In early spring I visited Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture. It is lovingly referred to by locals as Ko-Edo, or Little Edo. There you will find streets lined with warehouses and stores constructed during the Edo period. These stores are still open, bustling with tourists who want a nostalgic glimpse into an era past.
A short removal from Japan was all it took for me to truly appreciate it.
The time had come when I needed contacts. My last pair was fuzzy and leaving me with a headache at the end of the day. I wasn’t nervous venturing into the Japanese world of eye care, whatever that may mean; I was lazy.
For whatever reason I’ve been determined to show the American cartoon Adventure Time to my students. It’s one of my favorite television shows and I think the students would enjoy Finn and Jake’s childish antics.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Miyajima, an island less than an hour away from Hiroshima. It is known for its red tori gate standing free in the water. I came hoping to see the gate and find a little serenity on top of its modest mountain, Mount Misen.
Reading on the train in Ikebukuro station. Spaced out. Come to 40 minutes later.
Still in the station.
Obvious delays I know.
Read some more. 20 minutes later I get off the train still in the Ikebukuro station.
Take a different line.
Spaced out again.
Come to and am amazed by the sight through the window. When’s the last time I’ve seen somewhere not right under my nose?
You made it to Kyoto! Woo-hoo! Now you have to get around. Luckily for you Kyoto is extraordinarily easy to navigate.
You can walk a good portion of the city, ride a bike, or take the bus, subway, or train. There are all sorts of deals for any combination of transportation, but I chose the bus.
Ahh, Kyoto.
Who doesn’t dream of visiting Kyoto while in Japan, especially during cherry blossom season? For me, this was my number one city to visit while living in Tokyo. I imagined this quaint city of wandering streets, of temples and geishas- a city known for its traditional elements. Tea ceremony and kimonos. Quiet reflection under the cherry trees. You know, a Japanese postcard.
Japanese students can be expressive when they want to be.
Unlike when I call on a student for an answer and they not only give me a stone faced expression, but give me the cold shoulder, when I return papers they somehow remember how to be an expressive human being again.
Nothing brings back memories of my school days better than the smell of sweat and the sound of a dodgeball smacking the exposed skin of an unaware student.
elizabethbyarstravels 