skip to the loo
Today I thought a bit more about Tokyo and anime. I realized that if you were to animate any city, Seattle included, in the proper style, it would become a mythical place like Tokyo. Sure, Japan is weird, but so is every major city in its own way. What anime has done is create a certain mysticism about Tokyo when it is, in fact, a normal, real place. However, there are still certain images or places that really capture what I feel is the "Tokyo" I am looking for. The Tokyo I want to see may not be any more real than the Tokyo anyone else wants to see but it is there if I look for it. Once I learn what to look for, a new world is here for my eyes only.

As of today, I am now officially a registered alien in Japan. This means I can live here as long as my visa permits and as long as I renew my status by 2007. It's like... I actually live here now!

My mommy took me to the government office and then into Shinjuku to buy new bus and rail passes as well as open a bank account. She tells me that the women she was standing next to on the train were whispering about me behind their hands, saying things about how tall I am, how blonde I am, and how long my legs are. I was totally flattered. All of the errands were remarkably easy except that the clerk at the Japan Rail station took a few tries to get right what I wanted. However, I now realize that it's very easy for me to communicate with service personnel on a day to day basis, which is definitely and improvement over before.

As far as language goes, I don't think I've ADVANCED at all (except for some useful and previously unknown expressions and words) but I certainly know what I'd learned before a million times better.

After getting the rail and bus cards, I got a bank account for potential paychecks. I figure I could use about $2,000 to travel. More would be nice but I think that would suffice. It seems like a lot but if I think about it, it's only a sixth of what I make yearly working part time in Oregon. I think I can do it here, especially with how much gaijin work pays (typically over $20/hour and usually $30+ an hour) and how often I have holidays.

After we ran errands, mom and I met Ayumi (host sister) for lunch at a sushi restaurant in Lumine department store. You know I love Toyoda sushi in Seattle, but this place was the best sushi I've ever eaten. Some of it was on par with Toyoda's but the anago (sea eel) and toro (fatty tuna) nigiri I ate today were positively heavenly. The sushi was a "birthday lunch" and they bought me so much I could hardly believe it. Both of them love sushi too, so they were quite happy to indulge.

Afterwards, we all went sightseeing together. On our way to Ginza, the upscale shopping district, we stopped at Hibiya park. Hibiya park is such a wide-open, well-kept place that my impression of Tokyo as entirely enclosed was immediately swept away. However, there is a reason that Hibiya park is an exception to the general rule as it is the location of the emperor's residence. We looked around a bit but the gates to the inner area were closed and are closed every day except on the emperor's birthday and New Year's day.

Ginza was reminiscent of Seattle. Upscale but not as much as I expected. I rather liked the place and I think I'll take myself back there solo to window-shop.

After Ginza, we all took the subway to Roppongi to tour Roppongi Hills, a new housing and shopping area. While we were riding the subway it suddenly stopped in between stations, shook slightly and then stood still. The train backed up five feet before proceeding slowly and stopping again. As soon as it backed up, everyone knew that something was quite... off. I thought perhaps someone had jumped in front of the train but the conductor came on the line and announced that because there had just been a minor quake, the train had stopped automatically. It being Tokyo and all, we proceeded as planned and nothing seemed amiss afterwards.

According to my host mom, there are small quakes once or twice a month in Tokyo. Well, there's been three in the last month but I don't think that's non-standard. I've only noticed this one.

We went to Roppongi for the express purpose of touring Roppongi Hills, a majorly upscale apartment, business and shopping complex.




I believe tickets were something ludicrous like $20 for the organized tour. They gave us badges and little headsets so we could hear the guide better. For me, hearing the guide better really meant having an earful of Japanese gibberish. But really, I'm used to hearing Japanese all the time now. Any other language startles me. Even if I can't understand Japanese conversation, the language as background noise seems perfectly normal.

Roppongi Hills was disgustingly affluent. Disgusting in a way that made me happy and sad at the same time. Even moreso than the part of Ginza that I saw, surprisingly. Rather than making me feel repulsed, however, it just reinforced in me the growing wish that I could have an unlimited supply of money while here. I want to be well-groomed and well-dressed instead of "casually american." I want nice hair and nice shoes and a nice bag.

< rant >

Oh god, the BAGS. That, as with "pointy shoes," is a major fad here. Everyone wants designer bags. Some of them are pretty cool, as well as practical... but... they're friggin bags, people. Need you pay upwards of $500 for a purse? Last week I kept noticing that I saw one particular patterned bag everywhere. I also saw someone with a magazine in the train advertising the same line. Then at school one of my classmates was ranting about Louis Vuitton. Yeah. I knew why I was seeing the bag everywhere. Everyone wants Louis Vuitton. Everyone. I see two or three people in the train with Louis Vuitton every time I get on. A girl from Oregon paid NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS for a knapsack sized leather bag after she got here. She could have gotten the same bag in the states for hundreds less.

Did I mention that the bag is ugly? Yeah, UGLY. The pattern itself isn't that garish if you only catch it out of the corner of your eye. But... just LOOK at it. And while you're at it, make sure you hate on J-Lo. J-Lo with the ugly bag. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE?!?!!

< /rant >

My point is, it's totally ri-cock-ulous. Like I said, Japan is an even worse consumer nation than America. Money is the new God here. Some of the stores I saw today made my eyes almost roll back in my head and my brain turn to froth at the thought of being able to afford anything there. I even saw a store called "WHITE TRASH CHARMS" that sells, you guessed it, jewelry. But I someday want to be a well-made woman. To dress in Chanel and Anne Klien and always have fluffy hair and nice skin. To be able to afford the foot-care to counter the evil, awesome shoes. I have expensive tastes. *shudder*

So the tour consisted mostly of walking about this yuppie suburbia (worth $20?) but also allowed us a trip to the 52nd floor of the adjacent building to look out at the Tokyo skyline at night. Really, the city doesn't seem so BIG... it just goes on forever. I think that's why it makes me claustrophobic. It's the sense that I just can't get out. In a way, however, I enjoy it. I placed my hand on one of the window struts and for a moment I thought I could really feel the life and energy of the city. It felt, for the first time, like an actually human place. I looked out and I could feel the people everywhere laughing, talking, loving. It made me happy.

I think I'm beginning to see the Tokyo I want to see.

I'm also becoming convinced that if some of those ugly gaijin ho's in the yuppie department store billboards can model, so can I. Except that they're probably already world famous and I, unfortunately, have thighs instead of chicken bones. I guess we'll see!

Today I had a really great time with my host family. From time to time, we didn't say anything at all or I felt overwhelmed by the language barrier but for the most part, everyone was extremely relaxed. It was a great birthday present to be treated to so much sushi and awesome sightseeing. I'm really quite happy.

There were occasions today that I wished I had someone close to me here to share the discoveries I am making. I'd like someone to laugh with me at the incongruities I see rather than having to keep them inside because I don't know how to express myself. Everything that I would normally pour out is now kept inside because I'm either self-conscious or mute. I am turning inwards again.

All the introspection leads me to collect the things I discover and write them here... hence the immense volumes of writing currently. Probably as I find closer friends and such, I won't write here as much but for now, as I find things that amuse me, I need to file them somewhere so my head doesn't explode.

Two of the largest cultural juxtapositions (incongruities? oxymorons?) I've seen since I got here have to do with Japanese bathrooms. First, because Japan is such a technologically-advanced, clean country, you might expect that Tokyo public restrooms would have, maybe, some form of paper towel or hand dryers in them, yes? Nearly universally no. Some restaurant and department store bathrooms have hand dryers or towels but even then it's a rare occurrence. Everyone is simply expected to carry a hand towel. After a week of cursing about it, I bought one but then discovered that it involves, for example, remembering to take my towl or bag with me when I need to go to the bathroom during class. Not so common a rememberance. Then I discovered that most Japanese people, in fact, either wipe their wet hands on their pants or just don't wash at all. SO MUCH FOR BEING CLEAN!! What REALLY gets my goat is that in the Waseda bathrooms, there's a sign on the mirror that reads, in Japanese and English, "Please protect our environment and refrain from using toilet paper to dry your hands." Hey, a-holes, how about installing a dryer or something so that you wouldn't have that PROBLEM, eh? EH?

The second and more insane contrast is that between western and japanese-style toilets. The restrooms with both toilets are the kind I find particularly amusing. If you've never seen a Japanese toilet before, this is what they look like. Yeah. You face toward the rim, pull down your pants and squat. It's actually pretty easy to do your business that way, provided you don't spray everywhere.

Now we have the flip side. Western toilets in Japan are a sight to see. Some of them, anyway. Many are "normal." I actually prefer the normal toilets. I do NOT need a toilet that makes white noise so I can "grunt and push" or that sprays my beday with warm water and deoderant. Actually, the heated seats are pretty nice... but... COME ON.

In the bathrooms that have both, I find it most interesting to watch which sort of people choose Western over Japanese toilets and vice versa when there is the option. I haven't found any distinguishable pattern yet but that's probably because in such bathrooms (as everywhere in Japan), there is usually a wait for a loo and people just go to the next open one.

I'm one for a western toilet, thanks. I'll eat sushi but I don't enjoy cramping my thighs over taking a pee.

Aside from occasional breaks into the absurd or the frustrating, life is becoming much more organized and normal here. I wish I didn't have so many little things to remember though. It seems as though after a year here I'll only have become more accomplished at the things I already know instead of learning anything new.

Ahh, what I wouldn't give to feel relaxed sometime soon. I hope all this hectic nonsense calms down soon because otherwise I might go nuts. Here's my schedule until Monday.

Thurs: Class, sort out business matters, go to park for school assignment, shop for personal items, study

Friday: Morning class, go to gym, return to campus for drinking party

Saturday: Early morning trip to Kawagoe by bus. Return around 6PM. Study.

Sunday: "Food Festival" on campus. Helping sell food to Waseda alumns. Sort of a party with the Waseda International Club people. Go home. Have family dinner since host bro is coming home. Study.

Rinse. Repeat.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week I have no class. Tuesday is another day trip; this one to Nikko by bus. I'm excited but what I really want is a REAL day off.

And I still haven't studied tonight. ACK!!