Nihon, Nihongo, and Oh-So-Much-More

Japan was incredible.

I start by saying this to anyone who asks how my trip was. That's because the moment I attempt to encapsulate the experience of living there for five weeks, words fail. I can't accurately summarize all that I felt and what the experience meant to me, and I suppose people don't really want me to either. They want to hear it was "good," and move on with their lives.

That doesn't keep me from wanting to express it. The beauty, the history, the spiritual aspects and the people... How do you explain that to someone who hasn't been there, in the moment? It's an undertaking that seems fairly impossible. I will elaborate as I see fit, but this will be closer to a collage of fragmented thoughts, moments and pictures in Japan.

Maybe that's best anyway. Maybe that's the way it really happened.


Landing. We came into the Kansai Intl Airport, a manmade island they built in the ocean, slowly sinking as the years go by.


View from the balcony of our dorms.


Breakfast of champions. Didn't think seaweed wrapped rice balls filled with fish sound delicious first thing in the morning? Well, you'd be wrong.


A fantastic photo of me. I must be overcome by all the excitement of Namba, a neon-lit shopping area where the trendy hang out. Trendy like me. And this look.




Ramen isn't just ramen. Although it is made in Osaka. Ramen shops specialize in incredible from-scratch varieties that chefs spend years in school learning to create. This remains one of the best meals I had. Maybe if you lick your computer screen you'll taste a bit of the incredible garlic flavor in this dish.


On the other hand, nothing quite grosses me out like Jello. Particularly coffee flavored jello. Utah would've stumbled on this first if they'd been into caffeinated beverages. Luckily Japan worked it out, so the world won't miss out on this delight.


And then there's Mos Burger. Think hamburger, with teriyaki sauce, lots of mayo, add curry and some onions on a delightful bun and you have Mos Burger. Better than it sounds. I promise.


Mass transit is all the rage in Japan. Occasionally very crowded, rather expensive on the whole, and totally convenient and clean. It puts ours to shame. Oh and that's Laurel in the background, another program member, dutifully doing as asked by the University, to wear masks around for the first week we're there, lest we kill everyone in Japan with swine flu. It didn't last quite so long with the rest of us...

I guess it would be appropriate to say this is a blog on my first impressions of Japan: food, surrounding areas and mass transit. So it seems like as good a bridge as any to end this post with my Shinkansen ride to Tokyo. We'll save Tokyo for next time, but these bullet trains are incredible. They literally leave and arrive the minute they say they will. The stewardess' are helpful and friendly, and the entire experience is just good.



More to come ...