Nikko Field Trio - November 21-22

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This doesn't get two entries since I feel it was more like a one day trip less bus time. I got to Makuhari on time, and actually caught up with Liz, Ian, Priscilla and Kirsten at an intersection so we finished the walk there as a group. I bought a snack at the conbini and got my seat. The bus was a little more crowded this time since we only took one due to about 30 people going. It was kind of unenjoyable but I took a seat on the aisle so I could stretch out a litle.

Aside from stopping in a service area for lunch, which was kinoko udon (mushroom noodles) for me, we went straight to Toshogu, and Dr. Itani came along for that part to act as a tour guide.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I went to Toshogu in Nikko. I knew it was the resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, so I was fairly certain it would be big and elaborate. Because I had that thought, I was very surprised to learn that originally it was not large at all and that his grandson was responsible for the structures we saw while there. The site was beautiful, with the autumn leaves complementing the shrine well, so the experience began when you first arrived instead of when you went through the torii.

All of the gold leaf everywhere was a little bit overwhelming to me, especially since it was paired with such vivid paint in so many colors. I admit I’m not sure what the purpose of all of the buildings are or were, but they are excellent examples of craftsmanship. This is obvious on the building with the “See No Evil ” monkeys, of which there are sixteen. Dr. Itani said that the three most famous ones, the see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil, are famous because their carver is different from the rest of the monkeys. Once she said that, I could see slight differences in representation and I agree that those three are better than the rest.

The nemuri neko was also very interesting, not only for its craftsmanship but for its symbolism. It was much smaller than I had imagined, not even the size of an average cat. The idea that it is there to protect Tokugawa from the “mice” and isn’t really sleeping at all is appealing me. The larger idea is that the swallows on the reverse signify peace but the fact that the cat is not sleeping, merely resting, means that peace is not eternal.

Another thing I really enjoyed was going to the building with all of the dragons in it. They were each carved or painted slightly differently and all were interesting to see. My favorite part was the priest giving a talk, then making the noise with wooden blocks, letting the visitors hear the dragon. I was very impressed but the acoustics of the room, which allowed for a rather long echo with interesting qualities. Maybe it was a dragon, who am I to criticize when Nikko's gate is said to have near perfect symmetry.

I also went up an insane amount of stairs (it seriously tooka bout 8 minutes) after passing the nemuri neko to go up to where Tokugawa Ieyasu is actually enshrined. It's pretty fantastic, and the urn where his remains are is huge.

After a while at Toshogu, we went to Kegon Falls. To get up there, we used Iroha road, which was stressful. Going up and coming down, there are 27 curves each and each one is named after a sound in the old Japanese alphabet (which goes "i ro ha ni ho he to, etc.). It was also extremely steep and conducive to motion sickness - I got a wonderful headache form it. It was nice as waterfalls go, and certainly spectacular, but waterfalls can tend to look the same. Nonetheless, I did take pictures.

We then went to the hotel which surprised me in its swankiness. I was rooming with Liz, Priscilla, Melissa N. and Melissa C. and we were lucky enough to get one of the "party" rooms, which had 2 beds in it and a raised platform with a tea table, flat screen tv, chairs and room for futons on it. We had tea, changed into yukata (yes I wore a man's one - it fit better) and went to dinner. Dinner was...a lot of food. We had the obligatory pre-food speeches by Shin-san, a few words from Lee-san, and Malik-san. With dinner, we had plum wine and we all got to kampai which was fun. Dinner consisted of tempura that was cold, flan-like soup, a big piece of daikon in broth, chanko, vegetables cooked in butter, soba noodles, sashimi, a piece of yellowtail in mushroom sauce, and mushroom rice. Plus a dish of pickles and another of appetizer cubes of shrimp, cucumber and egg.

I was excited at this point because our hotel had outdoor onsen and I was ready to try them. So I went down, and the place was huge. According to the map, it was about twice the size of the men's onsen and I was about to find out why. In the women's side, the changing room had lockers and cubbies for clothes and whatnot. It was shaped something like an asymmetric "T" where the stem is the changing room, the left side the indoor onsen and adjoining rooms, and the right side the outdoor onsen.

Outside, there were three pools, from the door going hottest to coolest, and also graduating in size. I'd say the biggest one was about 15 feet by 15 feet, the middle one about 2/3 of that and the smallest one about 6 feet by 7 feet. There was also a smoking area with wooden chairs which I had to sit on, just to say I did it. At the far end, past the coolest pool, were three wooden single-person tubs, called nemuri neko onsen. They were scented in 3 different smells. I sat in the laurel one for a while, Liz tried rose, and Pris tried Lemongrass. In the biggest pool Pris and I had a good time walking on our hands around in circles, like koi fish. I am also not ashamed to admit that since we were alone, I swam in the onsen. It was big enough to do it and I wanted to be able to say I did it.

After a while we went inside to try the indoor one. It was the size of a swimming pool. It had the taps for washing, plus an attached sauna. In the onsen itself there were two waterfalls, plus a rock big enough to sit on (which I did even though I'm sure I wasn't supposed to) and a small grotto where it was quieter. There was also a small, hot tub-sized cold water pool; I tried it and that was a sensation I'd never had before nor care to have again.

Done with the onsen, we went into the dressing room, where there were about 20 vanities with complementary products. There were combs, a two-step facial cleanser, two kinds of lotion and makeup. Only in Japan. Plus a hairdryer.

We went back up to our room. Everyone from IES was housed together in the same block, which was kind of nice. Of course, parties were already underway, so we joined them for a while. Liz brought some really rancid apple wine that we finished off. The taste may never leave. Eventually people went into our room and played the Dinosaur drinking game which I didn't mind, although I did not participate. I'm a pretty happy spectator at these kind of events. Kim came in and tried to get me to drink and was being overly affectionate but that's neither here nor there and nothing happened in the end so it's all good.

Eventually I got tired of that and went out into the hall, where I found a group of 3 other people not interested in drinking games so I sat with them. Matt came out and wanted to give me my birthday hug. But it wasn't just that, oh no. He grabbed my hand and took me about 50 feet down the hall and talked with the three people there. He had one person pretend to play a shamisen, one chant "springtime, springtime" and one clap a beat. Then he had me run to him, which I did. I got a short hug, but then he picked me up in his arms and spun around with me for a good 30 seconds. It was great until he bonked my head against the wall, but it wasn't hard so I remember it fondly. He felt bad though, so we cuddled for a while, and Kim came out and pitched a fit until Casey came and ushered him into another room.

A little later, probably around 12:30 am, people came out of my room en masse. Kim and Liz were still in there and I wanted to go to sleep, but lo and behold...the door was locked. I was sexiled. Shin-san had come out to chat with us for a while. I learned a lot about him, including that he was married at a drive-through chapel in Vegas on Cinco de Mayo last year. I was really tired and ready for bed so I put on my pathetic face and pretty much went "Shin-san, I'm locked out of my room. Can I sleep in yours?"
"You got locked out?"
"No. There are people having sex in my room."
"Oh...who? Wait, no. Give me a minute." He rummaged around for a minute or so and then said he'd call Lee-san instead which I was fine with. Lee-san let me sleep in her room and Audrey came along. She asked what happened and I told her Liz and Kim were having sex in my room. I love the fact that everyone who knew reacted with disgust. We went to sleep and life was good.

The next morning we went to the onsen at 6 am and had a continental-style breakfast, with Japanese food. Liz was pissy (like she's been all the time and I'm starting to get sick of it) and I was delighted that Lisa made her mad by (rightly) asserting that the midwest is a void, with "cities" instead of cities. I ended up being left with Alex and Shin-san, and we discussed politics for half an hour before I had to go pack up to leave.

We got back on the bus and drove to Ryuo Ravine. Ryuo means "Dragon King" in Japanese, named that because the ravine is really twisted so it looks like a dragon. We went on a two hour hike through the ravine and the pictures will speak for that, more than anything I can say. It was a good time and the scenery was astounding.

We went afterwards to lunch, and then to do Nikko-bori, wood-carving. They use a knife specific to Nikko and parts of Korea for Nikko-bori. I learned I am terrible at Nikko-bori. I made a round tray with a design of momiji (maple) but it's pretty awful.

When everyone was done, we piled on the bus and came back to Makuhari. I went to Makuharihongo and took the train home to Yotsukaido. Thus ended the Nikko odyssey.

November 23 - Birthday Shopping

Because I wasn't here on my birthday, the 22nd, I went shopping for my present in Harajuku the 23rd. h.NAOTO, I love you. I also wanted to finish my photo project for Sensei. When I got there, I got off at the Takeshita exit, and took pictures as I went to the store. I have 4 h.NAOTO stores I usually go to. I go to the H, hEAVEN, 8 club, which are basement stores, and NAOTO SEVEN, which is on the B1.5 floor of Laforet depaato. First I looked around H, saw some earrings that I liked but that weren't what I had in mind for a 21st birthday present. I went to hEAVEN, where I bought some gifts for other people, and a handbag for me. I've always said if I bought a designer handbag, why spend the money on Louis Vuitton which is more expensive and ugly, when I could have h.NAOTO, which is cheaper, handmade, and awesome. I have no picture of it, so people will see it as I go places. hEAVEN also carries Hangry and Angry, and since I'm planning on getting a Suica, I might have to go back and get the card holder with them on it.

Anyway, after hEAVEN, I went to NAOTO SEVEN in Laforet. I lost the back to one of my earrings so I wanted to get a pair anyway, and I remembered the last time I was there they had some cheap ones. I looked around and found the ones I remembered (studs in the shape of screws). While I was there, I swear to god the designer came. An older guy was looking around the shop, asking what was selling, etc, and all the clerks were really respectful. I admit, I had been hoping to find a winter coat but they were all too expensive for how I felt about them. I never saw one that really made my jaw drop, so I didn't want to shell out hundreds of dollars for one I was blah about. When I bought my earrings, I got a cookie!! And a "Happy Merry Christmas!" I feel like this is a good time to mention that outside Laforet, they had a Christmas tree. An actual Christmas tree. It wasn't alive, and it's not what most people are thinking. When I say "tree" I mean "oak tree."

Thinking I'd go to Takeshita Street and grab a crepe from my favorite stand (there are about 6), I meandered that way, stopping in the not-secondhand-store from designers like h.NAOTO and Algonquins, where they send all the stuff from last season. Kind of like an outlet, where it's not dirt cheap but it's cheaper. No winter coats, so I gave up. I'd also have liked some pants, but my big American hips wouldn't go in. Japanese girls are seriously built like 12 year old boys, it seems. My favorite crepe stand is near the entrance to Takeshita Street, so I ended up about where I started, having gone in a big square. While eating my banan choco cream crepe, I struck up a conversation with a guy who was in Japan for work, staying in Asakusabashi. I directed him over to the Meiji Shrine if he wanted to see the crazy clothes. Once I was done, I realized I needed the earrings I first saw in H. So I made yet another circuit, glad they were still there. The thing about the h.NAOTO stores is that there's only one of a thing there each day. They don't put out two of anything unless it's on sale. Let me describe these earrings. They are studs, with mushrooms dangling from them and are made from sterling silver. For those who don't know, I love all things mushroom jewelry but it has to be tasteful. I can't wear ones from places like Claire's because they're cheap and give me ear infections. The ones I bought have spots on them that are carved in, ringed with black and the underside of the cap is black, just like a real mushroom. They were less than I'd pay for plain studs in the States, so it was a deal. I grabbed the earrings and browsed a bit. That was a little mistake, since I immediately saw a shirt I loved. This is the shirt. Who wouldn't love that, I ask you. Plus, there were two guys working in the shop as opposed to the one that was there when I first went it.* I attracted the attention of a sales girl** and asked her to hold my items until I was ready to try on the shirt. I did, and I'll have to wear a tank top underneath because it's not cut for a bra or for braless, but it's fantastic. And the ribbons match the ones on my hat. These clothes really make me feel awesome, which is dangerous. I had to buy the shirt too, even though it wasn't technically in my budget. I figure I've been saving for 4 years, and this is the first time I've gone outside some set amount I had in mind since I've been here. Not too bad, if I do say so.

*I have a theory about guys in h.NAOTO. The clothes make them hot. Neither one of the guys was physically that attractive without the outfit. But in the whole getup, the pants, shirt, jacket, jewelry, shoes and acessories, the guy becomes really attractive. I can't explain why this is, I just know it's a fact. Also, everyone who works there has at least 3 facial piercings, 6 if you count ears. It's awesome.

**Because it's a serious designer, and an upscale line, there's a big difference in how you're treated. I don't know how it is in other stores like h.NAOTO, but I'm sure it's the same. You go in and a sales person sort of claims you. They're the first person who comes up and asks if you're ok, or if you want them to put aside what you've got, or if you need a dressing room. I like h.NAOTO sales people. This is rare for me. I like them because they leave you alone after the first enquiry until you either have more merchandise or you go to them. It leaves you free to browse and I appreciate that. When you try something on, your sales person waits outside the room. They make recommendations if you ask, they'll talk to you about how the product is made and then they'll go away while you browse. They don't even watch you, they do work. Once you're ready, they ring you up and package your stuff. Japan as a whole overpackages like no tomorrow. In h.NAOTO, for example, when I bought my earrings and the shirt, they took the earrings off the carboard, put them in a black plastic bag, used a sticker to tape it shut, folded the shirt, put it in a plastic bag, put the earrings in there, shut it with a sticker and then put it into a cloth carrying bag. Once your purchase is complete, they walk with you to the front door carrying your bag, then usher you over the threshold (that has cultural significance in terms of manners), hand you your bag, and bow while thanking you.

I was happy with my purchases, and went back the way I came, via Meiji Shrine instead of Takeshita Street. On the way, I stopped in one more store. I needed to buy some sort of glove because the ones I brought were leather and due to overexposure to moisture, the fingers were scaly and getting holes in them. I was fine spending money on that because it was a necessity not a luxury. I found some fingerless gloves that have a mitten flap that buttons back, and that you can pull over your fingers for mittens. They're insulated too, so I'm happy with them too.

I hopped on the train (I love Yamanote-sen, it's so amazingly user-friendly) and caught the rapid to Narita Airport, getting home about 6 pm. I had dinner with Okasan, and was surprised because she bought me Aichi pottery (Aichi is famous for pottery) and also cake for my birthday! She didn't sing either! Life was so good. She gave me a birthday present too - my ticket to Disneyland! On it....it says "Stockholder Passport." Don't you have to have a fair amount to get one of those? Ah well.

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Photos

Toshogu
Nemuri neko

Toshogu
It's Tokugawa Ieyasu! In the flesh! ...or, ash, really.