Somehow, it has officially been over three weeks since my peers and I arrived in Japan – in case you needed any further proof that time is a fake concept. Joking aside, it is hard to believe that I’m soon to be a third of the way through my TUJ experience. From konbini ticket machine misadventures to early evening trips to beautiful districts like Ginza, I feel as fascinated with Tokyo as when I arrived, and only a bit less vulnerable. Yet, even with what feels like base knowledge of language and Japanese life, I am adapting fairly quickly – to my commute to and from school, sorting through Yen coins (for which, up to the equivalent of ¥500 exists!), and even interactions with local people.
In addition, my TUJ classes have guaranteed I’m never deprived of knowledge about my host country. In East Asia & the United States, I’ve been learning about Japan’s past and current international relationships. Surprisingly, I’ve also found my Practical Japanese for Study Abroad Students to be at least just as much about Japanese culture as it as about language. Though this was not what I was expecting from a “practical” course, our studies on cultural elements (such as amae, Shintoism and Buddhism, wabi-sabi, and the Japanese school system) have been just as rewarding. I also think, revisiting what “practical” can mean, learning the culture of a host country can be just as important as learning language.
I’ve been trying to apply my cumulative knowledge about both Japanese language and culture as I continue to explore the city, while alone and with friends. This week’s adventures haven’t included any formal trips, but have been enriching nonetheless. Last Sunday, I visited Ikebukuro for the first time with a friend. After successfully communicating with waiters and ordering food at a café, I visited Sunshine City, an indoor complex that includes Sky Circus and a Pokémon Center that we stopped in. The former is an interactive observatory on the building’s 60th floor, complete with its own café and gift shop. Excluding additional VR experiences, the trip was relatively affordable, at the price of ¥900 for students. I hope to return soon with friends for a night visit – as the mysterious message below suggests.
Most recently, I visited Gotokuji Temple with a friend for a work assignment of hers (fellow Temple Japan blogger Richel!). Gotokuji Temple, located in Setagaya Ward, is also referred to as the “Cat Temple.” Hundreds of Japan’s famous cat figurines (maneki neko) were featured there. As our contact at the temple explained, visitors buy figurines to bring home and make a wish or prayer. If that desire comes true, you are meant to return to the temple and add your figurine to the altar.
Grabbing lunch afterwards, we came across a small restaurant named “PIZZA & WINE.” The only patrons present, we thoroughly enjoyed a ¥800, full-sized pizza. We also quickly noticed how the restaurant was exclusively playing obscure Michael Jackson tunes, and that Dreamwork’s Puss in Boots was playing on a flat-screen television. It was a peculiarity in a traditional, small, and residential neighborhood that I found both humorous and representative of the unique and multifaceted nature of Tokyo. Overall, I was glad to have stopped to breathe, eat and observe in yet another fascinating area of the city.
