二番目の日 『Second Day』

So now I've spent my first whole day here, and I still agree with yesterday's post; everything here has been so surreal and amazing. Everything about today was great, except for perhaps the 6 hour orientation meetings, but I guess those cannot be helped. It wasn't all day as lunch was fun as we went to a nearby foodcourt in a mall and ate there. 天ぷらを食べた, meaning I ate Tempura. For those who aren't familiar, here is a picture I took, I actually had already eaten some of the things, sorry. It is more or less seafood and vegetables in a light fried batter with rice. It was really good. I also had some Hi-Chu candy, they are like Starburst candy but in my opinion better tasting.

For breakfast, while I'm on the line of food, I had a traditional American breakfast, sort of. I had little sausage links, an egg, and some french fry things. Along with this I had some what I believe to be Miso soup and a drinkable yogurt. The yogurt was most interesting, it was a blueberry yogurt that was more liquidy than regular yogurt but at the same time delicious. And was drank through a straw.

For dinner we took, meaning myself along with a small group and an IES Staff member, a train from Kaihin Makuhari to a 牛丼, 『Gyuudon, Beef Bowl』 place and were taught how to order something simple. The most common thing there was the gyuudon, which is super thin slices of beef on top of rice, the slices are delicious and papery almost. Look here, I didn't take this, but it looked more or less like what I had. It was rather quite delicious.

All in all it was a great day. The walk to and from the station[s] seeing the streets of Japan really shows you that there is a life totally outside of what we're accostomed to in the States. There really isn't an easy way to explain what's different other than everything. The only thing that is similar is that it's a culture with people, and that's really pulling at it. I love all that I've seen so far though. Here are a couple of the things I'd like to share:

• Vending Machines. They're everywhere. And have everything. Not just soft drinks and juice like the states, they have hot drinks, teas, alcoholic beverages, and a very wide variety of fruit drinks. Also, there are Hot Meal ones, prepaid cards, cigarettes, and umbrellas, just to name a few and what I saw. I looked and someone else has taken pictures, see them here.
  
• Scented Toilet Paper. Next time you need to use the bathroom and go to wipe and want your outcome to be delicious grape, go for it. I personally didn't see this but 2 people I met here have vouched to see it, and the idea is ridiculous to me. Apparently the range of the smell is a good 20 feet as well.
• The Food. There are so many different kinds of food places, and even the places that sell the same kind look completely different. I know the same goes for America, but the different kinds of noodles, meat, and bowls are really fascinating here.
• The City[s]. Now, I've been to Rochester and vaguely remember when I was in NYC, but even the city that I'm in [the non-busybusy part of Tokyo] has buildings that are dozens of floors high, corners that are lit up with neon lights, then on the same street have a little building with classic architecture with a park around the corner. The variety and sheer uniqueness at every turn is astounding.

Well, that's it for now actually. Going to take another [and my last personal] bath, I love that thing so much. I definitely want one of those just like the one here when I get my own house. I don't know if that kind of thing possible, but I don't see why not. I'm going to make a post at the end of my semester to showcase in my opinion the neatest inventions / appliances I've encountered while here, and I'm at this point nominating this bathtub. I'm sure that it'll get knocked down a few spots when I see more of Japan, but right now it's getting nominated. And I'll nominate the vending machines too.

Alrighty, well, ja mata!