidays and travel.

March is a busy time, whether you are working in a public or private school. For ALTs, it’s usually the end of their contract, so they can either try and renew, or move on. I’ve heard that in this area, the government is cutting the number of ALTs- not sure if it’s economical or what. My contract is different- like most private schools, I was hired for a year, so my term is August to August. If you want to come to Japan to teach in public schools, Feb/March is the time to look.

If you work in an Eikaiwa like me, you will see a big turnover of students. There can be many reasons for this- financial, students moving to International schools, their workload being too heavy, etc. March is a busy time because as we lose students, we have to try and replace them. My role in this is to usually have parents watch my classes so they can determine if they want their child to enroll. This can be stressful and intimidating for some teachers. I’ve found the best method is to plan your lesson fully so there are no gaps, then ignore the adult in the room. It will distract the students however, so you have to be engaging and keep bring their attention back to the lesson in hand.

I’m going to make a youtube vid about lesson planning and games for ESL, so keep an eye out for that on my channel, KawaiiKekeChan07!

In terms of everyday Japan, there is a lot happening after New Year. Valentine’s Day is big here, though slightly different from the Western version. The 14th of February is reserved for women giving to men only. For work colleagues, there is “obligatory chocolate”. Many women spend lots of money on this tradition. Luckily foreigners are not expected to! As I’m the only teacher in my school, I didn’t have to worry about this.

Then there is the chocolate you give to boyfriends, crushes etc. Handmade chocolate is a big deal, and is usually what girlfriends give. Unlike back home, Valentine’s day focuses mainly on chocolate- stores here make most of their profit on confectionery on this one day! You literally can’t move in the supermarket for boxes of the stuff.

Then, one month later- March the 14th- is White Day. Again, this is a uniquely Asian concept. This is when the men who received chocolate must return the favour. Apparently it’s a popular day for confessions, too. White Day is not just limited to chocolate however- other gifts can be given. The left over chocolate from V day is re-marketed for White Day so commercially it’s quite clever!

Another day to note is Girl’s Day- Hinamatsuri- or Doll’s Day on the 3rd of March. I knew of this day, however I didn’t realise it was such a big deal. Beautiful dolls are put out on display- unfortunately I didn’t see any in real life but I saw the pictures. It’s also traditional to give small gifts to girls, something I wasn’t aware of and took me by surprise! I received a lot of candy from friends and students. My favourite was my seven year old T presenting me with freshly baked croissants from a local shop- they were delicious!

Cute candy for girl’s day! Wish I could say it tasted as good as it looked!

The weather has changed drastically in the last few days. We’ve went from freezing cold to high in the 20’s over the weekend. I was helping my friend to make a short movie, and was wearing Lolita. The weather was incredible- like the hottest day we would get in a Scottish summer. Needless to say I was overheating in my layers! I will post links when the film is completed!

Then on Sunday the famous Gunma wind whipped up. They were gale force and it was a task just to try and get my food shopping! Tokyo turned brown due to dust/pollution (still being debated) so I’m glad I wasn’t there that weekend!

There’s been a lot of cold and flu bugs circulating recently. Despite taking vitamin drinks and constantly sanitizing my hands, I caught a bad one. I experienced my first Japanese fever which was not fun! Luckily I had brought lots of medicine from back home. Stock up on paracetamol and cough medicine before you come to Japan- the medicines here are much weaker than what we are used to!

In Japan you will be constantly asked if you want to go to the doctors or hospital when you have even a basic cold. My boss kept asking me, but I didn’t want the hassle. I also couldn’t take a day off, being the only teacher, so my sickness dragged on longer than usual!

I’ve been busy most weekends, spending a lot of time in Izakaya, traditional Japanese bars with cheap food and alcohol. These are a must when you visit Japan- I’ve spent many a good night in these places!

As well as Oden, a staple Japanese hot pot eaten in the winter, Nabe is also another popular food for this time of the year. Some people have Nabe parties, a gathering usually around the kotatsu (a low table with a built in heater). Nabe is essentially a big pot with a bit of everything- tofu, cabbage, meat, mushrooms etc. I got to go to my first Nabe party this weekend, and it was a lot of fun, very authentically Japanese!

Nabe party!

We’ve finally entered Spring, the only Japanese season I’ve yet to experience, and the one I’m most excited about! The Ume (plum blossoms) have already made an appearance. Although these white flowers are beautiful, they are no match for the pink Sakura (cherry blossoms). Soon it will be the start of Hanami- literally cherry blossom viewing parties. People head to parks with picnics and sit under the trees. It’s something I’m really excited for- I can’t wait to wear a yukata again!

White Ume (plum) blossoms

The other cool thing about Japan is all the seasonal food and drink. Ice cream, candy, soda, alcohol, crisps- you name it, when the season changes, a new variation will pop up. My favourite has been all the fruit flavoured alcohols. Only about 150 Yen a can, they are sweet tasting and fun! My favourite is the strawberry and cream ^^

Strawberry, cherry and peach alcohol!

I’ve still not cemented my plans for Golden Week, but I’m really looking forward to the break! I’m hoping to visit some of the famous hot springs of Gunma, and maybe go to Disneyland. The International Anime Expo is on the 23rd and 24th so I’ll be staying in Tokyo that weekend. I’m excited to properly cosplay in Japan and attend my first con here! There will be many pics and vids to follow! ^^