Skiing in Japan

The irony of the situation is that for nearly the last two years I've lived in Pittsburgh, PA. For those unfamiliar, Pittsburgh has PLENTY of snow. It's so cold there and there are plenty of places to ski, if one so desires. I've lived in other cold places too, most notably Germany, which of course provides endless opportunities for snowy adventures. In spite of these facts, I have never attempted to ski or snowboard in my life. I'm not the outdoorsy type, in all honesty, and skiing has always been one of those things that I say I would do, but never feel motivated enough to do. So, when of my colleagues here in Japan informed me of a trip to a ski resort with about 4o other employees, I jumped at the chance. The planning was taken care of, I could rent my equipment there and I would be going out with a bunch of novices (some who had never seen snow before in their lives). Although in Japan, the group I went with was completely non-Japanese. These were a bunch of global recruits - relatively new employees recruited from other Asian countries to come work in Japan. Joining me would be a group of people from countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia...etc. In my head, I imagined I should do fine...I'd at least seen snow and even attempted to ice skate once before coming to Japan. I didn't even fall when I did it. Ice skating and my ability to walk and drive on snow (thanks Pittsburgh) in no way prepared me for the travesty of attempting to ski. I couldn't even stand up in the things....it was horrible. I fell five times within the first few minutes and sat there immobile in the snow...how embarrassing! Most of the people I went with opted for snowboarding, so after taking of my skis I traded them in for a snowboard...hoping for better luck. It was better, in a relative sense. I still couldn't stand up and spent over thirty minutes at the top of the hill trying to stand up. After some maneuvering, I finally figured it out and made my way down. It was a long and hard journey and halfway there I stopped out of sheer exhaustion and the pain of my frequent falls. Determined to make the best of this experience, I convinced another skier in a similar position to snap a few pictures. It was an interesting experience, but I will say, do not attempt without some type of instruction/training beforehand...this isn't something to pick up along the way. Skiing in Japan certainly sounds cool...but limping in Japan does not....

Partying on the Yakatabune...

One of the many things to do here is Tokyo is to enjoy an evening on a yakatabune. After participating in a week long training course for European managers of the Japanese company that I work for, we ended our time together on a yakatabune - a Japanese party boat. The boat ride took us on a tour of the city on the Tokyo bay. We enjoyed the lights and the sights all while dining on traditional Japanese cuisine - sashimi, tempura, and shabu shabu. Combine tons of fun with unlimited drinks and a karaoke machine and we were ready to roll. The ride was far too short, but it was a great experience...a fun way to enjoy the culture associated with yakatabune, enjoy the sights and listen to your colleagues rap along to their favorite Emimen tune (thanks, Sven)!

Enjoy...

Visit the Tokyo Tower

During the week that my mother and godmother came to visit, we visited several notable Tokyo sights. After a day of viewing shrines and tasting the local cuisine, we took a quick walk over to the Tokyo Tower. I'm fortunate that it's walking distance from my office and only two stops away from where I live on the train. I'd been there once before with co-workers, but hadn't actually gone up in the tower...only seen it from a distance. Tokyo Tower is celebrating it's 50th birthday and is actually even taller than the Eiffel Tower. I knew this and told my mother and godmother, but they didn't believe it. For those who still have doubts, look it up at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Tower.

I was pretty excited about the visit, and in spite of a slight fear of heights ready to climb up and view Tokyo from another vantage point. My companions, however, did not share my enthusiasm. They preferred, instead to view Tokyo Tower from the ground. Whether or not you decide to go up in the tower, the area surrounding it is quite nice. A small shrine a beautiful park surround the grounds and I've heard that the Tokyo Tower won't exist much longer...so definitely...make a stop by to see it....

Lions and Tigers and Kangaroos?

I mentioned on an earlier post that my co-worker and I took a driving trip to see Mt Fuji a few weekends ago. In addition to seeing the famous Mt. Fuji, we also took some time out to enjoy a safari located really close by. I'm a little scared of animals, to be perfectly honest, but for the last few years or so I've expressed an interest in going to the zoo. As silly as this seems, I could never find anyone to go with and it was never a huge priority...so I just didn't do it. But, the idea of a safari was super exciting to me and I was super excited to see Mt Fuji and a safari all in one day trip. The safari didn't disappoint, and I was excited to see the animals so close up. As we drove by in our rental, we got to see the animals up close and personal and all with the snow covered top of Mt Fuji in the near distance. Highly recommended trip!!

Senso-ji Shrine in Asakusa

For the last two weeks, I've had the pleasure of doing some sightseeing. A few Saturdays ago, I participated in a sightseeing tour with a group of European managers in Tokyo. We took in several historic sights and had a great time. I so enjoyed seeing the Senso-ji Shrine in Asakusa that I made sure to bring along my mother and god-mother during their visit the following week.

In addition to seeing this shrine, which is Tokyo's oldest, there is plenty of shopping and things to do in the area. Although I'm not a fan of the traditional souevnior shopping (think unlimited key chains, magnets and fans) boasting Japanese images...it's hard to avoid when I consider how many people will be expecting such trinkets when I come home. I've been two times at this point, and my recommendation is to go during the weekday if at all possible...the first time I went was on a Saturday and the crowds were almost overwhelming. In spite of when you go, it's still a great place and promises to be tons of fun.

For more information, see...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensō-ji

Go to the Museum...I recommed the Tokyo Edo

On my own, I'm ashamed to admit...I'm not a museum goer. I usually save museums for big trips to interesting places...I haven't been to one in a few years actually and that was in New York. But, whenever I go...I'm usually pretty excited to be there and wonder why I don't go more often. This weekend, I accompanied some European managers from Toshiba on a sightseeing tour and one of the places we visited was the Tokyo Edo museum. Honestly, I'd recommend it to others...in addition to the traditional exhibits, there are lots of interactive exhibits and really well-done replicas. It's a nice size and really energized my interest in absorbing as much Japanese culture as I can...two thumbs up!