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Over the weekend Nike is holding a global 10K in nearly two dozen major cities throughout the world called the Nike Human Race. With a handful of co-workers participating, M thought this would be a good idea for us and signed us up figuring we could start running in the mornings again much like we did while living in NYC.
While well intended, I was left to question if we would be able to adequately prepare in six weeks time. July and August as we’ve mentioned are hardly the months to venture outside, let alone do anything remotely strenuous. Nevertheless we made sure to wake up early, get Gizmo saddled up, and began just before our trip to Australia.
But before long…
Our working hours began to make getting out of bed a challenge, Gizmo began to wakeup with even greater frequency in the middle of the night demanding a walk, and the heat and humidity even at 6AM some mornings left us wondering if we were doing more harm than good to ourselves in running. On the bright side we did manage to get in a little better shape, but a 10K still seemed a bit far fetched.
Heard enough excuses? We’ve got more.
With the race roughly a week away we needed to figure out how we would make the trip to Mt. Fuji to join the race. Instead of holding the race in Tokyo, the organizers opted to setup there perhaps for the scenic backdrop or for the potential of better weather? Don’t know, but what we do know is that getting there consisted of few options with each holding less and less appeal when compared to the one before it.
Option #1: “We could get up at 5AM and catch the busses that Nike is providing from Shinjuku, but need to wait till late in the evening to return.” – Really? Will Gizmo explode while we’re gone?
Option #2: “We could take a series of trains from Shinjuku, but still might not make it on time and get stuck with the swarm trying to get back.” – Umm, no thanks
Option #3: “A couple people from the company are thinking of renting a bus.” – Tempting, but it fell through
With only options #1 & #2 available we began to doubt we could make it and looked to make other arrangements. Fortunately we found that a “virtual” run would be taking place in Yoyogi Park roughly 25 minutes from the house. So with that we had made up our minds. We would give it a try, but not stress or strain ourselves if our bodies or the weather failed to cooperate.
So this morning we reluctantly got out of bed and made our way to Harajuku. With the race scheduled to begin at 10:30 we decided to get there early enough to find where everyone was meeting up given we really had no idea. We managed to cautiously approach any congregation of runners hoping with some luck we’d find the group or at least be led to it. Given the relatively small size of the park we figured 25 minutes would give us adequate time. As usual in social situations, we were wrong as all we could find was one group that after stretching in unison began chanting which prompted us to run…the other way. The next group we found were actually helping the blind jog with a partner for each runner, prompting us to run in yet another direction.
At this point we decided it wasn’t in the cards and would instead jog on our own for a bit. Naturally this lasted only a few minutes as M soon discovered the dog run and then soon after stumbled upon a stand renting bicycles. Say what you will, but M is always rather resourceful in making the most of such situations and 400¥ later we were pedaling our way through the designated bike path.
And then…we found them. The Red Army numbering in the hundreds in their red Nike t-shirts running the “Virtual” Human Race.
Honestly, we felt guilty; however we did try to find them and riding bikes for an hour is nothing to sneeze at. So with each lap on our bikes we passed by the pack as they chugged at a slower and slower pace throughout the hour looking all the more miserable and sweaty. After returning the bikes we decided we should at least try to run a little bit as the race continued, but within ten minutes we began to wonder where everyone was going as it seemed everyone had their own destination/course plotted in their heads. All this time M and I thought this was a set course, but with no rhyme or reason taking hold, we decided we’d had enough nonsense and set our own course deciding the train station was our “finish line.”
Perhaps on this day we weren’t the finest members of the Human Race, but we tried…sort of. Regardless, chances are good that both of us are going to wake up plenty sore tomorrow!
We came across this old shrine this past weekend. It’s somewhere between the Tokyo Tower and the best sushi I’ve ever had (under the train tracks of Shimbashi)…and to be honest, it was a bit haunting.
Perhaps I should qualify what I mean by scary.
Surrounded by a thick black fence and trees, the building itself was all locked up (the photo was taken through the fence bars) while the exterior looked beaten about by time and the weather. That in itself gave it a bit of a haunted feel but if you look closely at the two figures you’ll notice they are pretty scary/mean looking. While I am sure this is very intentional (a means to ward of spirits with ill intention) I do remain curious as to the story behind this particular place.
The majority of buildings in Japan, even in the red light district we live near, are meticulously cared for. Sidewalks are swept daily, paint is kept fresh and nary a weed can be found…and yet this building was strangely out of place. Perhaps this fact added to the haunted feel as it is rare to find an abandoned property in this area. It seemed to be forgotten by the bustling neighborhood it sits in. It was unlike any other shrine I’ve seen since we’ve come here (an example)
Thus, I’m curious to see what I can find out about it.
Today’s little adventure started out innocently enough but quickly spiraled downward into a special version of hell one can only find in Japan. Odaiba as it stands today was built upon swampy landfill twenty years ago and little has changed since.
We should have known it was going to be bad when one of the first things we saw were people having a picnic on a cardboard box outside a convenience store…sporting orange mullets. While I don’t really know the word for guido is in Japanese, but today we discovered their equivalent of Coney Island.
Seriously, you know it is going to be odd when you lay eyes on this.
Oh yes. Yes, it is…Lady Liberty herself.
We thought a wide angle view would add some perspective. Just past the Rainbow Bridge in the middle of the picture is Tokyo Tower in case you thought we were fooling around.
So what did we find in Odaiba? People, lots of them. Of the choices available we opted for the mall over the water park and the amusement park figuring we would avoid the crowds and enjoy the air conditioning. While the air-con did its job, the crowds wandered aimlessly as if they’d never set foot inside a shopping mall.
“Wow, an entire store devoted to women’s shoes!?!”
“A staircase that moves up and down!”
Initially this is a bit irritating and M and I usually do our best to take things in stride, but after twenty minutes we almost dared people to take us on. At one point I had to lower my shoulder with no room to move and ended up plowing through someone like a linebacker.
Making matters worse we also found a few familiar stores from back home like J.Crew, GAP, Brooks Brothers, and ToyRUs hoping to find something to make this trip worthwhile; yet managed to find nothing. Aside from being ridiculously overpriced, dresses in Japan are shapeless potato-sacks that flatter no one. When M showed me one she thought held promise, I had to tell her the sad truth. “Sweetie you’re a beautiful girl, why would you even consider wearing this?”
So before we stayed long enough to be tempted burn any money, knock down a few kids, or punch some bumpkins in the face we decided to flee with what little sanity we had left to visit Tennozu Isle.
M was kind enough to take me to the factory store of one of her clients through work and let me shop for shoes knowing this was as good a chance as any to finally put my curiosity to rest. For ages I’ve been jealous that she gets all of the fun clients, while I get to help sell shampoo and toilet cleaners! At any rate I went home a happy camper with a few pairs of shoes and a yoga mat all on sale.
Feeling good and figuring we couldn’t be that far from home we decided to try walking up the river, yet really weren’t sure how to get there. In Tokyo, nothing is terribly far, but the layout of the city is less than…logical?
So sometimes you can get hopelessly lost and sometimes you can accidentally find the train station that’s only ten minutes walk from the house. Today we lucked out and after an impromptu photoshoot with this noisy little critter, not to mention a pitstop at Starbucks, we made it home safe and sound.
Gizmo’s delicacy of choice this time of year!
Seriously within the next two weeks the cicadas will start to die off and if it’s anything like last summer, Gizzy will spend the majority of his evening walk crunching and munching his way through the streets of Tokyo devouring each and every cicada in sight. Meanwhile I’ll make sure that M stays at home as she can’t stand the sight and sound of watching her little boy have bug wings sticking out of his mouth. I on the other hand find it hysterical as he eats them like potato chips!
As we decided to forgo a trip outside of Tokyo, T and I decided to make the most of our ‘’staycation” and see the sights we’ve not yet done in the city. On the agenda for today: Tokyo Tower.
What many consider to be the focal point of Tokyo, the Tokyo tower is situated just past Zojoji Temple, one of the largest in Tokyo.
The small figures above are found on the left side of the shrine. Each has its own red knit cap and pin wheel. Each cap has been hand knit and many a different styles and in different conditions.
Just across the street is the Tokyo Tower. Picture the Eiffel Tower in bright orange.
Although the clouds rolled in during the late afternoon, we were able to get some shots from the Special Observatory while the sky was still blue. You’ll notice that Tokyo goes on as far as the eye can see in almost all directions. It is sprawling and enormous.
The views were pretty spectacular. The lines equally so. In the end, we opted to hike down the stairs only to find a small amusement park on the roof of the base building.
Yes, those children are riding giant bears. No, I really don’t know why. To say it was a strange little amusement park would be a massive understatement.
Following the tower we wandered over to Shimbashi for our favorite sushi while taking in the sights along the way.
For anyone who is planning on visiting Tokyo a note on Sushi: One of the best sushi place’s we’ve found is actually under the train tracks between the Shimbashi and Yurakacho stations. The sushi melts in your mouth.
And now a quiet evening of Olympic watching.
Up tomorrow: Still deciding, you’ll just have to wait and see!
About a year ago this time I looked like this:
No, I don’t turn the air conditioning up that high.
There’s a saying in Japan that “Climb Fuji-san once and you are a fool no more. Climb it twice and you are forever a fool.”
In July and August of each year thousands of people partake in the rite of passage known as “climbing mt. fuji.” While we’ve since learned that none of the people we know have climbed it, T and I decided that we too should partake as we’d heard it wasn’t that bad. Normal people would realize that the words “not too bad” and “mountain climbing” don’t typically go in the same sentence. We didn’t.
So, for those contemplating a climb up Fuji, I offer you (a year late) review of the experience.
Step One: Getting to Mt. Fuji.
Prior to setting out we’d been told that a bus would pick us up from Shinjuku and deliver us directly to the 5th base station of Fuji. What no one told us was that the bus required reservations and was fully booked throughout the month of August. Determined to conquer the mountain, T and I set off on a three train journey that found us on a packed train of goth teenagers who were setting off to the amusement park just a bit away from Fuji. Three hours (and trains) later we found ourselves at the fifth base station.
Step Two: Climbing It.
Climbing Fuji-san is technically not too bad. When I say “not too bad” I mean you don’t have to haul oxygen or use ropes. You do have a lot of uphill walking to do. For said uphill walking I’ll reiterate the guide book notes: Buy the wooden climbing sticks at the 5th base station.
As you climb up Fuji-san and pass by each base station you can pay 100JPY ($1) to have your stick branded with that station’s elevation, number and symbol. While this may seem a bit uncool it does become quite fun at times. I’ll also admit that as the sunset and we weren’t even close to our sleeping station, those brands were a strong motivator.
It’s also important to note that there are some areas that require literal rock climbing. While we aren’t exactly mountain goats, our headlamps proved quite helpful as we scrambled along.
Step Three: Look around as you go!
Our initial plan was to see the sunrise. This meant that if we wanted to take it at a normal pace (with some breaks) along with a nap at a mountain station, we needed to set out before sunset. The sunset itself was an incredible site.
Step Four: Take a nap we 35 of your closest friends!
As the sun went down and the headlamps were turned up (very necessary and very unattractive) we finally made our way up the mountain to our base station. Having made reservations weeks in advance, we were able to spend a few hours getting acclimated to the elevation.
Note: Some would say you don’t need to stop and rest. Some also believe that it is possible to alternate puffs from a cigarette and a can of oxygen…Some were later seen throwing up on the side of the mountain. We recommend the nap.
Although we’d originally thought we’d be able to get a solid five or six hours in, upon our arrival at the base station, we discovered that in order to see the sunrise from the top you must leave at 3:30 am. After a bit of fretting over this, we begrudgingly agreed to the “wakeup call” and went to find our places. While we were expecting a row of cots, what we found was twenty times more amusing:bunk beds. Not just any bunk beds..but bunk beds that held 35 people a bed. Yup. We slept with 35 people in one night. 35 Snoring and gassy people. Being the two least mature people in the situation T and I spent half the night laughing.
Step Five: Stand in line for the Sunrise.
We hopped in line to reach the summit just after 3:30am. Yes, a line. This is Japan after all and Japan is famous for its lines and the way people love standing in line.
Unfortunately, we didn’t make it up in time for the sunrise but we instead opted to park along side the line and actually enjoy the sunrises (it was the goal of the entire exercise).
And it was very pretty:
Step Six: The Summit.
With the sun finally overhead, we finished the ascent to find the summit of Fuji-san to be full of people, food stalls and souvenir shops. Too tired to find this odd, we found a small corner and took some time to enjoy the view and our newly complete walking sticks.
Step Seven: Get down safely.
The path down Fuji-san was actually worse than the path up. Covered in loss, slipping rocks the mountain side proved to be pretty difficult to maneuver as people slipped and fell their way down the mountain. The view through the clouds was pretty though.
All in all it was a great adventure. If you are planning to climb the mountain be sure to take plenty of snacks, clothes and pictures!
I’ve been asked a few times how the weather is in Japan during the summer, so let’s just get this out of the way: It’s hot. Really hot.
This weekend we’ll be attempting to fry an egg on the sidewalk. Photos to follow.
Regardless of this heat, we are actually coming up on a four day weekend! What’s that you say? You have no plans to travel you say? No, no we do not. It’s not for lack of trying to find a suitable escape but the majority of Asia in August is just a touch unreasonable in terms of weather (think deadly heat). Thus, we’ll be sitting at home under our own air conditioner watching the Olympics and frying eggs on the sidewalk. We’ll also have the majority of Tokyo at our disposal for our “staycation” as the city empties out for Obon.
So, Obon.
To quote japan-guide.com:
Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one’s ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.
Traditionally, lanterns are hang in front of houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.
At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.
Obon is celebrated from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still celebrated in mid August in many regions of Japan, while it is celebrated in mid July in other regions.
The Obon week in mid August is one of Japan’s three major holiday seasons, accompanied by intensive domestic and international travel activities and increased accommodation rates.
In 2008, the peak of the Obon travel season is anticipated to take place between August 9 and 17 with the busiest days on August 13 (people leaving big cities) and August 16 and 17 (people returning to the big cities). August 9 and 10 also expected to be busy.
-End Quote-
We actually came across one of the evening festivals two weekends back which was quite interesting. Hundreds of men and women dressed in their best yukata were gathered around a newly built tower and danced in unison as drummers and a loud speaker provided songs throughout the night. Street vendors sold everything from meat on a stick to ramen to rice balls as lanterns hung overhead. As the night wore on , vendors looking to advertise their companies handed out plastic fans which were truly appreciated and children began to join the dancing. All in all, it was a very nice evening.
So while Tokyo empties out as people return to their ancestral homes, we’ll be hanging out and trying to stay out of trouble. Not sure what we’ll be up to exactly, but hopefully we won’t melt.
During the summer months, the sun rises quite early in Japan, roughly 4:30 would be my best guess.
Although perhaps I should ask Gizmo instead of cursing his name as he has a tendency to get up at this hour. Given that he sleeps roughly 16 hours a day, the morning sun is a welcome sight to his furry behind because he knows what time it really is…breakfast.
Ideally Gizmo sleeps through the night, but most of the time he’s stirring well before any sensible creature would bother.
Like clockwork the warbling begins. At first it’s a low grumble that is gradually followed by an audible “woof.” Given that never works, he eventually starts putting his feet/behind in your face in an effort to get his point across.
Usually we try to throw him back under the blanket and almost have to smother him to keep him from springing loose until the alarm at 6AM. Oddly enough within a minute or two he gives up on occasion as he accepts the warmth of being embraced, but more often than not the slightest movement a couple of minutes later will force us to repeat the entire process.
Understand all of this happens before 6AM, every day, including weekends, and mornings that follow 12+ hours of work.
At 6AM though, all bets are off.
With the sound of the alarm Gizmo basically launches himself from our bed as if he were shot out of a cannon. Pavlov’s Dog is alive and well my friends. If you have any doubts catch the first plane to Japan and camp out on our couch.
To be honest, I’m jealous. I liken it to the excitement of Christmas morning, every day. Bouncing and pouncing, nudging and budging, Gizmo is a ball of energy that will accept nothing less than his breakfast.
Initially we found this amusing and even a bit charming; however I find myself praying for Autumn and the sun’s retreat to the southern hemisphere.
And to think…M wants to serve as foster parents for rescued dogs???
