| Where do I begin?!?! Ive been in the Osaka-Kansai area since Tuesday night, and it has been a wonderful time. This area, which some say is the cultural as well as the culinary hub of Japan, has been incredibly delightful to hang out in. I would say that Ive gained many pounds just by being here, but Ive walked around so much to see some awesome sights, Im not sure if I gained much!
The highlight of being here has been visiting Kyoto, once for a short while the capitol of Japan. Kyoto, home of the geisha, the Tokugawa Shogunate, and other interesting pieces of Japan is a quaint big city, much like Boston or Seattle. There are grand temple complexes set in the mountainside, right next to large towers and modern train stations. While in Kyoto we stayed in a ryokan, a traditional japanese inn, all set with a "furo" or japanese communal bathing area where you can soak your worries as well as the kinks in your muscles away. Here are some of the many highlights of being in the Osaka-Kobe-Nara-Kyoto-Kansai area!
-Soaking in a Japanese "furo". I was lucky to have the whole bath to myself. So I quickly washed off and sat in this steaming hot bath for a while undisturbed. It probably wouldnt have been so restful if there were other people with me in the bath. Dont worry, its separated by sex, but for a culture that is highly polite and private, having a communal bath as an ordinary part of life is quite shocking!
-Food. From trying out "Okonomiyaki" or a Japanase meal omelette, to eating "Takoyaki", octopus based balls, to eating the best, and I swear, the best Katsu I have ever had in the world, the cuisine in Osaka is amazing! I am loving every meal I get to eat here!
-The Modern melding with the Traditional. Japan is a culture that has many contrasts. One of them being the existence of modern societal artifacts being seen right along traditional societal artifacts. You can literally observe dozens of temples, either shinto or buddhist, that exist right next door to a skyscraper, or subway station, or modern freeway. Its amazing, the fact that traditional society exists in a quite modern society. There is tension, but seeing both in the same place is quite beautiful. The temples are amazing. Places of solitude (if you can beat the tourist busloads) that exist right next to the noise and rumble of everyday modern life in Japan.
-Geisha Hunting. One day after touring Kyoto, home of the Geisha, my friend Lory, who is Japanese American and has been living in Japan for 5 years, leads us to Gion, the ancient Geisha district of Kyoto. She has been here before and wanted to show us the area where the Geisha's live. Now Giesha's, there are only about 1,000 left in Japan, are NOT glorified prostitutes. Western culture, because of misunderstanding and also because Westerners had the undeniable habit of exoticizing all that was Asian, has cast the geisha as a glorified expensive prostitute to be had by the powerful and wealthy. This is simply not true and is quite unfortunate.
Anyway, moving on with my story, while we are walking in a part of Gion, a taxi passes us by on the street and Lory yelps out, "I saw white faces inside!!!" I think to myself, "so what Lory, Ive seen a lot of white people in Japan..." Lory bolts after the taxi, busts out her camera, and starts flashing pictures of two geisha's (or probably maiko's, geisha's in training) who are hiding there faces as they run into an expensive restaurant from their taxi. Myself and two other friends are dumbfounded as we watch this scene unfold from 30 feet away. We are more caught off guard by the sight of Lory bounding after the taxi than by the welcomed suprise of seeing two geisha clad in their kimono's and white makeup! Later we laugh at ourselves, especially Lory, thinking, "now who is the tourist here?!?!?!"
-Eating Korean food in Kobe: Lory, a schoolteachere here in Osaka, has gotten to know many people here in Japan. Last night, the two Korean-Japanese parents of one of her students, takes us to Kobe to eat some awesome Korean Yakiniku (grill your own food). Awesome!
Being in Osaka has been wonderful, the sights, sounds, smells and especially tastes of Japan has been great. I leave Japan tomorrow, dont want to leave, but cant wait to get home! |
