This past weekend I once again took off for another country. Though I didn't do anything so political as North Korea again, I did venture to one of the most expensive cities in the world, Tokyo. I only spent 4 days and 3 nights in the city but that was enough to get a taste of things.
The first night, a friend and I went to see the famous Tokyo Tower. I've heard a lot about this since middle school through the popular fiction /comic books call anime. It is much smaller than the Eiffel tower, though it really looks like it, and is actually a functioning radio tower.
Inside the tower there is a wax museum that is not really worth mentioning except for a life size wax model of "The Last Supper" complete with a bible reading audio accompaniment. It was... strange
One of the best things about Japan is western stars supplement their income by doing advertisements here where they think no one from back home will see. Thus George Clooney promoting a minivan.
Another place we went to was Shibuya Crossing. Just another famous (and crowed) area I've heard a lot about. Think Time Square but bigger.
And of course Love Hotel Hill. A collection of themed love hotels for businessmen and students alike, all with different services and specialties.
Something I'd heard about but thought was a stereotype was that Japanese will read books but don't actually by them. This is true.
And did I mention crowds. So Seoul is around 10million people; Tokyo is over 26 million! and yet the city is not really any large physically than Seoul. Here is a typical noddle place at lunch time. Some people are craving foods when they return home I'm craving an open field with no one in it.
Of course I went to Harajuku, home of the famous Tokyo street fashion, that inspired Gwen Stefani and numerous cos-players. Many people walk the streets in punk, lolita and rockabilly fashions but they are fussy about pictures. The clothes themselves were very pretty but super expensive.
And then randomly we stumbled upon and international iceskating competition. So we went.
This is just the subway line stop but it was probably the most "japanese" thing we saw outside the temples. I don't know what the little houses at the base are for.
And of course here is Mackenzie at the best bar ever- Beersaurus
We also visited Ueno Park where the final battle of "the last samurai" story takes place. This is where Ken Watanabe/ Saigo Takamori stood up against the emperor and died defending the old ways of the samurai. (I wrote a paper on it in high school so this was very exciting for me) There was also a picturesque Shinto shrine there, which is where the picture is from.
And then just some more Japanese weirdness
Ahhh, the people!
But after wading there a half kilometer of souvenirs, pickpockets and tourists there was this cool Buddhist temple.
So, this is probably my last post for this semester. I have no future plans in Korea for this year and exams start this week. But I will be home in 13 days, so see you all soon.
The Library
Ki Sung with the library and Taekwondo gym in the background.
Me, note the cute mittens!
Ki Sung
Our mascot
and my classroom building directly next to my dorm.
More snow is to come and everyone says I'll hate it in a week. We'll see.
Inside the tower there is a wax museum that is not really worth mentioning except for a life size wax model of "The Last Supper" complete with a bible reading audio accompaniment. It was... strange
One of the best things about Japan is western stars supplement their income by doing advertisements here where they think no one from back home will see. Thus George Clooney promoting a minivan.
Another place we went to was Shibuya Crossing. Just another famous (and crowed) area I've heard a lot about. Think Time Square but bigger.
And of course Love Hotel Hill. A collection of themed love hotels for businessmen and students alike, all with different services and specialties.
Something I'd heard about but thought was a stereotype was that Japanese will read books but don't actually by them. This is true.
And did I mention crowds. So Seoul is around 10million people; Tokyo is over 26 million! and yet the city is not really any large physically than Seoul. Here is a typical noddle place at lunch time. Some people are craving foods when they return home I'm craving an open field with no one in it.
Of course I went to Harajuku, home of the famous Tokyo street fashion, that inspired Gwen Stefani and numerous cos-players. Many people walk the streets in punk, lolita and rockabilly fashions but they are fussy about pictures. The clothes themselves were very pretty but super expensive.
And then randomly we stumbled upon and international iceskating competition. So we went.
This is just the subway line stop but it was probably the most "japanese" thing we saw outside the temples. I don't know what the little houses at the base are for.
And of course here is Mackenzie at the best bar ever- Beersaurus
We also visited Ueno Park where the final battle of "the last samurai" story takes place. This is where Ken Watanabe/ Saigo Takamori stood up against the emperor and died defending the old ways of the samurai. (I wrote a paper on it in high school so this was very exciting for me) There was also a picturesque Shinto shrine there, which is where the picture is from.
And then just some more Japanese weirdness
Ahhh, the people!
But after wading there a half kilometer of souvenirs, pickpockets and tourists there was this cool Buddhist temple.
