The Deer of Nara

I've been sitting on the most amazing thing about Nara. If you've been to Japan and subsequently Nara, or if you're Japanese, you know right away what I'm talking about.
 One has only to stroll into Nara Park for an amazing encounter with the deer of Nara.

 Protected by law, the deer of Nara Park number around 1200 and are beloved by tourists and the local populace alike. Their presence can be attributed to the fact that they figure very prominently in the Shinto religion that was once the head religion in Japan. It used to be punishable by death to kill one of the deer, but that hasn't happened in many centuries.
These deer are tame. And by that, I mean they don't give a shit about anything, really. Get close, pet them, chase them around, see if that phases them in one bit. It generally doesn't.
As a matter of fact, you see them approaching people more often, eager to get their hands on anything they can eat. The deer are notorious for lifting skirts and eating paper - yes, that includes your guidebooks and maps. You better watch out!

Alright, ready? Here's the kicker:

Damn right, the deer will even bow to you if you tip your head to them first. It's a fact most foreigners I've met were totally clueless about, but with you as my witness, it works. They've learned a handful of nifty tricks to get their hands (hooves?) on the deer crackers that are sold around the park for 150¥ for a set of 10.
I'll leave you guys with a quick video I shot of the park.

The Wonderful Things About Nara

Only a 40 minute train ride away from Osaka is an elegant town named Nara. Compared to its bigger neighbor, Nara's beautiful in its own right. It's a little more suburban, a little more ancient, a little more refined. It has a large host of temples and shrines, an old styled town with merchandise filled streets, beautiful parks. And some of those set Nara aside more than others.
Take, for example, the enormous Todaiji temple. Its gate alone towers over almost any other in Japan, but it's the main hall that steals the prize for being the biggest wooden building - in the world. At the time it was built, Nara was the country's capital, and the temple was the flagship of all Japan's Buddhist temples. The current building is a reconstruction - the original was even bigger, a fact that's a little hard to digest when you're standing in front of its massive halls.

Fitting, then, that it houses one of Japan's largest statues of Buddha, a towering behemoth sitting on an elevated platform. The size of its hand alone is practically the same as that of a man standing. 14 meters tall, the sitting image of Vairocana Buddha is slightly bigger than its counterpart in Kamakura, which I've also visited several times already. Its entourage is almost equally as impressive, as it has two Bodhisattva sitting at its side. One of the pillars in the temple has a hole in it the size of its nostril, and kids  go through it. It's apparently good luck.

Outside of the Todaiji, the town of Nara itself has a number of other beautiful sights that the shortness of my trip didn't allow me to visit in detail.
Worthy of notice is the Kokufuji temple and its 5-story pagoda, Japan's second biggest after the one in Kyoto (which I've also been to!) It's easy to catch sight of, given its proximity to one of the main streets. The temple's main golden hall is currently in reconstruction until 2018, and you bet your ass that it's going to be worth seeing at that point, if food shortage hasn't destroyed humanity by then.
 As a matter of fact, the whole area around Nara Park (which deserves an article of its own and will be getting one quite soon) is gorgeous and full of amazing sights. By gaining a little elevation, one can easily spot the rolling hills beyond the city, twice as nice in the autumn colors I had the chance to see them in.

Sarusawa Pond and its turtles

And of course, its only a few hundred meters from there to the lively city center. Sarusawa pond has a bunch of turtles and minnows in it, and its presence is quite soothing. You can buy turtle food at nearby trinket shops to try to feed them, but I'd imagine feeding a turtle is a lot like watching dust settle in your belly button.
The shopping streets are filled with Nara-themed things, and it appears that their college basketball team is called Bambitious (Bambi+ambitious) which is the single worst portmanteau in the existence of mankind, but not inappropriate. You'll know why soon. I'm not done with Nara.

Osaka Bang

One of the most interesting things I had heard about Osaka and its people was the Osaka Bang myth. The thesis is simple: Osaka people are so fun-loving and easy going, that no matter who you approach and no matter what the situation you approach them in, if you make a gun with your fingers and point and them and yell "bang!" they will pretend to get shot. The myth was made famous and gained attention worldwide with this video:

But of course, I had to test this for myself. Would it work? Drumroll!

Oh, shit!
Well the video didn't tell me how embarrassing it is when the guy just looks back at you blankly. Someone find me a rock to hide under, quick.
 Alas, this proves that, no, not everyone will play along. But there is yet a silver lining behind this fart cloud that has been cast over my dreams!
 Unfortunately I didn't catch it on camera, but when I attempted it on one of the waiters in a kushikatsu restaurant, he flew back so splendidly that he bumped into another waitress and had to explain to her that he did it because I shot him! Osaka Bang fares a little better against the young crowd. If I'm ever there again I'll have to try some more. For science, you know.

Osaka in a Heartbeat

Ta-dah! I just got back from a 2-day trip to Kansai - the western region of Japan. And a great 2 days it's been, filled with experiences and things I've wanted to see and do for a long time now. The flight was cheap and my schedule was willing, so why the hell not. You only live once.
 My first stop in Kansai was the heart of it. The third biggest city in Japan after Tokyo and Yokohama, Osaka is vibrant and lively and has a totally different vibe than what you get here out east. With the limited time I had, every hour counted, so I went right smack for the most exciting part of the city: Dotonbori.

Located in Osaka's central Namba area, Dotonbori is district that's explosive with energy and colors. Dragons and cows and crabs burst out of buildings here, each one trying to lure you into a restaurant or a shop or another. It's no wonder the place is such a famous tourist destinations in Osaka. And somehow, amidst all the chaos and colors, Dotonbori manages to have its own identity. It's campy but flashy and somehow alluring - the district kind of represents everything I know about Osaka and its people. On top of that, it's a great destination for both shopping and eating.

Takoyaki, Kushikatsu, Okonomiyaki

Eating, which I got to do quite a bit of. Osaka's food culture is a little different from that of Tokyo's, and therefore has its own local specialties. Many regard Osaka's takoyaki, the octopus-filled batter balls, as being the authentic one, as it was pretty much invented there. They're more tender than their Tokyo counterpart, and ten times as easy to find in a street corner.
Kushikatsu is also a famous local dish, consisting of deep-fried vegetables or meat on a skewer. It's tasty, but I wouldn't overdo it. Since the sauce is served in a communal pan (at least in the restaurant I went to), double-dipping is a serious offense.
And last, there's also okonomiyaki, which is kind of regarded as Osaka's soul food, and is pretty much a mix of vegetables or cheese or meats or a mix of those thrown into batter and made into a giant pancake. I find it to be pretty heavy.

Of course, the adventure wouldn't have been complete without some run-in with the locals. Osaka people are known to be much more passionate and fiery than their mild-mannered Tokyo counterparts. A man I met at the small okonomiyaki restaurant I went to promptly engaged in conversation with me.
"Where are you from," he asked.
"I'm originally from Canada," I said.
"I got a girl pregnant in Vancouver once," he began, and told me all about it. I lost most of the conversation to his thick local accent.

Despite the short time I spent in Osaka, it was a great experience and I'm so glad I got to do it. It's difficult to cram all the things I saw and did into one short blog post, but I've got to move on - Osaka wasn't my only stop in Kansai, and I've got lots more to share. Keep an eye on the blog! I'll be posting frequently in the next few days!

Interesting Tidbit: Convenience Stores

Over a month ago I made a list of things I loved about Japan. Right on top of that list, the first thing I could think of, were Japanese convenience stores - or combini as they're called here. No, seriously. You just don't understand how freaking awesome they are.

7/11. Lawson. Family Mart. Sunkus. Circle K.
Some of these you recognize as existing in other countries, but in Japan, they've long since claimed their own independence by buying themselves free from their foreign owners. They're the first thing I'll miss if I ever leave Japan for a long period of time. Hell, I miss them when I leave Japan for a short amount of time. Shit, I walk into a convenience store at least once a day. Wanna know why?

1. To Get Some Cash
Combinis have ATMs, and I can't be assed to look for a bank every time I need to make a withdrawal.

2. To Get Some Food
 Unlike their American counterparts, convenience store food in Japan is actually pretty good, packed in cheap priced lunch sets that are fresh of the day. Of course, they also sell snacks in abundance. I probably eat something or another from a convenience store once a day.

3. To Take a Dump
Combinis have public bathrooms. In a pickle? Walk in, do your thing, walk out. No one's gonna look at you weird, you don't need to buy anything, you don't need a key or some retarded thing like that.

4. To Read Comics
Well I don't really get a chance to do this because I'm still illiterate. But lots of people just go straight for the magazine rack and spend their dead time reading the comic books. There's also, always, without fail, a section dedicated to porn.

5. To Pay My Bills
Combinis also offer a service where you can just walk in with your bills (electric, gas, water, etc) and just pay them off right there, with cash money. I personally find it to be the easiest way to pay mine.

Now that's what I call convenient.

Vampires, From Fad to Food

In nearby Ginza district is a themed restaurant named "Vampire." Given the proximity to my place, I sure have taken my sweet time to try it out, but better late than never, right?
 As I stepped out of the elevator into the dimly lit room, I was greeted by a goth-looking employee, dressed in black, pseudo-victorian attire, who led me to my room, taking slow and measured steps. The interior has a crimson and black scheme, lit with candles and decorated with skulls, crosses, and, of course, coffins, which I guess goes on par with the theme.
The restaurant isn't so big, and it wasn't long until I was lead into a small, private table with a red curtain to separate me from the main hall. "This is the victim's room," the waiter said calmly, showing me a map. He instructed me to ring a bell when I was ready to order.

The Gorgonzola cheese fettuccine and the banana-tinged Vampire's Castle cocktail 

I thought the food itself was pretty decent, but take into account that the portions are not too big at all. My pork fillet was just as tiny too, and the time it took for that one to come made me wonder if they weren't breeding and slaughtering the pigs in the kitchen. Also note that, though the food itself isn't so pricy (thankfully, given the portion size) there's a cover charge of 500¥ per person. My cocktail was pretty nice though, but that one didn't have such a modest price tag on it. In themed restaurants they rarely do.
 What I enjoyed the most was the waiter's sudden way of barging through the red curtains of the room whilst still wearing the same void facial expression. I tried to take a picture with him, but he said, to my chagrin, "I do not appear on photographs." Ah, you smooth bastard, I wanted to reply.
 Altogether, thanks to the waiter though, it was a pretty fun experience, I'd say. Try it, but bare in mind what I said about the food.

Brief Note: Climbing Ladders

Cha-ching! I've been promoted at the workplace!

Silly Inventions 3: Corn Holder

#3: Corn Holder

Please, someone let me know if this is not exclusive to Japan. Mankind has been eating corn since it could take a dump. It's fascinating how something introduced so late in the game could be considered useful in any way, so this has got to be a joke. "Put your corn on a magical horn" is such an amazing product-selling line that they just couldn't pass up on the opportunity to deliver the joke. But look at how awkward it would be to grip the damn thing. Whatever the case, your guests will be amazed once you start pulling out the corn holders.

 Silly Inventions is a segment describing abnormal Japanese products I stumble upon. See more by clicking here or on the Silly Inventions tag.

Meiji University Torture Museum

Yes, I know. This picture of me posing in front of a crucifix upon which Japanese prisoners were impaled from waist to shoulder on both sides is of questionable taste. But it shows how happy I am to be at such an interesting exhibit!
 The Meiji University grounds are host to a museum showcasing anthropology and the evolution of the human condition. I'm sure the administration wouldn't be too happy if the place became known as the Torture Museum, but really, the rest of the stuff has been seen and done before.

In a nutshell, the criminology section of the museum, located in the basement, holds replicas of items used for torture (and execution, I guess, since you won't get to use that guillotine on the same guy twice.) It's pretty grizzly to look at, and there are very few explanations in English, but you really do get a sense of what each contraption was used for, with the help of some disturbing-ass traditional wood-block paintings on the walls, showing people getting maimed or crushed or dismembered or beheaded or whatnot. Just another day in feudal Japan, I guess.
 The museum's collection is pretty sizable, with items such as the aforementioned guillotine, the iron maiden (pictured), blocks used to crush legs, scaffolds for hanging people (with or without killing them) or burning them alive, a variety of spiked rods, displays for the heads of the recently executed, etc.
 However, keep in mind that this is only one section of the museum, and you'll probably be through with it after an hour or so.

Just to make sure everyone's on the same page about torture being a big no-no, the museum also has merchandise! A great way to cash in on people's fascination for the ultimate misery of others! Oh come on, let's be frank, if your museum's official shirt has an iron maiden on it, then you're kind of acknowledging that the most interesting thing there is to see is an apparatus with which people made Swiss cheese out of other people. No More Torture! But look how cool this thing is!