Day 268 - 25th of May

12:00pm　地下鉄　－　半蔵門線
天気：晴れ
We’re in 押上 (Oshiage), waiting for the train to depart. We got off to a late and bumpy start this morning, but it’s all good; it’s been go, go, go every day, and it’s taking its toll. It’s a sunny and quite warm day, and I’m glad we’re underground now… After getting up at about 10, we got ready slowly and then made our way over to the Sky Tree, which we can actually see from our hostel. After getting some breakfast from an am/pm, I realised I’d left my camera behind. So, we walked all the way back, got it, and then enjoyed our fruit and jelly in the kitchen. Take two and we once again made our way to the Sky Tree, its ridiculous height becoming more and more overwhelming with each step. Since it was still under construction, we couldn’t get that close, the ground around it littered with cranes and materials. As it stands, it’s already 338m, just surpassing the Tokyo Tower (333m) as the tallest structure in Japan. It still has a while to go though; when completed, it’ll be 648m. It’s definitely something I want to come back and see once it’s finished in 2012; I can’t imagine the height it will be when doubled what it is already!!! From there, we walked to a nearby station, and realised that this one wouldn’t take us where we wanted to go. So, we found a map to Oshiage station, and headed there, the Sky Tree ever looming. It was incredible; people would be just stopped in the street, staring, craning their necks and taking pictures of it. Now, we’re bound for Harajuku, to visit 明治神宮 (Meiji Jingu), the shrine of the Meiji Emperor. Since we’ve just bought an all day pass for the Tokyo Metro (subway), we’re free to do as much train travel as we like, and we’re more than ready to get our money’s worth…

5:39pm　シェーキーズ　－　新宿

We’re in Shakey’s Pizza, and it’s a lot different than I expected. Unlike the one in Kyoto, there’s no buffet and the all-you-can-eat only lasts 90 minutes. So, we’re going to try to make the most of it. The quality of the pizzas is certainly much better, but the waiting kinda ruins it; I guess there has to be a trade off somewhere. Anyway, I’ll write more about the rest of the day when I get back to the hostel…

9:07pm　浅草スマイル

We just got back from Akihabara; only there for a short time. It was, I don’t know… I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for shopping; my energies all but left me. Also, since I’m leaving tomorrow, I’m really not that fussed anymore; I guess all I can thing about is home. Still, I really enjoyed all the sightseeing we got to do today, and I’m looking forward to a bit more tomorrow. So, the rest of my day… As soon as we got out onto the street in Harajuku, I recognised my surroundings; the Meiji shrine turned out to be one of the places I went 5 years ago. Not much had changed, and soon we were walking through the grounds, beautiful camphor and maple trees shading our path from the hot sun. We decided to check out the garden, and found ourselves taking a pleasant walk through the scrub; it reminded me of bush walking in Australia so much. The forest gave way to a small lake that was brimming with koi; what a wonderful escape for the Emperor and Empress. After traversing the garden, we made our way over to the main complex, where they are now enshrined; yes, they can become gods too. I took plenty of video, and then we continued on the vast forested park to 代々木 (Yoyogi) station.

We found a museum along the way, but it was closed. After getting to the station, we tried to figure out where the statue of ハチ公 (Hachiko) was. He’s probably the most famous dog in Japan, known for his unwavering loyalty to his master. Go to Wikipedia if you want to read about him; it’s a really beautiful story. Carly used her phone, and found out that the statue was actually in Shibuya; I thought it had been close-by. So, instead of going there right then, we decided to go to 六本木ヒルズ (Roppongi Hills) first. Here we found the impressive 54 storey Mori Tower, which had an observatory on the 52^nd floor, and art museum on the 53^rd; we had to check it out. After a look around the base (it was so futuristic with some really cool statues), we made our way up the observatory, after purchasing our tickets in the lobby; we got a discount since we’re students. The view was really spectacular, and I got some great shots of Tokyo Tower and the bay. It was just such a shame there was a haze in the air though; I had hope we’d catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji. Tokyo Tower was definitely the stand out in the city, but there were also so many other interesting buildings, some with really funny shapes. As part of our ticket, we got to look round a contemporary art exhibition, and boy was it out there. It was just so… weird!!! The theme was, “So what is art”, and I definitely think some of the exhibits really pushed the boundaries. There was one were you slid into a room through a small corridor to find this man in a dark room, moving around objects like buckets of water, and flowers and balls in an absurd fashion; it was actually quite creepy. That would have to be closely followed by the Japanese guy impersonating Hitler; that one was restricted to a screen at least. Some exhibits were really nice though; some beautiful sculptures, paintings, and photography. There was also a room where you could sit surrounded by the ringing of crystal cups; I thought that was quite cool. After all that our brains were aching, and we were ready to go find Hachiko.

From Roppongi, we went to Shibuya, emerging from the subway to find ourselves at the infamous scramble crossing, where 100s of people cross at every green light; it’s probably the busiest in the world. We soon located Hachiko, and after taking a picture with him, we made our way to Shinjuku for Shakey’s Pizza. That actually turned out to be quite satisfying, and I think we got our money’s worth. I got to sample five different pizzas, including two dessert pizzas, lots of potato wedges, and a bit of pasta. And like I said, the quality was amazing; it was so fresh, straight out of the oven. We stayed until almost 7, and then took the train to Akihabara, and apart from Book Off, we didn’t go into any other stores. Well, I’d better get to packing now; leaving tomorrow night. Asakusa Smile will keep our bags for us, which is really great; means we can be free to do whatever tomorrow. I think we’ll go to Sensouji once more, just to pick up a few souvenirs, come back, check out, leave our luggage and then take it from there. Carly’s looking for accommodation since her flight’s not until Thursday. She’s thinking about staying at a manga café, which I think is a really a really cool idea. Anyway, I’d better go. Today was good, but I’m so tired. Kinda just want to be on the plane now...

Day 238 - 25th of April

10:55am　特急
天気：晴れ

I’m on a limited express train, sitting down in the lower compartment, heading towards 出町柳 (Demachiyanagi), final destination 比叡山 (Mount Hiei); how did I get here? Well, I woke up at 9:30, and went up to have breakfast. Coming back downstairs, I was just about to return to my room, when I bumped into Sarah. She told me she would be going to Mount Hiei today, and after I showed my interest, she asked if I wanted to come with. As I’ve found before, spur of the moment decisions usually turn out really well, so I accepted her invitation, and then got ready as fast as possible… Thinking back on it now, I could have easily spent today basically repeating what I did yesterday (which I had intended), but somehow our meeting was timed just right; what luck, I say. It’s a beautiful, sunny day today, perfect for climbing a mountain. There was no way I could pass up the opportunity and besides, I deserve it…

4:49pm　特急

We’re on the limited express back to Kuzuha (to switch over for Makino). We’re actually sitting down, which is amazingly wonderful; that’s the beauty of getting on the start of the line, or should I say the end? Well, I’m going to rest a bit now, it’s been a big day…

10:43pm

Just showered and got comfy. I guess it’s time to describe my wonderful day… Well, after getting to Demachiyanagi, we transferred to the 叡山電鉄本 (eizandentetsuhon line), which took us to 八瀬比叡山口 (Yasehieizanguchi). It was a single carriage, more like a tram than a train, and there was even a ticket vendor on board. As we made our way further out, the mountains looming ever closer, I couldn’t help but feel excited. Once we got off the train, we headed straight for ケーブル八瀬 (Cable Yase), the cable car that would take us closer to the top of the mountain. We opted for the roundtrip fare, which included entry to the garden museum. I was reminded of the trip to Rokko Mountain as we rode upwards, although the incline seemed a lot steeper this time around. I used my regular camera to record the ride; while wishing I could have used my video camera. The mountains were a million shades of green, with the odd smudge of reddish pink denoting the sakura trees in the twilight of their blooming; it was truly beautiful. Kyoto also came into view as we got higher, just as my ears decided to pop. After about 10 minutes, we reached the end of the cable car line, now considerably higher. But we hadn’t reached the top yet.

Still, the view from where we were was stunning, and there were still a few sakura trees in flower. We noticed a metal ring, rigged up by two ropes over the precipice. I remembered seeing this ring in Carly’s photos. She had explained that you had to try to toss coins (which you could buy for 100円) through the ring, supposedly to bring good luck. We didn’t have time to indulge in such trivialities though, as the ropeway was beckoning. Yes, now we had to take the 叡山ロープウェイ (Eizan Ropeway) to reach 比叡山頂 (Hieisancho), where the Garden Museum is located. So, we crammed into the small cabin and off we went, Sarah never failing to remind me of her fear of heights; this was especially significant since we were hanging in mid-air. If I am not mistaken, this was my first time on a ropeway, which is quite cool actually; again I took video. After a short ride (in comparison to the cable car), we had reached the top. Eagerly, we made our way out, and over to the Garden Museum, receiving a ticket, pamphlet and information in English at the front desk before entering. Almost immediately, we were taken aback by the view. Far below us, the city of 大津 (Otsu) hugged the shore of Lake Biwa, which stretched out to the left until it was obscured by the mountain peak.

The view did not divert our attention too much though, as we found ourselves surrounded by gardens and paintings. The Garden Museum was designed my French garden designers, in an attempt to capture the essence of the world of Impressionism. Impressionist paintings have been reproduced, and are all around the open air museum, some set up on easels among the flowers. We slowly made our way around, marvelling at the multitude of flowers bursting with colour; we had come at a good time. Getting to the other entrance of the museum, we considered our next move. We knew we wanted to go and check out 延暦寺 (Enryakuji), the huge, central temple complex on the mountain, but weren’t entirely sure how to get there. We also knew we were getting hungry. So, I went up one of the ladies at the ticket counter, and enquired as to the whereabouts of Enryakuji, and the lady kindly recommended that we take the bus, as it is the most direct route there; otherwise it would be a 40 minute walk. Conveniently, the bus terminal was located right outside the exit, along with a great ugly car park; I guess it can’t be helped. So, we decided we would exit now, and come back through later; now all we needed was something to eat. As luck would have it, just by the bus terminal was a restaurant that served udon and soba; didn’t need a second thought.

We were soon seated, and both ordered the kitsune udon, which is basically a warm broth filled with udon noodles and diced vegetables, and topped with fried tofu. It was absolutely delicious, and so filling too; both of us were feeling very satisfied afterwards, and Sarah kept on praising the meal. Hearing the bus pull in, we quickly payed, and exited the restaurant, and ended up just missing it. Oh well, I gave us some more time to appreciate the view. Just offshore of the city, I noticed that there was a huge fountain in the water; I thought it must look spectacular from the waterfront. There were also heaps of yachts and speedboats out on the water, brought out no doubt by the beautiful weather. The next bus soon arrived and we hoped on that one, soon off down a windy road that hugged the cliffs, the view of the lake to our right. Enryakuji turned out to be just two stops away, but walking there would have definitely been heavy going. After paying to enter (which was discounted since we had the tickets from the garden museum), we made our way around the complex; it was really incredible.

We visited a number of buildings, including the 大講堂 (Dai koudou – Great Lecture Hall), the 根本中堂 (Konponchudou – Foundation Halll), and the 阿弥陀堂 (Amidadou – Amida Hall). One particularly memorable building was the文殊楼 (Monjuro – Manjusri Watchtower), where you have to climb stairs, which mightas well have been ladders, to get up to the altar on the second floor; that was quite intense. In fact, there was lots of stair climbing throughout the time we were there; great workout for the legs. Near the lecture hall, I had a go at ringing one of the huge bells, which was so cool; the sound really resonated inside me. There was even an Inari shrine, which I guess is a given; they’re everywhere. I guess I should include a bit of history. Basically, the monastery (that’s a better word than complex), was founded in the early Heian period (8^th century) by Saicho (Dengyo Daishi), who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana Buddhism to Japan from China. Today we visited the complex clustered around the 東塔 (Toudou – East Pagoda), which is where the most important buildings of the monastery are concentrated. Further along the mountain are the 西塔 (Saitou – West Pagoda), and the 横川 (Yokawa) complexes; perhaps I will visit them someday.

It really was a beautiful place though. The trees were massive, and the atmosphere was sublime, and drenched in history; wandering around, it felt like we had taken a step back in time. The only thing that was a little bothersome for me was the fact that we had take off our shoes each time we entered a building, so my converse we not the best option for that. It was a bit after 3, when we decided it was time to get going. We had a quick look at the gift shop, not buying anything, and then got on the bus that took us back up to the garden museum. There, we wandered through an area we had missed the first time through, and also spotted an eagle, which flew very close by. Craving something sweet, we each bought an ice cream; Sarah got vanilla, and I got rose. They were the only two flavours and seeing バラ written, I was intrigued to find out what I actually was. When the lady said rose I was like, “gosh I should have known that”; it always puts me off when they write Japanese words in katakana. Well I suppose it is a lot easier than writing the kanji for rose: 薔薇. Anyway, it definitely smelt like rose and the taste, well it was very obscure; like the sakura flavour, I just can’t place it. I did very much enjoy it though. After that, we looked around the art gallery, before making our way up the observatory, which offered a wonderful 360 degrees view of the surrounds. After that, I was finally time for us to make our way back home, which was the exact reverse of how we got here; save one thing.

We decided we’d walk home from Makino rather than take the bus; trying to save some money. When we got to Makino, Sarah wanted to by a donut from Mister Donut since she had never tried them before, so of course I bought one too; failing at saving money. Oh my gosh they asked so many questions – “Are you taking out, or eating in?”, “Do you have a membership card?”, “Would you like a coffee with your order?”, “Would you like us heat it up for you?” – it was quite overwhelming; all I wanted was my donut. Anyway, we eventually got out of there and made our way to Sanko; the day wasn’t quite over. I had to buy some eggs for my okonomiyaki tonight, and luckily they were on sale; Sarah had to pick some stuff up too. While there, I also bumped into Mori Sempai, who was buying snacks for a scary movie night with Maarika. Finally we got back home, and after putting the groceries away, I got my washing in. While putting that away, I had another crack at transferring the video to the computer and this time it worked; I was so happy. Hugo and his two partners were in here as well, working on their presentation for psychology; they all had their laptops in front of them. Soon enough, it was time for dinner, and I managed to make one, wonderful okonomiyaki; well, technically it was modern-yaki, since I put yakisoba noodles on top. I stayed in the kitchen until about 9, and then went downstairs to find Katie, Ash, and Rachel watching a movie; Paprika. They were already an hour into it, but I decided to stay and watch it anyway. It was really far out, and I wish I’d seen the whole thing; maybe I’ll borrow it from Ash sometime. And that was basically the end of my day; back to uni tomorrow…

Day 140 - 17th of January

10:38pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ、曇り
Today was very active, and really awesome… I got up at 9, and readied myself for today’s outing with Nadezhda. We were out of the seminar house by about 10:30, making our way to Makino. It was, at that point, a beautiful, warm day, so much so, that I decided to wear just a jumper (my new red one); this proved to be a bad move later on. Anyway, we went from Makino to Kuzuha, switched to a rapid express, then onto 三条 (Sanjou). From sanjou, we took the 地下鉄東西線 (chikatetsu touzaisen – Subway “east to west line”), three stops across to 二条城前 (Nijoujoumae). The peculiar thing about this subway was that glass walled off the track from the track, and there were automatic doors in front of the train doors. Nadezhda and I wondered why the walls were needed; were they just for decoration. Indeed, the colour of the automatic doors changed at every station. Also the warning signal in the subway had to be the best I’ve heard yet; it’s a pretty little koto motif.

We soon arrived at Nijoujoumae, and made our way up and out into the fresh air, with the castle wall beckoning us from across the street. We eagerly made our way over, purchased tickets, and took a few pictures out front, before entering the grounds. We firstly came across a gate leading into the 二の丸御殿 (ninomaru goten – Ninomaru Palace) and the detail, though faded, was spectacular. Entering the palace, we had to take our shoes off and don slippers, and no photography was allowed inside. It’s just one of those places you have to actually go into to see, and I really appreciate that. I was by no means disappointed, and while I have no photos to show, I will try to describe it as best as I can. The first thing I noticed was the design on the ceiling. It was made up of squares, and within each square, a detailed motif; many flowery designs. The palace is made up of five connected buildings, and each building had a different design on its ceiling.

The next thing I noticed was a strange squeaking beneath my feet. We were soon to find out that the floors were deliberately designed to produce a noise. This method of construction, 鴬張り (uguisubari – “nightingale flooring”), was used in the wooden corridors to protect the occupants from sneak attacks and assassins; clever thinking. Although I haven’t heard a nightingale call, I definitely hear the likeness to a bird chirp; so cool. And finally, I notice the paintings that cover the walls of all 33 rooms; over 800 tatami mats. Oh my gosh, it was incredible. Each room had a different theme, here pine trees and mountains, there fans and chrysanthemums. Tigers, peacocks, pheasants, horses, cherry blossoms, rivers, ducks, cranes… all backed by gold leaf. It was so beautiful; the outside world was brought inside. The wall paintings are attributed to artists of the 狩野派 (kanouha – Kano School), one of the most famous schools of Japanese painting. Another cool feature was a set of red tasselled doors in some rooms where the shogun’s bodyguards could come out and protect him.

And this was all done over 400 hundred years ago. Incredibly, all of the original paintings (over 3000) survived, and while most in the palace were reproductions, we were assured that they were as close to the originals as possible; using traditional methods, and natural pigments. After exiting, we continued through a beautiful garden, and over the inner moat, to the remains of the 本丸御殿 (honmaru goten – Hommaru Palace). Unfortunately, the interior is only open to the public on special occasions. We made our way through more gardens to the 天守閣 (tenshukaku – keep), well… where it stood at least; it was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground in 1750. So all that’s left now are the stone foundations; provided a good view of the grounds though. We finally circled out and back around to the front, through some many gardens, which will look so impressive, come spring.

We went to the gift shop, and I bought a pin of the palace, then got two more for a machine; couldn’t resist. Further along was a memorial exhibition hall, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the palace (2003). Inside, we got to see the original wall paintings of the 四の間 (yon no ma – 4th Grand Chamber), in the Ninomaru palace. This room featured hawks and pines, and was the where officers were received, and the weapons kept; perfect theme. Being able to see the walls up close, albeit behind glass, was great. The exhibition hall was also set up with the same dimensions as the original room, so we could really get a feel for what it was actually like. More than satisfied, we left the castle, grey clouds not dampening our spirits one bit. Although it wasn’t exactly what I had expected (there was no “castle”), I still found it an incredible experience.

Now very hungry (it was almost 2), we went in search of somewhere to eat, and soon found it down the road; ramen shop. Gosh I’m becoming such a fan of ramen; I love it more and more every time I eat it. I also drank the green tea there. It was cold and so dilute I could hardly taste the tea; quite refreshing. Nadezhda and I were still rearing to explore Kyoto, so after letting our meals go down, we exited and turned left, following the main road, having no destination. We got to a big intersection, and Nadezhda spotted Kyoto tower to the right. Since neither of us had been to the top before, we decided to go for it. But first, since I recognised the area, I took Nadezhda to the 六角堂 (rokkakudou – Hexagonal hall). It was great going back there again; the swans were particularly active today. After that, we continued walking towards the tower, down the main road, before spotting another temple; the 平等時因幡薬師 (Byoudouji Inabayakushi). It was absolutely dead (there was much construction work also), and we felt compelled to whisper; such an amazing atmosphere.

Shortly after, we come across another wondrous complex; the 東本願寺 (higashi honganji – “East temple of the original vow”). Such a grand name certainly fit the enormity of the buildings. The gate itself was impressive enough, but the temple within rivalled that of the todaiji in Nara. The building next to it, the Amida hall, is currently decked out scaffolding, but will be opening in 2011; another thing to come back and see). The complex is 99,000m2 and is one of the dominant sub sects in Shin Buddhism. The other, as we were soon to find out, is the 西本願寺 (nishi honganji – “West temple of the original vow”). We didn’t look around too much as it was getting late, and very cold. It was very close to the tower, so we were soon inside, and shot up the elevator to the top observation deck of the 131m tall building; 100m at observation deck.

The views of Kyoto were spectacular. We had come at a good time, when the sun was setting, and the mountains turned to gold. Surprisingly, the binoculars were free, and we spied a number of sites, including Kiyomizu temple, Toji Pagoda, and the Momoyama castle. One problem with the binoculars, for me at least, was that they were too short, so I had to basically squat to see through them. Supposedly, we were able to see Osaka castle from the top too, but we couldn’t find it. We stayed up there till dark, watching the colours of the sky slowly change, and the lights of the city come on; it was equally beautiful at night. The mountains in the background were so black, and we noted that south of the tower was much brighter, in terms of lights, than the north. I guess it’s because all the historical sites aren’t lit up, and they make up the majority of the area; seriously. You can never see enough it Kyoto!

At about 6, we left the tower, and walked over to Kyoto station, taking some photos of the tower from various angles and heights; I took Nadezhda all the way up the sky garden. Getting out of the cold (and yes, I was really feeling it in my just jumper), we found our way over to the Kitetsu line, and got a train to Tambabashi, before hoping on a local back to Makino. The trip back was so nice, and warm, and restful, and when we did get to Makino, I really didn’t want to get up. Both needing some groceries, we went over to life. I just got some meat, cereal, and these great little buns filled with red bean that Jo had offered us one time; Nadezhda spotted them. Finally getting back home (what a relief), I set about making dinner; shepherd’s pie. It wasn’t until after 9 that I sat down and ate; peeling potatoes is time consuming, lolz. I was very happy with the meal though; got a bit left over for tomorrow too. After dinner, I had milk and a bun, and then went down to my room, and did a quick little tidy up.

As I was making dinner, Yuji explained that he needed to come down to my room to talk about the inspection this Friday! Since I took so long, he’d left the kitchen and went to do homework, so I had to go find him in his room and drag him away from it. He cautioned that this inspection would be more thorough than the last and, since everyone will have their inspection on the same day, there is no room for mistakes. He also showed concern for Ryan’s absence, and asked me to inform Ryan as soon as he gets back, to go see Aki to get the information from her. We also went up to check my kitchen box, and then the fridge, and Yuji was impressed by how clean it was; I only have to wipe it down. It helps when I’m practically the only one using it; there’s like two things in there of Ryan’s, and no one’s in the other room that shares our fridge. And talk about being in the right place at the right time, we both got cake from Aki; it was absolutely delicious. Finally, got to have a shower… Well better get some sleep now, going to animate in Hirakata, and then onto Umeda with Ash and Peter tomorrow!

Day 115 - 23rd of December

4:39pm　特急
天気：曇り
Yay for new journal! I’m here on the limited express to Kyobashi, where I will switch over to the Nakanoshima line and get off at なにわ橋 (Naniwabashi), to see the lights. We’ve just started moving now. It feels weird doing this on my own, but kinda cool too. I can just take this evening at my own pace. It’s cloudy, but looks like it’s clearing up. I’m as snug as a bug in a rug, so I’m well prepared for the cold to come. Today was pretty lazy… I woke up pretty late this morning, had breakfast, and then went out hoping to get some money out of the ATM at uni. But, it was closed. Of course it was closed; it’s the Emperor’s birthday today. So, I had absolutely no money. But, I did know there was a Sumitomo Mitsui ATM at Makino, so I decided I would go there just before getting on the train. In the mean time, I had the other pizza I made last night for lunch, and talked with family for a few hours. I borrowed Jacinthe’s battery charger, and got it back to her just at the right time; her bus for Tokyo leaves tonight at 9:30. I’ll be in Kyobashi pretty soon, then off to the viewing…

5:01pm　快速急行
Now I’m on the rapid express to Naniwabashi…

8:20pm　なにわ橋
I’m in Naniwabashi, waiting for the rapid express, which will take me to Hirakata, where I’ll switch for Makino. Tonight was great; I got heaps of photos and film, and was really happy to have seen so much in such a short amount of time. What can I say; the light displays were absolutely spectacular. As soon as I exited the station they were in view. I started at the east park, and worked my way down and back, through lit up rose gardens and sparkling trees, past figurines and art. There were boats all lit up, cruising down the river, and even a floating huge rubber duck. I went through the middle park next, where I got some food at one of the many stalls. Huge sections of road had been shut off for the event, and there were lights everywhere; especially outstanding was the Central Public Hall. The architecture was very European, and the city itself was very beautiful; I’d love to go again in the day.

I continued all the way over to the west park, which took about 15 minutes walk. It was by the Osaka University of Art, and there were some great pieces on display. But the stand out was a huge sand sculpture dubbed “The Urban Angel’s Story II”; the detail was incredible. I watched a guitar and harp duo on stage, playing music with a very Spanish influence, and saw a huge snowman, and penguins lit up. There was a lot of food there too, from many different cultures. I was hungry, but the lines were long, so I instead made my way back, to finish seeing the rest of the middle park. I got a warm soba broth, and walked through a forest of trees, flickering in sync with the music; it was all so amazing.

8:34pm　快速急行
On the train now, and surprised that I’m actually sitting down; I am certainly very glad of it. It was so different doing something on my own, and while I had no one to share my appreciation of the night, I still really enjoyed myself. I’m so tired now. When I get home, I’m going straight to bed; have to pack for Nagoya tomorrow.