Onsen Adventures: Part 2

As you many of you recall, I had serious doubts about going to onsen while here in Japan. In spite of my love for hot tubbing, I was totally freaked out about public nudity. As my assignment nears an end (only a little over a month to go) I suddenly felt the desire to conquer my fears and go for it. After serious consideration, and the helpful advice of my Japanese tutor (thanks, Tomoko-san) and trusted colleague (Morimoto-san), I decided to go to Odaiba Onsen over the weekend. In addition to a sudden and unexpected burst of courage, I was also persuaded by the description of all the things to do at this onsen. In addition to the traditional onsen, there were also large foot onsens, massage areas, lots of places to eat, a relaxation room, sand baths...and the opportunity to walk around in a yukata all day and take lots of pictures. I knew this was the place for me, and I was not disappointed. Determined to make the most of it, I participated in the foot onsen, traditional onsen, foot bath, had a shiatsu massage, a sand bath, and even dipped my feet into a pool of little fish for dead skin removal. Along the way, I ate some moderately good fun and took a long nap in the relaxation room...bliss...I loved it. I would definitely recommend it, and for more information click on...http://www009.upp.so-net.ne.jp/enjoytokyo/area/ooedo.html

Toilets in Japan: Take 2

In one of my earlier posts, I took pictures and discussed my shock at seeing a toilet of a completely different variety....completely grounded (often found in stations and outdoor facilities). I would be remiss, however, if I didn't revisit the subject one last time. In addition to those types of toilets, the ones most common in Japan are actually a huge upgrade to the ones in the States and other places I visited.

In addition to flushing, these toilets offer a wide array other other options to make your experience better. I won't go into the embarrassing details, but if you like a warm seat, warm water sprays, and even music while enjoying your private time...you're in luck!!

The Making of a Geisha: Before and After

As I've hinted in earlier posts, seeing the geisha in Kyoto wasn't enough for me. I had to be made into one. I convinced my skeptical and initially unwilling friend (thanks, Sherry) to undergo the transformation with me... We settled in for about an hour of hair and makeup and getting dressed up in the many tight and uncomfortable layers that make up a kimono. Once our transformation was complete, we spent nearly an hour walking around an amusement park in Kyoto to the true amusement of the park-goers. Imagine their surprise when they saw a tall black girl dressed this week in speaking loudly in American English...surprise surprise...enjoy!!

Temple and/or Shrine Etiquette

Japan is packed with shrines and temples...which may very well be the understatement of the day. On every corner, it seems you can find one or the other. I've been to some of the historic and my trip last weekend to Kyoto was no different. In the company canteen (aka cafeteria) I brought up a question to a co-worker..."How do you know the difference between a temple and a shrine." I'll admit I was a bit embarrassed to ask, but her vague response only led me to believe that maybe it just wasn't so obvious. Upon my return from my 45 minute lunch break (yes...45 minutes...a little crazy, if you ask me) I immediately looked it up online. I won't regurgitate the article here...the author did a great job of explaining the differences between the two as well as offering some advice in the way of etiquette. According to the article, my activities portrayed above in pictures fit right in with what I was supposed to be doing...what a relief!!

- Picture 1 and 2: Do say a prayer of thanks (those little paper/wooden things are prayers

offered by visitors)

- Picture 3: Do rinse your hands and mouth for purification

- Both pictures: Do take pictures where permitted

For the complete story...visit: http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2233

Spending Time With the Geisha in Kyoto

Everyone thinks of kimonos and geisha when they think of Japan. I loved Memoirs of a Geisha and so seeing some was one of the many things I wanted to do while here in Japan. As mentioned in the book, the training process to become a true geisha is long and arduous. Simply put, everyone you see in a kimono is not a geisha...haha. I've included a link to look up more information about the training involved and the denotations involved with identifying geisha from maikos (geisha in training) and even prostitutes. Seeing girls in kimonos is pretty common, I see them on the train and all over the place in Tokyo pretty frequently. In Kyoto, however, there were the maikos and real geisha. There is even a special street that you can go to see the geisha walking around.

During my short trip to Kyoto, I started off with simply admiring the girls and their pretty kimonos (see pictures above) to looking for those with full makeup (see also above) to actually having the desire to try on a kimono and be transformed myself. I will post pictures of my personal transformation soon...stay tuned!!

For more information, refer to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisha

Give Me Some Tongue

During my trip to Kyoto I visited a few shrines and temples. Like many other temples, one I visited had a number of different food vendors to pacify the hungry traveler. The smells were temptings and the choices were quite varied - cotton candy, octopus balls, potatoes, sausages, and yakatori. For those who may not know, yakataori is skewered grilled meat and it is delicious... I've had it many times, and it's really hard to resist. There is often a choice of chicken, pork and beef at yakatori stands. At this stand, there was an an option of BEEF TONGUE as well. As I've stated before, I'm not at all squeamish about meat...so I purchased a stick. I had the option of having my tongue sweet or a bit salty...I choose to have it with a bit of salt and it was so good that I had to buy another skewer. Give me more tongue...yummy!!

Kyoto: The Golden Pavilion

During my first weekend back in Tokyo, I visited Kyoto the weekend...what a treat. One of the first places on my list was visiting the The Golden Pavilion: Rokun-ji Temple. It was a magnificent site...I've seen a lot of temples and shrines here in Japan, but this one standout for obvious reasons. According to the info booklet I received upon entering, it's origins date back to the 1220s. There is a lot of interesting historical information about the temple and its inhabitants, click on the link below. The only disappointing thing about the temple visit is the fact that you can't get too close to it. The temple itself is surrounded by the Mirror pond: Kyoko-chi which prevents getting to close to the building itself. In addition to my recommendation, it is interesting to note that the Temple was inscribed as World Cultural Heritage in 1994 - a definite must see!

For more information, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkaku-ji