Well as you know, we've left Japan. We're back in the good 'ol US of A. And the trip back was quite nice with all our travel plans being made well in advance. On the way over, we were exhausted; we carried WAY too much luggage; we stayed in two temporary locations before finding an apt. It was planned, but the plan was not without its holes. This time, we were rather determined to make the transition at least 10 times more smooth.



We started by carefully checking the flight date and time and chose to fly with Korean Air. To get our tickets, we went through JTB. If you are ever in Japan to traveling through Japan, I highly recommend JTB. They know what they're talking about. And, they're really friendly. And it doesn't feel like a fake-customer service friendly. It feels genuine. Tickets reserved, we went about making other arrangements. We decided to leave Nagoya one day before our flight to the US. That way, we could spend a night in a hotel near the Tokyo airport and not have to worry about getting from Nagoya to Tokyo Narita for our flight on the same day. For this, we reserved a room at Crown Plaza. Next, we needed Shinkansen tickets to get from Nagoya to Tokyo to Narita (airport). Once again, we went to JTB. Not only did they get our tickets, but they also provided us with an appropriate map that showed us how to get from the station exit to the hotel shuttle stop. Again, very helpful.

That left arranging to turn off utilities and setting up the walk through with our landlord. Our rental agency set up dates and we just had to be there to pay. We were extremely fortunate to have a fair landlord. We had heard horrendous stories of tenants being charged exorbitant amounts (in the thousands) for this that and the other. We were worried because we had managed to dig a giant (very noticeable) hole in one part of the tatami floor in our living room. If you ever have tatami floor, don't put a desk chair down on it. Just friendly advice, as it will dig a hole in your floor too. Anyway, we managed to get out of the lease with a very reasonable price for the floor repair. Our landlord, his appraiser, and our rental agency representative all agreed to the terms. We signed on the dotted line and left.

The actual trip from Nagoya to Tokyo was easy enough. We were a bit disappointed because the weather was bad and we couldn't see Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen window. However, we made it to the hotel just fine. The hotel was very nice. In fact, it had restaurants at the top where we could have paid 75 to 100 bucks a person. We didn't. But that's the kind of hotel it was, I guess. The next day, we made it to the airport with plenty of time and sat down for lunch inside the gate. I had udon, Christopher had tekkadon. We figured it was the last time we could eat authentic Japanese food so cheaply. And that's at airport prices.

The flight was good, as far as international flights go. Based on this flight, I would fly Korean Air again. The food was not bad, the service was prompt and efficient. Their guest baggie included a travel toothbrush and toothpaste. I thought that was nice.

Finally, we landed in LAX on the 18th of December. Since then, we've been hangin with all members of both families, settling in, and getting back into the swing.

I hope you've enjoyed the blog. Keep checking back, we may keep it up and add in stories and photos that didn't make it in the first round. Or, we may add new ones from stateside.

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In the corporate culture of Japan, there is a strong push to go out with one's co-workers. Generally speaking, I think this is also true in the US. However, it is not to quite the same extent at it is here. In some cases, salesmen go out drinking with their clients on a weekly basis. All this is to say, that when there is an office party, all are expected to attend or have a good excuse as to why they can't. So, I have been to 4 or 5 work organized, or work related events. And I think that's the low end. Anyway, this weekend was my office's x-mas party, and I have to admit that it was the best office party I've been to yet.



The party was at a bar called Tatula. It is also a bartenders' school, just fyi. The bar was rather small. It held four large tables of 6-8 people and about 12 people could sit at the bar itself. We met our co-workers down the street about 15 minutes before the party began. Of course, our boss gave a short speech at pre-determined moments throughout the night. So, after the first of these we all headed indoors to the bar. Inside we sat with our students and tried to intersperse ourselves the best we could. Our staff and students filled every seat in the place.

The food was also better than any other party food I'd had. It's true that at these parties, food is a bit stingy, but at least the quality was good. :) And drinks were free, so we were drinking plum wine. If you have never tried plum wine, I highly recommend it. It's rather sweet, almost like a dessert wine, but still tasty with appetizers.

We happened to sit with some students who I really like, so I was happy to talk to them about their holiday (New Year's) plans, what kind of coffee they prefer, where is the best place in Nagoya to eat shrimp, and various other topics. 2 hours flew by pretty fast. Then the bartenders put on a show. They threw around bottles and glasses to a crazy techno beat. Everyone was clapping and having a good time. One bartender even blew fire. He only did it once, but still. The atmosphere was great.

Then, after the party, everyone hung around outside chatting. You could tell that everyone was enjoying themselves. Some of our students are still in the beginning levels of English, but it certainly didn't stop them from enjoying the shindig. And we had a great time too. :)

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Nagoya is a big city with a lot to do. There are bars, clubs for men, clubs for women, sports organizations, karaoke, restaurants, billiards, movie theaters, and malls.
This picture (taken in Tokyo, but you get the idea) is of a building that I can only assume is dedicated to those who want to sing their hearts out to early-90s-Madonna, YMCA, or Bohemian Rhapsody. The giant word from top to bottom indicates that this place has the sole purpose of providing small rooms with large speakers in which to entertain your friends.



If you're not into imagining you're in a rock band, then there are other possible places to hang out. For example, before arriving at a local Yama-chan to have dinner with friends, Christopher and I happened past this plethora of questionable clubs.Personally, I like the name "Joyful Night Radish." Until this point, I would never have connected the words "joyful" and "radish." "Club Divorce" is also an interesting choice. I'm pretty sure it's not a support group.

I've already mentioned the food in Nagoya, I'm sure. Taste-testing around the city is probably my favorite go-out activity. I can't think of a time that I was really ever disappointed, and that's a good sign. The Japanese and international food restaurants are plentiful, convenient, and range from insanely cheap to mind-bogglingly expensive. (Do you like "mind-bogglingly"? I do.) So, as long as you take a look at the menu before going inside, you should be good. Just last week, we wandered into a popular Chinese restaurant that we hadn't tried yet. It was so delicious, I'm looking forward to going back.

And finally, there is always the nighttime stroll. The city is very safe compared to most cities its size, and I never worry about walking at night whether alone or with friends. And taxis are pretty abundant, so in the event you lose your way (maybe later I'll post about the lack of street signs), a cab can take you back home without much ado. And there you have it. So many choices, the night's never boring.

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A few weeks ago we noticed more people than usual gathering in Osu. After work, we took a walk to find out what was going on. As it turns out there was a cool parade and festivities to celebrate Japan during the Edo period.



Whenever there is a festival, it seems like hundreds of people turn out. This was no exception. It was neat to see the different period costumes, there were elites, servants, bodyguards, etc. Everyone was in character.
I can't imagine how uncomfortable this woman must have been. She walked in the smallest of steps, always looking forward. At certain points during their parade, the women would pause and do a small dance with their feet. You can't see it in the picture, but the women are so much taller than the men because they are wearing platform wooden sandals about 8 inches thick. The guy behind her with his elbow bent is carrying a huge red umbrella that hung over her.
In the courtyard of Osu Kannon temple later that night, there was a performance done in the old style of Japanese theater. It's so nice to have these little surprises in our weekend entertainment! :)

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Two weeks ago while walking around, we came upon a street that we'd never been to, even though it isn't that far from our apartment. We noticed a rather new, stone building. Walking up to the front, we saw that it was The Orchid Garden of Nagoya. So, we made a plan to go check it out. Last weekend, we headed out on a bright, sunny and relatively cool day to see what we could see.



The garden was split into four main areas, the first room was the smallest and contained only orchids. In my opinion, it was orchid art. Each bouquet had it's own little descriptive card. If I read Kanji, maybe I could have seen who had been the florist to make the creation. In short, they were beautiful. But, I have to say that I prefer more lush flowers. And I wasn't disappointed in the next room.

Moving from the first small room, you have to go through a set of doors into a much larger area (but still inside). In this section, many more flowers and plants are on display along with chairs here and there to relax in. This was probably my favorite part. Many of the flowers were so bright and perfect that they easily looked like they were made of plastic. There were also dozens of paper lamps everywhere to fill in the blanks.
After this room, the garden moves outside. In the third section of the garden, there is a small area with seasonal flowers. They also decorated this part. It had witches and gourds galore. And it sat next to the garden's café. We'd already eaten, or maybe we could have had lunch in the garden. The seasonal plants and flowers were so bright that when we looked at the pictures later, we would have thought they they'd been doctored if we didn't know better. In one area that I liked, they were growing peppers. We saw bell pepper plants, but when we looked at their display card, the name was UFO peppers. Perhaps they were peppers from outer space. :)

The final area was the largest and included a walking path. In fact, I was really surprised to see how big the whole garden was. From the outside, you really can't tell there there is so much going on on the other side of the wall. Anyway, in this part, there were many types of trees, including pine (to which I'm allergic, I had to hurry through). And there was a small pond. As well as a statue here and there. The only down side to this part of the garden were the mosquitoes. We couldn't stay out there for too long.
In this picture, we were able to capture both the garden (looking from the pond towards the café area) and the city buildings beyond. It was so peaceful and quiet that it was hard to imagine that it was smack in the middle of the city. An adult ticket costs 700 yen. I'd say it was totally worth it. :)

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I have had a couple of students erroneously tell me that Japanese people don't like sweets. I beg to differ. It's true that desserts at a restaurant aren't common, at least not when we go out with people. And, perhaps they don't have dessert after dinner on a daily basis. But, there are hundreds of dessert choices at the supermarket and convenience stores. And I always see people snacking on sweet things. Not to mention, there seems to be an affinity for pastries and candy. I've given exhibits below to demonstrate what I mean.





What you see above is proof that Japanese taste buds are attuned to sugar. I mean, 5 flavors of Kit Kat? And that's not even including the chocolate varieties. Hello, sweet tooth anyone? :) I don't mind, myself. I have these pictures because I've "sampled" all the above.... to help with ..er... my cultural studies! It's true! ;)

And then there are the traditional desserts made with Anco (red bean paste). It's a different kind of sweet entirely. But it's sweet nonetheless, and you can find it in many, many things. Too many to name. They also had shaved ice for sale on the streets during the summer. The common flavors appeared to be green tea and something red, probably strawberry.

So, with that, I rest my case. A sweet tooth can find haven in Japan. :)

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The area of Osu has a lot to offer. It's within walking distance of both Fushimi and Sakae (see previous blogs on those areas), has many smaller family-owned furniture stores with everything from modern sinks to traditional household shrines (not that I need a shrine in my house, but if I did, I could get one here), has good food - both Japanese and international, and is called "Little Akihabara" because of its electronics stores like Goodwill above.



The fact that it's within walking distance of many places makes it a perfect first and/or last stop on a Sunday afternoon stroll. Not to mention, if it's raining, you can still be outside while under cover at the Osu Arcade, a semi-outdoor mall. This mall doesn't have it all, I'm not gonna lie. But it does have at least 6 small shoe stores. So that's pretty much all I need anyway. :) And it has electronics shops and hobby shops for everything from video games to model airplanes. It also has my favorite (tiny!) grocery store that sells deliciously fresh tuna and salmon, as well as veggies, drinks and things, at low prices. And I'm not the only one who thinks it's great. My ex-neighbor (who is Japanese and moved to Australia with her husband) also knew of this place and was impressed that I'd found it and shopped there. It was a good moment for me. :)

This neighborhood is important historically, because it's home to Osu Kannon temple. This temple is visited regularly by tour buses as well as by the locals. I must admit, at this point the temple has lost some of its "newness" for me. I rarely marvel at it anymore. But, I remember seeing it for the first time. It's funny, you walk out of the subway, go straight 50 yards, pass the Circle K, then pass the 7-11, turn left, and you're in the courtyard of this huge temple. Two weeks ago, I was waiting next to the subway to meet Christopher, and a couple walked up to me. I guess they thought that I looked like I knew where I was, because they asked me how to get to the Osu Kannon walking trail. I said, "Do you see the 7-11? Go there and turn left." Another good moment for me. :)

Last but not least, "otaku" (akin to saying 'nerds') also love to call this area home away from home on the weekends. Many stores cater to fans of manga and anime as well as cosplay (see blog about the cosplay parade). And it's not unusual to see girls walk by in maids' outfits or Victorian garb. You just never know who will be dressed up.

At any rate, I love this area. My only complaint... very little stays open past 7pm on weekdays. I guess that the difference between big commercial areas and historic districts with mom and pop shops.

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I was discussing hospitals with a student the other day. She's a doctor, and she used to work in the ER for a bit. Now, I believe she has her office somewhere else; we didn't get that far. At any rate, she said, "There was a homeless person that the police brought in because he couldn't stand. But then he left." I asked why he didn't stay.



She answered that he didn't have enough money. Of course. I felt dumb, that's the same thing that happens in the US, after all. However, I've come to feel that health care in Japan is SO cheap that everyone, even if they don't have a lot of money, can afford it.

That's not entirely true, but let's take a look at why I think so. :) We've been to the hospital three times so far. Seeing the doctor at the hospital, by the way, is equivalent to any 'ol doctor's visit. If I have a cold that won't go away, I go to the hospital. If I twisted my ankle, I go to the hospital, etc. We tried calling the day before we went to get an appointment, but they said it was full and to just come in a wait. We'd likely be seen within three hours of our arrival. Uhm, sounds like a long wait, right? But, we went anyway.

We arrived at 8:40am. Proceeded to the reception desk and got processed. Then we waited at our particular door, this time it was A-6. (For an explanation about this, see Christopher's post entitled "Hospitals in the Land of the Rising Sun"). A little bit later, we saw the doctor. When Christopher and I left it was BEFORE 10am. That means we spent less than 1.5 hours to get there, get processed, see the doctor, and leave.

So, how much was this speedy visit to the hospital without an appointment? Less than 20 bucks. Need I say more?

So, how is it that costs are so low? I asked around. Turns out that the government (i.e. The Man) publishes an enormous book each year of prices for medical treatment. So, a laceration of 3 inches - 5 dollars; sprained joint - 10 dollars. I have no idea what the actual costs are, but you get the idea. Seems like the State could intervene a bit more back home, in comparison. I have heard that actual hospitalization here costs a pretty penny, but let's hope I don't have to find out! I'd like to continue believing that the Japanese gov't stepped in long ago and decided that outrageous medical costs aren't going to be a problem here.

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