Restores Inspiration

Yesterday morning I woke up to a view I have woken up to a number of times before and also went to bed after just the night before. Honestly I wanted to share this experience sooner because I was so moved. See, I haven’t talked much about this before now but my location provides me a most wonderfully pristine view of Mt. Fuji on a cold clear day such as those recently. One morning more than a month ago in mid-November I happened across the slight view of the few mountains outside my window and noted the clarity of their faces in the clearness of the cool morning air. At this I thought to head to the fifth floor landing of the outdoor stairs of the dorm. I was quickly left breathless not by the speed I ran up to the top or the thinness of the air but by the view before me.

Outstretched in front of me is a large span of Tokyo leading off into the distance where mountains seem to rise right out of the urban mess filling most of the horizon in view. But looming above all the rest set in the middle of my view was the great Mt. Fuji most deserving of its fame and wonder. Tokyo is a giant of a city but is dwarfed by the ominous and obvious power and size of Mt. Fuji. I, at that very moment, realized what is so great about this volcano though I had before quite doubted its greatness. I will never do so again. Life here seems to hang in the balance and jaws of this being. This city of 35 million people, the world’s most populated, could seemingly be crushed in an instantaneous display of power. My respect for it is there now and will never be wavered again. I owe Mt. Fuji an apology.

Fuji-san (as it is called here) fills me with a certain amount of inspiration. It re-instills in me passion to follow my dreams. It incites poeticism. It tells me that after all my day will be just fine because the sky is definitely clear and the future therefore as well. Fuji-san can even affect me on nights like this one just passed, as mentioned above. Letting me know that the night is calm and peaceful as well. The sun glow poured just over the mountains on the horizon as it set and it was as if the light rushed forth like ocean waves against the backside of these mountains and, like the waves would hit lone rocks in the ocean, the light deflected upwards and shallowly splashed onto the sky just above the mountain-lined horizon. I was again struck breathless.

Though Fuji-san is not right outside my window, I’m definitely in love with my place here and my view from this location in the world. I would not have it any other way. And something about those two cranes right in front adds to that urban jungle feel that leads right up to the mountains. Of all of the places these cranes could possibly be on my perfect horizon view, who would have thought they’d end up right in front of Fuji-san? Instead of taking it for bad I’ll accept it for a bit of interesting karma/luck. Meanwhile the skyline blurs and fades as I slip off into dreamland…

Writing from Koganei, Tokyo, Japan | December 28, 2008

Imperial Palace

As you can imagine, this means I went there. But it wasn’t an overly fantastic trip, I must say. Only a small few sections of the palace grounds were open to guests and to add to that the day was rainy and miserably cold. But I do have just a few pictures to add to this quick post especially to make up for the fact that I haven’t put up pictures in quite awhile. Despite the fact that the place was lacking in buildings (as long in the past there were many more there) the things that remain are quite astonishing.

Actually the trip worked out very well for us. The head of the group organized us beforehand so that a large group could go with a large discount. There were about twelve of us and we arrived greeted by a rather extravagant tour guide with an umbrella that’s hard to miss. He spoke perfect English and knew his stuff well about the palace area. I put a picture here because you really just have to see him to believe it.

I was thinking around the end of the trip there and realized that this was the first actual palace/castle I had ever been to. Sure I’ve been around America time and time again and have seen some pretty significant sites, but never an actual castle right before my eyes. Much less a castle probably as old as the US itself. In the following two pictures: the entryway to the main area of an old castle which is no longer standing (beside me to the left is a reception hall, the largest building on the property) and a view of the moat which is surrounded by some very beautiful landscaping including a pine tree which looks like a giant bonsai. The stones in the walls are huge – some the size of cars! It was a thrill to just touch them and think of their years of history (though many now are quite new). Also, on a side note, the primary composition of them is volcanic rock and many of the originals would have been shipped all over from various parts of Japan by Daimyos paying homage to the Shogun.

The last picture here is of the main entrance to the actual palace grounds. I tried to make it look nice by shooting over the railing around the moat.

Hope you’ve all enjoyed these pictures! More to come, I promise! Today I’m off to Asakusa. I’m hoping and expecting there might be a festival going on today. If not the place will be heavy in preparation for the New Year.

Writing from Koganei, Tokyo, Japan | December 27, 2008

Fitting In

Something I’m apparently not good at. Before we came here they told us “Hey guys, lots of people around the world dislike Americans, want to kidnap them, want to hurt them, etc. so try your best to fit in with your new culture.” (They being the study abroad people.) We got whole pamphlets on it.

But I honestly had no more intention of fitting in upon hearing these things than I do now. I really don’t always (in America) go out of my way to stand out. In fact, I’m more scared to stand out in America than I am to do so in Japan.

In Japan I have quickly realized that I can stand out if I just throw on a plain t-shirt and jeans and go out shopping. Why? Because I’m a foreigner. One way or the other I’m gonna be turning heads. And it can’t be helped, no matter how angry I would get about it (and why would I?). Actually, if I got angry more people would stare. And man they have a funny way of staring at people here too. A kind of look and look away in spurts so the person can’t tell. Though that just makes it more obvious most of the time.

Nonetheless, the reason I’m finally bringing this up now is because today, it being only a few days from Christmas, I decided to wear the Santa hat my mother sent me in my box of Christmas gifts. And it’s actually not the first day I’ve worn it but today while on the train I noticed a girl staring at me from a good distance away but it was a perfect view and quite obvious. Politely I cast my gaze to the side then back again from time to time to see if she was still staring (that’s how I fit in – imitating their staring style). Then she turned to a friend beside her quickly and I just knew the danger that ensued, looked dead at her while she looked at her friend and drew a small smirk on my face because I couldn’t help myself. Within seconds these four girls had whirled around staring straight at me all smiling and laughing openly as I was staring back dead at them and couldn’t help a full on smile. They kept staring! Obviously the word exchange was something like: “That guy over there is wearing a Santa hat! A cute foreigner nonetheless!” We never talked to each other but I’m certain they knew I was staring back. They got off the train at the next stop.

This isn’t the first time I’ve caused such a stir with various displays. Japan, it seems, has opened me. I care less what people think of me. I wear crazy fashion – some different combination every day. I dressed up in costume and gave free hugs in Shibuya. I wore a rather…questionable outfit for a Halloween club night event. All things I would have never done before in the US. And I can’t say for sure now if I would when I return, though I hope I will have lost all of my care for what people think by then. I hope this is a lasting effect on me because I really feel like is the best one so far. A definite good change. And man does it feel good!

Sorry for no pictures again, but hope you enjoyed reading!

Writing from Yotsuya, Tokyo, Japan | December 19, 2008

Phashion Fotography

Well, to start with, just quickly this time I unfortunately don’t have my own photos to post here, but perhaps I can sometime link you to the photos from this weekend when they’re published, if they’re published online. Because I *kinda* helped with them. Though it definitely was all in the eye of the actual photographer, who is amazing. Which leads me into what I did for the weekend.

I was invited about a week ago, by the same guy who invited me to play soccer, to be his assistant with a photography shoot on this just-passed Saturday. It started at his place where I met a few new people including the model and we were working on brainstorming the shoot. The clothes were amazing and the model pleasant of course, though at first I admit she came off as the stereotype model – a rather poor personality with low thoughts of others. And even the mood of my friend’s place as all the preparations were going on was somewhat otherworldly, as if I had stepped over a boundary into a new world that exists outside of me and my knowledge. The music, the apartment, the people, their actions, the serious carfereeness, everything matched together to set up a mature mood of this new world.

All of this was quickly confirmed as I went throughout the day further. I learned the first part of setting up proper lighting and effects for outdoor shots as we moved through Shinjuku, Tokyo. We shot at four different locations, each one more and more crowded by people up until the last where we were just outside the Shinjuku station as people passed by gawking often. The photographer showed me how to do effects with fans, a large strobe flash, and how to check what lighting is needed for the manual settings on the camera as well as other things. It was experience enough just to be on the inside of this part of the world of fashion.

Somewhere along the way after shooting on location at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (where we were shooed away and had to sneak around to a different area to do a shoot) we were able to sit for a small break and the model and I chatted just a bit. And she said something to me (in that Polish accent that rings most clear) that was really an eye-opener just to hear: “I like Japan a lot too. I want to learn the language. One day I’m just going to wake up and I’ll be 25 with no money, no education, and no friends then what do I do? It’s good you have interests and you’re doing something.” She talked with me some more about how she wants out and it seemed almost like the modeling was an addiction. She seemed so concerned for herself. And my eyes were opened and my attention was all hers and I gave a stronger air of respect as she finished off by telling me she assumed I was older than her at twenty-two. She really was just a happy, fun-loving individual with desires in life for more than what she had. And that was truly amazing.

The next day I arrived 15 minutes late much to the irateness of the photographer – he was quite pissed off as he said to me. But, it worked out okay in the end and I got to know the ropes of studio photography, which is amazing in itself! Mister photographer showed me how to aim light and measure and proportion it appropriately and use the backdrop and whatnot. Makes me want to go sometime and rent out a studio and try taking some shots. Again the model was quite beautiful. A Japanese girl probably a whole head taller than me. Then we put her in some heels and she was a giant. Almost too tall for the studio.

Somewhere along the way while running around from 8 a.m. until midnight two days in a row my sleepy eyes were roused by various happenings. Such as how the model on Saturday ran over and emptied her change purse into the open hands of a man living on the street in a pile of cardboard. Though I’m not sure if she actually did, it’s as if I can visualize her taking his hand in hers and holding it as she poured the money in. I can remember looking on in awe at each model on each day an seeing them so beautiful as if untouchable. In fact I was quite intimidated by them in most cases. But these are just a few amazing feelings from throughout the weekend. And I’ll end here with the highlight for the weekend! Hope this post wasn’t too boring!

Meanwhile: looking forward to Christmas break – planning to go to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara. If I can’t make it to all this break I have a long break in the early spring to go anywhere else! Until next time guys!

Writing from Yotsuya, Tokyo, Japan | December 15, 2008

Soccer & Shinagawa Aquarium

This past Saturday I was finally able to fulfill an invitation from a friend in Japanese class to go play soccer (or football as they all called it) with him and some guys he is on a team with outside of school. Just a leisurely, free time activity for some older guys to stay healthy and have fun. In fact, most of them were married and working full time careers. Nonetheless, it was a good time. And my first time to play soccer on a team in almost two years.

The most significant thing that occurred to me was the bilingualism of the team. Everyone had fluency of either English or Japanese and a good hold on the other. It’s very interesting, as I play more soccer outside of a more proper and organized team, to note that the teams and people I meet are much more international and from far more backgrounds. It turned out I was the only American on this team, by the way. And my legs were shot for days after.

Sunday I went to the aquarium in Shinagawa with some friends. I guess it wasn’t any different than any other aquarium really. But definitely not comparable in size to the aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia. Still it was perhaps one of my best aquarium experiences I’ve had. And probably made most fun just by the people I went with. Watched a dolphin show, let little fish eat the keratin off my hands, expressed our desire to eat the various fish and other sea creatures we saw (Japan does that to you – incites random desires to eat odd sea animals), laughed at dumb jokes and such, inspected the thickness of the aquarium glass, took pictures with jellyfish in front of us, and tons of other stuff.

Notice a Japanese character held by Santa in the bottom right corner. Some kind of Christmas promo.

Dolphins in mid-jump.

After the aquarium we ended up in my favorite place again: Kichijouji! We had dinner – a very filling one – and chatted primarily in Japanese of course. It was fun with these few Japanese friends as always. They’re very easygoing, carefree, and fun-loving – that’s what I like most about them. And that’s a weekend wrap-up!

With the guys; framed by jellyfish.

Writing from Koganei, Tokyo, Japan | December 4, 2008