You don't hate pears.
If you think you hate pears, you've never had a "nashi" or East Asian pear. They look like the result of a pear and an apple flirting too hard and accidentally spawning a brown, round, not very pretty offspring. The joy is in the taste. When my host mother asks if I want nashi, I bow and try not to squeal my appreciation. It's near the top of my list for favorite Japanese foods, though these pears grow all over Asia.
Thus, the food continues to be awesome. I haven't had a bad thing to eat with one notable exception: "nato," or fermented soy beans.
I honestly knew better going into that situation, but I'm in Japan. I'm supposed to be trying everything, so I thought I would give it another shot. Chewing and swallowing, isn't so bad. Unfortunately, the aftertaste is like nothing in the world and makes me quite ill.
Over the past weekend I did quite a few fun things, virtually all of which were on Saturday. First Ikebukuro, then Harajuku followed by Shinjuku.
Ikebukuro was the one place of those mentioned that I'd never been before. Me and the buddy I went with (Kamryn, who is from Baton Rouge and very cool) hopped off the train and just started walking. We wanted to find Ikebukuro's Pokemon Center, but we had no idea where to start. We followed signs and stumbled into cute looking places on the way.
By some bizarre stroke of luck, we decided arbitrarily to go into the mall with the Pokemon Center. Jackpot.
I spent way too much money there.
Regardless, I did get to watch some interesting stuff. Kids and parents alike surrounded a costumed Pikachu mascot who danced and squealed in the store and through the nearby hall. Pikachu was also equipped with at least four official bodyguards to prevent unwanted tackling and the like. Kids played Pokemon themed arcade games and even traded cards at little tables set up outside. All in all a very glorified look at the craze that is Pokemon.
I'd go back, for sure. I just wouldn't take my wallet. I was pretty irresponsible, but in my defense, 90% of it was Christmas gifts.
Next up, Harajuku. I love Harajuku. I am not into fashion. Harajuku is known for its fashion. It's where CUTE meets GOTH meets LOLITA meets COSPLAY meets...you get the picture. I am not into fashion, but I am very into Sweet Box.
When I first visited Japan, I had a strawberry cheesecake crepe at Sweet Box in Harajuku. I craved it only a few days after going home and have wanted it ever since. On Saturday, I finally got it in my body again. This time it was a chocolate ice cream and cheesecake crepe. It was amazing. I "destroyed that crepe" as Kamryn so accurately put it. I also got way too excited about anime boys, but I digress.
Harajuku had educational value, too. Kathryn loves owls. We spotted an owl forest and had to check it out. For a few bucks, we could walk through an artificial "forest" in one of Harajuku's many basements and look at owls. Real owls. Did I mention we could literally rub their backs? We got up close and personal with owls. Quite fun.
We also visited Meiji Shrine. Meiji is a huge shrine that is densely populated by Japanese folk and tourists alike. You hear just about every language (as well as cicadas) as you're walking through the woods. That's a really neat thing about Meiji Shrine: Smack dab in the middle of ultra urban Shinjuku/Harajuku is sprawling wilderness and wide open spaces for religious structures. It creates a striking, relaxing contrast.
I decided to try praying at the shrine. I can't say if I felt anything supernatural or if I was truly praying (I don't believe in that kind of stuff) but standing there, bowing and clapping as is custom, I did feel warm and fuzzy.
Despite not being religious myself, I find Shinto fascinating. Japan is an extremely old nation, but some of the mythos of Shinto has persisted into common speech, practice, culture and consumer goods. Gods and spirits called "kami" inhabit everything and come in different varieties of power and form. Some are good. Some are evil. All deserve respect. As a general rule, Shinto is concerned with the well being and respect of nature, harmony between people and groups, and remembrance of those things deceased or ancient.
Next, Shinjuku. Kamryn was tired and went home, but I had one more thing to do.
When I was in high school, my mom, stepfather and I hosted a girl from Japan in our house. Her name is Nozomi Ishizawa and she is awesome. We didn't know it when we had her in our house, but she would soon become my dearest long distance friend. We have now known each other for over five years.
In Shinjuku I visited with Nozomi and her mother. My intention was to buy them dinner. When I took a short trip to Japan in high school, Nozomi's mother bought me and quite a few of my friends' dinner without prompt. I wanted to repay her kindness.
I told them to pick any restaurant. Nozomi chose an Alice in Wonderland themed restaurant in Shinjuku. Talk about cute. The illusion of visiting the Mad Hatter's tea party was perfect. The wait staff was all ladies, all in Alice costumes. The food was good too. More than good, it was all shaped like Cheshire cats and bunnies.
When I tried to pay (I had said multiple times that dinner was my treat this time) Nozomi's mother told me no. This was a welcome dinner for me. She said she and Nozomi could never thank me enough for the time we spent together in Oregon. I kept insisting, but she took care of the bill the second I had a potty break.
Nozomi and I made plans to watch a movie together later in the month. I hope I can see her a lot.
Japanese class is still easy, the food is still awesome, the weather is still sweaty and the stationery is incredible. Anyone in need of thousands of varieties of pen? Japan. Paper? Japan. Envelope? Japan. Anything? Probably Japan.
If I had to pick a single word to describe this place, it would be "novel." You'll see sights you've never seen and learn things you never knew.
There's a hidden gem in every building's basement and a hole in the wall where the food is the best you've ever tasted on every street.
