Tokyo Cherry Blossoms 2015: 東京と桜とあたし

Persephone arrived from the underworld and briefly painted Tokyo pale pink, magenta and white to celebrate the end of winter.

From hanami with friends at Yoyogi Park to solo bento lunches under the blossoms at a cute little park near work, I took every possible moment to enjoy the cherry blossom season.

And a special tip for sakura lovers: the cherry blossoms at Shinjuku Gyoen tend to bloom a bit later than others around the city, allowing you to extend your hanami-ing for an extra weekend!

Tokyo Marathon 2015: Expectations and Reality

So, I finished the Tokyo Marathon... and am now dealing with the disappointment that came with it.

I started off really well. It felt like flying, going at a good pace with steady breath, steady heart rate and powerful legs... except for a twinge in the left knee.

Right after saying hello to my wonderful friends who came to cheer, I started feeling real pain. I tried different ways to stretch it out, and kept on going until the 23km mark, where suddenly my knee locked and I couldn't bend or land on it. I burst into tears of sheer sadness and disappointment. Had the knee not given out, I am pretty sure this would have been my fastest race yet. I had trained very hard, gone to the sports therapist to get my muscles and tendons properly stretched... all for nothing.

I hobbled over to the AED tent, and the kind volunteers stretched me out and taped up my knee. Hoping for the best I started running again. For about 5 steps. Nope. This was not happening. No can do. More tears and general despair.

And this is the interesting part. Until not too long ago I would have given up, since I obviously couldn't reach the 'perfect run' image jealously guarded in my mind. But instead I took a few breaths and re-framed the whole situation.
Okay, so a sub-5 hour marathon is out of the question. What CAN I do?

Oddly enough, walking wasn't all that painful, as long as I kept my knee from bending. Good. So the new goal is to finish the darn race and not get swept  (loaded into a bus that takes you to the end point because you are too slow to finish in the set time). I picked myself up and power-hobbled my way to the end, trying not to be too sad or jealous when my friends passed me (since its not their fault, for crying out loud). I ended up finishing in just under 6 hours, which is not bad for a hobble pace.

While I am proud of myself for finishing and not giving up when my 'ideal' was stripped away, some ambivalence remains. There is medal on my bedside table, and I am not sure I deserved it. I can't help but think 'what if the day had been warmer' (as the doctor said the long wait in the cold might have precipitated it) or 'maybe if I had just stretched it out a bit more'... ugh, annoying.

可愛いのに (Even Though You are Cute...)

Recently I came across a phrase that gave me pause, and as it has been tumbling about in my brain for a bit without coming to a satisfactory conclusion, it shall end up here for public(ish) debate.

The perturbing phrase was: 

'Even though you are so cute, you still care about/are interested in the homeless'.

Now, just take a minute to let that sink in and roll around your brain for a minute.

Since when does cuteness have anything to do with humanity? 

I have heard people here make comments about (primarily women) who volunteer a lot and are not blessed with media-sanctioned good looks on the lines of : 'yeah, she looks like she would volunteer a lot'. Does this mean that only 'homely' women volunteer? Perhaps the implication is that they are not attractive enough to find a mate to snarf up their time? How incredibly narrow minded, should that be the case.

Are the cute exempt from responsibilities to their fellow (wo)man? Are they too busy traipsing along in high heels on the arm of some dude? Is it 'dangerous' for cute women to be close to the homeless? Is their time considered more valuable? 

Perhaps it is more a societal issue. Homelessness is often seen as being due to some flaw in that person, when in fact people often become homeless due to reasons beyond their control (escape from abusive situations, loss of home due to illness, mental illness, sudden firing after the age of 50 etc). So, are these people not worthy of support? Considering some of the reactions I have personally heard when going to help out at food pantry events, this is a persuasive argument.

Or maybe it is a comment on the lady in question instead. Are cute people supposed to be vapid and innocent to the messier sides of society? 

It is the のに (even though) part of the phrase that bothers me. Why couldn't it just be 'you are super cute and your concern for other people is praiseworthy'? Telling people they are awesome is certainly a nice thing to do, but it doesn't have to come with a side of comparisons.

Thoughts, suggestions or comments welcome.

Tradition: Behind the Snark

My affair with Japan is like a good relationship: I care for the darn place so much that at times I hate it. I can't pretend the bad sides don't exist (that would be denial, very unhealthy), but after cooling down remember once again why I fought so hard for so long to return.

Outside the new Kabukiza, glowing in Ginza's neon twilight, I can just make out the sound of the hyoshigi, the inimitable high-pitched wooden clappers, which never fail to make my ears prick up.

From my open window I watch a trademark Yokohama Pastel Sunset, and hear strains of far-off Bon Odori music.

Walking home I smell curry, unagi and ramen, laced together with a faint hint of summer rain on the wind.

,

Funny how it is smallest things that reassure us that all is well.

Wind Chime Festival at Kawasaki Daishi

I don't know about you, but I am one of those people who always finds out about a cool festival...right after it has concluded.

The Kawasaki Daishi Wind Chime festival has been on my to do list for years. But, as it only lasts 5 days (of which only two are non-work days) each time I have managed to be elsewhere or forget about it. But this year I actually got my butt into gear (aka: wrote the days down in my planner) and whisked off on the adorable retro trains with a running friend and her boyfriend, to check out the chimes.

The temple is a 10 minute walk away from the tiny Kawasaki Daishi station, and is a nice old-fashioned temple town, the main street dotted with purveyors of kuzu mochi, the local delicacy.

Approaching the temple, the energetic sound of cleavers on wood welcomes visitors, as old fashioned candy stores line the way, interspersed with shops selling bright red daruma . The sesame filled candies are definitely worth a try!

The wind chime market itself is covered and misted with cool water, a nice respite from the July sun. The creators of these lovely crafts come from all across Japan, representing almost every prefecture, to display and sell their wares. The varieties are endless, from classic glass globes and iron bells, to unusual charcoal, bamboo and pottery chimes. The sounds are also very important, although it can be hard to figure out where they come from, due to the sheer quantity of wind chimes! Personally, I am partial to high, light bell tones (from small, heavy iron chimes) and the charming clunky sound of pottery chimes.

The colours and shapes are a feast for the eyes, and it is hard to choose a favorite amongst them all. Eventually I settled on a colourful fuurin from Akita, a heavy bell attached to a hand-decorated silk ball (in the picture above).

These apple chimes were a big hit, lots of children were requesting their parents to buy them. The glass chimes were the most creative, with all sorts of different shapes... including a cucumber which was entirely too suggestive!


My new chime is proudly hanging by the window in my room... now if we could just get a breeze to go with it!

(All photos by the awesome Eugene Roussin, used with permission)

Early Morning Adventures: Hasedera's Hydrangeas

June is really probably not one of the best times to be in Tokyo. Endless days of rain, laundry that doesn't really dry, excursions cut short because of squalls...

However the plentiful watering does bring one positive event with it: the riotous blooming of hydrangeas. An attractive weed, they grow easily and brighten up the city and parks with their shades of blue, violet and pink blush.

One of the most famous places to view a whole hillside of blooms is Hasedera in Kamakura, a major temple close to the giant bronze Buddha. Of course, this means that on weekends you have to wait for hours for a chance to shuffle up and down the stairways amongst the flowers, which is not my idea of a good time. 

To beat the crowds and enjoy the flowers at leisure, I trekked out to Hase Station first thing in the morning on a weekday. Arriving at the temple gates at 8:30 am, there were only a handful of elderly photography enthusiasts and a couple of cats to contend with.

I love the watercolour shades of hydrangeas, the delicate differences in shading making each one unique (and surprisingly hard to photograph well).

To complete the outing I meandered my way by foot to Kamakura station, enjoying the quiet shotengai (as the town only really starts moving around 11am). As a treat before hopping back on the train home, I rewarded myself with a murasaki imo icecream, the colour of which is wonderfully reminiscent of the flowers I came to see.

Strange culinary experiences, and where to find them

Being a vegetarian in Japan kind of precludes one from most of the 'weird' culinary experiences so many people have when visiting or living here (raw chicken or horse sashimi, fugu, dancing shrimp, Kobe beef etc...).

However never fear, there is enough weirdness to go around, even for us!

One of the oddities I have come by recently is the new 'SpoonVege' ice cream from Haagen-Daaz (which comes in cherry/tomato and orange/carrot flavours). I tried the cherry/tomato version, which was interesting. I have actually had tomato softserve in Aizu before, and this was a much richer version thereof. I could barely make out any cherry in the mix, but it was certainly not unpleasant. I intend to try the carrot one as well, to see if the fruit flavour is more noticeable.

The second interesting spot is a 'instant curry' and canned food restaurant (if one can use that term) right near Ekoda station. They have a HUGE selection of curries, from vegan curries from India to grape-flavoured curry from Yamanashi, and everything in between). They provide rice, drinks and, if you need something extra, lots of canned delicacies (from the usual yakitori, to more exotic things like snails and dolma). Sounds like a fun, cheap night out to me!

T's Tantan: Vegan Ramen in Tokyo Station

After much anticipation, I finally managed to drag myself and a couple friends to Tokyo Station, to try out the famous T's Tantan.

Having already dined at their excellent main restaurant in Jiyugaoka, I had high expectations for the ramen, and they did not disappoint!

I got the basic set of tantanmen (noodles with minced 'meat') and a small jyajya don (spiced eggplant rice bowl). The ramen has deeply flavourful, with just enough oil to give the full experience without being overly heavy. Perfection.


They have a series of other ramen styles, including a shoyu-based one with vegetarian chashu (on my list for next time) as well as their phenomenal vegetarian friend 'chicken' (it sells out fast, so may be gone by the dinner hour).

The shop is inside of Tokyo station, near the Keikyu line. It is right behind one of the omiyage areas, so can be a bit tricky to find, but is completely worth the search (and the entrance ticket you need to buy to get into the station!)

Weekend Away: Oze

It is very rare that experiences in life live up to the expectations we create in our heads... however, every once in a while the stars align and perfection does actually occur. For me, this was Oze.

Last year I came across a single picture of a wooden walkway amonst a field of gold, and spent two days figuring out where it was. Sadly that was in mid-October, when the brief two weeks when the marsh grass changes color was already over. However, I immediately got in touch with my friends, saying that the next fall, we were going.

And we did! It is a hard place to get to, especially if you don't have a car (thank the kami for Hippy-chan). Strong kanji reading abilities (as all signs are exclusively in Japanese), strong legs and a taste for winding roads are also very helpful when trying to reach the lake. Since it is so remote, there is no cellphone reception or internet. It was like stepping back in time, when you made plans and then hoped everyone turned up at the right time, in the right place.

We stayed overnight, talking for hours and listening to the sounds of the forest. In the morning we saw a large doe chomp away happily at the small lawn in front of the mountain hut. We circled the lake, clambering over roots and gasping every time a sea of golden grass stretched out in front of us. Complete bliss.

Mini Trip: Kamakura

Seeking to combine some sight-seeing with a bit of hiking, I found a short hiking course in Kamakura, starting at Kita Kamakura Station and ending up near the Daibutsu. We then extended the walk until the sea shore.

The trail starts right next to Jochiji temple, and winds right up into the hills. I thought it would most likely be a very tame hike, but was pleasantly surprised by lots of nice knotty rises and boulders to clamber on. If you want there are smaller trails branching off, that go to other parts of Kamakura as well. The air is wonderfully fragrant and fresh, a very nice change after a couple of weeks in the urbanity that is Tokyo.

Eventually you will get to Genjiyama Park, and Kuzuharaoka Shrine (which specializes in marraige/love, as you can see from the heart-shaped ema). Since this year I forgot to get an omikuji on New Years, I finally got my fortune for the year (5 months late...oh well).

 

There are lots of extremely friendly kitties around the park, and I found two in particular who were happy to let me pet them (always a plus). Heading out of the park we popped into Zeniarai Benzaiten, which is the famous temple where you wash your money in the sacred spring, in hopes that it will multiply. Needless to say, all our change is now spotlessly clean.

The last bit of the trail was a bit urban, as we passed through a tunnel and residential area to get to the Daibutsu. If you like looking at expensive houses it is a great chance to see some excellent examples of the 'faux-cottage' architecture much beloved by wealthy Japanese home owners.

The Daibutsu is serene as always, calm against the bright blue sky. The Kamakura Buddha is probably my favorite amongst the famous giant Buddha statues, as he seems particularly chill and friendly... although I guess that is the point.

On the way down to the beach we stopped at Hasedera, although the hydrangeas are not yet in bloom, to go into the Benzaiten cave, which is filled with tiny little figures of the goddess. We also found that they had vegetarian dumplings (like nikuman, without the meat) which were really delicious!

To round out the trail we walked past Hase Station (which is truly adorable, with its tiny little tracks and tiny little train), past a very distinctive pink and white torii and down to the sea shore. I can never resist wading in water, and this was no exception. A very nice way to reward my feet for their efforts.

I really recommend this trail, it is not very hard but you still get some nature time, without having to worry about not finding a train to get you home.

A Sunday of Scaling: Tokyo Tower

After years of flitting back and forth, and always putting it off, I finally got the chance to visit Tokyo Tower. I love seeing it light up the sky on my walk to the station, looking like a vaguely geographically confused Eiffel Tower. It seems to placidly observe as taller buildings crop up around it, as if it were above it all.

Not surprisingly it is rather crowded, but you can avoid the worse of the lines by taking the stairs most of the way (it only takes 10 minutes, with stops for photos). The bright orange beams are quite striking. Dusk is definitely the best time to visit, so you can watch the sun set over the cityscape, and then enjoy the glittering, jewel-like appearance of Tokyo at night.

You can't beat the romance of standing on top of the world, and the thrill of being up so high.

While it is modest compared to the flashy Skytree, I definitely felt it was necessary to check out the sempai tower first,you know, to respect hierarchy. Also, the prices are a bit closer to decent (it is 3000 yen to get to the top of the Skytree... thats more than a week worth of food, eeek!)

After descending and sniggering over the vaguely indecent mascots (seriously? who thought them up?) we hopped over to Azabu Juban for dinner, and decided to check out Eat Your Greens, which has intrigued me for a while.

 While the availability of vegetarian food has increased dramatically in Japan, sometimes it just lacks 'omph'. And here we found it. We split an amazing autumnal veggie and couscous salad, bursting with nuts and other goodness. The falafel plate was quite good, with chewy falafel and lots of tahini. The vegan taco-rice was surprisingly spicy, and reminded me of my mother's awesome vegetarian chili. They also have a homemade gingerale with a good kick. Yum yum :)