Hi guys,

Here are the replies to the queries that were brought up in class.

(i) What should I have read?
As per the announcement on the IVLE, you should treat the Lesson Plan as the definitive reading schedule guide. I am told that you can actually access the Lesson Plan via a detailed week-by-week tabulation (go to Lesson Schedule in the IVLE). What it states so far is this:

Wk 1 - Intro
Wk 2 - Chapter 1 & Chapter 2. pp. 38 ~ 51
Wk 3 - Chapter 4

So basically, you should have read these 3 chapters by this week's end.

(ii) Do I need to submit a proposal, and when do I need to do this?
The answer is no, you do not need to submit a proposal. What I do need each group to do is to let me know which brand you have decided to work on as soon as you've decided. In terms of project timeline, you will need to depend on the Lesson Plan to time yourselves. My understanding is that the requirements for each week would require you to have reached a certain point in your project (such as having decided on a brand). Stick to this, and you should be fine.

The table on the course site, before it disappeared, also stated that presentations are due in Weeks 12 and 13. While this is probably no longer accurate, it might be helpful for those of you who need a more long-term view of things - in other words, make sure you are close to completion by Week 12. Details should come in as we move along.

By the way, TIME Magazine this week has a feature on Viking's market positioning in the U.S. This might be an interesting case study for you to put everything we've learnt so far in context. I think the link to the article will only last 2 weeks, so do head over quickly if you're interested.

See you all tomorrow then!

These 2 questions have been raised by some students, and I would like to address them here.

(i) Budget
The answer is no, you do not have to consider budgeting constraints. However, I would ask that groups still keep their advertising campaigns within reasonable boundaries. This is not only important to preserve rationality in your report, but it will also ease your workload considerably. For example,you don't want to assume an infinite budget where you can create different advertisements to cater to every single segmentation in your target audiences. You simply don't have the resources to pull of something like this within the confines of the module.

(ii) Using more than one advertising medium
In theory, there is nothing wrong with this. Nonetheless, groups who wish to pursue this should realize that they will then be required to produce more than one creative draft. For example, if you suggest in your report a print and television advertising campaign, you will then need to produce creative drafts for both.

I've gotten some preliminary word regarding the readings you guys need to do, as well as the project timeline. Let me finalize some details with Charlene, and I will try to give you all some answers promptly.

As this module places a lot of emphasis on your ability to work as a team, I thought that the following guidelines that I got from McGraw Hill might come in handy. Working well in a team is not intuitive, and does not come naturally to most of us, so always remember the following:

• Listen while others are speaking.
• Respect other people and their ideas.
• Stay on task.
• Be responsible for your own actions and responsibilities.
• Speak quietly and respectfully.
• Encourage other group members to participate.
• Check for understanding.
• Disagree constructively.
• Work toward a group consensus.
• Criticize ideas not people.

While these apply to everyone, it would be good to appoint a group leader to first create and sustain an open and conducive atmosphere. Note that the group leader should be prepared to shoulder more responsibility than the individual group members - that's what leaders are for!

Please refer to the following table when scheduling appointments. Preferred method of communication is via email. And, please do remember to indicate NM3215 in your email subject as well.

Finally, I have put up the concluding segment to my Japan 2007 extravaganza. And what a trip this was. For some reason, I very easily found myself absorbed into Japan this time round, so much so that I felt forcibly wrenched away when I had to leave. The country has never served as a greater harbor of solace than this time, and I hope this is merely a preamble to future experiences that I will have in this wonderful country. :)

Takayama, Day 2 [高山、二日目]
• Kokubun-ji Temple [国分寺]
• Miyagawa Morning Market [宮川朝市]
• Kusakabe Heritage House (1879) [日下部民芸館]
• Yoshijima House (1907) [吉島家住宅]
  - Kusakabe and Yoshijima are the names of 2 merchant houses that have been kept from the early and mid Meiji periods. Nonetheless, I believe they are kept as representatives of late Edo architecture, from which their designs were presumably based. These houses are amazing demonstrations of how meaningless the Tokugawa class distinctions had become by the end of that era.
• Sakurayama Hachiman-gu Shrine [桜山八幡宮]
• Takayama Festival Float Assembly Area [高山祭屋台会館]
  - The only place to see these famous 3-storey floats unless you're around during festival time.
• Higashiyama Temple Walk [東山遊歩道]
• Shiroyama Park [城山公園]
• Lion Hall [獅子会館]
Inuyama [犬山]
• Tagata Shrine [田縣神社]
  - This shrine pays homage to the male reproductive organ...
• Oogata Shrine [大縣神社]
  - and this to the female's.
• Inuyama Castle (1537) [犬山城]
  - The oldest castle in Japan!
• Haritsuna Shrine [針綱神社]
Nagoya and Adachi Fireworks Festival [名古屋及び足立の花火大会]
• Nagoya Port Italian Village [名古屋港イタリア村]
• 29th Adachi Fireworks Festival [第29回足立の花火大会]
Kagurazaka Awa-odori Festival [神楽坂阿波踊り祭り]
• Kabuki-za [歌舞伎座]
• Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple [築地本願寺]
• St.Luke's Tower [聖路加タワー]
• Kagurazaka Awa-odori Festival [神楽坂阿波踊り祭り]
Asakusa [浅草]
• Tokyo Metro Asakusa Station [東京メトロ浅草駅]
Ueno and Akihabara [上野及び秋葉原]
• The Shitamachi Museum [下町風俗資料館]
• Akihabara [秋葉原]

I'm still working on some timing and music issues with the second half of my 2007 slideshow, so only the beta version is up at the moment. In the meantime, here is the breakdown of where I went to in 2003:

Tokyo [東京]
• Shinjuku [新宿]
Nikko [日光]; This is where the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu WERE.
• Rinno-ji Temple [輪王寺]
• Nikko Toshogu [日光東照宮]
Matsushima [松島]
• Matsushima Bay [松島ベイ]
  - One of Japan's 3 scenic spots.
• Entsu-in Temple [円通院]
Yokohama [横浜]
• Osan-bashi Bridge [大さん橋]
• Yokohama Art and Space NGC6093 Exhibit by Hiro Yamagata
  [ヒロ・ヤマガタの世界NGC6093展示]
Yamagata [山形]
• Yamadera / Risshaku-ji Temple [立石寺]
Matsumoto and Nagano [松本及び長野]
• Matsumoto Castle [松本城]
  - Another famous castle out of Japan's remaining 12 original castles.
• Zenko-ji Temple [善光寺]
Lake Kawaguchi [河口湖]; The largest of the Fuji Five Lakes.
• Mt Fuji 5th Station [富士山五合目]
• Kawaguchiko Music Forest [河口湖オルゴールの森]
• Kawaguchiko Monkey Park [河口湖野猿公園]
Tokyo [東京]
• Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum [江戸東京たてもの園]
  - The sento, or public bath here is Famous for being the inspiration behind that which appeared in Miyazaki's Spirited Away.
• Meiji-jingu [明治神宮]
• Odaiba [お台場]
  - Apart from being a great dating spot as mentioned earlier, I believe that the SEGA World here is the best and biggest in Japan.
• Yasukuni Shrine [靖匡神社]
• Ueno Toshogu [上野東照宮]
  - This is where the remains of Tokugawa Ieyasu ARE.

Tokyo [東京]
• Jodo Shinshu Komyo-ji Temple [梅上山光明寺]
• Tokyo Tower [東京タワー]
Shimoda [下田]; This is where Commodore Perry landed in Japan in 1853

• Nesugata Yama [寝姿山]
• Cruise on the Black Ship at Shimoda Port [遊覧船サスケハナ号のクルーズ]
• Gyokusen-ji Temple and Harris Memorial Hall [玉泉寺/ハリス記念館]
• Cape Tsumekizaki [爪木崎]
• Tojin Okichi Memorial Hall [唐人お吉記念館]
• Pension White House [ホワイトハウス]
Hakone, Day 1 [箱根、一日目]
• Moto-Hakone [元箱根]
• Hakone Shrine [箱根神社]
• Hakone Sightseeing Boat to Hakone Machi [箱根海賊船、箱根町まで]
Hakone, Day 2 [箱根、二日目]
• Hatajuku [畑宿]
• Old Tokaido Highway for Moto-Hakone [箱根旧街道、元箱根まで]
• Hakone Checkpoint [箱根関所]
• Hakone Sightseeing Boat to Togendai [箱根海賊船、桃源台まで]
• Owakudani Nature Trail [涌谷自然研究路]
• Hakone Begonia Garden [箱根ベゴニア園]
Takayama, Day 1 [高山、一日目]
• Odawara Castle [小田原城]
• Takayama Jinya [高山陣屋]
  - The last remaining Tokugawa shogunate local administrative office.
  
• Hida Minzoku Archeology Museum [飛騨民族考古館]
• Old Private Houses Street [古い町並]
Shirakawago [白川郷]; UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site where many Gassho-zukuri are located.

• Myozen-ji Temple Museum [明善寺郷土館]
• Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine [白川八幡神社]
• Doburoku Festival Museum [どぶろく祭りの館]
• Ogimachi Castle Ruins Site Observatory [荻町城跡展望台]
• Wada House [国重文和田家]
• The Heritage Museum [合掌造り民家園]

It occurred to me that it would be difficult for people to quickly figure out exactly where I've been from just the travel route and the slideshow. This has prompted me to begin a more extensive list on each slideshow page of the (mostly) temples, shrines, and museums that were a part of my jaunts out into the Japanese wilderness. The easiest for me to do were the 2004 sets, which is why they have been updated first. I was actually surprised to realize that my pictures of Ise Shrine were so limited! There was only the Naiku, and I hadn't even posted any shots of the main hall! Hmm, I must have been thinking of integrating that together with the 2004/2005 shots of Ise, when I spent the New Year there on my own hatsumode. Well, when I get around to doing it anyway. In the meantime, here are the breakdowns of my 2004a trip in the Kansai and Kanto regions:

Tokyo [東京]
• Tokyo Metropolitan Building [東京都庁]
  - There's a free observatory here, unlike in Roppongi or at Tokyo Tower.
  
Hakone [箱根]
• The Hakone Open-Air Museum [彫刻の森美術館]
• Hakone Ropeway Owakudani Station [箱根ロープウェイ大涌谷駅]
Asuka [飛鳥]
• Kashiwara Shrine (1890) [橿原神宮]
  - This is the speculated burial site of the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu Tenno, and was built during the mid-Meiji period
     to legitimize imperial rule.
• Asuka Temple (596) [飛鳥寺]
  - This temple houses the oldest bronze Buddha in Japan.
• Kame-ishi [亀石]
• Saru-ishi {Monkey Rocks} [猿石]
Ise [伊勢]
• Ise Grand Shrine Naiku [伊勢神宮・内宮]
  - The most important, but not the oldest shrine in Japan.
  
• Futami Okitama Shrine [二見興玉神社]
  - Famous for the Lover's Rocks that represent the ill-fated lovers Izanagi and Izanami.
  
Arashiyama [嵐山]
• Kokuzou Hourin-ji Temple [虚空蔵法輪寺]
• Tenryu-ji Temple (1339) Entrance [天龍寺]
• Nono-miya Shrine [野宮神社]
  - Famous for being mentioned in the Tale of Genji,as well as being the training grounds for future Grand Priestesses at
    Ise.
  
• Daikaku-ji Temple (824) [大覚寺]
  - This was the detached Palace of Emperor Saga (809-823).
  
Tokyo [東京]
• Edo-Tokyo Museum [江戸東京博物館]
Hiraizumi [平泉]; This was the former cultural capital of Japan during the height of Fujiwara rule.
• Moutsu-ji Temple (850) [毛越寺]
• Chuson-ji Temple [中尊寺]
Roppongi [六本木]
• Roppongi Hills Mori Tower [六本木ヒルズ森タワー]

and 2004b that was centered in Wakayama Prefecture (the map doesn't actually detail Minabe and Kainan because there were stops on the way to the Nanba area in Osaka from Kushimoto):

Wakayama City and Shirahama [和歌山市、白浜]
• Wakayama Castle [和歌山城]
• Tore Tore Fish Wholesale Market [とれとれ市場]
• Engetsu-jima Island [円月島]
• Senjyoujiki [千畳敷]
• Sandanheki-doukutsu Cave [三段壁洞窟]
• Hashigui-iwa Rock {Bridge Pillar} [橋杭岩]
Nachi, Kushimoto, and Tachi [那智、串本、太地]
• Katsuura-gyoku Fishing Harbor [勝浦漁港]
• Nachi-taki Waterfall and Hiryu Shrine [那智滝・飛瀧神社・熊野那智大社別宮]
• Kushimoto Marine Park [串本海中公園]
• Tachi Whale Seaside Park [太地くじら浜公園]
Minabe, Kainan, and Osaka City [南部、海南、大阪市]
• Kishu Bicho-tan Charcoal Promotion Center [紀州備長炭紀州振興館]
• Kuroshio Fish Wholesale Market [黒潮市場]
• Houzen-ji Temple [法善寺]
• Dotonbori [道頓堀]
• Shinsaibashi [新斎橋]

I have decided to create a new category on my blog titled "Japan." The reason is because I've thus far tied all my ramblings on Japan in my "Multimedia" category, which made sense when I was referring to a slideshow of what I was saying, but becomes disambiguated when I am talking about Japan in general, which is what I am going to do here.

Today, 14 August 2007, there was a Life!Travel article on Japan that I feel is endemic about many people who try to write about Japan - they know too little about the place to even begin to describe it. I mean seriously, the reporter couldn't even speak Japanese! It reminds me of how Today likes to use its Senior Chinese Correspondents to critique Japan, and which contain tons of mistakes that stem from the fact that these people are working from translations. It's just like the Abe statement on comfort women. According to a scholarly forum that I subscribe too, he never actually said that there was no evidence to prove that comfort women were coerced - this was a New York Times booboo. What he said in the original Japanese, apparently, was that there is evidence to show that many comfort women joined the "profession" willingly. Not debating the fact that maybe as a politician he shouldn't say things like that, I feel that if you're going to criticize anyone, you should at least refer to the original text. And cases of lost in translation seem to be why Japan is always maligned in so many areas.

Anyway, I have many things to take issue with concerning what I feel is a superficial travel article in the Straits Times. I think that even the Lonely Planet more comprehensively documents the places she has been to, and I myself have been to all but one - Arima Hot Springs. Naturally, many of these things are subjective, and I am quibbling. Well, let's see what she writes. First, she states that shopping in Osaka is more than you can handle, which is fair enough. The electronics shops she refers to are located all in Den Den Town (which is reached by Subway on the Sakaisuji Line, and is not in the immediate area of Umeda or Osaka if you're thinking of train stations) of course, which for some reason was omitted. Maybe I'm nitpicking, but when you say Osaka to a Japanese, you are assumed as referring to the area around the 3 Umeda Station private rail lines. JR Osaka itself is set in the middle of a red-light district - I was going there for a conference, ahem, and I had to wind through tons of Japanese soaplands before I finally reached the conference venue.

The Osaka Aquarium (above left) description is fine I guess, although once again simplified. It is actually part of a larger area called Tempozan Harbor Village (and even higher up, the Osaka Bay Area), which houses one of the largest Ferris Wheels in the world (above right), with the pamphlet also touting it as the first one in Japan to be air-conditioned or something. I'm not going to dig through the large number of pamphlets I've amassed over the years, so don't cite me on this. :P Next, Osaka Castle. Man, I can't believe that she sings the praises of Osaka Castle, going to the extent of saying that it looks old. It has an air-conditioned interior and an elevator man! This ferroconcrete replication of what once was, and which I must have had to go 6 or 7 times because articles like hers glamorize the place and force me to take people there. Seriously, there are something like 12 original castles left in Japan, and you'd do better to see the famous 4 (which I've done by the way): Himeji, Matsumoto, Hikone, and Inuyama. If you're in Kansai, either Himeji or Hikone are accessible to you.

Umeda Sky Building (above left) the reporter mentions for having a nice sunset. I didn't hear about this one, but it's popular because you get to "walk into the sky." The observatory is open-air (above right), which seriously gives you the chills, in a nice way of course. And as with any observatory, they usually tout the night cityscape, which makes her sunset reference of great interest to me. As for the yakuza, hmm, I heard that they all wear white now. Oh well...

 
She then heads to Kobe, which in my opinion, isn't really a fun place to be. I've climbed up to Venus Bridge (above right) successfully once...quite scary at night to do alone. The first time I went, I quit halfway up the slope (above left). I couldn't see clearly, but it began ominously when I encountered this giant dog(?) rummaging through the garbage at the base. It was very dark, and visibility was limited to just 1 or 2 meters ahead, just like if you visit the old Changi Hospital. Anyway, I managed to drag a friend along the second time, although we did head there earlier while there was still light. There's a ropeway climbing up the mountain further east, although I've never tried that. I wonder how the reporter got there, hmm.

 
As the reporter says, Venus Bridge has all those locks that couples place there to symbolize their eternal union. Me and my friend were joking wryly about how the estranged might come and here to unlock all of them, thereby exacting a small measure of consolation by wreacking havoc on all other happy couple. Hmm..... Well, to return to the main point, apart from this, Kobe itself really doesn't have anything in the way of Japanese-oriented sites I think. The Teddy Bear Museum and American House hardly count.

I did discover this Japanese Garden, Soraku-en (相楽園), that was free for foreigners when I visited a couple years back (pics of the entrance and interior proceeding paragraph); just flash your passport. The Kobe Port Area is also supposed to be a fun place (which I avoid as another dating area that makes no sense to go alone...Venus Bridge was a personal challenge, so it doesn't count). Oh and again, when you talk about Kobe, you usually think of JR Sannomiya Station, which is at the center of things.

Then she heads to Kyoto. I love Kyoto - I've been there 7 - 8 times as well as I still have stuff I want to see. And yes, I have been to Arashiyama and Ryoan-ji. And when she refers to these, it's almost as though she is copying the stuff off someone's blog or something, and who got his/her info off some tourist brochure. For Ryoan-ji, you can forget it if you want to meditate at the rock garden since there is an endless flow of students on their (研修旅行), or study trips. I believe that the Lonely Planet states another garden either up north or down south of JR Kyoto Station which offers a more quiet alternative, if meditation is your aim of course. And to be honest, the rocks in both places looked the same to me, which is why I can be classified as unenlightened I guess. But it is Nonomi that she gets wrong the most. Maybe there's a Nonomi Shrine, I don't know, but the famous one I went to was Nonomiya-Shrine, with the bamboo grove and all (see pics proceeding paragraph). This place is famous for two reasons. The first is that the princess in the Japanese Imperial Family used to come here either for training or purification (probably both; once again, I'm too lazy to dig through the source material, so you can read the sign board when you are there) before taking up her role as the chief shrine maiden at Ise Shrine. Second, this place is also famous for, and I'm quoting them, as the only shrine in Japan selling a Tale of Genji amulet, which I proudly own too. I can't remember exactly the relation between the two, but I think that the shrine was mentioned in Murasaki Shikibu's work.

Yah, so anyway, I have mixed feelings about the Straits Times' continued coverage of Japan. It's good that my favorite country gets this kind of exposure, but I don't like this exposure to be superficial. I wish that people would get to know more about the things and places that they see there, although this usually requires you to speak Japanese. This is where the coverage of the Straits Times fails - it uses reporters who appear to be fronted by layman Japanese guides (the real tour guides are really schooled on the sights though). There are pros and cons to this really. Japanese would naturally know intrinsically the lay of the land better than us foreigners, but just like how I can't recite the history of the Straits Settlement to you, you can't expect them to be experts on their own country. This is simply natural - human beings are least able to vocalize the things that have become second nature to them. Usually, a stay abroad is required to elucidate the social and cultural mores that work heuristically. And, I always find that with Japanese leading the way, I always end up knowing less because they end up doing everything. This is probably why the reporter, when visiting the aquarium, probably only knew about the aquarium and little else. Of course, if I'm with my Japanese friends, the place becomes secondary so the point is moot. Japan is made up by the country and its people, and if I meet a friend, it is them who I am more interested in. There is no comparison here really - their offer of friendship takes utmost precedence; who cares where we're going to, it's just an activity to allow us to spend some quality time together. The moral then? Travel with an academic who is a Japan Specialist, hehe.

I was reading about my friend's post about how crappy the fireworks at the National Day Parade were (I mean seriously, if individual wards throughout Japan can have 2 hour long shows each for a month, why can't we have ONE that lasts more than 10 minutes??), and his post reminded me that there is something called YouTube. So, for anyone who wishes to do the search, which must be done in Japanese, here's some help. Go to this Fireworks Festival guide, and you'll be able to view all the different festivals be region. Once you find a particular one that you wish to view, such as 隅田川花火大会, or 足立花火大会, which is the one I went, just enter it in YouTube to be blown away. I mean seriously, they don't just fire those big round ones; The Japanese really put some creative thought into their choreography.

I'm too stupid (at the moment, hehe) to embed a video, so here are links for some of the what I think are the better posts of the Sumida fireworks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKD7IcFqMWQ
(The beginning of this video shows the display by the winner of a fireworks contest that took place at one of the two viewing locations; it is supposed to be in honor of a Japanese ice skater, and the bursts are meant to reflect her grace as well as the sport itself).

and the Adachi one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOd3a8wsDBU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyYJLe6HyLs

Finally, an advertisement for my own photos from NDP 2007, posted on flickr. Considering that the "moment that everyone has been waiting for" lasted less than the time needed for a toilet break, I think I did pretty well here. :)

Many people with whom I have discussed Japan with usually end up asking me for some travel tips. Since Japan is my favorite country, and the country and its people have given me a lot of goodwill over the years, I am always delighted to share my travel experiences. This is why I have that map detailing my travel routes in every slideshow page. The route isn't always the most efficient - if I am using a rail pass, I will try to maximize my use of the shinkansen, which results in what you see in my 2003 trip, where I headquartered myself in Tokyo. However, if you look at my 2007 route, it is much more expedient because I wasn't traveling on a rail pass. Furthermore, with age catching up, I prefer to have more leisurely tours, which means that I now try to stay over at each location, rather than to have a static base camp. The "trick" here is to always start and end at the same hotel, since this lets you leave your heavy luggage in that place while you run off elsewhere with just an overnight bag. This I can either dump in a locker if I'm not headed straight to my next overnight destination, or leave at the hotel if I am.

Anyway, I was playing with the idea of posting my itineraries online, but I've realized how I'm probably the only one in the world who can read them. In fact, since I go to Japan every year, I plan less and less ahead each time, leaving huge gaps in my schedules that I flesh out only on the night prior, or on one of those long haul train journeys. The only things that I still spell out with care are my hotels for each day, and the important train connections that I need to make. While this inadvertently leads to gargantuan mistakes sometimes (ok, maybe not so big eh?), the beauty of Japan is that there is always enough information at hand for damage control, no problem; you just need to know the system, and since Japan is a by-the-book country, this will allow you to get by easily with no overt surprises. And, just so you know how I skimmed on my itinerary this time, this is the exact printout that I had with me, mistakes and all (some of these didn't even make sense to me when I looked it over in Japan, haha):

Depart
18th (Wed) [東京到着] 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500

19th (Thur) [下田] 下田に泊まる {2時間44分} ペンション　ホワイトハウス＜静岡県＞ 1800, Y8,925
東京 (↓東海道本線/伊東線/伊急行線) 伊豆急下田 09:00発 11:44着 Y1,570

20th (Fri) 箱根に泊まる {3時間33分} 箱根湯本温泉　箱根水明荘　別館ポサーダ Y7,245
伊豆急下田 (↓伊急行線/伊東線/東海道本線) 東京 09:00発 11:49着 [2 hrs 49 mins] Y1,570
東京 新宿
新宿 (↓小田原線急行) 小田原 12:41発 14:15着 [1 hr 34 mins] Y850
小田原 （1分） (↓箱根登山鉄道線) 箱根湯本 14:16発 14:31着[15 mins] Y300

21th (Sat) 箱根に泊まる 箱根湯本温泉　箱根水明荘　別館ポサーダ Y8,295

22nd (Sun) 高山に泊まる {5 hrs 58 min} 飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ 1700, Y8,300 Rail Pass here
箱根湯本 (↓箱根登山鉄道線) 小田原 [12 mins]
小田原 （10分） (↓ひかり365号) 名古屋; 09:10発 10:22着 [1 hr 12 mins] Y4940
名古屋 （12分） (↓東海道本線（熱海－米原）) 岐阜 [28分] Y450
岐阜 （35分） (↓高山本線（岐阜－角川）) 高山 [3 hrs 9 mins] Y2520

23rd (Mon) 高山に泊まる 飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ, Y6,300

24th (Tue) 高山に泊まる  飛騨高山ワシントンホテルプラザ, Y6,300
高山 (↓農飛バス) 白川郷

25th (Wed) 名古屋に泊まる コンフォートホテル名古屋チヨダ Y5,670
高山 (↓高山本線（岐阜－角川）) 岐阜 [3 hrs 9 mins] 10:31発 13:40着 Y2520
岐阜 （12分） (↓東海道本線（熱海－米原）) 名古屋 [28 mins] 13:52発 14:20着 Y450

26th (Thu) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
名古屋 （22分） (↓ひかり412号) 東京 [1 hr 45 mins]; 13:13発 15:13着 Y10,780

27th (Fri) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
Tokyo

28th (Sat) 東京に泊まる 上野東金屋ホテル Y8,500
Tokyo (fireworks)

Departure on 29th
Flea market

うん、前回日本へ行ったのは今回から1年分の差があるので、色々な社会にある変化をちゃんと感じられました。一番大きな変化は、外国人の人数ですね。 どちらでもいることで大変びっくりしました。例えば、飛騨地域には、普通のは日本人より、外国人のほうが多いということなんですね。観光地なので当たり前かもしれませんが、日本人は主に国内に旅行するのではないでしょうか？とにかく、高山公園という丘の頂上に、そのような行きにくいところでも二人アメリカ人がいました。また、夜になって、写真を撮るために古い町並へ行っても、外国人ばっかりでしたね。す~~ごい！そして、一番"大変"なのはやっぱり箱根ですね。どこでも、中国語と広東語だけでした。正直に、このような事情で少しがっかりしていますね。別に偏見があるというわけではないんですが。日本へ行くことが好きな一つの理由は、普通より異常の社会に入れるということです。私にとって、それがリラックスできる環境ですね。しかし、今は日本もうシンガポールと一緒になっちゃったなぁ。こちらも、中国人ばかりという感じですね。で、今日常生活に英語だけで交流できれば、もう生きにくくなってしまいました。喫茶店等には中国語ばかりの店員しかいないという情況は普及になってきますので。あぁ、なぜ去年と比べると、外国人の人数はこんなに増えてきたかな。

ま、それ以外、ICカードの導入の速さにもびっくりしました。私もSUICAカードを買いました。PASMOは一応売っていないので。というのは、どうしてPASMOはそんなに人気ですか。SUICAとPASMOは相互に使えるのではないでしょうか？

箱根なんですが。もう行かいと思います。いつも箱根に行くとすごくアンラッキーですよ。2年前ですね、箱根へ行った時、箱根ロープウェイ大涌谷駅に届いてから、台風でロープウェイの運転が停止されました。そこで、伊豆バスでホテルに帰らなきゃいけませんでした。今回は同じ大涌谷駅にいた時、風でフリーパスはポケットから飛んでしまいました。そこで、もう一度伊豆バスで帰らなきゃいけませんでした。更に、梅雨期なので、富士山を始め、まるで手前150メートルしか見られない情況もうありました。もうけっこうですね。(笑)

今回の旅では、よく歴史的なところへ行くことにしました。大学にもう2回日本史の授業を担当したので、興味深いですね。下田はペリーが着陸した場所だし、箱根は箱根関所があるし、高山は日本伝統的な合掌造くりがあるし、名古屋は日本の一番古い犬山城があるので、見に行きました。残念なのは、時間が足りないので、名古屋の明治村へ行けませんでした。外国人は、多分時代劇を見すぎたので、明治時代の日本はヨーロッパ風の建物がたくさんあっとことをあまり知りません。あ、また、今回は初めて夏に日本にいるので、花火大会も旅行のハイライトになりました。ま、足立花火大会しか行きませんでしたが。実は、隅田川花火大会も行きたかったが、浅草まで行ってから、大勢な人で、あきれめました。更に、友達も「気を付けて」、「電車で帰られないかも」、「危ない」という話で、結局テレビで見てしまいました。(笑)

あちこちへ行っても、ずっと博物館等にいたので、色々な場所の名物をあまり食べませんでしたね。えっと、白川郷にいた時、どぶろくという特別なお酒を飲みました。神社だけ作ったお酒そうです。私が甘い酒が好きなので、美味しいだと思いました。それ以外、高山にいた時、飛騨牛と朴葉味噌。飛騨牛は普通の牛肉よりもっと甘いかなぁ。朴葉味噌ではとっても美味しかった。その葉は枯れ葉みたいので、食べた時自分はパンダという不思議な感じなんです。葉といえば、実は食べられるかなぁ。

日本へ行く目的ですね。実は、今回日本へ行って、本当に急に決めたことです。元彼女(うん、5月1日に別れちゃった)と一緒に行く予定があったので、行く気持が全然ありませんでした。でも、ホームページにある写真帳を用意した
時、大変懐かしかったです。6年間前から、毎年せめて一回日本へ行くので、今年行かないととても残念だと思いました。 そして、行く前の気分により、旅行した時、意識しないよう、あることに気が付けました。例えば、ダブルルームの泊まり、バスや電車に乗る

時側の空席、箱根まで小田急ロマンスカーの乗車(馬鹿じゃない？乗車券を買う時も、店員は「一人だけ？」と聞いた)、そして、信じられないが、元彼女と同じ名前の店の発見、このような時いつも何かがいないかなと感じました。しかし、意外には、日本に一人なんですが、全然寂しくなかった。自分で挨拶できないので、葉書は4枚近畿と中国地方にいる友達に送りました。そのあと、皆さんからのメールは次々に届いて、本当に感動しました。考えるみると、外国に皆さんのような親しい友達がいて、少し不思議なんですね。皆さんの友情をいただいて、どうもどうもありがとうございました。

いつもいつもそうなんですが、今回日本の旅で気分が本当に回復したと思います。足腰は多分賛成しないんですが、行く前よりもっと若くなってきたという気持です。今もう、来年日本へ行くことを考えています。(^_^)

This posting is actually about my trip to Japan in 2007. And, in the fine tradition of things that get translated from Japanese to English, what follows is the English version:

Wow, this was a really great trip! I can't wait to go again next year. :)