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Day 1
I landed at around 4 in the afternoon, and as a result my "first day" was short. Nonetheless, it was amazing to navigate and experience sights, sounds, and tastes of Japan after waiting over ten years to fulfill my dream.
Train
Skyliner: First train-
Not just here, my first ever-
Pulled in to the track.
To our seats, we made our way
And I made window-side mine.
So clean and modern
She tenderly crept into
Motion- and then, sped.
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Streets
Outside I greeted
Fragrances of food and smoke,
And twilight bustle.
As foreign a location,
These streets felt familiar.
Capitol suburbs,
A little like my downtown,
Were cozy as home.
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Riceball
Crunchy salmon skin
Salted, hid inside warm rice
Gripped by Seaweed
Handed over, homestlye
With a hearty “here you go!”
I awkwardly ate
Unpracticed. But this was the
First. Of many plates.
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Day 2
In the first full day, I concentrated on scenic historic sights that would be relaxing to take in to fight any potential jet lag. Luckily, I did not have to face it after all as I visited Yanaka Cemetery, the Rikugien Gardens, and the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. At each I found an intruiging combination of old landscape framed by towering skyscrapers- an accurate encapsulation of the Tokyo experience.
Grave Guardians
Lightning blur of fur
In the corner of my eye,
Toward morning munch.
Signs forbid feeding the cats-
But they are tame, and still fat.
Helpers: They kick off
Dust, and keep souls company
When humans cannot.
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Tanabata Wishes
Colorful Wishes
Tied high, proud, in bamboo trees.
I made one myself.
A scholar’s success, for my
Students that I do not know yet.
A desire to teach,
Not for me. For the future.
May my wish stay true.
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Imperial Swan
Bridge over the moat
To where a castle once stood
Look to the water.
There sits a swan, a symbol
of the greatest emperor.
Midst of the city
Here, is midst of history
Summoned by nature.
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Day 3
Early in the morning on the third day, I awoke with a determination to visit the Meiji Shrine, arguably the most important shinto destination in Japan. I followed this up with the bustling Asakusa Shrine, and on a whim made a two mile trek to the Tokyo Skytree, the second tallest tower in the world! By the end of the day my feet were ready to give in, but the view of the city was worth it.
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Day 4
My final day in Tokyo was packed to the brim with interest and spur of the moment fun. It began with the Ueno Zoo, and led me into an interesting shrine. On the other side of Tokyo I saw the famous Hachiko statue, ate at the only Taco Bell in Japan, and then finished the day with the view from another tower.
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Day 5
My fifth day in Japan, I got to ride a "shinkansen" for the first time, the high speed trains famous in the nation. A two hour ride took me to the city of Sendai, where I visited historical sites and ate beef tongue for the first time. I also fell in love with a dish known as "katsudon," a breaded and fried pork cutlet.
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Day 6
Another day on this trip meant another city. I boarded trains that took me further north on the main island to a quaint and beautiful coastal city called Aomori. There I spent the evening at a traditional Japanese hot spring inn, complete with a gargantuine spread of the local fine dining.
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Day 7
Today would be the longest time I spent on trains, from about ten in the morning to four in the early evening. The tracks led me to Kanazawa, a middle-sized city on the Sea of Japan. With little time left in the day, I simply strolled around and enjoyed the scenic offerings.
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Day 8
The next day in Kanazawa was a very relaxed one. I allowed myself to sleep in before a short visit to a shrine, and a long walk through Kenrokuen, one of the three greatest gardens in Japan.
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Day 9
Day nine was a rush of transit as I made my way from Kanazawa to Hiroshima. However, I stopped on the middle of the route at my long-time favorite Himeji castle. It stands mostly in its original state, and people are allowed to walk through its halls.
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Day 10
Rain poured down in Hiroshima, which ruined my original plans for day ten, which were to climb a mountain on the small island of Miyajima. Even in the torrent though, I took the ferry over to the base of the island to see its famous deer and giant shinto gate.
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Day 11
After all of the quaint cities, my giant loop around the Japanese main island took me to the metropolis of Osaka. I visited the historic temple of Shittenoji, and spent the rest of the day cooling off in the hotel room. A local who agreed with me about the heat even offered me a hand fan earlier in the day.
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Day 12
For my full day in Osaka, I first visited Osaka Castle. It is different than the earlier Himeji castle I visited in my travels in that it is not in its original state, but is rather a renovated museum. Then I got to witness the giant whale shark amongst other sea life at the Osaka Aquarium.
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Day 13
Day thirteen was one of the best days of my trip in its entirety. A short train ride took me to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan. I first visited Kawai Shrine and the Shimogamo Shrine in the heart of the city before checking in to a family bed a breakfast that also housed a cute pet cat. After that I climbed all the way up and down Mt. Inari, the shrine famous for its thousands of red gates that form a tunnel. As twilight set in, the atmosphere became magical.
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Day 14
The second day in Kyoto meant more adventures into ancient sites. The first of which lay an hour outside of town in Kibune Shrine, a large complex surrounded in rapids and misty woods. I then went back into town to trek up hills and into the high up Kiyomizu Temple. The path led to another shrine called Jishu Jinja that centers around romantic luck.
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Day 15
The family at the bed and breakfast cheerfully gave me a parting gift of a coin purse. On my way back to Tokyo, the train sped past Mt. Fuji obscured in heavy clouds. The excitement of the big city from the start of my trip had come to a lull, and I spent the day simply strolling in the Tokyo suburbs.
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Day 16
During my last full day in Japan, I continued my reflective strolling around the city. Particularly I visited Ueno Park, where I found quaint market booths and music performances. Though signs tell not to feed pigeons, I found that no one adhered to them and so I joined in and was soon overwhelmed by a giant flock. For my last meal, I enjoyed a large bowl of quality ramen.
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Day 17
I rode one last train back to the Narita airport feeling bittersweet. I would get to see my family after my first long time away from them. On the other hand, Japan had been everything that I hoped it would be! I had to down one last Pocari Sweat before I boarded my flight, because I knew that Gatorade would never match how amazing it tasted.
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