Going to Shinjuku!

Now that I’ve gotten used to living in Tokyo, my friends and I have started to explore more of the city. Lucky for me, I’ve made some friends who really know about the events going on this time of year so that I won’t miss out on anything. For example, last Sunday, I went to my very first Japanese festival in Shinjuku. I knew a little of what to expect by seeing festivals portrayed through anime, but going to see the actual thing was a completely different experience. There I ate new, amazing food, saw an interesting shrine, won some cool prizes, and even saw the Sasaki Osamu Band perform Yes Man, a parody of YMCA. It was truly a wonderful night. Going to the stands also gave me a chance to try out my Japanese. It still needs some work, seeing how I accidentally ordered sweet buns instead of a pork bun (they were tasty though). I’ll have plenty of time to improve on that, especially since it seems like Elements I runs at a very quick pace. Thankfully the course hasn’t gotten too difficult yet.

Since my last post, I have also been spending some time with the Video Gamers Club. Surprisingly, the club is about a lot more than just playing video games. Sure, when a large amount of members are together in the club room, everyone gathers around to take turns playing Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U, but most of the time, the other members play board games or just talk and have a good time. The games played are very interesting, and I doubt any of my friends would know how to play them back home. I’ve been to the club three times so far, and I’ve already learned a few card games and even Mahjong, which always piqued my interest. I’m glad I finally found a group of people who knew the rules to teach me how to play. The Video Gamers Club has been a fun way to pass time, and I already feel like I’m making new friends there.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see much of Shinjuku other than the festival, but I heard it is a great section of the city on its own, so I definitely want to go back there to explore. Luckily, I’ll be able to later this week when I go to the Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition. This is an event that shows the art of Japanese flower arranging. I’m not sure exactly what to expect, but I feel like I’m in for a beautiful display. I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures to put in my next blog.  Until then, Sayōnara from Japan!