Hi everyone! How are you doing? Hopefully you will enjoy your last taste of summer this weekend - I'm afraid I've been back to school for almost two weeks now, so my summer is pretty much done for - but it was great while it lasted.
As I walked up the hill just beyond Motomachi, I thought about how I was finally about to see the place I had wanted to see since I was an ambitious seventh grader. Here I was! Walking up the same hill my mom had probably walked on at some point, wandering around the pretty hills and houses that I was now navigating myself around just like she must have done...this was great! But wait - did she ever get as lost as I was? (Actually, the answer to that is probably yes.) Mom would have told me if it was difficult to find, right? Well she must have forgotten to tell me if it was...because I was flat out lost.
My internet directions from the website lacked a map, and all of the little neighborhood area maps that I kept checking didn't show YIS. I was utterly confused, there was no one around to ask for directions, let alone an English speaker, and worst of all, it was about 500 degrees outside. So much for making a nice impression - I felt like I had just been swimming in a sauna. I wandered up and down the hills a bit longer, starting to worry that I would never find it and therefore either miss my train or miss my chance to visit. Oh no! I was close to tears (thanks to a lovely combination of my emotions, my lack of sleep, and the heat) and began to head back to Motomachi to find a computer...when I saw Yokohama International School on a plaque on a building...the one I had passed right as I hit the top of the hill. I had been so excited that I overshot the school, and realized I could have saved myself a lot of sweating and cursing if I had paid closer attention.
If you recall, my most recent adventure was a two week trip to Japan. I had a wonderful time walking around, sightseeing, exploring, and even threw a little bit of biking and hiking in there. I zipped all across Honshu, the main island, on the bullet train with my highly recommended Japan Rail Pass (it really is worth it - I promise) for seven days, then had a few days to relax in Kyoto, before taking the bus to Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu, in order to ferry back to Korea via Busan.
But before I tell you all about my travels, I have to say that it was much more than just a trip - I thought the term odyssey might be more appropriate. Most of you know that my mom Kim was an elementary teacher at an international school in Yokohama, Japan, when she was just a little older than I am now. She taught in Japan for two years, then took off and traveled as much as she could with her little yellow backpack (still in the garage). As she has with many aspects of my life, my mom has served as my biggest inspiration in terms of following my travel dreams. After growing up hearing her stories and adventures about her world travels, I decided at the age of 11 (the day she presented about Japan in my 7th grade geography class) that I would follow in her footsteps as best I could.
Ten years later, here I am in Korea, living my dream and loving my life, and owing so much to my mom for always believing in and encouraging me so that I could get this far. Of course, I couldn't have done it without the support of my dad and stepdad either, nor without my amazing family and friends. Either way, now that I live within a few hundred miles of Japan, the country that started it all, (quite literally - my mom was born in Japan as well, due to her father being stationed in Kyushu with the U.S. Air Force) the opportunity to finally go there and see it for myself was too important to pass up. After my China plans became too risky due to visa issues, Japan seemed like the perfect solution. Going to Japan would be almost like going home for me - after ten years of dreaming. Sound familiar? Probably not if you haven't read Homer. That's okay if you haven't, moving on.
So I planned out my odyssey - not only would I start in Tokyo, my mom's old stomping grounds, (I seemed to have recalled a few stories involving her staying out all night dancing to catch the morning train home when they missed the last train of the night) but also I would pay a visit to Yokohama, the suburb where she lived and taught nearly 30 years ago. After traveling west from Tokyo to hit up the old historical capitals of Japan (that was more due to my own personal interests than anything) I would end in Fukuoka, the city where Mom was born, before heading back to Korea. I planned it all very quickly, didn't get to research as much as I would have liked, due to my friends' arrival and summer camp teaching, and before I knew it I was spending another cozy night in Seoul in Steve and Mary's living room, ready to jet off to Tokyo the next day.
Since I timed out my flights accordingly, on Friday morning Lauren and I headed out to the international airport together - our flights were just an hour or so apart, so we hung out and wandered around the airport for a while before having to say goodbye. As I was headed to my gate I delightfully stumbled upon not only a Caribou Coffee but also a Subway in the airport - a Minnesota afternoon in South Korea. Yum.
I arrived at Narita airport late afternoon, and initiated my seven day Japan Rail (JR) pass right away to take care of transportation into Tokyo.They were scary efficient at the airport - within twenty minutes my pass was activated, I had a packet of travel brochures and maps in my hand, and I was directed to and seated on my first Japanese train, which left several minutes later. I was off! My first train window glimpse of Japan was, appropriately, lush green rice paddies with workers out in the fields. Yup, I was definitely still in Asia. My view soon changed into surprisingly western style houses as I reached the suburbs of Tokyo, and eventually the little houses turned into huge apartment complexes and big skyscrapers.
Once at Tokyo Station, I went straight to the JR help desk to see about getting to my hostel - once again I was handed a map, given directions, and sent off with a smile towards the correct train - I liked Japan already. My first 
impression of Tokyo was 'huge,' followed by 'white shirts.' I hit Tokyo Station right about the time when everyone was finishing work for the day - apparently most businesses require a white button down shirt with black dress pants, because about 75 percent of the men in the station were dressed exactly alike. I remembered my mom telling me she remembered seeing this as well.
impression of Tokyo was 'huge,' followed by 'white shirts.' I hit Tokyo Station right about the time when everyone was finishing work for the day - apparently most businesses require a white button down shirt with black dress pants, because about 75 percent of the men in the station were dressed exactly alike. I remembered my mom telling me she remembered seeing this as well.
I found my hostel, tucked in a cosy corner near a quiet neighborhood in Ueno, a district known for its park and museums. As I walked the quiet street in the dark I noticed that A: the streets and sidewalks w
ere super clean, B: things cl
osed pretty early on the streets compared to Korea, and C: I couldn't read a thing. (C should probably be amended, because I did soon notice that there were romanized captions under most signs, so I could at least read it even if I didn't understand it.) The picture on the right is in my hostel neighborhood, and the picture on the left is the first station I ventured out to in the evening - Ueno. My hostel was cute - standard shared bunk beds with our own shower - and one of my roommates turned out to be someone who had been living in Japan for the past eleven years. I always have such good luck meeting people who know their way around. He gave me lots of good tips and advice, which I was grateful for.
ere super clean, B: things cl
osed pretty early on the streets compared to Korea, and C: I couldn't read a thing. (C should probably be amended, because I did soon notice that there were romanized captions under most signs, so I could at least read it even if I didn't understand it.) The picture on the right is in my hostel neighborhood, and the picture on the left is the first station I ventured out to in the evening - Ueno. My hostel was cute - standard shared bunk beds with our own shower - and one of my roommates turned out to be someone who had been living in Japan for the past eleven years. I always have such good luck meeting people who know their way around. He gave me lots of good tips and advice, which I was grateful for.
The next two days in Tokyo are a blur involving lots of heat, lots of walking, lots of train stations (my JR Pass allowed me to ride some of the train lines for free, including the circular Yamanote Line, which I rode in its entirety because I once read about a character doing it in a book and watned to try it.) On Saturday I saw the Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo's massive downtown center, the Meiji-Jingu shrine, dedicated to the Meiji Emperor who was basically responsible for pu
lling Japan into the modern era, and then I went to all the major stations - Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, etc - just to wander around and explore their shopping districts, fashion/people watching, and blinding neon-ness. When it got too hot or I felt like I was going to pass out, I usually recharged myself with an iced coffee, while looking at the map and planning what to do next. My favorite day was probably Sunday, when I stayed in my hostel area (the northeast) and 
did some walking around - ended up in Asakusa (pronounced ah-socks-ah) and rented a bike by the river. I had a grand old time bikin
g my way down the touristy streets, through the neighborhoods, then headed back to Ueno and saw the beautiful massive lotus pond en route to Tokyo National. The museum was fantastic and a wonderful mid-day respite from the heat. My biking elation had a temporary pause when I left
the museum, however, because as I was biking back to return the bike, (only 2.50 for the day!) it started raining. I took refuge in a 7-11 and had some fun wandering and taking pictures (the picture below is of the immaculately wrapped and packaged grab on the go cheap meals - the 7/11 quickly became my favorite restaurant in Japan,) hanging out with some other people who had gotten stuck in the rain, but then the rain just kept coming down. I wasn't too far from the river, and decided to risk it.
lling Japan into the modern era, and then I went to all the major stations - Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, etc - just to wander around and explore their shopping districts, fashion/people watching, and blinding neon-ness. When it got too hot or I felt like I was going to pass out, I usually recharged myself with an iced coffee, while looking at the map and planning what to do next. My favorite day was probably Sunday, when I stayed in my hostel area (the northeast) and 
did some walking around - ended up in Asakusa (pronounced ah-socks-ah) and rented a bike by the river. I had a grand old time bikin
g my way down the touristy streets, through the neighborhoods, then headed back to Ueno and saw the beautiful massive lotus pond en route to Tokyo National. The museum was fantastic and a wonderful mid-day respite from the heat. My biking elation had a temporary pause when I left
the museum, however, because as I was biking back to return the bike, (only 2.50 for the day!) it started raining. I took refuge in a 7-11 and had some fun wandering and taking pictures (the picture below is of the immaculately wrapped and packaged grab on the go cheap meals - the 7/11 quickly became my favorite restaurant in Japan,) hanging out with some other people who had gotten stuck in the rain, but then the rain just kept coming down. I wasn't too far from the river, and decided to risk it.
So tell me, you've ridden a bike before, right? Of course you have, how silly of me. Okay, have you ever ridden a bike in the rain? Sure, you've probably gotten c
aught in the rain once or twice - no big deal. All right, how about biking one handed in the rain? I know, this is getting trickier. Here's my last question: have you ever ridden a bike (a basket bike, mind you) one handed in the rain while holding an umbrella in the other hand down the sidewalks of Tokyo? No? Let me spare you some pain and just say that I don't recommend it. I actually still have a scar from trying to avoid hitting a very old man on the sidewalk while navigating said bike. Moving on.
aught in the rain once or twice - no big deal. All right, how about biking one handed in the rain? I know, this is getting trickier. Here's my last question: have you ever ridden a bike (a basket bike, mind you) one handed in the rain while holding an umbrella in the other hand down the sidewalks of Tokyo? No? Let me spare you some pain and just say that I don't recommend it. I actually still have a scar from trying to avoid hitting a very old man on the sidewalk while navigating said bike. Moving on.
That evening I happily people watched in Shibuya, my favorite station, (partly due to the fact that it blasted K-Pop music from one of the big screens when I first arrived,) from the massive second floor Starbucks. I was constantly comparing everything and everyone in Japan to Korea -it was fun to make observations. I decided I like Korean guys' style better than Japanese guys, but that I liked Japanese girls' style bett
er than Korean girls, since I'm sure you were all wondering. I also hit up a used bookstore in Shibuya and was able to exchange a couple of books for a history book and a narrative written by an expat in Japan, so those kept me company at Starbucks - I like to think I was simultaneously educating myself about and observing Japanese culture.
er than Korean girls, since I'm sure you were all wondering. I also hit up a used bookstore in Shibuya and was able to exchange a couple of books for a history book and a narrative written by an expat in Japan, so those kept me company at Starbucks - I like to think I was simultaneously educating myself about and observing Japanese culture.
I had an early morning the next day due to an unsuccessful attempt to hit up the early morning fish market. No, it wasn't unsuccessful due to my late start - turns out that the main market area (especially the tuna auction - what a great way to start off the day at 4:30 AM) is closed off to tourists because too many of them were getting in the way. Great. Wished Lonely Planet had told me that the night before.
Anyways, getting up early just meant that I had more time to spend in Yokohama - I had a 2:00 train leaving from Yokohama, which gave me plenty of time to get there, e
xplore, visit mom's school and meet her old principal, and then take off. And that's just what I did. The train to Yokohama took an hour or so, and then I arranged my departure train. After a recharge of coffee, I set off to explore my mom's former home. Yokohama actually holds quite a bit of historical significance, as it was the location of the signing of the 1854 Kanagawa Treaty, the 'friendship treaty' between Japan and America that opened up Japan to western trade The Port of Yoko
hama opened up in 1859, which essentially catapulted Japan into modernity due to foreign, and notably Western, influence. There was quite a contrast between the new port area and conference center, which I bet wasn't there when my mom was there, and the older part of the city, which I found to be very cute and charming. I wandered through Chinatown (pictured,) explored around the train station, and eventually ended up on Motomachi Street, a ritzy s
treet lined with cafes and shops. After a delicious cafe lunch I packed up and headed out to my destination, Yokohama International School.
xplore, visit mom's school and meet her old principal, and then take off. And that's just what I did. The train to Yokohama took an hour or so, and then I arranged my departure train. After a recharge of coffee, I set off to explore my mom's former home. Yokohama actually holds quite a bit of historical significance, as it was the location of the signing of the 1854 Kanagawa Treaty, the 'friendship treaty' between Japan and America that opened up Japan to western trade The Port of Yoko
hama opened up in 1859, which essentially catapulted Japan into modernity due to foreign, and notably Western, influence. There was quite a contrast between the new port area and conference center, which I bet wasn't there when my mom was there, and the older part of the city, which I found to be very cute and charming. I wandered through Chinatown (pictured,) explored around the train station, and eventually ended up on Motomachi Street, a ritzy s
treet lined with cafes and shops. After a delicious cafe lunch I packed up and headed out to my destination, Yokohama International School.As I walked up the hill just beyond Motomachi, I thought about how I was finally about to see the place I had wanted to see since I was an ambitious seventh grader. Here I was! Walking up the same hill my mom had probably walked on at some point, wandering around the pretty hills and houses that I was now navigating myself around just like she must have done...this was great! But wait - did she ever get as lost as I was? (Actually, the answer to that is probably yes.) Mom would have told me if it was difficult to find, right? Well she must have forgotten to tell me if it was...because I was flat out lost.
My internet directions from the website lacked a map, and all of the little neighborhood area maps that I kept checking didn't show YIS. I was utterly confused, there was no one around to ask for directions, let alone an English speaker, and worst of all, it was about 500 degrees outside. So much for making a nice impression - I felt like I had just been swimming in a sauna. I wandered up and down the hills a bit longer, starting to worry that I would never find it and therefore either miss my train or miss my chance to visit. Oh no! I was close to tears (thanks to a lovely combination of my emotions, my lack of sleep, and the heat) and began to head back to Motomachi to find a computer...when I saw Yokohama International School on a plaque on a building...the one I had passed right as I hit the top of the hill. I had been so excited that I overshot the school, and realized I could have saved myself a lot of sweating and cursing if I had paid closer attention.
All's well that ends well, right? I made it to the school. I found the main building, tried to look presentable, walked inside, and asked for Mr. Stanworth, my mom's old principal who was expecting me. As 
soon as I walked into his office, all my frustrations vanished as he stood up and greeted me with a big smile. He remembered Mom fondly (he says hi and sends his love to all the family, by the way) and told me how energetic and enthusias
tic he remembered she always was. Since it was the first day back for the staff after the summer break, he was incredibly busy, but still nice enough t
o take a few minutes to walk me around. He said much has changed since Mom had been there, and that they had acquired a few new buildings, as well as redesigned the existing ones. I took some pictures to show her (above left is the building she used to teach in, and above right is in the new teacher's office, to the right is Mr. Stanworth and I,) and tried to imagine Mom running around after her little elementary kids - probably not too different from how I run after some of my rascally middle schoolers. I was glad to see and hear about how successful the school had been and had grown - it was fun to think of how Mom is part of that legacy.
soon as I walked into his office, all my frustrations vanished as he stood up and greeted me with a big smile. He remembered Mom fondly (he says hi and sends his love to all the family, by the way) and told me how energetic and enthusias
tic he remembered she always was. Since it was the first day back for the staff after the summer break, he was incredibly busy, but still nice enough t
o take a few minutes to walk me around. He said much has changed since Mom had been there, and that they had acquired a few new buildings, as well as redesigned the existing ones. I took some pictures to show her (above left is the building she used to teach in, and above right is in the new teacher's office, to the right is Mr. Stanworth and I,) and tried to imagine Mom running around after her little elementary kids - probably not too different from how I run after some of my rascally middle schoolers. I was glad to see and hear about how successful the school had been and had grown - it was fun to think of how Mom is part of that legacy.
After my delightful visit it was time to run back to the train station to catch the next leg of my journey. Well, the next leg of my journey ended up not being as simple as I imagined it to be. First, I showed up at the wrong Yokohama station (how was I supposed to know the train didn't leave from the one I arrived in? They have the same name!) Once I figured this out my train had already left from the other Yokohama station, so I had to wait in line at the JR office and change my ticket times. Once that was done, I hopped on the JR train out of the correct Yokohama station. Success! But no.
As I found my seat and looked into the eyes of a very confused man who said the compartment didn't have reserved seats, he helped me realize that I had actually gotten on the wrong train...but I was, in fact, going to the correct destination. Luckily luckily, even though the train I was on would be arriving at Nagoya later than my original train, I would still have time to transfer and catch the correct train up to Takayama. Disaster avoided. I took my seat, relieved I would still make it to Takayama as planned. Good for me, right? Oh no, we're not done yet. As the train neared Nagoya, I finished up writing in my journal and settled back in my comfy seats...the next thing I knew I was being woken up by the attendant who knew I had to get off at Nagoya. If it hadn't been for that nice man I would have ended up halfway across the country by nightfall. I jumped up, ran off the train, thanking him in a strange mix of Korean and Japanese (my brain hadn't made the language transition yet,) and cautiously stepped onto the next train, praying to the gods that it was the rig
ht one. I was in luck - it was. I even ended up across from two British girls my age who were traveling to Takayama, and nice to chat to. Finally on the last stretch of my journey, I settled in with some caffiene - no way was I falling asleep again - and my dinner: a sushi bento box, the equivalent of our PB&J brown paper bag lunch. (Or a Power Rangers lunchbox with a sandwich, apple, string cheese, and a cookie, if you were that kind of kid.) Check out the picture: yes, that's a tentacle and yes, it was delicious.
As I found my seat and looked into the eyes of a very confused man who said the compartment didn't have reserved seats, he helped me realize that I had actually gotten on the wrong train...but I was, in fact, going to the correct destination. Luckily luckily, even though the train I was on would be arriving at Nagoya later than my original train, I would still have time to transfer and catch the correct train up to Takayama. Disaster avoided. I took my seat, relieved I would still make it to Takayama as planned. Good for me, right? Oh no, we're not done yet. As the train neared Nagoya, I finished up writing in my journal and settled back in my comfy seats...the next thing I knew I was being woken up by the attendant who knew I had to get off at Nagoya. If it hadn't been for that nice man I would have ended up halfway across the country by nightfall. I jumped up, ran off the train, thanking him in a strange mix of Korean and Japanese (my brain hadn't made the language transition yet,) and cautiously stepped onto the next train, praying to the gods that it was the rig
ht one. I was in luck - it was. I even ended up across from two British girls my age who were traveling to Takayama, and nice to chat to. Finally on the last stretch of my journey, I settled in with some caffiene - no way was I falling asleep again - and my dinner: a sushi bento box, the equivalent of our PB&J brown paper bag lunch. (Or a Power Rangers lunchbox with a sandwich, apple, string cheese, and a cookie, if you were that kind of kid.) Check out the picture: yes, that's a tentacle and yes, it was delicious.
Since I don't want my odyssey story to be as long as Homer's, (don't lie - I know you didn't read it word for word back in English class anyways) so I'm going to finish here for you, en route to Takayama, then we can delve into some Japanese history on the following post - you can't wait can you? Until next time, folks.
