july 11

I went back to akihabara early to try and find those figures that b liked for his birthday. But nothing opens up til after 11a. and I needed to be at the university by 1130am. Today is our going away party. So I headed back and stopped by the cafeteria to get a coffee, but they didn’t have the one that I liked, so I got a fire special. Then I went back up to the room. We got herded down to the 3^rd floor and then we took another elevator to the 5^th floor. Then into another room that we have never seen before. Then we walk in and it says Brandon and kimlee’s going away party. Matsuyama sensei was with us and was a little worried because toon’s name was not there. Toon’s party is later.

We walk in and there are all the m1 students lined up along the wall with sushi and pizza and donuts on the table. They were all really cute. And there were some m2 students that came back from rotations. We ate like 3 bites of sushi and they ushered us outside on the deck to take pictures. It had a great view of Tokyo tower. we took so many pictures. They gave us a scrapbook album for Brandon and I and each little gifts. The girls got me a hair clip to wear when I wear my kimono.

We also gave toon her gift from Kyoto. The party was over after 2p. toon had to go to the pharmacy in the university and b had a meeting with a bangledesh professor that he met on the train. He said Brandon would be a good addition for his phd program. That’s pretty funny. I waited around a bit and left to meet him at mcdonald’s. we ate because they didn’t really let us eat that much and we sorted presents for the students. Then we left for akihabara donki. We saw a boy dressed as a girl. We went to look for note cards to write to the students. Then we went to yodabashi camera. They had a gachapon center and I bought the final fantasy advent children soundtrack. We went to mcdonalds again before leaving for the train. I really don’t like walking around all night long. Goodnight.

july 10

I woke up at 8am to get ready and get ou the door to get to the train station at 904. well like yesterday I was 5 seconds too late. the train was leaving when I got there. Great. So I waited for the 912 train and made my switches and arrived at shin yokohama a bit after 10am. I found the ticket office and reserved my ticket for Kyoto. I was stil in time to catch the 1022a shinkansen. So I made my way to the train and it hadn’t arrived yet. I found my seat and was still playing Zelda. I had eaten a poptart that morning. Than I slept a bit. And when I woke up at 12, ate some pb crackers. I got to Kyoto and had a look about the omiyageya (souvenir shops). I found some cute note cards. Then I found the nara line and headed there. It takes 45 min on the rapid line. I got there and went to tourist info for a map. I wanted something to eat but I only saw this really little stand in the station with not much food. So I left. I was going to walk but then I saw a bus that had a daibutsu written on it. Yay!

So I hoped the bus and waled toward todaiji temple. This is the largest daibutsu in japan and the largest wooden building. Along the path were many deer. They are domesticated and want to be fed. They have a stand where you can buy food for them. They walk right up to you and sniff. No shame. The der are so populare that they have deer kitai straps with the Buddha. Funny! So I went inside. 500yen and Buddha was hugte. I tried to get a good picture but my camera sucks. I asked thise two brits to take my pic. I was walking around and they had statues that b liked. There was also a scaled temple with the Buddha inside. And there was a wooden pillar with a hole and people were sticking their bodies in side with their head sticking out. They were loud and obnoxious and taking pictures. This is a temple! Sheesh!

Next I went to kasuga taisha. It was a shrine that I think I went in the wrong way. They had many lanterns and a big tree. As I was leaving I was asked by some ladies to take their picture. I understood the Japanese and they asked me where I was from. I said I was Korean but adopted and from America. They were interested and we talked a bit about what I was doing in japan. Then I walked back down the long path. I saw the 5 teired pagoda and the 3 tiered pagoda. And kofukuji temple. And many deer. A lady asked me to take her picture with the deer and she did the same for me.

Then it was back to the station to catch the nara line back to Kyoto. Then I headed back to Tokyo. I was really glad that I got to see it. I even bought a little Buddha! Sleep!

july 9

I was meeting b at 11am in akihabara. He found a good map of stores so I printed it out and off we went. He found mnay figure stores. They all had multiple floors. We went to many shops but I was waiting to get used manga. We ate lunch at a rice ball stand and tako yaki. I had one with tuna and one with salmon. Very tasty. We saw a few maidos on the street, we turned down the next side and were looking for a bookstore Brandon found. It ended up being only ½ price novels and novels are too much. Too many words. I need the pictures of manga. B didn’t know what doujin was and I had to tell him. Funny. We found other bookstores, K books after walking a bit and having to urn around. The map isn’t to scale he says. Yea whtever. Maybe if you would read it correctly. So I found manga that looked interesting. It will be a challenge to translate but I’m looking forward to it. Then we left and went to the station to go to hamamatsucho.

We got to the station a little after 5p but I tried to call chinatsu but no answer. We were 15 min late. we tried to go to a restaurant but they were all full. We went to this other place. I had chicken with rice, miso soup, green beans. It was good. the chicken was covered with sauce and you pour an egg yoke over top. It was good. it was me, b, toon, chinatsu, taka, and yoshi. It was awkward when we left for school before dinner. We got to the elevator and nakashima sense was standing in her doorway and said that toon should go with these 2 people. They were going to a party or something. We got to the first floor and there was toon with the people. They one girl spke English very well and very fast. That was the first time toon had met her. But she ahd seen the boy before. They said she could go with them if she wanted. No worries. So toon decided to stay with us. Interesting.

We cambe back to the classroom and toon was talking with kana about plans for tomoorow. They were going to some place I can’t remember the name of now. They invited me, but I was still unsure of my plans. We all needed to write a note to saito sense because kun was making a scrap book for him. He will be picking up the notes tomorrow. So we did that a little earlier. Yoshi showed us pictures of him and his friends at the eigamura dressed up as maiko and samurai. It looked really cool. So we were going to the sation and b was like lets go to shinagawa or shimbashi and reserve tickets. Uuumm.. we get to hamamatsucho and he’s like what do you want to do? Well let me look up times. I wanted to go to nara and we already left our the eigamura and today you bring it up all of a sudden. I don’t think there is time for both. So I went home. Stopped by the am/pm for a fibe mini. I bought green tea just for the price. It was a monkey box with a measuring tape that I’ll use to hold Tylenol.

I get home and kara and her friend are playing Indiana jones. And the girls and bonnies son billy were on the other couch. It was pulling teeth to get her to log into the computer. I offered the soft yatsuhashi to bonnie and billy. Billy like the wrapping but not the red bean. Bonnies said it should be cooked. Yea, this is a different kind. I gave them the baked kind. They played the game til about 11p. I was so tired, I looked up times for the trains and if we did both it would be rushing from place to place. And it’s expensive to get dressed up. I called b and told him this. It took him forever to decide if he wanted to go to just nara or both. He decided he wouldn’t go and he would join toon and kana. I was like ok. I wanted to get off the phone because I was so tired and he’s like what if we go to iga ueno? The ninja school. Uuuuhhh… he looked up train time while on the phone and said we could go to nara then to iga ueno. It takes 1.5 hours btw. There is not enough time to do all this. And I don’t want to wake up that early. If you got to iga ueno first it takes 5.5 hour to get here. Umm.. yea.. no way. Well I said I’m still going to nara, because I want to utilize our railpass. It was definitely paid for it self. Good!!!

july 8

So I had to wake up at 445 to catch the 545 train to yokohama. I was late and had to run a bit. Ouch. So I made it. Got to the station and switched. I got to the yokohama station and to the tokaido line and actually got a seat. Very nice. I got to Tokyo station and called Brandon. I said where I was and he was like “uhhhh, well where are you?” “Well, I will walk there.” But I told him that he could have walked this way too. We reserved our ticket and I slept nearly the whole time.

We got to himmeji and got a map. We took a bus up the street but didn’t get off at the right stop. It took just as long as it would have if we walked. So we went into the castle. And ti started raining. We went all the way to the top. Himmeji was the first world heritage site in japan. It hasn’t been well kept. But it was never destroyed by fire or anything so it never had to be rebuilt. It was a nice view. We headed down to the gift shop and got a coin. Then we walked back to the staion and caught the very next train to Kyoto. I meant to stay awake but I slept. We got there and bought a sushi lunch box.

Then we took the bus to higashiyama yaui and went to ryozan kannon. I thought it was very cool. We even got to go inside. There were many buddhas for the different calendar years. I wanted to buy a mini but they didn’t have any. We left and went to Kyoto tower shop and I bought more yatsuhashi. Some for Suzuki san, saito sense, and fukui sense. One for me and kara. Then we went inside to book our ticket. Unfortunately there was an accident with the shinkansen and they weren’t sure when it would be up and running again. We went and got some gelato and went to the basement of Isetan for snacks. I bought anko and maccha shue cream. They even gave me some ice to keep it cold. B found some maccha covered yatsuhashi.

Then we went back to the ticket office and reserved seats. We got to the gates and it said many trainswer delayed. We decided to try for non reserved and waited in line. A train came and it was packed. too many people got on and had to stand. That’s crazy. We ended up on the kodama train. It takes an hour longer but at least we got seats. I got off the train at shin Osaka and b had to wake me up I almost missed it. I took the yamanote line for yokohama but wasn’t paying attention when I should have gotten off and switched. I rode back one station. Had to get off wait for the next train and go to the next station. Get off and switch again. What a fucking hassle. I played my Zelda game on the way back to kara’s. I stepped in a huge puddle too. Oh well. I got home and the girls were asleep already. I bought some more yatsuhashi for kara and bonnie. Now time for bed.

july 7

I woke up at 630a and then an alarm in another capsule wouldn’t stop going off. So I got up and checked out by 7am. And now I’m on the kehin tohok bound for yokohama. So it took way to long to get to yokohama. Tehn I get ther and call kara. She may or may not be able to picke me fup form the station. Skyelar has a dentist appointment. Great. So it take 30 mintues to get there from yokohama. I called and its like 9am. Kara picked my up and we went back to the base and I had to get my pass. It took a while. She said on the way that autumn could stay home alone now because whe took a class. She called her on the way saying that she should come downstairs and meet us because she and skye had to leave. And I was like I can’t believe you are making me walk. She said if she misses an appointment they call the CO and Robert and it reflects badly on Robert. Uuumm..ok…

Then we went upstairs and I emptied my bag. I grabbed some water an sent out. I left the apt around 10am? It took me 30 minutes to walk to the station and then I caught the train. I know which train I’m supposed to take now; if I go to Tokyo I take tokaido and it’s best if I’m on rapid. I got to ueno and met Brandon and went to this really cool store. 5-6 floors of cute shopps action figures. Cool things. I might go back and get this hanging wall scroll and this gooba change purse and this cool Zelda peg thing. We left and started walking to the zoo and we got there and it was closed. Great. So we walked down ameyoko an dit wasn’t a whole lot of anything just clothes out of boxes, shoes, and food. We got some pineapple on a stick and walked around. Found some other streets and went to asakusa. I bought my zori and purse. I think the purse is wrong but oh well.

now we left and went back to the university. we saw taka and he have us a schedule that yoshi had made for us. They only got as far as Kyoto. They were buys with work to do. Funny. They had us changing trains all over the place. Weird meeting spots. So I found a website that put destination and time and told you routes to take in English! Very nice. So we figured that we should start early. The shinkansen that left for 703. which meant that I had to be at Tokyo station at 645.

It was hard getting a hold of toon. chinatsu called naoko for me and naoko went to toon’s room and asked if she could meet me at the dorm at 830. so I left school at 8am to catch the asakusa to sengakuji. So I ate my dinner of rice balls on the way and met her. I loaded up my bag and repacked. It was really havey. And toon offered to help me carry my bags to the station. That was very nie of her. Chinatsu told us that fukui sensei drove her to yokohama to go sightseeing and that nakashima isn’t really that helpful. She has to go to the hospital and it take 2 hours to get there, 2hr practice, and 2 hrs back on the train. That sucks. So we made it to the station and I said goodbye. The askusa line goes all the way to yokohama. Cool. But I went down the wrong track. The train was ridiculously packed. good lord. So I put my shit on the train. Standing the whole time. we got to yokohama and I had to fight to get thru. And dragged my bags the whole way to the sotetsu line. Then I dragged myself off the train and called kara to ask her to pick me up. I was really tired so I had to drag my things to the elevator and waited for her. Both girls came with her and we rode home. I unloaded my crap. I gave skyelar her spidey hand and autumnh her hello kitty strap. They put them in their ds. I gave kara the plain yatsuhashi and she liked it a lot. I got the girls to try the anko yatsuhashi and they didn’t like it. I don’t hink kara did either. I really like anko. Very delicious I unloaded my camera pictures and charged my phone. kara has wireless but it wouldn’t work. I did my laundry and took a shower. It was nearly 2a before I went to bed.

july 6

We woke up at 745a and I start getting ready. we meet mika at 9am and check out and leave our bags. The night before we found pepsi drinks with starwars bears as the prize. We bought a bunch for akiyoshi sensei. We gave the drinks to the hotel staff because we didn’t want them. We left for sumiyoshi taisha. The oldest shrine in japan. It is the headquarters for 2300 shrines across japan. I I like the huge giant trees. The are really old and they have rope tied around them.. they reminded me of inuyasha.

We left for lunch at the aquarium and had donbori – rice bowl. I had pork and ramen seto. It’s a bit wearing when we have to go where b picks because he can’t eat pork or beef. Whatever. Then we went to the aquarium kaiyukan. It was really cool. My favorite was the jellyfish and baby penguins. There were two whale sharks and gigantic sting rays. It was cool. We left at 3p to watch the IMAX show. We wanted to see the dinosaurs, but for some reason it wasn’t playing. We watched the 3D aquarium instead. It was still cool. Narrated by Johnny depp and kate winslet.

Yesterday I bought an electronic jisho (dictionary) it was a bit expensive but I want to keep studying japanese. I think It will be a great resource. Now I can buy manga too! Sweet!

I fell asleep toward the end of the show. I couldn’t help it. Then we went to the gift shop. Cute stuff. Then we left for a jr office to reserve shinkansen back to Tokyo. We went and had some ice cream at hep 5 there are so many people every where and it was so humid. We went back to the ryokan and got our bags and we met mika back at the station. Then we went to shin Osaka. We gave mika a billiken and a kaiyukan coin. She said goodbye before we went thru the gate. She was so nice to us. We also did a purikura. On the train and time for sleep.

We got back to Tokyo and I went to akihabara and tried called the capsule for directions. It was frustrating. I went out showa-dori exit and took a left. He said 5 minutes, but I think it was more like 10. eventually I found it. Then I went to the 9^th floor and dropped off my bags. The capsule doesn’t really have a lock. The door to the capsules does. I got a locker for my stuff, but my bag is too big and needed to be in front of my capsule. The man at the desk explained the rules that the top floors were for girls and that shower and computer were on the 10^th. Inside the capsule was a tv with about 10 channels and a radio and alarm. Then sleep.

july 5

So we woke up and met mika in the lobby and were off to Osaka castle. Midway there I realized I left my camera. Oh my gosh! I had to run back to get it and it was hard in flip flops. It was less awkward in person. Good! we gave her the yatsuhashi and she gave us some paper crnes. Then we went to Osaka castle. It was impressive. Very cool. The history of it, we went thru and made a coin and stamp. Then we went outside and had some takoyaki. Then we went to eat a futsubu to eat okonomiyaki. Our menu was limited as usually because b can’t eat beef or pork. So we had shrimp and squid okonomiyaki and omlet soba. Then we left and had sweets. I got blueberry chop ice.

Then we went to den den town. We found a gachipon and the gundum store. I was amazed at the amount of nudie stores there were. You might see nujey girls or nudey manga store. If mika wasn’t there I would’ve taken a picture. I didn’t want to offend her. Then we came upon shin sekai and the tsutenhaku tower. we didn’t go up because we were going to umeda sky building later. And then we found biliken. I was looking for the gold statue and we found a brown one. We took our pictures by it. It’s supposed to be good luck to rub it’s feet. We were going to leave when I noticed the blowfish from the picture and we walked to the end of the street and there he was. We took our picture with it and then left for the umeda sky building. We ate dinner at a pasta restaurant of smoked chicken.

Then we left for umeda. It was really cool at night. Up 140 meters. It has a sky garden and it was cool. Mika showed us pictures of her trip to italy with saori and other girls. Also of her homestay in England. We stayed to long and the figt shop was cloased. That was ok because they had coins and stamps. We left for home. We got back to the ryokan and I checked my email. And registered for the capsule hotel. We are getting home too late to go to kara’s since I haven’t been there yet.