Discovering Japan!

8.24.07

Lauren and I set out early this morning for Meguro, a city on the Yamanote Japan Railways (JR) line. The Yamanote line also takes you to the Imperial Palace and outlines all the popular stops in downtown Tokyo: Harijuku (think Gwen Stafani), Shibuya (chalk full of shopping fun), Akihabara (tech heaven), and many more. Even though Meguro was not as popular as some of those previously mentioned stops, Lauren and I were in the mood for some natural site seeing. Our destination? The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum and gardens. The grounds was built in 1933 for Prince Asaka and his wife who were inspired by the designs they saw at an International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925. The museum and gardens opened to the public in 1983 for all Japanese people (and foreigners like me) to enjoy! The current exhibit in the museum featured Russian “designs for theater, opera, and dance” between 1900 and 1945. The costumes were just as beautiful as the initial designs they were created from. I was intrigued by the French influence on the Russian arts during this time.

After going through the museum, Lauren and I decided to head for the gardens. We stopped to eat our lunch underneath the trees (ki) while watching out for huge black crows. I was terrified by their size and Lauren also told me that they will actually remember you, and try to come back a second time, if they happen to see you with food. Eeep! All I could think of was “The Birds”.

We walked around the lawns and the Japanese gardens complete with a pond of carp, a bamboo bridge, and a little teahouse that must have once been one of Prince Asaka’s favorite spots.

After leaving the gardens, we walked around Meguro. We found a cute teddy bear shop called “Dear Bear”, a florist where you could buy Japanese crickets, a 100 yen store ($1 store), and lots more. It was close to 2pm at this time so we decided to head to Shin-Urayasu to visit Lauren’s host mother. She needed to pick up her Yucca plant and some other affects that she had left. I tried my best to communicate with her host parents; speaking as slowly as I could. I came into some troubles when I tried to explain what a bioengineer was and what I had studied. The electronic Japanese translator that her host father had did not include the Japanese word for bioengineer. :) Just before we left, Lauren’s host mother asked me if I wanted to try a Japanese pickled plum. She warned me e t it would be sour, but I thought it would be polite to just try it once. Let’s just say that I won’t be trying them for a second time even if they are supposed to be good for your health.

Hear the Japanese crickets?
(Chester Cricket's long lost cousin for those of you that read the "Cricket in Times Square")

The Japanese like seaweed.

The Japanese also like lines. Very different from your typical NYC train station.

Lauren and I were really getting tired after being out all day and decided it was best to begin our long journey home.

Upon opening our apartment door we discovered that we had some mail. A few papers from Hiroko explaining the two lessons and students that we each have to teach tomorrow as well as a package slip for me! I wonder who sent it and I can’t wait to start teaching! At 9am I’m teaching a college age student. She is studying sociology and just needs help with conversation. At 1pm I have a class of four 6 and 7 year olds. I will also have a meeting with Hiroko to go over our schedule for next week.

I’ll let you know how it goes…