Kansai Trip - 5 days, in brief

With my return home looming on the horizon (3 months to go!), I finally got around to using some of my vacation days (I only have 5 precious days).  I used a few to take a trip down to Kansai area.

Weathering the Typhoons

We're on typhoon #26, I think.  Rather than naming them, Japan keeps track of the typhoons each year by merely counting them.  A simple and undecorated approach.

Half-way Point - Contract Renewal

So I reached the six month mark in my contract... I can't believe it's half over.

Summer Vacation

For the summer break, I had one week off work (Thurs to Wed).  I wasn't feeling much in the mood to travel during heat here, but I did get out to go to a few places.

Two Women vs. the Grasshopper

A short story sharing the moments before my summer vacation, and how one moment of forgetfulness led to an "epic" battle between two women - who are seriously afraid of all sorts of bugs - and a grasshopper - Japanese size (large) and perky enough (or, sadistic enough) to jump in the sweltering heat of summer.

Past Rainy Season and onto Summer

Rainy season was quite short this year.  It normally lasts about one month (June), but this year the amount of rain was sporadic at best.  I definitely didn't use my rain boots as often as I thought I would.

Hiking in Kita-Kamakura (北鎌倉)

I went hiking with some friends and co-workers a week or so ago in Kita-Kamakura.  It was so beautiful!  From the quaint train station (I wish I had remembered to take a photo) to the traditional homes and green nature everywhere... it is a current favorite location of mine.  

Golden Week - Part 3 (Cat Cafe, Cooking Class)

Finally, during Golden Week, I did two new activities:  I visited a Cat Cafe (猫かフェ)
and I went to a multi-lingual Cooking Class.

Golden Week - Part 2 (Odawara)

Continuation of my activities during Golden Week...

Golden Week - Part 1 (Kamakura, Enoshima)

Golden Week in Japan occurs in at the end of April-early May.  There are several national holidays within the same week, so many companies provide their employees with the entire week off.  It is one of three weeks off during the year that I have.  

JLPT N4 Passed!

Good news!  I passed the JLPT N4 exam!  

Note:  JLPT = Japanese Language Proficiency Test.

First Haircut in Japan and Giving Thanks (お礼)

The weather is getting warmer here and the wind is blowing strongly each day.  My long locks have become increasingly annoying... so I decided to get a haircut this week.

Scary Eats at "The Lock Up" - Shibuya, Tokyo

If you like haunted houses, horror, or just the thrill of being scared, check out "The Lock Up," a prison-themed restaurant in Shibuya.  The food and drinks are interesting, the ambiance is dark and zombies jump out at you during dinner.

Beautiful Cherry Blossoms (桜、さくら）

It's cherry blossom (さくら）season here in Japan.  I knew they would be beautiful, but it's something else to walk under the pink and white trees with petals falling in the breeze.

Hidden in the forest lies Meiji Shrine (明治神宮)

Last week, I took a trip into Tokyo for computer repairs.  While there, I walked around Shibuya and made the trek through a forest to Meiji Shrine.  The fact that there is a huge forest right in the middle of Shibuya, Tokyo is interesting enough.  

Strolling through Kamakura （鎌倉市）

This past weekend, I decided to head down to Kamakura to check out a few temples and see the Great Buddha statue.  

A Day near Sakuragichō Station, Yokohama (横浜市、桜木町駅）

This past weekend, I went to Sakuragichō station in Yokohama with some friends.  Sakuragichō station is a fun place to visit as it's near the harbor and it has lots of shopping and activities.  When I mentioned to my co-worker I'd be going, he thought I was going on a date....  Unfortunately no, but apparently, Sakuragichō is also a popular place to go on a date. 

A Whirlwind Two Weeks

It's been two weeks since I arrived in Japan, and it's been one thing after another... definitely more busy times than relax-and-see-Japan times.  Maybe that will come later, in a few weeks.

Farewell to the Bay

Just one week ago, I walked away from the blue-glass building of my job and said “hello” to the first day of a new life, as my friend so eloquently put it.

Initial Greetings

Amidst the various calls, texts, and emails I have going today as I try to coordinate the sale of more than half my apartment goods, I checked my mail and discovered a nice surprise:  a letter from my school in Japan!