Konechiwa Japan

MAY 9, 2007
So it has taken me a long time to get around and write this blog entry but the last two weeks have been extremely busy. As a forewarning, this entry is much more straightforward stating what I did day to day with less emphasis on detailed observations. I have final exams tomorrow and have basically adapted what I wrote in my class field journal for this entry. There is much more I could share about Japan but for this time around I kept it simple and as a result it is more boring to read than the other entries.


APRIL 25, 2007,
My first experience in Kobe Japan was an amazing Taiko drumming performance on the ship. A Japanese delegation boarded the ship to greet us and offer gifts to our crew and academic heads before we disembarked. The first difference I noticed in Kobe was the convenient and efficient public transportation network that existed in Kobe and throughout the country. The infrastructure in Japan was very impressive and their public transportation system should be an example for other nations to follow. When exiting Surrabayah subway station I was overwhelmed by the large numbers of people and flashing bright lights. There were arcades and vending machines everywhere as well as a McDonalds and KFC. In fact there were all sorts of machines everywhere that never ceased to impress me. There were claw grabber machines with full boxes of chocolate, watches, gold jewelry, and even a Nintendo Wii. There were also cool drink machines that would pour you a drink in a cup with ice or some coffee with creamer and a straw automatically. One of the most shocking things to me was the style of dress. I was surprised to find that the girls in Japan dressed more promiscuously in many ways than girls in America and guys too seemed to be more concerned with style than those in the states. That evening we went to a bar and had some drinks. We talked with a group of Japanese girls who taught English then headed back to the ship around midnight. I was very impressed my first day that despite Japans modernization I did not feel there was rampant Americanization. There truly seemed to be a unique culture behind all the modern amenities and I felt Japan was as different from America as any country we have visited on our voyage.


APRIL 26, 2007,
Most of the day I attempted to do some school work until mid afternoon. I then met in the Union at 4pm and traveled to Osaka stadium to watch a major league baseball game. Osaka’s team was called the Buffaloes and they were playing the Golden Eagles. Our guide talked to us about many issues during the ride and described the decimation that Kobe experienced during the 1995 earthquake. She said that over 6,000 people were killed and many buildings and roads collapsed including the one we were on. It was amazing that in Kobe today there is virtually no evidence of the destruction that occurred. She also pointed out a trash incinerator plant that was located on a man made island. There is little room for landfills so it is more efficient to incinerate their garbage. The trash bins were therefore separated by combustible and non-combustible. Finally, I asked her about major problems in Japan and she responded, “Bullying in schools.” This answer surprised me and I figured life must good if the first problem that came to mind was school bullies.

The stadium was gorgeous and extremely modern but the attendance at the game was surprisingly sparse. I learned from faculty on the trip that baseball was introduced to Japan following the American occupation after WWII. I was impressed by the many American baseball players who were on the team because they were undoubtedly paid better than in the US. One interesting happening occurred when our ship doctor and his daughter gave out Seattle baseball caps as gifts. Seattle is Osaka’s sister city and the cities have close ties. A few minutes after offering their gifts, some people returned with a present they bought to give in return. It was fascinating to see the importance of mutual gift exchange as a sign of respect in Japanese culture. After returning from the game around 11pm I went straight to bed.


APRIL 27, 2007,
Today was largely uneventful as I wandered around Kobe some on my own in the afternoon to find an internet café. The internet café’s were interesting in that one had comfortable and private computer booths with curtains for privacy. There were also many DVD’s and comic books in the café for their patrons to watch and read. I learned that many youths and adults would spend hours in cafes and sometimes spend the night if they missed the last train home after a long night out with friends or co-workers. After the internet I headed back to the ship for dinner then returned to Kobe to meet Suzanna and the friends we made in Malaysia. Two of the guys, Alex and Jeff, met me at the McDonalds and we headed out to a sushi bar and later a regular bar. There two are recent college grads who teach English in Japan as part of the JET program. It is a fascinating program for anyone still unsure what they want to do after college. We bar hopped some that evening learning various new drinking games as well as playing random arcade games. We said goodbye and headed back to the ship around midnight.


APRIL 28, 2007,
Today I woke up early and caught a train to Kyoto. I visited many temples including Kinkaku-Ji and Ryoan-Ji. Kyoto was the imperial capital of Japan for nearly 1000 years and contains many historical and cultural sites. The above sites contained the beautiful golden palace and the famous Zen rock garden. We stopped for a quick lunch at McDonalds and I tried the uniquely Japanese Teriyaki Burger. I also noticed that this McDonalds built a small kids arcade instead of a playground to keep the children entertained. Yet somehow the people in general seemed to be thin and healthy. Maybe in time fast food will take its toll on this country which has one of the world’s highest life expectancies. Overall Kyoto is an absolutely beautiful city. I later learned that during WWII it was considered as a city to drop the A-Bomb on but was spared because of its cultural significance. They made the right decision. Around 5:00 pm we caught the train back to Kobe for the evening. I ate some sushi and tried pachinko gambling before returning to the ship.


April 29, 2007
On my last day in Japan I caught a 7:00 a.m. bullet train to Hiroshima. I was extremely impressed again with the speed, efficiency, and reliability of the bullet trains that day. My first impression of Hiroshima was that it was an extremely modern and clean city. We visited the famous A-Bomb dome as well as a shrine commemorating the girl who folded over 1,000 paper cranes before she died. The peace museum was extremely well done and fairly documented the history of the decision to use the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The museum said that the day after the bombing, survivors were already repairing transportation networks and electricity lines throughout the city. The Japanese resolve to move on and their long term perspective on life was very important in helping Hiroshima rebuild into the wealthy modern city it is today. After visiting this museum I have decided that nuclear weapons are an unacceptable wartime option and should be eliminated by all nations. Their possession by any nation only encourages possession by other nations to protect themselves. I feel the US should take a leading role not only in telling other nations they cannot possess nuclear weapons but in the disarmament effort as well.

After visiting the peace memorial we walked into the shopping district downtown and were overwhelmed by the large number of stores and the size of the department stores in general. The outside shopping area was about a mile long and sold anything and everything one could imagine. The department stores were all 6 or 7 stories inside and were comparable in size to entire shopping malls in the US.

I left Hiroshima humbled by the past and amazed by the present. I was extremely impressed by the efficiency, cleanliness, and prosperity of Japan overall and believe it serves as a great example for more sustainable development in the rest of the world. The culture is great and the people are friendly. So despite the high cost I highly recommend Japan for anyone looking for a truly unique place to visit.



Taiko Drumming Group ...........Put that Dog on a Leash


Baseball Stadium Outside ......... Sponsored Bicycle Taxis


Drumming Arcade Machine ......... Inside Stadium


Golden Temple .......................... Funny Japanese Girls


Beautiful Garden ....................... Zen Rock Garden


Strange Place for a Baby ............... Women Only Rail Car

Hiroshima A-Bomb Dome ....... Hair or Cotton Candy?