#aulora

[roseguided]

𝐀 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇 𝐏𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, 𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄 her glass of wine on the table in aenora's chambers. a breeze from open windows rustles long hair braided over her shoulder, violet eyes settling on the other with a knowing glint beside them. aulora knew her sisters absence wasn't an accident nor did she have permission to do so--their father tended, most times, to wish all his children present. a united front she had been told, strength in the visual of all of them surrounding the table with the big iron chair behind. aenora, however, is no stranger to finding some . . task that couldn't be neglected for a feast.

@devilsnare said, " SO, HOW WAS IT? DID I MISS ANYTHING BIG ? "

❛ it was as any feast, sister. ❜ says aulora, lacing her hands at her front to rest about her lap. head leans back against her chair, ❛ though, i did entertain a young lord at court with a dance . . ❜ nose scrunches as if some misfortune is to follow. ❛ he was a terrible dancer. stepped on my toes more than once. i think he was nervous. ❜ a grin spreads, the princess straightening her posture to lean forward & better catch her sisters gaze. ❛ you, however, were conveniently absent. i'd steer clear of father today if i were you . . he was less than amused, aenora. ❜

[alyss-sim]

Such a cutie

Aulora looks so much like her mama. she got her first bath, too!

[rkhemlani]

Sweet Treat (Bonus) Blog Post for June 21st - Free Day/Last Day/Farewell Dinner

SWEET TREAT BLOG POST. Ok our last day was too good to not post. First, Nico and I woke up to meet Leina and some others downstairs to get Shinkansen tickets for our trip back to Tokyo to go home. There were some technical difficulties, but with Leina’s help we were able to sort them out. I called Vishnu and made sure he woke up to get ready to go to the beach, which was his idea but he’s a HUGE sleepyhead so I wanted to make sure he was ready. I also wanted Eliza and Sam (girl) to come as well but they went to Starbucks and had their own day, which was cool, but I wish they were there. The group met downstairs around 10:15-10:30 and it consisted of Nico, Vishnu, Xander, Chelsea (who was skeptical about going, but we all knew she was gonna come), Aulora, Julie, Casey, and myself. We headed onto the train for about an hour to Omimaiko, which was located on a massive lake. Kyoto is pretty much landlocked, so it was the only cool looking beach that wasn’t like four hours away. We got there and were lost for a little bit, but then eventually set our things down on the sand. Casey and Chelsea went on their adventure to find a coffee shop or bathroom or something, but they ended up finding a better spot with beach chairs in front of some restaurants and stalls. In the meantime, Vishnu, Nico, and I jumped into the water and though it was cold, it felt nice as it was extremely refreshing. We chit-chatted, laughed, and reminisced on the trip. We headed over to meet up with Chelsea and Casey and we sat down on the chairs and had some drinks. Eventually, Sam (boy), met up with us and he brought a bunch of drinks which was really nice of him. We were sitting down on the beach chairs when suddenly two of them snapped because there was too much weight on them, which was really funny. We ate lunch at a Hawaiian themed restaurant, which reminded me of the restaurant in Fifty First Dates, the movie with Adam Sandler. We then headed back to Kyoto around 3 to get back around 4, with enough time for everyone to get ready for our farewell dinner. It was interesting walking to the dinner because it was located right next to the clubs that we would frequent during the nighttime. The dinner itself was wholesome as we told jokes and attempted to try and get drinks but failed. Some people left, but the restaurant prepared a surprise desert for Vishnu and Sam (boy) because it was their birthdays while we were on the trip. We headed back to the hotel for a sweet night of drunk Uno and Concentration, which we played in our room. Surprisingly we fit about 15 of us in our room and the night was going well until Vishnu got up to leave to go to the onsen around 1:30. Nico and I started to tear up a bit because it hit us like a truck that we wouldn’t be able to see each other until the fall most likely. Slowly, people started to trickle out of our room one by one and it got more and more emotional. We hugged and said our goodbyes. Eventually Uncle Sebastian walked into our room at like 3:30 in the morning to say his goodbyes as well, which was incredibly emotional because he won’t be at UF in the fall because he is graduating. Damn. What a trip with such strange, yet amazing people. I definitely made more friends than I had imagined prior to the trip and I truly hope we keep in touch in the future. Shoutout the Prime Ministers of Japan. 

P.S. I'm on the Shinkansen now, I'll post pics when I have better service.

[vishnu2004]

June 20 - Osaka Day Trip

Last post :( As my time in Japan comes to a close, I’ve come to treat this departure with more of an appreciation for what I’ve been able to see and do rather than experience remorse for everything that I will miss. At the same time, I will most definitely miss and remember this trip, the people, and everything that I got to experience. Apart from the sappy talk, today was our day trip to Osaka! I’d been looking forward for this trip for some time; many people like Matthew had already been to Osaka several times before today, but this would be my first trip. I was especially looking forward to the food; I even saved a famous ramen spot that I saw on TikTok.

During today’s nostalgic morning lecture, where we discussed what worked and what didn’t during the study abroad, I proposed the idea of taking a day to go to the beach for next year’s study abroad. My comment was a hit, getting laughs and several sponsors. On the way to Osaka, many of my friends shared music using Spotify. Again, my Apple Music Family Plan subscription excludes me from a vital friend making moment. Regardless, I took the time to listen to The Weeknd’s new releases from his new show: The Idol. Raj, Nico, and I have been watching new episodes of The Idol every night they release. The show is subpar, but the memories are priceless.

In Osaka, we began with food. I had some not too bad tonkatsu with some friends. Afterwards, we visited the Osaka Castle before heading to America town and visiting the famous streets lined with street food shops, many featuring eccentric displays with moving crabs, animatronic faces, and more. It was truly something special. Professor Smith did his final “Gather Up, Alligators!” to our collective cringe and simultaneous sadness. After splitting, I went on Google Maps to find a surprise. My saved TikTok ramen restaurant? Just a 3 minute walk away. I told everyone I’d meet up with them later…

It was the best ramen I’d ever had. Slow braised pork on top, soft noodles and savory, salty broth underneath. Perfection. I shopped for a couple hours afterwards, but to be honest, I couldn’t find anything. Shopping and the ramen made me reallyyy sleepy. This was all before Aulora texted me the classic: “Wya.” I met up with the larger friend group to make a plan: everyone else would continue to shop and grab lunch. Me on the other hand? Rush over to the famous Osaka aquarium before taking the hour long train across the city to teamlab Osaka with everyone else. It was a plan.

The aquarium was beautiful. So many penguins, jellyfish, a whale shark (yes really), crabs, and more! I was expecting a little more, but it was perfect for my speedy run through. Teamlab was not as awesome as I expected; maybe the one in Tokyo set high expectations, but this outdoor botanical gardens style wasn’t doing it for me. It was definitely relaxing and cool to see, but Tokyo CLEARS. We finished the night off with some dinner at an okonomiyaki place (I had yakisoba) before taking a really long hour and a half journey back.

What a trip. I’m honestly sadder now writing the end of this blog post than I was when I started. I’ll miss everyone and everything dearly. I know I’ll be back and likely see many of my friends in the Fall. Thank you for joining me on this Tumblr blog.

Academic Reflection

The reading primarily discussed urban planning! It discussed a number of things that I’m incredibly interested in, including the fact that Japan tends to tear down and rebuild their housing structures rather than treat these structures as investments that need to be preserved, as many homeowners do in the U.S. I believe Japan has the right take on this. It has promoted extensive growth and importantly, allowed for the housing stock to grow in line with population growth in Japan’s major cities. If you look at the graph data, you can see that housing supply in major U.S. cities has remained stagnant or barely increased while population soared; this comes in contrast with Japan, which has seen massive increases in housing supply that correspond to population increases. This has limited extreme increases in housing costs and given tenants far more power in the housing market. Why? Because Japan’s housing market is a lot more reminiscent of an actual marketplace than the U.S., where adding new supply is so difficult that the country faces a shortage of millions of units. I could write about this on and on, but the point is there. Japan, 1. USA, 0.

Walking around Osaka, I could see these principles in broad daylight. The urban planning is not as homogenous, separated, and pre designed as in the U.S. Rather, it represents a mishmash of different uses ranging from housing to retail to workplaces, all placed in large part according to the marketplace desire at each particular location. In the U.S., our preplanned, separated communities tend to create communities where marketplace demands aren’t met (i.e. homeowners may want a Walmart within walking distance of their home, but zoning laws make it impossible in this scenario). I’m a huge, HUGE fan of this style of urban planning because I strongly believe that it brings communities closer together through the ability to walk and interact with your fellow neighbors, it encourages and reinforces a wide array of marketplace choice in housing, restaurants, retail, and workplace, it pushes people to welcome new neighbors rather than reject them, it massively reduces costs for residents who don’t need to buy a car and spent money on gas, insurance, maintenance, and it creates safe, functional cities that serve the people, not a select group of influential politicians and urban planners. I digress. Maybe I’m just loving Japan a little extra because I’m leaving so soon. Or maybe (more likely) the U.S. could learn a bit about urban planning from Japan and the vibrant city of Osaka.

[elizainjapan]

June 1st- Rice Farming and Free Day

Today was super informative, and while I didn’t think I would enjoy walking through the mud in socks for an hour, it turned out to be pretty fun. My day started off early with another quiz. I had done the readings the night before, but it was still a jump scare because we had to be on the bus by 8am. I had to skip breakfast again to take it. Once we were on the bus, Nico entertained us with some improv stand-up for the better half of an hour. He killed it, and I’m sure he’s the most extroverted person that I’ve ever met. The rice fields were beautiful too, I didn’t expect there to be so many flowers around. Once we made it to the fields, I was pretty nervous about steeping bare socks in mud, but it ended up feelings kinda nice. In the end, I feel like I planted a good half of a row. I’m sure it will be uprooted immediate yo the done correctly but the sentiment was definitely there. Unfortunately, we ran out of rice plants faster than expected, so we had a good hour and a half to kill before we could take the bus back. I hung out with Sam, Aulora, Nico, Raj, and Vishnu for most of it. We played one game of hide and seek before realizing that was a really stupid idea. It was at this point that my head started to really hurt, and I could feel myself getting tired again. Once we got back on the bus, I could’ve immediately fallen asleep, but I tried to push through. I got home and showered before taking the train (by myself!!!!!) to Shibuya! I was so impressed with myself, and I finally felt like I was in a big city. I met up with some family for drinks there and it was very cute. I was debating staying out in Shibuya until some other classmates got there for dinner at 6, but my head was hurting so badly that I was starting to see black on the side of my vision. On the train home, I got a little misty eyed thinking about how I’m really here. It doesn’t seem real at all. I really appreciated the alone time on the train. This euphoria didn’t last too long though, because as soon as I got home, I knocked out. I woke up about 4 hours later with my head still pounding. I’ll probably run and get Advil when I finish this post. Anyways, that was my day! I’m excited for my free day tomorrow.

Academic Reflection-

There were multiple times today when I noticed similarities between the readings and our activity. I have a personal interest in agriculture because I’m doing research on the effects of pesticides in Florida’s agricultural hub, particularly related to birth defects. In the second reading by Jones and Kimura, they briefly mentioned the small-farm pesticide issue that Japan’s industry faces. I am also very interested in policy, so that entire reading was very prevalent to me. The first correlation I found today was when we got off the bus to see full-on suburbia. In Florida, there is no way you would ever find a tomato farm surrounded by hundreds of houses and apartments. The readings mentioned that Japan has hundreds of these tiny farms that consist of part-time workers, but I didn’t understand how small these areas were until I was there. I could see the issue in lack of industrial tools on such small farms (even though I know that this specific rice field we went to was for visitors and educational services).

The second correlation I found with the readings was in the working population. While there were many school children visiting for field trips, the actual farmers were super old! The man who brought a wheelbarrow of plants for us to sow was at least 70, which is absolutely insane. I could not imagine my grandfather even lifting a wheelbarrow, much less planting rice for hours a day. I could understand why the sons of these family farms decide to leave for the city, but the effect that has on the working class is very unique to Japan. In my research on Florida, the average age of migrant workers is about 40. The fact that the majority of Japanese farmers are over 70 is insane.

[bejimmysoo]

WHAT IS AULORA PANTS WITH KODENSHI?

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[wa-suka-be-health]

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[chelseainjapan-blog]

June 18- Kyoto International Manga Museum and Kimono Rental in Gion Area

Today was really fun! We went to the Kyoto International Manga Museum which was smaller than I expected. The museum itself is structured with a gift shop in the entry, then an area showing different country’s translations of manga, different picture frames of one caricature but drawn in the style of different manga artists, shelves, and a second-floor exhibit. The second-floor exhibit includes manga throughout the years, and I was excited to find different mangas from my childhood. For example, in the 90s, there was the Fruits Basket series and in the most recent years, there was Attack on Titan. After going though the museum, there was a show performed and the host was really lively, keeping the experience very interactive. It was interesting to see how manga has evolved over time, especially since WW2. Afterwards, Casey, Eliza, Aulora, Julie, Sam, and I, went to this great coffee shop that was European and American themed. Then, we walked to an indoor shopping strip where I had arguably the best sushi of the trip, then went thrifting. Realizing we were running late, we boarded the closest bus and headed over the Gion area. We were able to choose our own yukata or kimonos, hair styles, hair pieces, and shoes, and had it all put on by the workers there. I never got to do the Bippity Boppity Botique in Disney, but I imagined the experience would be very similar. The workers took pictures of us to put on their website, and I really enjoyed walking around the area and taking pictures. Sam, Julie, and I ended the night with some really yummy okonomiyaki.

Academic Reflection

The way Norris examined the origins and development of manga across history struck a very deep chord with me. As I browsed around the museum's exhibits, which featured carefully picked manga publications from various eras, this knowledge proved to be priceless. I was astounded to have the chance to see directly how narrative topics, artistic techniques, and society reflections changed over time. It was as if the museum brought Norris's words to life, allowing me to watch the history of manga develop in front of my very eyes.

The interactive spirit that Norris emphasizes in her book is clearly embodied by the Kyoto International Manga Museum. My grasp of the inventive process involved in producing manga was improved by the museum's emphasis on visitor participation through workshops, art demonstrations, and the Manga Lab. I had the opportunity to see manga artists at work, talk shop with other fans, and even try out some of my own creative ideas. The theoretical ideas I discovered in Norris' book were given new life by this practical experience, which also served as a reminder that manga is an art form that thrives on participation.

[roseguided]

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 aulora knew just where to find her sister. where she went in times of disappointment, when she was angry, sad. it was where aulora went all the same when she needed time to herself—the library her father spent a lot of his time in as well. they three were like in that way, how they needed time to themselves. as social as she is, tries to be, even aulora needs silence.

[ * @devilsnare liked for a starter ! > aulora targaryen for aenora targaryen ]

pushing the door open, sister peaks her head inside & as purple eyes find her twin they soften. a quiet sigh passing lips stepping inside to shut it. ❛ nora, ❜ she calls out quietly, fingers rub the fabric of her dress between fingers when coming to stand in front of her sister. who hasn’t looked at her, hasn’t spoken: ❛ you needn’t be perfect at everything right away, you know ? ❜ asked gently, caringly. ❛ ser criston likes to push you & you get frustrated , i know , but father- . . he will be proud of you regardless. ❜

[alyss-sim]

Yummy rice!

Aulora's first baby food (its rice 🥺)

[rkhemlani]

June 20th - Osaka Day Trip (Last Day)

Wow, this is the last blog post and I am definitely in my feels writing this. This past month has been real and it’s definitely going to be hard to say bye to both Japan and the people on this trip. I really hope that we meet up in the fall and do something fun, maybe during sylly week or for Chelsea’s sign-night. This group is definitely a little weird, but I love it. However, I do miss home and all the things that come with that including hooping, going to the beach, playing poker, and spending time with friends and family. Whether it was going to see a kabuki play or sipping a much-needed drink on the top of a gorgeous rooftop bar with beautiful views of the city, this trip has been nothing short of amazing and I am definitely glad that I was able to visit this interesting country with such interesting people. I do hope that my peers feel the same way. I’m going to miss playing Uno and gaslighting people to buy me ice cream the most. Ok, now that the sentimental part is over, time for the actual blog post. Today, I woke up extra early and went to Starbucks (where I didn’t see girl Sam surprisingly) and got a strawberry donut and did some work. I came back and got ready for the day. Today’s lecture really just consisted of our favorite parts of the trip and what we thought the professor could’ve done to improve it. We commenced our Osaka day trip with an hour-long train ride, which we were able to pass the time through a shared music experience through Spotify. Imagine having Apple Music, I feel sorry for you. We got to Osaka, where we immediately split for lunch and our group got cut off from the small group of five that had the best curry on the trip unfortunately. Our katsu was ok. We met with the class again and headed to Osaka castle. We took pics here and it was hot so I kept kidding around by pretending that I was at a prom after-party by unbuttoning all my buttons on my white shirt. You had to be there. Vishnu likes taking strange pics of me when I randomly lick my lips and had my shirt unbuttoned. I also taught the group how to properly griddy here (that’s a dance move mom). I felt cool in the moment because I hit it well and then flipped my fan out at the same time. Afterwards, we hopped on the train again and went to a neighborhood that was supposed to mimic American culture, but other than the McDonald’s, there wasn’t anything distinctly American. Then we kept walking where we eventually split for the last time as a group in the heart of Osaka. I had a strawberry ice cream, thanks to Vishnu. We then did some thrift shopping, but at first I couldn’t find anything. Xander and I also took a break and we got smoothies; I got an acai flavored one that was extremely refreshing. Everyone was buying goods, and my wallet was itching to spend money, because I love shopping but wasn’t finding anything. Eventually, at the last store we went to, I found a lovely Dior sweater that I believe was reasonably priced for what it was. After that, I led the group of Xander, Sebastian, Nico, Aulora, Casey, Chelsea, and Eliza to team-labs Osaka. Vishnu met up with us because he had gone to the Osaka aquarium. It was cool and relaxing to walk through the garden that was decorated with changing lights and interesting designs. Some of us (Xander, Vishnu, Aulora, Chelsea, Casey, and I) headed to a local restaurant, where most of us got pork yakisoba. After that it took us a while to get back to the hotel because there were delays on the train due to a derailment. I showered and got ready to go to bed, but Nico and I went to Family Mart first to get some sweets and have a good chit-chat. We love chit-chatting and talking chisme (gossip). 

Academic Reflection

By the end of this course, it is evident that all of us students have learned so much, even if we haven’t always done the dense readings. We learned about the youth sub-culture of Japan with anime and manga, while also learning about the traditional aspects such as tea ceremonies, history of cities, and Buddhism. I found it incredibly interesting that on one street, one can find beautiful traditional temples with ornate gardens and then several blocks over, the entire street would be adorned with lights, colors, advertisements, and anime characters. 

The previous reading was concerned with the urban organization/planning of Osaka and Kobe (shoutout Vishnu). As Professor Smith explained, Osaka was previously a major merchant city that heavily relied on movement and trading of goods, which fostered a more casual environment and societal structure. In class, we discussed how buildings are constantly being destroyed and taller, more modern buildings are constructed, leading to a constantly new skyline. It also contributes to a decrease in traditional buildings. This method contrasts that of Europe, in which many cities will purposefully place regulations to keep the traditional scenery of the city. Cities in Japan definitely display a greater mix of modern buildings with traditional buildings compared to cities in Europe that typically have separate zones for traditional building areas and modern building areas. 

[vishnu2004]

June 18 - Kyoto International Manga Museum

I had no expectations going into today. I had never read a manga before, let alone visited a museum dedicated to the art of manga itself. Despite this lack of exposure to anime, I kept my mind open and looked forward to this exciting day. I thought about wearing a polo and nice pants today, but my polo was really wrinkly and I didn’t have time in the morning to get it steamed by Nico and Raj. Unfortunately, the shirt I chose was still pretty wrinkly. We took the train to the manga museum. We waited in a brief line before entering and exploring the history of manga along with a brief performance involving some manga pictures and an energetic performer. I really enjoyed today's visit because it was my first exposure to anime and manga, and I would say it was a very positive one.

I chose to read Attack on Titan, thanks to recommendations from Raj, Aulora, and Sam Bullard. It was captivating, sad, and scary all in the span of just 20 minutes of reading. I'm definitely gonna watch the show. Afterwards, Sam, Zander, Raj, Nico, and I went to a local Italian spot where I had some delicious lasagna, bread, and minestrone soup. I don't think I can remember the last time I've had Japanese food. I need to have some soon. In the afternoon, we rented some kimonos and walked around different Kyoto temples as well as a 7-Eleven to take pictures. It was super fun! At night, we revisited Raj’s favorite rooftop bar for a gentle end to the night.

Academic Reflection

Having not read any manga before, this reading was meaningful in a whole different way because it was basically my first exposure to the history and importance of manga to Japanese subculture. This reading helped me understand how important manga is considered to Japan’s cultural identity abroad. I never realized how much controversy exists over the soft power associated with Japan's manga image, with critics noting how it may be a detriment to Japan's international image while others note that it increases the country's notoriety abroad. This discussion reminded me of the Hello Kitty controversy in which critics note how it detracted from Japan's strong, samurai-esque image in the eyes of foreigners to one that was much weaker and less impactful.

Traveling to the manga museum gave me a whole new perspective on why this writing form is so popular around the globe. It contains many similar elements of surprise and graphic design that are used in Western comics while maintaining a distinct black-and-white, panel oriented design. Reading Attack on Titan for the first time was captivating and interesting; I'm genuinely going to watch the anime on Netflix as soon as I can.

[elizainjapan]

June 20th- Osaka Day Trip

It’s the end of an era. I wanna be Nico soooo bad, so I might be getting a little sad in this blog post. I’m not ready for this trip to be over. I’m excited to go home and see my friends, but I think that the adjustment will be very difficult. I’m going to miss the pure joy I feel when I see a trash can, the absolute rush I feel when I see paper towels in the bathroom, and the full surge of adrenaline when trying to find 100 yen coins in my coin purse. But in all seriousness, I’m going to miss my friends. I really like these people, and it’s going to suck going back home, saying something dumb like “what is blue waffling about”, and then have to explain why it’s funny to me. This is my written statement that, if I see anyone from this trip at a bar, I’ll buy them a drink. In memory of Kitsune. Japan really is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and I have to keep telling myself that, because I’m learning Japanese, I have to come back. Yeah everyone says that studying abroad changes their life whatever, but I kinda sorta get it now. I know that I need to live in Japan someday. Anyway, I’m kinda sad. Here’s what I did in Osaka today:

I woke up and skipped breakfast for old-times sake. I really needed that stability in my life because we are leaving so soon. Apparently today was the day that Sam emailed her Fukata photos to herself on the train?? I guess I mixed up the days even though that isn’t possible because I always do my blog posts on time and I am a great student. Anyway, she promised to buy me a treat, and I have yet to have gotten a treat. Once we got to Osaka, we broke for lunch. I had chicken katsu with Nico, Raj, Aulora, Visnu, Sam, and Xander, and it was absolutely amazing. We met back up and walked to Osaka castle. I’m glad we didn’t have to climb it, but Professor did say there was an elevator, so I would’ve been ok. Next we took the train to American Village, which was just Tokyo with more vintage shops. Professor led us to some cool stops, including the famous Glico advertisement. Shortly after the tour around the Village, we were dismissed for the day. There was a lot of big talk about going out, bar hopping, and taking the 5am train back to Kyoto. I very excited since it was our last full night all together! Me, Chelsea, and Casey went to a bunch of thrift stores, and we were intermittently joined by Nico, Raj, and Aulora. I got a super cute top and my new favorite pair of overalls. We decided to go to the Osaka Team Labs too to see the botanical garden. It was a little better than mid only because I got to push these huge eggs around, and I knocked down a couple of Japanese girls. That was fun for me. The whole area was pretty cool though, and afterwards, Chelsea and Casey RAN to a dinner place. I had already eaten, and when I checked my phone, there were not many trains left back to Kyoto. At this point, we all decided that a drunk UNO night was more our speed. I got a little nervous because of all the train delays, so Sebastian, Nico, and I decided to split off and go home. We listened to some Twenty One Pilots as we walked to the station which was nice. Once we were home, I decided that I was going to rest my eyes, but then I woke up 7 hours later, so no drunk UNO. I was relieved to hear that everyone did the same.

Anyways, I’m gonna miss this. Konbanwa.

Academic Reflection-

I had zero knowledge of Osaka’s urban planning prior to this reading. That was Vishnu’s area of expertise, so I let him take the wheel for most of the trip. If I’m being honest, I though Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe were basically the same place prior to our excursions, and I was also under the impression that Hiroshima wasn’t too far either. I was proven wrong by my 2 hour Shinkansen ride. I will admit that Osaka was very unique, and there were times that I could’ve mistaken it for Times Square. Seeing someone dressed up as Spiderman taking pictures and people busking, I was convinced we were in the wrong place. Especially since Kyoto is just one rice field and doesn’t have electricity.

The high-rise building through my off-guard too. As we walked, there were malls, luxury stores, businesses, and arcades with over 20 floors! This was surprised because, even in Tokyo, the buildings were relatively short. I was super surprised by how American-ized it had become. We also saw a kabuki theatre (AHHHHH) that could’ve been pulled from France.

[plasmacrowcodile]

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[alexcarter01]

Mismatched Earrings

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