skip to main |
skip to sidebar
3/17/10
When I decided that I wanted to study abroad in Japan, I knew right away that I wanted to go in the spring. My reason? I wanted to see the cherry blossoms (or sakura in Japan) in bloom.
Sakura season is a big deal in Japan. I knew this before, but didn’t fully realize it until I experienced sakura-mania in Tokyo. Every other shop from bookstores to bakeries has decorations of pink flowers in the windows or near the door. Tea shops are selling sakura tea, Starbucks has been advertising the sakura frappacino and the sakura steamer, and you can bet that all kinds of bakeries and pastry shops have added sakura treats to their menus; Cake, cookies, bread, and of course, mochi.
So today I went to Ueno Park to see if any of the trees had blossomed. Ueno Park is home to a zoo, several museums, and the largest population of pigeons in Tokyo (these being the first ones I’ve seen since I arrived). The park is also one of the few places where you will actually see street performers; jugglers and street magicians and the like. To my surprise, there were a few trees in bloom despite the cool weather. This is nothing in comparison to what I expect the trees will look like when they are all in bloom at once, but it was still nice to see some blossoms here and there.
Once I had my fill of the park, I walked to Akihabara where I bought a sakura steamer and a sakura cream mochi. The steamer was delicious, with a hint of sweet and warm spice, something akin to cinnamon, and the mochi was just as yummy; a rice cake filled with sakura paste and cream. A nice little treat on a chilly early spring day.
3/16/10
My weekend was pretty chill. I spent Friday and Saturday revisiting a few places, and Sunday I relaxed at the house before meeting with one of my college professors for dinner (She’s here on sabbatical until June). Monday was another day of revisiting, and today was my second manga lesson with a new teacher: Takarai Saori. She’s done many works for Japanime/Manga University already, including Manga Moods, Manga Tarot, and Manga Sisters, which she made with her own sister. Saori-san’s style is distinctly かわいい, and she has an excellent eye for color, which is what my lesson was about; Specifically pertaining to Copic markers.
For those who don’t know, Copics are God’s markers. They blend beautifully without leaving any streaking, and you can get a wide variety of shades with just one marker. Naturally, they’re ridiculously expensive, but they’re worth every penny. They can be intimidating at first though, because along with the colored markers comes a colorless blender marker. Confusing beyond all means, the colorless blender can produce some really lovely effects if you know how to use it right.
With Saori-san’s guidance, I was able to produce this little number:
Aside from being a very talented artist, Saori-san is the most adorable Japanese person I have ever met, including my professor back at school, and Hiro-san who I interviewed last January. She is a bit soft-spoken, but has a bright smile and a cheerful laugh and can bring a smile to anyone’s face. She is also extremely kind-hearted. After the lesson, she presented me with her collection of Copics and asked if there were any colors that I wanted. “I know they’re expensive,” was her reason. I declined as politely as I could, thanking her profusely and telling her that she was far too kind.
Saori-san stayed around for a little while to sign some bookmarks that Glenn and Mari will be passing out on their tour of American conventions this summer, and we chatted a bit. She asked me what I was studying, where in Japan I had been, where I was going, what manga I liked best, which ones were popular in America, etc. I answered, but found myself a little shy about asking her many questions.
Tomorrow is calling for warmth and sunny skies, so I will likely take a trip to Ueno to see if there are any cherry blossoms in bloom.
3/12/10
I’ve heard that you don’t know a city well until you’ve gotten lost in it. In Tokyo, it’s pretty easy to get lost if you don’t know where you’re going. I went to Shibuya today, which is one of the hippest parts of Tokyo, home to the ギャル. As I left Shibuya station, I went in the entirely wrong direction, away from the heart of the district. I managed to realize my mistake and went back the station to find the right way. The best part about Shibuya is that you can find your way pretty quickly. Just ask where the dog is.
This is Hachiko. Hachiko was the dog of a Tokyo University professor. Every day he followed his master to Shibuya station to see him off to work, then waited until the end of the day when the professor would return and they would walk home together. One day, the professor suffered from a stroke and died while at work. Despite this, Hachiko waited every day for ten years for his master to return. This statue stands at one of the entrances to Shibuya station and memorializes Hachiko’s faithfulness, along with a mural along the station entrance. For more information and the full story on Hachiko, check out the Wikipedia page here.
Once I had found Hachiko, I knew I was in the right place. After paying my respects to the faithful dog, I carried on to Shibuya 109, a famous shopping center of the ギャル (Gal) style. The set up is very similar to La Foret in Harajuku, with the clothes varying, but all suitable to the style of the ギャル scene. The clothes are fun, but the thing to really look at is the shoes.
Let’s get some shoes.
Seriously, shoes in Japan are so much more interesting than anywhere else. Bows and fluffy puffballs on the toes, the heels, chains, straps, platforms, flowers in the platform heels, and everything else you could possibly imagine. Japan could open a museum to show all the different styles.
After wandering around Shibuya, I went back to Harajuku to explore some more. So guess who found the Putumayo boutique?
The store manager directed me in toward the sale rack (which wasn’t much of a sale. Skirts and hoodies for nearly 5,000 yen!). I was tempted to splurge since it’s my favorite Japanese fashion line, but I restrained myself and bought a ring and earrings instead. The manager (who I think might be the designer too) and I had a good exchange while she rang up my selections.
“Where are you from?”
“Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.”
“Oh, Pittsburgh! I’d like to go there sometime.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Is this your first time in Japan?”
“No, this is my second time.”
“Oh! Really? Where have you been to in Tokyo?”
“Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa, Akihabara, Ikebukuro…”
“Which place is your favorite?”
“Harajuku, I think.”
“Oh good! The fashion is very interesting, isn’t it?”
“Yes, very interesting! I like it a lot!”
“Oh good! Did you like the clothes here?”
“Yes, everything is really beautiful!”
“Oh, thank you! You speak Japanese very well, by the way.”
“Ah, thank you!”
“I was worried about speaking with you at first, my heart was beating so fast!”
Then we laughed, I finished paying and left, thanking her on my way out. For more pictures of awesome shoes and Hachiko, check out my Photobucket page!
3/11/10
Today was all about the kids. I got up a little earlier this morning to go with Mari to a local elementary school for the sake of getting a feel for Japanese school-life and for a chance to practice my Japanese. We were greeted by the school’s principal and I successfully introduced myself without looking like a バカ外人 (at least he seemed pretty impressed). We then stepped toward the building, took off our shoes, and put on slippers before moving to a conference room where some of the parents had gathered with picture books, apparently planning to read to the younger kids for the first few minutes of class. I introduced myself to each person, told them where I was from, and answered whatever questions they had to the best of my ability (though I needed Mari to translate a few times).
After watching a couple parents read to a class of second-graders, Mari and I visited with the principal some more in his office. I was surprised to discover that he knew quite a lot about Pittsburgh’s history (apparently he did a report on the city when he was still in school). After chatting and sharing a cup of tea, he gave me a tour of the school, allowing me to stand in and watch a few classes. The reactions from the kids varied, but they all stared at me when I walked in the doors, some with their mouths a-gape. I think my two favorites were a sixth-grade class and a first-grade class.
When I walked into the sixth-grade class, all heads turned and looked at me and some kids muttered things to each other. I can only assume they were commenting on me, either how weird I look or why a foreigner was in their school, etc. The teacher gave a small introduction, then Mari encouraged me to introduce myself. The conversation then went as thus:
Me: Hello, my name is Kat. I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but my college is in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Kids: Eeeeeh~?
Boy1: Can you show us on a map?
Me: Map? Where…? (now looking for a map in the room)
Boy2: Ah! Her hair is pink!
Me: Yes, it is. Ah! (scurrying across the room to grab a globe on a shelf) Pittsburgh is here. (Pointing in the general direction of Pennsylvania). And Minneapolis is here. (pointing in the general direction of Minnesota).
Teacher: Everyone, grab your geography books and see if you can find them.
Cue all the kids scurrying to their cubbies to get their books and open a US map. I peered over a girl’s shoulder and showed her where the two cities were. To my surprise, Pittsburgh was marked on the map, but Philadelphia wasn’t. Interesting, since it’s usually the other way around in America.
In the first grade class, we walked in on the kids working on a project where they had to make a small structure out of straws and clay. After I was introduced to the class, I had a brief encounter with a little boy and girl in the class.
Girl: (in a very 元気 voice) I like the color of your hair!
Me: Thank you!
Boy: Cool!
Nice to know that the kids appreciate people with weird colors in their hair.
After the tour was done, Mari and I thanked the principal and were on our way. We stopped and had lunch with her father, who seems reserved at first glance, but actually likes to talk quite a bit. Then we returned to the office where I worked until 3.
For my excursion, I went out to Ginza, which I would liken to the Fifth Avenue of Tokyo. While Harajuku is home to funky clothes catered to a specific style, Ginza has stores that are more high-end and mainstream in style. I did laps around the main street for a while before stopping at a place I visited last time I was in Japan: Toy Park.
Four floors of toys, including adorable stuffed animals, action figures, puzzles, trading cards, toy race cars, and snacks featuring anime characters.
In the basement floor of the shop is where you’ll find dolls. Luckily the only Barbie dolls they had were of the limited edition variety, since the rest of the floor was covered in merchandise for Ricca-chan, Japan’s equivalent of Barbie.
Like Barbie, Ricca-chan takes on many occupations and has lots of outfits. Everything from school uniforms to cosplay to professional uniforms. Ricca-chan also has a set of friends, just like Barbie. The significant difference between Ricca-chan and Barbie is that Ricca-chan’s proportions are much more realistic. Her feet aren’t tiny and pointed, her waist is typical of a Japanese girl’s, and her chest doesn’t look like it’s gone under the knife.
Bradley was hoping to find members of his clutch at Toy Park, but alas, no luck. Their Pokemon stock is surprisingly low. I picked up a chocolate truffle sample for him in a department store on our way back to the station to cheer him up.
There are a lot more pictures in my Photobucket account, so please go and browse!
3/10/10
No pictures today, but I think this has been the best day ever. Along with my internship, I get three lessons with some of the artists that work for Manga University. Today was my first lesson with Okura Atsuhisa, an award-winning manga artist. The night before, Glenn and Mari asked me what my drawing level was, and I responded that I felt I was at an intermediate level, which they relayed to Okura-san. I brought a few of my drawings to the lesson to give him a better idea, and Mari later relayed to me that he thinks I’m far above intermediate.
He then proceeded to give me a lesson in drawing male figures, something I’ve always struggled with. He asked me what poses or specifics I wanted to know and he drew them out carefully for me. Everything from basic body structure to differences in facial structure as the character ages. He then gave me a brief lesson on the female figure, taking some of my own drawings and showing me how they could be improved.
Okura-san will be giving me a lesson in screen tones next week, and so he decided to give me an introduction today. He gave a brief demonstration and then let me try for myself. It took a couple minutes, but I thought I got the hang of it rather quickly. Mari returned and revealed to me that Okura-san was very impressed by how fast I had caught on the to screen tone application method. He’s taught nearly a hundred students (both Japanese and foreign) and apparently none of them picked it up as quickly as I did. According to Mari, he was so impressed that he would consider me as an assistant, something he’s never done before with interns. This information had me blushing and repeatedly bowing my head with multiple murmurings of ありがとうございます.
After the lesson, Okura-san volunteered to take me to Shinjuku to go shopping for art supplies. It was in the lower forties today, which is quite cold for locals in Tokyo. As such, when Mari revealed to Okura-san how cold it gets in Minnesota, he was shocked. We were quite the pair as we stepped out into the street: He in his puffy down coat, thick scarf and gloves, shivering against the cold while I was in only a sweatshirt with the front zipper undone and a scarf, completely unbothered.
“Are you really okay like that?” He asked me in Japanese.
“Yes, yes, I’m perfectly fine,” I reassured with a smile.
We went to Shinjuku to the art supply store where he helped me pick out paper and screen tones to practice with. While we were in line to pay, he watched me carefully and I could tell that he was going to jump in if I didn’t have enough money to pay for everything (Luckily I did, so I didn’t have to inconvenience him). Afterwards, he brought me to a 42-year old ramen shop where I was introduced to the most delicious ramen I have ever had (Mari gave me some money so I could treat Okura-san). Large chunks of meat, noodles, cabbage, and other vegetables in a tasty broth = pure ramen heaven.
While we were walking between stations and shops, we spoke in a mess of Japanese and English. He asked me what I was studying at school, how long I would be in Japan, how long I had been drawing, etc. I asked him what made him start drawing and told him the differences between Tokyo and New York trains. After dinner, he made sure I got to the right platform at Shinjuku station before we parted ways.
Today has been absolutely wonderful, and if it were socially acceptable in Japan, I would have been dancing on that train ride home. I have been drawing anime and manga since I was nine years old, and have been told by art teachers multiple times “You can’t do that,” “That’s not real art,” etc. To hear that an award-winning artist thinks so highly of me is humbling and thrilling all at once. It feels so good to finally be accepted and recognized by someone who works professionally in an artistic position, and I feel so blessed to have this internship opportunity.
Tomorrow morning, Mari and I will be going to an elementary school so I can sit in on a class and practice some easy Japanese before we go into the office. My afternoon/evening adventure location for tomorrow has yet to be decided, but I’ve narrowed it down to Nakano, Ginza, or Roppongi Hills. We’ll just wait and see how tomorrow fairs out. Tonight I will sleep peacefully with a wide smile on my face.
3/9/10
In the office today, I did more commenting on Facebook as well as the Manga University forums, another place where people post their artwork for feedback and advice. From what I could tell, people really appreciated someone from the offices commenting and giving them advice on their work. I also met Rachel, a student at Temple University’s Tokyo campus who interns in the office on Tuesdays and sometimes Thursdays. She’s originally from Baltimore, Maryland and attended a school in Michigan for a year before transferring to Temple in Tokyo, where she plans to get her four-year degree. After work, we got on the train together and chatted all the way to Akihabara where I got off to explore, despite the cold and the rain.
For those who don’t know, Akihabara is every anime/manga/video game geek’s Mecca. There are stores filled with action figures, plushies, key chains, coffee mugs, and every other kind of merchandise that an anime/manga/video game series could possible have. This includes doujinshi (fan comic) stores, duty-free electronics, arcades, and maid cafes. One of my favorite things to do in Akihabara is browse the claw-prize machines for the cute plushies that you can win if you’re skilled enough.
This was a pretty quiet visit for me due to the rain, but I expect to return at least once more before I leave Tokyo.
3/8/10
Today was my first day in Japanime/Manga University’s office. They started me off with easy tasks like coming up with tweets for their Twitter page and commenting on artwork that people post on the Facebook page. For lunch, Mari and Naomi (Glenn’s assistant) took me to my very first 回転寿し (conveyor belt sushi restaurant).
I had egg, shrimp, and tempura sushi, and was introduced to the deliciousness that is 大学いも (College potatoes).
These are sweet potatoes that are crispy on the outside and coated in honey, and soft and fluffy on the inside. Sooooo yummy~! Bradley likes them too.
After working in the office, I went out for the evening, making a quick stop in Shinjuku to buy a kanji dictionary from Kinokuniya, and then going to one of my favorite places in Tokyo: Harajuku.
Harajuku is home to Takeshita-doori, a pedestrian street lined with funky clothing stores stacked on top of each other and hidden in back alleys. You need to pay close attention to each building because the best shops are hidden in basements and on upper floors along the street. And you will find all kinds of clothing stores here. Everything from the hip-hop scene with bright splashes of colors to the J-rock boutique run by a middle-aged woman whose customers include members of Dir en Grey to the shop with rabbit-faced mannequins wearing whimsical skirts and dresses to the gothic lolita store pumping hyperactive, techno versions of Disney songs.
Along with a few crepe stands scattered along the street.
At the end and to the right of Takeshita-doori is La Foret, a high-end shopping mall with booths for some of the bigger-name designers. The building is huge, but the only floors that matter at the two basement floors, which feature goth-loli and j-rock brands, including my personal favorite: Putumayo.
I didn’t actually buy anything because my hips are far too large to fit into anything a skinny Japanese girl could wear, but it’s always fun to look at. I took plenty of pictures while I was in the stores and walking up and down the street, so check out my Photobucket account for the rest.
