A Brief Visit to Akihabara, Tokyo

First published: 14 Jun 2012

Akihabara had a lot to live up to.

A rainy day in Akihabara. Not particularly scenic!


Yakiniku!

One of the most famous divisions of Tokyo, it's name is synonymous with the neo-geek culture which is so fetishised by many Japan enthusiasts (the "otaku") internationally. This is the heart of Japan's manga, gaming and robot / hi-tech culture, filled with maid cafes and infamous for it's head-splittingly awful (and gargantuan) band 'AKB48' (if you don't know who they are, you've clearly never been to Japan).

A handful of the AKB48 crew. There's 48 of them, apparently.

I can't say they're my particular cup of tea...
(although this is definitely worth seeing!)

For Rainer and I, who would be staying overnight on our travel home from Tohoku, the change would be even more pronounced due to having just spent a week volunteering in a disaster zone. Unfortunately, Danny would be unable to continue travelling with us, as he needed to swiftly return home in order to fly off to Hong Kong with his girlfriend very shortly.

Rainer and I hadn't actually made any formal travel arrangements, beyond a vague "shall we go" / "mayhaps" discussion. Towards the end of the week, we were uncertain that we'd even be able to make it; we were just too exhausted from our work throughout the week. However, our fellow volunteers Michihiro and Yutaka - two Japanese friends we'd made during our time in Tohoku - happened to live in Akihabara, and invited us to meet them during our travel home. Having a new reason to go, we decided to do so.

Richard Gere promotes Orangina on the train to Akihabara station.

 

 An excited Rainer discovers a

Soy Joy machine at Akihabara station.

Having left Ishinomaki that morning and travelling on the Shinkansen from Sendai, Rainer and I had separated from Danny and arrived in Tokyo just after midday. Unfortunately, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, and as we made our way to Akihabara station, the floodgates had opened. The weather wasn't just raining, but blowing heavy gusts of wind as well; almost storm like in nature. And it was growing. Yet immediately, stepping outside at Akihabara station, the character of the place was overwhelming; manga posters draped every surface, while the outside area was filled with arcades, flashing lights and assistants handing out flyers for maid cafes.

Shifting manga posters on LCD screens dominate Akihabara station.

Rainer and I shared two opposing reactions; the first: "wow", the second: "find shelter! Now!". Yet, without having made any formal arrangements for accommodation, we presently had nowhere to drop our bags and hide.

The home of AKB48; an inescapable presence throughout Japan.

We settled for a back-up plan; running to the Gundam Cafe situated just outside the station, and pitching down for lunch. We battled our way through the storm (and past the notorious AKB48 Cafe, located right next door), and huddled under the entrance shelter while we waited to get in. After a few cold moments in the rain, we were inside.

Woah...

Now... I don't know much about Gundam. When I was a teenager, I used to watch the Gundam Wing series on Toonami back in the UK, and while I loved it, I didn't follow it obsessively or follow the story arc as a whole. I just liked seeing the cool robots. Something the Gundam Cafe had in spades. There were hundreds of these things.

...ROBOTS!!

The whole place was incredible; rather modest in size, but aesthetically, every aspect had been tinkered to parade the Gundam brand (even the toilets!). A massive TV directly in the centre displayed various clips from the anime series, as well as small behind-the-scenes documentaries of the inner workings at the Bandai factory where the toys are made. It was all a bit overwhelming, yet incredibly impressive.

The detail stemmed right down to the menu design.

Check out the detail on that carrot!
This place is legit.

We spent a great deal of time just sitting and taking in our surroundings. This was definitely preferable to the alternative, though, which was treading through the flowing waters outside. Before long, though, I had spent far too much money in the gift shop (on ceramic souvenir plates and hi-ball glasses, no less), and we were back on the streets - the weather still not letting up - in search of accommodation for the evening. With only an iPhone Maps App and a 3G signal as our guide, we navigated our way to a small hotel named 'Hotel Friend', where we found a room with two beds at a decent rate. Naturally, we chilled (and - as it happens - discussed our grievances with and discussed alternatives for the plot of the recently re-released 'The Phantom Menace').

After a prolonged rest (and a much-needed shower), we headed back in to a now thankfully rain-free town to catch up with Michiro and Yutaka.

We found our compatriots next to the station area, and despite having worked heavily throughout the last week, they seemed in good spirits and already revitalized. It turned out we were going to be joined by some more faces from INJM, including Chie and Mina (two local Akihabara girls and friends of our hosts), Eugene and Ayami (two of the folks in charge!), and Kayleigh (a British skiing instructor who was in her last week in depart Japan). Additionally, it had transpired that the legendary Alasdair Adams (fellow Scotsman and occasional star of these blog posts) happened to be in Tokyo and free that evening. A few swift text messages and we were making plans to meet him in the evening. Outstanding. For an unplanned trip, this was definitely coming together.

After recruiting Eugene and Ayami, we headed for the famous Yodabashi-Camera store. Rainer and I had already popped in for a brief look during the afternoon, but we'd only looked at iPads (and been horrified by the Star Wars Kinect game that was on display outside). Michiro was insistent; we had to see the upstairs areas, where toys and video-games were paraded en masse. I honestly wasn't anticipating what I was about to see...

 

 

Distinctly Japanese toys at Yodobashi-Camera.

It blew my mind. This place was huge. Several stories towered high and wide, packed to the brim with eccentric niche goods and gadgets. Nothing could have prepared me for the wealth on offer here; ranging from video-games and kid's toys to telescopes and camera lenses (and, of course, a heck of a lot more Gundam merchandise). I was in heaven.

I was particularly taken with an iPhone Dog...

There was so much to look at and investigate, that I found it hard to resist stopping at almost everything. However, hunger was beginning to creep up on everyone, and we left all too quickly. I settled for purchasing an Ultraman toy as my souvenir.

Next stop was yaki-niku at the Gyu-Kaku restaurant in a massive building by the station plastered with SEGA branding. If you remember from my first (rather lengthy!) blog post about Japanese food, you'll remember how much I raved about yaki-niku restaurants - essentially a form of indoor BBQ with flame-cooking at your own table. This was the first time I'd had a social yakiniku in a long time, as well as my first time at the Gyu-Kaku chain; apparently, it's rather famous across Japan and a few countries, but until had somehow gone completely unnoticed by myself! Much kudos to Ayami, who happened to be a vegetarian...

It was a good meal, with good company.

 

Dinner-time fun. From left to right;

Rainer Wessels, Takahashi Michihiro, Yutaka Iioka, Mina Kemmisaki,

Chie Aida, Eugene Amigo and Ayami Sasas.

Ayami enjoys a selection of fried vegetables, whilst

Eugene apparently enjoys the scent of chopsticks.

What would a meal in Japan be without

a bowl of rice in accompaniment?

We met Alasdair directly outside the restaurant, looking suave and in good spirits; top form, as per usual. At the girl's insistence, of course, we had to stop for a purikura moment.

 

I actually really like this photo. Note: Alasdair was not

actually part of the INJM team despite having the banner

positioned directly above his head!

After collecting Kayleigh Rumblelow (and her delightful Northern English accent) from the train station, it was time for drinks. Surprisingly, for a place of Akihabara's reputation, this proved to be much more difficult than initially anticipated. Most of the bars in Akihabara were shutting surprisingly early for a Saturday. I couldn't help but feel like we must have been missing a trick, but regardless, we made our way to a small 'British' pub where we sat outside for evening beveridges.

Sitting outside a 'British' pub in Akihabara. Relaxing, but

I'm certain there's a much more eccentric nightlife hidden nearby.

Alasdair and I were up for having a big night, and were determined to find a venue that would accomodate us. Everyone else, however, was beginning to wear down and feel a need to call it a night. Eventually, after a few fond goodbyes, the group whittled down to just myself, Alasdair and Kayleigh. Not even Rainer, whom I'd spent an entire week working in the trenches with, felt inclined to unwind with a few more drinks. It had been great to see all of our fellow volunteers again, and I was sorry that they wouldn't be with us for the rest of the evening.

Still, onwards!

We settled on sitting in an izikaya and drinking until four - not a bad decision, but certainly one that induced a sense of lethargy the following morning! Saying our goodbyes, I navigated myself back to the hotel with a dying iPhone battery and a dawning realisation that Rainer was an early riser.

And so it was, that waking up the next morning with a refreshed Rainer set the seize the day, I forced myself out of bed.

---

After a revitalising breakfast / coffee combination at Starbucks (a company and a brand that has never let me down), Rainer and I had only two things on the agenda; the first, was to return to Yodobashi-Camera and indulge in more of the previous evening's eccentricities, whilst the second was to visit 'Mandarake' - a retailer lauded as the largest manga store in the world (!).

 

 Manga: everywhere.

The weather was beautiful, and the streets were busy and vibrant, with a wealth of foreign tourists parading the streets. The maids were out in full force on the street, offering leaflets in their uniforms to rustle up trade. Incredibly, the streets had been closed and people walked openly across the ground. I was mesmerized by the amount of people walking around, and stopped to take a video:

Our return to Yodabashi-Camera went as expected, although this time I had an opportunity to indulge in my love of tripods and camera lenses, as well as play some of the Nintendo 3DS titles on display (turns out MGS3: Snake Eater doesn't work so well on a handheld!). Rainer picked up a strange set of magnetic steel balls that rolled around into different shapes, while I felt at home walking amongst all of the retro gaming titles and just roaming the aisles. It truly is a remarkable place, and well worth a visit for anyone in Akihabara.

Big demo booths in Yodabashi-Camera.

This guy must have been having a blast.

After popping through a few electronics retailers - Akihabara was full of PC hardware for sale! - we arrived at Mandarake. We actually waited in the wrong queue for the opening, as it turned out we were in the returns entrance. An entrance just for people who wanted to return items? What sort of place was this?! As it turned out, a spectacular one.

 A TRON mouse?!

Akihabara, I love you.

Anime advertising in every nook and cranny; here, an

anime girl gives instructions on how to install ASUS hardware.

Retro SEGA joy.

Mandarake was huge. Similar to Yodabashi-Camera in size - but not space (it was claustrophobic!) - every floor was filled with manga, video-games and toys. It certainly seemed worthy of it's reputation as the premier manga store; the window was full of old, archaic editions that looked like it was from very long ago. indeed.Of particular note was the starting discovery of a floor dedicated entirely to "adult" material, which happened to be filled with consumers, and a floor dedicated entirely to toys on the upper floor (where Terminators and Aliens sat side-by-side with Gundams and obscure-anime models).

For myself, the biggest surprise came on the gaming floor; a horde of Sega Saturn titles, all waiting to be purchased. I was elated; one of my ambitions when coming to Japan was to pick up a Japanese Sega Saturn, having always loved my European edition. Here was a good chunk of the titles I wanted right here. Buying as many as I could afford, I reluctantly left knowing so many more were being left behind (don't worry; I've since picked up the console in Japan courtesy of private sellers on the Japanese Amazon!).

Finally, after a cheap and easy lunch at the train station (chicken katsudon), we began a relaxing journey back to Kagawa. It felt like a very long time indeed since we'd last seen it, leaving over a week prior for our volunteering trip to Tohoku. I recall indulging in the luxuries of the Shinkansen food cart (coffee and snacks), and feeling relieved to know I'd be sleeping in my own bed again that night.

Akihabara was cool, but our stay had felt incredibly brief. We had only spent around 24 hours there, and there was so much more to see and do by reputation (for example, just what is up with these maid cafes?). Still, I got a taste for the place, and was enthralled by it. I'm looking forward to the inevitable return visit.

The good news is - thanks to our time in Tohoku with our fellow volunteers - I now have good friends there to go back to.

Thanks, guys.

Volunteering in Tohoku - Part One: 'INJM' & Arriving in Ishinomaki

First published: 8 May 2012

Disclaimer: Please note that quite a few of these images were lifted from multiple sources. I didn't take enough photographs during my time in Ishinomaki, so while some of these photos are my own, I sure didn't take all of them!

 It's Not Just Mud! With the volunteers in Ishinomaki, Tohoku.

Rainer and I are on the left, while Dan is fourth from the right.

 On site in Tohoku!

The labour-intensive first day; already I look done in.

Around 7am on March 25th 2012, after an overnight bus from Shinjuku, my party and I arrived in Ishinomaki to begin our week of volunteer work in Tohoku, in the areas affected by the March 11th tsunami and earthquake last year.

Unless you were living under a rock, you'll know that the North East of Japan was struck by a devastating earthquake on March 11th. It was one of the worst disasters in the country's history, with thousands either killed or still missing. The event also caused an ongoing crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant and many other nuclear sites; a meltdown risk and the threat of radioation leaking into the environment. While earthquakes in this country are a regular occurrence, and tsunamis not unknown (the word tsunami, of course, being directly sourced from the Japanese language), the scale of this particular disaster was frightening. For all of it's technological development and dense infrastructure, it was a stark reminder of just how supsceptible Japan truly is to nature.

Sourced from a Google Image search; The tsunami at Tohoku.

The damaged streets on the coast of Shizugawa, Miyagi.

This area was almost completely flattened by the tsunami.

It was an event that turned all of the world's eyes onto Japan. I remember when I first heard of the event, as I was driving home from camera opping on a television shoot in Edinburgh. The news of an earthquake in Japan came through the radio as we travelled home; an immediate concern, as at the time I was hoping to move to Japan on the JET programme. When I arrived home and turned on the television, I remember feeling numb as I saw the images of the colossal tsunami wave ripping apart a country I so deeply admired. It was a horrifying moment, and one which deeply affected me.

Luckily, the international community was quick and resilient in it's aid efforts (with particular praise going to the Americans on this one, I must say!), and it wasn't long before the immediate crisis dissipated. Regardless, a lot of work remains to be done within the Tohoku region. Coming to Japan, I knew immediately that one of the first things I simply had to do was volunteer my services. While I'd struggled to find the time during my first six months in Japan, I returned from my Christmas visit to Scotland determined to fulfil what I felt was an important duty.

My chosen volunteer organisation; 'It's Not Just Mud'.

I had opted to volunteer with the organisation 'It's Not Just Mud' (AKA. INJM), based in Ishinomaki, appealed to me for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the first-hand accounts I had heard from other JETs through their blogs and vlogs (particularly this one) had made a great impression on me. I had originally tried to apply to volunteer with Peace Boat, though I found the administration difficult to overcome and the fixed timelines for volunteering made it difficult for me to find a time slot that would suit my schedule. INJM offered flexibility - any dates could be acceptable with notice. Recruiting my travel companions Rainer Wessels and Danny Blackwell, our party of three registered and promptly purchased an array of protective goggles, workboots, thermal clothing, gloves, and other gear we reckoned we'd require (I also picked up a lovely blue jumpsuit to wear over my clothes... which proved to be lovely, warm, and lovely again). A few short weeks later, and we arrived.


I'll take a moment to talk about my volunteering companions in more detail...

Rainer Wessels; South African gent and engineer-turned-ALT.

He's no stranger to the pages of this blog.

Rainer Wessels has been a recurring name throughout this blog. A South African who formally worked as an engineer after graduating, Rainer came to Japan in search of new experiences and a change of scenery (though don't ask me why - I've been to South Africa, and it's beautiful!). Rainer has become one of my closest friends here in Japan and has been a frequent travel companion; he was very keen indeed to leap at the chance to volunteer in Tohoku. As it happens, his engineering skills came in incredibly handy - he was quickly promoted to work as our sub-team's leader on our workdays! I certainly think he enjoyed it.

Danny Blackwell! One of England's finest exports.

Seen here sporting his finest catalogue pose (photo by me!).

Danny Blackwell is a fellow Brit from England; a UK ex-pat who has travelled between countries in various teaching jobs for several years. Dan impressed me immediately with not only his Japanese proficiency but his fluency in Spanish (for anyone interested, he maintains a YouTube channel where he uploads videos of himself performing Spanish songs on his guitar). Having lived in Japan for a few years as an ALT, he will shortly be on his way to Argentina to indulge in his love of the Spanish language whilst studying for a Masters course. Dan is a fascinating guy who is no stranger to volunteer work, having worked recently with an organisation in Peru. His enthusiasm to participate thrilled me; I'd been waiting for an opportunity to chat to Danny at length, as I really wanted to get to know him better; he'd always struck me as such an interesting guy, and I was pleased to finally have a chance to spend more time with him.

We were all fairly tired upon arrival; the overnight bus had been reasonably comfortable but, of course, not as accomodating as a warm bed (or - indeed - a futon!). Awaking some time in the early morning due to a noticeable drop in temperature, I tried to doze in the chilly bus but just couldn't get myself back to sleep. My body protested heavily as I forced myself outside to the brisk air. It was cold, I was tired, and the last thing I wanted to do was fetch and carry my luggage for the week (which, of course, was exactly what I knew I needed to do). With a felllow group of volunteers, we waited by the collection point and were greeted by a quiet Frenchman named Yannick, who tightly packed us into his 4x4. After a bit of shuffling, we were ready to go.

The first impressions I had of Ishinomaki was that the town seemed to be in perfectly working order. Standing next to the bus stop where we'd come in, complete with it's fully functioning combini and vending machines, I could see no visible signs of the effects of the tsunami, and assumed that Ishinomaki was - for the most part - essentially back in working order. It felt like we could have been anywhere in Japan. Many of our party seemed to feel the same, as the tone was light as we made our acquaintances and began our drive through the streets. For the most part, the surrounding streets gave the same impression - a regular town, just slightly dull from the grey skies and cold. However, as we continued on our pathway through the city, the tone began to shift dramatically. The buildings and houses began to be either damaged and boarded up or outright ruined, eventually giving way to large patches of open area where only the foundations remained. Restoration work was ongoing on every side, with fully operational homes and businesses juxtaposed with dented shutters and green nets raised to catch falling debris. As we passed over a bridge, a giant stack of abandoned cars lay crushed by the side of the water.

We had entered Yannick's car feeling jovial and chatty; now, we were all silent, simply observing all of the damage around us. It was a sobering experience; a vast contrast from the luxury Rainer and I had experienced only hours before in the Keio Plaza Hotel. The reason for our visit was reiterated; Tohoku was still recovering, and though the eyes of the world's media have shifted elsewhere, there was still much work to be done.

From the INJM Facebook page; The front door of Casa INJM.

We arrived at the INJM base just before 8am, where we unloaded our luggage and swiftly changed into our work gear for the day. There was no time to shower, but given that the day would undoubtedly be work-heavy and sweaty, this didn't seem like much of a concern. INJM operates entirely from two houses that have been converted for their purpose following the tsunami. These houses were originally considered for demolition due to the damage they'd sustained, but INJM managed to acquire these locations and convert them into lodgings and a base for their volunteer activities. The houses were basic - with lots of damage to them - but certainly functional. The boys and girls were generally kept in two seperate houses. Needless to say, the girls got the house that's complete with electricity and lighting (our house had an extension flex with a few sockets, and a single bulb with a pull-cord hanging on the ceiling!).

 Dan prepares to bunk down in our accomodation for the week.

It got rather cold during the evenings.

The main house offers a vast kitchen and lounge space (complete with kettle!), as well as shower and clothes-washing facilities - it all felt very homely indeed. The One of the most notable near-institutionalised procedures was the evening trip to the local onsen (a great way to clean up and avoid taking up the showers). Additionally, dinner was served every evening to volunteers at a set time, with everyone sitting around tables in a style not unlike family dinners. Ample bedding was also provided (a necessity given the fact that we didn't have much heating!) - there were lots of futons and blankets provided for all of the boys in our quarters (I myself slept under 7 layers just to keep the cold out!). Waking up in the cold environment was always a pain, though, so generally we slept in our work-clothes for the next day, and relied upon evening showers to maintain a sense of being fresh. In actual fact, I know both Rainer and Danny were content not to shave during their time volunteering - I, however, insisted upon maintaining my good standards of personal grooming.

The daily schedule!

There was a genuinely wonderful community of volunteers, though certainly with a rapid turnover rate. Every day brought new faces, though I'm pleased to say they were generally all very pleasant ones. There were participants from all corners of the globe; many JETs and ALTs like myself, but also many native Japanese and individuals who had travelled from Malaysia, China, Scotland(!), America, Australia... it truly felt like an international community had united in their support for Tohoku. Many friendships and acquaintances were swiftly made before individuals quickly moved on. The INJM management were always moving around and chatting to the volunteers, too - it all felt very welcoming, with a supportive community environment.

 Dinner time! Enjoying a home-cooked meal

with many other INJM volunteers.

Participants took it in turn to voluntarily wash dishes and cook meals... I think, on reflection, this intimacy may be what gives INJM such a great reputation; it feels like there's a genuine connection and affection between it's leaders and it's participants, which allows it to thrive. I doubt many other organisations would give it's members this level of responsibility and such a comfortable environment to house them, along with the opportunity to enjoy a schedule which suits them. It really is a unique approach, and one which is easily accessible and accomodating. It's no surprise that there is a high rate of return volunteers, who keep coming back to offer more of their time for the cause.

 The INJM lounge!

 ...and a low-res / blurry shot, taken on my iPhone 4. Oh dear.

We were offered free breakfast in the lounge area(toast with an impressively wide variety of toppings), and were greeted by a whirlwind of fresh faces that we'd never seen before that appeared to have formed a small little community. We were greeted and welcomed by many of our fellow volunteers, and were rapidly assigned our task for the day with Trevor, one of the on-site leaders and a Canadian. We were to be working at the site of a new playground which would open on the following Saturday. It would be our job to transform the ground of concrete and stone into a child-safe environment, and to finish constructing the playhouse that would be mounted there.

This sounded like a great first project to get involved with; there are far worse ways to volunteer your time than to bring joy to some local children who've endured a great deal of hardship.

As the team popped on borrowed red-and-yellow jumpsuits (with myself sporting my blue variety for the first time), we climbed into Trevor's car and trundled along the road to our first day of work.

Purikura in Hiroshima?!

First published: 4 Apr 2012

As I previously mentioned, Taylor was rather insistent upon getting some purikura shots during our time in Hiroshima despite my reluctance. A certified purikura virgin, I was speechless to what I was confronted with.

Here is the full set in all of their glory, complete with my sarcastic expressions.

I have to admit, they are kinda cool.

Mum & Dad visit Takamatsu!

First published: 29 Jan 2012

November time, and one of the highlights of my time in Japan thus far. My parents decided to pay me a visit at my new home in Takamatsu!

My parents... in Japan! Meet my mother (Anne) and father (Alistair).

The timing might seem a little bit strange; after all, I was going to be going home for Christmas anyway - for three weeks, in fact! - so why the rush to come in November? Well, in actuality, I hadn't decided I would be coming home for Christmas until after my family had already booked this holiday. So, of course, I ended up with a pretty good back-to-back set of reunions! Not bad, eh?

Konnichi-wa!

So, for ten days, I had my parents back! Which was a wonderful feeling. I've always had a very close relationship with them, and as they'd never visited Japan (or Asia!) before in their lives, I was thrilled at the opportunity to give them an impression of the place.

We made a decision early on that for this trip, we'd stick almost exclusively to Takamatsu and the surrounding area, so that they could get a feel for my new home. Interestingly enough, while I'd noticed it getting colder in Japan since I'd arrived, my parent's found it incredibly warm!

Somewhat ironically, Scotland was meant to have had the hottest November on record while they were here. Oh dear.

My parents drinking matcha in Ritsurin-Koen (garden)...

...unfortunately, it didn't go down so well.

A couple of teething problems; (1) My parents don't speak any Japanese whatsover, and (2) My parents can't use chopsticks.

All all.

I knew this was going to be difficult... and I wasn't wrong!

Things actually got off to a slightly disappointing start; on the day my parents arrived, my school insisted I visit the hospital as I was feeling very under the weather. I visited the school nurse to attempt to procure paracetamol, but; alas! I was rushed off to the local hospital instead (my first visit to a Japanese hospital!).

I was diagnosed with influenza, given a set of unusual Japanese tablets the like of which I'd never seen before. Immediately upon leaving, I headed into town to see my parents for the first time in months. Arriving perfectly on time (!), the first they saw of me was with one of the infamous white masks seen all over Asia. For the next couple of days, I struggled with a high fever and the symptoms of influenza (including having to take a full sick day off of work!), which slightly got in the way of our reunion. Luckily, by mid-week I was much, much healthier, and we still managed to make the most of the time we did have on those first few days.

Dad enjoys the island views of the Seito Inland Sea.

First up was a trip to Ritsurin Koen (garden!). People who've read my earlier posts will remember that I've already visited this garden, and being one of my favourite places in Takamatsu, it was a prime first-stop for my parents. They were absolutely blown away by what they saw. A beautiful stroll and a spot of R&R at the tea house. Unfortunately, my parents weren't the biggest fans of any of the green tea they tried in Japan.

 Mum surverys the bonsai display in Ritsurin Garden.

The next day was a bit of a flop, due to my illness worsening. We attempted to head to Mt. Yashima by cable car but were stunned to discover the service was no longer in operation - having been shut down years ago! Dismayed, we heading back to Takamatsu and spent the evening shopping in the areas around Kawaramachi-station and the Shotengai, but as I started to feel incredibly tired we called it a night for some rest.

This should have been our first clue that

the cable car was no longer in service...

I ended up spending the next day completely bed-ridden, but thankfully my parents popped round to make sure I was okay - even bringing me a weeks supply of shopping from my local supermarket! Honestly, when I was feeling so badly, I was incredibly grateful to have my parents around to support me.

My parents take in the atmosphere of Ritsurin Koen.

I think this is one of the most beautiful places in Takamatsu.

Feeding the Ritsurin koi.

A successful trip!

I was working all week in addition to the parents being around (having saved my holiday time for Christmas), but I'd pre-arranged to take Wednesday as a day-off (and of course, spent Monday as a sick day). I don't want to go into too much detail regarding our day-to-day itinerary (we'd be here a while if I did that!), but one of most notable events was the fantastic dinner we had with my fellow JETs.

 

 

 Dinner with the JETs! My parents ate Nabe and Sashimi...

and they actually enjoyed them! Hated sitting on their knees, though.

Heading into town on Wednesday evening, my parents had a chance to meet some of my fellow friends on the JET program and lay to rest any concerns regarding me being isolated in Japan. On the recommendation of Gary Wilkinson, we headed to a Nabe restaurant - my first time! Nabe is like a big Winter's broth; absolutely delicious, and great at warming you up in the cold Japanese Winter...

I'm pleased to report that my parent's actually enjoyed the food (!). and more importantly, they thoroughly enjoyed the company too. My friends have earned my parent's approval - always a good thing.

A view from Shodoshima.

We also headed into Shodoshima, to take a look at the beautiful olive gardens. Shodoshima is one of the islands in the Seito Inland Sea - only a short ferry ride from Sunport, Takamatsu. While maybe not as famous as the nearby Naoshima, it's a beautiful place with a great history - as well as a cable car ride (!) and a lovely Dutch windmill, completely separate from the rest of Japan in appearance. I treated my parent's to olive ice cream (delicious!) - though sadly, we ate it so fast that I forgot to take any pictures (this simply means a return visit for more is in order).

We were also treated to dinner by my friend Hiroko Tomozawa and her family. Despite having never met my family before, Hiroko invited us into her home with her friends and served us a beautiful dinner which included home-made takoyaki and kimchi. Hiroko also treated us to a performance on her Koto - a traditional Japanese instrument characterised by it's immense sound and distinctive oriental sound. Definitely one of the highlights of the trip; the generosity of Hiroko and her family was truly heartwarming.

Hiroko Tomozawa shows off her Koto abilities.

This huge, beautiful instrument was awe-inspiring to see.

On the weekend before my parents left Takamatsu, I was asked to work an extra day on Saturday - for only a couple of hours in the afternoon, to teach a demonstration class to the student's parents. The aim was to show the parents how we ran our English classes. In order to keep my parents' involved and to spend even more time with them, I invited them along to the class with Seki-sensei. Seki-sensei was so keen to have my parents involved, that he offered them a chance to participate in the class, with the students asking my parents questions! After a brief meeting with my Kocho-sensei (school principal), my parents were greeted warmly by the students. Enjoying the class immensely, I felt very priviliged to have had a rare opportunity to show my parents an insight to my 9-5.

Seki-sensei was incredibly grateful to have my parents involved, and so, on the last day before my parents left for Scotland, Seki-sensei offered to drive us to the summit of Mt. Yashima - where we had been unable to reach before.

We accepted, and it was fantastic.

My parents and Seki-Sensei explore Mt. Yashima.

A stunning example of traditional Japanese architecture,

from the peak of Mt. Yashima. Also; a tanuki on the right!

I mentioned that I'd been to Mt. Yashima before, though the last time had been with the JETs and, sadly, sunset had prevented us from getting to really look around the shrines and temples at the peak of the mountain. This time, Seki-sensei offered us a chance to get to the top without walking (!). It was thrilling to see these beautiful, historical buildings in radiant sunshine, and to really show my parents some of the heart and culture from Japan's history.

Mum discovers a new instrument, made by chiming rocks.

It's exactly like a xylophone - with rocks!

We were incredibly lucky - whilst stopping for a coffee, we stumbled upon a Japanese Biwa performance! The Japanese Biwa is another classic Japanese instrument, with a very sad but distinctive sound. We stayed for all of the performance, absolutely stunned at both our luck and the unique, iconic sounds.

A beautiful Biwa performance on

the peak of Mt. Yashima.

After our trip around the mountain, Seki-sensei treated us to some classic Sanuki-Udon (and was staggered by my parent's inability to use chopsticks), and presented my parents with their own chopsticks afterwards as a souvenir of their trip. My parents were extremely grateful to Seki-sensei for his generosity throughout the day, and parted with a desire to return the favour if he and his family ever have a chance to visit Scotland. They have since exchanged letters over the Christmas period, and I'm very pleased that my parent's have had a chance to make such connections the way I have.

Of course, the time had come for my parents to return to Scotland. It was bittersweet, yet not too sad as - of course - I would be returning home for Christmas only a few short weeks after them! I took my opportunity to ask my parents what they found the most striking characteristic of Japan and the Japanese people during their visit. Their response; the kindness. My parents were struck at just how gentle, generous, helpful, and genuinely well-meaning the Japanese people they met were towards them. They had been given an insight into a unique and vastly different culture they'd never experienced before, and were leaving feeling both positive and looking forward to their return.

(Of course, I also asked them what they found the least agreeable aspect of the country. Their response? Using chopsticks!)

My parents have their caricatures taken...

I swear this man is the Japanese John Lennon!

My parents and their caricatures. See any resemblance?

And so, my parents left.

Of course, I returned home myself only a few weeks later, before returning to Japan and bidding them farewell for even longer. However, I'm happy to be able to keep contact through regular Skype-calls and e-mails. My parents will never be far from my thoughts here in Japan, and I'm glad to have had all of their support and love throughout my experiences leading up to and on coming over to Japan. I know I certainly couldn't have made it this far without them.

Happy (and hopefully proud) parents.
I shall miss them dearly.

As I mentioned, my parent's are planning their next visit later this year.

Let's hope it's not too far away!