Thursday, March 12, 2009

Spring Break - haruyasumi (春休み)

Spring break just started. People are going to places like Tokyo, Nagasaki, Kyushu, and Thailand. Actually the majority of my friends are going to Tokyo. I would go to Tokyo but for some reason I don't want to go there yet. I'm using my vacation to study, take it easy, search for internships, and do some light traveling I'm going with a small group of friends to Koyasan, Kobe, and Kyoto so far. I figure that I want to do the bulk of my traveling in the later part of my stay because the weather will be nicer and my Japanese can have some time to improve.

I made a list of things I want to see and do while in Japan:

1) Mount Fuji
2) Fushimi Inari
3) Japanese Cemetery
4) Sumo
5) Takarazuka (all female performance group)
6) Kabuki
7) A Haunted House
8) A Puppet show (the Japanese word for it is escaping me) BUNRAKU!

So what have been I up to?

I forgot to write about it but awhile ago I went to Umeda, Osaka after getting my hair cute. I spent a lot of money. I bought a new bag for $60 because mine was falling apart.


I really like this new bag. I decided to go for a bright tan because I need happy colors. The bag is big and it can actually fit my laptop. It has basically what I was looking for in a bag: shoulder straps, purse strap, big pockets, lots of space, and pretty. I saw my Gaidai Kyoto Tour Guide with a similar bag and I really liked it.

I also bought clothes. I just bought whatever I liked. Once place I really like is UNIQLO because they have all solid colors and good quality. Compared to a lot of the other Japanese shops...it was pretty cheap ($10-$20 for a piece of clothing.) At the time I did not know how to ask to try on clothes. Actually I just learned it (kite mite mo ii desu ka? for further reference.) I'm trying to figure out my size in Japanese clothes. I can't think metrically. I'm too short for American clothing standards and I'm little fat for Japanese clothing standards. What to do?

The coolest thing I did in Japan so far is ride the Hep Five Feris Wheel. For $5.00 we got an awesome view of Osaka. It was a 15min ride and well worth it.


(Here is a side way view of the city. )

I wanted to see more of Osaka but we didn't have the time. So next time...

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