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-in japanese-
woman: excuse me, is that a dog?
M: pardon me?
woman: *points at gizmo* is that a dog?
M: um..yes, that would be a dog.
Needless to say, there are not many mutts in Japan.
I just booked a long weekend in Seoul in March and a week-long trip to Vietnam in may! Yay!
And for your enjoyment…Gizmo in the sweater his grandparents gave him for christmas.
M
and has such a hard life.
Taking over where T left off..
Staying at the Ryokan in the Gion district proved to be a key portion of the Kyoto experience. After dinner was served (in our room) the nice staff served us tea and turned the room over for bed.
The next morning breakfast was served bright and early at 8:00am. Tofu, broiled fish, rice and avacado/blueberry yogurt were all served (along with an omlet) to get us started. Needless to say, Thomas had a much easier time with breakfast.
Feeling full, we set out into the Gion district to explore a bit more. The old geisha district, the area is full of ryokan, tea houses, small shops and shrines.
While the majority of Japan doesn’t get up and running until at least 10am, the Geisha were out enjoying the morning as well as a few other tourists who had set out to find and photograph them. If you go through the Kyoto section on flickr, you can see the results of me stalking Geisha. 
It is important to note that traditional Geisha are scarce these days and their profession is often misunderstood. Educated for years in the traditional Japanese arts and ceremonies, Geisha are training in entertaining and keeping the company of the often wealthy business men that visit them. Not that kind of company. While it’s true some provide “those” types of services, they aren’t actually geisha, though they may dress in the style..Alas, I digress. Wikipedia has more info if you wish..
After roaming Gion and making a few purchases, we headed off to Inari to see the Orange gates of another shrine. Making our way up the mountain we walked through the gates which inspired an artist in the states to do a similar installation in Central Park two or so years ago. This perhaps was my favorite shrine to date as it was a bit different than any other we have seen. As some might agree, after seeing the different styles of shrine, they tend to start to blend together a bit..This one however, stood out quite a bit.
After viewing the gates we headed back to the train station, hopped on the bullet train and headed back to Tokyo. All in all, I’d definitely recommend Kyoto, though I would advise that staying in a Ryokan in Gion is a must.While it was a bit expensive, I can honestly say that we would have missed out on the “Kyoto experience” had we not stayed there. While Gion is very old world, the rest of Kyoto is much like Tokyo and much of the experience would have been lost elsewhere.
Next up: Hiroshima in a few weeks!
M
After a very long week of ups and downs, my darling wife and I woke up early on Saturday morning to catch the Bullet-train to Kyoto. Initially we wondered if we had the energy to make the trip, but after a quick nap on the train we arrived mid-morning feeling refreshed and ready to explore. Our first stop proved crucial as we visited the tourist bureau to pick up maps, directions, and a $5 unlimited bus pass around town.
30 minutes later we arrived at Kinkaku-ji, aka the Golden Pavilion. With there being dozens of temples and shrines to choose from, you might ask why this one first? Truth be told, it all goes back to last Spring when we purchased a 2000+ piece puzzle of the Temple that we never finished. In person the temple didn’t seem quite as impressive as the puzzle, but it still looked pretty cool as it started to snow.
Soon after we stopped for lunch at a nearby noodle shop and enjoyed some udon noodles and tea while watching the snow fall while seated on the floor. We really didn’t want to leave, but with our bellies full and our fingers and toes warm again we headed to Nijo Castle.
At first glance Nijo Castle looked an awful lot like the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, but at least you can go inside. Unfortunately you can’t take any photos; however you can get a feel for how the Shogun lived and check out the “Nightingale” floors that actually sound like birds as you walk across them.
By late afternoon we boarded the Soul Train bus on the way back to Kyoto Station as bus driver sounded like a Japanese Don Cornelius. The entire ride I kept cracking up whenever the driver would announce the stops, but to that point neither of us really understood the mystique of Kyoto.
That would soon change.
Upon arriving at the Gion District of Kyoto we soon began to see what all of the fuss was about. As we approached the ryokan, time suddenly shifted back several decades to the Japan we envisioned as children complete with stone cobble roads, wooden houses with tin roofs, and geishas shuffling about.
Once inside the ryokan the magic continued as we were greeted by the staff and whisked to our room for a traditional welcoming ceremony of tea and matcha. The room itself was very simple and quite peaceful with 8 tatami mats laid out in a grid with the table as the centerpiece. Following our tea we ventured out into the District to explore the wonders of old Kyoto. Aside from the local shrines and temples, we spent most of our time before dinner taking in the scenery while strolling arm in arm of a time long past as the sun set on this charming little slice of Japan.
With the sun set though, the temperature dropped and before long we headed back to the Inn for dinner. Fourteen coures of traditional Japanese foods that started out with broccoli and sea urchin served with sake. I actually dared to sip the sake to kill the taste of the urchin only to switch gears and finish the urchin to kill the burn of the sake. From there the adventure continued with octopus sashimi, a grilled shrimp dish, tempura fish, white rice, and a half dozen other dishes that proved a mix of both good, bad, and bizarre. BUT…when in Kyoto, you give it a try!
To be continued…
Figure I should provide a quick update…
As of Sunday evening things have just about worked themselves out, as I’m on my feet again and only dealing with some soreness in my lower back. See, what the websites don’t tell you about kidney stones is the havoc the rest of your body endures during the process as the kidneys are forced to fight on several fronts.
At any rate I’m happy to report that my darling wife followed through quite nicely on the “in sickness” part of her wedding vows in taking care of me through the entire ordeal. What she couldn’t do, the staff at Hiroo General did even with a considerable language gap to help nurse me back to health so that by Friday I was back to work just long enough to check in and prepare for the next week.
T
Happy tax season! It’s a little known fact that the United States is the only first world country in the world that Taxes its expats and given that it’s tax season, I’m annoyed. Yup, this year we’ll be writing checks to both Japan and the United States. While I have no problem paying taxes for services I’m currently using, I do take issue with being taxed twice.
So, today I took a page out of Uncle Ernie’s book (he used to send love notes to Bill Clinton regularly) and wrote the government a letter. Now, I doubt my letter will get me on as many lists as Uncle Ernie may be on, I’m still hoping to get a response.
And because I’m mildly excited at my own pro activity, here is the letter I’ve sent to my representatives (I was last a legal resident of WA, thus they claim me):
A warning for those who are a touch conservative: YOU MAY NOT LIKE THIS.
Hello,
I am writing you today in reference to the following:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s110-1140
As an American currently living in Japan and facing taxes in two countries I was hoping to find out where you stand on this bill. To my understanding the United States is one of the few countries in the world that currently places taxes on its overseas residents and as a person abroad I am hoping you will amend this. Please understand that while living overseas I will pay said taxes as long as required, but not without more than a little frustration. While I understand the concept of paying for public services, government workings and such, I do have to question if my taxes should be paid to services I have not come into contact with since moving overseas.
Living in Japan, I am currently taxed on a National and Local level for services I am using, this I take no issue with. However, is it a reasonable financial burden to be asked to pay taxes to two nations? As I currently see it I am paying double taxes simply for carrying a US Passport. Given that I am likely to be permanently placed abroad through my company, this is something that will continue to effect me in the future.
If you could please let me know your point of view on the above, I would appreciate it. Given my last permanent address in the US was in Bellevue, I believe you are the correct contact. If I am mistaken, could you please let me know?
Regards,
M
I’ll let you know if they respond.
also known as the “Don’t get sick in Japan” Post. Also, I’ll cut to the chase to save you some worry, he’s still alive.
So…Story time!
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there was a nice boy named Thomas. He lived in this far away land with his incredibly wonderful wife and trusty, well-behaved dog named Gizmo. (ok, so i’m mixing fairy tales with reality, but whatever).
One day Thomas began to feel a bit under the weather. The next day, he still felt a little bit funny. SEVEN days later he decided it was time to mention it to his beloved, always patient, wife. Being dutiful, she ran him a hot bath, gave him some painkillers and loaded him up on water. You see, Thomas had felt this way before as part of a little adventure called…kidney stones.
As the day progressed it became apparent that Thomas’ kidneys were not going to make this adventure an easy one. Once he began begging for death, his wife started at the top of the hospital list provided on the US embassy website and worked her way down. You see, there was a problem with this entire scenario, it was a holiday weekend…and a SUNDAY. While in most lands, the hospitals are open and available for patients 24/7, well…in this particular far away land hospitals close. Yup, close. Monday through Friday 10-6 feel free to fall ill, but don’t you DARE have a heart attack, child or kidney stone on the weekend.
After making her way through the list of hospitals with english speaking staff, the beloved had to start calling other hospitals. Butchering Japanese all the while, it took 6 more hospitals until the kind people at the Hiroo beyoin understood that Thomas’ “jinzo” were in pain. Collected off the bathroom floor, Thomas was pushed into the back of a cab and whisked to the ER of the Hiroo beyoin. It seems that after hours the only part of a hospital with doctors in it is the emergency room. Lucky for the not so rolling stones, there was a doctor in that spoke english and was able to start some pain killers for the poor, begging for a shovel to the head, Thomas.
An hour later, the doctor was supposed to go home (it was 5pm afterall..) and thus provided two options: stay and be drugged out of your mind by nurses all weekend long or go home and beg for death again. The decision was fairly simple..until the doctor explained that there are no doctors in the hospital except the two in the ER…until tuesday. Well, being in intense pain it was decided that Thomas was best left to the kind translator armed nurses of Hiroo beyoin.
With three different types of painkillers streaming through his system, Thomas was wheeled up to his room (the one with three old roommates) to pull down the average age of the 610 ward by 30 years. His beloved wife was told to leave at the end of visiting hours (7pm) and asked to return in the morning for visiting hours (11am). The amazing nurses at the beyoin took great care of him, even though they didn’t understand a word of what he was saying nor did he understand them. You see, no one spoke english and the hospital was not equipped with a translator.
The next morning, equipped with a tooth brush, deodorant, books and an Ipod she returned. Thomas was doing much better that day, but alas, no stones had rolled. It was a long, boring day as Thomas drank as much water as humanly possible and his (very) kind nurses tended to his kidneys. Alas, for a second night his wife was put out on the street alone at 7pm to make her way back to the trusty beast at home.
Finally, on tuesday morning the nurses began scrambling about as the doctors returned from their holidays. X-Rays and CT scans were ordered and suppositories were administered (if you want anything in the far away land stronger then advil…that’s your option.). Thomas beckoned his wife for a cell phone switch at lunch and lo and behold the nurse came by with directions to visit the urologist. A large man with a strong resemblance to Buddah was kind enough to show us the three white spots in the CT scan. Unfortunately, Dr. B didn’t speak a lick of english either, so all that was left was to look at the pictures on the screen. One in the left kidney, one in the right and one in the bladder.
Now kiddies get out your rulers..the stones are the following sizes: 5.22mm, 4.7mm and 2.5mm.
After scooping a rather pale thomas off the floor, it was decided he should suffer at home for fear of the family savings account. You see, Thomas and his wife came from a land where medical care is astronomically expensive and had been given a brochure at check-in that said “cash only”.
Well, later on that day as he packed up his things the nurse brought by his bill….$290. Yes, three days in the hospital, xrays, IV, drugs, CT scans, bloodwork, urine tests, meals, etc…for two hundred and ninety US dollars.
And they all lived happily ever after.
M
epilogue:
Thomas is now home resting with the naughty beagle who ate an entire box of hard to find cereal while his mother was away nursing his father back to health. He’ll live..suppositories and all.
Sorry, I find the word suppositories hilarious and am not mature enough to cope like an adult with it. Also, I will post pictures of his ct scans as soon as I scan them as I find them entertaining as well.
So…just in case you are planning on visiting us (HINT! HINT! anyone?) I thought it might be good to let you know about our travel plans for the year.
Feb – Kyoto (next weekend)
March – Hiroshima (first weekend) , New Zealand (The 20th-27th?)
Last Week of April/First week of Mayish – Vietnam
This summer we’ll be taking any three day weekends that come our way to go to Hong Kong, Shanghai and South Korea. But! These haven’t been planned yet! Take this as an opportunity to let us know when you will be gracing us with your time! Act now! Come Visit! Lots to do in Japan!
September – Germany/Switzerland/Elsewhere!
Where else will we go? Who knows!
also known as the day we’re sticking with the Western tradition.
Tis’ the season for chocolate, pink hearts and roses! While all over the world men and women prepare give gifts to those they love Japan strays from the pack on this particular holiday. While pink hearts everywhere are a daily occurrence, the chocolates have appeared on shelves everywhere – for the women to buy for their husband or boyfriend(s?). Men, sadly, need not lift a finger on Valentines day.
While the universal gift here is chocolate – and only chocolate – women are still expected to hand over a box of chocolate on Valentines Day. Lack of effort or creativity aside, Valentine’s day is for men in Japan. But there is a catch. In march there is another holiday which represents the man’s turn to shower his loved one(s) with gifts. It’s important to note that white day isn’t a chocolate holiday as nary a chocolate will be given…it’s a day for diamonds, pearls and purses. Yes, you have that right, he’s expected to fork over diamonds and pearls in exchange for a box of chocolate.
Sounds totally fair, no?
