have i learned japanese?

You might think that's a stupid question to ask, and that unless I've lived in complete isolation and dropped out of all the courses I took, which of course I didn't, there's no way I haven't been learning a lot.

And yes, without a doubt, I have learned some Japanese. When I first came here, although I did attempt to use Japanese in everyday situations, such as going to the store, bank, post office, etc., I would always have to prepare a sentence or two beforehand in order to succeed in delivering whatever it was that I wanted to say. And then, when I thought that I had presented my issue clearly enough, the person I was talking to would of course reply. And I would have no idea what they just said to me.

Now, although I might still have to check some key vocabulary if I need to sort out a problem with, for example, a SIM card or a similar type of technical or bureaucratic issue, I'm always able to pull through the conversation and leave the store with exactly what I came there for.

And when I'm talking with friends, the contrast to before is even greater. At my arrival, I was far from being able to carry out a casual conversation in Japanese. It would take me ages to build up a sentence in my head, and when I finally got it out of my mouth, in a few seconds the other person had replied and, again, I had got none of it.

Now, I just speak without thinking about it too much, and what has really gotten a lot better is understanding. This, I think, is thanks to all courses at school being conducted in Japanese, so that now I don't have to struggle to understand every word; it's pretty much automatic.

Still, if someone asks me if I speak Japanese, I say 'a little bit'. Why? Clearly I speak more than just a little bit, don't I?

I'm guessing that feeling has a lot to do with my previous experiences with language learning and speaking in foreign languages. Although, in addition to English and Japanese, I've been learning Swedish, French, and even a little bit of Italian along the way, the only foreign language I've actually been using in real communicative situations before the exchange, is English. And the thing with English is that before having to use it in real life, I had studied it for 10 years; so I was an advanced-level learner already. I was hearing it on TV every day, reading books and stuff...

So I've never been in a situation where I would be acquiring a language simultaneously as I go about my daily life trying to cope in the said language. In a situation like this, you just have to come to terms with the fact that you're probably fucking up every sentence that comes out of your mouth - because if you start spending time trying to come up with grammatically flawless sentences, the conversation's pretty much dead. Instead, you just got to keep talking in hopes that one day all these mistakes will have made you a fluent speaker.

So the reason why I don't feel like I speak Japanese that much is that I'm comparing it with English. Which is just absurd. Although my English is far from being perfect or native-like, it doesn't even feel like a foreign language anymore. Of course I'm not going to reach the same level with Japanese (which is also much more difficult to learn than English, in my humble opinion) with just a few years of studies plus half a year spent in Japan. So here's also a lesson in life - do try your best, but don't have unrealistic expectations based on your language learner history, or worse, how other people around you learn and use the same language. Chances are you're not gonna reach native speaker level ever, but the important thing is to be able to communicate, isn't it? And that's certainly something I have achieved now!

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...

washoku vs. finshoku

The ultimate battle. Once again, I'm torn between the two. And just to clear things up before I ramble on, washoku is a term for traditional Japanese food, and if you google, you'll find countless of examples of what a washoku meal might include. It's often very beautifully presented, but not in the try-hard, master chef kinda style - just so that plain pictures of it make your mouth water. Finshoku, on the other hand, is most likely not even a real word, but you understand what I mean, anyway.

Tempura time, featuring a waiter's ass.

When I think of traditional Finnish food, the images that pop into my head definitely don't make my mouth water. The first thing I think of is just plain boiled potatoes, with a grilled meat or fish side. As for spices and flavoring, salt and pepper will do just fine. And if you're lucky, you might have some lingonberry jam to make it complete, which actually does go well with meat dishes, such as beef or elk. So, when compared to washoku, it's boring, flavorless, and doesn't really require any effort at all.

But the thing is, Finns these days don't really eat like that. Occasionally, yeah, and I do enjoy a Sunday roast with elk steak, mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam, as long as it's a part of a varied diet with Asian, Southern European, Eastern European, African and American influences. In Finland, we also eat a lot of vegetable soups and different kinds of salads, and one of the trending dishes these days, avocado pasta, was actually developed by a Finnish blogger, I believe. In addition, vegetarianism is a big thing in Finland these days, and even though I eat practically anything I'm offered (well, still have to get used to natto, though...), at home I try to avoid eating meat, especially red meat, mainly for ecological reasons. Plus vegetarian food is simply delicious.

Yesterday, though, we got together with a couple of Finnish girls, and made something that's very Finnish, for better or for worse... macaroni casserole. Macaroni casserole for Finns is like mac and cheese is for Americans, I believe - just a simple comfort food that's inexpensive and easy to prepare. It represents the boring side of Finnish culinary culture, and at its simplest, the ingredients include just macaroni, mince meat, onion, eggs, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Of course you can spice it up in any way imaginable, and you'll probably find dozens of variations of it if you just google for recipes, but ours pretty much conformed to the traditional style. Most people I know enjoy their macaroni casserole with ketchup, since the taste of the food in itself is quite bland.

Neat, single-serving portions of macaroni casserole!

This time, though, none of us needed any ketchup. To be honest, I quite miss bland food. That sounds funny, but what really mean is that what would probably be considered bland in Japanese standards does not taste bland to me. On the contrary, as much as I love Japanese food, it's often way too salty for my taste, and I just feel bloated all the time, as I'm pretty sure my salt intake has doubled since I arrived here.

Another dearly missed thing is dietary fiber. In Finland, I'd be eating rye bread almost daily - and not the soft, brown kind that I've heard they also sell here, but the chewy, dark bread that's loaded with fiber. Most of the bread they sell here is whiter than the skin of an average Finn, and I could forgive that, if only there were other sources of fiber to choose from. But the thing is, veggies aren't used that much either, since they're super expensive; and you'd think beans, that are also high in fiber, might be a popular product in Japan, but it's mostly just soy beans that are used here, and mostly just in the production of foods that have no fiber content at all, such as tofu or soy sauce. And the rice is the whitest you can find anywhere in the world. So I'm really having a hard time with that, and usually have to content myself with just having an oatmeal in the morning and some muesli in the evening, although that only gives me a fraction of the recommended daily intake of fiber.

So there are pros and cons to both washoku and finshoku. And everytime I spend a longer period of time abroad, it seems that what I miss the most about Finnish food is how healthy it actually is. I'm not saying that everybody in Finland eats healthy - that would be a big fat lie - but I've been brought up to enjoy a varied diet, with lots of vegetables and rye bread fresh from our own oven. When I go back to Finland, I know I'll be craving for sushi and hoping I'd be back here so I could just walk to the nearest supermarket to buy a bento box; nevertheless, for a bit of an effort, I can prepare some at home since the ingredients at least are available at a supermarket in Finland, as well! So in the end I guess it's always the food you've been brought up with which somehow just feels right.