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Final Video Presentation: Unexpected Japan

Here is a link to my final reflection video for my Japanese study abroad trip!

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May 29, 2025, Farewell dinner

This was our final day in Japan. As I type this, I look forward with trepidation but homesickness. It’s gonna be a long flight back but I already have plans to get a Baja blast from Taco Bell on the ride home.

Japan has almost become a home away from home this past month. We only were here for a month, but that felt long enough to me to sort of become my new normal. I’m going to miss the trains, the konbini, the cheap sushi (Hama Sushi will forever be my go to spot now), the random shrines and temples I come across, and the natural and man-designed landscapes and flora. It’s such a beautiful country and I can see why people truly love it and wish to live here.

As my first time abroad, I understand how much I miss my home. There are definite things that I love about Japan that surpass America by leagues, like the stuff I mentioned earlier, but I always felt slightly out of place. The language barrier is hard. The cultural barrier is also a bit harder. In America I just feel like I belong more, it’s hard to explain. America has a lot of issues but it’s my home.

On to the actual contents of the day.

We went to a fancy dinner! I also got to try Wagyu for the first time!

It was good, but I’m going to be real, my favorite part of this dinner was the conversation, and the salad.

This salad slapped so hard I cannot even underscore. It was the best salad I’ve ever had, no exaggeration brother.

Good dinner, good day, good trip, great country. I am going to miss it, but I will always dearly hold these memories from my trip to Japan!

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May 28th, 2025, Osaka Day Trip: Umeda Sky Building, Osaka Castle, and Dotunburi

Hello everyone! Today is the final day of the actual travel itinerary part of the blog and we end on a banger! Osaka was the adventure today.

We took a train there as per usual. Our first stop was the Umeda Sky Building. It is the building that is set up to provide the best view of the Osaka skyline. One cool aspect that Tokyo Tower and the Tokyo Skytree lack is its open air roof as the viewing platform. I really enjoyed that aspect. However, Tokyo tower will forever be the GOAT, and Skytree is massive so they all are good.

After that, we headed to a great location, Osaka Castle.

I will be real, it looked better cool, but our tour itinerary did not include going into the castle, so there is not much to talk about. It looked very nice, but not as nice as Himeji Castle. I do love the history behind it between Hideyoshi and Ieyasu, so that was a plus.

Our final stop was to Dōtonbori.

It took a long walk through but we also arrived at the famous Glico “running man” that a lot of people like to take photos with. So, being a tourist I naturally did so.

After that, we were let loose onto Osaka! My girlfriend and I’s priority was to hit up the two Pokémon centers in Osaka, the One Piece store, KFC, and eventually Taco Bell. Nothing much to say about them. The KFC was pretty good, but it is rough not having barbecue sauce as an option. I bought a squirtle plushie keychain for my backpack. My highlight was, I kid you not, Taco Bell. It just tasted really good I cannot lie.

Academic Reflection

The reading by Perez informed my view of the Osaka skyline. In the reading, Perez goes into how small to medium size residential buildings are oftentimes demolished after their lifespan is up, which is a stark contrast to the west. In Japan, those kinds of buildings are made to last around 30 years, where those in America, for example, are made to last and frequently renovated in repaired. Another thing I noticed while looking at the Osaka skyline was a building that Perez mentioned. In the skyline photo I took you can see a building in which the road is passing through it. Perez tells the story of this building and how through arbitration, the TKP building was able to settle with the government that desired to build a road there. Here’s an image (zoomed in) below.

All-together, a great day.

[shombertjp]

May 27th 2025, Nara day trip, Tōdachi, and Kasuga Taisha

Today was our day trip to Nara. We started off by riding a train there and I spent that watching my girlfriend play pokemon omega ruby. Good train ride.

Our first top of the day was the deer park in front of the Kasuga Taisha shrine. The deer are said be sacred and messengers of the Kami of the shrine and Nara. They are not to be harmed and throughout the years, and because of this they have grown comfortable and accustomed to human contact. They routinely will come up to you to receive the crackers that local venders sell. The deer can lowkey become a bit aggressive when the see you have food, and people frequently became swarmed by deer who even non-painfully bit and jumped on. The deer even know to bow for treats. As you walked by they would bow their head quickly to signal they wanted food. We are supposed to bow back and give them some if we have any left from the prior swarming.

The actual shrine itself was very nice. It has a cedar tree that allegedly is about a 1000 years old called the Shato-no-Ohsugi.

It also had a room of lanterns. Very beautiful.

After breaking for lunch, we decided to get Starbucks. I got a donut and an iced matcha latte.

Our final stop was the Tōdachi Buddhist temple. It is well known for having the giant statue of a Buddha there. It was humbling to be before a statue as massive as this. The level of craftsmanship to it is insane. It even once in the past was burned down and rebuild, so this level of craftsmanship was done twice.

Academic Reflection

The temple made me reflect on the man who founded the sect of Buddhism it followed, Kukai and the sect he founded, Shinto Buddhism. Kukai believed that other branches of Buddhism were teaching the teachings of a bodily manifestation, as opposed to the true spiritual form and basis of the Buddha. This form was Mahavairocana, and was the known as the cosmic Buddha. He is known to be the origin of all other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The statue we saw earlier today, the massive one in the photo, was made to convey this all encompassing and gigantic nature of the cosmic Buddha.

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May 26th 2025, Kyoto free day 2

I did not wake up bright and early. I slept in a bit and it was glorious. At around 12:30 pm my girlfriend and I headed out and took the bus to a shrine. The shrine was Kitano Tenmangu shrine.

We had these wooden charms as well at the shrine that we were supposed to make wishes on. They came as two groupings of wood that you would write your name on one half and snap in half and take the other half. When snapping them in half you are supposed to make the wish. I got one for warding off evil and Charlene got one for good health. Pictures above are the pieces we were supposed to take with us.

The second shrine we went to was Hirano. Imma be real with y’all I don’t remember what they worshiped but it was a beautiful place. They allegedly have a lot of Sakura trees that bloom in the spring. If I ever come back to Japan, I’d want it to be during the spring for this reason.

After that, we went to heaven on earth,

Hama-Sushi.

Imagine cheap and good sushi. Imagine 180 yen ($1.26) for 4 massive roles of lean tuna sushi. Imagine 4 different types of soy sauce from various regional preferences of Japan that all taste different. This place was heaven. I ate so much sushi. The soda wasn’t that expensive either. As much wasabi as I wanted. Complimentary green tea.

It was so good. We ate so much and spent so little money for the amount of food we had. This is what I’ve been searching for all this time in Japan.

Anyways.

Onward to the rest of the day. Right next to it was a shrine called Shikichi. It was cute as well but not that much to say about it. It had a nice collection of sculptures.

Afterwords, we hit up the Nintendo store,

I spent a large amount of money on a Zelda shirt. It will be worn in an upcoming post don’t you worry dear readers.

Of after that, I got a baconator from Wendy’s. It was a reasonably good meal. Didn’t come within an inch of Hama-Sushi’s glory.

Alltogether, a great great great day.

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May 25th 2025. Kiyomizudera, Gion Tour

We woke up bright and early once again and headed out for another day of adventure in Kyoto! I did not have enough time to once again grab a smoothie, so I opted to simply get a monster and a pork bun for breakfast.

Today we went to the Kiyomizu-dera temple. It is said to house the strongest prescience of Kannon, a bodhisattva who is said to bless those in the current world, as opposed to Amida, who focuses more on the afterlife.

The first trip we went to was an experience to say the least. No photos were allowed, and honestly I couldn’t take any if I wanted to either cause it was mostly pitch black. It was a tunnel in a temple where one goes through effectively a rebirth, through a simulation of Kannon’s womb. There was no light until halfway where one saw a pedestal with the kanji for “womb.” After that, darkness again, and then the light of the end of the path, and rebirth. It was a cool experience.

Later, I prayed at the actual manifestation of Kannon. I prayed for the happiness and health of my loved ones. No photos were allowed here again so you will have to trust me on this.

One cool experience at Kiyomizu-dera was the Otowanotaki Falls. This waterfall is diverted and split into three streams. The waters are said to carry three separate blessings depending on which one you drink from: Longevity, success in endeavors, and success in relationships. No one knows which one they drank from truly so they have to just let fate take them. I drank from one of the streams, the one on the right side facing the falls. Who knows which one it was. (I love all of the blessings I’d take any of them honestly.)

After that, we went to a robot.

This robot is allegedly another manifestation of Kannon (it was declared so by monks). It began talking in a kind of speech performance where the room was lit up by projectors. I will not lie, it was a bit trippy. I respect all religions but I was getting terminator vibes.

After that, we did my favorite part of the day, the meiko performance. Meiko are understudies to Geisha who train their performance skills. We got to watch two different ones perform dances for our group. This happened in the Gion district. I desperately wish I could show you photos or videos of it, but again no one was able to film or take photos. They were performances I will never forget.

After, we went to a local park in Gion, got some groceries and headed home.

Oh also, at lunch, I drank coke out of a bag. It was crazy.

Academic Reflection

Gion to a meiko performance in the Gion quarter of Kyoto made me reflect on today's readings by Stanley - Enlightenment Geisha. Stanely went through the History of Geisha, and their roots in the Meiji era. Prior to the Meiji restoration and in the Edo period, the group of Geisha was not as defined. After, it went head to head with westernization, modernization, and Japan's enlightenment. These performers were prioritized as educated and enlightened individuals. The West's disdain for prostitution also contributed to a lessening of the link between the two, with the eventual separation between the two professions complete.

All together, another great day!

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May 24th, Himeji Castle

We once again woke up bright and early this morning. Our itinerary had one objective… Himeji Castle.

Himeji castle has always been my most desired location I’ve wished to visit in this land. Coming into today, however, my spirits were low. It would be raining for the entire day…. “Of course it was going to pour all day on the Himeji trip day” I lamented.

However.

The day ended up being great regardless (and lowkey maybe the tourist presence was lower because of the rain so that was a plus.)

We took a train ride there that took about an hour and a half, but I was able to fill my time by watching my girlfriend play Pokémon omega ruby on her 3ds.

After we finally arrived we broke for lunch and I had some delicious kimchi ramen (I forgot to take a photo so you will have to take my word for it).

Then we took a bus to Himeji Castle, one of the wonders of the modern world. It is the largest and best preserved castle in Japan. It was so multifaceted and we spent a lot of time just inside various sections of the castle that had historical readings within. The whole place is basically like a museum.

As we got closer to the castle, we saw more of the fortifications. We saw holes in the wall where defenders would shoot at invaders. Also, the walls themselves and the moats were glorious. The walls were build for an era of gunpowder, so they are build into the mountain so that if a section was collapsed, the only thing on the other side would be mountainous slopes. It is a very defensible location.

We eventually climbed the tallest tower in the fortress and the view from the top was stunning.

Himeji Castle was so beautiful. (These photos also go insanely hard)

After the castle we also toured the gardens! They were by far my favorite gardens we have went to in Japan so far. I cannot imagine how beautiful it must be in spring.

Academic Reflection

Seeing Himeji castle made me reflect on my reading by Turnbull - Shields of Stone. Himeji castle is a yamashiro (a mountain castle) which was standard for the period. Japan also faced stone shortages, and has a culture of wooden construction so it was made of primarily wood, except for select portion of the foundations to strengthen the structure. One example Turnbull cites is how taller and heavier buildings could be raised on top of the yamashiro if the cut-away slopes of the natural hills were reinforced by tightly packed stones.” The entire structure of the castle and others like it were done with this in mind.

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May 23rd 2025 Kinkakuji and Daitokuji

Today, I followed my routine of once again waking up bright and early, doing a quiz, and getting smoothies for breakfast at 7/11.

Our first stop of the day was the Kinkakuji temple. We rode the bus there so its warranted to talk about that. The busses are very loaded so the ride there was cramped. However, getting there was worth it. Kinkakuji is one of the most ostentatious and beautiful temples I have ever seen. The grounds and lake were like something out of a dream.

I truly wish I could have enjoyed it more than I did, but the overcrowding and overtourism dampened a lot of my enjoyment. The crowds were ferocious. Everyone wanted a picture of them with the golden temple and view (me included), so it was agonizing on that front a bit. On these trips, I always seem to prefer the less-traveled path. The places of calm with few people. If Kinkakuji failed to give me that, Daitokuji succeeded and went above and beyond.

The Zen Buddhist rock gardens at Daitokuji were incredible. It was definitely a place of calm and of spiritual importance. The atmosphere was drooling in this place, and the history even more so for me as a history major. One major place I loved to see was the tea room of Sen no Rikyu, where the Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi frequently had tea with him in that room. For some reason, they did not allow photos or videos of the room. This is one thing I will never understand about Japan. History needs to be documented, and I wish they had allowed me to take photos to share with my blog. The story of Sen no Rikyu and Hideyoshi is so interesting, so seeing the room was amazing. Eventually, Sen no Rikyu would be ordered to commit seppuku by Hideyoshi.

After our adventures with the class, my girlfriend and I tried a place called Mos Burger. The bur ger was good, and the fries were not bad either. Also, the ginger ale in Japan has been insanely good. I recommend it.

Academic Reflection

Seeing all of the stone gardens reminded me of today's readings. Fukuda - Japanese Stone Gardens delves into one of the stone gardens we saw today, depicting ripples. The East Garden "depicts a scene in which a drop of water has fallen into a vast sea. According to a Zen teaching, 'Buddhism is something like the sea. When a drop of rain falls there, a large ripple is described on the sea. A human being, by throwing himself into the sea [Buddha's world], also causes a great ripple." In this view, humans are just part of a greater whole, the sea, and are disturbances that stem from the greater whole. Whether it be a drop of water that will one day rejoin an ocean, or a ripple that will flow into the whole, Zen Buddhism views people in this form. It is a comforting thought.

All-together, once again, it was a great day in Kyoto. I do dread tomorrow, though. It will be very cold and rainy all day. However, we are going to my most anticipated location, Himeji Castle!

[shombertjp]

May 22nd, 2025. Kyoto Free Day 1. Kimono Rentals.

Today was our 3rd free day overall on this trip, and our first free day in Kyoto! For this day, my girlfriend and I decided to rent kimonos to wear around Kyoto!

The store we rented from is housed in the building under Kyoto Tower. Even though I effectively speak no Japanese, the staff was a massive help and was able to guide me through it all. I picked an outfit I liked and went on my way to Kyoto. (Also, my girlfriend looked immaculate, stunning, radiant, and divine.)

Our first stop for our day was the Higashi Hongan-ji Temple. It is an incredibly beautiful Buddhist temple, and we walked around, explored, and got many great photos. One of the two main buildings for the temple was undergoing a religious service, but no photos or videos were allowed for that. All I can say is that the atmosphere felt very spiritual. The chanting was reverberating throughout the whole room!

After exploring the temple, we went to the flea market outside the front. I did not end up buying anything, but Charlene found a nice scroll, so the browsing was ultimately worth it! Also, we got some great pics in front of the fountain!

Our next stop was the Shōseien Garden. It was a garden that had some scenic views on Google Maps, so we thought it was a great location to do a photoshoot. The entry fee was 700 yen, so we felt a bit scammed, but it worked out. We probably could have found a cheaper or better location, but the photos are great nevertheless!

After, we went to return the Yukatas, and we rode the bus back to do so. By this time, our feet were killing us. I never expected the wooden sandals to hurt as much as they did. It makes me appreciate modern padding, but I am glad I experienced it regardless!

Academic Reflection.

Kimono has its roots in the garments of the Heian period of Japan (1603-1868) and of its eventual evolution, the Kosode of the Edo period (1603-1868). During this period, the Kosode garment was what unified the Japanese of all ranks and broke class barriers. It also marked who was an outsider or not, because only Japanese people wore a Kosode, and not foreigners. Later during the Meiji period (1868-1912), the concept of the Kimono became a distinct thing. It became worn more by women during the cultural westernization pushed by the Meiji period. Men were pushed to wear a more Western garb, so "Japanese women wearing kimono were a reassuring, visual image. The kimono became a visible yet silent link between between woman, mother, and cultural protector. Even today, the kimono is a reminder of Japan’s core culture as it was just before its fundamental change." - Writes Cynthia Green (Source - https://daily.jstor.org/the-surprising-history-of-the-kimono/)

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May 21 2025. Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, and Arashiyama Monkey Park

I started my day once again bright and early. We wanted to get good photos so our class collectively voted to start the day earlier than normal (I woke up at 5:20 am).

I got a smoothie from 7/11 but I have already yapped about those so I will spare the details. I did get the greens option, for even more health benefits.

The Arashiyama bamboo forest was beautiful. The bamboo grew so high that it truly did seem like a forest. It is hard to believe that bamboo is closer to grass after seeing such tall stalks. Many great photos were taken here, of which I will share some.

After the forest, we broke for a free hour to wait for the money park to open at 9am. Charlene and I decided to follow a Pokémon Go route. (We have been playing the game like mad these past weeks in Japan. It definitely feels like it was made for the urban environments of Japan.) After that, we stumbled upon a shrine to the god of electricity. It had plaques for both Heinrich Hertz and Thomas Edison, which was interesting to see in Japan. We also snagged great photos of a chance encounter with a crow that posed for us. It let us get so close. It had no fear. Japanese crows are also much bigger than the ones we have in Florida, so seeing one up close was a treat.

After we reconvened, we began our hike up Arashiyama to reach the Monkey Park. It was truly a challenge. The air grew thin and I grew sweaty. Charlene and I were near death but we made it to the summit. The view was worth it.

Also… MONKEYS!!!

We were not allowed to touch any of them, look them in the eye, or feed them outside of the designated building… but it was exhilarating nevertheless. I wish I could pet them but I understand that they are wild animals and could hurt me or anyone else at any point.

After climbing down the mountain, we took the subway back to downtown Kyoto.

We got McDonald’s for dinner and decided to head home early because we were exhausted. We ate. We napped. Great day.

Academic reflection.

Shortly before the bamboo forest, we went to a small shrine dedicated to a story of lovers. It was beautiful. This shrine reminded me of today’s reading by Murakami, the Tale of Genji. The shrine is a replica of the temporary shrine that was erected as needed in the past. In the tale of Genji, he pursues his lover, Lady Rokujō, to have an audience with her at this shrine. At this point in the story they are estranged, and Genji wishes to rekindle the relationship. I do not wish to spoil, but my point is to highlight this shrines connection to the story and to love as a concept. A very memorable moment in Kyoto.

All together a very memorable day!

[shombertjp]

May 20th, 2025, Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyoto International Manga Museum, and Kyoto National Museum.

Today, we once again woke up bright and early for another full day in Kyoto. The first thing I did was to go get a breakfast smoothie from 7/11. They have such a nice set up there, you have no idea. It is incomprehensible to the American mind.

So, they have little cups of frozen fruit that you can put into a smoothie blender machine, and it will blend it all for you in seconds. It is really cheap, too! Japanese foods seem to not have many vegetables or fruits, so this is a good way to supplement some vitamins and fiber in one's diet. Today I chose to get the berry and yogurt one, but yesterday I got the strawberry banana one. They are very delectable.

For the actual meat and potatoes of the day, our first stop was the Kyoto Imperial Palace. We toured the outer grounds, but no one was allowed in the buildings themselves. We had a guided tour by a guide who spoke English. He spoke very softly, so I had to jockey to be close to him to hear anything, but I think I managed to catch most of the tour's history. It was a hot day out, but the architecture and history of the day made it all worth it.

Our second stop of the day was at the International Manga Museum. We watched a Kamishibai performance while there. Kamishibai is a performance where a person makes a show out of sliding illustrations to tell a story. This art form is considered the origin of manga, so I am super glad to have seen it, as I am a big manga fan. I saw some of my favorite manga there! (One Piece, Monster, and Dragon Ball!)

After that, we broke for lunch, where we got konbini once again. After that, we still had leftover time, Charlene bought a Kimono that was insanely cheap for the quality.

To complete the day, we went to the Kyoto National Museum. They had such a wide variety of artifacts on display. One major example, and one that will forever be a highlight of my trip, was The Great Wave off Kanagawa. All throughout the museum, we were not allowed to take any photos, so I can only reference it. If you all do not recognize the name, you surely would recognize the image.

The museum had other artifacts as well, of which I am required to write a bit about for class. The object I chose other than the painting is the Gusoku Armor with hanbon Curiass with dark blue lacing.

Source (https://colbase.nich.go.jp/collection_items/tnm/F-20137?locale=en)

This armor set is from the late 1600s and was bestowed upon the daiymo Sakakibara Yasumasa by Tokugawa Ieyasu shortly before the battle of Sekigahara. This armor shows the influence the West had on armor in Japan at this time, as the cuirass and helmet are done in the European style of full plate.

Academic Reflection

Touring the Imperial Palace made me reflect on the architecture of the palace and how its variety reflected the eras of Japan. Morris goes into this in "World Shining Prince." For example, the doors of the palace were a mix of the older style of heavy shutters, and a mix of the newer style from the Heian period of the sliding doors that Japan even uses in the modern day. In the past, the shutters would be opened during the summer to let full air flow out of the palace. The shutters would be lowered in the winter to keep the warm air in the building. These shutters were very hefty and required multiple men to work to raise and lower them. Much of the palace had this, and many spots had the newer style.

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May 19th, 2025, Fushimi Inari Shrine, and hiking Mt. Fushimi.

Today, we woke up bright and early once again to head out into Kyoto. Our new hotel sadly does not have its own catered breakfast, however, we will receive our own yen with which we can buy breakfast every day.

Finding our new meeting spot for class was a bit of a struggle, but we all figured it out. It is about an 8-minute walk and a bit hidden, but it looked like a classroom.

Kyoto definitely has a bit of a different vibe from Tokyo. For this specific shrine, and I suspect many other cultural spots, the tourist presence was heavy. Tokyo had many more native people present at places like this, so it definitely is a different type of environment. Also, Kyoto seems like a great place to own a bike. Tokyo had an insanely developed train and subway system, so the usefulness of bikes was probably less. Kyoto, however, has less public transportation, yet still has a massive need for it, so overcrowding is an issue. I see many streets with good bike lanes, with a lot of people using them.

Anyway, on to the meat of the day, Fushimi Inari Shrine.

The shrine was incredibly beautiful and is famous for its many tori gates that companies buy for it to get financial blessings. That is the big draw of Fushimi Inari Shrine. People come to pray for business, financial, and economic success and fortune.

The overcrowding was definitely a drawback for the main area of the shrine, yet the presence of people decreased the more we climbed the mountain. I was able to get many amazing photos. Also, Charlene and I finally wore our good fits that we bought in Tokyo. I hope you all enjoy them! The photos go hard.

Another cute takeaway from the shrine was all of the cats! There were so many cute cats living on the mountain. We were able to pet 3 separate cats!

We finished our day by going to the Pokémon Center in Kyoto. I bought a Meowth plushie finally for my sister's birthday! (I have been checking for one at every Pokémon Center in Tokyo and could not find any. He is her favorite Pokémon.)

After that, we ended up getting lunch at an incredibly reasonably priced ramen place. Here is a pic of that! (800 yen!!!)

Academic Reflection

The god Inari is associated with foxes. There were many fox statues all around the shrine and the mountain. This reminds me of our reading for the day by Smyers - The Fox and the Jewel. He went over what forms and what beliefs are held about Inari. Inari is thought to be associated with rice and foxes and known to be a powerful deity. Many people come to the mountain to seek blessings. For example, when we were there 2 business people had paid for the shrine maiden to perform a dance for them on behalf of their business. This was to hopefully bless it with financial success. Scorning Inari is also thought to bring calamity. Skyler’s cites two instances of this such as the removing of shrines causing accidents or a festival date change causing a float collapse to kill 3 people. She is a Kami of great power and can give many blessings or misfortune. I hope my tour group respected her enough to bring fortune and not misfortune!!

All together another great day in Japan and the true start of my Kyoto journey!

[shombertjp]

May 18th, Traveling to Kyoto on the Shinkansen

Hey yall! Today was all about travel.

We got up bright and early to be ready to head out of our hotel at 9am. We had to say goodbye to our more traditional hotel and goodbye to Tokyo. It was a very hectic day. I had a couple of heavy bags I had to transport all day and by the end of it I was hurting.

Thankfully, we got to the station and finally boarded the Shinkansen.

We clocked in at around 174 mph and time flew by. The view out the window was rapid.

On arriving to Tokyo at 1:30ish, we walked over to the hotel but our group realized we were not allowed to check in until 3, so we had to find something to do to kill time. Charlene and I ended up finding some cheap Konbini and walked around with our bags until we were allowed to enter.

Our new hotel is more western, and we have beds. My favorite thing about it is that we have our own washer, and we have a dryer system set up in the bathroom where we can hang our clothes and it will circulate hot air to dry them over a couple of hours. It is really nice. Honestly though, I miss the more traditional hotel. It had grown on me by the time we left.

After settling at the hotel, we ordered some Pizza Hut!!

It tasted slightly different from the American ones, yet it was nevertheless delectable!

Academic Reflection

Our reading today was “The Shinkansen’s local impact” by Christopher Hood and it went into the formation and planning of the Shinkansen and how it has affected local and rural communities. Some rural places benefits, usually those with stops on the Shinkansen, but many that were passed over by it just further hurt their population. Many rural people commute to Tokyo so access to rail is essential. He wrote how “there is a possibility that some town and city names will effectively be wiped off from the map of Japan in years to come.” Yet the benefits of the Shinkansen are enormous and most places benefit highly. I certainly loved it and I know it is one of the marvels of the modern world.

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May 16th, TeamLab Planets, Odaiba, Daiba Itchome Shotengai, and Barbecue

TeamLab Planets was phenomenal. It was the greatest location so far for taking photos. The day was hotter than I expected so that was my only negative. I chose my fit well for the photos today (I believe.)

My favorite exhibition from TeamLabs was The Infinite Crystal Universe. Here are some photos Charlene and I took of it!

It was truly an experience that I’ll never forget. I savored every moment of this part of the day. I honestly wish we had more time. My only sadness from this came from the fact that one of the most beautiful exhibits “Floating in the Falling Universe of Flowers” was undergoing maintenance when we went. I would have loved to go to that.

After that, we took a train to a barbecue place. We had to grill our own. Everyone set up themselves in two groups and begun to grill. It was all delectable and I was almost put in a food coma after eating as much meat as I did.

My favorite part was the chicken. I loved bulking on that protein. One of my only regrets however is that I can’t go to my gym membership back in Florida.

Finally, our second to last stop was to a local market that had a 50s aesthetic, where we broke for 10 mins of shopping. I ended up getting some candy for my fam back home. And then, our last stop was to see the life sized gundam. The photo rocks.

Academic Reflection

Our trip to Odaiba made me think about the reading by Murayama and Parker - Sustainable Leisure. It goes over the effects and downsides of prioritizing leisure based urban planning and how the tourist industry generates vast sums of income. Districts that focus on consumption have a powerful lobby with money behind them and seem to have more pull than residential or more mixed use spaces. I think one of the best strengths of Japan and Tokyo specifically is its mixed used spaces. The urban landscape flourishes when mixed use zoning is implemented. Districts full of them parks or tourist traps are not the key to a sustainable urban planning model. As a tourist, I loved Odaiba. However, I imagine living in Tokyo is nice and to live there you actually need housing present throughout or risk a disastrous commute time.

Just my two cents on that issue.

All together a great day. My stomach was filled with good food. Also, in the evening, my girlfriend and I watched more JJK. We are almost done with season 2 and it has been a wild ride. I’ll keep yall posted on our trip to the Shiba cafe and Shibuya tomorrow!

[shombertjp]

May 15th, Hiking Mt. Takao

Today, I woke up bright and early to hike up Mt. Takao. I was nervous at first because I knew it would truly be a trek. Also, we were warned to bring sunscreen so thankfully my girlfriend and I found some beforehand.

Using the train system to get to mount takao was an adventure. For the longest time, we simply did not have seats for the hour and something long ride, but we eventually got seats, so that helped.

After arriving at Takaomachi, the town below the mountain, we broke for lunch. I ended up trying a local hotdog place just because I have been longing for American food while I am here. That is definitely one surprise I have experienced while here. I guarantee I would not have craved a hotdog had I been in America, yet my position in Japan made me crave one.

To begin our trek, we boarded a chair lift. This took up about a quarter of the ways up. There were no seat belts but a net below in case we fell. It was riveting and the views were stunning.

On the way up, there were many temples and shrines. In some, I prayed for the happiness of my family and in others I bought charms to my friends!

The smell of incense is one of my favorites so all of the Buddhist shrines were a highlight!

Getting to the top was a journey of testing both my willpower and my cardio. Yet the view speaks for itself.

After heading home back the way we came, my girlfriend and I ended the night was we usually do in Japan, watching anime and eating konbini. All-together another great and core-memory forming day!

Academic Reflection

Our reading by Totman - “The Green Archipelago” goes over the various eras in Japan around deforestation and land use. He goes over how the verdant forests of Japan are because of decades of post war forest recovery after Japan’s defeat in World War 2. These decades of regenerative forestry are pivotal to the beauty and health of the natural landscape of the country. On my hike I saw such a beautiful and healthy forest ecosystem that it is hard to imagine much of Japanese forests have been exploited at some point. The only remaining virgin forests remaining in Japan are in Hokkaido. I am grateful of the decades of effort and governmental regulation required to achieve this.

(Btw, if you ever try konbini in japan, the kimchi bowls are immaculate.)

[shombertjp]

May 14th, 2025, Imperial Palace and Yasakuni Shrine.

So we started our day walking through the grounds of the Japanese Imperial Palace. The view of the vista was phenomenal, and I enjoyed seeing the old fortifications and hearing our professor go over the strategic reasoning for the placement of all sections of the castle and grounds. The very first thing we did when entering was to cross the old moat that would have provided for the defense of the fortress and palace. We ended at the old final fortress of the Tokugawa family era. It was a steep climb, and most of it had been destroyed in a prior fire in the early 20th century, so there honestly was not much up there, but I always love studying ancient fortifications, so it was valuable to me.

Also, all throughout the grounds, the foliage and plants were incredibly beautiful. The garden was a highlight. I got many great photos. I want a koi pond now.

Secondly, we went to the controversial Yasakuni Shrine. This had a magnificent tori gate. One difference with this shrine was the increased security presence on site. I suspect the controversies around the shrine make it so that increased security is needed. It was definitely a beautiful shrine, yet I was still unsure how to act due to my issues over the controversy behind it.

After the guided part of our day, my girlfriend and I went and got some amazing conveyor belt sushi, went shopping in Shibuya, and had dinner at an Unagi place! An altogether great day. Here are some photos from that!

Academic Reflection.

My visit to Yasakuni Shrine was informed by the reading of Ryu - The Yasukuni Controversy. The shrine's controversiality stems from its enshrinement of 14 class A war criminals. Korea and China, especially, have issues with this, as they were the most affected by Japanese war crimes and still have tensions to this day. The claim is that the shrine honors all of the fallen, yet the enshrinement of these individuals sullies this.

Another monument that was present on the grounds was a memorial having flowing water present, which was meant to remember the soldiers who died of starvation or dehydration, so that even in death, they can have water. This kind of memorial is one I sympathize with. However, if Japan wants to do the right thing and do right by the international community, the un-enshrinement of these war criminals would be needed.

[shombertjp]

May 13, 2025 Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Akihabara, Bunraku Performance

We started the day by going to the scenic Ueno park and visiting a local Buddhist shrine.

After, my favorite portion of the day, we headed to the Tokyo National Museum. The selection of items there were endless and riveting to observe. I was tasked by my professor to pick an item on display to write about. My early favorite was the Haniwa. My second favorite was the armor Abe various swords, knives, and spears. However, my ultimate choice went to the “images to temples on” that displayed a part of the Christian persecution during the Edo period of Japan.

These items are bronze panels that were meant to be present in temples for Japanese people to be forced to trample on. They display images of Jesus. The mindset was to reveal any hidden Christian’s who would refuse to step on their God, in a time when they were persecuted. This practice was in response to the Shimabara rebellion in 1637-1638 in which an unpopular daimyo raised taxes too high for the people to deal with, coupled with his persecuatiok of the Christian. Robin and Christians rebelled and took the castle but were later put down by a force from the shogunate 100,000 troops strong.

The two other places we got to go to today were Akihabara and a bunraku performance (bai ally an elaborate Japanese puppet show.) Both of these were enjoyable.

Academic Reflection

One of our readings was of the script of the Bunraku performance we watched today. The story was very elaborate. The play was Act 2 of “Shunkan on Devil Island.” The Bunraku depicted the story of 3 noble exiles on an island. They lament their position but have effectively become a family to each other. The story kicks off with one of the nobles revealing that he will be marrying a local woman, Chidori, from the island. The men are ecstatic for him, and with them being effectively a family, the oldest one and effectively adopted father of the groom declares he will be the father of both. A ship then comes to free them of their exile, yet they refuse to take all 4 of the people from the island. I won’t spoil the performance, but the climax had me on the edge of my seat.

Great day!