A Trip Back in Time

  Tokyo, Japan
Friday, February 9, 2007

Due to Japan's love for National Holidays, I had a 3 day weekend in February and decided to visit Tokyo at the last minute.  I flew from Kobe's new (and sparkly) domestic airport to Tokyo on Friday and instantly rediscovered my love for the city.  Tokyo is beautiful, vibrant, and has so much to offer.  I smiled as I rode a packed train full of people being silent (instead of the usual Kansai jabber); I laughed to myself as I waited in line for 10 minutes just to buy a train ticket in Shinjuku.  I stared in awe at the TV screens both on the sides of buildings and in the trains- a luxury that Kobe does not offer.  Oh, it was home sweet home.

Crowded Streets

 
I spent my time in Tokyo meeting up with friends and family.  On Friday I met Tsukina for coffee, and Akiko for drinks.  I stayed at Sasha's apartment in Heiwadai where her and her boyfriend took good care of me.  On Saturday our friend Shoota and his friend Yuuki took us to an amazing new onsen near Disney Land.  It was huge and had soooo much to offer.  Imagine the Dells- but with hot springs instead of water slides.  There were a number of different baths: salt, soda, mud, purple (not sure what that one was), baths with caves, baths with views, even an Eskimo steam bath.  The majority of the baths were outside and unisex so everyone wore swimsuits there.  Then there were private baths for men and women inside that were more typical.
 
In addition to the hot springs there was an entire world of entertainment.  One could put on her yukata (traditional Japanese robe) and enjoy the other areas when not bathing (there were rooms for sleeping, rooms for massages, rooms with reclining chairs and personal TVs, rooms with internet, arcades, restaurants, bars, etc.)
 
We went late at night so we were able to enjoy the sitting in the hot springs under the stars.  It was extremely beautiful and relaxing.  I hope to find a similar place in Kansai to take any family or friends who come to visit.  It was by far the best part of my entire weekend- and maybe the best thing I've done in Japan since I came last August.
 
On Sunday I met up with my host sister Fusae and her daughter Yuri (from the first host family I lived with) and we went out for lunch at a classy restaurant, and then went shopping. 

Mother and Daughter

Fusae and Yuri are both very proper elegant women and I felt of quite high class roaming around the ritzy shopping areas in Omotesando with these beautiful women.
 
Later in the day I went out to Hirai to meet up with my second host family.  We drove out to watch Miho (the 10 year old daughter) figure skate.  She has been taking lessons this year and can skate quite well.  Afterwards we all went to a family restaurant for dinner.  It was quite a different experience than lunch with the Hanedas but I had a blast.  Koota (the boy who was a baby when I lived with them) has grown into quite the rascal.  He had no trouble latching on to me and loved to be tickled and have his picture taken. 

How Cute Am I?

  His sister Miho was her typical shy self and held back a lot more- but by the end of the night we were all hanging out like old times in the back of the car singing along to BINGO and the Hokey Pokey.  Koota is so young that he can repeat the English phrases perfectly-without a Japanese accent.  It was adorable. 
 
The entire family was adorable.  Junko and Hiroyuki had endless questions about what I have done over the past three years and how things are going in Kobe.  They wanted to know how my family was doing and enjoyed hearing about Wisconsin.  Miho, though shy, kept sneaking peeks at me and eventually left her mother's side and came to sit by me during dinner.  I enjoyed their presence so much and was reminded of how well I had it off in Tokyo. 

Uranishi Family

 
 
I'm enjoying my freedom in Kobe but I really miss having a Japanese host family to return to at night.  I miss eating dinner with them, and hearing about Miho's day at school.  I miss watching Junko mother her two children, and everyone just being so human.  Living with a host family showed me things that I'd never notice on the streets. 
 
Dad always said our family should try to be more like the Amish, because you know the Amish don't yell and fight at home.  Mom's comment was, 'have you ever been in an Amish home?'  To me the Uranishi family (my second host family) was my eyes to the world.  They showed me that a Japanese family is just like an American family.  Miho was sometimes jealous of the attention Kota received, but she looked after him just the same and kept him from danger when Junko wasn't there.  Miho and Hiroyuki played piano duets in the early weekend mornings to wake everyone up, and Junko put endless energy into cooking every day but enjoyed watching a Japanese drama to unwind at night- where I occasionally saw tears spring to her eyes when the story was sad.  Meeting the Uranishis for dinner reminded me how much I miss all of this.  Hopefully I will do a better job of keeping in touch, and perhaps we can meet up this summer when they come to Kansai to visit Hiroyuki's parents.