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Independent Excursion: Academic Reflection

Free Writing:

Jordan and I visited Nyan Nyan-Ji temple where we saw a shrine dedicated to cats, art exhibits, and even fed treats to an assistant monk. The temple was very cool with art decorating the walls with ornate decorations. The temple was a minka building with tatami mats and shoji. The shoji doors were well decorated with colorful cat paintings. There was also a bar-themed area that Jordan and I thought was truly sacrilegious given that it is a very sacred site and the divine monks would not enjoy the taste. The cat shrines were filled with religious iconography and objects. The altars at the shrines had offerings for the cats with different treats and statues. Each ceiling tile was painted individually with creative cat paintings. The shrines also had the same purple curtains we have seen at other shrines. We saw posters for the cat art museum but had no idea that this was the same place. We were pleasantly surprised to see the grandiose display of classical art pieces. Each art piece was equipped with a cute story about the creator filled with many puns and a great sense of humor. My favorite art recreations were cat versions of The Scream and The Kiss. The entire experience was silly yet grandiose with full dedication to making it appear genuine. 

Academic:

The article I chose entitled "When There Are No More Cats to Argue about: Chan Buddhist Views of Animals in Relation to Universal Buddhanature" discusses Chan Buddhism and the view of cats through didactic messages and debates regarding an animal's capacity for enlightenment.

Cats are commonly seen as positive figures of luck and wisdom within Japanese culture. The Gotokuji Temple in Tokyo is a Buddhist temple filled with lucky cat statues. The folklore about the creation of Gotokuji is that during the early 17th century, Ii Naotaka was beckoned to safety by a cat during a thunderstorm. As an act of gratitude, he established a temple for the cat. This love and respect for cats among Buddhism extends past these specific instances within Japan. It is believed among Buddhism that a cat’s body is the temporary resting place for very wise and spiritual people. While it may be rare to have a temple entirely dedicated to cats, it is very common for cats to live and meditate with monks. 

The reading that I chose discusses how cats and dogs are frequently used in anecdotal teachings in Chan Buddhism and their perception within Mahayana portrayals. The reading mentions that cats are used through Chan expressions including gongan to express didactic messages about the possibilities and challenges of mankind’s attempt to reach enlightenment. The reading discusses what is known as the Cat Case, a gongan case where master Nanquan severs a cat and when Zhaozhou hears about the story, he puts sandals on his head and walks away. Nanquan says if the disciple was there, he would not have killed the cat. 

The reading also mentions that cats and dogs are prevalent among Chan Buddhist records since they were the most common animals to live with monks as protection from pests while providing a release from loneliness. Cats were considered useful in these anecdotal teachings because people were familiar with them through their similar living conditions and feelings of attachment. 

I also appreciated the idea that a mundane natural sound like a cat purring may help spur enlightenment for someone who needs a small stimulus. I would love to be enlightened from hearing my cat, Cuddles, purr. 

The ways that cats meditatively stalk their prey to limit pests is well appreciated among Buddhist monks. However, some people consider cats as reincarnated lazy monks who were overly timid. The reason for differing viewpoints is reflective of the sentiment that all sentient beings have an innate Buddha nature and are worthy of being evaluated critically. Within both Chan Buddhism and Zhaozhou’s discourse, it is evaluated whether beings such as cats contain Buddha-hood. However, it is stated that the cat does not ponder such questions or wonder about enlightenment. They are therefore able to achieve a continuing state of awakening of not knowing that reflects Wu and can be considered a higher form of knowing. 

Citation:

Heine, Steven. “When There Are No More Cats to Argue about: Chan Buddhist Views of Animals in Relation to Universal Buddhanature.” Journal of Chinese Philosophy, vol. 43, no. 3–4, 2016, pp. 239–258, https://doi.org/10.1163/15406253-0430304008. 

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Independent Excursion- Media Reflection (Studio Ghibli)

Studio Ghibli is renowned for its visually-stunning films with touching stories and lovable characters. I have been watching Miyazaki’s films since I was 5 and have adored them since. I have dreamed about visiting the museum with it being the activity I was most excited about during the trip. 

From watching nearly a dozen Ghibli movies, I can attest that Ghibli has a trademarked aesthetic. Aside from the animation style and character design, Miyazaki and the studio as a whole invoke similar narrative tools and devices across numerous films. Some of the most common tropes and themes among Ghibli movies include strong female protagonists, wideshots of scenic landscapes, large lovable beasts, delicious food, a beautiful score, airplanes, anti-war sentiment and a villain that allies with the protagonist ⅔ of the way through the film. 

The museum perfectly captured the homey and picturesque feelings invoked by Ghibli films, even if it was not referencing a certain film in particular. I was able to view three great exhibits about Future Boy Conan, Miyazaki’s creative process and the animation process. 

Media Representation of Japan:

The themes within Miyazaki’s work heavily echo and amplify anti-war sentiments seen throughout Japan. Miyazaki himself survived being bombed as a child in World War 2. The terrors of the war are depicted in his film Grave of the Fireflies. Anti-war sentiments are expressed in many of his other films such as Howl’s Moving Castle, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa Valley of the Wind, and The Wind Rises. It is commonly seen among his films for empathetic characters to be mistreated by the effects of war while choosing Pacifism. Miyazaki refused to accept his Oscar for Spirited Away in 2003 to protest America’s involvement in Iraq. During that time, he acted as a figurehead of Japanese media since it was one of the only Japanese films to reach American critical acclaim. From what I have noticed in Japan, this seems to be reflective of the viewpoints of many citizens. I have encountered 2 or 3 separate groups of war protestors in addition to multiple protest signs in other locations. 

Many have noted that Miyazaki incorporates traditional Japanese belief systems such as Shinto, Buddhism and Daoism within his films. Miyazaki uses river and nature spirits similar to Shinto Kami. In addition to these spirits, yōkai from Japanese folklore are incorporated as nature spirits in Princess Mononoke. The themes of the search for peace and facing duality present in Ghibli films are reflective of Buddhist and Daoist influences. From what I have learned in this course, Shintoism and Buddhism are large parts of Japanese history and daily culture. 

The strong values of family loyalty are also seen throughout Studio Ghibli films like When Marmie Was There, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Small scenes like the family in My Neighbor Totoro bathing together in an onsen seems reflective of Japanese culture and practices. Food is also a heavy unifying factor in many Ghibli movies, with characters often sharing delicious foods. I can attest that food continues to be a social bonding experience here. 

There is also a heavy appreciation for nature within every Ghibli movie. In addition to his other films with his frequent use of wideshots and beautiful fields and environments, Miyazaki explores the effects of a man-made war against nature as in Princess Mononoke. The desire to protect the environment is definitely something I have noticed within Japan. There are many more public parks and areas of greenery than the United States. The average neighborhood in Japan has many trees and fauna. The trees here are especially well-kept and cared for. 

There has been a movement to legitimize manga and anime through incorporating Japanese history. Studio Ghibli explores this through The Tale of Princess Kaguya which recounts a common myth from the Heian period. I think this film accurately represents the growing movement to intersperse history through anime. 

During this course, we have discussed agriculture and the role it plays in both historic and modern Japan. In Only Yesterday, farming is heavily discussed as the majority of the film takes place on a safflower farm. Toshio believes in organic farming by minimizing pesticides and using more traditional methods. There is discussion about industrialization within agriculture and how it is difficult to farm full-time. These issues are reflective of the reading we have done throughout the course.

I think that Studio Ghibli differs from other anime as it is a more accurate portrayal of Japan without commodifying the culture. Less stereotypes are created by Ghibli films because they are widely accessible yet maintain subtle aspects of Japanese culture and history. Japan mostly was in line with my expectations from Ghibli films as there was a heavy emphasis on nature, family, distaste for war, and acknowledgment of belief systems and history.

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June 20- Academic Reflection

Today we visited Osaka including the castle and the American city. Our reading was about urbanized Japan and the Osaka cityscapes. Osaka used to be overly industrialized and not desirable to live in. According to the reading it has weak zoning regulations, fast piecemeal destruction/reconstruction of buildings, high compacity and incremental reorganization. The reading discussed different urban area models including concentric, sector and the multiple nuclei model. The reading also discussed how Japanese buildings are easily demolished and rebuilt. European and American cities have buildings that are considered more perennial. The reading heavily discussed the spacial structures and urban fabrics. A specific characteristic of Japanese cities noted in the reading is the variation of building types, shapes and functions that are spatially spread out. Different types of establishments are all interwoven within the city and not clearly defined. I looked for this while visiting the city and only noticed it slightly. This is due to issues with zoning categories, an issue that Japan has tried to rectify. The majority of their efforts, however, have gone toward improving roads and public areas. The three categories established were residential. commercial and industrial districts. We were in a more shopping area while visiting, so I am guessing it was a commercial district.

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June 20- Osaka

Today we took a 50 minute train to Osaka. We got lunch in Osaka and I got fried soybean meat and Gimbap. Jordan had an allergic reaction from the peanuts in his noodles. I definitely was more worried about the incident than him. He was calm but I was extremely worried and glad that he ended up okay. The group traveled to Osaka Castle which was nice. We were supposed to visit the American village area after going on a train but I’m confused as to where that was since when we went it didn’t seem very American. Except when Jordan and I saw a child in the back of a Silverado truck with a pit bull, that was on brand. We visited the Glico Running Man advertisement.

A lot of restaurants on the street had very interesting statues as signs. Jordan treated me to strawberry sweets and we played gacha machines together. We did a crane game and won matching cinnamoroll bee keychains :)

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June 19- Academic Reflection

Today we visited Nara and read about Vairocana. Vairocana is a cosmic Buddha commonly seen as the dharmakāya (the truth body/reality body). In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, it is considered one of the 5 Jinas, is at the center and is considered Primordial Buddha. The reading mentioned the difference between the Chinese and Japanese beliefs surrounding Vairocana. The other reading is about the two types of esoteric Buddhism. I read more about Shingon Buddhism and Kūkai’s (the founder) life. Words and existence are inseparable according to Shingon. I also learned about the three body doctrine featuring the dharma-body, enjoyment-body, and transformation-body. I also learned about the history of Buddha and the origins of Buddhism. Today we visited a large Buddha statue in Todaji and a really cool temple. It was nice to see another temple with ornate decorations. I climbed through the small hole considered “Buddha’s nostril”. We were supposed to climb head first to imitate rebirth. A lot of of temples for Buddhism here are dedicated to Bodhisattvas. The reading provided clarity on bodhisattavas and explained that they are meant to compassionately help beings to mature their wisdom. There is a goal to reconcile wisdom with compassion. I think this is very interesting and admirable.

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June 19- Nara Day Trip

Today was one of my favorite days during our trip, as I got to feed dozens of sweet deer. I adore deer and they are one of my favorite animals. Professor Smith told us that the deer are not aggressive but that they will go feral for their rice crackers. I don’t I realized just how much they adore those crackers until I was there. I would open a pack and 15 would swarm me. Jordan was sweet and kept buying me packs but he liked seeing me happy. It was very nice of him. We must’ve spent 20 to 30 bucks on crackers and I would say it was easily worth it. The deer were so sweet and chill. They would peacefully sit there and let us pet them.

We also visited a Temple with a huge Buddha statue. On the way to the temple, we saw an ethereal and distinguished deer monk in between the pillars on the platform. He bowed to us (as Nara deer do) and gave us blessings. At the Temple, there was a small opening in a pillar called Buddha’s nostril. It less than a foot wide but I made it through. I was annoyed that a group of boys made a comment that if I can fit through, they knew they could too. It hurt my feelings for a portion of the day even if they meant it was because I was tall.

Jordan and I visited a love shrine and got our fortunes. We had average luck which I’ll take. It was cool who it worked as we soaked the paper it revealed our fortune.

While we were leaving, a deer decided to get a bit forward with me. He grabbed the string of my pants and tried to pull them off twice. He kept nibbling at me even though I had no food. I got strawberry ice cream before leaving.

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June 18- Academic Reflection

Today we went to the manga museum and read more about the history of manga and it’s controversies. I really liked hearing about the attempts to legitimize manga as an art form and a method of caricature. The main exhibit at the museum was about Murakami Motoka who wrote Jin, a manga focusing on the Edo period. I saw this manga as a further attempt to connect Japanese media with Japan’s historic roots. It reminded me of how the older generation wants to change the perception of Japan despite the soft power Japan currently has. The reading mentioned concerns about stereotypes perpetuated through manga that are shown to the west. I liked reading about the history to hear about the propaganda used in wartime. I also read about the creator of Astro Boy who is considered the grandfather of manga. He has written over 700 volumes of manga. At the museum we were able to see the phoenix statue from the manga he created. We also read about the discrepancy between girls manga (shoujo) and boys manga (shonen). The museum emphasized this difference heavily with a section dedicated to the differences in demographics. I also noticed how the museum featured a lack of female mangakas to the point where there were more left handed mangaka than women. Manga also has a tendency to hypersexualize women.

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June 18- International Manga Museum

Today we visited the manga museum. I was disappointed that I didn’t see a lot of the manga I wanted to see, especially horror manga. I really appreciated being able to look closely at the drafts of art work with their intricate brush strokes. There was such minute detailing on the eyes and clothing in the Jin exhibit. It was funny because Jordan joked that it was ironic I complimented how detailed the stairs were drawn when stairs have brought me so much pain this trip. I was really happy to see the mangaka of Assassination Classroom had visited and left a resin casing of his hand. It was also cool to learn he was left handed. He also drew on the wall of the cafe nearby and was one of the only artists to color his work. That is typical of him as he seems like a kind person who is very dedicated. At the cafe, I had really gross boiled egg toast.

Later in the day, Naomi, Maya, Bianca, Jordan and I decided to wear kimonos. It was really cute since we had a photoshoot and Naomi hyped us up. I haven’t uploaded the photos to my laptop yet (of course). We took photos in the hotel lobby photo booth area and a few outside. The employees were unkind to Jordan and overcharged him. I’m 5’11 so there weren’t many options for me. There was also only one pair of shoes and it was still two sizes too small and the wrong color pattern. I wished I could just wear men shoes. I was grateful that we didn’t have to walk far.

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June 17- Free Day (Cat Temple)

Today was a free day so Jordan and I slept in and hung out. After that, we went to eat at the station at a pizza place we previously visited. The trip to see the cats was about an hour but it was SO worth it. I can’t express how fun it was. There were multiple rooms entirely adorned in art. It was so silly yet also impressive with how much dedication was put forth. I prayed at the cat temple and was lucky that we got to see a cat monk. He wasn’t the head monk but we still got to feed him little treats. It was the squeeze type like the ones I give my cat at home. The shrine had a museum of classic paintings and statues recreated for cats. I translated the plaques and each of them had a cute fake history about the cat artist who created it. For dinner, we ate again at Tu Casa with the amazing vegan chicken and I tried Gimbap. I talked with the staff again about how much I loved their place and how my friend Emily also visited them. I got to go to an amazing temple with beautiful art and finished the day with good food.

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June 16- Academic Reflection

For the reading, we were assigned part of the famous Tale of Genji in addition to a reading about changes in land management. We’ve alluded to it a lot so it was nice to read an excerpt. I asked Professor Smith if it’s taught in school and he said they start in middle school with excerpts. The Tale of Genji was very dramatic with stories of love affairs. We were assigned chapter 10, the sacred tree. From what I read and gathered online from context clues surrounding the other chapters, Genji’s wife is killed by Lady Rokujo because she is his mistress. Genji goes to see Lady Rokujo at the shrine. They meet behind the curtains where she is stunned by handsome he is. He gives her a branch from the sacred tree and cries while thinking of their affair. I think this was a strange reaction to have after someone killed your wife, but I guess he’s making the most of the situation.

Regarding the forest, we learned about the history and why it has become such a famous tourist site. The primary considerations for forest management in Arashiymaya in modern times are scenic views and erosion management. The Arashiymaya forest has a history of difficulties with arboreal diseases, monkey and deer overpopulation, and typhoons. The Japanese government focused on different land management systems while raising public awareness.

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June 16- Arashiyama Bamboo and Monkey Forest

Today we visited the Bamboo forest. It was cool to see an automated robot at the station earlier in the morning. The bamboo was pretty and it was nice to see so much of it in person. Apparently a lot of other people thought so as well, since it was crowded.

It was scorching hot and the river we walked near looked so nice to jump into to. We left to go to a place Leina recommended for lunch. It was genuinely the worst food I have had in Japan if not my life. I am not super picky when it comes to food here, I am just grateful for something edible and vegetarian. I fear this was only one of those things. It tastes like astronaut post apocalyptic jelly food. I am starting to think they just had multiple small plates of the most unappetizing food that they wanted to get rid of.

To get that awful taste out of my mouth, I had two sakura ice creams. I was really glad to find this because I love Cherry Blossom and have never seen ice cream flavored after it.

We met up with the rest of the group to hike to see the monkeys. A group of college students approached me to interview me and they were very kind. This hike once again almost killed me. It was worth it though because I really enjoyed the monkeys. I loved being able to see the mother monkeys with their babies the most. It was also a pretty view from up there. The monkeys would vibe with the park employees and just kinda sit with them which was sweet.

We got to feed the monkeys and some of them were very particular. One grabbed my peanut to throw it away from me because he only likes apples. I thought it was funny that there was a mama monkey who would drop peanut shells all over her baby as she ate. The poor baby must have had like 15 shells at least.

On the way back to the hotel, Jordan and I bough strawberry cakes from different shops to compare them. It was a sweet and cute idea.

Jordan and I dragged Emily to dinner so she would be able to eat something. I didn’t enjoy the stroganoff I ordered since it tasted strongly of tomatoes. I was mostly glad Emily could eat.

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June 15- Academic Reflection

We went on a tour of the Imperial Palace that was extremely informative. I asked many questions during the tour and learned so much. The Kyoto Imperial Palace was the former ruling place for Japan’s emperors prior to the capitol becoming Tokyo. I learned that within the rooms for the nobles, Tatami mats with white stripes were seen as the most special for the highest class whereas red stripes were for slightly lesser nobles. It was interesting to see how the Emperor himself had red stripes, but when I asked Professor Smith he said he thinks it had both white and red stripes. I was surprised that the palace was not more ornate but it was very large. There were extremely large gates to enter that would take 5 people to lift. I’m guessing this was for security. The tour guide also taught us about how they used layered cypress bark with bamboo nails to make the roofs. This sounded extremely labor intensive, but he mentioned that it is sustainable for the environment. Despite this, I don’t think the practice will be adopted again any time soon. We also learned about Seiryōden which is the hall for rites and rituals. Two of the gates were lifted for us to view inside. We learned about how they were the living quarters of the emperor starting from the mid-10th century but after Otsunegoten was constructed in 1590, the era was used exclusively for rituals and rites. The tour guide mentioned that the emperor would have over 300 events there a year. This sounded like so much to manage. We also learned about a part of the palace that was constructed for carriages to enter but how the Emperor could only be on the side facing South which was a tradition passed from China. I was also upset to learn that in their throne structures, the emperor was the only one who could have a chair, and the empress would have to stand. I felt bad for her and felt the misogyny was pretty on brand. The tour was a really informative tour and I was grateful to hear. 

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June 15- Kyoto Imperial Palace/National Museum

Today we visited the Imperial Palace and the Kyoto National Museum. We visited the museum first which was relatively small. We were not allowed to take photos but my favorite pieces included a sculpture that was doing the "yass" pose and a piece called "A plethora of Crabs" The crab piece mentioned how 8 legs are seen as wealthy since more appendages can grab more money. I learned a lot It also mentioned that crabs are red when boiled, a color known to be auspicious. Before the Imperial palace, Jordan and I ate at a vegan place. It was pretty flavorless but I was grateful for food that I could eat. We barely managed to catch the English tour at the Imperial Palace. I really had to pee so I had to wait until after the tour to go. It was difficult to hear the guide speak so I moved close to him.

After our first amazing experience with TeamLab, Jordan and I decided to visit a vegan ramen place owned by them that we had reservations for. While waiting, I got a strawberry smoothie, I'm still sad that I have yet to find any strawberry sandwiches. We visited the arcade and I won a few gatcha machines.

When our reservation time arrived at 6:15, we arrived at the restaurant. It was really good but very strange as we were expected to be very quiet. There was a very judgemental woman who stared us down across the table despite slurping so loud. I was sad that my dish had tomato but TeamLab wanted me to keep it in and break it apart as a part of the artistic experience. It just made the dish taste more like tomatoes. I still really enjoyed the food regardless and was grateful for a good meal.

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June 14- Academic Reflection

We visited the Fushimi-inari shrine with many fox symbols like the reading mentioned. I always thought that Inari was like the same as Kitsune spirits but u realized that Kitsune are just the messengers for Inari. It was interesting to read about how ingrained Inari worship is within Japanese culture and that it has become a casual practice for non-religious individuals. The example the reading provided was how a small shrine is often found within businesses (like hair salons) where the workers ask for economic prosperity for the day. It was also interesting to read about a lack of unity in the understanding of Inari and a lack of uniformity in Inari worship. I thought it was interesting to read because it means that each individual can suit their view on Inari to what they believe will help them. It also shows that oftentimes there is a shared cultural or spiritual symbol that has been through so many variations that there isn’t a common interpretation. I also really liked learning about fried tofu and it’s relation to Inari since, as a vegetarian, I have had multiple Inari fried tofu wraps. I thought it was very cute and fun to learn this after having eaten them.

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June 14- Fushimi-Inari Shrine

(Happy Birthday Madison)

I am becoming too powerful as I scale yet another mountain. (I was sweating through my shirt and wanted to sob the entire time, I am so out of shape) It was really cool to see the Torri Gates in person as it was very iconic. I kept waiting so I could get photos with my camera (that I of course, have yet to upload). It was difficult to take photos as people walked through. There were thousands of Torii gates and I have no idea how they reached that far. I was interested to find out that many of them were donated by companies as advertising. There were many fox statues in addition to the shrine. The main appeal was mostly the Torii gates up the mountain as it is the most scenic and beautiful aspect. Jordan continued to take .5 angle photos of the foxes which was a little silly. It was really sweet how we saw a cat and everyone decided to stop and take photos. Jordan pointed out how even in one of the most beautiful and scenic places in the world, humans will always be drawn to cats. I have no idea how the cat made it that far up the mountain since I was struggling and my legs are much larger. 

I enjoyed spending time with Jordan as always, despite heaving and dying. We got ice cream on the way down and once we got home, I wanted to make sure he ate. I took him to the cyberpunk speakeasy where he got the fried chicken. 

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June 13- Universal

Today we went to Universal. The tickets were pretty cheap only about 60 dollars ish. I forgot to take my meds which (spoiler) ended up turning out poorly for me. Jordan and I left slightly after the group but ended up arriving before the others. We arrived with plenty of time to book our tickets for Super Nintendo World on the app.

Jordan and I immediately went to the Jujutsu Kaisen 4D ride. I was so excited to be able to enjoy one of my favorite anime on an official Universal ride. I looked up a summary for the 4D show and told Naomi about it since I ran into her and she hadn’t seen the anime. Knowing the plot of the 4D show was helpful to understand what was going on since there were no subtitles. I got a pizza bun that looked like a divine dog and a jjk-themed churro. I was complimented for my earrings, shirt and smile by multiple employees throughout the day. I must’ve been called cute at least 10 times. It was very sweet and wholesome. At the Jujutsu Kaisen store, I purchased a reasonably priced Gojo bracelet. I also got some cute photos at the photo ops where the employee helped us pose. 

In the mood for another Jujutsu Kaisen ride, Jordan and I visited Hollywood Dream (a ride similar to Rip-Ride Rockit). I wanted to do the Jujutsu Kaisen theme song which was exclusive for Backdrop. Backdrop is the version of Hollywood Dream that rides entirely backwards. I briefly blacked out for the first time on a ride. It was really fun and thrilling. It was extremely hot (I was probably overheating due to withdrawal) so I ate Snoopy-themed frozen strawberries. I really wanted to make sure Jordan would eat so I took him to a burger place that he didn’t really like. I was just glad that he ate. 

Next we went to the Jaws ride, which was SO well done. It’s really similar to the Jungle Cruise ride at Disney Orlando but with loads of special effects. It was entirely in Japanese but it was fun to see how animated the guide was as he shot the shotgun and the animatronic shark appeared. 

As a casual Nintendo enjoyer, I thought Super Nintendo World was amazing. I didn’t understand many of the references, but Jordan pointed them out to me. The entire area was so incredibly designed and detailed. I kept remarking how amazed I was about the love and care that went into the area. We went on the Racing Koopas ride which was like real world Mario kart. with semi-clear VR headsets/glasses combined with a real track. I collected 104 coins whereas Jordan collected a measly 79 coins. Truly tragic for him as I entered my pro gamer era.

We went on the Flying Dinosaur ride which was similar to Manta at Seaworld. It was thrilling but made me light-headed. I hadn’t eaten actual food and was still going through withdrawal. 

Jordan and I FOUGHT FOR OUR LIVES to find something vegetarian to eat. The places that we wanted were closed. We decided to go to a buffet place and ask the employe about the vegetarian menu on their website. It took us like over an hour to get me something to eat and my withdrawal was getting worse. I felt awful that it took so long. It was SO spicy. I was fighting for my life part two. I drank so much water and tea. I wanted to find Jordan somewhere to eat and we stumbled upon a pizza place that was not on the map. I was frustrated because I could’ve literally just gotten vegetarian pizza all along. I found out Jordan blots his pizza which was cute since I do the same. 

At some point, we tried to do the Spy x Family scavenger hunt but were unable to since it was entirely in Japanese and closed. I was able to get my sister a little Spy x Family present which was cute. I also got a Hello Kitty churro and soda. The churro was strawberry milk flavored and delicious. The soda was Calprico and awful. 

We went on Hollywood Dream again but rode forward this time. It was funny since we picked the Jujutsu Kaisen option but it was entirely Japanese dialogue and screaming without music. It was pretty silly but fun regardless. 

I decided to go on the Doraemon ride which was TRAGIC but so silly. It is a bit with Jordan and I that I call Doraermon my man. This is because Professor Smith said no one likes Doraemon as much as Hello Kitty despite how much the government wants them to. I decided we should give Doraemon the love he deserves despite Jordan insisting that he looks nothing like a cat. The ride was entirely VR while on a thrill ride. It was glitchy and I felt SO SICK. 

As the park was closing, we started to head out. Jordan was sad so I decided to buy him popcorn and a star cookie.It took a while to find our way home on the trains and I was genuinely worried we would be stuck. I got some cool liminal photos of the train station that I enjoyed despite being unnerved., 

When I got home (around 10 pm) I had an interview zoom call. I had not been alerted about it because of issues with my email and being in a different country/time zone until I was texted. Luckily I wasn’t late to the interview but I was very tired and still undergoing withdrawal. I didn’t do great on the interview (spoiler: i didn’t get the position) but I honestly think it may be for the best. I texted thank you to the directors after being rejected a few days later and was annoyed one didn’t respond despite us being friends.