Japan in Summer

By now, I have travelled to Japan 3 times, which puts it in the leading position on par with China as the country that I have visited the most number of times for vacation.

Last month, Japan overtook China in this little contest, as I head, once again, to the Land of the Rising Sun, which is a bit of good news for the country since China has been hogging the limelight in recent years for any records worth breaking.

We have seen Nihon in her winter glory and autumn colours, and so this time, I returned with the extended family in tow to soak in the green of summer.  Nai Nai and Yeh Yeh gamely took up the challenge of a 5-day hike to trace the footsteps of Matsuo Basho, the haiku master, in the northern region of Tohoku.  In the late 17th century, Basho set off from Edo (modern day Tokyo) to make the epic (and often times, dangerous) journey on foot that lasted 156 days.  He penned his observations and recorded poems he composed along the way in the travel diary, Oku no Hosomichi 奥の細道 (The Narrow Road to the Deep North).  Though his journey covered 2,400 km, our little troupe only trekked a fraction of that, completing a little less than 50 km over the 5 days.

After our hike, we shedded our grubby hiking gear and traded our boots for a set of wheels to travel in comfort and style.  The rain that we had been expecting in the past few days finally made its appearance, and did not cease its visit for the remainder of our stay in Japan.  That made for some pretty dramatic encounters, as I will share more in future posts.

For now, let's enjoy some of the highlights captured by YL.

Hydrangeas (ajisai) are the symbol of summer in Japan

The famous pine-laden scenery at Matsushima (松島) Bay 

River outside our ryokan in Hijiori Onsen (肘折温泉）

Kokeshi doll craftsman at work in Naruko Onsen 鳴子温泉

Hiking in the woods surrounded by green

5 yen coins, tokens of hope and prayers, at the steep cliffs of Jizogura near Hijiori Onsen 肘折温泉

The iconic sight of the Risshakuji 立石寺, aka Yamadera 山寺

Cherry season in Yamagata!

My cup of tea: history & culture

Look away if it's not yours...don't worry, we can still be friends.

My family knows a museum is usually on my itinerary.  Neither a wailing, squirming 9-month old Sophie in a baby carrier nor an adult abled-bodied doctor were obstacles.  They dare not risk the evil dragon stares and accompanying destructive fire.

On this trip, without these encumbrances, naturally you would expect me to binge on museums.  Curiously, that did not happen, although I did consider buying the Grutto Pass for only JPY 2200 which allowed free or discounted entrances to EIGHTY THREE museums in the Greater Tokyo area.  Japanese love museums too!  (...maybe a bit too much, though...)

However, on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, upon exiting the station near my apartment and finding myself facing the prospect of being partially drenched by the heavy rain (note to self: get one of those large transparent umbrellas that all Tokyo-ites use), I bought a ticket on a whim to the Edo Tokyo Museum located just outside the station.  I planned to spend no more than 2 hours, expecting the rain to have subsided by that time.  Fast forward 3.5 hours later, I was chased out when they closed the museum.

First, a lunch of Japanese curry chicken & gizzard at Mikasa just outside the museum to fuel up for the visit. It was more gizzard than chicken, though.  Gizzards and I are fated to be together during this trip.... :(

The museum presents the history of Edo from its establishment as a major political, and later, commercial center, after Tokugawa Ieyasu triumphed at the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) to become the next shogun, and its evolution to Tokyo today.  I spent way too much time in the Edo sections, and power-walked through the Tokyo sections.  But then again, I have always found historical times much more fascinating than modern times. 

Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled for 265 years up to the Meiji Restoration in 1868.  During this period, Japan went through self-imposed isolation (sakoku 鎖国) which allowed many traditions and arts to develop without the previous Chinese and Korean influences, thus creating the unique Japanese culture we know today

One example is the kabuki.  I can definitely sense traces of the Chinese opera in the gestures and flow of the dialogue (see my experience at the Kabuki-za below), but there is no doubt this stands on its own as a Japanese art

I was very curious about the story, and excited to see the title of this poster, "Summary of Sukeroku's story".  It tells me that it is a revenge story, a special performance for Edo people, and has cool costumes and crisp sound of the actor's voice.  And that's it  >:(  Talk about suspense.  Japan needs to improve its signage for international visitors...

The coolest thing about the Edo sections are these diorama that have so much detail in them, from the expressions, to tools and clothes.

Nihonbashi bridge

Residential area of commoners, commonly found around Nihonbashi area

How cute is that?? Kawaii!!

Reconstruction of the ohiroma, matsu-no-roka and shiroshoin rooms at Edo Castle (part of today's Tokyo Imperial Palace).  These were used for meetings with daimyo (warlords), generals, and to stage Noh theatre. 

Merchants at the Nihonbashi area.  Each merchant sat on a spot below a banner bearing their name and which hung from the ceiling.  The merchants displayed samples of their products to customers over a raised tatami dais.

Mitsukoshi (predecessor of Mitsui Group, and now part of the Isetan Mitsukoshi group of companies) also set up shop here, pioneering "cash transactions" which brought great success.  Prior to that, merchants would take orders from its customers (usually from high class families) before producing the goods and collecting payment.  Mitsukoshi made the products first, and then sold them directly at his shop for cash.   

Side view of the above.  The details were just unbelievable...My iPhone camera cannot do it justice

That's where I would be hanging out during the Edo period: a bookshop :D

As I said, I spent too much time living in the distant past, and so there's only this picture of "recent" times.  But it's the best!  Game & Watch!  The ORIGINAL Nintendo!! 

My siblings will melt if they see this...those days when we my brother would cycle out to the neighbourhood video rental shop to rent one of these sets to play Bubble Bobble, Super Mario, etc, during our school holidays....awww...

For some odd reason, kabuki kept popping up on my radar these few days.  I had planned to check it out, but it had dropped to the bottom of my to-do list since I arrived.  Then it popped up in my textbook, then a friend suggested I go and watch it, then a whole stage materialized in front of me at the Edo Tokyo Museum.  So, again, on a whim (that's real freedom that I'm really enjoying right now - thanks, YL!), I decided to pay a visit to Kabuki-za today.

It's the principal theatre for kabuki plays in Tokyo

Flashy architecture in the middle of drab homogeneous buildings of the business district of Ginza

Kabuki plays run for 4-5 hours (not a typo) over 3-4 acts.  The matinee show starts at 11am and ends after 3pm, while the evening one starts at 4:30pm and ends after 8:30pm.  There is a break for lunch or dinner, and some patrons purchase food to eat at their seats.  It's also a classy affair for the locals as they come dressed in their kimonos with their hair done up and immaculate make up.

Because I'm not classy nor rich (the best seats costs JPY 20,000), and probably not very cultured as far as the Japanese goes, I went for a single act.  Depending on the act, it costs between JPY 500 - JPY 2000 for an act that lasts between 15 minutes to 2 hours.  Single act tickets can only be bought on the same day, and at the box office.

I arrived around 20 minutes before the box office opened for the 4:30pm act, and was 7th in line, next to these 2 Japanese senior folks, and a few foreign tourists. 

The line quickly built up after that.  But as with all things Japanese, there was a very organized and dignified manner in which the queue was managed.  They brought out wooden benches covered with red felt each time the queue grew.  

Everyone were given brochures and instructions on how and when to buy tickets, tips for souvenirs, gossip about the lead actor, ideal tea to drink during the break, etc.  That's my guess because all they had in English was a sign with "Before 4:05pm" written on it, which they waved ever so gently at the group of foreigners. 

They did have English summaries for the acts, though.  But still no clue about that long animated 10-minute speech... 

In any case, I paid JPY 500 for a 15-minute act titled "Goemon at the Temple Gate". 

Summary provided by the theatre: Though short, this play is one of the most visually spectacular in kabuki.  The famous villain Ishikawa Goemon is sitting on top of the large gate of Nanzenji temple enjoying the view of cherry blossoms in full bloom.  His enjoyment of the scene is cut short, however, for the general Hisayoshi (the shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi) who has killed both his adopted and biological fathers appears.  

This is the act, as my finger helpfully points out.

I was in luck, as this month is the special performance with an all-star cast to mark the 130th year of the opening of the Kabukiza Theatre.  Both the famous stars mentioned in the marketing blurb - Onoe Kikugoro and Nakamura Kichiemon - appeared in the act I watched, short as it was.

Inside the theatre hall.  The single act ticket holders are confined to the last 2 rows at the back of the hall.  There were a good mix of tourists and locals.  The lady who sat next to me was a local who was very excited to be there.  She chatted to me in Japanese - it happens to me a lot here - while I politely nodded with appreciative sounds like "hai, hai, soo, soo..."  

The problem with me is that I speak enough basic rudimentary Japanese to seem like a local.  I should just start speaking English every time.  But it saddens me to see the disappointed surprise on their faces when they discover I'm not local.  So let the masquerade continue... 

Of course, there is no way I could understand kabuki; I suspect even the locals don't.  So I paid JPY 500 for this translator, which is really yen well spent.  It explains the lyrics, dialogue, and even the scene setup.  Thanks to it, the 15 minutes' act really came alive for me.  Highly recommended! (sorry, my grammar is beginning to sound Japanese)

School(s) & an unexpected outing

In order to reduce the guilt of taking a month off, I enrolled myself in an intensive Japanese language class.  So now, instead of exploring Tokyo all day, I attend classes in the mornings, and explore in the afternoons & evenings .... life is so unfair!  (≧∇≦)

Since my arrival 10 days ago (already!? where did the time go?), however, I have been so busy exploring - as you can read from my blog posts - that the first week of class flew by in a whirl.  I have some vague recollections of conjugations, past plain forms, kanji, interrogatives, etc.  Yeah, I have no idea what they are, neither.

The break area and my classroom

My classmates at the language school are a most diverse and interesting bunch.  There's an American retiree who plans to cycle all the way from Kyushu in the south to Hokkaido in the north, another British retiree from Oxford University who plans to travel throughout Japan with his family, an Italian digital marketing consultant who works with Japanese clients, a Ghana-ian accountant who will be helping out with his uncle's business in Japan, a Sri Lankan housewife whose husband has been posted to a bank in Tokyo, a German aeronautical engineer who is taking a sabbatical year off (with 75% pay!!... I need to look into starting up this benefit at my next company) to improve his aikido, an Indian national whose Japanese wife decided to return home, a Singaporean fresh graduate on her gap year, and me, a Malaysian middle-age tai-tai wannabe on a mid-life crisis :D 

Most of them have been taking lessons together for at least a month, and I was the newcomer to the group, but they readily included me in their activities.

Here we are, a bunch of gaijin (foreigners), after lunch at an udon shop located on the 3rd floor of a swanky office building near the school

The staff must be used to hearing - and understanding - stuttering Japanese from the language students.  They also learned some stock English phrases to help out the genuinely hopeless: Which one? Big or small?

Some of my classmates wanted to see the Yasukuni Shrine which was in the neighbourhood.  Some parts of me are curious to see it, though I had originally not intended to visit.  While I do not place blame on the entire country for what happened during WW II, obviously (otherwise, I would not have studied Japanese or chosen to be here during my career break), it does not mean that I am comfortable visiting a place that honours those who were involved.  

In any case, I joined everyone for a stroll through the peaceful grounds of the shrine.  It is the ONE place in Tokyo where you will NOT find any Chinese or Korean tourist groups.

Entrance to the Yasukuni Shrine

It was built in 1869, and today enshrines those who "sacrificed themselves for their mother country"

Besides the shrine, there is also a museum detailing the various conflicts in which Japan was involved such as the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the Greater East Asia War (WWII), artefacts from civilians and the military, as well as weapons including locomotives and the (in)famous Zero plane fighter. 

I opted to sit in the shade and chatted with the girls while the boys admired the plane and received an impromptu lecture about its features from our classmate who happens to be an aeronautical engineer.  This chrysanthemum picture is all you will see of me at the site.  

The shrine belongs to the Japanese imperial family, hence the chrysanthemum crest - the symbol of the emperor - is found everywhere

Switching back to the topic of school, my postgrad alma mater, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), happened to be in town to inaugurate the Japan chapter of its alumni network.  I gladly registered for the event for the free meal chance to meet some fellow alumni.  Surprisingly, there were almost an equal number of Japanese and non-Japanese at the event.  It felt like a Singaporean/Malaysian wedding: there was a video/slideshow of photos of the star (the campus), we did a yum seng instead of kanpai, and the NTU staff went round to each table to toast and take photos (≧∇≦)

Prof. Guido Gianasso gave a short lecture on Leading Across Cultures.  The jargon brought back memories of sitting through similar lectures (and daydreaming) during my MBA days

I dragged along a Japanese classmate so that we could catch up.  I think she must be sick of seeing me in Tokyo every other year... :) Thanks for putting up with all my nonsense, Katsue!

Of Towers and Tea (Shinjuku-ku & Taito-ku)

To maximise my indulgent career break, I scoffed at my screaming leg muscles from the cycling tour, and continued my exploration of this metropolis of 12 million people and quite possibly, an equally high number of disattractions.  It is all in the mind, people!

This time, I ventured to west Tokyo to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁　Tokyo Tocho), which is probably more famous for its free panoramic view of the city than any governmental activities (well, to tourists, anyways).  Its twin structures are also a recognisable Tokyo landmark.

Because I'm a lone traveller, you will see a lot of pictures like these, shot from this angle, until my trusty assistant sister arrives a few weeks later.  But then, at that time, you'll probably get shots of TWO people looking like this.  

 I waited for about 10 minutes to get into the elevator, squashed with 15 others in hushed silence for 54 seconds (the elevator operator furnished us with this precise nugget of information) while ascending the 45 floors of the North Observatory.  The South Observatory is closed until Spring 2019.  

The queue was all very well-organized, like all things Japanese, even though there was a loudspeaker instructing visitors - as gently as a loudspeaker could - to be orderly in Mandarin.  

And because my legs were really giving way by that time, I gladly paid JPY 1200 for a raspberry pie & free-flow drinks at the Good View Cafe, where I ensconced myself for the next 2 hours.  It was packed on a Tuesday mid-afternoon, mostly with locals.  What do all these Tokyoites do (or not do) to afford that luxury?? The souvenir shop just outside, meanwhile, was packed with tourists...

Fuji-san did not come out to play this time, though that did not stop the tourists from hogging precious window space and taking shots of everything.  Granted, the sprawling city view is quite amazing, even without Fuji-san. 

Especially in the sunset hours...This one was taken in the Shinjuku business district showing the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower & the Shinjuku Center Building (no need for me to explain which is which, I think)

Later that night....

What's a trip to Japan without saying hi to its favourite monster?  There are several Godzilla statues around Tokyo, and this one is at the Shinjuku TOHO Building in Kabukicho.

My favourite Tokyo experience thus far was the tea workshop I attended today.  It was run by an extremely knowledgeable and articulate Japanese tea master who speaks French with an impeccable accent, and whose real job is proof reading English documents.  It was an intimate session with the most congenial fellow tea lovers - a Japanese tea master from Shizuoka prefecture who joined the session to learn the right English vocabulary to conduct sessions for tourists, and a young French gentlemen with a discerning taste for Japanese tea.  I couldn't ask for better companions.  We all took copious amounts of notes.  Le monsieur français et moi bought a lot of tea afterwards, too much for one person to finish before their expiry dates.  Anyone interested in dropping by my place for a cup (or several) of tea, by any chance?

And because I'm generous, here's a short primer on what I've learned today...

The level of oxidisation determines the types of tea: black tea (fully oxidised), green tea (not oxidised) and oolong tea (partially oxidised).  Oxidisation is basically the exposure to air leading to the browning of tea leaves, which, as you can imagine, is a pretty natural affair.  So, to prevent oxidisation, the leaves are heated, either by steaming at 100 degrees Celcius (Japanese method) or by pan roasting them at 200-300 degrees Celcius (Chinese method).  The difference in techniques brings about different aroma and taste. 

The world's biggest producer of green tea is, by far, China, followed by Vietnam, and then Japan.  Within Japan, the number one tea producer is Shizuoka prefecture (40% of total production).  Kagoshima in the south is next with 30%.  

The most common types of Japanese green tea are:

Sencha (煎茶)  

• made from the first harvest, which produces the best quality
• brew at 70 degrees Celcius for 1 minute
• if the water is too hot, the tea will be bitter
• has umami (sweet) taste, less bitter and astringency, though those can be adjusted by using different brewing temperature 

Fukamushi sencha (深蒸し煎茶) - deep-steamed sencha

• same as sencha, except that it is steamed for 2-3 times longer in the oxidisation process 
• has a stronger taste than regular sencha

Gyokuro (玉露) - shade-grown tea

• made from similar type of leaves used for sencha, but the leaves are covered in shade for 20 days prior to harvest
• very rich in umami 
• makes up <1% of tea produced 
• drunk in very small amounts 
• brew at 50 degrees Celcius for 2 minutes 
• can be brewed 5-6 times

Matcha (抹茶) - powdered green tea

• made from grounded tea leaves 
• brew in 60 degrees Celcius for 2 minutes, then whisked back & forth until it froths

Genmaicha (玄米茶) - tea with roasted rice, and Houjicha (ほうじ茶) - roasted green tea

• made from leaves from a second grade harvest, then mixed with roasted rice
• less caffeine so it can be drunk in the evening or served to children 
• can be brewed with cold water or room temperature water (for at least 30 minutes), or hot boiling water (for 30 seconds)

A couple more tips we picked up along the way:

• Freshly harvested tea (in April/May) usually do not have the requisite taste, though their aroma is stronger.  It is better to let them mature till autumn to buy/drink them
• For the second brew of the same tea leaves, the brewing temperature should be around 10 degrees higher and brewing time should be shortened by half 
• If the temperature of the water is too low, the bitterness (caffeine) and astringency (catechin) taste will not come out 
• It is best to use soft water to brew tea 

Gyokuro really surprised me!  It is nothing like what I thought was gyokuro.  It tastes more like meat soup, and I can understand why it is an acquired taste.  

It is also why it costs 10 times more than your everyday genmaicha or houjicha.  Compare the prices on the leftmost row with the last 2 rows on the right.  

My favourites are the common genmaicha and houjicha (fortunately?).  When I asked the instructor about the origins of the ones I bought, she replied that it is not stated because no one cares to know  <:D

Kiminoen, a 100+ year-old tea shop in Ameyoko near Ueno Station.  It is currently run by the 4th generation owner, and current President of the Tokyo Tea Wholesaler Association.  There is a fair amount of simple English labels for the teas in the shop, and they are happy to let you sample the tea, so give it a try if you're in the area!

Asakusa, and a bonus (Taito-ku)

Tokyo is having wonderful weather these days.  Clear sunny skies, not too warm, just nice for wandering about the streets.

And that's what I did today, on a cycling tour, to explore Asakusa, Sumida River, Ueno, Yanaka, and finally the Bunkyo Civic Centre for a sunset that really capped the day (more to come).

First off, we cycled down the Sumida River, just next to Asakusa.  It has a great view of the Tokyo Skytree and many other Tokyo landmarks.  Think of it as the equivalent of the Seine in Paris.

The outstanding building(s) in the background is the Asahi Breweries' headquarters.  These are located near Asakusa, viewed from Azumabashi Bridge.  

The one of the left represents a beer glass with foam on top.  It is designed by Philippe Starck, no less.  The one in black with the golden swirly top also belongs to Asahi Breweries.  Some call it the "golden turd".  Yah, I can definitely see that.  But the real significance is "the burning heart of Asahi beer".  OK, the golden turd is more apt.

And here we have Asakusa's main attraction, the Sensoji Temple.  More specifically, this is the Kaminarimon entrance gate, and we are in the middle of an intersection while taking this photo.  We survived.

We went round several other local sights, and by the time we arrived in Yanaka, I was famished.  Yanaka is also up on a hill.  I am surprised I actually survived that uphill ride.  We would go up several more hills throughout the tour.  My legs are not happy with me right now.

I eagerly wolfed down the snacks that were sold at this 130-year old shop, currently run by the 4th generation owner.  Behind us is his daughter who practiced her English with us. 

The Yanaka area was populated by samurais during the Edo period.  Though it was the scene of battles fought during the Meiji Restoration, a number of the buildings from that time survived, including many temples and shrines.  The area also escaped aerial bombings during the WW II period.

The typical height of a doorway during the Edo period.  Just right for me.  Notice how amused my fellow travellers were :) 

Next up was the Daikokuten Kyooji Temple, the site of the last Battle of Ueno in 1868, when the pro-shogun forces took refuge from the pro-imperial army.  

Here is one of the many bullet holes from that battle

We also biked through several campuses of Tokyo University.  This is one of its entrances.  Apparently, in the past when entrance exams results were delivered by telegram, the message written on it if one passed was "The cherry blossoms are blooming".  Just inside to the left of the entrance is a pathway flanked by cherry blossoms.  If you passed, it meant that you have a chance to view them.  And if you failed?  The message would be "The cherry blossoms have scattered".  Poetic and sarcastic...I like it :)

Hachiko & her owner, Dr Ueno...what can I say.  It always make my heart go sour when I hear the story.  Dr Ueno was a professor at the Tokyo University's Department of Agriculture.  His office was in the building on the right.

The architecture of Tokyo University's many campuses and buildings have a distinguished, stately feel, and rivals those of its venerable peers in Europe.

To cap off the tour, we paid a visit to the 25th floor of the Bunkyo Ward City Hall to catch sunset over the city.  The viewing gallery is free.  I'd say this is a great alternative the one at Tokyo Skytree which costs JPY 5000.

Here is a view of Tokyo Skytree and its surrounding areas.  Tokyo *is* a sprawling metropolitan of 12 million...

But the bonus is really... Mount Fuji!  

Fujisan is elusive outside of a clear winter day.  It shows itself when temperatures are cold and skies are clear.  But today was our lucky day!  The leaves have not even turned colour, and temperatures are definitely on the higher side of the teens.  But there it is...welcoming us :)

And here's a clearer shot...unfiltered, untouched...