On the evening of December 7th I experienced my first little earthquake. The main centre of the quake was in the Miyagi Prefecture and around 5pm a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck. This is the same area that was devastated last year by the bigger earthquake that caused nuclear plants to shut down. My area was undamaged and nothing was really disrupted except for a few train delays and cancellations. Even though my area was unaffected it was still terrifying! My house shook violently for about 10 seconds and then for about 15 minutes afterwards I felt dizzy and was unable to get solid footing. After the initial shaking things just kept vibrating for awhile. It was too close to home for my liking but I am grateful that nothing happened. With my trip to Calgary just around the corner it made me wish that I was in the no-natural-disaster Calgary zone.
 Last week there was yet another national holiday in Japan so I took advantage of my day off and went on a three hour drive to the Yamagata prefecture do some temple hunting. A few friends came along and we found a place called Yama-dera which translates to Mountain Temple. It is a national designated "Place of Scenic Beauty" and historic site. The original name for the temple is Hojusan Risshaku-ji but most people call it Yama-dera perhaps because it is easier. It is a very holy place with ancient religious remnants dating back over a thousand years ago. The temple was founded in the year 860 by the priest Jikaku Daishi. Holy ritual fire was brought over from the main temple in Kyoto and the eternal flame still burns today almost a thousand years later. Buddhist monks regularly climb the 1000+ steps to get to the main temple as a pilgrimage. There are little signs throughout the climb that mark how many steps you`ve taken. I thought it was going to be a strenuous hike but it was incredibly beautiful and leisurely. We often stopped to take pictures and there was so much to look at that I didn`t notice the steps. Stone Buddhist and Hindu statues lined the way to the top. Starting from the bottom there were smaller temples and shrines and Jizo figures everywhere. There were also vendors selling Tama- Konyaku which are potatoes that have been stewed to become a gelatine texture and are shaped into small balls and eaten with mustard. Japanese people love this snack because on cold days it is a quick warm nosh that has zero calories! The taste was interesting but I wasn't too keen about the jello texture. After the first set of stairs at the base of the mountain is the "konpon-chudo" which is the main entrance of Yama-dera. Here you can see a Buddha statue which is called "nadebotoke" which means that you can rub the statue for good health. If you have a part of your body that you want to heal then you rub that part of the Buddha statue. There are also Jizo figures in many different sizes. Jizo statues are the ones that look like child monks and they are protectors of travelers, women, and children. Jizo Boddhisatva is a revered holy figure in Mahayana Buddhism. He is meant to guide travelers in the right direction both in the physical realm and in the spiritual world. Jizo statues are often placed at crossroads or intersections to help people find their way.There was a shrine that was specifically for women who had miscarried their babies to pray at and make a wish for their deceased child and hope for new life. You can tell it is a Jizo shrine specifically for mothers and babies because the statues are often draped in children`s clothing or bibs. Clothing is placed over the statue to invoke the spirit of Jizo to protect their deceased child`s spirit or to aid sick children back to health. There were also many shrines with hundreds of tiny Jizo statues specifically called `onegai Jizou` and people can buy the little figures and place them at the shrine to make a wish. The Japanese poet Matsuo Basho composed a famous haiku while he was walking through Yama-dera. "The stillness, sinking into stones, the cicadas cry" Although there were no cicadas crying out in a choral cacophony, the stillness that Basho describes that seems to seep into the every stone and step rings true. There was a calm presence that allowed me to observe and feel peaceful as I gazed upon statues thousands of years old and shared the same steps that holy men took to find enlightenment. The steps leading up to the top were surrounded by an ancient cedar forest. The stone statues that guide your way, the immense cliffs and stone formations, and the exuberant emerald tone of the mossy rocks gave this forest a mystical ambiance that captivated me the entire way up the mountain. Like I mentioned before, I didn`t even notice the steps because I was distracted by all of the interesting statues, the towering trees, the intricate stone carvings, breathtaking panoramic mountain views, and the beautiful wooden temples. The one temple that is probably the most popular from a photographic standpoint is actually only halfway up the mountain. It is a larger temple and a smaller red cliff temple, there is also a tree house called Godaido Hall behind/ on top of it that you can take amazing panoramic shots from. I have seen photos of this temple in every season and it is always beautiful. The bigger temple is called Kaisando Hall and is dedicated to the temple's founder Jikaku Daishi. After 1015 steps you reach the top to a temple called "Okunoin". Although it was beautiful I honestly enjoyed the hike up the mountain better than getting to the end. On the way back down the mountain my friend noted that her knees were hurting and the instant she said that, we all acknowledged our sore legs. Mine felt wobbly and jelly-like but I hadn`t noticed until we were almost at the bottom. I was enveloped by the mountain`s rich history and beauty. The rest of the world beyond this place seemed far away, quieted by distance and time. My mind was at peace and my body knew no suffering. It was as if I participated in a pilgrimage wandering through an ancient forest that is full of hopes, wishes, and prayer and I was opened to a spiritual experience that allowed me to connect peacefully with the energy of the mountain and its temples. I know that sounds really flighty but I don`t know how else to describe what I felt there. This was one of the most breathtakingly beautiful and historically interesting places I have visited in Japan so far. After the climb we were all famished so we went in search of some famous Yonezawa Beef. We found a great restaurant that was reasonably priced (some yonezawa beef can cost over $100 for a steak). The cut of steak that I ate was so tender it melted in my mouth and I was in beef heaven. I haven`t had a decent steak since I`ve been here so this was such a treat. Oishii desu! I had such a fun day exploring!                                             Last weekend I went in search of the red leaves and autumn foliage that Japan is famous for. I went to Yahiko a few weeks ago hoping to get a glimpse of the beautiful colours but it was too early in the season and only a few trees had started to change on the mountain. I always want to take advantage of my weekends to explore new places so I didn`t want to go back to Yahiko quite so soon. My friend Yoshi suggested a place called Nakanotei which is near Niitsu and only a 45 minute drive away from Niigata. It is the residence of the Nakano family who were avid collectors of art and ancient cultural artifacts. Their home has been converted into a Museum of Art Foundation and is a repository of national treasures and artifacts mostly from the Meiji Era. You can take a tour of the museum and the surrounding gardens. The garden is more like a huge park with amazing walking paths that take you around the grounds and through dense forests. Although I enjoy looking at artifacts and learning more about history, I was more interested in seeing the red leaves (koyo).
When we first arrived it was busy but when started to rain quite heavily the garden suddenly became empty and quiet. We walked through the silent forest and were alone among the ancient trees. The rain let up enough for us to take pictures, it left a dark gleam on the rocks and pathways that highlighted the vibrant leaves that had fallen. The landscape was incredibly breathtaking. Every turn held more color and as we got higher the leaves became more red. At the top gates of the garden we were surrounded by every color of the season, the scene was serene and made complete by the calm pitter-patter of lazy raindrops. I now understand Japan`s fascination and appreciation for the changing seasons, I have never been so captivated by nature. The leaves that had fallen seemed almost more vibrant than the ones still hanging on the branch. It is as if they burst with the most luscious colors just as they are dying and falling to the ground. They gorgeously stuck to the wet blackened rocks and were fleeting works of art for pedestrians to admire. I took more pictures of the ground than the actual trees because the fallen leaves were still so perfect and embodied the transition between autumn and winter. Autumn is my favourite season in Canada but on the west coast we don`t see very many red leaves so it was an amazing experience to see the fiery red koyo in Japan. I don`t think there is a season more beautiful than autumn, but I heard that the cherry blossoms in spring give it a run for its money. I can`t wait! I am a bit scared for winter because the heating in Japan is less than satisfactory but I will try to find the beauty in the season and look forward to the spring.  I have been searching for a Japanese hobby that I can really get into. I have tried ikebana (flower arranging) and it is very relaxing but I need something more challenging. Kendo is far too aggressive and I don`t love the idea of being attacked by people with large sticks, and combat sports are not really my forte. Calligraphy is beautiful and a wonderful art skill to learn but I want something that involves physical activity, and I am not at all familiar with Kanji yet so even the basics are too difficult for me. I think I found the perfect hobby that combines history, physical activity, art and just all around awesomeness into one discipline: Kyudo (Japanese Archery).
I tried looking for classes online but everything is written in Japanese because they don`t have a lot of foreigners interested in the sport. Usually ALT`s can get into a sport when the school offers it as an after school club but because my schools are in the city and they don`t have a field for shooting they do not have a kyudo club. I asked one of my fellow teachers about it and she was kind enough to set up an appointment with the president of the kyudo association in Niigata. He does not speak any English so when I went I brought a friend who could translate who was also interested in studying the art of kyudo. I am always surprised at how much you can convey without language, there were so many things that I could understand through gestures and pictures, but I was still grateful I had a translator. In order to learn kyudo I have to join the association and pay a one year membership fee and I can use all of the equipment and gear. I start beginners lessons in January when I come back from my visit to Canada. I am so excited! It looks incredibly intense and skillful, some of the members have been pupils for 50 years and they still miss the target! The president, Hiramatsu-San was very adamant that it is not only about hitting the target, the study of kyudo is largely about building character and being calm and balanced. The philosophy he was describing reminds me a lot of yogic values. A person must focus on their practice and not compare themselves to others and should not worry about competition but rather have acceptance for where they are in the moment. Both involve finding inner peace and focus that follows you in your everyday life and having integrity to commit to your practice. There are a number of sequenced steps and motions that you have to go through and each involve practice and concentration, and calm breath is of the utmost importance in both. Both require control of the mind and an opening of the spirit to improve and grow. In the form, posture and balance are crucial and strength is drawn from the core and from zen breathing. Perhaps I am drawn to kyudo because it shares a similar philosophy to yoga which has been an important activity in my life to maintain health, happiness and balance. I am so glad to have found something that I can learn in Japan that I will help me grow as a person and is something I can take with me back home and anywhere I go on my life path. Most importantly it is totally BADASS! :)  On the first weekend of November I headed to the man-made island of Daiba in Tokyo for an amazing weekend music show put on by Hostess Club. 10 awesome bands in two days made for a jam packed whirlwind of awesome music, crowd surfing, mosh pits, and hanging out with Japanese hipsters. Our first experience of Tokyo was overwhelmingly crowded and exhausting but music shows in Japan are entirely different. Everyone is incredibly polite and everyone respects each other's personal bubble space. The crowd is very respectful and my favourite part is that everyone dances! The funniest moment was in the mosh pit where I saw someone getting lost in an elbow throwing groove frenzy and he accidentally punched another guy in the face, and instead of an all out brawl breaking out, they just "sumimasened" and then high-fived and continued to go crazy in the pit. Awesome. I love Japanese hipsters because they look amazing, they are very friendly and polite, they all seem to know each other and they want to dance with EVERYONE! Everything was very organized and they had e-mobile tickets and true to Japanese nature all the shows started and ended on time. During set changes there was a gigantic mall to bum around in and get food. My favourite part of the mall was the gigantic Gundam statue in the outdoor plaza. I have only heard of Gundam through my little brothers and have no attachment to him but seeing a statue and how all of the Japanese people stood in awe of it made me feel like it was something special. At night we caught a laser light show where the statue lights up, emits smoke, and moves! Anyways, back to the music show. My favourite band of the weekend was Local Natives. They are incredible live and they played some songs from their new unreleased album and it got me so pumped for its release. POP ETC. and Efterklang put on a great show as well. I didn't realize how much I missed live shows but that weekend was a blast and I felt so lucky to experience such a great collection of bands. I can't wait to see more shows both in Tokyo and Niigata. Concerts are super pricey because I have to factor in the Shinkansen, hotel, food, and tickets but it is without a doubt all worth it. Nothing beats dancing in the front row while one of your favourite bands is rocking out. On the second day before the show started we took a quick trip to the Tokyo Sky Tree which is the tallest tower in the world, it is the same height as Mount Yahiko which I climbed a couple of weekends ago. It is a beautiful embodiment of the Japanese modernity and technology that exists and is dichotomized by the countryside's endless rice fields and quiet villages. We also went to the Tokyo Aquarium which was really fun and a great way to start the day. Then we hopped a quick couple of trains to Daiba and enjoyed a truly fabulous day of live music. This trip gave me a new appreciation for Tokyo and renewed my faith in the wonderful and unique experiences that it has to offer. But alas, after this fun-filled weekend, I had to board the Shinkansen and head back to reality and work...sigh.                       I had myself a busy week with celebrating my 25th birthday, hanging out with geishas and getting my Halloween groove on in my cozy onesie. The highlight of the week was the geisha event that I attended. It was a private lunch that is part of a cultural celebration that Niigata is holding to increase awareness of the historical and current cultural richness of the city. For three weeks you can buy tickets to these small intimate lunches where the rare geishas of Niigata perform traditional nihon-buyo (Japanese dancing), play instruments, and have conversations with you. The geisha lunch was held in a quaint Japanese restaurant in the district of Furumachi. I learned that Furumachi is considered to be one of the most prestigious areas in Japan to see geishas, along with Kyoto and Tokyo. For over 200 years geishas have been an elegant and traditional symbol of Niigata as a vibrant port town. During the Edo period, Niigata was the most frequented port city in Japan and during its peak of prosperity and popularity there were over 300 geishas in the Furumachi district. In Niigata they call geishas "geigi" and the job of the Furumachi Geigi is to welcome visitors to the city and show them the cultural treasures that exist here. Now the geisha community consists of only 24 people, only nine of which are actually geishas that do the full makeup and kimono, the others play the instruments during the dances and train the geishas. I was told that this event is extremely rare and that us (as foreigners) are lucky to see such a special event. Apparently, not many foreigners attend events like this because they are not advertised in English and most people know about it only through word of mouth or those who are familiar with the geisha community. I heard about this event through a lovely Japanese lady who is deeply involved in the art and culture community in Niigata. Luckily Suzuki-san speaks English and loves to meet foreigners and get them involved too! I told a bunch of my ALT friends about it and they jumped on board and the 5 of us made up the largest group of foreigners to attend this type of event that the coordinators had ever seen. The geishas were incredibly beautiful and graceful. Their poise seemed so controlled and yet so effortless. Their fluid movements boasted an elegance of the past, a quiet seduction, and a powerful demurity. They had an esoteric charm that hypnotized us and held our interest until the very last bow. When they came to talk to us I was disappointed but not surprised that they did not speak any English but luckily my friend translated for us. We were able to ask her questions but it was disheartening that we could not carry on a conversation with them because I am sure that is where they really engage with people. They are skilled in the art of conversation and it would be interesting to have understood them. Moments like those make me wish I learned Japanese before coming here. I could pick up some words but I still can't string enough together for full understanding especially when they are talking about more complex things like education and culture. Hopefully the next time I meet a geisha, I will find my Japanese much improved. There are moments when I am caught up in the day-to-day aspects of living and I forget that I am in Japan. Then I experience these wonderful traditional and truly Japanese things and I remember why I came here and re-realize how lucky I am. I love Japan and how there are geishas, temples, and holy mountains just around the corner just waiting to be seen and appreciated.             There were also Halloween festivities this weekend. A couple of friends and I bought adult sized furry onesies! I found a gizmo costume which I was ecstatic about because Gremlins is my favourite Halloween movie that I watch every year. We found a really cool old school American diner that was having a party and wore our costumes to dinner. We then went out to a few clubs in the Furumachi and Bandai area and got our fuzzy dance on. I loved being warm and cozy because it was a chilly and windy night. I love fun times with friends! My first Halloween in Japan was a success.           I also celebrated my 25th birthday this week. I have been so busy lately that time has been flying by and I didn't even realize that it was coming up. Usually at home I plan something with friends quite far in advance and look forward to celebrating with everyone but this year I knew would be different. I actually had to work late on my birthday so I moved my birthday dinner to Friday when everyone was free to come into town. My friend who lives in the city, dragged me out for a quick dinner on the actual day but I needed to run home and get marking and planning done for the next day. My students are super sweet and every class that I taught surprised me with a cute birthday message on the board and they all sang Happy Birthday. I even got a bunch of presents! Oh, the perks of being a teacher :) I'm not sure how I feel about this "getting old" thing that keeps happening every year, but I do know that I am doing something that I've always wanted to do and in this moment I am happy. I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting year that is full of adventure and as a restless and wandering soul, unknown globetrotting adventure is all I can wish for. I also realized that I have made some really great friends and that I wasn't alone like I had anticipated I would be. They came from all over the prefecture to celebrate my day with me and made me feel like I was a part of an awesome group of people. I can't wait to see what 25 has in store! I'll likely have a quarter-life-crisis so stay tuned for that.            I have been missing the beauty of Canadian mountains and the peaceful feeling of freedom that only comes from breathing fresh mountain air so I decided to hike up Yahiko Mountain this weekend. Mount Yahiko is an important part of Niigata`s historical and natural landscape. It is located near the village of Yahiko and is home to one of the oldest shrines in Niigata. On a short train ride you are transported from the city to the quaint and quiet countryside. I love watching the tall buildings disappear and the fields between houses become vast and green. Bright yellow flowers and reeds followed the train tracks and signaled the presence of autumn. When we stepped off of the train, the sounds of the city were distantly silent and only the wind and the birds were left to converse in whispers. The breeze was cooler than the city air so I was glad I bundled up in a big scarf and a chunky sweater. We walked through Yahiko Village which reminded me a lot of Banff, on every corner there were shops selling souvenirs and restaurants featuring famous local dishes. The omiyagi (gifts/souvenirs) consisted of the standard phone trinkets, postcards, handbags, and sweets. I have learned that sweets in Japan are very important and there are different ones that mark special occasions, seasons, and celebrate significant historical moments for that particular local area. Every area in Japan has a different type of sweet treat that they are famous for. In Niigata all of the famous sweets are rice based because Niigata`s rice is renowned for its delicious taste. In Yahiko, all of the sweets are crushed mochi balls (sweet rice) shaped like rabbits and are called Tama Usagi which means rabbit. They are many stories about the God of Yahiko and how he tamed the rabbits that once overran the mountain but I am not sure of the exact myth. The stores are filled with these rabbit shaped rice cakes in all colours and sizes. There are also sweet crackers that have pictures of the shrine and the Shinto gates that welcome visitors into this holy sanctuary. Sabina and I stopped to have a bowl of ramen before we started our hike. The broth warmed our bodies from the chilly mountain air and we were satisfied and set to wander. We walked through Yahiko park which is lined with gigantic cedar and bamboo trees. Everything was still very green because the leaves have only just begun to change colours. There was a small deer park along the way, we stopped to feed them and chuckled at their whiny soft cooing sounds. The shrine was incredibly beautiful, it wasn`t ornate and gold covered like temples in Thailand. Rather its intricate wooden structure looked strong and steeped in the mythology of the mountains that stood high beyond it. We walked around the park a little longer but then decided to venture up the mountain. Although this mountain does not compare to Canadian mountains in terms of difficulty and altitude the hike can still be a bit tricky and challenging because it is quite steep the whole way up. For those who do not want to hike, they can take the rope way up and enjoy the view. I was out of practice and clearly out of shape and found myself breathing heavily all the way up to the top where I collapsed in dramatic exhaustion. I was thankful for the cool breeze and the many gorgeous views along the way because that meant I could stop to take a picture and catch my breath. At the top of the mountain there are various smaller hills that you can climb to get a different view of the sea and the town of Yahiko. There is a restaurant that serves local dishes such as Oden (mushroom noodle soup), jumbo shiitake mushrooms, curry beans, and fresh seafood. The top of the mountain buzzed with the sound of mating dragonflies and people snapping pictures of the spectacular view. Sabina and I climbed a smaller hill and found a peaceful viewpoint and just sat for awhile enjoying each other`s company in silent contentment (and from the exhausted feeling of accomplishment from completing our hike). We lost ourselves in the natural beauty and the endless distance of the horizon and ended up missing the train we wanted to catch. The next train wasn`t for another hour so we lazily made our way down the mountain (we took the rope way because we were tired and had to get back to the city in time for our dinner plans). We took our time looking through shops and taking pictures of the town. Once we were on the train, the adrenaline drained from our bodies and we were both almost lulled to sleep by the quiet rattle of the train vibrations. Luckily we had our pay-day tradition of tabehoudai (all-you-can-eat) Yakiniku (BBQ) to look forward to. We finished our day with a dinner with a bunch of friends that came in to the city and had a few drinks at a local bar that has some amazing draft beers. At around midnight we got back to my place where our tired muscles ached for sleep. I loved climbing Yahiko mountain, it was challenging, rewarding, beautiful, and one more thing to add to the list of things I love about Niigata. We decided we are going to go back to Yahiko in mid-November when all of the leaves turn a fiery red and visit Momoji Park which is filled with maple trees and is famous for koyo (red leaves). This upcoming weekend we are going to have lunch with Geisha`s and then go out for Halloween. My friend Will is coming in from Sado Island, Morwa is coming from Sanjo, Shaun and Luke are coming from Niitsu, and Sabina is coming in from Kamo. It is going to be an amazing weekend. Oh, it is also my 25th birthday on Wednesday! Yikes...                                               Last weekend Sabina and I decided to spend our long weekend in Tokyo. We had only been there once before when we first arrived in Japan but did not get to explore extensively as most of our time was taken up by seminars. On the Shinkansen (bullet train) it only takes 2 hours to get to Tokyo Station. It is the more expensive option, but much faster than the overnight bus and in my opinion more convenient. If we were to take the overnight bus we would have arrived at 5am when nothing is open and you can`t even check into your hotel. This way we could arrive in Tokyo around 1030am and explore the entire day without being exhausted from the tedious bus ride. I think the overnight bus is a better option when you have connecting trains or flights from Tokyo Station early in the morning. Okay, back to Tokyo. I remembered the first time I was on the Shinkansen, I was on my way to Niigata, nervous to start my new life and emotionally exhausted from homesickness. This time around, I was energized by the excitement of exploration and was confident in my ability to navigate through the city. The first time I walked through Tokyo Station it was a blur of people and everything was unfamiliar, but now we had a plan, we knew where we needed to go, and I realized that most things are written in Romaji or English. It was incredibly easy to use Tokyo`s metro and bus system because everything is in English and you can map out your route online with up to date schedules for transport times. I half expected us to get lost at least once but we found our way without any stress at all. Awesome! As self-proclaimed shopping addicts, our first stop was the retail heaven district of Harajuku. Once we stepped off the platform we were immediately faced with hundreds of young Japanese kids in punk outfits, cosplay get-ups, and girls plastered in doll makeup. We knew we were in the right place. We headed down to Takeshita-Dori which is renowned for its shops and done up Harajuku girls. The stores were small and narrow, packed full of people trying to get a look at the goods. There were many stores we have in Canada like Forever 21 and H&M except these were 6 stories high and absolutely decked out. I was honestly too overwhelmed with all of the people that I didn`t feel like trying stuff on. I just people watched, which sounds creepy but there was just so much to see! I knew that there would be a lot of people but being in the middle of it all was a jolting experience. Personal space diminishes to skin to skin contact and everyone pushes and shoves to get through and politeness goes out the window as well. If someone bumps into you in Niigata, you are met with a thousand profuse apologies, sumimasen`s (excuse me), and gomen-nasai`s (sorry). In Tokyo, if you don`t move out of the way then you deserve to be trampled. There is also a lack of fresh air, it felt like the only air I could breathe was other people`s breath, it was stifling and uncomfortable. Another thing that caught me by surprise was the presence of so many foreigners. After being in Niigata for so long it was odd to hear English conversations. In Niigata I am a novelty, people are always shocked when they find out I am a foreigner, in Tokyo they expect you to be a foreigner and no one speaks Japanese to you. There were moments when I forgot I was in Japan, I was surrounded by English speakers, shopping in Forever 21, and everything was written in English. I could have been in any big city. After awhile I needed a break from the shopping and the crowds. We decided to visit the Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park. In the middle of this bustling city there is a beautiful park filled with dense forests of bamboo and cherry trees and a gigantic shrine. When we turned the corner off of the busy street, we immediately felt calmed by the coolness of the shady trees and the quiet silence reserved for holy places. There were still a lot of people but no one was talking or pushing to get somewhere in a hurry. It was a lovely quiet moment and a serene reminder that we were in Japan. Afterwards, we decided to walk to the Shinjuku area but we found much of the same in terms of shopping and were growing tired of the crowds. We decided to check into our hotel around 5 and take a rejuvenating nap before we explored some more. Our hotel was in the nightlife district of Roppongi. Once we had recharged our batteries we ventured out to find a place for dinner. Again we found that everyone spoke English and they were all trying to persuade us to eat at their restaurants. It was strange to be approached so much, when at home many people are too shy to talk to foreigners and most people don`t bother to compete for our business. We decided to follow our noises because that method has never failed us before. We stumbled upon a Vietnamese restaurant that was not only authentic but some of the most scrumptious Vietnamese fare that I have had in Japan. We delightfully filled our bellies, we were so hungry that when the food came we immediately ceased all conversation to eat. Can`t talk, must eat everything! We walked around Roppongi but it was too early for the night clubs to start up so we decided to retire back to our hotel room after a long walk around our area. We felt like grannies going to bed at 1030pm on a Saturday night but we were absolutely pooped and we wanted to get an early start so we could have another full day of exploring. The next morning we decided to check out the Shibuya area because we had read that it has many vintage shops and good tourist sites. It was raining so it was a bit cooler and less crowded than we expected. We visited the scramble crossing which is one of the top 10 things to see when you are in Japan. It was cool to see so many people converge onto a street at once and it was especially beautiful with all of the umbrellas. We visited a ton of vintage shops that were hidden on side streets and small upper floors of shady looking buildings. There are some amazing stores filled with truly vintage items, everything was super expensive because they were more antiques than typical vintage finds. I didn`t buy anything but it was so neat to check out what they had. The highlight of the day was when we went to a Cat Cafe. This one was so much nicer than the one in Niigata and the cats seemed so happy and energetic. We instantly felt calm and relaxed in the presence of our new furry friends and it was the perfect way to end the day. One thing that I found a bit irritating was that it was so busy in Tokyo that finding a place to eat lunch quickly is nearly impossible. Everywhere that looked interesting or even decent was lined up around the block. The only place we could go was McDonald`s and although neither of us wanted to eat it, that was our only option besides waiting over an hour for Japanese fare. We boarded the Shinkansen back to Niigata and got back home around 10pm. The moment we got back we both noticed how fresh the air was, how much space there was, how wonderful the breeze felt, and how delicious the Japanese food was. We were so thankful to be home and were instantly energized by our new found appreciation for Niigata. We spent our holiday Monday having lunch with a bunch of friends, walking along the river and lazily enjoying the last days of the summer warmth. It was a perfect reminder of why we are lucky to call Niigata home. Although Tokyo is an incredible metropolitan city filled with so many amazing sights, I am glad that I wasn`t placed there. I think it would be consuming and exhausting having to exist anonymously alone among masses of people. Part of why I love living in Niigata is that people know who I am or want to know who I am, and I can become part of a community and feel like I belong. I will always be fascinated by Tokyo and will frequently visit for concerts and big city events that I can`t get here, but I will always be grateful to come home to Niigata where life is slower and more peaceful. I plan to visit Tokyo again for an amazing weekend indie rock show at the beginning of November. I am beyond excited to see some of my favourite bands perform. My next big trip after that will be to Kyoto at the end of November. We are planning to see the fantastic autumn foliage and go geisha sighting. This Tokyo trip was just the beginning of our Japan adventures!                                                       | 
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