Day 0

Day 0 - Travel

From SLC to SFO to Kansai International Airport we successfully traveled, hampered only by the completely wrong seats for the 12-hour flight (booking seats through Orbitz doesn’t work?). 

I miss my kitty. She wanted to come.

Once in Osaka, we managed to collect our luggage and go through customs pretty fast. We even found the JR office outside the airport, got our JR passes with little difficulty, and went back to meet with the group. We bought our Kansai Through Passes, for 50,000 yen, about $50. It was either 2-days for 38,000 or 3 days for 50,000, and it doesn’t matter the days you use them (they don’t have to be consecutive). Considering some of the trips we’re planning cost about $20 both ways by train, it’s worth it. The passes are good for most Kansai trains, busses, and subways, and they come with coupons that get us a small discount at big attractions. 

We waited around a bit with the group, something that would soon become familiar, and then we were off — in Japan!

The shuttles took about 30-40 min., and we rode mostly by the ocean. Our first glimpses of Japan were not impressive, but thankfully it got better. It’s kind of weird to see newer buildings right next to old buildings right next to small rice fields right next to major streets. 

First stop was a supermarket, Mandai, where we bought necessary provisions such as breakfast, lunch, toilet paper, and garbage bags. In Japan garbage is taken very seriously and we must be sure to separate combustable garbage from cans/bottles from plastic bottles. I don’t know the benefits of such trouble, but on our side it’s actually been really easy — all combustable.

Next stop, the wakou-ryou, or dorms, where Ani would stay with her roommate, Andrea, plus the other 10 students: Maria, Tin, Michelle, Skye, Dwight, Harrison, Chen, Ben, Troy, and Cory. Yes! Mission ‘remember names of classmates’ = せいこう success!

We had a short meeting where we met Hashimoto-san and Yamanaka-san, senior staff at IBU (International Buddhist University, what Shitennouji Daigaku is also called). Yamanaka-san we would see a lot more of as he helped us get places and arrange IBU students to guide us places. They’ve really put a lot of work into this program, which is really nice.

After that, Hashimoto-san gave Mia and I a ride to where we would be staying, an apartment-like complex right in front of the university. It’s really nice, I can’t believe we have it to ourselves. If the other students knew, they’d surely wish to move!

Here is the kitchen, that’s right, look how large it is!

Bathroom — again, note the size. Especially of the sink. Washer and dryer also there.

Here is the shower and bath. Japanese style is to rinse off, or shower really, then soak in the bath which is then also used by everyone else in the household. We used the bath the first time today, it was nice.

Here is the entry way, note the lowered entry level where shoes are left.

Here is one of the two extra bedrooms.

By the way, so far it’s been really hot during the day, except when it rained, but the house stays pretty cool. Though we have new air conditioning units, put in especially for us (how nice!), which we’ll probably use as it gets even hotter.

Here is our room, nice closet space to the left, and the traditional tatami mats. We sleep on futons with nice big comforters. The pillows are weird, Mia first called them the ‘vitamin pillows’, but it’s more like little beans. They are really hard, but a great size and great support. My head hurts after a few hours so I put a softer pillow on top, but they work well. 

We have a sitting area, and a TV. We’ve turned it on once to see what was there, and, at least at around 7 in the morning, it’s mostly cooking shows.

So that is our beautiful accommodations. No pictures from Ani’s camera yet, and I haven’t taken pictures of her dorm, I should remember to do that. Andrea and Ani’s room is about the size of our living room + bedroom. Maybe. Very small. But they are with everyone, which can have its perks.

Anything else on big day 0? 

No way. *zzzzzzzz*