Kyoto Hiking - Continued

Hello again folks!

As promised, I am here to keep on rambling about the excursion to Kyoto. Also, as luck would have it, I have a video for you guys and will be introducing a new feature to my blog.

But first things first... Like I mentioned in my last post, we did a lot of hiking. 6 hours of hiking to be exact. Don't get me wrong, it was a lot of fun and perhaps one experience that I will always remember. But, still it was 6 hours of hiking.

At first I was excited, mainly because I thought we were only going to see the one temple and that was it. That excitement was quickly replaced by confusion as we wondered deeper and deeper into the mountain path. When we came to a clearing, I could see that we were not exactly lost.

We had only walked up to the first hill. That temple behind me was the first one we visited. Soon after those pictures were taken, we continued to walk through the mountain and onto our next destination. Somewhere along the way, this happened...

Interestingly enough, this happened within the first 40 minutes or so of our hike... So you can imagine how the rest of it went. If you didn't get the joke, he was holding a piece of bark up to the tree... Yeah...

The hike to the next temple took about an hour or so. Honestly though, it felt like more that an hour. Along the way we saw many different things and even drank water from a spring. Obviously the water was okay seeing as I'm still alive. Oddly enough, one of the clearings we came across was right next to a golf course. It was the last thing anyone expected to see.

The rest of the hike took us through a bamboo forest...

It took us to an abandoned Temple that looked like it was haunted...

And last but not least, a gate that opened up to a very nice view of the city of Kyoto and it surrounding area...

Like I said at the beginning of this post. This hike was a long one, perhaps the most I've cared to hike up and down a mountain in my entire life. Believe me, coming from an area that is mostly flat, that is saying a lot. However, it was an experience well worth the pain and trouble getting out of bed the next day.

Also, this trip gave me an idea for a new feature that I will adding to my blog. Every now and then I will post a picture of things I see, such as posters, that in some way or form make you go...

"What the... Huh?"

This picture has this effect on more that one level. All I know is that boss is a brand of Coffee you can get from vending machines. Take a look at the hand and then you'll see what I'm talking about...

Until next time folks! Keep on reading!

What Happened?

Hello again all!

I know it has been a while, almost a full month without a post.

A lot has happened this month. Aside from exams and the average quiz and research , I have been doing a lot of little things that I did not expect.

This past weekend I went to Kyoto for a full day excursion and temple viewing. It was a lot of fun and by far a very worth while hike... A 6 hour hike that took us up mountains and down valleys on what I can only describe as being a 2 foot wide path with a mountain on the one side and a very painful fall on the other side. A fall that would had sent me down hitting every tree like a pinball.

That didn't happen of course, but it sure would had made some interesting material to post, huh?

Anyways, a lot of the pictures I took are of trees. Autumn in Japan is very beautiful. Trees of every color and shape.

The temples that we went too were packed with people too. A lot of them where doing what I was doing... Taking pictures of the trees. I took over 100 pictures, so I obviously won't be putting any up. I will only be putting the pictures that I think are worth while.

That being said...

Haha, nothing more worth while than this handsome devil, huh?

During a time period in Japan, Buddhist and Shinto religions shared the same temples and shrines. They literally lived right next to each other and very often the two would mix, Shinto priest participating in Buddhist rituals and Buddhist monks participating in Shinto rituals. It was all very interesting and the end result was a mixture of religions. For example, this shrine which honors the kitsune (fox).

So anyways, like I said before, this trip involved a lot of hiking. I kid you not, the day after I was not able to walk. I literally crawled out of bed.

For today though, I think this will be enough. I will try and be better about posting more often but I make no promises.

Next post I will try and post pictures of the hiking part.

Until then folks, keep on reading.

The Dormitory

Okay, so obviously I wasn't able to put up the post yesterday. I have a good reason for it too.

School Festival had lots of food... That's my excuse.

I also ended up with about 18 gold fish that I need to find a new home for. Apparently, according to dorm rules, they are considered a pet and therefore I cannot keep them here. I honestly don't view them as pets. They are more like house plants really. I mean, they just float there... Staring at me with those wide, dark, lifeless eyes. I have staring contests with them... They usually win.

You can only stare into a goldfish's eyes for so long before you feel your mind slipping.

Anyways, as promised I will include pictures in this post to make it more viewer friendly. I won't force you guys to read today. Not much at least.

So, on the subject of dorms, I figured that the best place to start is the place where I have been spending and will spend most of my time in.

The Dormitory!

This dorm has been active for some time. Exactly how long, I cannot really say. The pictures in the cafeteria though seem to be from back in the old days when students here at the university still had to wear uniforms. I am going to guess it was a little bit after WWII.

At the dorm we have many services at our disposal. As mentioned, we have a cafeteria (far left), where we eat our breakfast and dinner. The cafeteria staff is very nice and they try to remember everyone by name. Lucky for them, my name is easy to pronounce and they got it right off the bat. I need to get a picture of them.

On first and fourth floor of the dorm, there is a kitchen (Center) that the students can use. The fee for this is included in our monthly rent. I have only seen a small handful of students use it, but I imagine it is a welcomed convenience for those who know how to cook anything besides eggs. I have no culinary talent what so ever... I almost set the kitchen on fire once trying to make toast. Actually, I don't think I told my parents about that one... Oops.

Anyways, another nifty thing about the dorm is that we have our own little library (Far Right). Granted that most of the books on the shelves are of a "non-educational" nature, but it's still pretty nifty to have. If anything, it is a nice place to study.

The last thing that I will mention as part of the dormitory tour is the giant おふろ (ofuro) that is located on the first floor of the dorm. The ofuro is basically a giant shower/bath area. It is shared so at any point there are two or more guys in it. Don't worry, there are no naked guys in the picture. However, for those who were hoping, sorry, there are no naked guys in the picture. Plus, the picture is only of the entrance, where you leave your clothing right before entering.

Hm? There's clothing in the boxes... Guess someone was in there. Wow, that would had been awkward if they came out just as I was standing at the door with my camera. Would had been fun to explain though.

Anyways, the ofuro is rather nice. Granted its like being back in high school but soaking in the giant bath tub is extremely relaxing. However, the water is incredibly hot, so you have to get in little by little.

Aside from all that I have mentioned, we also have a lounge area where we can hang out and watch TV. Of course, almost everything on TV is in Japanese, and for the most part we don't understand much of it... not yet at least. I hope we eventually do.

So folks, with that ends out tour of the dormitory. Please make sure to tip your tour guide.

Until next time folks! Keep on reading!

Okay... I think I got it this time.

Hello again folks!

I know I said I'd try and post something, but as it seems to be the case, things just don't go the way one plans. Dealing with a new culture and having classes is somewhat of a pain, but it is rather fun.

It has come to my attention that I have not posted any pictures in a while. Not since I managed to upload that one picture a month ago or so. Since then, and even before then, I have managed to take some pretty good pictures. I have also managed to enjoy a lot of things here that I feel would be worth sharing with you fine folks.

That being said, I find myself with about a weeks worth of vacation here in Japan. Apparently there is some kind of school festival and that means that classes are canceled starting on Monday and ending of Thursday at 1pm. As to why there is a deadline of 1pm I can only sum-mice it is due to the hard working spirit of the Japanese people and their dedication to education... Or something like that. As far as I know, there is some guy in an office somewhere laughing at how evil and devious this 1pm deadline is. He's probably petting a white cat too.

If you don't get the joke, don't worry, I've been off my game lately.

Anyways... Seeing as I have a week of "free-time", I will try and post something everyday. Of course I plan to study while I have free-time so don't expect anything too grand.

You can however expect pictures. As I said before, I have taken a lot of pictures of events and places I have been to. I think this is a perfect opportunity to work on getting those upload.

Also, I have decided to include a video every now and then with more information for you folks to enjoy and wrap your minds around... I may or may not end up making a lot of jokes in these videos. I never said they would be 100% serious. Actually, you can probably expect around 30% seriousness... You know what? If I stay on topic and you understand what I'm saying, you should count yourselves lucky. And you know why?

Well, you fine folks will get to hear my succulent and seductive voice.

What? Not even a giggle huh? Fine, you may or may not want to wear ear muffs or something like that.

But yeah, anyways, I will try to have the first post up sometime tomorrow.

SO, till then folks! Keep on reading!

Spoke too soon...

Well, it has been a while since I posted anything, huh?

Unfortunately I got a cold this past week. It was a lot of fun, especially because everyone thought I had the "Influenza."

Well I didn't, it was just a cold.

They however did do the test for it which hurt... A lot.

They basically took a q-tip about a good 6 inches in length and shoved it up my nose... Twice. She didn't get enough mucus on the first try.

I will try and post something this week to make up for my lack of updates till now. Hopefully, since I will finally have internet at my dorm tomorrow, I can post something with some pictures in it.

Till then folks, keep on reading!

And back to business!

Hello Folks! Yes... I know, I'm on a roll. I feel accomplished. Two posts in one week? Impossible I say!

Okay, so a while ago I spoke of a "gauntlet" that you needed to pass in order to "exist" in Japan? I gave you the run down of the first part of this gauntlet. Assuming you got through that part unscathed, then you should be ready for part two of the process.

However! If you failed and ended up bloody on the floor and missing a few limbs, then please insert another quarter and try again.

Alright, jokes aside, the next part that you need to take care of is that of getting a bank account. Getting a bank account in Japan is probably the best option if you are going to be here a while. If you are only staying for a summer or such, then you should be okay with your bank account back home. That is unless you are really stressing the exchange rate and service fees that you are charged for when you take money from an ATM. This is the exact same reason as to why, if you are staying a while, getting a bank account in Japan is a vital thing.

So, you are ready to get a bank account. You just go and fill out a form and give them money and done, right? Easy enough huh?... Come on folks, lets do this together.

NO! WRONG!

Before you head out to the bank, you need to bring a few items. The first item is a copy of your Alien Registration Certificate that you should have already picked up at the City Hall. Make sure that when you pick it up you ask for a few copies because depending on what or where you use them, they might need to keep the copy. You don't want to go back to City Hall and ask for a new one each time. I guarantee that they will make you wait at least a day and you will have to pay the same amount you did the first time around.

The second item that you will need is what they call an "inkan." An inkan is basically a stamp that has your last name on it. It is used by Japanese people to "sign" documents and it is just as legal as a signature is back in the states.

Now, there is a slight problem with this requirement. First off, unless you have lived in Japan before, you probably won't have one of these readily available. Second problem, you are not Japanese and therefore do not have a Japanese last name. Inkans can usually be bought at any convenience store, just like buying a pen or pencil. They come readily available with the most common last names, such as Yamada or Tanaka. However, the odds of finding one that says Johnson or Smith are very unlikely. The odds of finding one in Katakana too are very slim.

If you want one with your last name, you will have to go to a stationary store and request one to be made. It will be relatively cheap, from what I hear, and it will take some time to pick it up.

But do not fret my friends, there is an easy solution for this problem. You can just buy one and use it. The Japanese government won't care what Inkan you use, as long as you use one. Odd isn't it? If you ever decide to go through the Naturalization process here in Japan, then yeah, you will have to think of what Japanese last name you want to take because you are required to take one. Otherwise, just do what I did and go to a store that sells the Inkans, close your eyes, rotate the display, and pick one at random. I ended up being Taira, which apparently reads along the lines of "flat luck" which I was told is basically "Pure Luck." I don't know what to think of it, but given the circumstances under which I picked it, its kind of fitting.

Anyways, now that you have these two items, you still need to take your passport and all other documents that until this point you have used. They might not ask for all of them but it is better to be prepared than sorry and have to come back the next day to restart the process.

Now, unlike back in the states, going to the bank and opening a bank account can be somewhat over complicated. First thing you will need to do is go to a machine, usually located at the front, and get a ticket for the window you need to go to. You will have to wait a bit to get called to said window.

Once at the window, they will have you fill out the forms and provide them with the pin number you want to use. Then, they will ask you how much money you want to put in your account. After you hand them the money, they will laugh at you and run away.

... Okay, that last one was a joke. But seriously, once you hand them the money, they will give you another number and ask you to sit down and wait. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to about 2 hours. So come prepared to wait a while. I brought a deck of cards with me and ended up doing card tricks for some of the other international students that were waiting there with me. They were rather entertained and an elderly gentleman sitting next to me seemed entertained as well. So yeah, come prepared to wait a bit.

Once they finally call your number, they will hand you a little book for your account and tell you that your ATM card, or "Cash Card," will be sent to the address you provided within a week or so. Now, I am not completely sure how it works with other banks in Japan, but if you take the little book you got to any ATM machine that belongs to the bank, you can actually insert it and get it updated automatically. For those who have never been good at keeping track of their spending, this is very useful.

AND with that task complete you have passed the second part of the gauntlet. Congratulations! You still have one more task to complete which is not as hard but still annoying. Oddly enough though, this last one is optional. But trust me, you will do it eventually so you might as well do it while you are on a roll.

Till next time folks, keep on reading!

And there she went...

Hello folks!

Obviously nothing major has happened. At least not here anyways. Apparently we got the tip of the typhoon that was coming so it wasn't that bad. At the most, the windows rattled a bit.

So here's checking, just letting all of those who read know that you have to bear with me a bit longer. Ha HA! I'm not easy to get rid of.