Checking Out a Book at the Library: Waseda University

My university at home has a total of 2,800 students while Waseda University has 44,756 undergraduates alone. So it's interesting for me to get the feel of a large school. Now thankfully my classes aren't big at all (they range from 6 people in my Japanese class to 50 people in my Japanese Art class) but when you go to the schools main library (1 of their 27 libraries), you realize how big the school really is. 

This is actually the Okuma Auditorium.

For my History in Modern Japan class I needed to check out my textbook from the library. I thought it would be like walking into the Furman library where everyone is socializing and it's not difficult to find a book. Not at Waseda. First you have to show your ID and swipe into the library and it is dead silent! There are around seven floors (that could be an over exaggeration), including two basements, and once I figured out that my book was in the basement, I was shocked by the library policies. I had to put all my belongings into a locker and receive a special badge to wear saying that I was allowed to be on that particular floor. The basement was huge and would make an excellent set for a horror film. Finally, with some assistance, I found my book but wow it was a process.  

I was also shocked that although it was the first day of class there were already students passed out in the library chairs and at their tables. They looked like they had been studying for hours. It'll be interesting to see how a Japanese university compares academically to an American university.   

Hightech Sinks

Can we have these in America please? This sink is all automatic.

But you don't just have your basic water and soap...when you wave your hands towards the closest part of the sink to you, the dryer turns on in the bowl! Another space saver and eco-friendly idea. 

Tsukishima, Tokyo Tower, Zojoji Temple, and Hamarikyu

The two international clubs, Niji no Kai and WIC, planned four different tours around Tokyo for the new international students. They were all at the same time, so you could only go to one of the four: 

1. Tokyo Tower & Tsukishima course
2. Ueno course
3. Sky tree & Asakusa course
4. Akihabara course

My friends and I picked the first tour because it seemed the hardest to do on our own. Our first stop, Tsukishima, is an area in Tokyo famous for its monjayaki. Monjayaki is a dish consisting of pan-fried batter and various other ingredients like meats and vegetables. You cook it yourself on the table (though the waiters often assist you) and you use a small spatula to eat it straight off the grill. It's very yummy but often leaves me hungry after eating it. We also ate okonomiyaki which is similar but differs in that it is less runny and is similar to the consistency of a pancake. 

(awaiting pictures from friends)

Monjayaki

Okomomiyaki

After the food, we headed to a different part of Tokyo where the famous Tokyo Tower is located (not to get confused with the Tokyo Skytree). I shouldn't have been surprised at the massive lines for the Tokyo Tower tickets and the separate line for the elevators but I wasn't expecting it to the extent it was. The 6 boys in our group braved the ~600 stairs to the top but the three girls in our group, including me, opted for the elevator.

 

As a Tokyo resident, I'm glad I saw it and experienced it; however, for someone traveling to Japan with limited time, I'd suggest you skip Tokyo Tower. I might be biased since I live next to the SkyTree but choosing between the two I'd go to the SkyTree and just view the Tokyo Tower from Roppongi Hills. 

Our next stop was Zojoji Temple which we quickly strolled though.

Our last stop was the Hamarikyu gardens. After a long day of walking, we all collapsed on the first space of grass we'd seen since coming to Tokyo.

Finally, my friend Katy (Chinese-Canadian) and I were so desperate for food and a seat that we sat on the steps in the subway by the trashcans and vending machines. 

We felt homeless. 

*sorry I don't know why half of the blog is highlighted. Can't figure out how to fix it.

Perks of Being a White Girl in Japan

Since I'm in an enormous metropolitan city, I didn't expect to get all the attention I have been receiving. I have to say it is fabulous. I feel like a movie star! When I carried the mikoshi at the summer festival, people crowded around me to take photos with me. People also blatantly stare at me on the subways or in the department stores. Many of my Asian friends ask if I find it creepy but I honestly love the attention. So far, in the two and a half weeks that I have been here, these two situations have happened to me:

1.) I rushed to the train to grab a seat for my 30 minute commute to Waseda University. As I tried to get comfortable, an old woman hobbled onto the train. I knew I needed to offer her my seat. I quickly stood up and said, "どうぞ、どうぞ" but she refused to sit down. Feeling guilty, I kindly thanked her and sat back down. The old woman immediately began telling me that Americans were always extremely nice (which shocked me to hear this). She then offered me a whole bag of warm food. Although I kept telling her that I couldn't accept it, after 20 minutes of refusal in my broken Japanese, I finally gave in. When I got to my station, I thanked her multiple times and ran off to tell me friends. I opened up the warm bag and peeled back the thin sheet of wood wrapping to find 6 giant bun-like sweets filled with bean paste. We collectively decided to eat it together and it if was poisoned then o'well.

They were really yummy but all five of us couldn't eat all six of the sweets! I was therefore nominated to take the last sweet to the cutest boy in the room. When I went up to him and said, "どうぞ、どうぞ", he couldn't refuse and he kindly ate the whole thing. 

2.) While walking around Waseda University in search of my friends, a young woman came up to me and asked if I was a foreign exchange student. When I said yes, she asked if I wanted to be on a TV show called お願いランキング (Onegai Ranking). Well, turns out that I had my first day of Japanese class during the time that they were filming so I couldn't go. 

When I told my Japanese friends about it they freaked out. Turns out its a really popular show and they were doing a segment on which kind of stationary foreigners liked. I am SO UPSET that I didn't say yes. It could have been my big break as a TV star! But it has only been two and a half weeks so hopefully I will have more opportunities :)

     

College Boys Dancing Heavy Rotation by AKB48

At the International Students Welcome Party! We enjoyed many performances but this was the best!

What's better to break the ice than having college boys dress in girls' high school uniforms and dance to Heavy Rotation by AKB48??

Shopping in Harajuku

Yesterday I met up with Allison, the other Furman exchange student, and we decided to explore Harajuku together. This is the area of Tokyo known for their crazy styles and bizarre fashions. It is also the inspiration for Gwen Stefani's fashion lines and perfumes. The start of my day was a little rough as I got distracted on the subway line by a cute little kid that wanted to practice Japanese with me. I lost track of the stations and ended up riding the subway for an extra 5 stops! Oops. But that was only a 30 minute delay...

We started off by quickly walking through Meji Shrine, one of my favorite shrines that I have been to in Japan. Though it was my third time to visit it, I was still amazed by the massive tori gates that lead up to the main area.

A young girl running around the shrine.                    

My first visit in 2009.

We then strolled through Takeshita-dori, the street famous for the hottest trends in Tokyo along with multiple crepe restaurants.

While walking around Harajuku, I actually ran into another girl in our program that was wondering around on her own. It's amazing that in such as big city, I ran into one of the five people I knew. She joined us for the rest of the day. 

We spent an hour in Kiddy Land, a giant multistory shop devoted to cute things for kids. One whole floor was for Hello Kitty. Heaven. It was with great restraint that I did not buy the giant Hello Kitty that  was roughly the size of me. Mom and Dad, that's what I want for my birthday. 

That's basically what it looked like.

Lastly, we spent over an hour in a candy shop, fascinated at how they were able to get a small print of Hello Kitty into hard candy. 

They started with giant blocks of candy.

Layered it. 

Stretched it out. 

And cut them into tiny pieces. 

  Unfortunately they messed up a bit, because one of Hello Kitty's ears was too big, and therefore couldn't sell the candy. But they gave it out as free samples instead!  

Buying a Phone at SoftBank - Ginza

For those of you who know me well, you know that I don't even feel comfortable going to the bathroom by myself. Living virtually by myself in Tokyo, however, has definitely pushed me to become more independent. Two days ago, I actually spent a whole day in Ginza completely on my own!

My main reason for going to Ginza (the high end shopping district of Tokyo) was to get an iPhone. Now, in America it takes about 20 mins to get a cellphone but with the extensive credit checks and other various forms to fill out, it took me 3 hours to get a phone in Japan. The odd thing is that I had a blast! The SoftBank room look similar to a cafe with multiple small, square tables and chairs. I was immediately offered a cold hand towel and a drink menu. Already so much better than standing at the AT&T store. While I sipped my iced green tea, I was given a small portable TV and an iPad to entertain myself with while the young Japanese employee filled out all my information. We talked about all the different shopping areas in Tokyo and she gave me great tips on department stores and boutique names. She also used gloves while handling my iPhone so it didn't get fingerprints on it. At the end of the meeting, I was given to cute SoftBank tote, notebook, and Mickey Moose phone chain.  

As someone who plans on pursuing a career in hospitality, I've noticed how important hospitality is in Japan and how it is at a much higher standard than America. The girl assisting me was constantly apologizing for the long wait, refilling my green tea, and making sure that I was entertained by their multiple devices.

After the SoftBank excursion and the purchase of a smartphone with a GPS, I was capable of exploring on my own. I followed the girl's instructions and ventured to the popular French department store, Printemps. Although I love French brands and French fashion, I quickly realized I'm not here to buy French things and I continued exploring the streets of Ginza. I ate lunch on my own in a small cafe and enjoyed the people watching (I was slightly disappointed at the masses of Western people in the area). Overall, I had a great day and enjoyed the time to myself!

Carrying the Mikoshi

On Saturday night, I was able to participate in a Japanese matsuri (festival) where I dressed in traditional clothes and helped carry a mikoshi (basically a portable Shinto shrine). The women wear multiple layers despite the extreme heat and humidity yet most of the Japanese men were only in a shirt and a tiny strip of underwear similar to the sumo attire. Many of the Japanese men thought it funny that I was so shocked by their lack of pants.

The underclothes.

The shoes did hurt a bit but how cool is it that I got to wear them!                                   

We carried the shrine for a total of two hours with many breaks for sake, Japanese beer, and some onigiri (rice balls). The shrine was surprisingly heavy and two days later I still have a bruise and some tenderness on my shoulder. The idea of carrying the shrine isn't to get from point A to point B but to worship the gods by parading around the neighborhood. While carrying it, the step is a mild prance and you move the shrine from side to side while slowly making your way down the street, the whole time shouting "say ya, soi ya, san, sorta..ect". There were only a couple awkward moments when I was smashed between people and could barely move. Also at one point my shoe fell off but a kind stranger helped me put it back on.

The men carried it for the most part and the women watched and cheered. 

They whole experience was amazing and I can thank my home stay family for setting it up for me. Everyone was so kind to me. I was almost like a celebrity: everyone wanted to take their picture with me!

After carrying the mikoshi for two hours, the festival started. There was beer, cotton candy, and lots of really cute kids running around in their yukata (summer kimono). My host family also performed a few of their hula dances. What a great night and so much fun!!

Japanese Toilets: At Home

For as clean as Japan is, I was surprised that most bathrooms don't have soap in them. Paper towels and hand dryers are also very rare in public places so most people carry around a small towel. I've quickly learned this is also because it is very hot and humid in Japan so you can use the towel to dap your face.  

My First Week in Tokyo

It's really amazing that the first thing I see when I walk out of the subway station by my house is the tallest tower in the world, the Tokyo Sky Tree. Makes for a great marker when I'm lost! I live in the family's apartment on the 9th floor which has two bedrooms, one bath, one toilet, a kitchen area, and a living room. I have to say I'm both impressed and surprised that the room my host family gave me is much bigger than the pea sized jail cell I lived in at Furman. And I even have a private balcony!

My family is absolutely ADORABLE! The youngest girl, who I call my "backpack" because she is always jumping on me, is extremely hyper and is constantly singing and dancing around the house.

She is also a great cook! She taught me how to cook an eggplant dish the other day that was amazing!

Ingredients: Eggplant, soy sauce, ginger, onion

Directions: Poor a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and place the eggplant in on medium heat. Cook until golden brown. Sprinkle with ginger, onion, and soy sauce. Done!

Sounds different but I'm telling you it's quick, easy, healthy, and actually really delicious!

The older girl who is 11 is less interested in me and a little shy but still extremely cute. I haven't gotten to know her very well yet.

My homestay mom is very petite, a great cook, and is extremely nice to me. She even does my laundry every day! Guess I didn't need to bring the 40 pairs of underwear that I did... What I haven't gotten used to is the fact that all my clothes must hang dry outside on the balcony. What if a bird comes along? What if the wind blows and my clothes fly off? Also, I don't like all of Tokyo seeing my delicates! Awkward. The other night she folded my clothes and handed them to me (I know, she really is awesome) and there were a couple small bugs on them!! As high tech as Tokyo is, sometimes I feel like I'm in a third world country. That brings me to air-conditioning. There is none. It's high 80s with humidity at 94% and all I have is a fan and an occasional breeze from the window. The first few days were rough but I am starting to adapt.

My homestay family also practices hula often because the mom is a hula teacher on the side and they have many performances throughout the year. Though the idea of hula dancing sounds cheesy and you immediately think of old people at their exercise class, I've found hula to be very relaxing and stress relieving. I tried a couple steps and some are actually very difficult! I thought my hip hop and cheer background would make it a breeze but I was wrong. They want me to perform with them in November but we'll see!

Practiced my Japanese with this cute kid!

I've always had an image of Japanese people being very shy and composed but its good to see that behind closed doors the Japanese family isn't much different from my crazy American family. They scream, cry, and complain just as much as Westerners do. It's a relief now that I know I'm not trying to live up to an impossible standard.