Meiji Jingu, Imperial Palace East Gardens

Yesterday after class was the yet another required field trip to Meiji Jingu/Meiji Shrine.

Here is the link to the photo album, but you can see the pics here as well

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38112586@N08/sets/72157621816353143/



A nice place. We went in and walked around to a lecture building where a Shinto Priest talked to us about religion in Japan... stuff I mostly already heard. He did quote Dan Brown "Angels and Demons" though so I totally give him some kudos for that :D They played some weird musical instruments. I couldn't quite see well from the back though. One had to be warmed up before being played and sounded like a harmonica (but I'm sure it didn't look like one) Another one was a flute like. There was a third I believe. After the lecture we went inside the Shrine.



Me and the Shinto Priest who talked to us.



Friends and I at the Shrine



I'm not sure if this is Sanpai... but we did see Sanpai, which is a Shinto ritual. This is the last of the pics I basically took because when we went inside we couldn't take pics. I wish we could have though because we saw En-bu performed which is a dance and it was sooooo pretty. So precise, all the movements.

After the Meiji Shrine trip, me and my friends went to eat and walked around Harajuku (Harujuku?). We did some cuuute Purikuras (which reminds me, Kojin never sent it to my phone). I was tired afterward I came back, showered and crashed for the night.

I was pretty much in and out of it all night because I slept with the TV on but too lazy to turn it off. But it was the first time my wake up call actually woke me up ^.^ We had a test in Japanese which includes a written and oral test. Oral tests are sooo scary, I've never had one before. He even records us. Of course Mr. Loud Mouth finished first, but then again I like to make sure my work is complete and use as must kanji as possible (which includes writing hiragana over it). Basically I'm trying not to make stupid mistakes. Sensei said as long as I have the write hiragana written, if my kanji is wrong, then he'll count it write and correct my kanji.

Today in History we went to the Imperial Palace but this time to the East Gardens.



This is a sign found in the train stations and on the trains. Basically at the bottom is says not to cross the white lines because it's dangerous. I understand that. What I DO NOT understand is the top that says "Do it at the beach"..... Do what???? It's strange and makes me laugh.... Best sign ever so far I've seen.



Here's pic of the entrance to the East Gardens. Nothing much to talk about there.

After the trip I went back to the school and printed powerpoints from History then came back to the hotel and rested. I couldn't find any good food on the way so I decided to head back to Roppongi to McDs. I was craving a Shaka Shaka anyways! So I walked there, stopping at the Tokyo Midtown again... I love that place. The walk didn't seem to take so long. But on the way back I decided to take the subway. Oedo line, 1 stop. I'm really curious to find out what takes longer... walking or taking the subway. The subway is fast and convenient, but not when you have to walk down 5 flights of stairs (to 5 floor basement) to get on the train then of course up so many numbers and walk 5 minutes and OH I had to wait 5 minutes for a train.......

But I did manage to use an unfamiliar station and train line and get back!! :) So that's good I guess.

One more thing... either my pants are getting bigger... or my butt is getting smaller. I'm not sure which one... but I felt like I needed a belt all day. And I coulda swore these black shorts were a bit snug...........

Roppongi!

I woke up at 5 am this morning. That's the best yet. I got my breakfast (now I know why yesterday I had to wait on eggs... there's a lot of people down there right when it starts) freshened up and went to school. It was raining a little. I did better navigating the station today! I got to school on time too! Like 15 minutes early! That's good.

I guess my Japanese teacher read my mind. Today he did some questions where anyone could answer but he did call on people so Mr. Loud Mouth couldn't answer everything. He should probably stop that too... he's not always right. I noticed too that, yes, Japanese is pretty fast spoken, but he tries to go so fast he slurs everything and I can't understand him =/ And I know it's not me, because I understand people (or pick up words) but with him, he's saying stuff and I know what he's going to say and I don't understand him. Oh well. I'll let him embarrass himself. We're down to 9 people in that class.

History... let me just say I thought this was a history of Tokyo and Edo... seems like it's history of Japan and let's just point out Tokyo more than other places. I'm not too fond of this class. That class is a long 2 hours.

So after classes I went to the computer lab, talked to Jun online for a bit, then returned to the hotel. It was about 1:30ish maybe a little after. I decided I wasn't going to sit here for the rest of the day. So I looked up the nearest McDs! I decided to go to the one in Akasaka. That and the one in Roppongi were the closest. I remember someone saying something about Roppongi... but I couldn't remember what. So I decided not to go there in case it was something bad LOL!

So I start walking. I know I'm suppose to turn at some intersection. I never find it... I think I had to go down these stairs onto the road below and go that way... but I wasn't sure. So I stood on that bridge like area looking down trying to decide... do I go down? Or head straight toward Roppongi? Well... I can't go lose if I go straight! I decide to go straight and keep going...

I remember on the map seeing a place called Tokyo Midtown. I dunno about you guys but that SOOO sounds like shopping :D I find it about 10 minutes down the way. I was right!!! SHOPPING!!! I go and look around for a bit. There I find Starbucks (#1). I leave there and keep going toward Roppongi. And I pass another Starbucks (#2). I'm still looking for this McDs. I found a TGI Fridays!

Finally I make it to Roppongi at a big intersection. I debate whether to keep going. I'm hungry and want a Shaka Shaka chicken! I'm so determined to find it! I figure I'll cross and walking for awhile. So I do... I keep going... and going... for about 5 minutes and don't see it. I feel defeated it. I decide to turn around and just stop at a konbini for lunch and find better directions and go to tomorrow. So I turn and face the road and see across the street........ MCDONALDS! Found it! And I got my Shaka Shaka chicken and fries for 350 yen :D

So I head back to the hotel... passing another Starbucks (#3), Outback Steakhouse, Starbucks (#4... or maybe #2 again, I'm not sure). I saw this big thing... it was like little balls go up in buckets the roll down this track... it was cool. I had to pull myself away from it... it was pretty entertaining to watch. I keep walking and come back to where the hotel is but I decide to walk another 200 feet to the konbini because I'm craving something sweet. I pick up a bag of kitkats. Then I cross the road and head down the residential road to the hotel. And I'm back ^.^