天気：涼しい、曇り
Wow, it's the 09/09/09 and the first cool day I've had here. It's really nice to be able to walk to and from uni without melting. I had my speaking class at 10. At the moment we're just revising stuff like the potential and volitional forms of verbs. It's worked out really well; I'm up to pretty much exactly the same place in the Genki II textbook here as I was at USC. Still, I've forgotten quite a bit. After hanging out with Christina, and buying my reading for History, "A History of Japan", I went to my reading and writing class. Motohashi sensei seems really nice. We've got a lot of work to do though. I'm going to have to stay focused to keep on top of everything. I've already got so many handouts to look through. I've also got to buy my reading for the Culture and Everyday Life in Japan course, which I'll do tomorrow. Its been a pretty uneventful day for the most part. Makes it easier for me though, cause I don't have to write much, xD. Oh, on the way back from uni I went to the clothes shop. There's this shirt I really want to get, but I think it's a bit expensive for what it is. I'm going to what until it is, hopefully, marked down. They are clearing out their summer clothing at the moment, so I could get lucky.
5:55pm 山田池I'm sitting in a pavilion out on Yamada lake. From the seminar house, it took me about 25 mins to get here. It was well worth it!!! The vast lake stretches out before me. It is peaceful. I can hear crows crying, the crickets chirping, the cicadas chiming. And yet, just beyond it all, I can hear civilisation; but I can't see it. Trees all around form a wall of green. I feel detached from the outside world. The restful flow of the lake, a uniform motion, broken only by the flopping of a fish above the surface. There is a grove of hundreds of peach trees, which will be wonderful to see in the spring. Right now though, everything is lush and green; the trees not yet ready to shed the leaves of summer.
There are so many stray cats around; they must take pleasure in calling this sanctuary their home. The breeze is light but crisp, reminding me of the autumn that is to come. The sun has almost set; I should be getting back. And yet, I find it hard to move from this spot, as if the spell of serenity will be broken if I make to depart. This journal is almost full; one page left. I'll have to buy another one tomorrow. At this rate I'll be coming home with a box-full. I stand, and cast my eyes once again over the lake. I look forward coming here again. I see a group of egret over on the opposite shore. Ducks swim in a line back to their homes in the rush. This seems like an adequate end to this journal; immersed in the beauty that is Japan!
11:01pm セミナーハウスSo yeah, I walked to Yamada Lake on a whim. I just had an urge to get out so I did. I'd never been before but it was easy enough to find. Coming back at night though was a different story. I ended up getting a little lost. It was all good though, and eventually I came out onto the main street which I know, and then had to walk back up to the seminar houses. When I got back I went up to the kitchen for dinner, and Stephani and Phil were talking about going somewhere. My ears perked up and I asked them where they were going. To the 銭湯 (sentou - bathhouse). I had never been before so of course I wanted to go. We left about 8 with two other guys from seminar house three. The one we went to was only about 10 minutes walk away.
OMG!!! Such an amazing experience. After getting completely clean, you're allowed to enter the baths. The water is so nice and warm, and now I feel so relaxed; my muscles feel like jelly. Something I had to try there was the 電気風呂 (denkifuro - electric bath). It sounds crazy, I know; electricity + water = death right. Well apparently not in Japan. It was the weirdest sensation. An electric current courses through the water, and the closer your body gets to the source, the more intense the feeling. Your muscles feel like they're spasming and going numb. They also had a sauna, a cold bath (going from hot water to cold was certainly a shock to the system), and a kinda lying down bubble bath with overhead lights. We stayed there for an hour. I feel good now. I'm going to sleep soundly. It was a great experience and I can't wait to go again. Wow, I ended up doing a lot today, xD
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