Revelations

Kanchanaburi, August 2015

Bangkok, August 2015

Seoul, June 2015

Hakone, March 2015

Ginza, November 2014

Maihama, March 2014

Miyajima, December 2013

Tsukishima, December 2013

Montreal, October 2013

Oshima, September 2013

Kayabacho, June 2013

Koshigaya, May 2013

Milestone: The End

This is it! 5 days remain until I return to Montreal. For nostalgia's sake, here's a compilation of the best times I had in Japan, and a few bits and pieces of information about the blog itself. Bare in mind that this isn't my last post! There are still a few things I'll be wanting to share after this.

 Sean the Alien: The End

Major Cities Visited:

- Kyoto
- Fukuoka
- Osaka
- Nara
- Hiroshima
- Nagoya
 
Top Fives:

THEMED CAFES/BARS/RESTAURANTS:

1. Kagaya, Whatever It Is
2. The Robot Restaurant
3. The Owl Cafe
4. Kayabuki, of the Monkey Waiters
5. Zauo, the Fishing Restaurant

MUSEUMS:

1. The Museum of Toilets and Fecal Matter (Temporary Exhibition)
2. Oya Stone Museum
3. Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Museum
4. Ghibli Studios Museum
5. Yokohama Ramen Museum

SCENERIES:

1. Miyajima
2. Mount Fuji
3. Izu Oshima
4. Shirakawago
5. Nokogiriyama

HAIKYO:

1. Nichitsu Ghost Town
2. Western Village
3. Kappa Hotel
4. Ashiomachi
5. Asakura Asylum

FESTIVALS:

1. Dosojin Fire Festival
2. Kanamara Penis Festival
3. Takayama Festival
4. Itabashi Belly-Button Festival
5. Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival

Blog Stats:

Number of Posts: 415

Number of Page Views: 33,912

Most Readers Are From:
 1. Japan
2. Canada
3. United States

4. Russia

5. France

Japan Life Stats:

 

Pictures Taken: 9431

Times Moved: 5

Last Trains Missed: 8

 Times in a Hospital: 0

Kanji Characters Learned: 2184

 Work Promotions: 4

 Immigration Office Visits: 11

Road Trips: 2

Domestic Flights: 7
Times Locked out of My Own Apartment: 3

Times Stopped by the Police for Inspection of Visa Validity: 3

Times Stopped by the Police for Owning an Umbrella that Looks Like a Sword: 4

Weddings Attended: 1

Beds Discarded On The Roof of an Abandoned Building: 1

T-Shirts With My Face Circulating in Tokyo: 3

Hrmm, that about sums it up, I would say! 

Stay tuned, though. I've yet to write my epilogue, plus I have one last surprise for those who haven't already heard it, both in the four days to come! 

Thailand, and Back

Do forgive my long absence! Since the last time I've posted, I've spent 10 days in Thailand!
 And though I won't go over the specifics of my antics like I did last time with Korea, I've had a great time in the Land of Smiles, and here are some pictures!

I got to know Khao San road very well. If I had taken this picture at night, it'd just be a wall of flesh.

Dropped by the Grand Palace, too. You know what else was grand? The amount of tourists.

Visited lots of markets. Like this one, built on top of the Maeklong Railway.

Or the floating market at Amphaya.

Thailand, like the rest of Asia, is rich in art, be it dance...

...or the martial variety.

I got to spend some time on the beaches of Koh Samet Island...

...Which has amazing fire shows by the way.

As well as the jungles of Kanchanaburi Province, where I was kissed by fish...

...Slapped by monkeys...

...And washed by an elephant. A pretty good time all in all, I'd say!

The Kaiju Bar - Good Food, No Kaijus

I've been promising myself I'd check out the Kaiju Bar in Kawasaki city for quite some time. And I've been putting it off for quite some time. Having left my job, though, I've finally gotten the chance to gather some Adventure Friends, namely Ty and Ken, and check it out. And though the place was not quite what I expected it to be, it wasn't all bad, either!
 The Kaiju Bar is based on the villains who appeared in the Ultraman TV series - put simply, the monsters played by men in big rubber suits who show up to get whooped.

Westerners are probably more familiar with the Mighty Morphing Power Rangers, and in essence, it's pretty much the same. But whereas this type of show hasn't really picked up as much steam in America, in Japan, they're still quite popular and going strong, as they have been for decades. You might recall this is actually my second time visiting a bar based on such a television show. They're just that popular. And as much as there's love for the main characters of these shows, so too are there cult followings for each of the big rubber villains - the Kaiju.
Now, when I first caught wind of the Kaiju Bar last year, when it opened, I looked at the promotional material and thought to myself, "sweet! You get to go in there and drink with big monsters!" Well, advertisement can be deceiving, folks, though I'm not blameless for not having checked. Unfortunately, and to my sorrow, unlike in the bar's videos and posters, the Kaiju don't come out for you to have a drink with them. But I almost forgave this on account of all the other nice things the place had going for it.

 For one, the bar was lovingly decorated with as many Ultraman and Kaiju paraphernalia as you could think of. On top of the standard fanfare of having figurines of varying sizes in glass cases, the Kaiju Bar had beautiful murals and all types of replicas suspended all over the shop, which was pretty sizable, too.
 However, the place is quite generous to customers in terms of what's given to them. Upon being seated at the table, every patron gets a resting plate for their chopsticks with a different Kaiju on it. Plus, every order placed awards you with a different beer coaster, which the staff painstakingly choose so as to make sure customers aren't given the same one twice. This being an Izakaya, our table ended the night with over 10 coasters.

Second, there was no denying that the service was quite good! Unlike many other themed places run by different chains (notably Diamond Dining and Pasela Resorts) the waiters and waitresses don't do much to remind you that they're in character. There is the initial bit where the reception makes you put your hand into a big Kaiju's mouth on the wall to "detect whether or not you're a hero in disguise," but other than that, the staff acts pretty normal.
 And the third great thing about the Kaiju Bar is that, lo and behold, the food is actually quite good! Despite not bearing a heavy price tag, the food, which doesn't necessarily follow the theme either, is prepared with its actual taste in mind. I thought the food was quite tasty, and Ken, who's a major foodie, actually approved too, which confirms it! The menu offers all the standard izakaya fare, so there's a good amount of variety, from karaage fried chicken to yakisoba noodles and more, each cooked by someone who actually knows what the hell they're doing.
 So at the end of the night, the Kaiju Bar was a good meal, good service, and good ambiance, despite not actually having been what we came for. Oh well, we'll live.

Fishing in the City

Fishing is a pass-time that requires time and equipment both. You would think, as well, that you'd have to travel a little distance out of town to have a chance to do it, but as it turns out, it's possible to go fishing in Tokyo with none of this limitations. And without being inside a restaurant.

While commuting by train, I looked out the window chanced upon a fishing hole right in the center of the city. It wasn't until a whole year later that I decided to take a closer peek, and discovered the Ichigaya Fish Center, which doubles as both a fishing area and a supply store for all things related to purchase and maintenance of fish within a home aquarium. Eager as always to go fishing, Ty came along and we tried our hands at it for an hour.


 First off, anglers are given the choice of either fishing in the hole, or mini-fishing, in which you're given a miniature fishing rod and given a chance to catch goldfish. We opted for the former, of course, and for around 900¥, were provided with both fishing rod and bait, and a net to help bring the fish up. It appeared as if no one actually brought their own equipment here - we didn't see anyone with different fishing rods than the ones provided.

When I had first seen the place in Autumn, it was crammed full of salary-men sitting shoulder to shoulder in their suits. I was little anxious that I'd accidentally get my line tangled in another person's if I were sitting that close, but my fears were unjustified, seeing as we went on a blazing Summer day, and not so many people seemed to enthused to bake under the sun while waiting for a catch. It's kind of worthwhile to note that there isn't any shelter from the heat while fishing. Still, we didn't let that stop us.

The fish swimming inside the water hole are actually koi fish, the Japanese carp. Just by that being said, you'd be right to guess that it's catch and release fishing, since you're likely to break your teeth if you tried biting into a koi. Though I wouldn't exactly say it was difficult, the bait provided on spot flakes off the hook quite easily, and the fish are more likely to nibble and peck at it rather than bite. All that considered, though, some people seemed to be faring pretty well, and even I was able to land a catch within my hour.

 Not unlike a batting cage, the Fish Center's a pretty good place to kill some time with friends while enjoying a sport, without all the hassle of preparation. And so the list of options for having a good time in Tokyo goes up by one!

Hiking Mount Tsukuba

There are quite a few good hikes within a reasonable range of Tokyo, given that Japan in general is pretty much mountainous all over. Most of them actually have pretty friendly, well-maintained paths, and a fair amount of them are serviced by rope-ways and cable-cars. All factors accounted for, hiking the mountains around Tokyo makes for a rewarding day trip with very little investment necessary.
 Mount Tsukuba, in Ibaraki, is one such mountain.

Though I can't say I knew this prior to my hike, it turns out the mountain is actually quite famous for its beautiful twin peaks, the scenery made visible from either of its two summits, and its presence in ancient Japanese legend all three.

Conveniently enough, there's a bus that departs from the nearby town of Tsukuba and winds its way to the main temple located on the mountain. It was here that Ken and I found out that the temple's main export is actually toad oil. Toad oil! Apparently toad oil has a variety of applications when it comes to skin care, and is effective in treating blisters and such, and even helps build resistance to heat. I'll take that with a grain of salt, but it was interesting to note how statues of toads were erected around the temple and toad tokens were sold as good luck charms.

 The climbing of Mount Tsukuba itself is actually quite a pleasant 90-minute hike, with the trail we took leading up to the Nyotai peak ascending quite consistently, without ever truly turning too steep. The woods are home to a whole variety of butterflies and lizards and other pleasant critters, and teeming with life in general. Allegedly there are also boars, deers and foxes to be found within the mountains forests, as well as an impressive flora which I know nothing about.

Most would agree, though, that the hike is made worthwhile by the excellent view of the great Kanto plains visible upon reaching the summit. Though Summer days like ours don't offer the clearest view, the peaks of Mount Tsukuba are actually known to be a good vantage point from which, on a clear day, Tokyo and Mount Fuji both can be seen looming in the distance. Even short of that, though, the scenery is enough of a prize so as not to be disappointed. Many would also be relieved to hear that, for those reluctant to hike their way down the mountain, there's always the rope-way down, which we leisurely took.

A Day at Sega Joypolis

It's Summer break, meaning the high school and students have come pouring out of the floodgates and into the theme parks. What with the Tokyo heat, waiting in a long line under the beating sun couldn't be any harder at the moment. But thankfully, there is a decent alternative to those who want a theme park experience away from crowds and the heat.
 Joypolis, in Odaiba, is an indoor theme park run by the video game manufacturer, Sega. Now, indoor theme parks in general are decidedly a lot less thrilling that their outdoor competitors, but after reading a few good reviews about the place, I decided to make the trip and have a look at it for myself.

These guys were a big part of my college days!

Granted, Sega doesn't have a brand as powerful as Disney's, but they do have a few recognizable characters, so at least they aren't starting from ground zero. Though Joypolis is far from being meant for gamers like myself, quite a few of their iconic franchises do have an attraction or two based on them. Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog, House of the Dead, and Ace Attorney, for example, might be happy to find such attractions, and merchandise geared to their fans.

 Although the Sega brand doesn't leverage as much power as it used to back in the days, in Japan, they still run arcades, which makes them a pretty penny. As such, though, many of the attractions and rides at Joypolis are very arcade-game like, and no doubt some of them are simply improved versions of existing games. Fortunately, this actually happens to work quite well for them.

A racing game in Joypolis

For example, rather than giving you nothing but a steering wheel and a pedal, one of the racing games at Joypolis gives you the whole damn car. So as you're looking into the screen and racing opponents, you actually feel the impact of every crash, and are jolted by sharp turns and sudden stops. It makes for quite an immersive experience. This is actually Joypolis's bread and butter: seeing as the theme park is all indoor, these rides are actually really clever in their usage of space. There are other variants to this formula of course: one similar racing game put me behind the controls of a flying vehicle. Every time I did a barrel roll, the actual machine I was sitting in would rotate and spin me upside down. Let's just say I wouldn't recommend eating heavy meals prior to testing such rides.

Not that all of the rides in Joypolis are a rehash of this formula though. One of the rides I walked into had a similar premise at first, having me sit down in a cart with gun-controls and shoot through hordes of zombies, but with an unexpected twist. Imagine my surprise when the cart was launched out of its tunnel and went barreling through the inside of the theme park, corkscrewing across a set of rails. Somehow, I didn't even notice when I had walked in that the ride was a miniature roller coaster.
 Another of Joypolis's stronger attractions is Half-Pipe Tokyo, where riders are placed on a platform that moves back and forth on a set of U-shaped railings. There's a surprisingly good combination of height and speed, but on top of all that, the riders have a pedal underfoot which allows them to make their platform spin in circles if pressed at the right time. The amount of spins is tallied up and counted and measured against other riders, so there's a little bit of competition and challenge involved in the experience as well.

All in all, I think where Joypolis lacked in gigantic roller coasters and enormous haunted houses, it made up for by allowing visitors a unique experience where they chose how much they were spun or thrown around or flipped upside down. And though the concept of pressing a button and having something happen is very familiar for someone who plays video games, I felt like the theme park did a good job of making such attractions approachable and friendly for just about everyone, from hardcore gamer to average high school girl.

 You'll be pleased to know that the admission price is just a little above half that of one of the bigger theme parks like Tokyo Disney or Fuji-Q Highland, so hey, it's an easy recipe for a good time.

Plus, Odaiba's a pretty cool place to hang out in general!

Take Care, Kids

I clocked out of work for the last time on July 25th at 6:15pm, moments after my coworkers surprised me with a cake. On it, was written (and I translate) "You've worked hard, Sean." It's a difficult translation, because there's no real exact way to interpret the words "otsukare sama desu."
 I think, as it was all happening, that I didn't feel the weight of the moment, so it was all I could do to smile and give my thanks. It didn't really feel like I was leaving.
But that was my graduation party.
 Maybe it's dawning on me very slowly, right now, how finite that moment was, and every moment before that. Until my very last class, I was hauling ass getting crying children into class, pushing them to try things they were afraid to do. I really hope they improve and grow strong, but I may not ever know that, given the circumstances. But I tell myself that, well, what ever happens, it's been a good run.

After three years and a half of watching children come in, grow, and leave, I'm quite happy with the bonds I've formed and connections I've made. I'm happy I was able to make children smile, if nothing else. But as one of my coworkers put it, even if the only thing we change in these kids' lives is to make them realize that there's a world outside of Japan and good people out there, then we've fulfilled our role in helping them grow, and everything asides from that is a bonus.
 I can't honestly say that I was a great teacher, or even a good one. Though I've earned the respect of my peers through hard work, I've worked alongside instructors who could make a child understand they were doing something wrong by simply looking into their eyes, or make a child they've never met before stop crying within a minute. I couldn't work such miracles. But I did study hard, and I did take my job seriously. In my first year, I would spend hours at home doing research on babies and early childcare so that I could better answer mothers' questions should any come up.

"Should I give milk to my baby from a glass bottle or plastic?"
"Either is fine if you don't mind the different weight, but avoid polycarbonate."
Maybe that was the extent of my skills as a children's fitness instructor, asides from my background in (self-taught) gymnastics.

But on that week before I left, as I informed parents I was moving back to Canada, I've had children latch on to me and hold me tight, look into my eyes and tell me they would miss me. I've had a mother thank me with tears running down her face. I've had parents change their schedules so they could squeeze in as many days with me as possible before I left, while others came in unscheduled to bring me gifts. And to some extent, it was so overwhelming that I couldn't put words to my thoughts.
 And as each child or parent did one of those things, it was all I could do to place my hand on my heart and smile, hoping that they understood the gesture to mean everything it did, even if I, myself, didn't know at the moment. But I do now.

 I feel your love.

 I came into Japan fresh out of college, with a degree but no self-confidence, and it was through the kids that I managed to build myself up, dare I say, even more than I had through all my years in school. No one had really looked up to me before I had started working with kids.
 So to some extent, maybe it's I who have grown the most from the experience.

 So thank you, babies, kids, parents, nannies. Thank you for placing your trust in me. Thanks for giving me second chances when I failed you. Thanks for sharing with me your worries and hopes and dreams, and for helping me understand them. Regardless of whether I ever see any of you again or not, I'll be thinking of you and about the men and women you become as the years go by. I consider you all to be unforgettable friends no matter the miles that may separate us.
 Take care, kids.