The Kimchi Chronicles

Michael Japanson

Posted on 1/29/2010 at 8:08:21 PM

Me, MJ, and Gordon

Japan, Day 4: Shibuya

Posted on 1/29/2010 at 11:47:44 AM

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I was on my own again today. While it was great having company yesterday and exploring with Gordon, I really wanted to experience some solo action again. After treating myself to the most delicious tempura meal of my life, I decided to head down to Shibuya for a last round of Jennifer vs. Japan. Shibuya has been described as the “ground zero for Tokyo youth culture.” The famous Shibuya crossing is composed of approximately six crosswalks that unleash a flood of humanity every few minutes. The amount of people that migrate here is unbelievable. People walk so fast, it’s easy to get knocked over, and since I had my face stuck in a map, that happened a few times. Buildings, restaurants, shops, department stores, and everything else in between tower over every street and alleyway in this part of Tokyo. The energy is fantastic, and one can easily sit back and watch people for hours.

It needs to be said that Tokyoites definitely have their own sense of style. Both men and women alike dress like wannabe rock stars, but it works in a non-poser kind of way. From my observation, most young women look like hookers. Make-up is caked on like frosting, boots are thigh-high while shorts and skirts reach ass cheeks. Hair is dyed, curled, and pinned, and extensions and fake eyelashes are part of everyday attire. Being from LA, I’ve seen my fair share of high maintenance before, but Tokyo takes it to a whole new level. Regardless, there’s nothing pretentious about the people, at least from what I noticed in my few days here. Fashion is just a really big deal, and if it works for them, then great. It makes everything more entertaining for an outsider anyways.

Japan, Day 3: Central Tokyo & Odaiba

Posted on 1/29/2010 at 11:18:45 AM

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Today I met up with Gordon in the afternoon and we decided to take a river cruise down the Sumida river into Central Tokyo. The cruise is another form of transportation instead of the subway and it makes for much better scenery. We were in for great weather again, sunny with temperatures in the high 50’s (F). The trip took about half an hour, and we got to see lots of neat structures along the river coast.

Once we got to our destination, we walked around Ginza for a while. Ginza can be compared to the Rodeo drive of Tokyo. You could tell it was a much more uppity and expensive area, but it was nice to walk around and window shop. After some dinner, we then took the train to Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. There are a lot of neat things to see there and we took a ride on the ferris wheel to see some views of the city from the top.

The Tsukiji fish market is located in Central Tokyo along the Sumida River, and I had heard great things about it. The only thing is that the best hours to see the hustle and bustle are from 3am to 6am. So, Gordon and I agreed to stay out all night and go to Tsukiji around 3. We found an internet cafe nearby and rested there for a few hours before heading out again. Unfortunately, once we got there, we noticed the market was a lot emptier than we had anticipated. Apparently, they close about 5 days a month, and we just happened to visit on one of the days they were closed. I was pretty bummed about it, because Tsukiji was highly recommended by the locals and all Tokyo books that I’ve read, but I guess that just means I’ll have to come back again. But now, time to rest. One more day of exploring tomorrow!

Japan, Day 2: Asakusa and Ueno

Posted on 1/27/2010 at 7:55:18 PM

Monday, January 25, 2010

After allowing myself some much needed sleeping-in time, I decided to explore Asakusa, the area around my hostel. But the first mission of the day was getting some grub. Since I can’t read or speak Japanese, I have to limit myself to restaurants that have English menus or plastic food models. Luckily, plastic everything is popular in Japan, so I stopped by a tiny establishment with everything on the menu displayed in plastic form. Each dish had a number assigned to it, then right next to it was a vending machine with all the menu items on it. You insert the money into the machine to pay for your meal, press the number that matches your meal of choice, and a little ticket pops out. You then go inside, take a seat, and give them your ticket, and your food is ready within 5 minutes. Very efficient and quick service for such a small place, and the food was great. I had a bowl of soba noodles in broth with seaweed and some other things that I don’t remember.

After filling my tummy, I meandered around the little streets in Asakusa. First and foremost, pictures will never do Tokyo justice. Seeing things in a photograph does not compare to experiencing them in person. There’s a mystical quality about the city. With it’s mixture of old world and modern architecture, Tokyo gives off an energy that immediately intoxicates you. The people, places, and things are quirky and eccentric, unique and historical. I have instantly fallen in love with this place, and can definitely see myself living here. But, I digress… I went on to see Senso-ji, one of Tokyo’s most popular sites and community temples. It was beautiful. The atmosphere was energetic, but respectful. As incense wafted through the air, people payed their respects by praying, lighting candles, and just having a nice time. The five storied pagoda right next door was also and amazing site. The alleyways lined with shops were enough to keep me busy for hours.

Afterward, I decided to go to Ueno and check out the park. There are many museums in the area, but unfortunately they were closed by the time I got there. I’ll have to check out the times next time. The park was pretty big, and it was nice just to walk around and take in the scenery. From what I’ve heard, this place is pretty busy during the warmer months, especially when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, but I was happy to see it just the same.

As evening descended, I went back to Asakusa to the hostel to relax for a bit, but once again, it was time to refuel, so I went in search of food again. I walked around for a long time, but nothing really caught my eye. My cash was really running low, and I discovered that my Korean bank won’t let me withdraw my money overseas, or pay for things. Fortunately, I brought my American credit card, so even though I didn’t want to spend money on it, I have to rely on it. A lot of the places are really small, and they don’t accept cards, and I really didn’t want to end up eating at McDonalds. As I was walking, I met this guy named Gordon. He’s originally from Hong Kong, but has been living in Australia for 13 years. He can speak and read Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese fluently, and he has a wicked accent. He’s traveling on his own too, so we decided to get a bite to eat together. I normally wouldn’t hang out with a complete stranger, but there’s something about being overseas that makes outsiders gravitate toward each other. Being abroad really opens your eyes to different experiences. Things that used to be considered weird are completely acceptable and it’s amazing how many interesting people and places there are out there.

Japan, Day 1: Konnichiwa! Arrival and Harajuku

Posted on 1/26/2010 at 2:14:29 PM

Sunday, January 24, 2010

After a restless night of packing and anticipation, I made it to the Incheon International airport in Korea to catch my flight to Tokyo. Check-in was quick and hassle free and I had about an hour to spare before I boarded the plane. The flight over to Japan was fast; just slightly over an hour. The plane took off around 12 in the afternoon and I got my luggage and boarded the subway in Tokyo by 2. My main worry was navigating the subway, but luckily some helpful Japanese flight attendants were able to show me the way. Ironically, the subway ride took much longer than the flight, about two hours. I had to change trains at one point, and got somewhat lost, but some high school girls directed me.

The hostel I’m staying at is a bit out of the way from the subway station, about a 10 minute walk. It was a bit tricky to find, but I made it. After checking in and settling into my room, It was time to begin exploring Japan. My first goal was to visit Harajuku to see the cosplay-zoku, more famously known as the wacky dressed up Harajuku girls. From my research, they only come out on the weekend, so since it was Sunday night and I leave on Thursday, that was my only chance to see them. Unfortunately, by the time I got there, it was close to 8pm, and most of them had left already. I did see a handful of the girls walking around, but I wasn’t able to get any pictures. Afterward, I strolled around Takeshita-dori. Definitely lots of crazy things to see there and plenty of shops and people to entertain you. Like Korea, the subway system closes around midnight, so I didn’t want to miss the train back to the hostel.

So far, my first impression of Tokyo is great. The people are super friendly and helpful, and the majority that I’ve spoken to can get by with some English. This is definitely a bike friendly city. Unlike, Korea where motorbikes are rampant no matter where you go, the Japanese prefer the more eco-friendly method of transportation by riding bicycles. The streets seem a lot cleaner and the driving isn’t as crazy. You can tell things are definitely a lot more organized here.  I haven’t even been here for an entire day, but I’m already loving this city.

English names

Posted on 1/13/2010 at 5:35:13 PM

Every Monday and Wednesday I teach two after school classes with (or without) my coteacher. My first class is with five rambunctious 3rd and 4th graders. Today, I realized that I never remember their names, so I resort to saying “Hey, you” a lot of the time. I figured it’s time to give these kids English names, so we spent the beginning of the class doing just that. Some of the kids chose their own names and I helped the others.

The boys: Tiger, Star, and George

The girls: Rina and Lily

You can guess who named themselves.

What’s for dinner?

Posted on 1/12/2010 at 6:23:16 PM

Vermicelli glass noodles sauteed with garlic, onion, ginger, red pepper, broccoli, bok choy, pepper, soy sauce, sesame seed oil, and a touch of curry powder. Yum.

Snow fight

Posted on 1/10/2010 at 1:27:24 PM

After checking out the National museum of Korea yesterday, Albert, Myra, and myself decided to walk outside and stroll in the snow for a bit. This is what happened next:

Korea! F$@k yeah!

Posted on 1/7/2010 at 11:42:23 AM

I saw this video on Myra’s blog and had to repost it. If you’re not familiar with Korea or Korean culture, this is a great introduction. It’s funny because it’s true. Those of you who have been here for a while know what I’m talking about.

Squid

Posted on 1/6/2010 at 8:48:29 PM

On Christmas Eve, I had a faculty luncheon with the… faculty. We drove out to an island near Incheon airport and had some of the freshest raw fish I’ve ever had. Now, I’m not much of a fan of things that aren’t cooked, although I like sushi every now and then, but this stuff was delicious. One food that I’ve never really liked though is squid, and Koreans love this stuff raw, and at times, completely alive. During our lunch, our server brought us a dish of hacked up squid that was uncooked and still moving on the plate. I decided to record it, and as I was, my coteacher, who loves squid, dug right in. I was pretty impressed. After I turned off the camera, she managed to convince me to try it, and I did. With a little soy sauce, some chili paste, and lots of chewing, it wasn’t that bad, and I can honestly say I like it better than cooked squid.