Tokyo or Bust

This trip almost didn’t happen, mostly because either Lisa or I couldn’t stop putting it off for one reason or another. We had IES field trips, host family obligations, my dad took up two weekends, exams, the works. So when Lisa pointed out that we basically had a free week right before we left (save for an exam each on Friday), we decided to jump on the opportunity. We left Monday morning by shinkansen*, stayed overnight and returned late Tuesday morning.

I finally got a un-blurred picture of the Nozomi super-express. Believe it or not, that train is still going about 40 mph in this photo.

Lisa in front of the train right before we scrambled on board. The thing was almost empty and we had our choice of seats. I wish I remembered what Lisa’s t-shirt said…

Because there were so few people on the train, I was able to run around and catch the best possible shot that could be had of Mt. Fuji from a high-speed train using my camera. However, I had a chance for a better shot – there was a brief moment where I could both the mountain itself and its reflection in a river under the train, but I was too slow. Drat.

After arriving at Tokyo Station (which, thankfully, is having its more historical bits restored), we popped out for a bit before hopping right back on the train. Saw the Imperial moat and as much of the Palace as you can see on a Monday (none).

From there, we used the Yamanote line to get to Harajuku, known for its crazy clothing shops, at Lisa’s request. I had been hoping to catch a glimpse of the area since I missed it with Ceci two years ago, but it turned out to be a bit small and disappointing. Of course, any place that involves buying clothing in Japan seems a bit small and disappointing to someone like me.

Next up was Shinjuku, with its giant Takashimaya/Tokyu Hands department store and the six-stories of Kinokuniya, the biggest bookstore I’ve ever seen (okay, maybe Powell’s is bigger). I didn’t get a picture of either of those places, but…

…apparently Krispy Kreme has made it to Japan, complete with ridiculously long lines.

From there we headed to Asakusa, where our ‘hotel’ was. Maybe you’ve heard of ‘capsule hotels’? Well, they’re right in the college student price range, so we decided to check one out.

They were actually bigger than I would have expected and fairly comfortable while you were awake. There was a TV with local channels and the lighting was bright enough for comfortable reading and knitting. They were also ‘tall’ enough that I (about 175cm tall) didn’t feel like I had to hunch and long enough that my feet weren’t sticking out other end. The hotel had a decent-ish public bath and wasn’t crowded at all.

Not bad, eh? Well, except that the ‘futon’ was about two inches thick and the pillow not much better, so I’d only recommend them for people young enough to shake off that kind of strain in the morning. It’s Thursday and I’m still not sure if my neck is going to forgive me.

Also, there’s no proper door on the front of your capsule, just a pull down curtain. Just FYI.

After a convenience store breakfast the next morning, we stopped by the shrine in Asakusa for a visit and some last minute shopping. This is the first time I’ve this particular shrine gate with a protective covering of scaffolding. Most of the stalls in front with awnings are selling hagoita (battledore) paddles. It used to be a tradition for girls to play battledore around the beginning of the new year, but now the paddles are mostly purchased as good luck items. They’re incredibly ornate and some of them are much too huge to be used by any one person. The link has a few good pictures.

We left from Tokyo before noon, mostly because I had work that afternoon.

Some knitting was accomplished – I finished the sleeves for Eiffel and got back to plugging away on the body.

Tomorrow – the much-awaited post on my job at Nanzan Elementary.

* Dear Firefox, ’shinkansen’ is so a real word.

Closing Up Shop

I’ve started packing about 10 days early, but really, what else do I have to do besides study?

Don’t answer that.

I’ve been putting off the dorm post mostly because I am really, really looking forward to going home and I’ve discovered that it’s colored my opinion of Japan. Just a bit.

Student Who’s Staying Next Semester: How’s the sumie class? Should I take it?

Me: It’s dumb.

SWSNS: So that’s a no?

Me: No. Everything’s dumb right now.

It’s true. Japanese class? Dumb. Finals? Dumb. Grocery shopping? Dumb. Going outside? Dumb. The pile of paper on my floor that I don’t want to pick up? Dumb, dumb, dumb.

I’m fairly sure this is just my brain trying to prepare me for the return home – why be unhappy in the country that you’re living in rather than the one you’re going to be leaving in less than two weeks. I’m sure I’ll be deliriously happy when I return home, but right now I’m kind of banging my head against the wall.

So anyways, the dorm. I did a bit of research on the Nanzan University website, jut to make that there were only the two dorms that I knew of. There are and someone has messed up the description – my dorm, Yamazato, is NOT a ‘few meters’ from the University, unless they’re using some sort of definition of ‘university’ that I am unfamiliar with. It’s closer to a few hundred meters away.

Strangely, Nagoya, the other dorm, is described as being ‘a short distance from the University’s main entrance’ when it is in fact, right across the street and slightly to the left of the main entrance. D’oh.

I was going to take pictures of the inside, but it’s not very photogenic and the residents are mostly entirely camera-shy. So have a picture of my room.

It’s a mess, mostly because I’m packing/trying to figure the cost of the stuff I bought here instead of studying for my listening comprehension exam (which is tomorrow) or my kanji/vocabulary exam (which is the day after that).

I’ve also taking to knitting incessantly, finding that it takes the edge off of crazed cabin fever. So here, a picture of the mysterious red thing from before.

It’s the Eiffel sweater, from Knitty. I’m knitting it up in Jarbo Garn’s Tropik, a cotton, bamboo, acrylic blend. Incredibly soft stuff. Sadly, this picture was taken a few days ago and not long afterwards the whole thing was declared ‘dumb’ and stuffed into a drawer. Instead, I taught myself to cable without a cable needle and got back to the Slippery Socks.

And finally, what’s a living situation without a little missionary work?

I Say Hello

Okay, so there’s something I need to bring up. I won’t be posting here anymore starting sometime in mid-January. Obviously this blog is about my experiences in Japan and I leave for home on the 20th. There’s only so much mileage I can drag out of my PTSD. I hope.

Instead, I’ll be creating a new blog, as yet unnamed for general day-to-day things, seemingly like every other person on Earth. Topics to be included in the new blog, in case you’re interested:

- Knitting. Lots and lots of knitting. Every year in February, I have a presentation of knitting to make of about 14-20 items. I still have eight things to finish by the 8th of that month, plus a new baby cousin, plus my own, deep desire to knit something with chunky yarn and large needles (what was I thinking, bringing only socks and lace to Japan?).

- Medical school, the application process. I have to *gulp* take the MCATs this upcoming spring, in preparation for applying to medical school my senior year.

- I’ll be living in a house with two of my best friends and a kitty cat. Yes, I have a cat. Isn’t it in the rules somewhere? 

- I read. A lot. Derive from that what you will.

Expect notice of the new blog sometime in late December.

Socks and Sweaters

I finished up the Narragansett Bay Socks almost two weeks ago, but the pictures have been languishing.

Unfortunately, since Nagoya currently lacks such necessities for good knitting pictures as ample sunlight and willing photographers, they didn’t come out great.

As I mentioned before, these are the Narragansett Bay Socks, a pattern from Lisa Lloyd and only available in the book, A Fine Fleece. A Fine Fleece is specifically intended to be full of projects for people who spin their own yarn, though they provide commercially available substitutions for every pattern. I myself used Knit Picks Gloss, in the colorway ‘Dolphin,’ which, admittedly, looked more grey than blue online.

I first heard about A Fine Fleece on brainylady’s blog (here) back in April and my interest was peaked both by her review and the mention of these socks, wince my family has spent almost every summer since I was born at Narragansett beach in Rhode Island.. I checked it out the next time I was at the bookstore and snatched it up once I realized how many patterns I needed right now. I’ve finished three, including these socks and the matching Narragansett Bay scarf (which I gave to a professor), and another 5 or 6 are waiting in my queue on Ravelry.

In the meantime, however, I’ve started up something new.

Care to make a guess?

I finished something!

Okay, technically, a half each of two somethings. Socks are complicated that way.

Some of you may have noticed that the knitting dropped off precipitously when I arrived in Japan. Probably because my sitting in front of the internet time was severely curtailed.

However, every year, I participate in 14valentines, a community geared towards raising awareness about womens’ issues. For the first fourteen days of February for the past three years (though the first year was a single person effort), people have posted stories, essays, recipes, and pictures to draw attention to specific issues facing women today. For the past two years, I have participated by posting about a knitted object of mine (or a group of knitted objects) each day for the whole period.

Just thinking about that and planning my list of items for 2009 was enough to get the itch going again. I promptly dragged out my needles and yarn…and finished two socks from two different pairs. Right. Whoops.

The blue sock on the left is the first of a pair of Naragansett Bay Socks, from the book A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd. The yarn is the Dolphin colorway of Knit Picks’ Gloss. I love this yarn and wish it came in more colors. Knit up in this pattern, it’s very smooshy and warm.

I’ve already started on the second sock, because the pattern is easy enough to memorize and knit on the train. Gives the Japanese people something to stare at besides my hair.

The sock on the right is one of a pair of Slippery Socks, available free from the online knitting magazine Knitty. The yarn is Mountain Colors Bearfoot, that I got from a friend for my birthday last year. I’m a little worried that I didn’t bring enough to finish the second sock here in Japan, but experience has taught me that I’m almost always wrong about these things. The pattern isn’t too difficult, but it’s definitely not train-proof. I only finished it because there was only about three or four inches left to go when it made it’s international voyage. Definitely boot sock quality, so I’m looking forward to January in Minnesota.