Japan, Final 24 Hours

Okay, well I take off about this time tomorrow, so I guess it's time for an update.

Since I got back to Kyoto, I've had a pretty lazy bunch of days. The reason for this is money: I don't have much, I didn't bring much, but I have a credit card just in case . In 23 days, I haven't done all that much, nor can I remember what order I did things in... my sleep has been pretty messed up, so that threw spanners in the works.

One of the first things I did back in Kyoto was visit the Kinkakuji (Golden Pavillion) Temple. As the name suggests, it is famous for its gold pagoda structure. We went very early in the morning and walked around it in about 10 minutes. We paid for the privilege, but it's a must-see. However, I also realised that I was fed up of temples and shrines.

After Kinkakuji, I headed over to the Kyoto Museum for World Peace at Ritsumeikan University. It was a nice look at violence during and since World War II, devoting a great deal of time to Japan's experience. It is worth a look if you're ever in the area, and not too expensive either.

The next thing I did, days later was head to Nijo-jo. This is a castle which, unlike many others, is kept not as a museum but preserved as an exhibit itself. I will explain more on the difference later. Nijo-jo has a brilliant nightengale flooring. This is where floorboards are set deliberately so that any weight will cause a squeak, to identify the presence of intruders. I tried walking slowly and carefully on these, but the squeaking just seems inevitable. Seeing it for the first time in real-life, I was impressed and happy to have that chance.

After this, I headed over to a place that is advertised as a 'Ninja House' for the sake of foreigners, but is actually a house converted especially to allow it to be used as a ryokan (traditional B&B) for daimyo (warlords). This means places for bodyguards to hide and other design considerations. It was nice to look around, if a little expensive. You also need to book and bring someone to translate (the guy tried to explain to us foreigners, but there were limits).

Finally, I walked further south to Mibu, home of the Shinsengumi. We trolled around looking for things about them, and there wasn't too much (unfortunately). We did walk past their graves, and I drank from the same cleansing fountain as they did (crystal clear and really nice). After this, it only seemed right to finish the day with a McFlurry and bus ride home.

Somewhere after this, we went to see Miami Vice, which I really enjoyed. Michael Mann is my favourite director, and I loved what he did with it. The film was by no means perfect, but it was a good take on adapting the series for the modern day and silver screen. Beforehand I also went back to the yakiniku restaurant I had visited with Ryoko (nothing like beef innards before a movie), and after we hit Baskin Robbins. It was a nice night!

The next thing I did, just a couple of days later, was head to Nara (Japan's capital prior to Tokyo and Kyoto). Nara was nice, except for the rain which hit us pretty hard. When we arrived (one Special Rapid Service journey away) there was a lot of commotion above us. There were at least 5 or 6 choppers flying overhead, and I still don't know why.

Nara Park has lots to see in it, mainly cultural icons. Nara holds plenty of World Cultural Heritage structures. We only visited a few. On entry to the park, we saw the 5-storey Kofukoju pagoda and some other temple buildings. However, I mostly took pictures of cute deer... :) The main thing I wanted to see was Todaiji, a temple with the largest Buddha in Japan. It was beautiful and being able to take pictures inside was a welcome change. Perhaps the most important thing I learned was that not long after I leave, Tokyo Ska Para will play a gig there... in the temple grounds... that would be so cool! On the way back to the station (via a cafe), we crossed onto Ukimido (a pavillion built on a lake).

The day after Nara, I didn't have much planned, but by the afternoon I was pretty bored. Miyuki decided we should go shopping for a card for her dad, and we did. Then in Qanat (a shopping centre not far from us) I saw a Pri-kura machine (Picture Club) and she said asked me if I wanted to try. After she bought some new sandles (she'd been using flip-flops that became slippy in the rain), I decided we would go to town to do this Pri-kura, instead of just the one machine in Qanat.

Off we went to Round 1 (the chain whose branch I used for bowling in Hiroshima) where I played around on the arcades before even trying Pri-Kura! I played this one game, Tokyo Bus Driver, where you sit in a bus rig and have to drive the route and pick up passengers (take the crazy from Crazy Taxi and add the butt-numbing simulation from MS Flight Sim 2006). I did crap, thanks for asking... So I quickly moved on, trying F-Zero in a moving rig... I did a bit better on this. I also tried a sword-fighting game (actually I'd tried it at the Trocadero years ago, but did a bit better this time). As usual, however, I ended up on shooting games.

I played the original version of Police 24/7 (the one where you move in real-life to make your avatar take cover). The Japanese version is quite different to the British one. The first level was pretty much the same, although there was an alternate route that I found on my return visit, but after that it's totally different. Still good fun though. I also tried WarTran (I think that's what it was called), which is a bit like Ghost Squad I guess: a militaristic shooter with a rifle. It had four rifles for the one machine, but unfortunately it is difficult for one person to play (depending on where you stand, depends on what you can actually hit... anything in the threshold between the two monitors is damn near impossible - an exercise in frustration). Perhaps my favourite was Police Heroes (I think), which was a simple stand and shoot affair where lowering the weapon brings up a riot shield and lets you reload. The game is actually a race between the two players or against the CPU. It was good fun, and the controller had a hefty feel with blowback.

After the arcades, we took our pictures and defaced them with neon colours... I gave a Moai statue an afro. Still I felt the night was too young, so we went to 'Stylish Karaoke' (part of the Shidax chain). Actually, since being in Kyoto, I had been to two other karaoke places. The one around the corner from where I'm staying was a dingy UGA Karaoke Room place, smoky and difficult to really have fun in - plus they asked for ID (Miyuki is only a few months from being able to drink legally). The other time we went to the Super Jankara which is really upmarket.

Stylish Karaoke was upmarket too. We chose freetime and this gave us the option of staying til 6am. We didn't know if we were going to do it, but we had all-you-can-drink and the option of eating (not included in the price). We decided to skip the last bus home and stay there the whole night. If you ever miss the last train in this country, there are options open to you... karaoke and manga-kissa being probably the simplest. However, you will not sleep in a karaoke joint... believe me... I managed a quick nap, which was at least better than nothing.

More importantly, by staying in town and getting kicked out at 6, that gave us the incentive to finally head to Kiyomizu-dera. We strolled over there dead early and managed to see it (albeit briefly, without walking around the grounds). We had to pay, but the view was incredible. Plus you get to drink from the spring head (Kiyomizu means 'clear water), it was earthy... but palatable. Then it was home and to bed, as you can imagine. However, on the ride home I managed to lose my umbrella (my first one I purposefully left at Miyuki's parent's house, but this second one just disappeared on the bus).

I had a day to get my sleep in order because on Saturday I headed out to Sekigahara. This small town is known to pretty much every Japanese person with some kind of historical knowledge. Here Tokugawa Ieyasu fought a major step towards becoming Shogun, way back in 1600. We visited the museum there, but there wasn't much in the way of English and it wasn't so big. After a 2 hour journey there, we felt we wanted some lunch. It is such a small town that it was damned near impossible to find anywhere. We settled in going for a tea at an open-house type cafe. This house was a traditional tatami and paper one, beautiful. The owner also pointed us towards somewhere to eat, which turned out to be kind of equivalent to Little Chef. It was safe to say we were back at the train station soon after.

At the train station, I said goodbye to Miyuki and headed over to Nagoya. Having missed Nagoya Castle the last time I visited, it made sense to head there while journeying to Sekigahara. It took less than an hour to get there and I was soon checked into my hotel in Sakae, Nagoya's night-life centre. I met up with my friend who I met the last time, and we went to karaoke (I'm a fiend for karaoke). She left (last train was calling) and then I headed back to my hotel for a well deserved sleep. I had actually only slept for 3 hours in the past 24 at this point. Even with this crippling need to sleep, the pillow was so bloody hard I just couldn't! I woke up every hour. At least I was awake before the alarm.

I checked out and headed into the scorching sun towards Nagoya Castle. The castle is an impressive affair. Like Hiroshima's it was rebuilt after the war and made into a museum. It was nice and had lots of great information, however personally I prefer Nijo-jo style castles where you can see a snapshot of the past. I then wandered the streets for a bit in the blazing sun, heading back to the train station and looking around there. I saw my first Image Club (cosplay sex club - in this case school girls). I then met up with my friend again and did more karaoke (what did I tell you?) and then had dinner and drinks (yakitori and sake).

I headed home about 7.30pm (last train in order to catch the last bus), which saw me standing for well over an hour. It wasn't so bad though, I saw a beautiful moon that night: large, full and green with a band of cloud. I wish I could have taken a picture. Incidentally, I counted that about 18 out of the 20 people around me (standing and sitting) were sleeping (or looked like it)... I wish I could do that!

I slept pretty crap for the most of this week. I only had one thing actually planned: a trip to Ueno City in Mie Prefecture, but I just couldn't get up early enough. On Thursday, after 4 days of very little, I took Miyuki to town. We saw Oda Nobunaga's grave and then hit Stylish karaoke (with a 30% off voucher). After two hours of karaoke I then treated her to dinner at an izakaya chain. I owe her a lot for letting me stay with her... it can't be easy to put up with your ex for two months!

The next day we headed to Ueno City. It takes 2 hours to get there and to call it a city is a bit generous. Part of Ueno is Iga... those of you familiar with Basilisk or Shinobi, or ninja generally, will know this name. In Ueno Park is a ninja museum. It gives a realistic protrayal of the ninja and includes a real ninja house. There is also a show giving a demonstration of their weapons for just 200 yen (less than a quid). I then paid another 200 yen to throw some shuriken. They are pretty heavy and difficult to be accurate (however, I would have still hit a guy...). After the ninja museum, we went uphill to see Ueno Castle. There was also a Basho museum here. This classic poet hailed from Iga, and is often said to have been a ninja. We then headed home (having had to wait for a train for 40 minutes - there is only one every hour).

Yesterday I just watched Star Trek: Enterprise all day, and so we arrive at the present. I can't believe it is time to leave. I need to, I have no money left... and I want to see my dogs, friends and that other person.... erm... I forget her name (kidding, Keiko!) 

I am about to head into town to spend the last of my money and then I will come back, make a couple of calls and then head to bed. I have to be up for a 5.45 bus! I also have to pack! Shit...

I'm going to miss it here. I feel really comfortable. I came to see if I could live here... and the answer to this question is yes. I feel really relaxed here, although I didn't actually have anything to be stressed about. I can't wait to come back...

Sayonara Japan.