First weekend in - aka Lazy Weekend

This was my first weekend where I mostly stayed in and it's still certainly over too soon. I joined Rachel and Isabel for dinner at a izakaya (居酒屋）at Shinjuku though. An izakaya is basically a kind of drinking and gathering place, where they also serve many side dishes to accompany the drinks. We simply had the food though - corn and bacon dish, cheese tofu, lobster (which turned out to be prawns) and potato gratin, crab pizza and octopus. The food was not too shabby and it came up to about 1000yen per person. The izakaya had a really pretty name though! Hana no mai (花の舞) - the dance of flowers - and it totally reminded me of Kuchiki Rukia's zanpakutou name (Bleach anime).

The days are getting filled with readings, homework (weekly assignments for some of the classes) and sometimes Japanese dramas. Seems like the workload here is slightly heavier than back home, but then again I'm taking 6 classes, of which one -Japanese - is taking up a whopping 9 hours a week. So nothing to be surprised about I guess. So many people go on exchange and talk about how deliriously fun it was (usually clubbing and travelling) and how slack it was (taking the minimum load of 3 modules) but I'm here studying hard =)) or trying to HAHA. Quite abit of difference there eh? =P

So, back to the work. Blah.

Sugamo

Wednesday so no class today; instead, went to Sugamo with Rachel and Isabel. Sugamo is perhaps the Harajuku equivalent but for obaasan (old ladies!) and darn, my soul must be pretty old since this is probably the place I like best so far.

Reached Sugamo (巣鴨) station in just about 10 mins (2 stops after Ikebukuro on the JR Yamanote Line) and wandered out to look at the map since none of us thought to bring one or write the directions down. A very helpful old man sitting there happily engaged us in conversation though - or what limited conversation that we could squeak out haha - and very kindly pointed us to the place in question - Jizou Dori (地蔵通り). That totally made my day - nice old people are so happifying!

So why is this place my favourite place thus far?

Because there was no lack of streetside food stalls and so many old people! I like! The atmosphere was certainly different from that in Harajuku, Shinjuku and Kichijoji. There were many stalls set up by the roadside, ranging from thermal underwear, to pajamas and track pants to trinkets, shoes and of course FOOD! Food: not just in the form of cooked streetside food, but even pickles, dried goods, marinated seafood and more. Apparently a flea market only happens on the 4th, 14th and 24th of every month though, but there didn't seem to be any flea market (like the ones I've been to anyway) so perhaps that referred to the ad-hoc structures of these roadside stalls. Permanent shops were mainly selling clothing items, bags, Japanese sweets and shoes for older ladies. One interesting fixture was the prominence of bright red underwear though!

As for the food, I had pancake-shaped okonomiyaki (150yen), 1 custard and 1 cheese filled pancake (100yen each), 1 stick of unagi (300yen), 1 chinese pancake with meat filling (200yen), 1 chicken skin yakitori (130yen), 1 chicken meatball yakitori (130yen) and brought home a box of kiwi berries (400yen) - which are YUM! There was a few more stalls that I could have patronised but my stomach was reaching it's maximum capacity. Besides, we only reached there at about 4pm and stalls started tidying up by 5pm since it gets dark early here. Will certainly be back then! I have to try Japanese sweets some day as well, but probably not anytime soon since honestly they never really look very appetising >.<. Oh and apparently there's a very interesting (but not exactly cheap) souvenir shop as well. And old-lady fashion here is quite cute hehe.

There's a shrine within as well, and it seems to be of a certain significance. Probably will try to read up about this.

I'll be back!

(PS. At the train station, there were SO many posters about Momiji and the places where it blooms and stuff. Now I REALLY REALLY want to go! Raaa! )

Waseda- Rikkyo 2nd Leg - Autumn Match

Apparently the big 6 of Tokyo - Waseda, Todai, Hosei, Rikkyo, Meiji and Keio - hold a baseball league tournament every Autumn and Spring. So we (Rachel, Wanwei and I) caught the Waseda-Rikkyo match today at Jingu Baseball Stadium.

Waseda lost 0-4 but what an experience it was. The cheering (and all the accompanying hand actions) never stop; and I mean never. Everytime Waseda bats, the whole crowd of supporters stands up to cheer and sing. Everytime Waseda pitches, we get to sit, but the cheering goes on, mostly for the pitcher. They even have specific cheers for "strike", "3 strikes" (2 strikes), and "change" (2 outs, 2 strikes).

School song was sung twice - once midway and once at the end - and the "Deep Blue Sky" song was sung like 4 times at least. They're all very catchy though, so I just need to get down to learning the lyrics one day.

What an experience.

Paddy Fields and All

Typhoon 18 apparently hit at 8am in the morning yesterday, and diverted away from Tokyo towards China. Classes were cancelled for the whole day, but we only found out after we had made the trip to the campus. Nonetheless, it was a good day of rest to have.

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Today was the first meeting of Paddy Fields The English Conversation Circle, and Isabel, Rachel and I all went for it. Well, not before we filled our tummies at the President's Welcome Reception for New Students heh.

The meeting room was a pretty small one located at the Toyama Campus and the members were practically spilling out of the room - apparently because this was the first meeting since summer break. First part was to be shuffled randomly and get a chat partner. Mine was Shungo, a somewhat shy but really nice sophomore who only joined in April this year. Apparently he's been busy with another school soccer circle, but yay we both support Man U! My second partner - or two rather - were 2 girls called Saki and Saori. Both are committee members I think - can't quite remember. My memory for people, names and faces is being sorely tested nowadays, what with the floorball club and this. We changed groups again, but this time with 4 in a group - and Shungo was back in, with another Japanese guy Yuki and a Korean girl Seung Hee. Yuki was very funny - blushed SO furiously pink when we asked where he want to Universal Studios Japan with, and it turned out it was his girlfriend lol! Seung Hee is trilingual, being able to speak Japanese, Korean and English - my respect!

Last part of the night's activity was to have 5 discussion topics, and for people to just split up according to what topic they wanted to discuss. Joined Yuting's group on "My new semester's resolution" and it was 6 girls, 1 guy. Inadequate space in the room meant we settled outside, which wasn't too bad since we were treated to amazing 'live' chorale music - seems like they were practicing for the WIF. Certainly strengthened my wish to join choir again though; but I probably have to search elsewhere because their standard was simply way beyond my level.

Post activity, we all went down to Saizeriya - where we had our first meal in Japan ever, and what irony that it was Italian - and ate in a group. The three of us having filled our stomachs (and saved our pockets) earlier, we simply ordered desserts. This was perhaps the better part of the night - at least for me - because it didn't feel so contrived as earlier. Sat next to the Club President, Hiro, across from Shungo-san and next to Rachel - whom I didn't stop teasing about Nino haha. She should so thank me though, cuz that way she found another fan-friend in one of the Japanese girls haha.

First circle meeting not bad at all - looking forward to more!


P.S. Oh and the best thing was, I finally found out what it is that supermarket cashiers always ask me, and how to respond! Alrightyy =))

Hmm Typhoon

Typhoon #18 is supposed to hit Tokyo tomorrow apparently, so morning classes (ie, Japanese language) has been cancelled and the rest of the day is pending the typhoon's performance tomorrow I guess.

Interesting; never been through a typhoon before. Wonder if it'll just be all rainy and windy though...

Floorball!

Thanks to Alvin, I think I'll be able to join a floorball club here! Quite sad that there're only 5 female teams in this region though (Kanto).

Today was the first training and surprisingly I was early by almost 30 mins. Took the slower train to Choufu and got some very precious shuteye on the way there, but still arrived early. Was out in Harajuku with Rachel in the afternoon first, all because of the lure of eating the ramen haha. I tried the BonShan ramen today (the pork bones one that supposedly is chock full of collagen) but honestly I don't think it's anything great. The soup was so-so and the pork was too salty and not like the slices that they give in the Kyushuu ramen! Next time I'm so sticking to the Kyushuu version. Oh but chanced upon another ramen shop at Harajuku though, all thanks to the atm search and the wonderful wonderful smell of the barbequed/boiled pork that emanated from the tiny little shop. There was a queue as well. Next time =)

The very nice coach had his brother and him fetch me from the eki (station) to the training grounds because it was quite far. Initially I thought this would be a one-off, since I assumed the training centre was within walking distance from the eki, but nope. So now apparently all the senior members with cars are going to take turns fetching me from the Choufu eki every week... so paiseh but, such a good opportunity to improve my Japanese I hope! I really really hope. I really really really want to improve so that I can at least converse with them! Especially the few nice ones who keep trying to talk to me like Aya-san and Miho-san and this other guy whom I sadly have forgotten the name of. And the keeper who gave us a lift 2 years ago still remembers me! Wow. First thing he said when he saw me was sashiburi (long time no see). Or maybe he just assumed man. Not sure haha.

So first training today was great! Tiring (so tiring) but greattt. Makes me realise how much I miss floorball. And also how unfit I am now. I probably played like 2 hours plus outta the 3 hours straight though, because my team had only 2 defenders. So maybe it's not too bad - my fitness anyway. Can't believe it's been 3-4 months since I've last played and since I've last exercised regularly... No wonder the pudginess. Only thing is they train 3-4 times a week and each time I go it takes about 40-60mins and 380yen (6sgd) ONE way. Pocket's feeling the pain. Hopefully will manage to get a teiki (special commuter pass) though. Oh and the club has quite a few ladies' national players, and even those who aren't are still pretty good. Hope I improve!

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Oh and during the car ride to training, Tomoyuki-san was asking me where in Japan I wanted to go, and well I just said Hokkaido because I couldn't really think of one place. I know I want to go everywhere to try the food though heh. Oh but I asked him about Momiji and he said there are alot of places with that. Best place is Kyoto though and that's abit far. A good place near Tokyo would be Mt Takao (at Takaosanguchi eki I think he said) but next month would be the best time to go. I should really check this out!

Weather

Last week was all hot up till Sunday, and then this week was mostly drizzly and chilly. What a turn of weather. Pretty hot again today - out in Harajuku anyway. And omgosh the crowd that stretched out along the looonngg street of Omotesando was mind-boggling. Weekends out always always make you realise how populated Tokyo is. And sometimes it's tiring - especially when you're lugging a darn heavy bag and squeezing your way through - but sometimes, it's almost... exciting. The vibes and bustle is quite astounding. Perhaps something that I wouldn't feel back home - probably also because I'm a tourist to this country.

Slowly turning cold... I like =)

But also making me realise maybeee I don't have much clothes for winter. Lol. But then again, classrooms are pretty hot. I guess I'll just need a good jacket.