Kyoto in closing

Kyoto was a night and day difference from Tokyo.  Tokyo had the big city feel with all the lights and glitz, while Kyoto felt more relaxed and calm.  I enjoyed the slower pace of Kyoto, and the residents seemed more willing to approach and talk, instead of just ignoring us.
Slowing down from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, we were able to enjoy many of sights in Kyoto.  My favorite tour of the trip was through the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The tour guide spoke English very well, and gave us great insight into some of the customs and traditions that went on in that palace.  I found it fascinating how important your level in society used to be in Japan.  The tour guide told us how the Emperor never stepped foot on the ground, and how if he ever left the house he was carried.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, some of the servants weren't even allowed to step foot in the house, and there were special tunnels made so they could travel under some of the buildings to get to the other side.
So I really liked Kyoto, for the more traditional feel it had.  It was easier to feel more involved and connected with Japan and the people of Japan.  Tokyo was amazing, but in my opinion Kyoto completed the trip for me.

Kyoto

After our great experiences in Tokyo, we hopped on the high speed train to head to Kyoto.  The high speed train we took is the fastest in the country, with speeds up to 300 kilometers per hour!  The train rode along so smooth though, it was hard to tell we were traveling so fast.  Some of the corners were slightly banked to make the cornering smoother, and it reminded me of a roller coaster.
We arrived to Kyoto and checked into our hotel, the 3 Sisters Inn.  It was incredible how grateful the proprietor was to have us at her establishment.  Due to negative circumstances caused by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant dangers, the owner of the inn stated that 98% of her reservations canceled.  The owner treated us incredibly well over the course of our stay.  Our rooms were carefully cleaned each day, a delicious breakfast was served each morning, and she even gave us all gifts as we were checking out.  The inn was beautiful and much more of the traditional Japanese style.  Whenever we would enter the inn, we would have to leave our shoes at the door.   We also were able to sleep on pads which were laid directly on the floor in our room,  and the rooms had the traditional sliding panel doors.  I had a great time at that inn, and was treated better there than at any other place I've ever stayed.  If I ever visited Japan again, I would definitely go stay at that inn again.

Free Day!

Sunday was the first day we had all to ourselves, and we took full advantage of it.  After sleeping in for a while, we got up and readied ourselves for a Japanese baseball game.  We went to the Tokyo Dome and watched the Giants play the Buffaloes.  It was a very cool experience watching how this sport I like, is enjoyed by the Japanese people.  The crowd at the baseball game, reminded me of a mix of a soccer crowd and a college sports crowd.  There were many chants and cheers going on throughout the game, some which seemed elaborate, but everyone seemed to know them.  It was very cool watching the people at the game get excited about the action on the field.   I also found it interesting how they used different strategies than we would see in American baseball games.  It was much more common to see the Japanese players using their speed to get on base with bunts, and then steal bases.  There were a couple long hits that made it to the warning track, but it seemed there were fewer batters that hit for power.  After a long pitching duel, we went into overtime tied at 1.  The tie didnt last long as the Buffaloes scored 3 runs in the top of the 10th, and ended up winning 4 to 1.

Mt Fuji

Getting out into the countryside on Saturday was a interesting change after being in the city thus far.  We took a long busride to Mt. Fuji, and were able to enjoy the amazing views.  I really enjoyed riding the bus as it went through the foothills of Mt Fuji.  The roads are super curvy, will lots of elevation changes, and I saw many people on motorcycles and in cars enjoying them.  What I would have done to have my motorcycle or car there, it looked like so much fun.  It was also nice traveling around because I was able to check out even more cars.  I think the classmates were tired of me pointing out every car, and watching my head turn to watch every car that went by. haha
After Fuji, were stopped by a tea farm, and were able to see how tea leaves are grown, processed.  It's interesting how popular tea is here in Japan, and almost all the restaraunts serve it with the meals.

Solo Adventure

On Friday we had some optional activities in the afternoon.  This gave me the opportunity to go do some of the things I had always wanted to do in Japan.  Shortly after a business meeting, I took off on my own in search of some car tuning shops.  Auto tuning has been an interest of mine, and I knew it was also very popular in Japan.  I’ve really enjoyed seeing all the different cars, and I’m sure most of my classmates think I’m odd for taking multiple photos of different cars.

So getting back to my hike around Tokyo, I did manage to find a couple shops.  Some of the highest quality, highly sought after parts are made in Japan, and I enjoyed being able to see the headquarters of some of those companies.  One of the companies I was able to visit is a company called Spoon Sports.  They had racing modified versions of the hybrid Honda CR-Z, and several other Honda cars.  I could have sat there and ogled them all day.

The one mishap was when I went to the Jun tuning shop, and found out it was the machining shop and not the showroom.  The Japanese owner seeing my confusion was able understand what I was saying, he then worked hard to give me directions to the showroom.  I was impressed to see the employee going out of the way to help me, while struggling with the language.  It was yet another example of how accommodating and gracious the Japanese can be.

Sushi!

After almost 5 days in Japan, I finally had some authentic sushi!  Apparently there are 24 hour sushi restaurants in Tokyo, and we were able to enjoy some food there this early morning.  I've never had sushi for breakfast, but I had it this morning, and I'd gladly do it again.  Apparently sushi is a treat that can be enjoyed anytime of the day.  I chose a variety of sushi, some which ended up being better than others.  Squid for example is very chewy, and I don't think I'll ever order that again.  Red Snapper, scallops, and fatty tuna were all very delicious.  I'm looking forward to attempting to recreate some of the dishes when I return home.
I also found it interesting how I had imagined sushi as a staple of the Japanese diet, but really it's just a treat for them, just like it is for us.

Meetings

So many meetings, with so many different businesses and people.   My favorite was the university visit with Dr. Kazunori Suzuki.  His insightful comments on the economic environment were quite interesting.  I found myself reminded of why I studied economics, as I watched him clearly lay out analysis of the Japan situation.  He didn't hold anything back, as he spoke of the difficulties that Japan will have to face in its future.  Declining birth-rates, an aging population, and an economy fueled by government debt are just a few of the issues Japan will have to face.  The problems were then exacerbated by the damage from the tsunami and crippled nuclear plant.  These trying time show the true grit that the Japanese have though, as the citizens work hard to restore everthing back to normal. Also the sacrifices the Japanese make show their willingness to share the burdens that the country faces.  We see here how businesses have minimized the use of air conditioning, and adjusted the hours of work to conserve the limited electrical power.  It's inspiring to see these people willing to sacrifice, without question, for the well being of their fellow countrymen.

Clean Cars

I would challenge you to try to find a dirty car in Tokyo.  There may be a few dirty cars, but 99% of the cars look freshly polished and waxed.  It's amazing the amount of pride that Japanese show in all that they do.  The cars are one aspect, but a larger area is how they carry themselves in their workplaces.  I've never seen individuals who show as much pride as they do.  From the way they dress, to the way they act, I see the pride they show in their job and position clearly displayed.  Japanese want to do their best, and take great pride in their work.

Respect

One thing that has been striking to me since I've been here is the culture of respect.While out to a meal, we saw this displayed quite clearly.  Things such as serving the eldest at the table first has been ingrained in their way of life.  Individuals show respect to their elders and also to each other, and it contrasts quite starkly with the American way of life.  Too often we as Americans get wrapped up in what we are doing, and don't take the time to show respect.  We could learn a lot from the Japanese in this area.

Walks and Cars

Day 2 was quite the adventure.  Due to the transition to the different time change, everyone in our hotel room found they were awake by 5am.  We had a meeting with Jetro at 9am, so we had quite a bit of time to kill.  Jane, Joe and I took off for a long walk around the city, in search of breakfast and to view the scenery.    It was surprising to see how shutdown the city was in the early morning.  Even the coffee places were closed until 7am.  So after tromping around the city for a couple hours, the coffee places finally opened, and we were able to get our morning fix.   Also along the walk, I was excited to see another Nissan Skyline, this time it was the R33 model.  Later on the day I came across a very nice looking Nissan Skyline R34, and Nissan Silvia.  I’ve been able to see most of the cars I wanted to see, and I’ve only been here a couple days. I haven’t been able to get any good photographs though which is disappointing, but there is still time!  Speaking of cars, a few of us stumbled across a Aston Martin dealership here too.  The sales people were surprisingly nice, and let us open the car doors and climb in behind the wheel.  Sitting behind the wheel of a $200,000+ vehicle was quite amazing, and I wanted to sit in it for much longer than I did. I'll still dream of squeezing that suede covered steering wheel again, years from now.

Day 1 Cont

We touched down in the Japanese International Airport around 4AM Eastern Standard time, which was about 5PM in Japan.   After making it through customs without any issues, we waited briefly in the lobby of the airport.  Before we hopped on the bus to our hotel, I was able to see my first Japanese bathroom.  With motorized sliding doors, and many many more buttons than seemed neccesary, I was able to successfully navigate it.  I see now what they were saying about the large about of electronics here, which are used in many many areas.
On the bus ride from the Airport, we were able to see some of the city as we came into the downtown area.  I was excited to see my tuner car while on the ride.  It was a modified Nissan FairladyZ33, which is also known as the 350z in America.  Sadly I wasnt able to snap a picture fast enough, but I'll be keeping my eyes open for other cars while I'm here, and hopefully visit an Auto Tuning shop or two.  Later on in the evening I was able to see my first Skyline here.  It was a sleek looking black Nissan Skyline R32 VSpecII, a beautiful all-wheel drive, twin turbo car which was never offered in Japan.
First experience with Japanese food!  We were lead to Ramen Noodle house by Paul and Keiko, and were able to enjoy some Ramen.  For about 800 yen, I was able to have a large bowl of Ramen with some marinated pork in it.   I dont know if it's becuase i'm hungry while writing this, but i'm already craving more of that tasty ramen.

Day 1 - travel

Far to early of a morning, as we hop on the flight at 5:53am in Bangor. It's rainy and dark, but it does little to dampen our moods. It's a short flight to New York, actually the layover in New York was longer than the flight to New York. Playing cards helps the time pass, while we wait to board the plane for the long flight from New York to Japan.