Returning

I'll be returning back to the UK on Feb 3rd for about a month and a half. I need to work and make money in order to live out here. Surprisingly and pleasingly, British Airways was the cheapest flight. Hopefully I won't be ill for a few days after the flight this time.

In the meantime I've got a little bit of Uni work to do. One short essay and one take-home exam. Neither should be particularly hard. The essay will need a lot of research though as I know nothing about the topic.

Christmas and New Year

Christmas came and went in Japan. Stores had the music, the decorations and the cheap Christmas tat but when the actual day came, Tokyo seemed exactly the same as any other day. I didn't do much because my partner-in-crime was ill. Got some nice presents though.

The New Year was pretty much the opposite. There wasn't much build-up to it but on New Years Eve the shops had been hit by a housewife tornado. The next day, Tokyo looked like some post-apocalyptic ruin. Nothing was open. I celebrated by going to bed at 9pm. Hardcore.

The picture above is from the Christmas party which the Hirabayashis held. Very nice food and we were all dozing off afterwards watching England on the TV. Mark bought After Eights to make sure it was like a proper Christmas :)

I'm partially back to Meiji Uni next week. Business classes only. Far too much work.

Une petit update

One more Japanese lesson before I'm on Christmas holidays. Although I'll still have the few business lessons, the next Japanese lesson won't be for a few months. Slackers. I'll be celebrating Christmas on the 24th and hopefully going to a nice restaurant :)

Been quite cold recently (I should have brought a coat really...) and we haven't done much of note. Christmas shopping, watching 24, class play, etc.

I've attached a random picture. It's where the majority of my lessons are based; in a place called Ochanomizu. Meaning 'tea water'.

Random Update

Been a while since I wrote anything on here. I haven't particularly done anything of interest. Just going round random places, eating random things. I've also been ill with (possibly) food poisoning. Ho hum.

I think I'm coming to the end of my first term at Meiji. Well, at least the Japanese classes. I have 3 weeks left of those and then I break for Christmas on 24th December - cutting it fine. I still have business classes after that but I only have 3 of those. I'll basically be on holiday for a few months before I go on real holiday...

I also have a new found irritation concerning Japanese people and cameras. The photo I've added is from a place called Koishikawa Korakuen; a small park in central Tokyo. Now the one photo I took was enough for me but Japanese people seem to take a photo every 5 steps. At the beginning I was considerate and waited while they took the photo before going past them but now I don't care and just continue on walking.

Odaiba, Imperial Palace

Went to Odaiba and the Imperial Palace this weekend. We've got about 5 places to left to go to before we're truly out of ideas and just spend every day sitting around...

Odaiba is a man-made island type thing around the Tokyo Bay area. Generally not that much there to do bar from walking around and looking at 'proper Tokyo' from the other side of the water. Seemed to be the place to go if you want to walk your dog too. On a side note I've started noticing people doing photo-shoots of their dogs, with some dressed up in strange dog clothes. It's weird.

The Imperial Palace is near the main Tokyo station. (Yeah, smooth segway) A note about train stations: whereas in England a big train station will consist of a few platforms and maybe a Starbucks and WHSmith, in Japan it's possible to go to a train station and never actually set foot outside it. Supermarkets, restaurants, hairdressers etc. can also be found in them.

The area surrounding Tokyo Station is fairly posh with designer shops and branch headquarters (I think) of the big Japanese companies. And there's a palace. Which is also quite posh. Innit.

Tomorrow I'm revisiting Yokohama. If it doesn't rain.

Mt. Takao

Went up Mt. Takao for a bit of fresh air. Takes about half an hour on the train - luckily we're fairly near to it.

We were lazy and didn't do the main hiking part which is stupidly steep. There's a cable car/cable ski lift thing which can take you up 2/3 of the way so we opted for that. Once you get that far up it's basically a nice walk to the top.

There's a smattering of autumn leaves about but I think we were a bit too early. The adverts on trains have a lot more of it on show...

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Went to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. It's my new favourite place in Tokyo. Maybe this is because I'm fed up of the endless streets, train tracks and back alleys found in Tokyo. Concrete buildings get boring.

It was 200 yen to enter and this makes all the difference. The small price prevents the crowds coming in and ruining the place. Even though it was a sunny Sunday afternoon there were not too many around the park considering its size and it was very quiet. Perfect.

There were a couple of themed gardens in the park. One of them said it was an English style garden. However, it looked to us like a big field. Maybe my dog had eaten all the plants?

The Japanese garden was really nice though. All the Japanese seemed to be just interested in the new chrysanthemums (got that right in one, thank you very much) which I don't understand. They're ugly as sin. If you're reading this and thinking of sending me flowers: send tulips. Cheers.