Thursday, March 8, 2012
I haven't done a good job at keeping up to date.
こんにちは!

Like my heading says, I haven't been keeping a good job on updating my blog when so much has happened. Currently I am on break so I'm hoping I can update everything I can within this month.

My break started back in January. The exchange students classes finished up on the 20th while the regular Kansai students has a week of finals after the 20th then they were free for their break until April when school starts again. Why such a long break? Because this is technically their "summer break." 1st semester for the Japanese starts in spring with the new season which leaves fall as their second semester. I joined at second semester thus the long break before the new year begins.

I had taken a trip to South Korea to meet up with my best friend Nicole who is currently studying abroad in Korea (obviously). I stayed a week in South Korea before flying back to Japan but instead of returning to Osaka I flew to Tokyo and stayed up there for a week. These will be in another post that will be prepared tomorrow or over the new few days.

I also started my part-time job in Japan on Feb. 18th! I was able to get a job at an English Cafe that my friend Rosie worked at before she had to return to Australia. I took her spot in a sense. I work there once every week since the Cafe is open only three days of the week, but I won't post to much about what happens in my job since I all ready am required to write a blog entry after each shift. The blog for the cafe is here -> [English Cafe ] I'll also post this on the side bar for people to see.

So much has happened since I started working such as getting a free new kimono from a  customer and other such. The kimono didn't have an obi (or the belt that holds the kimono together) so I actually went searching for one a two days ago and I found one that was perfect and cheap. But when I bought I wasn't sure if it would match the kimono I got since it had been awhile and I didn't bring the kimono with me to see if it matched or not. When we returned, I went to the dormitory quickly to grab my kimono and hurried to my friends' apartment where Nikki could dress me to see if it matched. Not many people know how to dress others in kimono so I'm very fortunate to have a friend who does.

The finished outcome.

February 29th (Leap Day)
On the 29th Kristen, Chami and I went to Takatsuki to go to Tower Records. Tower Records is a well known music store in Japan and today was the day U-Kiss, a Korean pop group, released their first Japanese album, A Shared Dream, along with their new Japanese single, Forbidden Love. I wanted to buy the album since I am a big fan (They're actually touring around Japan right now but everywhere in my area is sold out in tickets, all well) and it's always a nice trip to go to Takatsuki.

There's a lot of shopping places in Takatsuki but they aren't fancy shops like at Hep5 in Umeda, or to expensive like in Shinsaibashi (sometimes). I think it's a nice casual area. After buying my CD I glanced out the window area and noticed a group of trees in the slight distance. After living in Japan for 5 months I've learned if you see a huddle of trees means there's a part or a shrine near by. I asked Chami and Kristen if they wanted to go and see what was over there. They agreed since we had nothing better to do, and wandered through the streets towards the patch of trees. We could see it down the street and half way down the street there was a large stone torii (a gate) above the street with the sidewalk running along them from the outside of the gate. When we were passing Chami made a comment, "Aren't we suppose to go through the torii not around it?" We all paused, backtracked, got onto the street so we could pass underneath it and went back to the sidewalk. A woman from a shop window saw us backtrack and go through the torii gates and smiled at us when we went through.

At the end of the street there were stairs and a sign to say what shrine this was which ended up being called Jouguu Tenmangu.
After passing through another torii and climbing all the stairs (and the hill that came with it) we arrived to the main level. The shrine was relatively empty except for a person here or there and the stray cats that made this shrine their home.
We went to the nearest "well" area. There's a specific area where there is running water and you are suppose to pick up a utensil to gather the water. You're suppose to cleanse yourself before entering the shrine area, my friend Miyabi taught me how properly "cleanse" yourself. You dump a little water on your left hand first, then your right, and back on your left hand you pour some more on your hand but you drink the bit your poured. If you have any left over water you pour it on the stone, back into the main water area. I can't recall what the name is but every shrine has one and styled a different way.
When then went to the main shrine area and did a prayer. I threw in a 50 yen coin since I didn't have 5 yen coin on me, and I wasn't exactly sure how to proceed. Since this shrine you ring a bell and I haven't done a shrine that has had it. Basically I did what I normally did at a shrine but at the end I rang the bell before bowing. I'm sure the kami won't mind since I'm still paying respects even if it's a little wrong. The area was nice though, there was a tree with a sacred rope wrapped around it, a small bamboo forest near, and just a bunch of large trees in the area.
Kristen took a photo while I prayed. I haven't noticed.
For me, I enjoy going to Shinto Shrines. I like paying respects to the local kami and seeing the amount of nature that the shrines always seem to have. The atmosphere always has such a calming effect that it's hard not to enjoy being at the shrines. For me anyways, not everyone enjoys the shrines the way I do. But I do suggest if your ever in Japan to look for the smaller shrines too and not just the famous ones.

Today though I had such an interesting experience. Kristen and I went to Umeda just to do something and eat at the best ramen shop ever for lunch. We wandered around the department store Yorobashi for a bit, I ended up buying tome candles from a store that reminds me of home. It's a very "hippie" store my friends would call it. Tie dye clothes that are very loose and flowing, items relating to spirituality, buddhists, there were some Mexican items that related to the day of the dead, precious stones and jewelry; that kind of store.

For lunch we went to the ramen shop that we always go to. I always forget the name but it has the best ramen ever. I've learned here in Japan that when I go back to the states top ramen will never be enough for me anymore. But at this shop I always get the 白丸らめん (shiromaru ramen). It's my favorite one and I can even beginning to describe how good it tastes.

After that we went into Hep5 which is basically a mall. I ended up wandering to the underground shopping strip underneath the Hep5 building and came across a store called Maua. It's another "hippie" store if you may call it but this store was more of a clothing store than the other one and they had beautiful pieces from made in Indonesia, Thailand, India, and etc. A staff member noticed me and greeted me.

I don't think I ever pointed out but in Japan staff members always welcome anyone who enters the store with a smile. And they all thank you for coming to the store when you leave. It leaves a more positive feeling to customers, and depending on the stores. Staff members kind of follow you around to help you out, tell you about some of the clothing, jewelry or anything along the lines. They help customers figure out how to put some outfits together and always give their opinion when you ask for it. I personally think it's much better service here than in the states but that doesn't mean that there are down falls. I don't really like it when the staff members follow me which ended up happening at the store.

They don't out right follow you and look over your shoulder, but they always stay in distance ready to assist. Kristen wasn't with me at the time, she ran to the rest room as I wandered around the store for a bit. The staff member made a few comments before she eventually asked me if I could speak Japanese. I stumbled over my words to tell her that I could speak only a little. She smiled and suddenly started  speaking in English asking where I was from. I was surprised to be honest because in all reality not a lot of people can speak English here in Japan. But I told her where I was from and that I was studying at Kansai University. She left me alone to wander a bit more, only briefly telling me where some of the clothes were from.

When I was trying to go on the other side there was a another staff member talking to an elderly lady and the staff member that was chatting with me earlier standing where I needed to get through and I allowed the elderly lady to pass through me. She greeted me with "こんいちは" which I instantly replied back politely and bowed slightly in respect. The staff member told them I got speak a little Japanese, and like a normal Japanese response was "Your Japanese is very good." when I know in reality it isn't. But I've also learned that they praise you because they also expect you to be modest and play down their praise. It's just part of Japanese culture I've noticed. So I played down her praised saying I wasn't very skilled yet.

The lady smiled and started rapidly taking to me in Japanese. I could roughly follow, she asked me what I liked food wise and I answered with nabe. Nabe was the first thing that came to mind and is one of my favorite Japanese food since curry rice and ramen aren't exactly Japanese related. She asked me about sushi and I couldn't help but make a face in response. I responded saying that I didn't like fish in general not just sushi. The staff members laughed with the lady and lady started speaking rapidly that I couldn't keep up. Before the conversation ended she asked if I had gone to Kyoto which I have and she wished my good luck at studying Japanese at Kansai which I graciously said thank you too, bowing many times. I know for sure that when I was talking with her I could feel my face go red at being so flustered. But I feel proud to that I was able to understand some of it.

Kristen was making her way to the store and I decided to try on I dress I came across which I thought was beautiful and rather cheap for an imported item and being hand-made compared to other prices of seen. The staff helped me into the fitting room and told Kristen that I was trying on a dress while I was putting it on. Well I stepped out and the two staff members gave me approval. The elderly lady made a comment of very pretty, even a customer who wasn't really involved commented on it. I'm positive I was bright red but it felt good. I really liked how the dress looked and getting approve from so many people was just rather thrilling. Needless to say I bought the dress, but I've never experienced something like that in a store before.

I'm definitely coming back to the store next time.
0 Honey:

Post a Comment