Hokkaido: Day 3 and 4

[MONDAY Feb 7th]
So the day started at 10-ish, as that is when I got out of the heavenly bed. We took my fellow roommates to the snow festival, and everyone was super nice and fun. :) We went to Odori and they all went skating (my ankles were feeling weak so I did not go).

-- Ugh, sorry. I don't feel like writing the rest of this entry, so i'll just bullet point the rest of the activities--

• Skating
• Looking at more of the sculptures- including the ones in the contest (teams from around the world making various scultupres)
• Snow ball fight
• Indian Food for dinner again (SCORE)
• Karaoke with hostel mates and Mike's friends
• Sleep

[TUESDAY Feb 8th]
I woke up around 10:30am (woohoo!)and proceeded to skype with Meg and Sarah about hotels and what we are going to do when there are here. I then went to meet up with Ryou from AIU (I met him through the Badminton club) and we went for Ramen (which Sapporo is famous for, and it was super awesome) in one of the more famous restaurants next to the train station. We had a nice conversation (and he was very helpful in telling me what places I should go to), and I found out he was leaving in 3 weeks to go for his year abroad in Russia!!

After lunch, we went for Starbucks and continued to have a nice conversation. Then we went our separate ways and I wandered over to the Ice Sculpture section of the festival. It was lovely, but a bit empty- nothing exciting was happening. I then wandered around the city some more, and I have come to realize that this city is really large- and I would totality love to live here.

I decided to go back to my hostel because my feet were hurting, and there is not much more to report.

All in all, not a too eventful but still nice.

Hokkaido Day 2

[SUNDAY Feb 6th]

too tired to write this now- just know that today was another busy day but that I got to see Mike Stein!!!

I am excited for the festival to start up tomorrow! :D

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The night was spent in an internet cafe, where I could not really get enough sleep because I was worried that I'd run out of time and that the clerks would wake me up. They didn't, so I had to pay extra when I left.
It was funny, because as I wondered around the building, there were all these Japanese men who did double takes and stared at me. It did wonders for my ego (hahaha) but I think that here were not expecting a foreigner at an internet cafe.

So, it was the morning, I had another coffee and muffin at Starbucks after I locked up my bags in another locker for the day. I then called Mike Stein to see when we should meet up, and he told me to come meet him at his hostel. So I started to trek over to his place. When I got there I met his travel mates, and we went our separate ways. They went to the Modern Museum, and we travel around looking at the festival sites.

Mike and I went to a restaurant and had lunch, then we went over to my hostel. After I checked in Mike was looking at the door and he saw one of his friends from his school who is also staying at the hostel I am. Her name is Kristin, and she is a Smitty.

We then wondered back to Sapporo and decided to meet up with the rest of Mike's friends for at the Sapporo Bear Museum, and it was so much fun! We explored the museum and then we had dinner there. 4 of us (out of 9) had all you can eat, and everyone bought beer (Including me- I know! A shocker). The food tasted awesome and the beer was, shockingly, good.

After dinner we walked back to Odori (the main street, where the snow festival is) and we split up, Kristin and I went back home. I got to take a shower (first in 2 days!!! YES!) and then a bed.

A BED. I fell right asleep. Life is so wonderful.

Trip to Hokkaido, Pt.2- "wandering" around the city, food, and lodging

[SATURDAY Feb 5th con't]

Anyways, I have no plans for anything today… including a place to sleep. And hopefully lose the feeling of a moving floor.

So after my successful attempt at drinking 2 'tall' sized cups of Starbucks coffee and eating a muffin in the span of almost 2 hrs, I was finally human and at least kind of awake. During these 2 hours I stole electricity from Starbucks to charge my phone, laptop and ipod... so not only were my possessions charging... but I was too. :) At some point I was able to get online for 10 minutes, so I posted that entry and quickly checked my email and the like.

After this the next thing on my list was to get rid off all my heavy items, this meant losing the laptop, suitcase and omiyage (obligatory presents that you give to people when you go away somewhere). I found a coin locker that allowed me to fit all of that stuff in one locker! I was out of 500 yen, but it was probably the best 500yen I have ever spent.

Anyways, with the bulking items stashed away, I was free to roam the city. So I decided to go to Hokkaido Daigaku [University] known also by its nickname; Hokkai-Dai. Anyways I wandered much of the campus just following random paths/people until I decided I wanted to go back to the train station... sadly, in my meanderings I lost my sense of direction and I had no idea where the train station was. So instead of asking someone where it was, I took this as an 'unplanned adventure' so I went exploring. Mostly I tried to follow the large crowds of people, but eventually I found a map and located where the snow festival was being set up... so I forgot about the train station and headed towards the snow.

Now, Sapporo has nothing on Akita. Seriously, the snow in Sapporo is not worth mentioning... I mean, sure there is plenty... but its nothing compared to Akita. Just sayin'...

But, I got to see people making the sculptures and building the food stalls, and just general barely controlled chaos. Also, I had to stop myself from laughing every time I saw a foreigner... because I would have looked crazy. Seriously, even though I go to such international school in Akita, it is still in Akita- where the Gaikokujin (outside country people) are not aplenty... so this international festival is a bit of a shock. A welcome, and fun experience for me. And every time I see a group of foreigners all I can think of is " AHHH!!! GAIJIN INVASION!!!"

Once I decided I was starting to get very hungry, I was stopped by a group of school girls asking me (in pretty good English accents and grammar) where I was from. I answered, and then they showed be a bottled beverage and asked if I would trade anything that I had for it. They had started with wooden chopsticks and were trying to get the most interesting item- the group that had the most bizzare item would win something. I felt really bad because, for once, I had nothing of interest in my bag, and I knew what game they were playing. I played a similar game when I was on the swim team in high school, except we started with a penny. I think my team ended up with a door, I forget why/how.

Anyways, I explained to the girls that I did not have anything interesting, and that I was very sorry, but that I wished them luck and hoped that they would win. After I ended my conversation with them I went underground to a shopping arcade. There were a bunch of restaurants down there, so I went up and down a few times trying to decide what I wanted to eat. During this process I got stopped by another group of girls who asked where I was from (but they said "sumimasen" not "excuse me", and started speaking basic Japanese to me) Before I answered I asked if they wanted me to speak English or Japanese... and they chose Japanese (YES! More practice!) so I answered their questions and told them the same thing about my lack of anything of interest :( . Then I wandered over to a Korean store and ate some Bibimba. It was good, and made my stomach happy.

At this point in time I was still feeling the world move around me like i was on the ship, and I realized I was really tired... too bad it was only 1:30, and thus impossible for me to sleep. So I took my time wandering back through the city, still trying to find the station.... I even circled the snow festival street, but eventually I found my way there. I decided to go look at the department stores, because I was super bored and needed something to do besides obsess over how tired I was. Bad move. I found a cute Jacket that I am currently still weighing the pros and cons of.

After telling the very helpful shop lady I'd be back tomorrow to look at it again, I realized I should find the place I would be sleeping at for the night. I wandered the streets until I found the internet cafe I had seen online, and close by there is one of Sapporo's famous sites: The old clock tower. So I stopped, took a look and a picture then headed back to the train station. on the way back I saw the most amazing thing: an Indian restaurant!!!! I knew then and there that I had to eat there for dinner.

So now my two obsessions were to not fall asleep while walking, and Indian food for dinner (the menu looked promising). So in order to kill some more time I went to the JR tower (not the best 700 yen I have spent) and saw a great view of Sapporo, cool... but not really super awesome. After wasting an hour there I decided it was time to retrieve my baggage and check into the internet cafe.

It was around 5pm and the night rates didn't start until 7pm, so I checked in for 2 "day time" hours and then once I used up those, I signed up for 10 "night time" hours. Once paying I walked out of the cafe and my small cubicle to go eat Indian.

BEST INDIAN FOOD IN A LONG TIME! I got the Lamb Sag (of course), and it was spicy!!! I couldn't believe it! And the nan!! Sooo good, the garlic was heavenly!! I was stuffed with food by the time I came out (1hr later) and I decided I need to go back.

Once dinner was done, I headed back to my cubicle where I am now. Now that this is done I can finally go to sleep!!!! Yes!!! What a long day. 3:40-ish to 10pm-ish. Woohoo!!! and I can even type this on a Japanese keyboard!


Okay enough of this, good night!

Trip to Hokkaido, Pt.1 - Leaving Akita.

[FRIDAY Feb 4th
]I left AIU after a 1hrs worth of running around the campus packing and getting ready to leave. I took the 2pm bus to Aeon (the local mall) and then hung out with Phil (another AIU student) for an hour before we left on another bus that would take us to Akita city.


Phil got off a couple stops before me to go to his part-time job, and I got off at the station. I bought the train ticket that would take me to the train stop near the Ferry terminal, and had it been a colder day I would have walked to the terminal- but because it has rained and was warm all the ice/snow on the streets or sidewalks had turned into slush. So I took a taxi there instead.


Chiaki had been a dear and helped me reserve my tickets for the ferry, so I had to check in, fill out some paper work and then buy my tickets. This was a bit past 4:30pm or so. We were not allowed to board the boat until 5pm, and when I did I was confused as to where I was to sleep. I went with the cheapest room, which meant I was sharing with a couple strangers (I was joined by 5 people), but I wasn’t sure where this room was located. Thankfully a nice man helped me figure everything out.


The boat trip was rather uneventful, I watched a movie on my computer and then fell asleep only to be woken up by the announcement that was announcing that they were turning off the lights and to sleep well. I couldn’t fall back asleep after that, so I wandered around the whole ship. I even went outside and enjoyed seeing the wake, and some city lights. By midnight I still couldn’t fall asleep so I started watching videos on my ipod, but only succeeded in draining its battery and not helping me fall asleep.

[SATURDAY Feb 5th]

Eventually by 1am or so I was able to find a comfortable position and get some shut-eye. But, the announcements began again at 3:20am and then the lights came back on. Our boat arrived at 4:30 in ( ) and I stayed at the terminal until 5:20am, then I took a taxi to the train station. There I waited for a while until I could catch a series of local trains to Sapporo. I arrive 90 minutes or so later in this fair city.


I am now hanging out in Starbucks, drinking coffee (I know! It is crazy!) in my Hokkaido travel mug that I bought in Sendai, and feeling like I am still on the boat. But, I am not sure if that is just me being super tired, I have not had enough sleep this entire week, or if I just don’t have my land legs back yet.


Anyways, I have no plans for anything today… including a place to sleep. So I think I will try to find a place to store my luggage and then explore the city and try to get a feel for where things are. And hopefully lose the feeling of a moving floor.

Hokkaido (before)

It is Thursday evening and tomorrow I head into Akita City to catch a ferry up to Hokkaido.

I feel extremely unprepared.
I do not know how to get to the Port (researching now)
I am not sure where I will arrive - (next to look up)
I do not have a place to stay from Saturday to Sunday (probably an internet cafe- I'll look one up soon)

All in all, I am just feeling antsy and nervous. I am packing for Antarctica, but I don't have enough space to do so. ゜゜(´□｀。)°゜  Butterflies in my stomach~!

New Years

New Years was very special.

I went to my Japanese friend's, Ayaka (who studied abroad at Ursinus for the whole year), house and spent New Years holiday with her and her family. Japanese New Years are similar to an American Christmas- it is a family holiday, while the Japanese Christmas is akin to the American New Years- it is a friend/couple's holiday, so I was super excited and honored to spend New Years with her!

There is a show that is played every New Years, and basically it is a group of comedians and they are put through situations that are very silly.... and if they laugh, they get hit on the butt with a foam stick. The name is ダウンタウンのガキの使いやあらへんで!! in Japanese (Downtown's 'This is no task for kids!!' in English, Downtown is a comedian group's name and they are the hosts of the show) I really don't know HOW this started, but it was very funny. This year the theme was that this group of comedians were training to become secret agents. We watched this show until 11:20pm and then we head out to the Shrine.      

[This video is from a few years ago, but you get the idea- Everyone in this video, except for the extras just sitting at the desks, is a comedian trying to get the participants to laugh]

We went to a local shrine (one of 2 in her town) and on the way Ayaka told me of her town's New Years festival, basically it is translated as "naked festival"! But, that is not true what really happens is a group of young men wear traditional underwear, (fundoshi) which comes up to their waist, and run around the town carrying a portable shrine on their shoulders! I am not 100% sure why they do this, but I admire their strength! Akita is pretty chilly at night, not to mention they are practically naked, so I am sure a lot of them are home sick with the cold now.
 However we ended up going to another shrine where Ayaka's mom was working as a shrine maiden, and there we bought good luck charms for the new year. We also asked for blessing from the Gods and then visited the nearby smaller shrines, lighting candles as offering. I also tried some special New Years sake, it was very salty, but a new experience.

The first of January is another family day, and Ayaka's family (with me in tow) went to her Grandparent's house for dinner after we lazed around the house and Ayaka took me on a walking tour of her town. It was super yummy and although her aunt, uncle, and cousins were a little surprised to see a white person in the house, they were all nice. I could not understand the grandparents very much because they spoke in the Akita dialect that I just could not understand, luckily Ayaka helped translate it into normal Japanese for me. The entire family was super sweet, the grandparents were just so cute! I wanted to hug them, but I shook the grandfathers hand and bowed many times to the grandmother and thanked them both many many times.

Today I came back to my empty dorm, and it is a little lonely, but I am happy to have a couple hours where I am not translating and thinking in Japanese all the time!

Sendai! -Not finished, I will post a video once I figure how to shorten it-

On the 27th I went to a neighboring city (Sendai) in another prefecture with 2 friends from AIU (the college I am studying at). We stayed for 2 nights and 3 days, and it was a lot of fun! I got to see a friend who lives in Sendai the first 2 days, I know her because she studied abroad at Ursinus last year! The first night we met up at the train station and walked around the city a little- and after being in the country for so long, this city felt like NYC! I was so happy to be in a city again it was rather silly! We met up with Yuki and her friend and went out for Okonomiyaki and wandered the streets some, seeing a small 'festival' and wandering around the Bar district of Sendai.

In short, my trip to Sendai was awesome! I got to see one of the 3 most scenic sites in Japan; Miyajima! It is a bay with hundreds of small islands with trees and all sorts of beautiful greenery growing on them! I also got to sleep in an Internet Cafe! It was super exciting, we had our own room and unlimited drinks and ice cream! It was awesome- and 12hrs cost 2,400 yen- around 30$! A pretty cheap 1 night stay!