christmas "holidays"

My sister just arrived here for the winter holiday, and I had already given up trying to write this post since I wouldn't have time to do it while she's here, and after it would just be so terribly delayed that I wouldn't even have bothered. But after a nice meal of bento and mochi ice-cream, she pretty much just lost consciousness... So I do have time to update after all!

Looks like she'll be fine for the next couple of hours...

So, about the Christmas holidays. Well, in reality, we only had Christmas Day off, which is only because Doshisha is a Christian university. For the rest of Japan it's just another day at work or school. On Christmas Eve we had school from 9 to 3, and also there are no such things as Boxing Day in England, or the Second Christmas Day in Finland; but since Christmas Day was a Friday, we had a long weekend. After school on Christmas Eve we went to an onsen in Arashiyama, and it was amazing! They had two saunas, one "traditional" and one steam sauna, two different types of baths inside, and outside a traditional one plus a cold one. After soaking in the baths for about an hour, every muscle in my body was so relaxed that it felt impossible to drag myself back to town. Again, no pictures from the onsen; since people get naked in there, it wouldn't be very appropriate.

In the evening, I ate a fuckload of chocolate with some shitty red wine and a movie that was supposed to be really sad and moving but wasn't. Boyhood, that was.

Not a bad way to spend Christmas Eve, though!

On Christmas Day, there was an international party at my friend's dorm - I think the idea was originally hers, and she also made nearly half of the food, although it was a potluck party. I also took the opportunity to use the big kitchen before the party to cook the traditional Finnish carrot casserole, which is an essential part of the Christmas dinner for us.

One hungry goat.

Secret Santa! 

Doing kendama.

On Sunday, it was about time to go out and burn some calories, since for the entire weekend all I did was eat, really... No, I'm kidding, we had been planning this for a long time so it wasn't just for the guilt - a climb to Kibuneyama! First we took the Eizan line to Ninose station, crossed the small village and headed into the woods.

Ninose 

The station and its master.

Into the woods.

The woods.

The climb was pretty steep, but not too difficult. The path was pretty small but clearly visible, and the signs were alright - I mean, from time to time you were reminded of how long you still had to walk to reach a certain point, so it's not like we felt lost at any time... But going down, it got pretty difficult at times! At one point, instead of a path we were walking down a dry river bed, and it got pretty slippery at times. And where there was path, it was very narrow and there were spots where you might've just fallen down the slope if you weren't being careful. Also, some pretty interesting sets of safety ropes were set up at the trickiest spots. But it was all fun as hell!

This was the easy part.

It snowed!

Mostly it was just forest so there were no good views, but we were high!

Creatures of the forest. 

Slippery slope

To prevent landslide, I think?

Walk back to Kuramaguchi station.

Swallowed by a tree

At the end, we paid brief visit to Kibune shrine.

So I do recommend this trail for everybody who are up for a bit of a challenge - not that it was too difficult, still good for a beginner, I think. If you want more info, check this out. It's all in Japanese but you can see the route on the map there. All in all it took us around 4 hours to climb up and down, and according to the original plan, we should've continued down all the way to Kurama station. So whoever came up with that route is fast as hell.

That's all for now, now it's naptime before heading out for some beer and good food at our favorite izakaya, Torikizoku. Next week I might post some pictures about the adventures I'm planning to take my sister to - until then, sayonara!

is it finally winter?

So here I am, freezing to death although the temperature hasn't even dropped down to 0°C yet. The unreasonably hot autumn played its tricks on me, and now my body's imagining this is cold. The day before yesterday we went to Arashiyama for the Lantern Festival, and walked around for a few hours; I was freezing. Imagine how it felt like afterwards when we took a foot bath at the station before returning home - pure bliss! Although the first feeling was that of my feet burning, since the water in baths here is pretty much as hot as it's possible to have without actually getting burns.

Anyways, before these adventures, and some Christmas preparations I'm planning to tell you about, let's go back a week or two, when the momiji season reached its peak. I got up really early one morning to capture the last of the autumn colors around the Imperial Palace, and here are a few selected shots. A few more can be found on Flickr again, since I don't really like to use Blogger for publishing all the photos - first of all, I think it's inconvenient for the reader to scroll down and click on each photo separately to see the full size; and if you just look through them in the photo viewer that opens up when you click on one, you miss any writings that might be between them. And second, I don't even know how to adjust the copyright settings here, and in Flickr it's automatically "all rights reserved", and you can adjust it any way you want.

A perfect, crispy morning for photography!

Later during the same day, we baked gingerbread cookies! I used the recipe that's originally my aunt's, I think; but as the ingredients you can get here are a bit different, I was slightly nervous to see how they turn out. For example, dark syrup is apparently a Nordic thing. Molasses is probably quite similar, as I've seen that being used in English gingerbread dough recipes, but I opted for kuromitsu, which roughly translates to black honey. It's muscovado sugar syrup mixed with honey, and it did indeed taste very similar to dark syrup. Another tricky one was the flour - they sell two kinds of wheat flour here, strong and weak one, and I wasn't sure at all how that compares with the Finnish fine and coarse wheat flours, but I chose the strong one. I did end up using a bit less of it compared to the original recipe, so I'm not sure if the weak one would've been a better option after all, but otherwise there was no difference in how it turned out at the end. The taste was also exactly the same,  and even though I haven't really gotten to Christmas mood here since outside it looks like October in Finland, the moment we started baking I was filled with Christmas spirit. It's the magical mixture of cloves, ginger and cinnamon that does it.

What I was most unsure about, though, was baking them in a friggin' toaster oven...

Thanks to my baking buddy Junna!

And thanks to Maija for bringing glögi!

And to conclude, here are the pictures from the Lantern Festival - again, the rest will be on Flickr.

A walk through the bamboo forest. 

Nothing beats (free) hot apple tea when you're absolutely freezing.

Except maybe a visit to a foot onsen!

about things learned, sweets made and fun had.

Yesterday, as usual, the last class was on Japanese culture, and this time we studied about the history of Doshisha (that's the name of our university). I've been slightly confused every time I tell people I'm studying at Doshisha and they go all "Oh wow, you must be so clever!", but now I know why. So obviously this is a famous and acknowledged university, that much I knew; but it's actually so famous that there's even an effing manga made about the life and times of the founder, Joseph Hardy Neesima, and yesterday's lecture slides were basically just pages and pages of that manga, which, by the way, was pretty cringeworthy, especially with the English translations that were displayed beside the Japanese pages... I mean, just imagine a serious manga about, say, Obama. Just... no.

So the guy was apparently the first Japanese person to study in America - he went there to study Christianity and after returning to Japan, he decided to build a Christian university in Kyoto, a town that is famous for its Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. But that turned out a lot better than expected, and now people just assume that if you're studying at Doshisha, you must be clever and/or rich. As for me, I just said I want to go and my uni sent me... so yeah, doesn't really apply here!

At the end of the class, we had a campus tour with a volunteer to show us around and explain about the history of the buildings. We even got inside the pretty little church that's right in the middle of Imadegawa campus, and it was beautiful, with the stained glass windows and all.

Last weekend was also pretty great: I learned to make wagashi, which translates into Japanese sweets. Wagashi are the traditional type of sweets that are a crucial part of tea ceremonies, where they are enjoyed with matcha. There are different types of wagashi, but most of them are made with either mochi, which is the rice cake dough, or anko, which is the red bean paste that's so delicious that I devoted an entire post to it some time ago.

So, as someone who loves cooking and baking and eating wagashi, of course I signed up for that! And it was so worth it, too. We went to Kanshundo (甘春堂), which is a sweets shop that specializes in kyogashi - Kyoto-style wagashi - and were taught by one of the staff there. It was an old, quintessentially Japanese building, with the shop and a tea room down at the ground floor, and a classroom type of setting at the first floor. They had the pastes and doughs made ready for us, so our job was just to follow the instructions and mold them into the almost-too-pretty-to-eat sweets that their shop is famous for. Below are a couple of the ones that I made - one we ate at the end of the session with some deliciously bitter matcha. One of the most Japanese experiences that I've had so far, loved it.

Also, such a beautiful night when I left the place! So glad I went by bike instead of the subway.

Later that night, to balance it all out, we made some yogashi (that's the Japanese word for Western-style sweets): Oreo cookie balls! The original recipe was just a video I saw on my Facebook wall and I can't find it anymore, but I think by googling that you'll find loads of similar recipes. Had those, and some wine and cheese, and compared to the zen-like atmosphere we had at the wagashi shop, this process resembled My Drunk Kitchen, a YouTube channel that I strongly recommend for everybody to watch! So entertaining. Well, our balls may not have been the prettiest out there; however, the end result was delicious.

From there onwards, went to an izakaya and KARAOKE for the first time! Expensive but so much fun, since here you get a private room with your friends and get to sing as much as your heart desires until your time's up - and even then you can just request more time, which you'll probably end up doing since you're getting a bit drunk and there are a kazillion of songs that you just need to sing right there and then.

In these rooms they've also got a selection of instruments and shit, so while your friends are singing a song you don't know, you can for example accompany them on a tambourine! Noisy but fun. Plus, if you get the nomihodai deal, which I think is the usual deal, you also get to play with the drink order tablet as much as you want, and the drinks keep coming on the set price that you agreed to pay at the entrance. The Japanese people sure know how to party.

That's all for today, folks - I'll update later when I've tried out a couple of Japanese craft beers that I found at a store that I also think I'll be talking about later. Until then!

tokyo. such wow.

Before my arrival to Tokyo, I thought this post might've just been a picture post; just like I thought my trip to Tokyo might've just been a photography trip, kind of. I was going alone, and when I get to decide the entire schedule for a trip to an awesome place, it's basically just taking photos. What I didn't take into account was that when you're alone in a place like that, you're bound to do a lot of thinking! And I want to share some of the thoughts I had, so it's not just pictures this time, either... So a bit more scrolling for those who just came for the photos!

But, as you might guess, I did take a shitload of photos, too. Out of the hundreds I took I managed to choose 100 to be presented to you, and since I can't possibly fit them into this post, I've uploaded everything on Flickr, too, so click HERE to see the rest of them, and also if you just wanna skip the reading part!

I arrived on Wednesday evening, with just enough time to go and see the Sky Tree, which was right next to the hostel - or so I thought, as I saw it from the dorm window. But, as it turns out, it's not only high but big in all dimensions, so it seemed to be a lot closer than it actually was. So I walked and walked, and kept thinking it must be right around the corner. Well, I got there eventually, but the weather was so bad that there was really no point in paying over 2000 yen to go up and see nothing from the clouds and rain. So I returned to the hostel, and on the way back Tokyo rained on me. Bah.

Solamachi's the shopping mall right next to the Sky Tree.

Luckily that was only the first night, and the next days were much better weatherwise - sunny almost the entire time! On the first full day, I wanted to explore all the areas I'd heard so much about - Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku. These are places that always come to mind when you think of Tokyo, and because of the countless of images and movie scenes that have taken place in these areas, I pretty much knew what to expect. But, the thing is, when you go to a place like that for the first time, you can never prepare yourself sufficiently in order not be taken aback. And why should you, it's one of the most wonderful experiences, to be honestly stunned about a view in front of you, so much so that you forget about yourself completely.

Tokyo's also a good place if you want to experience what it feels like to be completely alone despite of having masses of people around you. And it's also a common experience, I could read it on people's faces bright and clear. Everybody seemed so tired and lonely. Riding the subway was the worst. It was filled with people every time, but quite literally nobody ever talked to each other. They either stared into oblivion, or were half asleep.

The most miserable place on Earth.

Why the long face? Just look at the scene, dudes!

It was a striking difference to Kyoto, where I also had to take the subway back home - that time, though, people were with friends and there was actual chatter. Although in Kyoto, I'm still unable to follow conversations because of the dialect! That's also one difference I noticed - people in Tokyo speak the kind of Japanese that I've learned, so I actually understood when they talked to me, and even when they talked to each other! In the more touristy areas, the sales people were eager to strike up a conversation with me when they realized I spoke some Japanese. So although the general atmosphere was quite melancholy, customer service was a bit better compared to Kyoto, or at least they tried harder. And I'm assuming that's to attract the tourists.

So, about these different areas. Harajuku is a good place to go if you like to dress to express yourself. It's not just for Japanese kawaii lolita style stuff, like I thought, but more like Camden Town in London - something for everybody, really! You can also find a good selection of geek stuff, like movie merchandise - and again, not just anime stuff but for Western films and shows as well. Not to mention the delicious sweets shops that it's full of. I tried this thing called zakuzaku, which was a crispy pastry filled with something that resembled custard, and it was delicious. I loved Harajuku, and had I had more time and money, I'd probably spent an entire day shopping there.

Zakuzaku!

Takeshita Street

Shinjuku and Shibya were the busiest areas I went to, and since they were pretty much what I expected, I don't really have anything special to say about them. I was dumbfounded and slightly overwhelmed when trying to take it all in, but in a good way. I know I wouldn't be able to stay in such a place for too long, but I'd go back any day for a visit. Tokyo, especially the central area, is the second spot off my bucket list (which is quite funny, seeing that I've traveled a lot), so how could I not have loved every second of it?

The Hachiko statue in front of Shibuya station - I think that guy ended up in the wrong photo!

The famous crossing

Shinjuku at nightfall

The second day was spent in a bit more relaxed environments. I had my breakfast at Tokyo Tower, watching the city scape spread before me. I even paid for a special ticket to go up to the higher observatory, and despite people online arguing it's not worth it, it so was. You can see so much farther - the tower is in the middle of skyscrapers so if you just stay in the first observatory you'll see skyscrapers. Up from the special observatory, you get the bigger picture.

The neverending city 

Breakfast with a view

After brekkie, I headed to Odaiba, a place I'd never heard of before but that turned out to be my favorite place in Tokyo. I took the Yurikamome line there, which was very much like the DLR in London - this, too, had a rollercoastery feeling to it, and it was fully automated so you have a chance to ride in the front. Anyways, Odaiba was so calm and peaceful, with a beach and running courses, a few quiet shopping malls, the Fuji TV Station, and only pedestrian traffic, which was why it was so peaceful in the first place. Oh, and they've got the Statue of Liberty, too. Figures.

Oh yes, count me in for a run around Odaiba!

On my way back to the subway station, I stumbled upon this car museum/shopping mall thing...

Since the afternoon had been so relaxing, I just had to go and be a bit overwhelmed again, so I went to Akihabara. That's where the anime geeks gather, and where the biggest billboards and neon light signs are. It's also just full of men, really, and places that cater to lonely guys who are infatuated with feminine anime characters. I saw very few Japanese girls around, aside from the ones that were dressed in the lolita fashion and handing out fliers for shops and bars and whatever they have around there, I don't even really want to know.

I finally googled - this is actually the band's own theater! I was wondering what the people were lining up for.

Wonder what this hot spot loved by foreigners is - oh, McDonald's. How exciting.

On Saturday, I took the Shinkansen back to Kyoto - which, by the way, was just another train, like I'd feared. I mean, it's fast, and looks cool from the outside, but the interior isn't much fancier than your average Pendolino in Finland. But the ride was very comfortable and that's all you can ask for a train, right? Anyway, after the check-out, I didn't go straight to the station but took a bit longer route to be able to see Ueno Park, which was a bit boring since it's all the kind of stuff you can see in Kyoto any day, with Kyoto being a lot prettier; but I had the most wonderful breakfast moment at a charming café next to the park.

From there, I walked on to Nippori as I'd just learned it's the most cat-dense area in Tokyo, and wasn't disappointed! There's even an entire shopping street devoted to cat-related stuff. Heaven. And then, my last stop before Tokyo Station was Hijiribashi - another spot the guidebook I found too late recommended, and it was so worth those few minutes that I was able to spend there! One of the best photo spots in Tokyo.

I love cats, I love every kind of cat, I just wanna hug all of them but I can't hug every cat!

Like a toy land!

So that was Tokyo for now. It was a very thought-provoking trip, and against all odds, I really enjoyed just walking around alone with my camera, observing and contemplating the way people lead their life there, and life in general, both my own and ours as people. I'm so lucky to be able to experience all this. But it's also not just luck; I've made things happen to be able to be here now, and whenever I travel alone, I feel proud of myself, since I know I'm taking important lessons in life I that wouldn't if I just stayed in Finland. So totally recommend this to everybody, even if it means eating plain rice for the next three months, like it does to me...