Day 124 - 1st of January

12:59am　祇園
天気：雪
Happy New Year!!! We’re in the line (more like the mass), waiting to get into the Yasaka shrine; only one way to enter. Chionin was amazing. We were at the bell for New Years; we got to hear it ring about 30 times. Apart from the yelling of the security guards, beckoning us to advance, it was a truly magical event. At New Years, a lot of foreigners cheered, but I was against that; it’s not the right thing to do at a temple. We got to spend about half an hour at the bell, which was more than ample, before we were swept away by the tide of people. I gave the girls hugs and congratulations, and watched in awe as it snowed lightly; I was so happy that, although I didn’t get a white Christmas, I got a white New Years. We walked down into 円山公園 (Maruyama Koen – Maruyama Park), and the girls bought some 甘酒 (amazake – sweet sake). I got a sip from Katie’s cup; it was… interesting. Nadezhda brought mocha, and we shared that, and my coconut sable. We thought we could get into the shrine through the park, but we ended up having to walk all the way around and back onto Gion, the main street…

1:26am　祇園
Still waiting…

2:26am　祇園
Almost there… We’ve been occupying ourselves with songs, riddles, and jokes. It’s snowing pretty heavily now…

3:34am　普通
We’ve just gotten on the local train back to Makino. Yasaka shrine was really beautiful, so I guess it was worth the wait; wow, I can say I’ve done hatsumode!!! I bought a burger which looked really nice, and it was huge, but it was also stone cold. I think the girls made a better choice getting takoyaki; oh well. We gave our offerings, made our New Years wishes, and then made our way out, and back around to the station. Jo’s going to go shrine hopping until 4pm, when she can check-in to her hostel in Osaka. I was game to join her at first, but now I just want sleep…

11:41pm　
After getting back from Kyoto, I found Ryan to be awake still, but managed to get to sleep just fine. I didn’t wake up again until 2:30. I made pancakes, something I haven’t done in a while, and watched some traditional performances on TV. At one point I was watching a traditional instrument ensemble consisting of three koto players and a shamisen player. They were all elderly women, dressed in the formal 黒留袖 (kurotomesode) kimono; it was a very enchanting performance. After that I talked with Carly for a while before watching Labyrinth with Alex, India and Nadezhda; it was so funny watching that movie again. We took a break, so I could go make some dinner (shepherd’s pie), before sitting down for Watchmen; we were joined by Jeremy. I can’t say it was one of the better movies I’ve ever seen, but it was certainly different. And that was my New Years. I was really glad I got to participate in hatsumode; certainly a unique-to-Japan experience. Walking back from Makino station this morning, I realised there was a solar eclipse. I looked it up online to find that it was only a partial lunar eclipse but still very rare. That and the fact that it coincided with a blue moon last night makes 2010 seem a very auspicious year to me; I certainly welcome it…

Day 123 - 31st of December

10:05pm　牧野駅
天気：寒い、風が吹いて
We’re in Makino station in the waiting room…

10:16pm　特急
I’m with Katie, Jo, and Nadezhda and now we’re on a limited express to Gion Shijo; switched over at Kuzuha. We’re going to the Chionin temple first, and then Yasaka shrine. Today was lazy… I got up at about 10:30, had breakfast and caught up with Ash and Katie; they had just arrived back from Tokyo via night bus. I was able to see the pictures of their trip on Ash’s camera; she then explained to me she wouldn’t be coming tonight because she felt under the weather. I made a quick trip to Sanko to pick up some meat and milk; since basically everything is closed on New Years. I got back and watched Ghostbusters on TV with Jo, Nadezhda, and Alex, and planned our night. I had a late lunch (very late) at about 4, and watched a bit of Lost with Vince on his laptop. I talked with my family on Skype for a while, before chatting with Alex and Carly.

At about 8, I went and had dinner (leftover yakisoba), and talked with Katie and Ash while watching a New Years singing competition; I saw Angela Aki in the ensemble performance! Susan Boyle was also on as a guest singer, and sung I Dreamed a Dream; how predictable. Since Jo was a guest, and she wanted to watch the program, she set up a chair in the corridor just outside the dining room door, and got me to prepare her cup noodles; it was rather funny. She ended up going back down to the lounge to eat however, and it was then I discovered there wasn’t much time left before we had to leave. So I rushed to get ready, and we made it out just past 9:30. The walk to Makino was freezing, and it was windy. Hopefully we’ll be more sheltered in Kyoto…

Day 122 - 30th of December

10:14pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ
Well today was a big lot of not much. Mind you, I only experienced half of it in waking hours; didn't get up till 12:40. I really can't do this anymore; I'm definitely going to get up at a regular time tomorrow. So what did I do today... well, basically as soon as I got up, I looked at the time, and though "I'm late for talking with family," so I quickly got Skype set up in the lounge; Ryan was still asleep. Talked with Mum and Ben mostly; Dad had to head out unfortunately. After an hour I had to eat, so I said goodbye and made lunch; avocado and rice on toast. It was really nice to get a really good avocado; I haven't had much luck with them for a while now. Anyway, ate and watched the ice skating; it was the champions' last performances, really cool. After that, spent the rest of the afternoon, uploading photos to deviant art, and reading Misfile (the webcomic).

Today, Jo came back from her trip to Hokkaido, but I didn't really get a chance to catch up with her because she was practically going back out the door; she's gone to Kyoto tonight, and will be there for New Years. We got each others contact details, so hopefully we can meet up tomorrow night sometime. I have a bit of an idea of what I want to do... For New Years Eve, there's a ritual called the 除夜の鐘 (joya no kane), involving the temple bell being rung 108 times, to purge humanity of the 108 Buddhist sins. I'd like to go the the 知恩院 (Chionin temple), which has the largest bell in Japan. Then, on New Years day, I want to go to Yasaka shrine for the 初詣 (hatsumode - first shrine visit of the year). It's only a short walk from Choinin. The biggest problem will be the fact that I'll be stranded there for the night, which I'm sure won't be that bad; there will be so much to do. So actually, the biggest problem will be having the energy to do it all.

Anyway, I saw Jo just before making dinner; yakisoba. I turned out really, really tasty tonight, and I don't know why. It wasn't as salty as it usually is. I guess I didn't put in as much soy sauce as I usually do, but it really didn't seem that way. Had some mandarin, came back down, and been talking with Alex. I went up a bit later and had some chocolate (thanks Nanny) and Milo; haven't done that in a long while. I'm really tired now (thanks to not doing anything today). I feel pretty bad about that. Well, I'm going to get up early tomorrow, make pancakes for breakfast, do my laundry, and maybe do some cleaning. Then get ready for Kyoto in the evening. Shower, then sleep...

Day 121 - 29th of December

11:02pm　セミナーハウス
天気：曇り
Today was pretty lazy; didn’t end up waking up till, 11:30. I had no food, so I had to go grocery shopping. But, I had no money, so I had to get to an ATM first, and since the university was closed, I went to Hirakata station by bus. I bought some lunch from the bakery, and browsed the shops for a while, not buying anything. Then I walked back to Kirindo and Fresco. On the walk back, I stopped at Lawsons (it’s a chain convenience store). I just remembered I wanted to find the Final Fantasy XIII Elixir; and I did. The box came with the can, and a figurine. I got Lighting, the protagonist; I was thrilled. The drink was pretty gross; some sort of energy drink, but I kept the can. I picked up a heap for cheap (lolz) at Kirindo, and then made my way over to Fresco.

I noticed that 橙 (daidai – bitter orange), are being sold for decoration as well as for the 鏡餅 (kagamimochi – lit. mirror mochi) in preparation for New Years ~ Daidai means “generations”, and symbolises the continuation of family from generation to generation. It is placed on top of the kagamimochi (two round rice cakes, a smaller atop a larger that symbolise Yin and Yang, and the like); bit of trivia for you, xD. After walking back home, I spent the rest of the afternoon talking with Alex, and reading a webcomic. At about 6, I went out again, this time to Sanko, to get meat and fruit; got some great deals. I should have bought a daidai, just to try the taste; oh well.

Getting back, I made stew for dinner, and had my first injury in Japan; cut my thumb on the edge of a tin. I’m going to get tetanus now and die; sorry I shouldn’t joke about that. I’ll be fine though; it was a surface wound and I put some witch hazel on it and band-aided it. Now I’m glad I got all those band-aids from Carly and Diego. While my stew was cooking I talked with Ryan and this other guy I’d met before who was staying in seminar house 3, while watching comedy on TV. I heated up the leftover stew from a while back, and added the new stew to that; really yummy. Had rest of canned peaches, and some mandarin for dessert, then came back down here; going to get my blog up to date…