In the Time of Sakura

When I came to Japan, I made a list of things I would need to do while I'm here. Some are location-specific activities like go scuba diving in Okinawa, or visit the Sapporo factory in Hokkaido. A few aren't travel related at all and can be done anywhere (like finish the One Piece series in Japanese). I have others, though, that can be done only during certain times of year, such as visiting a shrine in Japan on New Year’s. However, there is one activity that I've wanted to do well before I made this list: "Drink underneath the cherry blossoms."

I can't remember where I read about it, but I do remember what it described. Every year, the blooming sakura represents the first sign of spring. Japan's cherry blossoms starts in the south and work their way northward as the weather gets warmer. When it reaches an area, everyone goes outside to celebrate the end of winter. It includes picnics, parties, BBQ's, games, singing, and drinking. The article continued to mention that this is the one chance a year for the usually reserved Japanese to completely relax and have a good time. People can drop all pretexts and fronts, and a sort of "anything goes" mentality takes over.

At the time I read about it, I was hooked. I knew then that I had to do this. It became one of the reasons why I came to Japan.

Lunch break outside Kokura Castle

I wasn't disappointed. It was everything that I had hoped it would be. But as cliché as sounds, it's hard to describe in words. (In my defense, many Japanese poets spend years trying to describe the beauty of 桜.) What I can say is that I was stunned by the sheer number of blossoms. At its peak, it was spectacular. It was simply an unparalleled experience.

To be honest, I actually missed the start of the cherry blossoms because I was in Taipei. That's not to say I didn't make up for it later... I think I did 花見 around 5 or 6 times. (Notice it isn’t an exact number. That week was kind of a blur.) We sat under the trees during our lunch break when we were at the office. (Just bento... I mean, drinking would have been irresponsible.) At night, I went with a few others for a cheeky チューハイ after Japanese class. The day before school, we had a proper picnic as we fired up the grill and celebrated our last day of Spring Vacation.
 

Notice the limited-edition 花見 can

Each time was different too. As I mentioned before, anything goes. Things that wouldn't be necessarily appropriate normally was now perfectly acceptable (or at least, overlooked). Japanese men passed out under trees… before noon? Sure, it’s hanami. A grandpa drunkenly making out with his wife… in front of children? Meh, the kids are playing anyway... maybe they won't notice. Calling over and sharing food and drinks with strangers… just because you notice they are foreigners?

Yeah... don't really remember taking this picture...

Good food, good company, good times, and all it all, it was just good fun. I can understand why it's such a longstanding tradition--what better way to celebrate the coming of spring than 花見? So even though I had, "Drink underneath the cherry blossoms," only once on my list, you'll definitely see me out there again next year.


さくら咲く
ひらひら、散った
もう懐かしい

Budget Travel - The World on a Shoestring

So I’m giving a guest lecture for Seinan Jo Gakuin’s English Department. At first, I couldn’t decide what to talk about. I thought about it for a bit, and instead of choosing something more… academic, I decided to do something more fun.

Besides… did I mention that it’s 西南女学院？

I've found that many people in Japan use travel agents to book trips. I'm sure you've seen them--bus loads of Japanese tourists visiting sights throughout the world. But even though many Japanese love traveling, it seems that the backpacking culture so prevalent amongst other nationalities is not as popular. So while I’m by no means an expert, I can share tips and stories from my travels. I can talk about my favorite hobby and promote what I think is a better way to travel.

Or at least show there are ways to travel that don't involve following a tour guide with a brightly colored umbrella.


If you have any tips of your own, please comment and let me know.

Signs, Snakes, and 7-Elevens

Taiwan was not what I had expected. I was expecting it to be stimulation overload mixed with heaps of culture shock. And though it was different than Japan, I think I had more culture shock going to Korea, or even Hawaii, than I did in Taipei. 

This seemed strange to me at the time. Why did I feel so at ease in Taipei? So after finishing my trip and looking through my photos, I came up with 3 possible reasons as to why this was.

1) Writing:

I know I said Korea felt like Japan, and I know Korean is gramatically similar to Japanese. And even though the Korean alphabet reminded me of katakana, it didn't look like Japanese. Chinese, however... it is Japanese (or rather, Japanese kanji comes from Chinese characters). This by itself made Taipei feel like Japan. I can't understand everything (I'd say it's well less than half). Yet there is comfort in being able to read the same signs I do in Japan. Even knowing where to find an exit, 出口, makes traveling in a foreign country a lot less intimidating.

This proved to be particularly helpful in restaurants. Granted we couldn't read what was said (though sometimes our guess in Japanese was similar minus the intonations). However, when we saw something on a menu, we could break it down. “Hmmm... 牛肉 something... 油 with something... something else... and 麺. That sounds good. Let's get this oily beef noodles dish.” 

This leads into the next topic...

Sometimes being able to read it made it worse...

2) Weird food:

I wouldn't say I go out of my way to eat weird stuff. However, if the opportunity presents itself, it is a good cultural experience. In Taipei, these opportunities were plentiful. In order of weirdness factor from least to most, I ate chicken feet (semi-normal), stinky tofu (no joke, it was really stinky), ostrich yakitori, various snake parts in liquid form, and a bug jello-like concoction. 

I can't seem to keep away from snake...

So Taipei has its weird food. But what about Japan? Many cultures find the idea of raw fish repulsive. That may not be strange for you (or me), but I've also had both chicken and beef prepared as sashimi. And basashi... well, not many other cultures eat horse meat cooked, much less raw. I still think the best/craziest culinary experience for me is when I had squid so fresh, the tentacles were still writhing about and sticking to the roof of my mouth as I ate it.

In other words, Japan has its weird moments too. So although the food culture is vastly different in Taiwan (night markets are awesome), the weirdness factor of its dishes didn't faze me... well, at least no more than Japan.

3) Convenience:

Taipei reminded me of Japan in terms of convenience. First of all, much like Japan, the public transportation is excellent. We never waited longer than 4 minutes for a train and most of the time, we would board well within a minute. We even went to Beitou, the once difficult to reach, northernmost district, now just an easy MRT ride away.

I can't talk about convenience without at least mentioning convenience stores. Japan has a コンビニ every block. This may be a slight exaggeration (very slight), but you never have to walk very far to get a drink, grab a snack, or find an ATM. 

As for Taipei...

Yes this is a picture of a 7-Eleven from inside another 7-Eleven.

Seems the same to me...

Spam, Eggs, and Rice

Hawaiian culture is like Spam, eggs, and rice.

The American culture present in Hawaii would be the eggs. It is, after all, the 50th state. What makes it American? Well, besides the fact that English is spoken and the dollar is accepted, it still feels like the mainland. You have burger joints, pizzerias, and taco trucks all on the same block. People across all races and cultures mix together creating a melting pot.

Want some pizza with that ramen?

Unlike the mainland, though, there is a stronger Asian influence that is apparent in everyday life. Most noticeable is Japanese culture. Since Hawaii caters to Japanese tourists, many stores and restaurants will have signs in Japanese. Some malls and stores won't even bother English at all. Moreover, Japanese is commonly heard on the street, particularly in more touristy areas. 

However, you can't say it's only the flocks of Japanese tourists that make Hawaii seem like Japan. For example, for you Hawaiians out there, how do you say 'yakiniku' in English? This influence of Japanese culture is not limited to the language either. Hawaii may be lacking the ever present コンビニ, but at least in Waikiki, how far do you have to walk to find an ABC store? (Answer: 1 block) They sell everything from beach gear to gifts to booze to... spam musubi? It's like a Hawaiian Famima

So in our breakfast analogy, this part of Hawaiian culture is the rice.

"Wait, Hawaii isn't it's own country?" -Common Japanese Misconception

Yet even with these two cultures, Oahu has managed to maintain its own, well, Hawaiian-ness. The Spam, so to speak. Locals use the 'hang loose' sign to mean chill out. When you don't hear English or Japanese, you'll hear 'Pigeon,' a pidgin English and Hawaiian mix. And even if you don't understand a word of it, you pick up aloha and mohalo pretty quick--from the moment you step off the plane, you hear them used constantly.

Put them all together and we create the perfect breakfast that is uniquely Hawaii.

Spam, eggs, and rice--even at McDonalds

The result is a destination that may be touristy, but it's touristy for a reason. Its amazing weather, friendly locals, and scenic beauty notwithstanding, Hawaii's blend of mainland, Asian, and Pacific Island influences provides a cultural experience that is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.

So to Hawaii, I say Aloha for now, maholo for a great trip, and a hui hou!

Reverse Culture Shock

Don't get me wrong. I still have my American tendencies. I'm loud when I laugh. I like standing out when the occasion calls for it. I love my McDonalds. However, I have had a bit of reverse culture shock coming back to the states. I noticed it right away, and in just these few days, I've accumulated a short list of... things I appreciate about Japan. Below are some of my observations after living abroad for over half a year.

--Price of soft drinks
In Japan, I can be sure that a bottle of soda will cost 150 yen and a can 120 yen. Anything less (like a 100 yen vending machine or buying a bottle of soda for 88 yen at a grocery store) is a steal. However, most of the time, I can be assured that I will get ripped off no matter where I go. It's sort of nice to know--no matter what I do, which Lawson or 7/11 I go to, the price is uniformly expensive. Everyone is equally screwed.

In Hawaii/USA, the price varies depending on where you go. Some stores will sell it for a lot more (like an ABC store versus a Longs Drugs). It may still be cheaper than getting a drink in Japan, but it sucks to buy a 20 oz. soda for $2 only to find a vending machine down the street that sells it for $1.25. It's not the price. It's the principle.

--Being able to cuss/use slang without being understood
Don't lie--you do it too. When you can use words that would make a sailor blush because you know people around you don't understand... it's sort of natural to let loose. English in Japan is spoken somewhat (though less so in my area), but when you use slang and other colorful language, most people won't understand (with the exception of the F-word).

In other words, I have to watch my mouth in front here. I mean, think of the kids.

--Talking on your cell phone on public transportation
I know it's really not that big of a deal, and I used to do it too. But seriously? If you're going to talk on the phone on a bus, use an indoor voice. Your cell phone microphone picks up your voice fine, so there's no reason to raise your voice as if you're talking on a Nokia brick from the 90's.

In Japan, I've gotten scolded by an obachan only once for answering my phone on a bus. That was enough.

--Driving on the right side of the street
Not too much to say about this one, except that I've had my life flash before my eyes a few times because I now look the wrong way for oncoming traffic.

--Really obese people
Definitely rude of me to say, but I gotta say it--some of us Americans are monstrous. I definitely caught myself staring at someone the size of 4 fully-grown Japanese girls.

Even with my reverse culture shock, I must admit, it is nice being back in the states. It's comforting. I've forgotten how much I've missed the little things, like being able to read signs perfectly, seeing ethnic diversity, or even getting unlimited refills on soda.

Being that it's Hawaii definitely helps, too.

Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, Hawaii