Finding Natural Beauty in Kyoto (Emma)

My exploration of Kyoto began at Arashiyama. I chose to start here because I wanted to look more critically at a highly touristed area in Kyoto, and there were many temples and tourist destinations that were close and easily accessible to one another.

One of the first things that I noticed while getting off the bus at Arashiyama was the amount of rickshaws and kimono rental shops. Much like Asakusa in Tokyo, the area immediately feels commercialized. My bus stop dropped me off close to Tenryu-ji, so I started with an exploration of the temple grounds. Unfortunately, I only had 800 yen in my pocket and needed to save some for lunch later in the day so I was unable to get into the gardens or main halls.

Tenryu-ji

After Tenryu-ji, I headed straight over to the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. I didn’t walk the whole path, but I continued along the trail for quite a while and took in the scenery.  Many people of all ages were there, and it was a very even assortment of families, older couples, school groups, tour groups and people from all over the world. I’m pretty sure this was the first time I saw western foreigners in kimono, which just speaks to the fact that a large percentage of the women in Arashiyama were donning rental kimono.

Arashiyama

Something that I found surprising and upsetting at Arashiyama was how the foreigners were acting. Although this is a sweeping judgement- there were so many people in this area these were just the small percentage that stood out. For example, there was an offshoot trail by the bamboo groves that lead to a small cemetery. Although the sign was badly translated into english, it said something along the lines of “please don’t enter”. However, you could see many foreign tourists in the cemetery taking pictures of the gravestones. For me, that felt like such direct disrespect,  and made me feel bad by association with them. That was one of the things about Arashiyama that I noticed a lot, because there were so many people there at once from so many different places, many of these sites didn’t feel sacred.

One of the draws Arashiyama is definitely the scenery. There is a lot of natural beauty in this area, as you can overlook the river and see the foothills of the mountains surrounding you. The bamboo groves are stunning, especially coming from the US where it’s unusual to see any bamboo bigger than my finger.

After Arashiyama, I went a little bit off the beaten path and headed over to Matsunoo-Taisha. When researching places to go around Arashiyama, I found this small shinto shrine as a throw away ‘if you have time’ destination on a tourist blog. Researching more in depth, I found that the shrine is one of Kyoto’s oldest- dating back to 701 AD.

Matsunoo-Taisha

Upon entering the shrine, I noticed an immediate difference from Tenryu-ji and the bamboo groves. First of all, I was the only non-japanese person in sight, and although there were quite a few people there, it was nothing like the crowds of my previous two sites. Another thing that I noticed was that almost everyone there was either in a suit or kimono, after asking one of the women there I learned that there was a wedding earlier in the day. The shrine itself was beautiful, tucked away in the scenery of the mountains and it just felt very peaceful. Apparently the shrine is known for it’s beautiful gardens as well, but again I had the problem of needing to save money for food later. However, I feel like visiting the shrine itself was worth it. 

Similarly to Arashiyama, Matsunoo-Taisha definitely focuses on the scenery and natural beauty surrounding it. Because it is more secluded and off the beaten path however, the shrine itself feels much more genuine and I can tell many of the people who visit it go because it has meaning to them.

Getting Lost in Harajuku (Emma)

It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to focus on for this blog. Was I going to talk about the Gyoza shop that I can’t stay away from, or the coffee shop near my campus that is always there to give me a caffeine boost? However, as I began making plans for this weekend I realized that there is one place I’ve frequented more than any other: Takeshita Dori.

Takeshita Dori

Harajuku was definitely one of the things I looked forward to before coming to Japan.  In many ways it’s different than what I expected, but every time I visit I find more things that I want to look at and explore. Just people watching is an experience of it’s own, and finding a spot at a cafe and looking out the windows could entertain me for hours.

As the youth fashion district, a lot of the shops are primarily for clothing and accessories, many of them promoting very cute and pastel colored items.  The ‘shoujo aesthetic’ is very apparent, and as a shopping district the whole area is dedicated to young consumers. Most of the shops are on Takeshita Dori, but there are many winding side roads teeming with local shops and restaurants.

A look inside...

One of the stores that I’ve found myself frequenting is a small sticker shop called B-Side Label. While I was originally drawn in by the walls upon walls of stickers, I keep coming back because the staff are always so nice. This store was one of the first places in which I’ve had an extensive conversation in Japanese with someone I didn’t know. After returning and having the same staff members recognize me and continuing to engage in conversation, I’ve made an effort to stop by whenever I’m in the area. The fact that they have a whole line of stickers just for Halloween certainly has not kept me away.

Stickers upon stickers.

Harajuku is also a destination for those who want to show off their coordinated outfits, and underground fashion styles. While I haven’t been too adventurous, I have found the experience of walking around in a wig and stylized outfit to be much more rewarding. Dressing up, you can feel much more like a participant than just an observer. This may also be because as a white person going to Harajuku, usually people assume you are just a tourist and can speak limited or no Japanese. Dressing up usually lessens that assumption, and I’ve had more interactions with people when I dress to match the Harajuku vibe. It is one of the few places I’ve been where I’ve had conversations with people outside of my school, and mastering an area has really made me feel like I live in Tokyo.

Adjusting to Tokyo (Emma)

Tokyo view

Personally, I have always been good at remembering places and directions, which has come in handy so far during my study abroad experience. Knowing where I am has not been a problem (so far) during my time in Japan. While I have purposefully tried to go off the beaten path and get around by going down windy residential roads, I haven’t really encountered the experience of being physically lost yet. Mentally and emotionally lost is another story, but I think that comes hand in hand with moving to a country that has an entirely different language and culture.

My Street

Because I was able to visit Tokyo earlier this summer, I feel like my adjustment period has been very different from the other exchange students at my dorm. Having a good grasp of the Rikkyo campus and the area around Shiki Station has led to me spending a lot more time exploring other areas of Tokyo. Even though I’ve been living at my RUID Shiki for a grand total of 5 days, most of those days have been spent exploring other districts. I’ve gotten very used to taking the  trains everywhere, and it’s given me a much better sense of Tokyo- just the everyday hustle and bustle of people on their commute. Being constantly surrounded by crowds has been exhausting, but I’ve found myself growing more accustomed to it every day. In some ways, following the crowds has lead me to some very interesting places. However, I do want to find more streets and neighborhoods that don’t have a constant stream of people.

Big A Supermarket

Part of my goal this weekend is to start getting to know the area around my dorm, and to spend less time exploring Tokyo as a whole. The weather has been incredibly humid lately, so the thought of just walking around my neighborhood with no real destination in mind hasn’t been that enticing. However, it’s starting to sink in that I’m actually here for a long time. While I’ve been a frequent visitor at the discount food store down the street, I want to find some other grocery shopping options. I want to know if the gyoza restaurant I see every morning on my walk to the station has any good food. Part of me doesn’t want to stop being a tourist, but the moment classes start I know I’ll have to begin focusing more on school and frequenting the cafes and restaurants that are close by.  My mental map around my dorm feels very empty at the moment and I want to be able to expand my knowledge of this city. While my residence card may label me as a Shiki resident, in many ways I still feel like a visitor.

My Map

Beginning My Year Abroad (Emma)

As I set out on this journey, I’ve found myself wide awake just a few hours before I leave for Japan. I’m all packed, and while most of me feels completely ready to make my way to Tokyo, a large part of me is second guessing myself. It’s not that I’m not excited for this experience (my friends can verify that it’s taken most of my self-control to stop talking about this upcoming year), but there are a lot of things that I need to consider.

One of the hardest things for me to wrap my brain around is the fact that I’m going to be ‘stuck’ in Japan for the next 11 months. While part of that sounds amazing, I feel like this will be one of the most challenging parts of my year abroad. My family and I are very close, and 11 months is the longest I’ve stayed apart by far. While I know I’ll have a great time, sitting down with some KFC is nowhere near to the Christmas celebration I’m used to. This has resulted in a lot of dog cuddling, hanging out with my brother, and small family outings. It’s going to be different, and to some extent I’m really ready for this push away from home, but in many ways it’s something that I’m unable to prepare myself for until I arrive in Japan. 

Last Day with my Dog

For this first time in my life, I’m also able to financially support myself (outside of school tuition). I’ve spent a lot of this past summer working over 40 hours a week which was a learning curve in itself, and after arriving in Japan it will be the first time I’m only relying on myself for food, essentials, and dorm fees. It’s nice to know that if I completely mess up I’m able to ask my family for help, but I think it’s going to be a good experience figuring out how to ‘be an adult’.

Other than that, there are many ways in which my language and cultural competency will improve, and I’m very excited to get to the point in which living in Japan feels mundane. I’ve got 11 months to find my favorite restaurants, cafes, tv shows and parks. So here I am, slightly anxious but mostly excited for my year at Rikkyo University, I just have to get on my plane and make it to Tokyo.

           

Plane Ride

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