The Good, the Bad, and the Tasty

So when my iPOD alarm turned on this morning it was in the middle of a Japanese song from the Persona 4 anime that goes “don’t be afraid of making mistakes that may be your greatest rival.”  What are the odds?  Well, I would certainly need this advice today as we started our official outings in Kyoto that started with an orientation in only Japanese.  It was quite daunting, and I could only pick up bits and pieces of what was said.  I was really worried about missing something vital, so I resigned myself to spending a good deal of the night with my denshi jisho (Japanese to English electronic dictionary) translating. 

But, anyway, I know you all are waiting for some great pictures and info on the area and of course the eating scene. 

The Good

So, first of all, Kyoto is pretty easy to navigate.  The city was modeled after Chang’an, an ancient capital of China, so it follows a grid pattern unlike many other Japanese cities.  It just so happens that the old imperial palace is across the street from Doshisha University where I will be studying, and I hear this is a great place to go jogging (which I intend to try out tomorrow before checkout).  This happens to be not only an beautifully preserved relic of Kyoto’s ancient past, but it is also where the Emperor of Japan stays when he visits the city.  In fact, foreigners can show their passport inside the palace and schedule an inside tour of this estate, BUT this tour is not available to Japanese residents!  What an amazing opportunity! 

  There is so much to do here, and Buddhist temples are interspersed between businesses and convenience stores along all the roads.  There must be at least 50 temples in this city at least.

It’s amazing how easy it is to get everywhere by walking or bike.  Of course there are trains and subways also.  We were given an unlimited pass in fact while we are in the apartments, but when you visit you can also purchase passes for days or weeks that are inexpensive.  Of course, before you come to Japan you can also purchase a JR Rail Pass (only available to foreigners).  For less than the cost of a trip on the Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo, you can get a pass that lets you ride on tons of trains, busses, ferries, and even bullet trains for a consecutive time period (7-21 days).   BENRI is the word, which means convenient, and Japan certainly embodies this.  For instance, Doshisha University not only has the traditional amenities of a college, it even has a yukata (summer kimono) shop for the very reasonable price of 6,800 yen (about $70 US).

It’s also easy to make friends.  I sat next to an old man on the express train today and struck up a conversation about sightseeing and Japanese religion (come on its me guys).  He actually gave me his business card before leaving with a big smile and a “Sayonara, Amanda-san.”  I found that lots of the other students had the same experience, resulting in new contacts, cool trinkets, and lots of interesting conversation.

The Bad

We had a security briefing today with the American Consulate and were given some very pertinent but disturbing information about police procedures here.  Let’s just say whatever you do don’t get in trouble.  The police here can hold you for a period of 28 days before they have to press charges, which means if you are involved in some kind of incident or even suspected, you could sit in prison for almost an entire month before they have to do anything including letting you talk to a lawyer.  Here, you are guilty until proven innocent, and you don’t want to sign anything they hand you without a lawyer/interpreter as it is probably a “confession.”  Apparently, this has happened a lot. 

It can be difficult to stay safe on the street… or rather the sidewalk.  Really, the cars are the least of your worries.  As you walk down the sidewalk, bikes zip past you from either side.  You really have to watch when you turn the corner and make sure you walk as straight as possible.  I must have nearly gotten clipped several times today trying to maintain a group formation with my peers.

Lastly, it’s hot as hell and muggy to boot, but as long as you remember to keep hydrated, you’ll be fine.  Unfortunately I realize now why the program guide said to bring a ton of shirts.

The Tasty

I’ve had some questions about how to find food cheaply.  It’s really not hard but you do have to sort of scout around, but you don’t have to go too far.  On campus, the cafeteria sells many different dishes for between $2-5 US dollars with a free drink to boot!  Anybody can walk in and order—you don’t have to have a college ID.  Today, I had kakiagi udon (udon noodles with tempura fried vegetables) for about $2.30 and only 80 calories.  Extremely interesting is that all the receipts at the cafeteria include the number of calories your meal is as well as all its nutritional values. 

On the streets, a donburi stand is never too far away.  There are a ton of places to eat and shop that are really reasonable.  Tonight, I found a little hole in the wall restaurant that also has a take out window where you can order yakisoba dishes that they will make fresh right in front of you.  Now, tonight I ordered one that cost 890 yen, about $9 US, but it was well worth it and I was starving.  They also had plenty of meals for about $4-5, and the portion size is generous. 

If you are in a hurry and have a microwave, you can always head to the local 7-Eleven or other conbini, which has a number of premade meals and even bento lunches.  You can also grab a notebook for school, toiletries, a cold drink (I have to try this Golden Pineapple beer!) and some Pocky.

I also managed to find a small grocery store and was very pleased with the selection and prices.  Vegetables are cheaper than the US, although fruit can be a little pricier.  I can get two small cuts of salmon for just $2 US or slices of beef or chicken for about $4-5.

In Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to explore and walk up and down a few streets to get the best deal.  You’ll find some gem in the rough that way.  Since many restaurants have picture menus, if you can’t speak the language, you can just point to what you want.  I’m so glad I found that little Yakisoba store.  The guys behind the counter were all smiles and extremely helpful, and I think I might just become a regular.  Everything here is super convenient, just don’t break any laws and Japan is nearly a paradise.

I leave you hopefully looking forward to my next entry about Hyaku-en shops (The Japanese "Dollar" Store).  And please enjoy this interesting video clip below.  Apparently, there is a van that randomly drives around all day dawning the Emperor's seal and blaring the National Anthem.