littlecatmusings

[littlecatmusings]

From the airport to the hotel. Immediately struck by the architecture and the many, many narrow streets.

On this taxi ride, Jay graced us with a story about her time as a TV host for a children’s dance competition (of which no YouTube videos currently exist ;} ;} ;} ).

Also confirmed my worry that not all taxis take card. And that “Ubers are forbidden!” from the airport. They don’t do Lyft here at all. Hoping to mostly take the trains around, anyway.

Hope this finds you well,

Me.

[littlecatmusings]

Posters from the Charles de Gaulle Airport, right when we offboarded the plane. They were so lovely! My rushed photography skills? Not so much.

Bonjour Paris!

Hope this finds you well,

Dina

[littlecatmusings]

Usagi. I had another favorite moment here. I was setting off to find my last meal in Japan, determined that it would be ramen. Unlike in San Francisco, it’s difficult to find ramen that isn’t pork-broth based. So after walking around for an hour, trying one Google Maps recommendation after another, I found this place quite close to the hotel. 

I wasn’t sure I was going in, actually. I was reading their menu posted on the window, and one of the workers saw me and waved me in. Upon entering, I asked “butaniku nashi?” And immediately, one of the workers hurries to the front of the shop repeating, “Islami, Islami.” I was excited, even though it was a total assumption. 

The first guy asked me if I could eat chicken, and I said I could, and the second guy (Taki) repeated again, “Islami.” He walked past the counter, to my side, and was very dedicated in making something work for me. I asked him what his recommendation would be, took it, and he excitedly sat me down and started to ask about me, where I was from, and how much longer I was staying in Tokyo for. 

I’m very surprised at how many people know about both San Francisco and Palestine here. Even in the diverse hub of San Francisco, usually “Palestine” is met with a furrowed brow, and an inquiring, “Pakistan?”

I thanked Taki and his staff so, so much for understanding and being willing to work with me and not off their vending machine. I understand that this just doesn’t happen, at all. He was more than happy to do it, though, sharing with me that although he totally consumes everything there is, he’s Jewish and he had just met with a couple Muslim tourists the other day, and how he gets it. He even thanked me for asking for no pork, which completely blew my mind.

Color me surprised to meet a Jewish man of Japanese origin! I had a lot of questions bubbling to the forefront of my mind, but before I could ask any (about what it’s like, surely he’s a minority, is there a community, etc) the bowl of ramen was being served to me. And it was delicious. I think, to me, ramen is mostly about the savoriness of the broth and the quality of the egg, more so than the noodle (totally different case with udon). Thinking back on it now, I’d love another bowl... 

I couldn’t thank him and his shop enough for being so accommodating (because, again, I know this is unusual). I wish I could have shown my gratitude better than a simple thank you, telling him it was delicious, and an invitation for him to come to San Francisco. Definitely a warm, favorite moment.

Hope this finds you well, Me.

[littlecatmusings]

I realized I never really shed the spotlight on Nadeshiko Women’s Hotel, although I introduced it. To be honest, I hadn’t made use of its facilities much until after my first night.

After journeying through Shibuya, I returned to the hotel to begin winding down in prep for my excursion to the airport (and eventually home) the next day. Part of the allure of booking here is that they have a sento, a bath house and that it’s for the lady guests only (meaning, it isn’t a public onsen). Having gotten bitten by the bath bug in my last stressful semester of graduate school, I wanted to experience something a little more culturally-specific. Japan seems to take bathing quite seriously (if the number of LUSH stores don’t support that then I wonder why there are so many). I didn’t take any photos of the actual big bath room, because that’d be disrespectful (and I think they request that you don’t take photos of that space), but I can describe it as it was new to me.

It shares a floor with the first room pictured in this post, which was a work space that I spent some time in writing a couple posts and catching up on missed messages with friends and family. There’s coffee and tea and little snacks from the area that they offer for free. They even provide some computer stations for accessing the internet, should you need to. 

The sento part of the floor was a series of rooms — first, a changing room that had many mirrors with personal hairdryers, seats, and baskets for your using. The music here was the best — very light, again reminding me of Persona 4 music. Definitely music to feel pretty to, no matter what little you do.

Further down the hall was a room with shelving units bearing baskets filled with towels. You were to put some of your amenities in these, and your most personal belongings in the adjacent lockers. I wasn’t sure whether you were to actually bring the basket into the bath room itself — I didn’t... but maybe should have? It was probably written down and I forgot that detail.

Connected to this room is the actual big bath room. You leave your slippers outside the doorframe and enter to see a series of shower heads (sitting and standing), sets of hair and soap products, and then a big, big bath, with a couple smaller but unfilled baths next to it. You’re supposed to wash off first, and then enter the bath, intended for soaking and soothing purposes.

While lovely, I still am too fidgety to stay in a bath for a decent amount of time unless I have my kindle with me. Certainly enjoyed it (the photo on the right is me the next morning, feeling refreshed), and would certainly go back if I spent more time there.

Hope this finds you well, Me.

[littlecatmusings]

On my last day in Tokyo, I stumbled across what looked like a bustling bubble tea shop. Put that on the list of things I need to learn before my next visit, how to order things in Japanese with confidence. I got a basic black milk tea with pearls and it was fantastic. The pearls were that perfect chewy consistency, and the tea was (although to my request) perfectly sweetened. Yum.

And for once, I saw people casually leaving the shop with their drinks in hand and straws in mouths. So, I did the same and continued to appreciate the beauty of the city streets. The drink didn’t last very long. Wish I had gotten the name of the place... 

[littlecatmusings]

Yoyogi Park, where I made a new friend with (what I think was) a crow (they look so different than in San Francisco!). No, I didn’t have zoom on. Yes, it flew right up next to me. It scooted even closer at one point, but that’s when I started to freak out and shooed it away.

While the weather was overcast, that probably enriched the experience for me, in that it felt a little bit more like home. Specifically, I was reminded of Golden Gate Park, if it were less hilly and occasionally had cobbled roads. I hopped from bench to bench before settling on one and pulling out my Kindle to read for the very first time on this trip. I had started Murakami’s Norwegian Wood before coming to Japan, and it was a good read; however, there was something delightful about recognizing train lines and station names being referenced in the book. Now, I understand better why it’s important to write from your own lived experiences. Because, either eventually or right away, people can come to relate that much more and feel like they’re an extra in the backdrop of your story. Instantly upon knowing what the Chiyoda Line was, I felt that much more invested.

It was also here that I had my most bothersome experience with a Bay Area local, who in the middle of my reading asked me where I was from and started telling me about his months long adventure through many countries, and how his stay in Japan was unexpected and open-ended, in that he tells the hostel “one more day, just one more day.” He also expressed how he’s been in Tokyo for a while, but doesn’t know a word of Japanese, and how he doesn’t feel that’s important. It was really an unsavory interaction, and I may strike this paragraph out so I can skip this paragraph upon reflection. He was my first extended-tourist-stranger encounter. Still, I was amazed at how pleasant and safe my trip was amongst a mass of strangers, who don’t really care about my business unless it directly involved them (or if they saw I was in some dismay).

As a side note (if everything isn’t just a big side note), it was pretty cool to see construction happening in the midst of the park. Not that that’s super foreign, but I like the contrast.

My stay in Japan is coming to a close, and while I’m ready to go home, I’m excited for a trip back.

Hope this finds you well, Me.

[littlecatmusings]

I finally found the stationary store that had things I was looking for in a stationary store. Too bad it was on my last full day in Tokyo, with so much more that I wanted to do! It’s connected to an awfully spacious MUJI in Shibuya, so I’m sure I’ll be back to explore it and probably spend an entire day meandering through the aisles... 

Also, I just realized the little statue with the gift on its edge. I’m not sure what that means, do you?

[littlecatmusings]

Just a few examples of books I found in Tsutaya Books that had me double-taking. At first glance, I swear my brain saw Arabic. I found myself doing this throughout my trip, and wish I had taken more photos of when I did it. Just goes to show that typography/calligraphy is pretty powerful for making new associations.

[littlecatmusings]

Off in a part of town far flung from everything else I wanted to see that day was probably the biggest bookstore I’ve ever been to. Tsutaya Books is a chain store, having spotted it at the airport and pop-up stores elsewhere, but that didn’t make this one any less special. It has sections for books, CDs, DVDs, a couple cafes, and even automotive-branded items. It’s beautifully built, and even had a cute stairwell with cartoons running up and down the walls with you. That reminded me of Autodesk’s Pier 9 stairwell, just another piece of home. 

Since the majority of the store is a bookstore, most of the content was in Japanese. Yet another moment I wish I knew the language better. I did manage to find a couple stationary items in a cutely crafted notebook (a gift), and some washi tape (for myself), though.

[littlecatmusings]

During my stay in Tokyo especially, I noticed the constant siren of emergency vehicles. For the first time, though, I was able to witness one traverse traffic. I found it interesting how someone in the fire truck is actually speaking constantly to the people outside (yet another moment I wish I knew what he was saying). Additionally, vehicles didn’t stop moving for the truck like they do in the United States. Wonder why...

[littlecatmusings]

Since I last saw Rena, I couldn’t get the image of this all-too-expensive cardigan out of my mind. So, that store was the first place I trekked to after arriving back in Tokyo, happy to find it still there in all its textured, airy glory. I really fell in love with the subtle, hair-lined textures in the fabrics stitched together. It was unlike anything I had ever seen in a cardigan before.  

I remembered the face of one guy who was there today, with a resting happy expression, excitedly showing me other pieces but none would stick like the cardigan did. I ended up making friends with him and the women behind the counter. Takato, Asami, and Saudi were friendly, asking me about my stay, where I’m from, and were fascinated with the spelling of their names in Arabic. Takato even wrote my name down in both Katakana and Hiragana (top and bottom lines), which I was elated at seeing since the first two lovely ladies to help me when I first came to Tokyo didn’t seem to think there was a spelling of “Dina,” but of “Dinar.” I’m told the language is extensive and hard even for people who have been learning it all their lives (per Rena). 

After I paid, I got a lemonade at the in-house cafe, and as I sat and drank it the three of them scurried over to me, wanting to give me a handful of recommendations given my interests. They sat and talked with me for maybe 15 minutes before I felt like I was making them lose business, thanking them and going on my way. 

The store was very cute, albeit super expensive. But it is one of the few places in Japan where I found clothing to be designed and made (mostly) in Japan, which was very surprising to me. There was one shop in Kyoto that did a pretty good job of having items explicitly made in Kyoto, but other than that most items seem to be imported. Given the rarity and considering it a marker of my dream trip, I was okay splurging on a few articles of linen clothing that I felt were truly unique to my visual and tactile experience in Japan. Because I’m apparently very bad at taking photos of myself, there aren’t any photos of the stuff on my phone. Oops. I’ll post them up later when I debut them :}

[littlecatmusings]

Getting out of Kyoto was easy. Getting to Nadeshiko Women's Hotel from Shibuya Station was not! Shibuya station is absolutely huge, and the people's attitudes were such a sharp contrast to the warmth I felt all around me from the past few days. Not that people weren't still nice, they were just considerably less kind...  

That aside, logistics were difficult. Dragging a weary and heavy-with-gifts suitcase behind me, I wandered for almost an hour trying to find the right bus stop: 51. People at guest services thought it was "far, far away." Google Maps said it was somewhere in the commuter station. No signs seemed to indicate where it would be. It wasn't until I found a security guard who led me to a gentleman in a booth did I discover that I should take the 36 bus. He said, specifically, that I'd want to make sure with the driver that he'll be stopping at "Abodai Yonchome Bus Stop." Turns out that the 51 shares the same stop as the 36 at Shibuya station, it's just not so explicitly labeled. There are like arrows pointing to it some distance away, but no sign directly at the stop. Either Google Maps is behind or ahead of city planning.  

Anyway, Nadeshiko was refreshing after a whole day spent commuting basically. It's a women's only capsule hotel (they call each capsule "cocoons"), and it has a "sento," a shared bath room. They give you a yukata, an obi, and a care bag of toiletries. While I didn't experience the sento my first day, I thoroughly enjoyed it my second. The ambiance was soothing and had music that reminded me of Persona 4 (I'll be experiencing that game so much differently now that I've been to parts of Japan); like elevator music meets Adult Swim meets airy 60s background female vocalists.  

I spent the afternoon wandering around a little, visiting some shops, and being crafty with the waning battery of my mobile wifi. With the stars aligning once more, I was able to see Rena again that evening for dinner. We met up in Asakusa, which seemed to have a market of its own that was just closing up as we passed through there. We ended up eating at what Rena called "Japanese fast food." Amazingly cheap, still delicious, and we scarfed it all down as Rena shared her stories of collecting art pieces and laughed about my failed attempts at slurping noodles out of respect. It's true, I have a hard time with it. I have to pause eating my noodles and then make slurping noises — don't ask me why I struggle. 

 This turned out to be a very flustered post, but it was such a flustered day! Hope this finds you well, Me.

[littlecatmusings]

With toothpaste frothing in my mouth, I clumsily greeted Tomo-san in the morning. I didn’t think I’d see her again since she checked me in and gave me (what would become) amazing recommendations, but there she was, bright and bubbly and wanting to talk about my stay so far. Of course, I could only get so far with a mouthful of fluoride and soap on my face. That brief interaction in the morning definitely had me feeling like there was a sense of comfort, almost like family, with her. It was also the interaction that made me delay returning back to Tokyo an hour or so, so that I could draw her portrait.

After I gave it to her, I shared some mochi I had bought from Nishiki Market the previous day (was still good). She was super bummed that I was leaving (or was just that good of a host), walked me out, and waved farewell.

Tomo-san was so, so great. A brief aside that I thought was interesting: when she saw the Arabic writing, she asked me with such shock if I was mixed. "American, and...?"

[littlecatmusings]

Not sure how widespread this is throughout the country, but in waiting for my train from Osaka back to Kyoto I noticed that there was a Women Only train. I thought that was super cool, and would definitely be wonderful to have in other countries. I'd be super down to have one in the Bay; would have been nice to have one available after long nights in Berkeley.

[littlecatmusings]

I missed the sunset, but somehow I think I prefer remembering daylight and stepping into night. The night lights in Osaka are something beautiful, especially with all the foot traffic and glistening waterfronts. It makes the place feel alive, as if it were magical.

By now, I’ve started feeling Ghibli vibes. It’d hit me even more upon returning to Kyoto (after a two hour train ride — definitely wasn’t anticipating that).

In retrospect, I think Osaka deserves at least a full-day visit. If you’re going to see the aquarium, at least two. The aquarium is so far removed from the heart of the city, which I wasn’t even in apparently. There’s also a seafood market similar to Nishiki in style that goes on from 9-6pm. Definitely wanted to visit that and the aquarium, and obviously didn’t do either (lost bags aside).

[littlecatmusings]

Okonomiyaki. Delicious egg and seafood pancake — first thing I made sure to experience when I got to the Dotonburi area of Osaka. Apparently there is an Osaka style, and a Hiroshima style. The green on top is seaweed, but he also offered me mustard and mayonnaise. Unsure if that's standard, or because I'm American... Anyway, really fun to watch people cook! And, of course, he was really nice. I was hoping the sun would have set by the time I was done eating, but it was still pretty early. So, I wandered around...

[littlecatmusings]

A word about lost and found

As I mentioned in the last post, I lost a bag full of souvenirs that I had gotten for most of my family. I left it on the platform, waiting for my train from Kyoto to Osaka. I planned on doing just a trip in the evening, to see the city lights and get a taste of the food that I hear is generally so well done there. It wasn't until after I had been engrossed in conversation and kindness with a gaggle of older women clad in kimono that I realized I was missing my canvas bag. We were a few stops away by now, and I rushed off as soon as I could (but not before the woman next to me gave me a handful of wrapped sweets). I kept telling myself, "People in Japan are nice. They're the kindest. It'll still be there." It wasn't. Taking a deep breath, I found a young boy ushering people away from the yellow zone on the platform and asked him if he knew where a lost and found would be. He took me to one, and before long the boy that worked there told me, "I'm sorry, we cannot find it. Let's go to tourist services." On our way there, he briefly engaged in dialogue with a toll officer before redirecting us completely, and disappearing into a back office. As I waited for him to return, again I repeated, "People in Japan are nice. They're nice. They're so nice." When he emerged with my bag, I cried, unashamedly. People in Japan are so nice. They're SO nice. I wish I knew the language better to express my gratitude. I now had gifts to bring back home. So, if you ever lose something, more likely than not someone will have turned it in. No matter how full of wrapped goods it may be. Unless a tourist took it, maybe.