Winter Trip: Part 3 (Tokyo)

New Year’s Eve

I spent the last few days of my winter vacation in Tokyo, the perfect place to celebrate New Years Eve with a good group of people. I met up with my friend, Nozomi, in the early evening on the 31st and together we headed over to Yokohama to join everyone else for the night. For those unfamiliar with Japanese geography, Yokohama and Tokyo are separate, but neighboring cities (the two most populated in Japan). Together they compose the densest part of the Greater Tokyo Area.

Once we arrived, we walked to a lively British-style pub called, “HUB”, where we met up with my friend Ken and a big gathering of other friends.

My good friend Ken and I

Nozomi and I quickly became friends with everyone there, a cool, diverse mix of people, including Japanese, Chilean, Peruvian, German, Swiss, and American, for example—many whom share multiple ethnicities (especially Japanese and Latin).

A few shots from the great night

I always find that being with a group like this is so much fun. For instance, one of the fond memories of the night was humorously trying to learn a bunch of Spanish songs. There’s not really too much I can write about the party that would be interesting to read, but it was a definitely a good time. We did what anyone would expect at a fun party; chatting, laughing, drinking, eating, and even a little dancing. For the New Year’s Eve countdown, we all walked a short distance to an area called Minato Mirai 21. Once there, we found a spot with a great view of a dazzling ferris wheel called Cosmo Clock 21, one of the largest in the world. It’s a fitting place to countdown the seconds till the new year because some consider the ferris wheel to also be the world’s largest clock.

View of Minato Mirai with Cosmo Clock 21 on the right

The claim as largest clock is based on a measurement of the entire diameter of the wheel, which indeed has 60 seats (like 60 seconds) and a large digital clock display in the center. It's worth noting, however, that the claim is not widely acknowledged. For example, it lacks physical hour/minute hands. Nonetheless, it was a great place to celebrate. The crowd was energetic and a nice fireworks show rang in the new year. Afterwards, we went back to the pub for a few more drinks. What a memorable night!

After New Years...

Highlights from next couple days included a visit to the planetarium in Ikebukuro, checking out the Christmas light-up displays at Tokyo Sky Tree, and some leisurely sightseeing around Odaiba. 

Konica Minolta Planetarium "Manten"

I had wanted to check out one of Tokyo's planetariums for a very long time, and finally got the chance during this trip! Nozomi and I chose to visit one located in Ikebukuro Sunshine City, a large commercial complex featuring shopping, restaurants, aquarium, observatory, office space, and more. There, we went to the Konica Minolta Planetarium "Manten". It features some really cool technology, consisting of a special full-dome high resolution projector (used for CG motion imaging and video), and a special star projector (capable of projecting over 360,000 stars). The show we saw was called, "Norman the Snowman" (ノーマン・ザ・スノーマン), a stop-motion/CG-animated film about the a boy and his friend snowman's snowy outdoor adventure under a starry sky. It was fun, I enjoyed it!

Planetarium "Manten"; photo by Konica Minolta

It's worth noting that Konica Minolta also operates a second planetarium, "Tenku," located at Tokyo Sky Tree. It seems to be extremely popular based on my experience though; tickets have been sold out every time I try to go. The Ikebukuro location was much less busy.

Tokyo Sky Tee Christmas Light-up

Walkway around Tokyo Sky Tree Town

We weren't specifically planning to go to Tokyo Sky Tree (it feels like I've been there a thousand times already), but we had to change our original plan slightly and Sky Tree was nearby. Still, we did get to see something new; the popular landmark was filled with Christmas lightening and some nice decorations. Although relatively modest in scale, it was pretty to see and gave us something interesting to do that night.

The Tokyo Sky Tree Town illumination runs until January 31 this year

Odaiba

On our last day in Tokyo, the weather was fantastic so we decided to take a ferry from Asakusa to Odaiba along the Sumida River. Odaiba, which is also accessable via car, bus, and train, is a large artificial island in Tokyo Bay. It was originally built for military purposes, later developed as a showcase for futuristic living, and now has become a popular commercial, residential, and leisure area.

One of the landmarks to see upon arriving is the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the island to central Tokyo. The bridge is particularly worth seeing at night when its beautifully in various colors that change throughout the seasons.

Looking out towards Rainbow Bridge

Near the ferry landing is a stretch of sandy seashore and short walking path, where we enjoyed the sun for a little while. We then proceeded to Palette Town, an area consisting of all sorts of entertainment, shopping, and restaurants. One of the main attractions here is Daikanransha, another large ferris wheel in Tokyo. When it opened in 1999, it was the world's largest (currently the 12th largest ever constructed). 

Diakanransha, the giant ferris wheel in Odaiba

Apparently Japanese people love huge ferris wheels! Anyway, we enjoyed a ride on it too; the views from the top were great. We spent the rest of our time meandering around the shops and buildings. The evening came quickly and before long we had to head back to the city then return home to Aomori.

My winter vacation had finished. It was another excellent trip I've taken in the past few years. Even though it was relatively close to home, I saw plenty of new things and gained more experiences. I wonder where I'll go to explore next time?

Winter Trip: Part 2 (Nagano)

After snowboarding with an injured wrist and sleeping in a hostel full of loud Australians for a few days, I was happy to arrive in Nagano for the next part of my vacation. I was looking forward to doing a little sightseeing and staying in a comfortable hotel for a couple nights. I arrived in the city at night feeling completely exhausted. I quickly checked in to the hotel and passed out for a good night's rest.

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

I woke up bright and early the next morning and walked over to the station. The sun was slowly rising, the air was crisp, and a few wispy clouds floated in the sky. It knew it was going to be a good day. I hopped on a bus heading north towards Jigokudani Yaen-Koen (地獄谷野猿公苑). This translates to "Hell's Valley" (Jigokudani) "Monkey Park" (Yaen-Koen), named such for the area's incredible landscape. It's usually referred to as, "Jigokudani Monkey Park" or simply, "Snow Monkey Park" in English.

Getting there is a nice little journey and only accessible by foot. The nearest bus stop is Kanbayashi Onsen; from here it’s a short (1 km), mostly-uphill walk through some quiet streets until you reach a narrow walking path. From this point, it’s another (1.6 km) walk that whines through a forest and takes you deeper into the valley of Yokoyu River. Despite the very icy conditions, I enjoyed strolling along the path and felt like it was a nice part of the experience. Eventually, it opens up to an expansive, beautiful view of the river valley featuring pockets of steam and boiling water flanked by mountainous, wooded terrain (giving it the name “Hell’s Valley”). Just a bit further, a small resting house lies where you can buy tickets to venture further into the actual monkey park area.

Yokoyu River (pictured here is not the aforementioned resting house)

Snow Monkey Park is almost entirely natural and not at all fenced in. It’s not so much a “monkey park” per say... I would describe it as a place the land owners made more appealing for monkeys to hang out at, while also creating a way for people to see it. The monkey population consists of a large troop of wild Japanese Macaques. The monkeys live in the surrounding forests and are free to come and go as they please. They are very accustomed to humans and are highly passive; frankly they just don’t care about humans as long as they don’t feel particularly annoyed or bothered. The park indeed promotes this, so feeding or touching the monkeys is obviously prohibited.

Visitors are also free to roam around the premises, but the main draw is the famous monkey onsen (hot springs). Interestingly, some monkeys like relaxing in the hot springs whereas others do not. The monkeys are never forced to enter the hot springs but are sometimes temped when the staff through seeds into the water. Contrary to what I had previously read, I didn’t perceive this as being inhumane during my visit since the staff threw plenty of seeds everywhere, not only in the water.

Monkeys enjoying the steamy hot springs

Feelin' good: monkeys grooming each other

Japanese macaques are good swimmers

The little guy in the middle was too adorable

It was definitely a neat experience at Jigokudani Monkey Park. It's really interesting to watch the monkeys' behavior in such a unique environment. Over 100 monkeys live in the area and can be found everywhere, not only sitting in the hot springs. 

Looking monkeys in the eye can be seen as a sign of aggression. Oops.

I was there on a Tuesday, but also a public holiday, so unfortunately it was pretty busy during my visit. I loved the area but this was a unavoidable negative point. Another thing is, people are absolutely crazy about photography here (to a degree that can get a bit irritating). To be sure, I'm guilty of it too. But I tried to spend no more than 50% of my time taking pictures; otherwise I strolled around and enjoyed watching without my camera in hand. Overall I thought the place was amazing, but there were too many people on the day I went to fully enjoy it. It's open throughout the year, so perhaps I'll come back again.

Zenkō-ji Temple

Zenkō-ji Hondō (The Main Hall)

The next day, I stayed in town and took a short bus ride to a another famous Nagano destination, Zenkō-ji temple (善光寺). The Buddhist temple has a long history dating all the way back to the 7th century and is considered a national treasure. It has ties to several historically-significant events; and it was also the center of which Nagano City was later built around. The temple currently belongs to two Buddhist sects (Tendai and Jōdoshū). Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects revolves around a Buddha statue called Hibutsu, which apparently is hidden inside the temple or temple grounds. According to what I read, this statue was the very first Buddha image to be brought to Japan and is strictly forbidden to be seen by anyone, including the chief priest of the temple. Instead, a replica is displayed once every six years. It makes me wonder... if no one can see the real statue, how do they know it actually exists today?

On the other hand, another statue called Binzuru is openly displayed to the public. Said to have been a physician, visitors touch and rub the statue in order to cure or ward off illness and ailments. I was surprised to see some people rubbing the statue excessively for a long time; a slightly awkward experience while I was there...

Man rubbing the Binzuru statue inside the man hall

Further inside the temple, visitors can go inside an inner prayer chamber (for a fee).
According to wikipedia, this also leads to another dark corridor where, "worshippers try to touch a metal key hanging on the wall, in order to gain enlightenment. The key represents the Key to the Western Paradise of the Amida Buddha" (the principal figure in Pure Land Buddhism). It sounds really interesting, but unfortunately I didn't see any of this because I simply didn't know about during my visit (which is why I had to quote wikipedia here).

I thought it was nice to leisurely wander around the temple grounds. Just outside of the main hall is a large incense burner. Here, visitors fan incense smoke towards them for good health and fortune. Morning ceremonies also take place here.

  Large incense burner at Zenkō-ji

Around the side and rear of the main hall are some nice little paths, garden, three-tier pogoda, chief priest's residence, treasure house, and more.

There are many, many temples throughout Japan and I've been to a few really amazing ones. But I would have to say this was one of the more interesting temples I've been to in awhile, and I was delighted to spend a few hours there. By early afternoon, I returned to the station and took off for the last part of my winter vacation--New Years in Tokyo!

Winter Trip: Part 1 (Hakuba)

Japan Alps, viewed from Nagano on a clear day

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out my winter vacation plans this year; I looked at traveling to Thailand and Vietnam, but eventually settled on staying in Japan. I made plans to snowboard in Hakuba, go sightseeing in Nagano, and celebrate New Years Eve in Tokyo. 

The first part of my trip was in Hakuba, a ski resort town located in the Kitazumi District of Nagano Prefecture. Surrounded by the Japan Alps, it’s one of the top destinations for skiing and snowboarding in the country. The area features numerous ski resorts, including those used in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. I left Aomori late Christmas night and took a couple long bus rides before arriving the following afternoon. I showered, ate dinner, and got to bed early for a good night rest at a small hostel (review here) near the mountains.

Day 1 (Happo One)

Left: first day on the slopes; Right: third day morning photos

On my first day of snowboarding, I decided to check out the biggest and most famous resort in Hakuba, called Happo One. I walked there right as it was opening and jumped on a chair lift. As it ascended upward, the snow conditions looked decent and visibility was good. But halfway up, the mountain became engulfed in thick, blizzardy cloud. 

Riding up the same lift, visibility changed quickly 

Terrible visibility. Annoying, but nothing I hadn’t experienced before. I hopped off the first lift and took another higher up the mountain. That turned out to be a bad decision—once off the lift I peered down the mountain and realized that I had no sense of orientation. The conditions alone wouldn't have been an issue, as long as I was familiar with the mountain (which clearly I wasn't). Nevertheless, I started to descend below the chair lift lines since it was the only reference point I had. Little did I know, I was heading directly towards mogul death trap from hell. Suddenly I hit one without warning and slammed my wrist into the ground awkwardly. I heard a "pop" and felt immediate pain but luckily no bones were sticking out so I figured I was okay. More than anything, I was ticked off that it happened on the very first run but I was too stubborn to quit boarding and waste a day getting it checked out. So I just avoided that area of the mountain and kept going the rest of the day...

The weather cleared up by late afternoon

Happo One is a very large resort. There are over a dozen courses and I believe it boasts the highest elevation of resorts in the area. Yet I honestly found it to be overrated. I went on every course but felt they were generally boring. Since so many people were there, the fresh snowfall from the prior night was quickly flattened to hard icy stuff on most of the runs. There were moguls everywhere, but no jumps nor any terrain to really play around on. I'm not trying to bash the place; I imagine it's fun for skiers and certain individuals. Also, my opinion is obviously biased since I hurt my wrist and rode in poor weather conditions there. Ultimately, I'm glad I went for the experience. It's not necessarily a bad resort, just not very fun for me personally.

Anyway, in the last hour before the resort closed, the pain in my wrist was getting unbearable so left for the local clinic. I waited for an hour, got an x-ray, then saw the doctor for all of 1 minute. He said nothing was broken and nothing was dislocated, but "something" was injured. The nurse wrapped my arm up in a splint and I received pain killers. The doctor told me to rest my arm until I returned to Aomori and then see my local doctor to get it further examined. In my mind this was good enough to keep boarding for the next two days. I did get my wrist re-examined in Aomori just a day before writing this post. The doctor said there aren't any major problems and it should be completely healed in two weeks.

No fractures or dislocations (good thing I drink a lot of milk!)

Day 2 (Goryu & Hakuba 47)

Left: Goryu; Right: Hakuba 47

On my second day of boarding, I went to two joined resorts called Goryu and Hakuba 47, which are located just south of Happo One. From what I heard, Goryu was first built and operated independently. Hakuba 47 was built later, and the two resorts teamed up offering access to both resorts with a single lift ticket (nice deal!). Each resorts' trails are separated but can be accessed from a central point at the top of the mountain.

I really liked this place because the terrain was diverse and it felt much more snowboarder-friendly. There was a compact but fun terrain park with a good halfpipe, three medium-sized kickers, one large kicker, and a few rails. A lift operates specifically for this area too, which is nice. Besides the terrain park, there were also a few areas where I found some fun little rollers and jumps. Considering my wrist injury, I stayed away from the kickers but still had fun on the halfpipe and smaller jumps. On the top half of the mountain, I was able to find some powder sections, even in the afternoon. The bottom half of Goryu was packed with beginners flopping all over the place, but as long as I stayed away from that area, I was really happy with these resorts.

Originally I had planned to go out somewhere that night since it was Saturday. I thought it would be nice to get dinner and check out a bar or two for a drink. I changed my plan though, and determined it would be better to rest my arm and take it easy for the night.

Day 3 (Iwatake)

At Iwatake on my final day, lucky to have great weather

Unlike my first two days in Hakuba, I hadn't previously made plans to go to any one particular resort. However, I heard about Iwatake from another guest at the hostel one night earlier. Out of curiosity, I looked it up online. It was described as small and compact with spectacular views of the Japan Alps. Since the weather reports indicated clear skies, it sounded like the perfect way to close out my snowboard trip.

The instant I woke up next morning, I scattered to the nearest window and cheerfully smiled. The weather looked awesome, finally! I captured a few photos of Happo One then grabbed the first shuttle bus to the resort. Upon arrival, a long line had formed behind the ticket windows. It wasn't easy waiting in line while looking up at the fresh snow and blue skies above, but before too long I was on the gondola scooting up the mountain. I didn't experience any problems with long lines for the rest of the day though, since I mostly avoided the gondola and used lifts instead.

I really enjoyed Iwatake. It's a bit smaller than the other resorts, but well laid out. It doesn't have super long runs, but many are nice and wide. Park management caters powerhounds really well; most runs are only groomed in the center while leaving plenty of space on either side untouched. Additionally, there are a few sections that are left completely ungroomed. This includes a really fun little expert course on the backside of the mountain that had excellent powder on the day I was there. This side of the mountain, has some pretty expansive areas of powder to ride--relatively short but wide enough to stay decent all morning. Lastly, I found a few decently-sized rollers with a great, fast approach. I had a blast flying down the mountain and getting some nice air on these during the day.

There's also something to be said about the mountain atmosphere. I loved the small-mountain culture present, with very friendly staff and a pretty good group of fellow skiers/snowboarders. I'm sure the weather made a big difference, but I was able to meet a lot of very friendly people here.

Perfect day at Iwatake

The snow conditions at Iwatake were very good all morning. However, most of the powder was all gone by lunchtime. I also had to get my deposit (for electronic lift lift) back from Goryu/Hakuba 47. Thus, I actually ended the day at Hakuba 47. I got there with about two hours left before closing and hit the halfpipe a few times and snuck in a few extra runs as the sun set below behind the mountainous landscape. I rushed back to the hostel, quickly packed my things, and hopped on a bus to Nagano. What started off as a pretty bad experience in Hakuba, thankfully ended very well.

The Japanese New Year

The way Japanese traditionally welcome in the new year is very different than the way most in the Western world do. I've been fortunate to experience many of these traditions and I'd to love to share some of the things I've learned along the way.

Please note that I'll refer to "the Japanese" and "Japanese people" for simplicity sake when describing the various traditions below, but I certainly recognize that other non-Japanese people (such as foreigners living in Japan) may participate and follow the same traditions.

Hatsumōde at Kushida Shrine in Fukuoka, 2012

The Japanese New Year (oshōgatsu)

New Year’s (お正月, oshōgatsu) is one of the most important times of the year in Japan. It’s filled with many old traditions which every year most Japanese continue to follow in some way or another. Special decorations and ornaments are displayed in homes and throughout town. A variety of special food is prepared and eaten during the holiday. Families gather to partake in relaxed celebrations at home. And at shrines throughout Japan, large bells ring and long lines form as people make their first shrine visit of the new year.

Decorations (okazari)

In the final weeks leading up the the new year, people start preparing by setting up decorations and ornaments in their homes, offices, and sometimes businesses or shops. There are quite a few different types and variations used, and I’ll do my best to explain them clearly:

- shimenawa (注連縄, “straw rope”): made from rice straw, purified with water, and bound into various-width ropes.
- shimekazari (注連飾り, “straw rope decoration”): a small, wreath-like decoration made from shimenawa that’s hung on the front door of a home.
- matsukazari (松飾り, “pine decoration“ ): a modest ornament made of pine branches and straw; tied to the front gate of a home. 

- kodomatsu (門松, "gate pine”): slightly more elaborate decorations that are placed on the ground and used in pairs outside of homes and businesses; consisting of pine, bamboo, and straw rope (shimenawa). 

shimekazari; muzina_shanghai/flickr

The purposes for using the four decorations above are all very similar—to purify the entrance of a place and to keep bad things away. They are also believed to welcome ancestral spirits or god (神, kami) in the new year. I think it’s also worth mentioning that the individual materials often have special meanings behind them too. For example, pine (松, matsu), bamboo (竹, take), and plum (梅, ume) all represent positive attributes like longevity, vitality, and resilience, in Japanese culture.

kagami mochi; timtak/flickr

Another important decoration that used during the new year season is called kagami mochi (鏡餅, lit. “mirror mochi”). The basic parts of the decoration consist of a small stand holding two round, flat mochi (rice cakes) with a small bitter orange balanced on top. It’s said that the reason they are called “mirror” mochi is based on the round, flat shape, since ancient mirrors in Japan were round and believed to possess special powers. Today, people may display this decoration as a way to symbolize the continuity of family over many years.

New Year’s Postcards (nengajō)

People also must start to write and send out dozens of nengajō (年賀状). These are special postcards which are decorated with the new year’s zodiacal animal and written with messages expressing gratitude towards their friends, family, and colleagues. Like many customs in Japan, there is a social expectation that this be done. Last year I wrote many nengajō but it took me a very long time to do because I had to write Japanese in mistake-free and clear handwriting. However, I was so busy this year that it slipped my mind. Even though it's not my culture, I felt really guilty when I received nengajō this year without sending out any myself.

Here's a few nengajo that I received this year (2014)

To efficiently and properly deliver the sheer amount of these postcards received, the Japan Post has a special system in place to collect, organize, and hold these cards before delivering them on first few days of the new year.

New Year's Specialty Foods (osechi-ryōri)

Osechi-ryōri (おせち料理, "New Year Foods") generally come in colorful boxes called jūbako (重箱), and contain a wide variety of Japanese foods. Traditionally, women might take many hours and even several days preparing these boxes for their families to eat during New Year's. But nowadays, many people choose to simply buy ready-made boxes, which can be easily purchased from supermarkets or even convenient stores. The foods contained can vary from region to region, but some common things include fish cakes, rolled omelet, fish eggs, black soy beans, seaweed, shrimp, vegetables, and more. Also, each food has a special meaning, such as long life, prosperity, good health, etc. (Wikipedia has a good list).

Osechi; photo by apc33/Flickr (cropped)

I love the concept of osechi. You can try a huge variety of different flavors and textures in a meal that isn't too heavy nor unhealthy. The meanings for each food adds and interesting aspect to it as well. I think eating osechi during New Year's is a pretty neat experience!

New Year's Eve (ōmisoka)

What do Japanese families actually do on New Year's Eve, (ōmisoka, 大晦日)? I've never personally had the opportunity to celebrate with a Japanese family during this time, but friends have described it as basically hanging out with family and watching TV. Apparently there's a tradition of watching New Year's specials on TV, especially a singing competition called Kōhaku Uta Gassen, and Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende (no-laughing "batsu game"). Although still very popular, I've read that viewership has dropped significantly in recent years but I'm not sure exactly why that is.

New Year's Day and First Shrine Visit (hatsumōde)

The first day of the new year is a chance for Japanese people to do the "first" of many things in the year. One of the most important things is making their first shrine visit. This custom is called hatsumōde (初詣). Many people make their visit in the first few hours of the new year, but others may come in the following few days as well.

Right after midnight on new year's day, it's common for long lines to form at popular shrines as people await to approach the front of the main building and say a short prayer for a healthy and prosperous year.

People making a short prayer at Kushida Shrine in Fukuoka

How to pray at a shrine:
1. Upon entering the shrine premises, bow in front of the main gate (torii)
2. Purify yourself by washing your hands/mouth at the temizuya (water ablution pavilion).
3. Walk to the main shrine building, and throw money (saisen) in the box and ring the bell.
4. Bow twice, clap twice, then pray to the gods in silence.
5. Bow again before leaving the main building.

Religion and cultural tradition often blend together in Japan. For this reason, I would be inclined to describe hatsumōde as more of a "cultural tradition" rather than a purely religious one. Most Japanese people I know or have talked to are not particularly "religious" in the Western perception of religion, but still participate in traditions like the first shrine visit. In fact, even though shrines are based in Shintoism, it's just as common for Buddhists to visit shrines and say a prayer just like anyone that follows Shintoism. To be sure, I even confirmed this point with several Japanese teachers I work with.

Lastly, I'll mention that it's also common for people to buy omikuji (御御籤, or 御神籤). These are random fortunes written on small strips of paper. Fortunes indicate to what extent their prayers may come true, ranging from being very good to very bad; they also include predictions about a number of specific aspects of a person's life. I've bought omikuji many times (it's available throughout the year) and I typically get the moderately good or slightly bad fortune. I don't remember ever getting the best or the worst. I suppose that's a good thing. Anyway, for more details there's a good wikipedia page about omikuji.