Blogs from Aichi, Japan, Asia - page 13

Nabananosato is a tongue twister which takes a couple of days of saying to perfect and a few more to figure out. The information available over the internet is sketchy at the best, and there are more photos than details. It is around 25 kms from Nagoya where I stay and takes around 31 minutes by bus. There is a train route also, taking the Kintetsu line from Nagoya Station, you need to get down at Kuawana Station and take a taxi or bus from there. But bus is the most convenient as it drops you exactly in front of the place and picks you up again from the same. The cost is 850 Yen per head and there are an average of 2 buses every hour. Since it is situated near the Nagashima Water resort ... read more

Another pretty emotional morning as Nils and I decided to go to the Hiroshima museum again. We then took a taxi to hurry to the train station and get on together. He soon got off in Osaka. Said he was going to spend some relax time working on the piece he has to write on what he thinks of Japan for the newspaper and relaxing before he got back to work. I stayed on the train and got off once again in Nagoya to call Yuno twice and finally meet him at the station. I'd forgotten how much I liked hanging out with Yuno. For everyone who doesn't know yuno used to live in Indiana with an old ex-boyfriend of mine named Jake, and Jake's current girlfriend Jenny. Yuno lived in the US for about 2 ... read more

Today I decided to take the train (Japan is probably the best country in the world for trains) to Inuyama (a place Sarah recommended to me). I Think this town was hit upside the head by the ulitmate cute stick. It's a place like this that I would love to learn the language and spend the rest of my life. It's absolutely gorgeous and surrounded on most sides by a canal (which I'm currently sitting beside). Beyond the canal are beautiful small mountains and hills covered in trees. I went to the castle here - which is the oldest in Japan and then to one of Japan's finest teahouses Urakuen before going to eat some of the best Italian food I've ever had in my life at a tiny little mom and pop place recommended by ... read more

Well folks, I finally found it. A Japanese class for clueless foreigners like myself! The class is an hour and a half once a week in Nishio, the next city over. It is taught by volunteers, so it is surprisingly inexpensive (2000 yen/year!), but there are enough volunteers that each student gets a one-on-one teacher. After my first class last week, I am practicing my hiragana (Japanese syllabary characters) and I am overusing introduction phrases to the point of driving my co-workers mad, originally with laughter, but now more with annoyance. Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Kara Pilon to mosh imas. Kara to yonde, kudasai. Over and over and over. Of course there is more, but I don't want to drive you mad as well! Well, maybe a little. I also learned that "kara" means a few different ... read more

Japan has now been home for a month. Thus far, I have passed along stories of interesting predicaments and travels. Perhaps it is time that I give you a glimpse into my daily Japanese world. I will begin with a now familiar topic. Shopping. This has become a staple in my weekly routine. Since my last account of my shopping endeavours, I have learned a few more important lessons as a consumer in Japan. The first made me very happy. As was mentioned previously, I am big in Japan. Fortunately, this goes for bra sizes as well. I was elated to recently purchase a bra that was TWO cup sizes bigger than I wear in Canada! As I proudly carried my new merchandise away from the counter, I thought back to an embarrassing moment in my ... read more