We responded to this flier and signed up for the Kyoto City Comprehensive Disaster Drill. The flier was in English, Japanese, and Chinese, and the event was translated into the English and Chinese.
When we arrived at the spot this morning, there were lots of people, and someone holding a sign. It took a minute to realize that this was our event. They checked off our names, gave us name tags, and reimbursed us for our bus fare. Everyone got a vest with the name of the event, and we were moved from spot to spot for a bit (much as we would be in a real disaster).
When we came up out of the station as a group, we could see that this was a very large event with lots of other groups of people, tents, emergency vehicles, stations. After some more waiting, we were given the chance to practice using AED devices on the same type of dummies that you train CPR on in the US. This was particularly useful for me because I was wondering how I would use an AED that spoke Japanese. There are lots of AED devices visible here, and response time for an ambulance is 7 minutes, so it makes sense to have everyone ready, foreigners included.
Call 119, not 911 in Japan.
Next station was water course. We put on boots, and walked through murky moving water with uncertain footing (we were given canes) to practice. And we had a chance to try to open a door that had 40 cm of water pressing against it (impossible).
Next station was an earthquake simulator. Four people stood at a kitchen table, then the truck shook like a 7 level earthquake. Each person needed to get the chair out of the way and crawl under the table in the midst of lots of movement. Will held on, but did not get under the table. Ooops.
Next stop was a seating section where we were given emergency rations to taste. Turns out it was more or less instant fried rice, and was quite good.
Then we watched an emergency scenario -- smoking bus, "person" squished under an heavy block and a smoking "building". When those were fixed, many "wounded" were taken off by firefighters, police, Red Cross, and "Self defense force" people.
Then there was smoke on top of a building with about 8 stories -- a helicopter delivered a person to the rooftop, and another person repelled down the outside. Then, a group of volunteer firefighters sprayed a lot of water. Finally the mayor gave a 5-minute speech.
For the firefighters, police, Red Cross, and "Self defense force" people, this was real training.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
"Please wait for a few minutes for the change of the driver."
"Please wait for a few minutes for the change of the driver."
Subtitile: Learning to ride the bus in Kyoto.
We do understand the basics -- get on the bus in the back, and pay 220 yen when you off in the front. Each bus stop has a name, and the name is posted electronically in the bus as well as announced. There is an excellent bus map well worth carrying with you. If you pay very careful attention, this can get you where you are going. At the bus stop there is a route map for each of the buses that stops there, as well as separate time schedules for weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays.
But there are puzzling things. We are a couple of stops from a bus yard, and sometimes they will announce in English, "Please wait for a few minutes for the change of the driver." The driver undoes his seatbelt as we approach the stop, and collects his name plates from two display slots, bows to the passengers, and gets off. The next driver is ready to go with his microphone already attached to his hat, slips in his name plates, and heads off.
Occasionally, at the same spot, the bus will give its end-of-the-line announcement and everyone unloads. We walk to the next stop, and another bus comes along with the same number, but seems to cost two fares.
And one time, after this announcement, the driver got off, and a uniformed fellow stood in the doorway. After the bit, the driver came running back, probably from a bathroom break, and the other fellow left. All I could think of was the wonderful children's book, "Please don't let the pigeon drive the bus." Clearly the fellow in the doorway was making sure that the pigeon would not get on an try to drive the bus.
We recently learned that you can get a 500 yen pass for the day -- thus getting on and off as often as you wish. And today I learned that I can get a monthly pass and be done with always rummaging up cash. (Actually, you have to put the exact change in the slot, but the machine gives change from another slot.) It turns out that, with my pass, Will (as a family member) can come along for only 100 yen (instead of 220) on weekends and holidays.
Today we hopped on a bus to Kyoto Station, and as we were getting off, learned that it was not a copy bus -- and thus not covered by our 500 yen day pass......
And you have to think a lot about which side to wait on (since they drive on the opposite side of the road, and since the stops are not necessarily opposite one another.)
Overall, they come on time, run often, and work well.
Subtitile: Learning to ride the bus in Kyoto.
We do understand the basics -- get on the bus in the back, and pay 220 yen when you off in the front. Each bus stop has a name, and the name is posted electronically in the bus as well as announced. There is an excellent bus map well worth carrying with you. If you pay very careful attention, this can get you where you are going. At the bus stop there is a route map for each of the buses that stops there, as well as separate time schedules for weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays/holidays.
But there are puzzling things. We are a couple of stops from a bus yard, and sometimes they will announce in English, "Please wait for a few minutes for the change of the driver." The driver undoes his seatbelt as we approach the stop, and collects his name plates from two display slots, bows to the passengers, and gets off. The next driver is ready to go with his microphone already attached to his hat, slips in his name plates, and heads off.
Occasionally, at the same spot, the bus will give its end-of-the-line announcement and everyone unloads. We walk to the next stop, and another bus comes along with the same number, but seems to cost two fares.
And one time, after this announcement, the driver got off, and a uniformed fellow stood in the doorway. After the bit, the driver came running back, probably from a bathroom break, and the other fellow left. All I could think of was the wonderful children's book, "Please don't let the pigeon drive the bus." Clearly the fellow in the doorway was making sure that the pigeon would not get on an try to drive the bus.
We recently learned that you can get a 500 yen pass for the day -- thus getting on and off as often as you wish. And today I learned that I can get a monthly pass and be done with always rummaging up cash. (Actually, you have to put the exact change in the slot, but the machine gives change from another slot.) It turns out that, with my pass, Will (as a family member) can come along for only 100 yen (instead of 220) on weekends and holidays.
Today we hopped on a bus to Kyoto Station, and as we were getting off, learned that it was not a copy bus -- and thus not covered by our 500 yen day pass......
And you have to think a lot about which side to wait on (since they drive on the opposite side of the road, and since the stops are not necessarily opposite one another.)
Overall, they come on time, run often, and work well.
What can be done while riding a bicycle in Japan?
I have seen the following things being done while riding a bicycle in Japan:
Holding an umbrella
Talking on the cell phone
Texting
Cleaning the fingernails of one hand with the nails of the other hand. Look Ma, no hands.
Carrying two kids in bike seats -- as well as their bags and some groceries. This is not unique to Japan -- daughter-in-law Liz does this in DC.
Playing a harmonica
Smoking
Carrying an 8 foot long Japanese archery bow
Carrying your boyfriend on the back of the bicycle, seated sideways.
As a high school student, carrying a large duffel bag on the back, a regular backpack on the front, and a medium sized bag from the handle bar.
As a middle-aged couple, biking together, each having a small dog in the front basket.
Carrying your girlfriend on the back of the bicycle, seated sideways -- with each of you having a back pack and a medium sized duffel bag.
With the typhoon coming, the carrying baskets had elastic-edged nylon or plastic covers like you can see on a backpack.
Carrying bags of bottles and cans for recycling. This morning a fellow came by on his bike with two gigantic bags strapped to the back, two very large bags dangling from the back of the bicycle, and 3 very large bags dangling from the front of the bicycle.
(Kids often wear helmets, adults do not.)
And today I saw two mothers, each with a child on the back of her bicycle, probably on their way to preschool. The mothers were chatting, and the children were content. The children's bike helmets were in the bike's front baskets.
Alternatively, I saw two children with their mother at the bus stop, and one of the children was wearing his bike helmet there -- no bike in sight.
Locking bikes:
Instructions from George Washington University:
"Know how to properly secure your bike. Use a steel U-lock and consider using multiple locks."
And to lock a bike in Japan, there is a flimsy lock ($2?) that keeps the wheel from turning. That is it. The bike is not locked to anything.
Holding an umbrella
Talking on the cell phone
Texting
Cleaning the fingernails of one hand with the nails of the other hand. Look Ma, no hands.
Carrying two kids in bike seats -- as well as their bags and some groceries. This is not unique to Japan -- daughter-in-law Liz does this in DC.
Playing a harmonica
Smoking
Carrying an 8 foot long Japanese archery bow
Carrying your boyfriend on the back of the bicycle, seated sideways.
As a high school student, carrying a large duffel bag on the back, a regular backpack on the front, and a medium sized bag from the handle bar.
As a middle-aged couple, biking together, each having a small dog in the front basket.
Carrying your girlfriend on the back of the bicycle, seated sideways -- with each of you having a back pack and a medium sized duffel bag.
With the typhoon coming, the carrying baskets had elastic-edged nylon or plastic covers like you can see on a backpack.
Carrying bags of bottles and cans for recycling. This morning a fellow came by on his bike with two gigantic bags strapped to the back, two very large bags dangling from the back of the bicycle, and 3 very large bags dangling from the front of the bicycle.
(Kids often wear helmets, adults do not.)
And today I saw two mothers, each with a child on the back of her bicycle, probably on their way to preschool. The mothers were chatting, and the children were content. The children's bike helmets were in the bike's front baskets.
Alternatively, I saw two children with their mother at the bus stop, and one of the children was wearing his bike helmet there -- no bike in sight.
Locking bikes:
Instructions from George Washington University:
"Know how to properly secure your bike. Use a steel U-lock and consider using multiple locks."
And to lock a bike in Japan, there is a flimsy lock ($2?) that keeps the wheel from turning. That is it. The bike is not locked to anything.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
More on the weather in Kyoto
I have discovered the "official" weather forecast for Kyoto from the Japan Meteorological Agency. Previously, some of the weather reports have been from the airport in Osaka -- nearby, but much cooler.
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/week/333.html
In the forecasts, they actually acknowledge an error band around the predictions and they rate the accuracy of their estimate as A, B, or C. And they even give you the percent correct for A and C predictions. The accuracy of the precipitation forecast was 86% for A level of confidence and 56% for C level of confidence.
I think this level of information is great -- and it make sense when you realize that all students get some statistics in high school.
None of this detail changes the fact that it will continue in the 90's and high 90's more or less indefinitely. Apparently fall comes with fall colors and cool weather in November. Kyoto is known to be particularly hot because it is surrounded by mountains that hold the air in.
Being surrounded by mountains was strategically a good idea back in the 8th century.......
None of this detail changes the fact that it will continue in the 90's and high 90's more or less indefinitely. Apparently fall comes with fall colors and cool weather in November. Kyoto is known to be particularly hot because it is surrounded by mountains that hold the air in.
Being surrounded by mountains was strategically a good idea back in the 8th century.......
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
So how hot is it? And why is the heat so oppressive?
This matters so much because it is not an automobile based society -- we, and the Japanese, are out in this sun. For me it is a 15 minute walk to the grocery store, and a 10 minute walk from the bus stop to my office. To go from the office to the gym/pool is a 20 minute walk, or a bit more. And it can take 10 minutes of waiting to get a bus mid-day. And, of course, visiting all these temples and shrines involves walking.
Sometimes we take a great interest in what is in the little shops that we pass -- just to enter and enjoy a few minutes of air conditioning.
30 = 86
35 = 95
40 = 104
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
What are they wearing, and what does that mean for me?
Mindful of the ongoing heat, the well dressed business man is wearing his dark suit and white shirt, but with no tie and an open collar. More men are wearing short sleeved shirts, with or without a tie, and no jacket.
There is a serious energy shortage -- all but a couple of the nuclear plants are turned off, and those remaining ones are going to be turned off in September for inspection. The high cost of imported fuel is cancelling out the impact of the favorable exchange rate on exports. So the air conditioning levels have been kept quite warm. The implication might be that layers are not needed indoors or out.
What are the women wearing? They are wearing layers, apparently for protection from the sun, and sometimes for modesty with short skirts or skimpy tops. The leggings come in white, black, and black/white patterned, and in lengths from above the knee to full length.
Women often have a sweater or long sleeved cotton or linen shirt to protect their arms from the sun. Sometimes a cotton scarf keeps the sun off the back of the neck. Women also wear sleeve protectors (like I wore to keep warm running) in various lengths to keep off the sun. Sometimes this takes the form of full length gloves, or fingerless elbow length gloves.
For the head, many women are wearing a hat, and carrying a UV umbrella for portable shade.
And the styles vary, from eclectic mixes of prints, stripes and patterns to tailored clothes that seems to come right from Eileen Fisher. Colors are muted: as a friend once described the fashions in New York, squirrel colors -- black, tan, grey.
I have looked for models of what professional women my age are wearing. But, there are almost no professional women my age.......
Some days I feel defiant and wear a bright print skirt with an orange top. In one shop I overheard them saying my print/orange outfit was cute! Not my usual category. Or I might wear a bright blue top or scarf with my wonderful going-away bright blue earrings. Other days I am as muted as the Japanese. I have been coveting, and so shopped.
I picked out a couple of things to try on, and was invited into a try-on-booth. Immediately I was corrected for stepping onto the round rug in the middle of the booth with my shoes. And I was asked to use the face cover when trying on -- presumably so that I would not get my makeup (?) all over the clothes. The face cover was lightweight non-woven fabric more or less shaped like a bag.
I now have some of the proper accessories -- lightweight hat, grey cotton scarf, 100% cotton long sleeved shirt in off white, lightweight dark blue sweater, and UV umbrella with lace around the edge. I will seek out more sun protection, even though I put sunscreen on my face and arms every morning.
There is a serious energy shortage -- all but a couple of the nuclear plants are turned off, and those remaining ones are going to be turned off in September for inspection. The high cost of imported fuel is cancelling out the impact of the favorable exchange rate on exports. So the air conditioning levels have been kept quite warm. The implication might be that layers are not needed indoors or out.
What are the women wearing? They are wearing layers, apparently for protection from the sun, and sometimes for modesty with short skirts or skimpy tops. The leggings come in white, black, and black/white patterned, and in lengths from above the knee to full length.
Women often have a sweater or long sleeved cotton or linen shirt to protect their arms from the sun. Sometimes a cotton scarf keeps the sun off the back of the neck. Women also wear sleeve protectors (like I wore to keep warm running) in various lengths to keep off the sun. Sometimes this takes the form of full length gloves, or fingerless elbow length gloves.
For the head, many women are wearing a hat, and carrying a UV umbrella for portable shade.
And the styles vary, from eclectic mixes of prints, stripes and patterns to tailored clothes that seems to come right from Eileen Fisher. Colors are muted: as a friend once described the fashions in New York, squirrel colors -- black, tan, grey.
I have looked for models of what professional women my age are wearing. But, there are almost no professional women my age.......
Some days I feel defiant and wear a bright print skirt with an orange top. In one shop I overheard them saying my print/orange outfit was cute! Not my usual category. Or I might wear a bright blue top or scarf with my wonderful going-away bright blue earrings. Other days I am as muted as the Japanese. I have been coveting, and so shopped.
I picked out a couple of things to try on, and was invited into a try-on-booth. Immediately I was corrected for stepping onto the round rug in the middle of the booth with my shoes. And I was asked to use the face cover when trying on -- presumably so that I would not get my makeup (?) all over the clothes. The face cover was lightweight non-woven fabric more or less shaped like a bag.
I now have some of the proper accessories -- lightweight hat, grey cotton scarf, 100% cotton long sleeved shirt in off white, lightweight dark blue sweater, and UV umbrella with lace around the edge. I will seek out more sun protection, even though I put sunscreen on my face and arms every morning.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Fears, founded and unfounded
Two Japanese encounters are especially scary. First, taxis. The driver more or less expects you to know where you are going, and he expects you to be able to give him directions. The first time I tried to get to my old apartment, we drove right past it because I had never approached it from that direction. I got about 3 blocks away. Next time I got within a couple of blocks. then I got right around the corner.
We have practiced giving directions in my Japanese class, and those were very practical lessons.
The new apartment is easier for directing a taxi because it is near a major intersection. It is easy to take a taxi to the station because little direction needs to be provided.
The second scary encounter is getting my hair cut -- my hair is getting longer and longer while I work up my courage. When I was here 25 years ago, the first time I went for a haircut, I took 3 dictionaries. And the first thing they did was take my purse and put it, with the dictionaries, into a locker. I will keep you posted.
Actual fears -- getting run over by a car or a bicycle. Many people get around by bicycle, without either helmets or bike lanes. They ride on the sidewalks -- which vary from particularly narrow to quite wide. There is no system for who gets which part of the path, and bicycles seem to assume some right-of-way. Sometimes they signal when overtaking, but not necessarily. I try to find someone to walk behind who would be hit before me.....
And the cars also seem to assume some priority, even when I am in the crosswalk, crossing with the light. They come quite close to pedestrians when making their turns.
Actual/not? The Lonely Planet guide suggest that Japan is not a safe place for a woman -- even though it is particularly safe in so many other ways. I use caution, and stay away from where men have been drinking at night.
When to bow
In Japan, bowing these days is often just a small lean or a small nod of the head. So, when is it called for? Meeting up with people you know or saying thank you (arigato gozaimasu) is usually accompanied by a small bow. But when else?
As the conductor on the train is leaving the car, he or she turns to face the car, says some thing softly and bows.
A car slowed down as it was turning turn to let two pedestrians cross in the crosswalk. They paused for a short bow before scurrying across.
In the museum, the guards bowed as we entered the room. (And it turns out that an airconditioned museum is a good spot on a hot day.)
The fire truck was coming along with its siren, and a couple of firefighters bowed to the driver who pulled over so it could pass.
As the conductor on the train is leaving the car, he or she turns to face the car, says some thing softly and bows.
A car slowed down as it was turning turn to let two pedestrians cross in the crosswalk. They paused for a short bow before scurrying across.
In the museum, the guards bowed as we entered the room. (And it turns out that an airconditioned museum is a good spot on a hot day.)
The fire truck was coming along with its siren, and a couple of firefighters bowed to the driver who pulled over so it could pass.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Immigration/Will's arrival
After 17 days at sea, Will's ship, the Figaro, arrived on time in Yokohama. He had been given access to e-mail on the ship, so was able to give some updates to the arrival plans. We agreed to meet at the immigration center -- an agent would guide him there.
I took the shinkansen (bullet train) to Yokohama from Kyoto, then a taxi to the port. I was very relieved to see water when I was dropped off. I was left off near immigration, and guided to the large passenger terminal. Someone was going towards the port with a suitcase, and away from the port with a Port Yokohama shopping bag. But as I went up, it was clear that it was closed for immigration.
No Will.
I found an information desk, and the woman there explained that immigration was only open when passenger ships came in. She made a couple of calls. She was just finding out about the second immigration office when Will called my Japanese cell phone on his agent's Japanese cell. The two offices were only a 5 minute walk apart, and we were quickly united!
It was quite a schlep to haul his gear back to Kyoto. After one night in the small apartment, we moved to the new larger apartment, with more room for stuff and Nick!
For more on Will's journey, take a look at his blog.
wchayes142.wordpress.com
I took the shinkansen (bullet train) to Yokohama from Kyoto, then a taxi to the port. I was very relieved to see water when I was dropped off. I was left off near immigration, and guided to the large passenger terminal. Someone was going towards the port with a suitcase, and away from the port with a Port Yokohama shopping bag. But as I went up, it was clear that it was closed for immigration.
No Will.
I found an information desk, and the woman there explained that immigration was only open when passenger ships came in. She made a couple of calls. She was just finding out about the second immigration office when Will called my Japanese cell phone on his agent's Japanese cell. The two offices were only a 5 minute walk apart, and we were quickly united!
It was quite a schlep to haul his gear back to Kyoto. After one night in the small apartment, we moved to the new larger apartment, with more room for stuff and Nick!
For more on Will's journey, take a look at his blog.
wchayes142.wordpress.com
Hiking near Nara -- Yama-no-be-michi
Nick and I set out for a hike near Nara last weekend. We chose one that is recommended in "Hiking in Japan": Yama-no-be-no-michi. First, when we got off the train, we saw several large hotel-like buildings in the direction of the temple complex that we were to pass through. Less than 200 years ago, a 41-year old woman had started this new branch of Buddhism, and there are now 3,000,000 followers worldwide. What we were seeing was lots of housing for the pilgrims.
Then we entered 3 or 4 blocks of covered market. There was the usual assortment of pickle shops, sweet shops, small restaurants, small hardware-type shops, clothes shops, etc. Plus there were a large number of religious shops with statues, clothes, incense.
As Nick was in the bathroom, a man came by and asked if he could practice English with me. I agreed to do so for a few minutes. First he asked if I was a believer. He was pleased that I could tell him somethings about this sect. He was a believer, and was born and lived in this town.
Next we entered the grounds of the huge temple, and entered the main temple building. As with the other temples, there were 3 large areas (right, left and center), but in this case, each was large enough to probably seat a thousand people on the tatami mats. There were only 50 people there at that moment, but they were worshiping with hand motions and some chanting/singing. It was an incredibly peaceful spot (and out of the sun).
Nick and I had bought bentos (lunches) as the trail turned past a "Family Mart" conbini (convenience store) on its way to the edge of town. As soon as we were in more countryside, we ate our lunch by bamboo, cooled by the sounds of a stream. Even with the high heat, we agreed to go along a bit further. The trail was puzzling, and it was hot, so we decided to follow the signs with maple leaves (to guide those seeking fall colors) because they went into the cooler woods.
Those signs did lead us into the side entrance of the small temple that was out next stop. From there the trail lead past some rice fields, persimmon trees, and grape vines. We also passed the site of a very old, now gone, temple from 1100.
In the distance we heard some shouting, chanting, and metallic drumming. Those sounds faded, then started up again around another bend. I suggested that this might be some celebration for Obon, the welcoming back of the spirits of the ancestors that is underway. I also suggested that there were many parts of the world where the enthusiasm and even aggression of those noises might have been scary.
Finally, in the distance, we saw the high net fences that indicate a baseball field! We had been hearing enthusiastic cheering for local games!
Next stop was a "small rural shrine" that was closed up. There was, however, shade, and benches for resting. This was another peaceful place.
A little further along, 3 hikers were coming out of a shed-like building. They explained that for 100 yen we could get a dish of watermelon out of the fridge, and that we could have free mugicha (roasted barley tea). This proved another nice shady resting stop. We pretty much ignored the small town with "traditional Japanese homes" because it looked more or less like Kyoto.
At that point, it was too hot to go on, so we cut short the hike by walking a kilometer or so to the next train station, and returned to Kyoto. The weather report seemed to indicate a high of 97 (plus high humidity) -- no wonder we were hot!
Understanding and using Japanese as an altered state
I have just finished the Kyoto International Community Center's second level Japanese class. It is called Easy Japanese, but was, in fact, difficult at times. It was particularly well taught and participatory. As I indicated, each of us did in fact improve our Japanese. I will probably re-take it when it starts again in the fall.
When I look at a page of homework written entirely in Japanese, I am immediately convinced that I cannot possibly understand any of it. But there is another place, an altered state, that I can enter and slowly decipher the written Japanese, and even provide written answers. And I no longer plan everything I want to say during an encounter -- for example ordering my cell phone or guiding a taxi. Instead, I enter that other place in my mind, and muddle through with limited Japanese.
I even took a phone call from my gym in Japanese. I am not saying I understood much of it, but we communicated what we needed. And the next day, we did our business in person in Japanese.
When I look at a page of homework written entirely in Japanese, I am immediately convinced that I cannot possibly understand any of it. But there is another place, an altered state, that I can enter and slowly decipher the written Japanese, and even provide written answers. And I no longer plan everything I want to say during an encounter -- for example ordering my cell phone or guiding a taxi. Instead, I enter that other place in my mind, and muddle through with limited Japanese.
I even took a phone call from my gym in Japanese. I am not saying I understood much of it, but we communicated what we needed. And the next day, we did our business in person in Japanese.
What has changed in the 25 years since I lived here before?
Very little.
The air quality is better, and there are not belching smokestacks. There is seldom open burning. (Though smaller towns do have some open burning.)
Children's playgrounds had rusting equipment and weedy yards 25 years ago -- they still do.
I see more father's carrying and playing with their babies.
There is less visible pornography.
You can still get beer, cigarettes, and sake out of vending machines.
Children still wear school uniforms for middle school and high school.
Most everyone is still quiet, polite, and well dressed.
More Japanese families seem to be tourists, but perhaps it appears that way because I am in Kyoto. The biggest groups of tourists come from Taiwan, China, and South Korea.
There are still a myriad of small shops and small restaurants on regular streets and in covered markets.
There still appears to be a recession, but the news indicates that things are looking up.
"Universal accommodations" has meant that many of the squat toilets now have grab bars to facilitate getting up.
There are still no paper towels or air driers in the bathrooms (bring your own handkerchief), though there is now usually toilet paper -- which used to be another bring-your-own-item.
Bathrooms smell better.
The air quality is better, and there are not belching smokestacks. There is seldom open burning. (Though smaller towns do have some open burning.)
Children's playgrounds had rusting equipment and weedy yards 25 years ago -- they still do.
I see more father's carrying and playing with their babies.
There is less visible pornography.
You can still get beer, cigarettes, and sake out of vending machines.
Children still wear school uniforms for middle school and high school.
Most everyone is still quiet, polite, and well dressed.
More Japanese families seem to be tourists, but perhaps it appears that way because I am in Kyoto. The biggest groups of tourists come from Taiwan, China, and South Korea.
There are still a myriad of small shops and small restaurants on regular streets and in covered markets.
There still appears to be a recession, but the news indicates that things are looking up.
"Universal accommodations" has meant that many of the squat toilets now have grab bars to facilitate getting up.
There are still no paper towels or air driers in the bathrooms (bring your own handkerchief), though there is now usually toilet paper -- which used to be another bring-your-own-item.
Bathrooms smell better.
How I know that I am not in greater DC
I have only seen two escalators out of order in 6 weeks (and one looked like routine maintenance with a vacuum cleaner).
Almost no one is overweight.
Most people get around by public transportation or bicycle.
The fireworks that Nick and I went to lasted an HOUR. There were a few pauses of 3 to 4 minutes, but still.... And they were spectacular with many multiple deployments and interesting shapes like the dragon flies and smiley faces.
Police officers ride scooters.
The taxi cars are clean, with white fabric covers on the seats and white gloved drivers. No smoke smell, no phone calls, no radio. The driver opens the doors some secret way from the inside. A couple of times a cab has signaled that it would stop, then has driven on by when it saw who we were. (That might not be so different from some people's experiences in DC.)
Almost no one is overweight.
Most people get around by public transportation or bicycle.
The fireworks that Nick and I went to lasted an HOUR. There were a few pauses of 3 to 4 minutes, but still.... And they were spectacular with many multiple deployments and interesting shapes like the dragon flies and smiley faces.
Police officers ride scooters.
The taxi cars are clean, with white fabric covers on the seats and white gloved drivers. No smoke smell, no phone calls, no radio. The driver opens the doors some secret way from the inside. A couple of times a cab has signaled that it would stop, then has driven on by when it saw who we were. (That might not be so different from some people's experiences in DC.)
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Wire transfer
In order to have more of a financial cushion, I initiated a wire transfer of money from my Credit Union to my Japanese bank. Quite an ordeal.
1. I went on-line to get the Credit Union form.
2. I took it to my bank here to get the routing numbers and codes.
3. I brought it to the office here at the university, and asked if they could FAX it for me. They did, and indicated that I should check back in a few hours for confirmation that it had been received. It was received.
4. I used Google Voice (at one cent a minute) to phone the Credit Union and answer all their security questions. They had the FAX, and made the transfer.
5. When I finally got my cash card yesterday, I looked at the balance to see if the funds had been credited. No.
6. This morning I went to the bank to enquire (in Japanese). They showed me the wire transfer form -- it had only "Marguerite Barratt" on it, thus not matching my bank book, "Barratt Marguerite Elizabeth". I had to fill out a form, in my own writing, attesting to the fact that this was one in the same person. I made an error as I completed the form, crossed it out with a straight line drawn by ruler, and marked the strike-out with a stamp from my hanko (seal).
At this point they went into Japanese that I could not understand. I asked them to repeat slowly. I still did not get it, so they had someone in back write it out in English. They wanted to know what I was going to do with the money????? I indicated (in Japanese) that I would buy food and drink, and do usual things. That seemed to be a satisfactory explanation.
After 45 minutes at the bank, they indicated that the funds would be deposited later in the day today!
1. I went on-line to get the Credit Union form.
2. I took it to my bank here to get the routing numbers and codes.
3. I brought it to the office here at the university, and asked if they could FAX it for me. They did, and indicated that I should check back in a few hours for confirmation that it had been received. It was received.
4. I used Google Voice (at one cent a minute) to phone the Credit Union and answer all their security questions. They had the FAX, and made the transfer.
5. When I finally got my cash card yesterday, I looked at the balance to see if the funds had been credited. No.
6. This morning I went to the bank to enquire (in Japanese). They showed me the wire transfer form -- it had only "Marguerite Barratt" on it, thus not matching my bank book, "Barratt Marguerite Elizabeth". I had to fill out a form, in my own writing, attesting to the fact that this was one in the same person. I made an error as I completed the form, crossed it out with a straight line drawn by ruler, and marked the strike-out with a stamp from my hanko (seal).
At this point they went into Japanese that I could not understand. I asked them to repeat slowly. I still did not get it, so they had someone in back write it out in English. They wanted to know what I was going to do with the money????? I indicated (in Japanese) that I would buy food and drink, and do usual things. That seemed to be a satisfactory explanation.
After 45 minutes at the bank, they indicated that the funds would be deposited later in the day today!
Cash card (and the ceramics festival)
About 10 days after I arrived, my host professor took me to open a bank account. This was a moment of great relief for me because I had in my possession over $12,000 worth of cash from Fulbright. Yes, a huge stack of 10,000 bills ($100) worth over 12,000 dollars.
We ordered a cash card (debit card). I kept thinking it would come into the mail slot on my door. But it did not. After maybe 2 or 3 weeks, nothing had come, so I searched for another mailbox. Turns out there was one on the side of the building that held a lot of junk mail, PLUS a postcard addressed to me and written in Japanese.
One of the support staff at work helped me realize that this was an attempted delivery notice, and it had taken so long for me to find it that the mailed item had been returned to the sender (presumably the bank).
So I went to the bank with the notice and asked if it might be possible to pick up the card at the bank. They indicated that was not possible, but that they would try to send the the card again. They emphasized the importance of putting my name on my mailbox. Unaccompanied women everywhere are reluctant to announce their presence, but I cut the name off my name card (in katakana) and taped it on the mailbox.
Monday I discovered an item with my name on it in the mailbox on my door. Since this door is inside a locked lobby, I thought it might have to do with my rental. I was paying the rest of the rent that day, so shared the notice with the rental agent. He indicated that it was an attempted delivery notice, phoned the post office, and asked me to choose from several time slots. I thought that it would be re-delivered in that time slot.
But nothing happened during that time slot. So Wed. I went to the nearest post office. The clerk kindly showed me on my map where my main post office was, and I went there, was shown to the right window, and got my card!
My first attempt at using the card was at a combini (convenience store). I pushed the button for English, it lead me on a couple of steps, then it said it could not provide guidance in English, and this I must press cancel. Finally, the machine at the post office gave me cash! And, I noticed, I could have put in my bank book at any time to get cash........
Wait, I said above that I paid the rest of my rent. What this means was that I paid $5000 cash (in yen) to complete the payment for the entire 6 months that we will be in the larger apartment. Yes, I have not moved in yet, and have paid the entire rental amount in cash.
As I was walking from the small post office to the main post office for my neighborhood, I saw a multilingual sign like they use at historical sites. It said that this was a neighborhood famous for potters, and that they had a pottery festival every year from from August 6 to 10. Darned if it was not the morning of August 6, and tons of vendors were setting up for the pottery festival! And I now have some interesting small items.
We ordered a cash card (debit card). I kept thinking it would come into the mail slot on my door. But it did not. After maybe 2 or 3 weeks, nothing had come, so I searched for another mailbox. Turns out there was one on the side of the building that held a lot of junk mail, PLUS a postcard addressed to me and written in Japanese.
One of the support staff at work helped me realize that this was an attempted delivery notice, and it had taken so long for me to find it that the mailed item had been returned to the sender (presumably the bank).
So I went to the bank with the notice and asked if it might be possible to pick up the card at the bank. They indicated that was not possible, but that they would try to send the the card again. They emphasized the importance of putting my name on my mailbox. Unaccompanied women everywhere are reluctant to announce their presence, but I cut the name off my name card (in katakana) and taped it on the mailbox.
Monday I discovered an item with my name on it in the mailbox on my door. Since this door is inside a locked lobby, I thought it might have to do with my rental. I was paying the rest of the rent that day, so shared the notice with the rental agent. He indicated that it was an attempted delivery notice, phoned the post office, and asked me to choose from several time slots. I thought that it would be re-delivered in that time slot.
But nothing happened during that time slot. So Wed. I went to the nearest post office. The clerk kindly showed me on my map where my main post office was, and I went there, was shown to the right window, and got my card!
My first attempt at using the card was at a combini (convenience store). I pushed the button for English, it lead me on a couple of steps, then it said it could not provide guidance in English, and this I must press cancel. Finally, the machine at the post office gave me cash! And, I noticed, I could have put in my bank book at any time to get cash........
Wait, I said above that I paid the rest of my rent. What this means was that I paid $5000 cash (in yen) to complete the payment for the entire 6 months that we will be in the larger apartment. Yes, I have not moved in yet, and have paid the entire rental amount in cash.
As I was walking from the small post office to the main post office for my neighborhood, I saw a multilingual sign like they use at historical sites. It said that this was a neighborhood famous for potters, and that they had a pottery festival every year from from August 6 to 10. Darned if it was not the morning of August 6, and tons of vendors were setting up for the pottery festival! And I now have some interesting small items.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
U Vou tex
U Vou tex is the tag on my new umbrella. This umbrella is made in China, and labeled only for sale in Japan.
This one is for the sun -- which is terribly hot and oppressive. Rather than use my basic rain umbrella for the sun, I now have a sun umbrella which is edged in a bit of lace like the ones carried by the Japanese women. For the grand sum of 525 yen, about $5.00, I have an umbrella complete with instructions:
Precautions for use
*This product has a pointed end. Be sure to check the safety of your surroundings before using this umbrella.
* Do not use this umbrella as a walking stick
*Do not use the umbrella if the handle or the rip tips are damaged
*Do not swing or throw the umbrella around
*Do not use the umbrella against gale force wind and downpours as it may break
*Do not touch the rib structure fo the umbrella
*When the umbrella is not completely dry, keep it away from clothing and other itmes as it may cause color transfer.
*PLEASE WATCH YOUNG CHILDREN WHEN THEY USE THE UMBRELLA
This one is for the sun -- which is terribly hot and oppressive. Rather than use my basic rain umbrella for the sun, I now have a sun umbrella which is edged in a bit of lace like the ones carried by the Japanese women. For the grand sum of 525 yen, about $5.00, I have an umbrella complete with instructions:
Precautions for use
*This product has a pointed end. Be sure to check the safety of your surroundings before using this umbrella.
* Do not use this umbrella as a walking stick
*Do not use the umbrella if the handle or the rip tips are damaged
*Do not swing or throw the umbrella around
*Do not use the umbrella against gale force wind and downpours as it may break
*Do not touch the rib structure fo the umbrella
*When the umbrella is not completely dry, keep it away from clothing and other itmes as it may cause color transfer.
*PLEASE WATCH YOUNG CHILDREN WHEN THEY USE THE UMBRELLA
Friday, August 2, 2013
Climbing Mount Fuji
Peg, Nick and Nick’s friend Derek set out yesterday morning
from Kyoto for Mount Fuji. Preparations included assembling and sharing all the
warm clothes that we had. A trip to the hundred yen store helped out with extra
rain gear, batteries for the flashlights, and as recommended by the guidebook,
a small towel for each of us. We also accumulated a number of ¥100 coins, as
suggested, for the pay toilets. The outfitting process also including finding a
replacement backpack for Derek -- his backpack blew out earlier on the trip.
We took a taxi to the station, and the Shinkansen (bullet
train) to Shin-Fuji. A very helpful
person at the information desk got us onto the right bus for the Fujinomiya
trailhead. Kyoto is at an elevation of
near sea level, and the bus took us to the 5th station at an elevation of 2,400
meters. The bus stopped for about 10
min. at a shrine on the way up so that we could pray for a successful ascent of
Mount Fuji.
We started hiking at a little before 2 PM with the goal of
reaching the 8th station, where we had a reservation for the night, by 6 PM for
dinner. Clearly Nick and Derek hiked faster than I did, but they waited at each
of the stations for me to catch up. This is not a wilderness experience. As far
as the eye can see in all directions is volcanic rubble, with a very few
flowering plants. There are lots of other hikers taking the same route, so we
were constantly greeting and greeted by people coming down, “Konichi-wa.”
6th station 2,490 meters
new 7th station 2,780 meters
old 7th station 3,010 meters
8th station 3,250 meters
top 3,776 meters
The map actually gives the times traveling between the
stations instead of distances because the distances are so deceptively short. We stayed fairly close to the time estimates,
even with me walking somewhat deliberately.
I was following along with the family with 3 children, one
of them are girl quite young, so I asked how old she was. Dad indicated that
she was 7, and the other 2 kids were about 10 and 12. Dad added that he was 44. This family had a guide, and we saw other
guided groups. We also saw quite a few
other children, with families, with one parent, or with one grandparent. And we saw a school group of about 125 middle
school girls, attended to by about 5 adults.
Mostly we saw young adults, but there were certainly elderly people too.
The estimated time between the old 7th station and the 8th
station was listed as 40 minutes. But I
was clearly lagging on this leg. It wasn't until I was fully at the 8th station
that I realized that I was experiencing a mild level of altitude sickness. This
feels approximately like a combination of the flu, morning sickness, and car
sickness, but without the fever. Dinner was served at the station, but I was
only deep able to eat a couple bites of white rice. Derek and Nick were pleased to help eat the
rest of my dinner. I was trying to
figure out what to eat when I remembered the value of crackers in morning
sickness, so I bought Ritz crackers. The sports drink Aquarius that I had
carried up, and Ritz crackers got me through till morning, when I was feeling
quite a bit better. I felt better
sitting up, so slept part of the night sitting up – I have had a lot of
practice sleeping sitting up in semi-darkened rooms with Power Point
presentations and on economy flights.
For sleeping accommodations, we climbed up a ladder to a
space for the 3 of us that was about the size of a queen bed. Walls of about 15 inches height separated us from the
other groups. There was a very thin
mattress on the bottom and 2 thick quilts for the top. Very cozy. And not terribly sanitary. There was room to sit up, and for the people
below us to sit up. There were hooks for hanging the backpacks, but once the
backpacks were hung, it was hard to sit up.
They explained to us that there would be to wake up calls at
2 AM and 4:30 AM. The 2 AM wake-up call was for people like Nick and Derek who
were going to climb to the top to watch the sunrise from the top of Mount Fuji.
The 4:30 wake-up call was for those of us who were going to watch the sun rise
from station 8.
Needless to say everyone went right to sleep after dinner.
In fact, most people were asleep before 8 o'clock lights out. I looked outside a couple of times in the
night, and you could see dots of light from people's headlamps as they were
climbing Fuji at night.
Nick and Derek made to the top, with about 20 cold minutes
to spare before the time for the sun to come up. Unfortunately the top was in
the clouds. They did walk by some patches of snow. Because the clouds were
close in and visibility was low, they did not walk all the way around the
caldera before descending. We met up at station 8 and ascended more or less
together. Because it was now morning,
“Ohio Gozaimasu” was the greeting.
The whole thing felt like a cultural experience. Most of the
hikers were Japanese, many were carrying wooden hiking sticks that they had
branded, ¥100, at each of the stations as they went up. We saw the towels tied on people’s backpack,
draped around their neck to keep off the sun, and tied around their heads.
Not surprisingly, we slept most of the bus trip down to the
station, and train trip back to Kyoto. Seems incredible that we did so much in
so little time. People suggested that it
was disappointing that it was cloudy, but the clouds were visually interesting,
and with only intermittent sun, we did not need to worry about sunburn. We felt very fortunate that we did not have
the harsh rainy windy weather that can come to Mount Fuji, even this time of
year.
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