A Night in A Capsule Inn

We could have gone to the north in one go – but decided to stopover in Tokyo and try a Capsule Inn in Akihabara.

I was not too excited about this. I agreed that we should try – I have always felt sorry for these poor Japanese homeless who had nowhere else to stay than in a capsule, I ought to see with my own eyes. But what about claustrophobia – and would it be safe and clean and…? Frederic actually liked it – as he may write elsewhere in our blog – personally, I would only go back if no other accommodation was available – or – if someone opened a brand new facility. The basic idea of the capsule is not bad.

We arrived around 1800. First impression is that the place looks better on the internet than in reality. It is not worn out - but certainly worn. The “lounge area” on the ground floor is extremely small – 30-40 m2 – but still has room for 100 shoe lockers, small reception, luggage shelves, four PC stations, smokers corner (…). But the whole thing is tight – tight. Second floor is men´s wash room – quite nice with 5-6 showers and a fairly large hot bath for 2-3 people. Floor 3-10 are capsule floors. The last three floors are women only.

On each capsule floor, there are approximately 30 capsules stacked in two layers – and reasonable large shared toilet facilities. Your personal capsule is 2 meters log, 1 meter wide and 1 meter high. It comes with 2 fresh towels, bed linen, 2 tooth brushes, a nice mattress, blanket, pillow (filled with pellets?), adjustable bright light, air condition, television, radio, clock and alarm. Missing – and revealing the age of its construction (probably 1990) - is an electrical outlet to recharge telephone or PC – but there is free wireless – in addition to the free internet PCs on the ground floor. You also get a ridiculous small luggage locker, but the capsule is actually big enough that we could store our backpacks there.

How was the night? Our floor was about half full. 10-15 people. Except us all were Japanese. Everybody behaved very quietly, and I slept quite all right (using earplugs) – though the rumbling of trains over- and underground made the cubicle resonate in very deep sounds. I noticed but still slept. Getting up and out in the morning was extremely easy. You hardly unpack – so packing is no challenge.

Escaping the hurricane

We decided to flee.

On TV and internet we could see a hurricane approaching. It would hit southern Tohoku including Osaka around Thursday the 18th of September – the day we had planned to enjoy the holy mountain Koya-san. The prospect was instead to end up either extremely wet or extremely bored.

The escape plan called for a 1500 km detour up to the north of Japan – to Ozore-san- the “Hellish mountain” - which we had skipped in August when we wanted to reach the Sado Island in time for the Kodo Earth Celebration Festival. Such a detour sounds impossible price- and timewise. But not in Japan. The cost was handled by using our JR Rail Pass which allows free train travel. The time issue meant travelling by Shinkansen. It would be the first time on this trip.

First trip with Shinkansen! Thoughts...

Until now we have travelled slowly - but today we had our first Shinkansen experience: up to 300 km per hour I believe. Only in a plane have I experienced this speed before. Though very efficient, and nice when you look at mountains at a distance, I find that the closeness of japanese houses to the train tracks makes you feel that the high speed is slightly hazardous. Or maybe it just my age...

But let it be clear: I am very impressed with this countrywide network of high speed trains. Large posters at the station explain, that the CO2 footprint per km travelled is only 10% of a trip by air.

He returns.

And he's got INTRSTING STUFFS.

Yes, STUFFS that's relevant to your INTRSTS. (And yes, I missspell on purpose. Period.)

Guys, this is totally me. Except I was behind and she was infront.. err.. I mean, she was riding... uhhh.... THIS IS NOT THE INNUENDO YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!

Yeah, I was totally an anime character yesterday. Yesterday as of Wednesday 17th of September, i.e. yesterday being Tuesday. Wakatta?

I'm not really sure where to start, but here's another picture.
Left, Ryo-kun (Or is it Lyo? Same sound.), right, Sakura-chan. I didn't call her that, though, since she preferred to speak English.

I'm going to do "Weeks-in-review" from now on, as writing EACH AND EVERY DAY IS FREAKIN' TIRING. I hate schedules.

Meh, it's a diary nonetheless, but I really cba.

I probably won't get to the Kyoto week by the time I write this, it's already 23, but this was probably my nicest experience in Japan so far, so I'd like to start with this.

We've been in Kyoto for the longest period of time we've been at the same place... Sake is hindering my grammar a bit, but you get my point.

Reason for that is, we, despite a crappy hostel, extended the stay with like.. 3 days? We met a lot of nice people at the last day(s), so we decided to stay a bit longer. Yeah.

It started with my dad telling me about a girl and her mother who'd pulled his shirt when he was at the Golden Pavillion, and she wanted to practice her English, since she was going to be an exchange student in Canada, much like I'm doing. He told me they'd talked and he'd told them about me, so they had invited us over for tea at their house at 8 pm.

I don't feel like ranting right now since I'm listening to some soothing music, but my dad messed up somewhere and we were 30 minutes late.

So instead, they called us and told us to meet them at a JR station with the taxi. The yearly harvest moon was up, so we were going otsukimi (Moon viewing) at a pond in the outskirts of northern Kyoto.

I was in a kind of bad mood when I left the hostel due to various circumstances, but this cute young Japanese girl on 16 who can _actually speak English_, and well, brightened my evening a bit more.

Although it was pitch-black at the pond, we talked and had a nice time. I have a picture of the moon and the pond but it's.. yeah, see for yourself.

It was really, really nice to finally speak to someone my own age, and Japanese, too.

The day after the next day, I met up with her again at the Golden Pavillion, and she took me to her school. Since she was going to Canada, she didn't go to her school anymore, but she's technically a 2nd year High Schooler.

It was big. Like, de-KKAI big. 4x Klostermarken back in Denmark, no wonder they had space for 1000-2000 students.

We went to the room where the music club was after school, and she introduced me to the school band. During the first weeks of Japan, I thought the generation of High Schoolers I was going to meet at my age would be the 185cm tall guys I saw on the street. But these guys were max my mom's height. I finally felt like the hawt, tall, awesome ryugakusei I was supposed to be, or going to be.

All of the students of the school were _really_ friendly, or shy. I tried to look those who exited the classrooms in the eyes when they went towards the stairs, past me, but they either had fixated their sight at the end of the hall or at my feet. Only those who stopped to greet Sakura would say hi to me. Am I really that scary? Chikushou.

Ah, here they are. The tall, new generation of Japanese guys. 3 of them. What. 3? That's.. it? But there're 40 students in this class.. holy smokes! This is like Negima! DO WANT!

Sakura approached them and introduced me to them, I don't remember the other two, but they didn't want to try and converse (In English) too much. Ryo-kun was there, and he went along with us for the rest of the time.

We had some aburi-mochi (Grilled mochi which is dipped in soy sauce, really tasty), but it was hella expensive, 500 yen a plate. But, as the rich ryukagusei I am, I paid.

We headed back towards the school as Sakura had to get her bike, and sayonara'd Ryo-kun. I'll probably never see him again. Unless! I end up in Kyoto. Hoo, that'd be win. tbh.

We were quite a bit from her house, so she told me to get on the back of her bike. Okay, can't hurt.. WRONG, can't kill.. WRONG, hey, I get a nice experience out of it? Pin-pan.

It was.. weird. I felt truly like a character from an anime. Sitting on the back of a bike, cute Japanese girl in front, riding next to the train tracks, beautiful red evening sky, the occasional car passing by..

It was so surreal, just sitting there, being lost in the moment, not noticing the loss of blood in my right leg. I'd always *hoped* Japan would be like what's portrayed in anime as the otaku I am, but ofcourse, as a normal human being born with logical sense, I waved that off. I think only one word could describe that moment - しあわせ。

But, the inspiration for anime has to come from somewhere. So this shit really happens sometimes guys! Holy crud! And I was in it! I can totally see myself being designed right now by CLAMP as Fudouche Pamperhuge from Code DESU: Fudouche of the Congestion. Oh hells yes. wait, wat.

At her home, they served me dinner, and we played different pieces of music for each other, me on the piano, and her on the flute. Haha, been a few months since I played the AIR intro song to the end, but it's still in my hands.

I really hope I can meet her and Ryo-kun again in the future, or at least someone like them. They are exactly the reason I want to see more of Japan's high school life.

Anyhow, I've heard rumours that I have been missed, so I shall grace you once again with my divine prescence, but for now, do with this, please. It's late, and I have to get up early (Again) tomorrow.

Fu-kun

P.S.: Yeah, I didn't publish this post the same time as I wrote it. The Shinkansen trip cut me off from the Internet for a while.

Kyoty - a Fantastic Week

Frederic at the Golden Pavillion - but I did not take the picture...

It is 20.30 on our last night in Kyoto.

I have spent the day visiting both the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji) and the Silver Pavilion (Ginakuji) - and doing the Philosphers´Walk. However, I have been alone, because Frederic has been busy. Of course I want him to meet as many Japanese as possible, but it has been a bit of a lonely day.

During this week, Frederic first spent a day sightseeing with Tamar, whom he met in Shiretoko and who lives here. He then spend two days with Marina from Furuoka, and yesterday and today he has spent time with Sakura (which means cherryblossom), who is 16 and herself going to be an exchange student in Canada from November! Obviously, the two communicate very well - and I can see that they have enjoyed each others company.

But the morning runs in KYOTO were special. Frederic loves to sleep in, and I need to get out!

Only top hotels offer fitness centers, and our budget does not allow for that. So – I am always on the lookout for an alternative to exercise on busy and polluted streets. In Kyoto I found a wonderful alternative: the river bed! I descended the 10-15 meters on one of the many staircases to the 70-100 meter wide river bed, and either biked or ran along the paved path under countless bridges from the train station to the mountains slightly uphill all the way. You remain surrounded by city all the way – but you can hardly hear the traffic.
In September the river bed was extremely green and lush – with long legged white cranes wading through the low slow moving river.

This is what I also met on my trips:
- An eagle (!) sitting in the middle of the river bed;
- an older man exercising his voice under another bridge – not singing or shouting – but some other form of deep and strong voice exercise I have never heard before;
- an excellent saxophone player practicing a wide repertoire;
- a few homeless men in cardboard box makeshift dwellings under bridges, and
- a lady walking her pig. The pig did not enjoy the exercise and she was busy pulling, pushing and persuading. I was running, sweating and – enjoying.