As of now, I have been in Japan for over three weeks; and honestly I cannot believe how that is possible. It feels as though I have been here for only a few days and an eternity at the same time. Daily life has become comfortable enough where I know when to leave to catch the express train to school, yet hasn’t become routine because everyday I’m doing something I’ve never done before.
I’ve finally gotten used to my work and school schedule and I’m able to manage my time better now. Everything I’m learning in class is actually very interesting to me and I feel very secure in my choice of education here. My professor is not only a great teacher but also a really cool guy I can get to know and be friends with. He can even make art history, a relatively monotonous subject, very interesting and easy to digest.
This past week or so I’ve gotten pretty sick, but that hasn’t stopped me from going out and exploring this beautiful country! My weekends are packed full of adventures out with my new friends. This past Friday, my friends and I went to an okonomiyaki/monjayaki restaurant in Harajuku called Sakura Tei. At this restaurant, you order what you want and you get a bowl of raw ingredients you get to cook on the grill in front of you. Three of us ended up ordering the same thing so we decided to combine all of our ingredients and create one ultra-monjayaki. It was truly a work of art.
Over the weekend I met up with an old friend who lives here in Tokyo. We went to an aquarium in Shinagawa and got to see cute seals and dolphins as well many interesting fish.
The rest of my week consisted of class and work. My internship actually sent me out to Gotokuji temple so I could go take pictures of the place and take notes for an article I’ll have to write for the website. Gotokuji was a great experience because it took me away from the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo. I got to walk along narrow streets with the local residents; as far as I could tell, I was the only foreigner there. It was really peaceful and humbling to experience.
Gotojuki Temple is famous for the maneki neko, or beckoning cats. The cats of the temple are said to bring good luck and fortune to those who pray and make offers. As I have been sick for over a week, I purchased a small cat statue with hopes of getting better soon. The man who sold me the cat told me I should take the cat home with me and if my wish comes true I should return to the temple and add my cat to the collection. Hopefully I’ll get to return soon!
