Days in the Life

My Last Day.. So Sad!

2008-07-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

i woke up and made it out into daylight around 9am. i grabbed a few rice balls and stopped in an internet cafe to get my bearings and have some coffee. i got through to Nari and planned to meet him by his office around 2pm to get the keys to his place so i could go home and shower and change. in the meantime, i went to Ueno-koen, a large park in tokyo that has a huge selection of museums. i chose the Japan National Museum, and toured its permanent collection which contained many buddhist art (statues mostly), japanese dress, laquerware, samurai armor, swords and scrolls. some really beautiful works of art, and a few gave me more ideas for the new planned tattoo (it's nearing time and i think i've about concluded on the design. wait and see folks). the museum took me a few hours and took a winding walk through the park to see a few temples and a huge pond filled with lotus blossoms (the lotus is a buddhist symbol as the flower grows up from the muck at the bottom of ponds and swamps, and given its stunning beauty, is a symbol of purity). at this point, i was completely done with sightseeing and kind of over taking pictures, so i don't have much documentation from this part of the day.

after a great chinese food lunch (some kind of noddle soup, i don't know, i pointed to it on the menu), i went to Roppongi to amass some Takashi Murakami merchandise - very happy with my purchases. then to see nari for coffee, where i got to catch up a bit and see him for the last time (it was his bday and he had plans to go out to a super nice dinner and spend a night at a hotel/spa to pamper himself - those being outside my interests and monetary capacity, i thanked him and told him we would see each other again soon). despite not seeing nari later, he let me use his place to shower and change and wash and relax, which i did, in spades.

my mother has a good friend here, named Yumiko, who i had contacted when i first got to japan to see if she had some time to meet and chat. we both found that time on tuesday night to do just that. i changed into some of my japanese clothes, and looking quite dapper i headed to tama-plaza where yumiko picked me up, took me to see her home, and then we went out for korean bbq. over grilled tongue, sirloin, ribs, veggies and edamame, we talked about my impressions of japan. she teaches japanese, so throughout she kept dropping new words for me. i am a fairly quick learner with language, and i actually feel decent now about being able to use simple expressions and words here - at least, enough for greetings, exclamations, thank yous, and ordering food and beer. yumiko told me i'm a very interesting person to talk to - i guess that's about right, i had quite a holiday here and there's so much to tell and talk about. she also tried to assuage my concerns about offending all the japanese by the various customs and rules that i might break. for example, japanese are wary of tattoos and tanktops are disrespectful to be worn into restaurants and certainly temples. but, i told yumiko, on hot days when i'm hiking, i would be dying if i weren't in a tanktop, so often i end up going into a restaurant or a temple both in a sleeveless shirt and showing my tattoo. she said that as long as i was conscious of my faux-paus that it was ok. i said that i was happy to be forgiven by her, but to others, who don't know my inner turmoil (somehow stand the heat and offend people, or, sweat myself silly in order to save face) might not have the same opinion. she said she often feels the same in america, e.g., where it is impolite to slurp noodles or drink soup directly from the bowl, and that when she inadvertently does something like that, she feels like the odd one out in the room. that led into conversations about how i felt humbled to be the only white person in a room, and given my height, a very noticeable one at that.

hours later, i said my goodbyes and went back to gaytown to meet carlos miller for a drink! carlos and i met in nyc a year and a half ago. he is a dancer and now is part of a troupe called Trocadero, and has been on tour in japan for 2 months. our paths finally crossed, so after dealing with yet more delayed trains and rain and getting a little lost, i met him at Dragon. also, fun for us, nahik was at the bar (not working, and drunk as a skunk). i was really happy to walk into that bar and have the bartender i had met one night, three weeks earlier, run up to me and give me a hug, AND remember my name. great feeling. i talked with him while waiting for carlos, and then the three of us chatted it up. nahik and carlos are both dancers. we have all lived, or do live, in new york. we all love japan. easy getting along there. i think carlos will head back there tonight, as nahik mentioned he is bartending and, i think, has a little thing for carlos.

saying our goodbyes, carlos and i went over to advocates for a few drinks. nothing too much happening there, we went over to arty farty. the bar wasn't quite happening, but the music was alright and a few people were dancing. we ran into ed, one of the guys from the ny symphony group i had met in osaka. carlos, being a dancer and drag queen, quickly owned that dance floor. we requested songs, drank and danced until the bar closed three hours later. way fun - super way fun. we met this cute japanese, Tetsu, 22, from okinawa, now living in tokyo working for the summer at a clothes store called Soho, who was a dancing fool and had all these moves straight from michael jackson (the hand movements, the side-to-side head bob). terrifically cute. and he was major energizer bunny - did not stop for hours. carlos was fun to watch, jumping on stage to "drag" perform "get me bodied." a blast a blat a blast.

when the bar closed, we weren't quite done. carlos and i invited ed and tetsu to come along. ed was easy, but tetsu wanted to rest until the subways started so he could go home. i told him it was my last night in tokyo, and apparently that worked because he came along with us for another drink at advocates where we chatted about sex and the city (how ridiculous it is that carrie can afford her apartment and clothes and shoes writing a sex column in a tabloid, and how miranda has any time at all, being a partner in a law firm), comics and mormons (trying to explain to tetsu what a mormon is was fun - i saw my biases coming through pretty quick, but i owe nothing to the mormons, so if one more japanese thinks they are a bunch of backwards, over-birthing crazies, well, the better for me). all the bars being closed, we all bought beer from the corner store and went to carlos's hotel (on tour, he stays in hotels, and on this bout in tokyo, he was in his own room at the hilton). more fun times. the music was far more relaxed, but we were drinking, laughing, snapping pictures and having a gay old time until about 7am when we all just kind of passed out. a ridiculously fun way to spend my final night in tokyo. ed is a charming man and tetsu is just the cutest thing around and carlos, well, fantastic to reconnect. haven't seen him in awhile, and maybe it's the want to actually speak english to another gaijin, but my connections with old friends here have been amazing. i couldn't have scripted a better night (well, maybe one thing, but we are too drunk to find ourselves in carnal positions. besides, i have that to look foward to when i get home, becuase there is a sexy boyfriend at home for me ;) ).

i woke up at 10 and quietly said my goodbyes to carlos and made my way out for some breakfast and to nari's. and here i sit, finishing my final blog and thinking "man! this is one of the best three weeks of my life, and i am so thankful for everything that has come my way. i am lucky indeed. i love japan very much and have adored everyone i've had the pleasure to meet. i will miss the country, its food and its people, though i am beginning to look forward to being back in new york. i hope these memories and lessons stay with my always and i hope i return soon."

all my best, and until i'm back in the states, ja mata ne.
(oh! i just got a little choked up!)

Nara to Tokyo in a Day

2008-07-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

monday i returned to sightseeing, for the last time. (to be fair, at this point i am both tired of sightseeing and a little tired of blogging, but i am going to make the final push to get it done. if i am good about it, i can embed photos from my trip into the blog entries and have a good journal for posterity, memories and reflection). i got an early train from osaka to nara and stashed my pack in a locker at the train station.

nara was, years ago (8th century), the capital of japan and today houses numerous UNESCO-protected landmarks and sights. of note for me is Taijo-ji, a zen temple complex with the largest wooden building in the world, which was constructed around the largest Buddha statue in japan (for those of you paying attention, i had seeing the second largest in kamakura). when i got to the train station, i went to the visitor information center to get a map and the woman at the desk said i looked like a student, and for students they offer free walking tours led by japanese university student guides. i wasn't going to argue with a free walking tour, so i got paired with a japanese girl named Yuki Kobayashi, age 22, majoring in british literature(!), living in nara, planning to go to work for a travel company upon graduation. given her major, her english was fantastic. the tour guide thing is something she volunteers for once a week during the summer. i had a really good time with her - it is a very nice thing to be able to converse freely and easily with japanese and not have to use slowed-down, broken english for comprehension.

on another obscenely hot japanese summer day, we headed out, armed with fans, towels and water, for nara-koen, a sprawling park that contains most of nara's sights. the park is also filled with free-roaming deer. so cute - little baby deer! i saw more than a few children try to feed one deer with these biscuits that are sold on the corners, and then get swarmed by all the other deer who want in. it must be scary for the child to be surrounded by these strange animals on all sides, but it was side-splittingly funny for me. yuki told me that once she had spent a few hours drawing in the park, and a deer came and ate it. sad, but funny.

wrapping the sights into a close-knit narrative, we saw the second largest 5-story pagoda in japan (the first, toji-ji is in kyoto, and beats nara's by only a few centimeters). we saw taijo-ji (the building had to be constructed around the buddha, it's so immense. honestly, that temple was worth the visit in and of itself. the building is near miraculous and the statues inside and stunning works of art. i constantly marvel at the combined delicacy and fortitude of japanese architecture). we saw another few temples at the top of a hill that overlooked all of nara and the mountains beyond (one had a thousand-year-old tree (!!) that because it had been there when the temple was constructed, the temple was built around the tree in order to preserve it. amazing). we saw some shrines (karagawa-jinja, e.g.) where i learned some more about shinto (shinto worships nature and at the altars at many shrines there are no statues, but rather mirrors so that the supplicant sees herself, the torii and nature upon approaching the altar. brilliantly beautiful philosophy. did i mention how much a love the fact that the mono-theistic god of the western fold is almost completely absent here - portuguese first brought catholic and jesuit missionaries in the 16th century, and various shoguns either permitted them to proselytize or alternately, to be banished. the meiji emperor expelled many of the christian priests and, i believe, near decreed that japan make a return to shinto and buddhism. there is still christianity in japan, but it's scarce. it's just nice to see a society that isn't bound by the propaganda that binds mine).

as yuki and i were walking, i came across a pair of prescription glasses on the street, near a train station. they were rather strong - i tried them on and could barely walk straight. i decided to try and find a lost and found. we first went to the station's information booth, but the lady there directed us to the police station nearby. this, after thanking me profusely for my kindness. at the police station, the attendant did not speak english, so yuki translated for me and we left the glasses there with instructions as to where we found them. that woman as well was just bowled over that someone would go through all this trouble to turn in a pair of lost glasses. first, it wasn't very much trouble - maybe 15 minutes of my time. second, they were heavy prescription (probably reading glasses) and someone is really going to miss them. third, this is to make up for all the other social protocols i have broken while in japan; leave some of them with a lasting impression of a kind american.

finally, after many an hour of walking and talking, yuki and i parted ways and she headed back home and i got some food and had a brief stint clothes shopping (work! got a way cute shirt/tie/vest combo).　i did a little more shopping in the area, but it had begun to rain so i decided it was a good time to move along with the train traveling. i had an hour trip back to osaka station, and then from there, i needed to transfer to the shinkansen bound for tokyo, which would take an hour. at osaka station, there were storms, and many trains were delayed. ok, seriously, japanese subways and trains are generally efficient, but when they aren't, this gaijin can get a bit stressed - the platforms keep crowding with more and more people (all of whom appear incredibly patient and calm, the precise opposite of a scene in union square when a train at rush hour is delayed), announcements for the delayed train are all in japanese, when the train does arrive, people are getting shoved into the cars (literally!). it's a mad scene, man. i won't miss that. but, count it up for another crazy experience i have had in japan.

hours later, tired and feeling more than a bit dirty (sweat and rain... mmm) i got to tokyo. it was nearly 9pm, so i decided simply to put my bag in a locker and go out to the gayborhood and sleep at the internet cafe or sauna. i made it back to shinjuku-ni-chome and went to Dragon, the first gay bar i went to in japan. wait, backtrack two minutes for dinner - i went to what is called a shabu-shabu (?) which is a small restaurant with a bar, where at each seat is a hot plate, and you order raw meat and veggies that are put in a wok, and you stir fry it in front of you and eat it up with a plate of miso soup, rice, egg and kim chee. did i mention i love japanese food? my friendly bartender Nahik was not at dragon, but i chatted with another who i remembered (though his name still eludes me). i hung out there for a few drinks and then an aussie named Martin who has been in japan for about seven years came and chatted me up. we talked about my travels, about japanese culture, about australia and about living in japan. but after awhile, martin started bitching about things he doesn't like in japan and kinda just being a debbie downer. not wanting to have my happy cloud rained on, i said my goodbyes and moved on to advocates. things were a little more happening there, and i met another australian (tim?) who was quite nice and a few locals who were fun casual conversation. finally the exhaustion of my traveling caught up with me and i excused myself to the sauna to sleep.

one more day to go...

Final Osaka Time

2008-07-29T00:03:00.000-07:00

woke up in fukuoka around 8am and had myself a small breakfast of toast and eggs, and then went to the train station to pick up my bags. i had thought about walking around town, but my energy was sapped and all i wanted was to not have to travel - so, i called up cindy (who had already headed back to beppu) and got my train back to osaka. on the way i alternated between sleeping and reading Shogun.

this time in osaka, i had a hostel reserved, and a few train stops from JR Osaka, i walked into J-Hoppers. a nice,. quaint hostel. nicer than some ive stayed in while traveling europe, but nowhere near as nice as K7S Kyoto (probably the best hostel ive ever stayed in. that, or the hostel joel and i stayed in while in lima). i did some laundry, checked some email and took care of some showering. once again, i found myself lacking any motivation to sightsee or do anything. i thought about going to a museum or to Osaka Castle, but i just couldn't gather the energy. so, instead, i took a little nap and then headed over to the gay area, where i took a few hours at a video game arcade, playing who knows what, but having a blast watching others play. the video games in japan are miles ahead of the states - there is some fantasy type action game where the play is controlled by playing cards placed, and moved about, on a large lcd screen. it's intense, man. for dinner, i went to a conveyor belt sushi shop - 25 people seated around the sushi chefs, and dividing the two is a conveyor belt circling the bar stuffed with plates of sushi, sashimi and nigri. each plate ran 130 yen - i had 11. quite good - beats the heck out of the conveyor belt shop in midtown. this fish was fresh. i watched it being cut and rolled before my eyes. fun experience.

following dinner, i went back to physique. did i find my favorite local osakan gay bar? hideki was there, and i also met another bartender (off duty) named taka (he is 38 but looks 25, and did university in wisconsin). that makes three bartenders i know at physique - hideki, taka and brendan (the guy from the other night mans the bar on saturday night). i also spent time chatting with a way cute guy named Kai (?) who works for a cable company and doesn't much like his job. he lamented how much he'd like to visit the states, but doesn't have the money. him, hidek, taka and i talked movies, pop culture, the japanese language and boys. we talked about the value of individual versus collective identity (values of american versus japanese culture). i wondered if the collective nature of japanese culture is beginning to change with today's youth generation. i would think it's hard to predict until they actually get older, but there seems to be more youth staking their own ground and being different from the generation before them. kai was a very shy boy, and totally blushed when i told him how cute he is. very charming to see. we closed down the bar at 1am and i said my goodbyes, got a goodnight kiss from kai, and went to sleep. taxi home followed by some snack food from the corner store (rice ball and cold noodles).

Beach Day (and Night)

2008-07-27T03:38:00.000-07:00

saturday i headed to fukuoka, a large japanese port city on the island of kyushu. it is known for ramen and late night partying. i headed down to visit cindy. of course, i overslept from the late night before, but yet somehow made it from my capsule to the train to fukuoka in 35 minutes. i am one quick lad when i need to be. and, let me just say, bless japan's train system - so many trains, so easy, and the bullet trains are fast! a shinkansen could get from new york to DC in an hour and change. we're talking speeds up to 250 mph! so comfortable, so fast, so wonderful. makes traveling easy.

i got to fukuoka station around noon, met cindy and together we grabbed some food from the supermarket and went to the beach. the beach in fukuoa actually reminded me a little of california - relaxed vibe, surfers, long stretch of beach, blue waters, and the buildings were strakly non-japanese and reminded me, in a less bourgeoisie way, of huntington beach. we went around the sand and down the pier to sit with cindy's friends, mike and arena (bf/gf - mike is in undergrad at cindy's university). mike is from vancouver but has lived in fukuoka for three years. arena is japanese, but is an avid traveler, having spent the most time in south africa. they were both very warm and friendly, and combining them, cindy, sushi, sun, breezes and warm, ocean water made a heavenly mix for a perfect day. honestly, that beach time may be one of my favorite days - unexpected, lovely, relaxing. gosh!

and cindy is just fucking awesome. first, i love that i haven't seen her in ten years (and only recently began emailing again), but that our conversations and interactions were easy and flowing, as if we'd been friends for years. that is a sign of a good person. cindy has grown and flourished - a beautiful, accomplished, worldly, traveled, happy person. after some time at michigan state, cindy moved to DC and interned for two years in the us senate - first for spencer abraham and then for daniel moynihan. then, deciding politics wasn't for her (at least the us senate) she moved out to fukuoka to begin study in rural development, where she is currently getting her phd. she has lived in japan and taiwan. she has traveled all through southeast asia - indonesia, east timor, china, thailand, korea - not to mention european countries. her knowledge of these countries is in depth and intelligent - much shaped from locals. she was in taiwan during the big elections a few years ago. she visited the DMZ in korea. she has been to conferences all over the world. she trained as a boxer. she bartended for three years at the biggest club in fukuoka (the happy cock). i could listen to her stories for hours - i am so happy for her, and so happy to have seen her again. she has climbed the list of good people i know in my life.

after some time on the pier, and then on the beach itself, watching a slew of japanese bands (one did a decent cover of "all along the watchtower," another butchered "american idiot") we headed to an internet cafe to relax and shower. then off to happy cock.

the club is not very big, but it was packed. first, all the floors were covered with sand, and beach tables and chairs were set up. everyone is in shorts and tanktops, or shirtless, with sandals. being a straight club (i think i was the only homo), i was both feeling a little out of place, and, rather turned on by the amount of shirtless japanese and blacks in the bar. (aaron! you can't touch!). the music was a mix of good hiphop remixes and bad reggaeton - half liked and half not so much. cindy was bartending, and she was working it! that bar was crowded, and cindy was all over the place, pouring drinks, entertaining the crowd, having fun. so fun to see her in her element. i paid 3500 yen for all i could drink - i think i well used that value to my advantage. after 2.5 hours, the club had gotten way to crowded, hot and hetero for me. if i am going to be crushed with people, sweating profusely and in a mob of drunk, dancing people - they better be gay men. hetero clubs are fine, but i need friends who aren't bartending there - i met some good people through cindy (she is well liked. a guy named greg chatted me up for a good while, saying "any friend of cindy is a friend of mine") - but it just got too much for me. so i went back to the internet cafe, watched some cartoons and went to bed.

i had a blast in fukuoka - seeing cindy, the beach, the club, the ramen on the street! ah! i'm very happy i rearranged to get down there. i just wish i had some more time to see the city, and more of kyushu. but honestly, i think i am beginning to tire. constantly on the move, not speaking the language, a transient traveler leaving people i meet in one city to go to another where i know no one, sleeping in hotels, hostel dorm rooms and internet cafes, on trains, sweltering heat - i can thrive like this, but i may be close to my time for now. if i were to keep going, i would need a nice week off - beaches and air conditioning. so while i love japan - and i am definitely considering giving my new job a two year try, and if i don't think it's for me, then just move to japan - i am ready to go home soon. i am excited to see Nara on monday and excited to have some more tokyo time, but getting home on wednesday will be nice. i am very excited for what's waiting for me. (hint: my two favorite males).

Osaka Nights, Part 2

2008-07-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

i woke up the next morning with a complete feeling of lethargy. constant travel caught up with me, and i found myself without the urge to do anything - walk, talk, sightsee. all i wanted was to eat, read, sleep and watch movies. i did this all with reckless abandon. breakfast consisted of toast stuffed with egg and ham, some salad and coffee, over some reading of James Clavell's "Shogun," my newest read. the narrative is engrossing and vast, and like my murakami book, a timely piece of reading.

i passed the afternoon at a comic cafe streaming superhero cartoons on the internet - watched Ultimate Avengers 1&2, and then rewatched the final episode of Lost season 4. a great way to avoid the sun on a hot day and to recover some lost energy cells. seriously, these internet cafes are amazing. 3$/hour to have a private cubicle, with closed door, a reclining chair, a playstation/tv/computer, free drinks (nonalcoholic) and access to a shower/bathroom and all the comics you can read. i would love this in nyc. ultimate avengers was so-so - i don't need to see any more. after killing enough of the sunshine and heat, i showered up and headed to tennanbashi bridge to watch the Tenjin Matsuri festival boat parade and fireworks.

Tenjin Matsuri is one of the three biggest japanese summer festivals. i am unsure what aspect of culture it celebrates, but it brought up THOUSANDS of people swarming the bridges and streets, many with kimono or yukata on. the banks of the river were lined with carnival games and street food (oh my word - okonomiyaki on a stick, yakitori, ramen... good gracious!). there was an incredibly friendly and festive vibe in the air as boat floats mde their way down the river, captained by japanese in full traditional garb, banging drums, singing, dancing... another view through a new lens into a foriegn culture. just standing on the bridge and people watching was fascinating. following the boat parade, as the sun set gloriously over the city skyline, fireworks began to light up the sky. what the fireworks lacked in intricacy (new york's 4th of july explosions were better) it made up for in intensity - over an hour of stacatto blasts lining the sky with whites, blues, reds, yellows and greens. the festival, like Gion Matsuri in kyoto, rocked. later on, a guy i would meet named Sean told me he has grown tired of the festivals. i can see that, after a few times they all look the same. but, for a new-to-japan gaijin, i savored every little bit and not only saw the festivity and beauty, but again had time to ponder the differences in life when a country has such an old culture. american festivals are not nearly as unified, don't have nearly the amount of enthusiasm (ok, maybe gay pride) and are certainly not marked by as much child participation as here. so refreshing and wonderful to see. (oh, and being tall finally helped - there wasn't a crowd i couldn't see over).

making my way out of the festival, drenched in sweat, milling about with too many people to fathom, in a part of the city i didn't know, led to me becoming lost. for over an hour at least i wandered, drinking beer (yeah, you can drink on the street) until i came across a subway station that i used to get me back - i had overshot my own station by at least a mile. but no worries, a night view of the city filled with festival-goers made up for my sore feet and sweaty brow.

i gave myself yet another shower and headed back to physique, where i ended up spending my night until the bar closed at 4am. i chatted with hideki again, and met a canadian named Sam (from new brunswick, now living outside of Kobe), an aussie now living in osaka named Brendan, a japanese named Yutaka, in a pink michigan t-shirt (how's that for a conversation starter) and a japanese gay guy and his fag hag. i must have talked to brendan for hours - he moved to osaka eight years ago, never having been to japan, but knowing he wanted to leave small town australia. brave move that has paid off; he loves japan and loves osaka. he is living with his partner of seven years (living together for four). talk of our own relationships - me gushing a little about joel - led brendan to begin to tell me all of his relationship's problems, from his sex life to open relationships to individuality to petty fighting and on and on. they are way in love but brendan feels he needs a break - not necessarily forever, but for a time. that came up after i mentioned that joel and i had broken up and while we were apart we were able to get everything on the table without a fear of consequences. hindsight is 20/20, so its easy to say that the breakup may have saved our relationship, but i tempered that from brendan - i can't as well put myself into that situation, especially when they have lived together for four years. finally, i was able to move the conversation to calmer waters and listened to him talk about life in japan, nightlife/gaylife and his future work ambitions. he'd be someone i would be friends with if i moved to japan.

then, the japanese gay guy (shideki?) and his fag hag invited me over to drink with them. i knew early on from body language that shideki was a timid guy who thought i was quite cute. unfortunately, he was drinking too much too fast and was rather out of it, so i spent much of my time talking with the girl about tattoos, us/japan culture, gaydar and music. finally, when she went to bathroom, shideki tried to make out with me, which may have been welcomed except he was so drunk that the whole process was a little awkward. i was happy when the girl came back to take him home. at this point, the clock had reached 4am and it was time for bed - tomorrow to fukuoka to see cindy.

Another Round of "Japan is a lot different than the States"!

2008-07-26T05:43:00.000-07:00

japan has virtually no crime. if you ask people about it, there are three examples you might hear: mob violence (though rarer now), drunk people in certain areas starting fights with the wrong people - usually the drunk foreigners, and domestic violence. but there is virtually no theft or violent crime (not saying domestic violence isn't violent, but you get it). much of this comes from culture and the economy - i think that violent crime in the states stems from many factors, but the two that lead and that are very tied together is the class struggle/underclass and child-rearing. i don't think that everyone out there is a bad parent, but i think good parenting goes a long way. some parents aren't bad by choice, but that the environment in which children grow up isn't always conducive to good growth (factors in and out of the home, often related to economics). in japan, there isn't the class differentials as in the states, there isn't really an underclass (at least that i've seen or heard of), and family culture and respect goes a long way. there are so many little customs and rituals that everyone follows (cindy told me that it's very difficult for a gaijin to learn all the customs, and that japanese just expect that gaijin won't know them - i'm sure when i'm in restaurants, i am doing something wrong, and, tattoos are offensive here - so that as a gaijin, there are two choices - go for broke and try to learn everything, or, just accept that you're a gaijin, be respectful, and hope that no one else looks down at you - cindy suggested some elitism towards foreigners stemming from their lack of knowledge of public etiquette and custom).

as an example i noticed early on, japanese don't jaywalk. ever. there can be no cars in sight to the horizon, and japanese won't cross on a "don't walk." the first few times i crossed the street, i went when there was room, as i and others are apt to do in nyc. then i realized i was the only one doing so, and sure that all the japanese on the street corner were saying to themselves "there goes a gaijin." i don't jaywalk here now.

Osaka Nights Part 1

2008-07-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

shoot - i am getting behind again. so from hiroshima, i went to osaka, a big and cosmopolitan city near kyoto. the train ride was uneventful, and pushing through intense heat in osaka, i made it the mere half mile to the capsule hotel. working out well in my favor, the capsule was very affordable and included access to the lounge, bathrooms, showers, sauna and public bath/pool. fantastic. just next door was an internet comic cafe. the street, higashi-dori, is a covered arcade filled with restaurants, bars, video game dens and shopping. and, the gay bars were just around the corner.

after checking in and doing a little internet work, i grabbed some lunch nearby (some nice tempura udon) and decided to take a small walking tour of the downtown area. i am getting really good at the subways, and the two stops to the mineta area (mineta means south in japanese - i stayed in the kita (north) area), and took no time at all. i, of course being lucky not to have had a single day of rain on my trip so far, emerged into the full glaring sun. the walk was nice - much of mineta is bars and shopping, same old from any other big city - but i was quite hot. i needed more than a few stops into a coffee shop just to cool off. not feeling the shopping bug, i just took in the city while listening to my headphones (grateful dead again. i had suggested joel listen to "eyes of the world" from the "so many roads" boxset to cheer up, so i took a listen myself, oh how nice). osaka is very clean and very new looking. the side streets have many of the same trendy boutiques and shops as harajuku in tokyo or sanjo dori in kyoto - lots of the same fashions on the street. but people watching and new city viewing is always fun.

after 3-4 hours, i was hot, sweaty and tired. back at the capsule, i gave myself a nice long soak in the onsen, took a little swim and sat as long as i could in the sauna - both the sauna and baths are unreasonably hot; i don't understand how the japanese can tolerate them for so long. i will say one thing about the heat, the longer you can take it, the better you feel - i was loose, clean and relaxed. if you conclude that if i went to lay down, i would fall asleep, you are right. i had myself a nice hour long nap in the capsule. afterwards, i watched some sumo and straight porn on the tv. an odd thing about japanese porn is that all the genitals are blurred/pixelated out. it's like looking through a scrambled television signal, while everything else is clear. cultural differences (as cindy put it, "japanese have so many social protocols, but no morality" - i can see much truth to this statement - very ritualized and rigid ways of acting and customs, but oh, behind those closed doors...).

following dinner at a nearby restaurant marked with a big pig statute in front (everything pork - i opted for gyoza and katsu-don), i went nearby to physique pride osaka, a local gay bar. the bartender, hideki, has been working there for 5 years. he's a very warm person, speaks english very well, and runs a really nice bar. it:s a 7 seat long bar, with some tables behind, a few videoscreens of music videos, and pop remixes on the stereo. i met an older guy named graham, from london (though living in england) and a guy my age named Sam (born in jordan to a jordanian and filipino - great mix on him). japanese gay bars, i have seen, are generally quite small establishments, and the nice thing to come from that is the cozy atmosphere - people get to know one another. at every bar, the bartenders engage everyone in conversation, all the time. so it is a choice to be left alone, rather than in many american bars, a choice to go strike up a conversation. it certainly makes a bar more welcoming, and indeed, easier for a gaijin.

after a few hours, the restlessness of wanting to see more of osaka hit me. i grabbed some snack food from a local convenience store (obsessed with the rice balls!) and went around the corner to Bacchus. the bartender there, Chano, is a very outgoing guy who doesn't pull any punches. he had me talking about my relationships (past and current), sexual likes and dislikes, american politics, thoughts about japanese culture and gay rights. we talked for a long while about being out to your family, and how that differs from japan to the states. i commented that one of my biggest observations is that in japan, the culture has existed for thousands of years, and while religion is present, it isn't central to behavior - culture is. rituals and social norms seem to guide japanese society. however, in the states, where the country is young and heterogeneous, there isn't a backdrop of culture to use to establish a national identity. while i think that heterogeneity is a strength of america's, it also leads people to base their cultural norms and practices into religion - the constant. christianity and judaism have both been present for thousands of years, and thus, there is much to tap into. however, religion also breeds hatred - of other religions, of women. and other races and of homosexuals. i am not blaming religion itself for all of it, but religion has been used as justifications for these hatreds. japanese culture doesn't have that hatred, it just has a resistance to the different and the new. gays are hated as abominations and sinners and pansies - they are seen as something different from the norm. difference leads to perhaps from degree of public shunning, but japanese these days aren't into hate. when i suggested this to chano as a reason why it should even be easier in japan to come out to one's family, he said that the difference factor leads to shaming, dishonor and loss of respect. for example, japanese culture is very focused on bloodlines and heredity, so it's perhaps worse to have no grandchildren than to adopt (which a gay couple might do). i said that perhaps the young generation, when they grow up, can begin to change these norms that foster repression of individuality. we had a good "kampai" to that one.

i then took a walk to a nearby bar called Cafe J's, but it was crazy empty, so i headed back to physique. i talked some more with hideki, and met three guys from nyc. they are all members of some new york symphonic group and were touring japan for four weeks. nice guys, all live in washington heights, and i gave them my email in case there was any way for them to get me a ticket to their tokyo show, as i will be there at the time. however much i was enjoying their company, which was a good amount, by the time 3am rolled around, i needed to rest. saying my goodbyes once again, i grabbed some takoyaki (octopus fritters) from the internet cafe and hit the sack.

Lining Up

2008-07-23T22:02:00.000-07:00

i just wanted to post that sometimes things just work out. so, at first i cancelled my reservations in osaka for tonight and tomorrow, thinking i would go down to beppu to see cindy straight away. then, i reconsidered, deciding i would go to osaka for the tenjin matsuri fest, and its gay extravaganza counterpart, and then on saturday go to fukuoka to see cindy. by the time i made that second decision, the hostel i had cancelled my reservations with was already full. here's where it gets good.

the hostel i was going to stay at was about 15 minutes walk southeast of JR Osaka station. i, instead, took the cheap and easy route and booked two nights with a capsule hotel. so, not only do i get, for cheap, a bed, sauna, bath, shower, breakfast, and a yukata (which i plan to take home), it turns out that my hotel is right in the middle of the gay district! and, only 5 minutes from the JR Osaka station. things could not have worked out better.

and then, as more of the cosmic forces align, i come back from a day of walking downtown osaka and am a little bit disoriented as i leave the subway station, so i step into a nearby cafe. i figure i'll have some tea and a scone while looking at my map. who should i run into there, but Koen, the dutch fellow from hiroshima! he was just heading to do laundry and stopped in for a snack. this cafe is not centrally located to anything, and is in a really odd corner of the subway station. and osaka is big! i was more than a little taken aback. we chatted for awhile, as he is off to china tomorrow. i forgot to get our picture taken, but perhaps one day we will meet again.

Hiroshima - Parts 1&2

2008-07-23T02:43:00.002-07:00

i will just put all of hiroshima into one post.

after i got back from the peace museum and had a nice shower, i went for dinner at a japanese bbq where i grilled beef and veggies at an open fire spit at my table. washed down with a few cold Kirins, it made for some fantastic eating.

at the hostel, while blogging, i began talking to a dutch fellow named Koen, who has been traveling for 13 months - australia, southeast asia, russia and many others. he is in japan for two weeks. i figured he had to be an interesting person to chat it up with, so i suggested we go get drunk. taking me up on my offer, koen and i went to central city and ended up at an irish pub called Mary Malone's for a few shots of Jameson's and several draft beers. the conversations ranged from places we've traveled, to american politics, to varying countries' customs and rituals, to religion, to family life, and many more. when two people sit and drink for three hours, much gets said. overall a really great night. we topped it all off with late night "diner" food of octopus fritters and beef skewers wrapped around asparagus.

waking in the morning with a slight hangover, i went to the corner store and bought eggs and bacon for a delicious breakfast scramble (the hostel has a great kitchen). my belly full and coffee in my system, i took the train and ferry to the island of Miyajima, in the Inland Sea. it is known mostly for the famous O Torii - a large torii built in the water that gates to a huge temple. the views from the ferry were only the tip of the iceberg.

on the island, i decided (against better judgment, as i was wearing flip flops) to go hiking. first of all, the island is filled with free-roaming deer. so cute - i pet one of them for a good ten minutes, and it loved it! then, i hiked a mile or so up a small road and through a small park to a cable car system that took me to the top of one of the peaks. exiting the cars, we were surrounded not only by an amazing panoramic view of the island and the inland sea, but also deer and monkeys! though not as cute as the monkeys joel and i played with in peru, i enjoyed watching them scurry about.

from that summit, i hiked another kilometer down and up to the top of Mt Misen, 535m above sea level, and a good 150m higher than the cable car summit. the views kept getting better. i have been lucky every single day with the weather - clear, blue skies and sun sun sun. though, admittedly, i was already soaked through my shirt in sweat, the breezes at the top of misen were pure joy. after some contemplative time gazing into the deep blue waters, the tree covered hills, and the mountains across the sea, i took a hike down misen. along the way, i met an older japanese man (50?) from near hiroshima, who during the summer hikes the mountain paths in miyajima 3-4 times a month. together, we crested another summit and i got some choice photos at the peaks.

the hike down the mountain was long (2 hours) and, given my flip flops, rather arduous. most of the hike was in the forest, so i didn't see too much, but all the same, it felt good to be moving about outside and seeing things that most other people don't see. anyway, burning calories is always good, and my calves and ass are all the better for it.

coming to the base, in Ohtomo park, i came across even more deer! then, the best part. i came around to the other side of the O-Torii from where the ferry let us off (having gone around the island via the mountain range). the water in which it sits is rather shallow, and one can wade out to it. walking through deliciously warm waters up to mid shin, i got some really great shots of what is known as one of the top three views in japan. following, i didn't have much urge to actually tour the shrine, so i took some photos of it and the nearby five-story pagoda and went for some tempura udon. i also snacked on a local favorite - little sponge cakes shaped like leaves, filled with either chocolate, cream or bean paste. delicious.

at this point, i was drenched in sweat again and felt rather grimy, so i headed back to the hostel. on the way, i finished Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. great book, though i think i still like Kafka on the Shore more. I am excited to read even more murakami - he is an excellent author.

at the hostel, i got in contact with a highschool friend, Cindy Lynn Wachowski. i had thought, for some reason, she was living in thailand. but no! she is in beppu, just 2 hours away. we connected on the phone, and i have altered my travel plans. i am headed to osaka tomorrow and friday for tenjin matsuri and crazy gay nightlife, but on saturday, headed to fukuoka to hit the beach with cindy and then headed to her club, the happy cock (where she used to bartend), for an all night party. i am quite excited; of all the friends from highschool, and i haven't seen her in ten years, she's someone i recall quite fondly, and someone with whom i had a ton of fun. i love when a plan comes together.

tonight, i am off to have some hiroshima specialty food - okinamiyaki, a meat and veggie filled japanese pancake. then i will explore the gayer side of town. this is the trip that keeps on giving. all my love :)

Teachings of Buddha

2008-07-22T03:52:00.000-07:00

"The Ways of Practice"
(9) There are four unlimited states of mind that the seeker of enlightenment should cherish. They are compassion, tenderness, gladness and equanimity. One can remove greed by cherishing compassion; one can remove anger by cherishing tenderness; one can remove suffering by cherishing gladness; and, one can remove the habit of discrimination of enemies and friends by cherishing an equitable mind.

(13) If one keeps his eyes open, he will see the teaching everywhere.

"The Meaning of a True Friend": one who always sticks closely to the right way; one who worries secretly about his friend's welfare; one who consoles his friend in misfortune; one who always offers a helping hand; one who knows to keep secrets; and, one who always gives good advice.

Peace: What's in a Word?

2008-07-22T01:40:00.000-07:00

"there are no good wars, and there is no bad peace"

these words echoed with me throughout the hiroshima peace memorial museum. set in what is now called peace park, the museum documents hiroshima in history, its use in the wars leading up to WW2, the dropping of the bomb, and the lives of victims following.

70000 lives in one day on 8:15, august 6, 1945. 70000 more by year end.

the war waged by japan was not going well by 1942 - america had begun to move the fight to the mainland from the pacific waters. by 1945, the allied powers knew that germany was going to fall. they had finished the bomb, but were unsure of using it (the physicists begged roosevelt not to use the bomb, as it could leave to incalculable death and demonstrate perhaps by reverse engineering its form to others, leading to an unforeseen arms race. hmm...). japan had yet to surrender. the soviets had not yet declared war on japan, but at the urging of the US and britain, stalin said that three months after the german surrender, he would declare war.

however, this frightened the US and britain - if the soviets entered the war and helped gain a japanese surrender, the soviets may broker a deal more amenable to their liking and come out with a greater post-war position. the US decided to use the bomb against japan. reasons included obtaining a surrender without soviet help, and, in demonstrating to the public that the 2 billion dollars and 120000-persons used in its development was not a waste. in april 1945, the US and britain issued the Potsdam Declaration to the japanese emperor. it demanded a surrender but did not offer to maintain the emperor:s power, a sticking point for the japanese. it also did not make a single mention of the bomb. documents show that truman and the military were urged by others to mention the bomb - by doing so surrender might be obtained without its use. reasons against? to be able to at least use the bomb, and to test its capability. indeed, one the qualifications for picking a bombing target was a city that had not been destroyed by air raids, so that the true nature of its power could be seen. hiroshima was chosen for that reason, for being away from a large body of water (that with a misfire could consume the explosion) and for not having american POWs.

the bomb dropped. the city decimated. burn victims with their skin hanging and dripping liek wax from their bodies. unable to to even drink water lest they die )internal organs so irradiated). black rain fell. even after the acute symptoms subsided, radiation caused cancer, birth deformities and other ills for years even until today.

there is a story of a girl named Sakuda who survived the blast without apparent injury. 10 years later, she came down with a severe form of leukemia that the doctors couldn't treat. getting worse and worse, she had heard that if you fold 1,000 paper cranes, you will be granted one wish. so, from her hospital bed, she folded over 1,000 paper cranes. it didn't work and she passed away. her story became widely known, and people from all over the world sent paper cranes to hirohsima in her remembrance. there is a children's memorial for her now in peace park (i can't recall the children death toll, but i do remember that on the day of the bomb, 2000 to 6500 children were made orphans).

crying through this exhibit, angered at the senseless destruction of innocent life and by today's unwillingness to abolish weapons (or even declare being a nuclear power, so as to avoid the comprehensive test ban treaty!), saddened by the personal stories presented, i was struck with something profound. peace park sits at the hypocenter of the bomb - where buildings and life were immediately burned into eternity. japan has a sullied history, especially in this century (sino-japanese wars, nanking, ww2), but hiroshima at least has put all of that front and center and said "yes, we know what was done. but now we can truly see the harm in war and the pure destructiveness of the nuclear age. it is a time for world peace."

and so, from the ashes, comes a monument the world that not only we do not forget, but that we also know that it is our goal to prevent the bomb's recurrence by destroying our weapons and making peace. Peace Park.

after a bit, all i could think of was the world trade center. on 9/11, america suffered a blow of callous violence; one that did not care at all for the value of human life. however, we have squandered the chance to make that an example to the world. and though there are many reasons why that is true, one that came into my mind is that instead of a public monument to peace and harmony and democracy, it is to be the world's tallest office building, called the Freedom Tower. freedom? from tyranny, or, of the world markets? the capitalist presence in what should have been a powerful moment in history strikes such a strong distinction against what i am seeing here.

bless you, hiroshima, and i am so terribly sorry for what happened here, words cannot express. i am moved to tears by your words, and i share with you your hope for world peace.

In the Hills, Lotus Position

2008-07-22T01:13:00.000-07:00

well, not lotus position - nor even half lotus. sitting like that for a long time hurts! it customary for japanese from a young age to sit cross legged, often in half lotus, but for a lanky american without such practice, such a feat is difficult at best.

why am i offering this exposition? because i just got to hiroshima after 2 days at a zen center in the small mountain town of Umahori, near Kyoto. the temple, hosen-ji, has operated as a zen temple for over 300 years. in the past 10 years, it has begun to operate as a zen meditation (zazen) training center. i tried it out.

i am sure i will more on this topic in the future - i have much to digest - but at present there isn't a huge amount i want to express. so let me begin with the easiest: descriptions, people and immediate thoughts.

the town of umahori is quite small and sits in a valley a few mountains over from kyoto. hosenji sits on a hillside facing west, with great views and even better sunsets. there is the main house - with a kitchen, lounge, dining room and temple room. then there are bathroom facilities and lodging. near the temple are farms that are run and tended for by the monks and students (every day is work for 3 hours - mine was watering and weeding the vegetable garden and raking leaves in the parking lot. there was also daily cleaning - mine was scrubbing the showers and toilets). the beds were bunk beds with futons that provided decent padding - though the rooms got rather hot at night (did i mention that japan is hot in the summer?). there is also a zen garden/pond behind the main house, filled with frogs and carp.

master roshi kokugon is a pleasant short, plump japanese man. he can get cross when you move during meditation, but otherwise, a charming man. i was the only american in the group - when i was there, there were 10 other students, 9 japanese (ages ranging from 10-40) and a tall belgian named Guan. Guan lives and works in japan (teaching english) and stays at hosenji to study a few months a year. Ban is a 27 year from hiroshima who is studying doctoral chemical physics. Somia is a 35 year old woman from outside tokyo - i don't know what she does, but she spoke excellent english and we talked for a long time about life in nyc and japan. she told me to read some books from Mishima (?), a japanese author in the 50s, apprently quite like by the gay community. for the most part, everybody talked in japanese, unless they were speaking to me (guan is fluent). when they did, occasionally guan or ban would offer me short translations. an interesting, sometimes frustrating, situation, but i get by. i am good at adapting and i have noticed that i am picking up more japanese all the time.

the day is wake up at 520am. then taichi for 20 min, followed by an hour of zazen. zazen is fucking hard! two sets of 30 minutes of sitting on a cushion, legs crossed, back straight, no moving. the idea is to remove all thoughts and focus on your breathing - in and out. i could do that at first, but after 10 minutes the pain starts (especially when i tried half lotus!). i got better as time went on, but man, not all peace and tranquility - rather, pain and perseverance. then breakfast, daily cleaning, and daily work. the middle of the day is free time, which i spent copying passages out of buddha's teachings (i will put some up here when i have my notebook around), and reading. after dinner, more zazen (1.5 hours), chanting, and lights out at 10.

breakfast and dinner are ritualized - you sit kneeling, butt on feet (ouch!) and there is a very precise ritual to setting your bowls out, passing food, cleaning the bowls. i rather liked parts of it, and the food was all vegetarian greatness, but again, the pain in my feet grew to be quite excruciating. that is the idea, they tell me.

anyway, i know i will come up with more reflections, but here are the things i have learned+
1. zen buddhism has no godhead. buddha is thanked repeatedly, but it is out of graciousness and respect, not worship (i love the respect element of japanese culture. it is very welcoming, humble and kind).
2. i have so many thoughts in my head. my first zazen i could not "turn off the tv." i had random thoughts, songs, pictures, etc. i almost looked forward to the pain to bring my focus to better precision. when i wasn't hurting, i got better at focusing on breath. i would count each one, and focus on my posture being straight so that the breath would go straight down. i began to envision in my mind that when i breathed in, an umbrella would open up, as if buoyed by winds, and on exhale, it would return.
3. i have bad posture. i spent so much focus at zazen and meals just keeping my back upright. compared to japanese at least, i have bad posture and low leg flexibiliity. i am not fidgity, like some of the youth there, but i had trouble not moving - both becuase i would need to shift to fight pain, or, to correct my posture. master kokugon did not like it when i moved - "please.a.stop.moving!" and since he said it in english, everyone knew who he was talking to.
4. zen buddhism may not be for me. i love much of what buddha teaches, but i am not interested in giving up intoxicants, worldly pleasures and late nights out. i can lead my own good life regardless. i also don't think i can maintain such forms of meditation. however, while it did not lead me to any state of higher consciousness, i see its benefit in focus and in clearing the mind. perhaps i shall continue practice - start working on flexibility now!

i am sure there is more to record, but for now, i'm spent. and hungry.
next post on the atomic bomb memorial in hiroshima.

Kyoto Part 3 (or, Zen and the Art of Emotional Resonance)

2008-07-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

today, i think, was the best day i have had yet in japan. every moment neared perfection and i attained a state of peace that can barely be expressed (and one that offers a brilliant prelude to the upcoming three days at a Zen temple).

i woke up more than a bit groggy from the night before, and after grabbing some snacks from the local convenience store, i was train-bound for Kibune. Kibune and Kurama are two small towns about thirty minutes north of Kyoto by train, nestled in adjoining mountain valleys. one way between the two is train or car, another is walking the road connecting the two, and the third is hiking between the two over Mt Kurama. aaron, the intrepid traveler, chose option three.

walking to kibune from the train station took about twenty minutes of hiking along a small country road that wound through forests along a river with many man-made waterfalls. very serene and very green. i also saw the biggest spiderwebs and spiders ever - these things traversed water canals, and fifty feet away, i could see the spider with unaided vision! kibune itself sits along the river, with many a resturant on decks overlooking the water. i found a grassy knoll, and had a picnic of sushi rolls, rice balls and dried nuts. from there, i hiked a short way to kibune-jinja, the shinto shrine. the stairs leading up were lined on either side by bright saffron lanternposts, and the shrine itself painted a similar color. the trees were all adorned with brightly-colored prayer papers, creating a kaleidoscopic image before the shrine itself. i did the traditional prayer before the shrine (bow twice, clap twice, prayer, bow again) and headed back down the hill.

on the other side of the road is the hike up mt kurama, leading through various other smaller shrines and temples. as i was entering the path (which began with a 500m climb up steep stairs that had me panting in humid summer heat), a young-looking zen student or pilgrim came down the mountain and when we met eyes, gave me a very knowing smile, exuding this sense of calm as if to say that he knew something really special. as i hiked up the mountain, i was surrounded by amazingly tall trees, only letting rays of sunlight in between their trunks and leaves. i welcomed the cool shade as the hike was only a little more strenuous than i had expected. along the way to the summit, i passed two small zen temples - simpler constructions of white-painted wood or stone. set in beautiful wooded locales, i imagined this was one of the larger benefits of the hike. i spent some time simply strolling the grounds, peeking out at the valleys around through the trees.

after another water break, i continued the hike. already near the top at 1200m, the path began to flatten and meander downward. a few hundred meters along this path, and the forest opened up to a sweeping vista of the valleys and mountains below. i could see miles and miles out in front on this stunningly-clear day, and the green leaves of the trees mixed in the large amounts of red maples caused me to stop dead in my tracks. i headed toward a deck over the cliff to just savor the moment. stunning beauty along the lines of which i have never seen. but this was only the beginning.

i hadn't yet turned around to see what was on the open space behind me, as the views of the valleys from the top of mt kurama were so breathtaking. when i did, i beheld Kurama-Ji, a huge zen temple with several adjoining buildings in its complex. the grounds were a wide open flat space of raked stoned and paths, studded with bright saffron lanternposts and statues. the shrine itself glowed against the mountain backdrop. i had my picture taken by a friendly old chinese couple, the man of which spoke english and told me he was very impressed that i was traveling alone through a country where i didn't speak the language. he was all smiles and kept offering repeatedly to take more pictures - kindness and generosity know no cultural barriers.

i took a walk through the shrine itself, paying my respects to a huge gold-cast buddha on an ornate altar. i watched as a temple docent painted japanese calligraphy with a brush onto the blank pages of books brought by pilgrims. staring at these sweeping characters flourishing across the page, i found myself on the one hand, feeling a sense of regret not speaking or reading japanese, and two, stunned with a sense of beauty of everything around me - the mountain, the valleys, the trees, the temple, the grounds, japanese language, japanese characters, japanese clothing. this sense of awe welled up inside me until i felt myself trembling. i quickly went outside for fresh air and leaned up against the balcony overlooking the valley. the trembling turned into an almost gentle crying, the root cause of which i couldn't quite figure out. in retrospect, my best guess is that i'd come across something so beautiful, so pure, so unadorned and so real that it shook me to my core to such a degree that i had to find an emotional outlet. i could barely move.

i waited until some of the trembling subsided and began to walk down the mountain. i began in the peaceful silence of the woods around me, and then added music to the mix (widespread panic, "hatfield" and "pleas" from live in the classic city). the swelling joy of the music mixed with already tender emotional state brought me walking down the mountain on a cloud of air. i felt truly lucky to see what i had seen and to have been able to experience such an emotional moment. the entire walk down the mountain, passing several other shrines and waterfalls, was a cathartic comedown for me, bringing my sense of calm back to a manageable place by the time i reached Kurama below. however, the wonder does not cease.

from the base of Mt Kurama on the Kurama side, there is an osen (hot spring) a mere 10 minute hike away. i headed up there, disrobed, washed and slid into an open air pool of naturally-flowing hot water, overlooking the mountains and valleys i had just hiked. a fantastic way to experience such a view. it is a wonderful feeling to be in a steaming hot bath while the sun beats down from above - i got to relax/soak and tan at the same time (and, given the state of undress at all japanese baths, no tan lines!). it is actually quite liberating and calming to shed any degrees of modesty and stroll without clothing. i alternated my time between the outdoor bath and the indoor cold water bath, raising and lowering my body temperature and feeling all traces of tiredness and soreness flee from the body. i stayed until i felt myself becoming lightheaded, so i cleaned, dressed and headed back to the train.

i took a quick nap on the ride back to town, and then, after a cool iced Starbucks sitting out over the river, i did some shopping (cmon, the japanese know how to dress). i found some fantastic items, as well as gifts for friends at home, before finally making my way back to hostel for a needed shower and change.

by the time i cleaned, Yuko was back tending bar. i had a nice talk with her about kyoto, and then about joel. we talked about moving in with a significant other, and i said that while my feelings are a mix of excitement and nervousness, the former far outweighs the latter. she liked how my face lighted up whenever i mentioned joel's name (hear that, honey?). soon, some friends from the other night (chris and mark from australia, and valerie from montreal) came into the bar and we spent another few hours drinking beers and talking about life in our varying countries. around 11, we all walked to the downtown center where i parted company back to the gay bar.

once again, i had a great night at Azure. Tanjai was tending bar again, and joined tonight by Ling (fashion student born and raised in kyoto) and antoher tall japanese from okinawa (who i often couldn't take my eyes off of). i sat next to Shogo, from tokyo now living in kyoto doing urban planning work, with whom i spoke for a few hours about life in japan, life in the states, life in foriegn countruies (he spent two years in paris), music and politics. shogo likes the smaller towns and countryside, and has loved spending time in okinawa, alaska, hawaii and the west indies.

at one point, i asked shogo his impressions about america. he said that he, and many of his friends, see two americas - nyc/l.a. and everything else. he admires the internationalism of
nyc and l.a. and think that those cities have much to offer the world. but then, there is the "small town" america which, he feels, represents the america that tends to involve itself in world affairs. an america that thinks it is always right and that only looks at things from an american perspective without considering the world views of other countries in the world (hey! yeah! remember that post i did a few days ago?). he also doesn't like that americans expect that everyone else in the world speak english - from diplomats and leaders who don't even speak a single foreign language, to tourists and travelers who come to other countries without any ability to speak the native tongue. i felt a little bad, and after graciously thanking him for his willingness to talk to me in english, i asked what he felt about me. luckily, i am saved, knowing both spanish and hebrew, and stating that (truthfully), if i am to come back to japan, i will have studied the language and know how to converse.

time passed quickly again, and before i knew it, i was yawning and my clock read 3am. so with a flurry of goodbyes, i made my way back to the hostel to rest up for my zen retreat. yes, for the next 3 days i will be at a zen temple studying meditation, so i will likely not be posting. there is free time in the afternoons, and there may be an internet cafe in the nearby town, but i am unsure about posting. i may use this time to take a needed break from daily typing. either way, i am very excited and hopeful for the coming days.

Azure - a Kyoto Gay Bar

2008-07-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

went out last night to a gay bar called Azure; it came recommended to me by the bartenders at Nan Nan in nagoya. indeed, after a quick bite at Mos Burger (japanese fast food - i had a teriyaki burger and fries - not bad not great), i got to Azure around 930. at that time, there were three bartenders and two patrons in a small room with a bar seating 7 and a long table behind. thankfully, two of the bartenders spoke decent english. there was Lei, a 23 years old taiwanese who moved to japan 5 years ago for university, and who, after graduation, wants to move to nyc to continue a study in graphic design. then there was Tanjai, a 32 year old kyoto native with a great smile and a cute lip piercing. unfortunately, i cant remember anyone elses names. i ordered a beer and some kiwi and spent the next hour and a half talking with them about kyoto, nyc, pop music (a general dislike of the new madonna album) (pop music is also a good way for japanese to learn english - they listen and mimc the words), rock music, comic books, anime and our first times with gay sex. i also learned the japanese words for top, bottom and versatile.

i thought i would try to see more of gay kyoto, so i asked where else a gaijin who doesn't speak japanese should go. they asked, as in nagoya, what my type is. i said that i like guys near my age who are fit (not really looking for daddies, chubs or bears), though i said i would take english speakers over everything else. they suggested a bar called Apple around the corner. so, i got my picture with them, gave Lei my email address in case he ever comes to nyc (he is just about the cutest thing - reminds me of someone named josh lei in nyc), and said my goodbyes.

i went to apple, finding the bar whose sign was only in japanese, so i had Tanjai write it out on a piece of paper for me. at 11pm, there was no one there except the bartenders, and there was some kind of cover charge, so i decided not to stay. after i left, i realized i didn't know where any of the other gay bars were, so i thought i would just go home. while i was eating a rice ball from 7-11, i thought "man, you're in kyoto and you've already found a fun little gay bar - go back!" and so go back i did.

i strolled back into Azure around 1130 to find it slightly busy, and, to my delight, to find a warm welcome from Lei and Tanjai. i got another beer and joined back into the conversations. it is an odd experience to hear english when being spoken to, but not to understand any other conversation in the bar. though, to my surprise, i am beginning to pick out random words that i know, so i heard Lei mention a yukata (basically, a kimono for summer) and i asked what he was talking about. yesterday, at Gion Matsuri, all the Azure bartenders wore yukata, and Lei wore a woman's one, as well as a wig - japanese geisha drag (i saw pictures. fantastic).

soon, i was sitting at the bar talking with the guy next to me (argh! don't remember his name) who had spent 3 years in chicago for school, and thus spoke very good english. we must have talked for over an hour about everything. i told him what i had done in japan, and validatingly, he told me i have been doing the right things and experiencing some of the best that japan has to offer (tsukiji fish market, onsen, fuji, e.g.). he said all that is left is more food, kimonos and a ryokan. done! i seriously cannot get enough of japanese food - still thinking about those octopus balls. we talked about life in the states. we talked about gay life in japan - he reiterated that until the meiji era, gay sex was very commonplace, especially by samurai. but when the meiji brought in missionaries, such acts were pushed underground and shunned by the desire for homogeneity. only recently have the gays found an identity and a voice, and this guy ("Chicago-san") said that he hopes that japan continues to open up and that the gay movement find a stronger voice than it already has. he said that while there aren't gay bashings or hate crimes to speak of, there is homophobia in society and in the workplace. there are thousands of years of tradition to work through. but he is patient and understanding. i told him my thoughts about keeping certain opinions that come from a truly american perspective a little quiet until i understand more of the japanese point of view. Chicago-san told me that i had a better understanding already of japanese culture than i am giving myself credit for, and that there is much that western countries have to offer japan as far as social liberation. i was very heartened to hear this. i am also, as a sidenote, ecstatic to talk about Obama - the world really is watching and is very excited about the man, and to be able to speak with pride and hope and confidence, rather than disdain, shame and despair... well, it's nice.

talking with Chicago-san was a blast, but my night did not end there. soon, a new group of guys came in. one of them, who didn't speak english, was both the tallest japanese i've seen yet (6'2") and looked JUST LIKE my friend gary lutz - cap, same nose, same hands, lanky, jeans, flannel... i was in shock. there was also a fun, quirky japanese who was already quite drunk who sat on my other side. i told him i was from america and he burst into song from Westwide Story (he repeated these random songs throughout the night). he taught me some more japanese words and, in general, just amused me to no end.

i was shocked to find that (many many a beer later) it was 4am. i had been there for another 5 hours. and it was one of the best nights i have had yet in japan. i finally found the local culture and conversation i had been wanting - and in spades. real conversation with meaning. no facades. no gearing things toward the tourist. just real. i said my goodbyes when the bar closed and walked back to the hostel feeling amazing. just dynamite. i hope to go back tonight - though Lei will be in osaka (good note is that i was told that not only is osaka a great gay scene - clubs and bars galore - but that being there for Tenjin Matsuri is like a mini gay pride). i swear, this trip just keeps getting better and better. i am a lucky man.

Kyoto Part 2

2008-07-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

let me just say this:

oh. my. f#ck. kyoto. is. so. freakin'. beautiful. i. can't. stand. it.

seriously.

after my talk with yuko and lincoln, and a shower, i took a walk up the river through the middle of kyoto, as the sun was setting. people sitting out up and down the river, playing with dogs, reading books, fishing, playing in the water. restaurants and bars with open air porches looking out onto the water. views of the mountains around dusted with clouds. lights still everywhere from the Gion Matsuri festival.

i turn onto side alleys and find cobblestone streets lined with lights, restaurants, shrines, temples, shops and teeming with revelers, happy children, geisha and just an overall feel of peace, calm and happiness. this was all enhanced by my ipod playing the Grateful Dead (yeah, i may be biased from the hippier days of my youth, but they are one amazing band - last night's list included Wharf Rat, Terrapin Station and Dark Star from various Dick's Picks). just an amazing night to be outside - this is one beautiful city.

following my walk, i came back to hostel and spent a long time at the bar. i talked to yuko, and met a very diverse crowd - chris and mark from australia, osai from spain, dom from britain, simon from scotland, kevin from ireland, nicola from switzerland and amy from taiwan. we all chatted international politics, indie rock, fashion, japan and batman while drinking beers, doing shots of tequila, and then heading out for ramen and a few bars. i nice, low key night that ended with us back at the hostel drinking beers and eating kit kats. tonight i plan to try out the local gay bars, and if they are nothing to speak of, there are a few clubs in town having some big parties.

this morning, i woke up with a mere 4 hours of sleep, and trudging through a hangover, i had a buffet breakfast of eggs, rolls, yogurt and cheese. good enough to get me going. i rented a bike, and hit the town, doing some major sightseeing of temples and shrines. i first biked up to the northwest corner of kyoto (hostel in the southwest), which took about 30 min (difficult going uphill with a one-speed bike). i started at the Nanzenji temple complex, constructed in 1264. its main gate is a huge affair (22 meters), intricately worked with dragons and gold. the gardens behind the temple itself were something of stunning beauty - hidden coves and waterfalls - well kept foliage and shrubs near calm waters. inside the halls itself, i walked wood floors and peered through paper panels at tapesty artwork, zen altars and more gardens. really stunning.

all of my sights were this amazing. some of these temples has walkways up into this hills that offered sweeping vistas of kyoto and the mountains beyond. others had immaculate zen rock gardens. others shrines hidden in caves built into the hills. others offered walks through room after room of understated elegance - one that made it easy to transport myself into the feet of a pilgrim or student spending my studies in these halls.

following 2.5 hours or so of hiking through the first 3 of the temple complexes i visited, i walked for about 30 minutes along a canal through the hills to find a cute little side street of shops and cafes. i stopped here from sliced seared beef with a soy glaze over rice, with miso soup and a glass of white wine. delicious meal in the cutest cafe ive seen in a long time.

after lunch, i got on my bike again and went to the Golden Pavilion. this legendary temple complex has on it a 3 story zen pavilion coated in gold. i couldn't not take an amazing photo of this one. i must have just stood with my mouth open (aghast, not idiocy, joel) for a good five minutes. i delighted at the gasps of amazement as each new person rounded the corner to gaze upon the pavilion for the first time. the grounds of the temple were, expectedly, well kept and green - teeming with beauty and growth. by the time i left here, after treating myself to some frozen yogurt (yeah dude, its way humid here), i knew i needed to head back to the hostel. so humming some grateful dead, i took a 45 minute bike ride back to the hostel to catch up on my blogging. now it's time for a beer. hey - i'm caught up - congratulate me.

kyoto is just stunning. i don't feel in it the same vibrancy that makes me want to live in tokyo, but i could absolutely envision visiting here at least once a month to walk around, enjoy the sights, feel its pulse and meet its people. i just love it.

Personal Perspectives: the Word "Should"; Am I Patriotic?

2008-07-18T00:13:00.000-07:00

i was thinking today how whenever we say "should," as in "you should do X" or "they should do Y," we are speaking from a particular perspective. for example, when a parent says to a child, "you should clean your room," the parent is speaking from the perspective of an older, nurturing individual trying to instill responsibility in her child (we hope!). when a friend tells another, "you should give to X charity," he may be speaking from the perspective of a supporter/worker for that charity, or simply as an altruist. when a priest says, "gays shouldn't marry," he is speaking from the perspective of a a religion based on a book that says gay sex is wrong. when an american says, "foreign country Z should do Q," he is speaking from the perspective of someone who grew up in america, with american values and american culture.

why do i begin with this prelude? yesterday, i met a bartender at my hostel named Yuko. great sidenote is that 5 years ago, she spent 3 years in williamsburg, brooklyn, living a mere 3 blocks from where i currently live. i was talking to her about my experiences in japan so far, and asking about her thoughts on US v. Japan/NYC v. Tokyo. she said that she found much of nyc and tokyo to be the same, but at the same time, found small town japan to be very stubborn and resistant to change. i commented that small town america is the same way (but for a different reason - small town america is steeped in religion - small town japan is stepped in thousands of years of its own isolationist culture of homogeneity). i said that i hadn't seen that side of japan - that everyone i've met has been very open and kind, and that it tokyo seems to be pushing so far ahead of where it should be (by all accounts given that 50 years ago, japan was run by an emperor). a fellow near me named Lincoln, from san francisco, but who has lived outside Nara, Japan for 2 years, offered that i am not seeing all of japan and that while my experiences are fantastic and i shouldn't discount them, they are not finding the whole picture.

i sat back and thought about this. lincoln is right - i have unconsciously been self-selecting the people i talk to - (1) japanese who can speak english; and (2) those who are gay or who stay in hostels. combining these two categories, i am given a very liberal, progressive, youthful population (similar to how a spaniard i met last night, named Osai, said that every american he ever meets in a hostel supports Obama - makes sense doesn't it? an american that has the good sense to actually travel to foreign lands are who takes the time to immerse herself in a foreign culture is likely a democrat). on this point, not speaking japanese has really narrowed the experience i can truly recieve. when i traveled in europe or peru, i could always converse - either english or spanish. i could read street signs and posters; i could go to small bars and chat with locals. here i can't do any of that, unless i am with a japanese speaker. and that isn't always the case. and, at the same time, i avoid things that are really geared toward tourists, so i often end up communicating with locals in a strange combination of broken english and gestures. i can get the point across, but so much is lost in translation.

i am learning more and more about japan every day - its culture, its people and its history. for example, i learned that nearly 70% of samurai had gay sex - they considered sex with women to take away from their masculinity. however, they never called themsevles gay - it was just something they did (e.g., like the greeks and romans). nowadays, gays have made a stand for their identity, and thus the acts that used to be a part of the norm (though not often made very public - affection in general here is a private affair) have become an identity that grounds itself in something different than the norm. misogyny has long been a part of japanese culture, and it is only recently that women in japan have been able to obtain a divorce or receive any alimony at all. it is almost as if japan's social revolution is where america was perhaps in the early 70s. as i mentioned in an earlier post, japan's post-emperor rule is barely 60 years old. prior to that, custom and tradition had been stepped for thousands of years. that is a hard thing to break free of. (my friend john-mark made a comment about personal evolution, and commented that he has stopped hoping that his parents will change and become open and accepting people; that they are not capable of that evolution anymore, as they come from a perspective that doesn't permit it. but john-mark is happy that our generation has evolved more than our parents', and will be able to push forward and become what our parents couldn't).

so given this, i might say something like "well, japanese should just get over it and learn to accept things that are different." but i must realize that i say this from the perspective of an american (born into a country 230 years old), an atheist born and raised jewish, a gay man and a 28 year old. none of these things encompass a working knowledge of japanese history and culture to the point that i should be able to offer my critique or commentary (at least with any serious gravity). and as i said above, what i am gaining about japan comes from a self-selected few. now, it may well be that those i've selected to talk to and learn from are in the best position to talk about japan should be - progressive, young gays are some of the best lodestones for how a society can be more open and accepting - but i don't know that to be the case here yet.

this got me thinking about america. yeah, america has some major fucking faults. but at the same time, we live in a country that is young, and thus perhaps more capable to break free of years of oppressive tradition (sure, christianity is a old beast, but it's hold is fading). i live in a country where i have the opportunity to obtain various world views and incorporate them into my own, and often find that the things i want for other countries are often the things i really like about my own (and i must give canada and europe large amounts of credit, but i will say that i meet many europeans who, putting bush and iraq aside, think that america, and well nyc/san fran/LA in particular, are amazing places; that NYC is a true international city that is one fo the best places anyone could live in this world). shocking to hear perhaps, and i am not sure how deeply i adhere to these sentiments, but it has brought on a thinking as to my true feelings about the country i live in and its capacity for good and change - maybe i really am a patriot.

Rant on "Believe"

2008-07-16T23:53:00.000-07:00

so i posted something to facebook the other day that got me thinking. the post linked to an article where john mccain said that he didn't "believe" in gay adoption. today, while walking in town, i got really riled up by this statement. so here's a freeform rant that will trail in odd ways, and will be free of editing, so bear with me, but i think this needs to be said.

dear john mccain,

listen you old sack of wrinkles, i don't much care what you believe. your beliefs are your own personal baggage, and unfortunately for you, they are tempered and created by that book of lies and propaganda you and the others who adhere to your cause seem to hold dear. but that's fine; i will not begrudge you your beliefs as long as they don't bother me. you see, sir, your beliefs, when implemented as policy - they destroy my rights. however, my "beliefs," when implemented as policy, don't do a damn thing to yours. so why don't you just shut up for a damn moment.

moreover, how does one "believe" in gay adoption anyway? one believes in something they can't explain or prove. that is why you believe in god. that is why some people believe in ghosts. that is why some people believe in the afterlife. these are all ideas that are incapable of scientific proof or rational evidence, so we need belief to take their place.

there are many things that do not require belief, sir. for example, i don't "believe" in evolution. i accept it because it is the most rational explanation for a stunning mountain of scientific and anthropological evidence - so much so that is no longer considered a theory, but rather, fact. i don't "believe" in gravity - i accept that it exists as everything falls to the ground with an acceleration of 9.8 meters per second squared. i don't "believe" in god's nonexistence. rather, i accept that god doesn't exist because there is no rational evidence to prove it (remember the scientific method? maybe they don't teach rational thinking at your dumbass bible school, but it follows that all theories need evidentiary proof, and where that proof is lacking, your theory fails. in the case of god, the proper question is "does god exist?" and if your hypothesis is "god exists" then please show me some darn evidence that isn't already better explained by scientific means).

one need not "believe" in gay adoption or gay marriage any more than one believes in adoption or marriage. they are facts. and like or not, you tub of bigoted lard, gays are adopting and marrying anyway and the world has not collapsed. in fact, if we let gays adopt and marry, we would actually be doing what the scientific community (sociologists, psychologists, social workers, mental health professionals, foster care workers, etc.) have been recommending for years! i don't "believe" in gay adoption - i look around at gay people i know who have adopted, or gays that i know who have married, and i accept it as fact.

now, maybe you misspoke. maybe you meant to say that you don't believe that gay adoption should be permissible. that shows two things. one, that you obviously don't give much thought to the feelings of those who aren't stodgy, white, christian, hetero males, and two, that you fail to understand how your beliefs don't mean a damn when it comes to federal policy.

i'll tell you what i "believe" mr mccain. i believe you are a washed up old dinosaur who has no place running a country in the 21st century and whose worldview and thoughts are worth less than a japanese escort's smegma. i believe you are an awful choice for the leader of the free world when you can't even properly express yourself or give any thought to anyone other than you or your constituents. i believe that you should lose, and lose bad, and retire to some backcountry mountain where people of your race must come from. this world doesn't need belief in proven facts, it needs acceptance. this world needs people who understand what rational thought means. this world needs a leader, not a geriatric homophobe, you dumb piece of shit.

aaron.

Kyoto, Part 1

2008-07-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

this morning found me back at Denny's, having my first western meal of the trip - eggs, hash browns, toast and salad. i actually used a fork and knife for the first time in over a week. that was also my first bread or potato in a week. it was good, but i don't think i'm missing much by having my noodles, rice and fish.

already a whiz at the nagoya train system, i easily got on my 45 min commute to kyoto, and from there, found it only a short walk to my hostel. i am staying at K's Hostel Kyoto - another in the chain of hostels that i stayed in at fuji. this one is very nice - 3 floors, interet, cafe with beer and coffee and spirits, japanese-style tatami mat lounge and more (have yet to see the rest). my room was not ready, so i hit the town.

today is the last day of the Gion Matsuri - one of the big 3 festivals in japan. to commemorate the final day, there is a big parade through town with 30 ornately made up floats and everyone dressed in traditional japanese garb. i caught a nice front row seat and both parade and people watched for a few hours. the floats were stunning - such amazing work with wood and tapestry. the costumes were beautiful. and atmosphere was joyful. and there was nothing forced (nor western) about it. the people watched went well too - i love how the japanese dress and carry themselves. many men and women in kimono and yakata, umbrellas and fans, impeccably tailored suits to rival any italian, and youth styles that best anything i've seen stateside. did i mention that japan is amazing?

a few hours later, quite hot, and to be honest, done with watching floats go by, i went for a little sightseeing, and checked out Nijo Castle, a UNESCO world heritage site, and home to the shogunate back int he 1600s when kyoto was the capital. now to set the scene, all castles are fully surrounded by moats and are protected by large stone walls. inside are vast gardens and the palaces and castles themselves, decked out with the best architecture ever and done up with such precise inscriptions and paintings that words cannot begin to describe them. this castle, being on slightly elevated land, in kyoto (which is surrounded by mountains) provided the most stunning views i have seen in japan (fuji aside). i took many photos of the grounds, but was prohibited from doing so in the castle itself. but take my word, stunning. my favorite thing is that the floors all squeak - they are meant to. they are called nightingale floors, as their squeak is like a soft bird chirp. they, and much of the castle, was designed to protect against intruders. so the floors always let the guards know if an intruder had come in. there were also trapdoors for ninjas and samurai to leap out from hidden corners, and paper panels to perm it shadows to flow in, illuminating unwanted guests. love it. intrigue and power. and again, as i mentioned regarding Nagoya-Jo, this castle was very understated - perhaps like the japanese themselves. cultured, enlightened, advanced, but demure, modest and elegant. can't say enough.

at the castle, my camera batteries died and i knew i had to head back to the hostel for a recharge. on the way, i stopped and bought some japanese fans as souvenirs and some sushi on the street (get this, these were wrapped with a sponge cake around the outside of the rice - so good. i want more). i also had some ice cream.

kyoto is a marvelous city so far - a mixture of the modern and the past. it is not as futuristic as tokyo or nagoya, as much of it is still in its original state, and it is more idyllically located in the mountains. down every street, even those with modern, cosmopolitan shops, are temples, shrines, and homes in classic japanese style. this is the japan of legend and poetry. to quote depeche mode, i just can't get enough.

btw - how's this for a simile?! (from Murakami's "Wind Up Bird Chronicle"): the blades of grass stood motionless around the stone statue, like a greek chorus awaiting the oracle to speak.

damn!

The Gay Gaijin in Nagoya

2008-07-16T23:14:00.001-07:00

first, an observation about Nagoya. as i mentioned, this city was greatly destroyed in WW2, and has since grown into a futuristic expanse of steel, glass, lights and vastly modern architecture. jaw-droppingly so. downtown nagoya after sunset is a sight to behold. it seems even more futuristic than tokyo, if that is possible. tall spires, birds nest lattice work on buildings, sweeping archways, ferris wheels affixed to buildings, fluorescent and neon lights illuminating fountains and side streets. i have never seen such a sight before. just walking the streets (with a few beers in my system and an ipod on) made for a fantastic night (bounding the streets, in freestyle walking form, while rockin' some widespread panic makes aaron a happy boy).

i went to the gay nightlife. an internet search brought up three gay bars. i went to the one with a website and a map - Shu. walking in, i found a small bar with 8 seats and one table off to the side. behind the bar was a tall thin man, maybe 45, and a shorter, older man (60?) who was a spitting image of Mr Miyagi. miyagi spoke english, so he and i chatted about my travels in japan, climbing my fuji, sumo, etc. i had a nice snack of ham and kiwi (traditional japanese bars demand a "cover" but isn't so much an entry fee as a prepay for a variety of tapas/snacks) and a few beers while we chatted. while i was there, two other men came in, both older and both fruity as can be. very cute. i asked miyagi about the 2 other gay bars i found and he said "you used internet, huh." "well, yes." "in truth, there are about 50 gay bars in nagoya." to back this up, he gave me a map with every one referenced. now, many of them aren't necessarily gaijin friendly, and many have no english speakers. i got miyagi's recommendations as to where to head, said my goodbyes, and hit the streets again.

twenty minutes later, in the heart of the gay/red light district, i ended up at Undivide. now, a side note about japan. the cities are 3-dimensional. that is to say, they go horizontal, vertical AND up. bars and restaurants can be anywhere. for example, i had dinner on the 10th floor of a building with clothes stores and an arcade. shu was on the 2nd floor of a 5 story building with bars on each floor. undivide was on the 4th floor of a building that apparently had apartments in it. anyway, the "crowd" here was younger - that is to say the bartender and two others at the bar. the bar itself was still very small, but very cute. music videos were on the tv, and some porn mags were on the corner of the bar. i had some beer and snacks of rice cakes. the bartender, Takash (adorable), hardly spoke english. i was trying to use my map to have him show me where else to go in town, when his friend Masa came in, who spoke english. the two of them showed me some bars to try and made some phone calls to see if the english speaking bartenders were working that night. unfortunately, the top choices were all closed (on a wednesday, nagoya isn't hopping).

so we chatted, and i learned that tattoos are indeed the sign of the yakuza clan, though at present, more of the young generation are getting them. i learned that the top 2 sumo wrestlers right now are mongolian. i learned that nagoya's nightlife and party life is quite big, but not really available to a non-japanese speaking gaijin (i need to learn this language!). i learned that japanese gays are all about types - when i asked what bar i should go to, masa asked "what's your type?" i didn't really know how to respond - i said i like my age, fit, good looking. he told me that the bars in japan are generally far more compartmentalized - there are mature bars, muscle bars, chub chaser bars, girly bars, young guy bars - i guess this exists in nyc, but not to the extent i feel it does in japan. japanese gays are slow to approach gaijin in general (a little unfortunate, as i have carnal ideas going on with just about every japanese i see), but even more so if you aren't their "type." now, i told masa and takash that i wan't really looking for sex - just conversation and good times. this opened my options a little, but i guess the assumption is that gaijin coming to japan have a one-track mind. not saying that i don't, but i enjoy conversation as much as anyone. so, after some chat time, i got my picture with them, and headed out.

after some wandering of gaytown, finding out that all the bars i wanted to go to were closed, i hit up a bar near the hotel for another drink or two, took a shower, and went to bed. a big day coming up - off to kyoto!

E Honda Wins!

2008-07-16T22:58:00.000-07:00

well, i don't know if it was E Honda, but i sure saw some sumo! i woke up very groggy from my sleeping pills, and pulled myself out of my capsule to face the day at 7am. luckily, the soup + pills + sleep cure i attempted did the trick - i felt wonderful! i hit up the next door Denny's (!!) for a japanese style skillet (2 sunny side up eggs, bacon, carrot slaw, rice and miso soup - all eaten with chopticks. isn't japan awesome?!).

the sumo tournament runs from the 1st to the 3rd sunday in july in nagoya, at the aichi prefectural gymnasium. a short train ride later, i was following to sumo in their robes into the gymnasium entrance. each day, from 8:30-2 are the amateur bouts, and 2-6 are the pro bouts. general admission tickets are 25$ and you can sit anywhere you want in the bleacher seats, which are not far up and provide a great view of the action. now, i've only seen sumo on tv or in movies. seeing it live is a new experience. the cries of the crowd, the customs and traditions of the ring, and the sheer rawness of the live spectacle made this another unforgettable experience. two large men, garbed in their oni (i think that's what the waistbelts are called) step into the ring and do some fun stretching/intimidation exercises where they lift their legs high and smack their legs and chest). then, after being called into action by the "referee" they run at each other and attempt to throw the other out of the circular ring. sometimes its just a push, sometimes a throw, sometimes both wrestlers go tumbling off the side. it's wild, man. i have some videos and a tshirt. i enjoyed that this sport is quite ancient - really, all wrestling is - and that its traditions have persisted over long amounts of time, in a way different than western sports. alike to baseball or football, the big sumo stars have their fans, who stand and cheer and photograph and whistle, but the art itself is longstanding. i really have a desire to discover its origins and its roots - i imagine that the history of sumo would provide another incisive perspective into japanese culture.

one side note - i was down in the basement of the gymnasium watching the sumo wrestlers some into the arena. some were in robes and some were in their waist belts. some of them were big - and i mean fatty fat fat man boobs (though, to their credit, and unlike fat americans, they are in shape) - some were thinnish (built) and some were stocky built. i actually found one of the stocky ones quite sexually attractive. his face was beautiful and his build was at least proportional. i have never been with a big guy - never wanted to, and really don't want to - but this athlete walked with such confidence and poise, it made me wonder what sex with him would be like. i am still thinking about it. next trip to japan - find a gay sumo.

after many hours at the sumo tournament, including my break for some snacks and noodles (kishimen - wide wheat noodles, a like to fettuccine, but thicker, and in broth with fried tofu), i went next door to Nagoya Castle (Nagoya-Jo). the castle originally dated back to the time when Nagoya stood as Japan's castle, but like much of the city, it was destroyed in WW2. the rebuilding of the castle was done in concrete, so it is not as impressive as other castles that still exist in their original wood, but nonetheless, the grounds, the walls, the architecture - it brings you back in time. one thing i've noticed, and it is far mroe apparent in temples and say, in kyoto, is that japanese elegance and grandeur differs so much from the west. castles and palaces and churches in the west (e.g., europe) are massive stone structures with ornate glasswork, precious metals, tapestries, and other elements of what may be called "high royalty." such examples exude an opulence of almost pompous nature. japan's approach to palaces and castles is far more understated, but no less elegant. made of nothing but wood and paper, these buildings are superb monuments to innovation and beauty that never fail to incorporate the world's natural, unadorned, beauty into themselves. again, this provides a wonderful contrast to the ego of the west, and heightens my adoration of this culture.

after my sumo and castle visit, i hit up the internet cafe for some chat and email. then, some washup and dinner. i will save my night adventures for my next post.

Trains and Temples

2008-07-16T00:19:00.000-07:00

so yesterday i left the Fuji area for nagoya, japan's 4th largest city and onetime capital. i fell asleep hard on the train, and when i woke up, my watch was turned to alarm mode, and showed a time that was 2 houirs after i was supposed to disembark (btw - japanese trains and subways run with perfect efficiency. you could set your watch to them. so i use times to figure out stations, because sometimes station names are written in japanese, so i can't read them. but i will know, e.g., that 15 minutes from kanayama i get to sakae). so i rushed to grab my bags and ran off the train, when i saw signs stating that we were still headed to nagoya. i found a friendly train attendant who calmed me down and said we were not in nagoya yet. then i figured outmy watch problem. embaressed, i went back to my seat. i did not go back to sleep. in europe, i slept through train stops at least three times - don't want to do it where i don't speak the native tongue.

finally, i get to nagoya and find my capsule hotel. unfortunately, i can't use the saunas and baths because i have tattoos - the desk agent saw my Storm peeking out from my tshirt. apparently, in japan, tattoos are associated with the yakuza (mob) and forwned upon. i was just happy he still let me check in! the capsules are way cool - basically rows of sarcophoguses (sarcophogi?), stacked 3 high, about 2X1X1 meters, with A/C, a tv, clock and bed. i took a nap and was very comfortable. i was worried about my claustrophobia, but i was fine. capsules are awesome!

after a nap and a visit to the next door internet cafe, where i briefly chatted with joel, i went to visit a few temples in town. unfortauntely, the Atsuta temple (housing a very sacred sword) was being renovated, so i couldn't go in. however, the park in which it sits was very beautiful, and i enjoyed the walk.

then to Osu Kannon, a zen temple for Kannon, the boddhisatva of infinite compassion. the temple is beautiful - red and white painted wood, and the altars were lined with gold and fine linens. i paid my respects, lit a candle, and sat back and watched others come and do the same. such a great experience to see a foreign religion in action; one, like i said before, that is free of the baggage of western faiths.

as a side note, i feel so good to be in a foreign land unable to speak the language. it is very humbling to my world view. why should a nation that is barely 250 years old demand of the world that it heed its ways? europe, south america and japan have all shown me how others do things better. past history aside (wars, conquests, atrocities), these countries and cultures have so much to offer and enrich, that the bullheaded worldview of america barely notices. my amero-centric worldview is constantly challanged here, and its great. i notice with greater clarity how all my statements that something "should" be a certain way are laden with inherent biases and viewpoints based on my own life and home and culture. i enjoy sitting back, putting all that aside, and attempting to see the world through someone else's eyes; eyes very different from my own (not just physically, silly, though that's true as well - japanese eyes are beautiful).

near the Osu Kannon are streets and streets of flea markets. i perused them, looking for toys, kimonos, tshirts with awkward english (the translations to english are hysterical) and other randoms. i didn't see anything that i really wanted, so i ate some street food and went back to the hotel to wash up.

at this point i was feeling pretty bad - the cold and sleeplessness from fuji caught up to me. i was sore all over, my head hurt like mad, glands were swollen - i knew i needed to rest rather than hit the gay bars. so, after a dinner of hot ramen soup, i popped a sleeping pill and an asprin, and had one amazing sleep. the sun rises here at 430am, so being in a capsule, as opposed to a room with a window, the rising sun didn't get to wake me up! yay capsules!

Japanese are Apparently All Shorter than I Am

2008-07-14T05:21:00.000-07:00

I keep hitting my head on the top of doorposts. it really hurts.

in other news, i hit up the onsen after dinner, and sitting outside in a beautiful japanese garden, in boiling hot water, with the cool japanese air hitting my face, the moon and stars in the sky, and the lights from the mountain huts on the top of Fuji in the distance... well, 'nuff said.

americans should adopt some of the more quaint of japanese customs - the umbrella and the fan. on hot days, an umbrella above your head to block the sun and a fan to keep air moving at your face is a welcome respite from the summer heat. yeah, japan in the summer is hot. mid to high 80s and occasionally quite humid. but then again, so is nyc. and subway stations in tokyo are not nearly as bad as in new york.

i need to sleep, badly. thankfully, the kareoke bar down the block is dead (it is a monday night). no temptation, I can rest peacefully. my body is at rest.

Fuji-san

2008-07-14T01:42:00.000-07:00

i owned that mountain. one of the hardest physical achievements of my life, and well worth every moment.

so, when we last chatted, i was leaving from Shinjuku station, Tokyo, on a bus headed for the base of Mt. Fuji (known as Fuji-San, in japanese). instead of heading to my hostel near fuji on monday morning and spending a day hanging out before the hike, i just went ahead and did it. there are two recommended ways to do the hike: (1) hike up to near the summit and stay at a mountain hut overnight, ready to finish the hike at sunrise (leave at 2am, sunrise at 4); or, (2) do the entire hike overnight. I took option (2).

i got off the bus and onto the trail around 10:30 at night. it was pitch black, with the only light emanating from my own headlamp and the flashlights of other hikers, and the innumerable stars overhead. i had my ipod with me to set the scene. first up, radiohead "in rainbows." girl, you haven't listened to that album until you've heard Nude, Reckoner and House of Cards while climbing Fuji in the dark. the hike to the summit takes about 4 hours, and although the first hour was fairly easy, it quickly turned into a challenge. pulling myself up on rocks, and making sure my feet didn't slip in slippery lava flows (not magma, the dirt was hardened), while in the dark, while not having slept since the night before, this was some task. there were many a mountain hut on the way up offering a seat out front to rest your legs, or a cup of cocoa. i brought most of my food and drink with me, as the huts were not exactly on the cheap side of things.

as i continued up the mountain, the air kept getting colder. near the summit, we were near the freezing point, and the winds were wicked fierce. we were all cold. but the weather and the hike and the experience formed a sense of comraderie amongst hundreds of climbers who didn't know one another and who were from all over the globe. i met two great Danes (Hans and Louisa), an ex-californian now Sendai resident named Mercedes, and a great group of Chinese hikers whose names i don't recall and with whom i spoke in gestures and smiles (no english for them, no chinese for me). watching in the distance as a procession of colored lights made its way up the winding paths to the Fuji summit, i was absolutely overtaken with awe. this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and i'm so thankful i was able to take part.

dealing through cold, aching legs and muscles and lack of sleep, we hit the summit around 3am (i managed to get myself to the front of the pack, which included all ages and sexes, from 10 to 60 - at least those i know about). while we waited for the sun to rise, the nearby hut opened up and served up hot cocoa, coffee, udon and rice (for a fee). we struggled to warm outselves while watching the black sky slowly turn into magnificent shades of pinks, yellows, blues, reds, oranges and more. we were above the clouds, and as the sunlight pierced through them below us, we saw a sight provided to only the lucky few. clouds rolled up the mountain below us, and we were awash in sheer beauty. i recall being awestruck and unable to turn my head from what we were witnessing. ethereal beauty, to say the least. wait'll you see the pictures, that don't nearly do this sight justice.

we watched the sunrise for an hour or so, until the sun had risen well into the sky. i chose, with others, to forego the walk around the top crater, as the clouds and winds had amassed in great force, making visiblity nearly nothing and further tearing deep into our bones. i needed to warm up (feeling in my extremities was slowly decreasing), so i began the descent. in all, it took about 2.5 hours to make it down the mountain - steep switchbacks and sliding rock made it a challenge, but accompanied with an ever-rising sun (and a packed ipod), the hike was sublime. indeed, we climbed fuji in the dark of night, unaware of what lay beyond the mountain. while fuji itself is a volcano, and containing little in the way of vegetation, such cannot be said for the valleys, lakes and mountains surrounding it. as all of those came into view, i again found my jaw on the ground, agape at the natural beauty before my eyes. so. happy.

by the time we reached the bottom, everyone was ready to pass out - we had been hiking for nearly 8 hours, having started at 10 at night, without any sleep. faced with a mixture of deep cold and a fine layer of dirt and perspiration, i knew i needed a hostel, and i needed it quick. i caught the next bus into the small mountain town of Kaguchigawa (sp?) where i found my hostel, got a shower, and filled my belly with dumplings in broth. then, onto another new experience, the onsen.

onsen are natural hot springs bringing up nearly scalding water into japanese style baths. they are to be experienced in the nude, and are sex segregated. this water was hot, but man did it make me melt. the cold quickly eroded and my muscles turned from tight and sore into fluid masses, unable of even the slightest contraction. i can't wait to go again after dinner. and in every onsen i can find here on out. hot tubs ain't got nothing on this.

i just rearranged some of my intinerary to include Osaka - i am going to be there next weekend to see what has been described to me as a city out of Blade Runner, taste the legendary nightlfe, and behold the Tenjin Matsuri, one of the three biggest festivals in japan.

tomorrow, i head to nagoya for more new experiences, as i will sleep at a capsule hotel (http://www.nisshinkanko.co.jp/healthy/cp/cp_english_top.htm), check out the Robot Museum, and attend a SUMO TOURNAMENT! work.

Yoyogi Makes Me Smile

2008-07-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

yesterday afternoon, i spent some time out and about in tokyo. after a little sleep to recover from the night before, and a breakfast of fresh fruit a la nari, i hit the town. first stop, lunch. in the basements of many tokyo department stores are huge food courts with such goodness! i opted for a sushi plate and some rice balls. i needed japanese fuel for my journey to Don Quijote's, an everything-under-the-sun discount department store in Shibuya - i needed some essentials for my trip to fuji.

DQ was another major lost in translation experience. i mean, i can figure out what the products are, but no further information than that. luckily, i didn't need anything much more complicated than gloves, a hat, a flashlight and some snack food. then, to yoyogi park.

i mentioned in an earlier post that yoyogi park on sundays gets overtaken tokyo's youth culture. and whoa did it. i had a smile just plastered on my face every moment i was in that park. nearly a mile of food vendors and flea markets (oh yeah, i had the octopus balls - and well worth it - octopus and rice balls, lightly fried, splashed with soy, mayonaise, fish flakes and seaweed), japanese rockabilly punks in leather pants and huge coiffed hair dancing to rock music, goth girls and at least 15 bands. sensory overload in the best possible way. i ate, and drank beer on the street, checked out bands, watched street performers, perused local wares, and just had a grand old time.

honestly, that experience sold me even more on tokyo. it has such vibrance and freshness. it is raw. untempered. free. every week. if nyc had such an event, it would need to be so cleared with city regulations that it probably couldn't even exist, and if it did, it would be sponsored by coca cola. i am not hating on nyc - i love my city. but man, does tokyo have what nyc doesn't. i feel like the nyc-equivalents of the tokyo punks try too hard, and it seems like being cool for the sake of being cool. i am sure that being a foreigner had something to do with it, but i didn't get that sense in tokyo - it was just fun, free, happy and very inclusive. rock on.

further, yoyogi perfectly complemented my day in kamakura. one day, i was surrounded by an old culture, completely non-western, ritualized, ordered, pure. the next, i was surrounded by tokyo's youth, adopting elements of western culture but all the time entirely japanese, freeform, beautifully chaotic, raw. fantastic. i didn't want to leave.

at first, i was planning on going to something called the Oath BBQ, a weekly event with food, drinks and DJs (recommended to me by bartender Marcia). but, i decided to forgo another night in tokyo and head to fuji - the climb is overnight, so it would be in lieu of nari's or a hostel, and move my travels out of tokyo. so, i headed to nari's from yoyogi, packed up, and he drove me to Shinjuku station to catch the bus and get dinner. i had soba with goose meat. he had cold noodles and tempura. i can't express how great a host and friend nari has been. he had another guest this weekend as well, and apparently more coming this week, but as i told him, if he was feeling burdened or irritated, he hid it well. he complimented me, saying many guests need their hand held in the city - being told where they should go, what to go, how to do it - but that i am very self sufficient and able to do my thing without pulling someone else along. a delightfully sincere compliment, followed by his further comment that he is impressed with my ability to meet new people. well, i am not actually that good at it, at least at home. while traveling, however, it is forced and needed socialization, especially easy in japan where the white folk are easy targets for understandable conversation. i noted that joel and i didn't meet too many folks in peru, but the difference when i travel alone is, i stay in dorm rooms at hostels, and i can't rely on joel for my personal contact (something i love doing - joel and aaron time is the best thing ever). so honey, if you are reading this, i love you and i love the chance to be solo aaron in a foreign land.

stay tuned for Fuji. that mountain is fierce.

Further Observations

2008-07-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

not only do cars drive on the left side of the road, but foot traffic moves on the left side of stairs and the sidewalk. this is still confusing me and i am often finding myself on the wrong side of wherever i am walking.

people are shorter in japan. i am hitting my head on things. i have to bend my knees to look at my face in mirrors. i can see over everyone's head. tall gaijin stick out.

there are a lack of trash bins on the street. i end up carrying around paper and bottles all day in my backpack. someone at the bar told me that this is because japanese don't eat or drink while walking around. i guess i should pay attention.

I Love the Nightlife

2008-07-12T18:13:00.000-07:00

coming back to nari's at 8am. man, there are days when you just gotta say "i love tokyo." after a needed siesta yesterday evening, i headed out to shinjuku and had some gyoza and fried rice ata corner restaurant, the type of which i'm beginning to realize is japan's equivalent to the "greasy spoon," except better and probably healthier (i think i've lost a little weight since i've been here, have had no fast food, barely anything fried, and no sweets - feelin' great!).

then back to gaytown, shinjuku ni-chome. i first went back to Dragon, but not much activity there. i said hello to the bartenders i met the prior evening, had a beer, and headed out on my way. next stop, advocates. on thursday night, advocates had maybe 15 people, and some tables set up on the street corner. last night? easily 150 people, spilling into the street in every direction, gogo dancer on the bar, and dj set up out front. nice. i ran into lewis from the other night, and met some other of his friends. daniel and michael are both new yorkers (daniel lived in brooklyn and michael in harlem) now living in tokyo, and have been together for 8 years. i met their friend daniel, a new yorker living in england and visiting tokyo. i saw a tall, cute boy that i recognized from the subway, so struck up a conversation with him - jake, from iowa, on a teaching fellowship in tokyo through the end of the summer. unfortunately, i must admit that i don't remember the names of the other boys i met - shame, some were great examples of japanese sexiness. however, i do remember the names of some great lesbians. naomi, from australia, living in tokyo now for 6 years. and tamara, from jamaica, whoa goregeous, living in tokyo for 3 years (there were a few others i met, but i don't recall their names). apparently, some of the gay bars are very mixed (gay and lesbian) and the two populations are really cohesive. in general, i loved the scene at Advocates - hundreds of gays from all over the world, everyone friendly, and many a sexy man in a kimono. oh, and a lesbian in a catwoman suit.

after a few hours of drinking and carousing, i went with daniel, daniel and michael to Annex, a small dance club around the corner. i mean small. but from the start, when i saw a Murakami painting behind the bar, i knew i would have fun. and fun i did! a good mix of pop remixes (i actually liked Give it to Me, remixed by paul oakenfold) and japanese pop. boys dancing everywhere. met a way cute guy named Hiroyoku, but unfortunately for my chances of flirting, he didn't speak any english, and my japanese ends at arigato gozaimas. this is also the bar that got me drunk. up until then, i was doing fine with beers and the occasional vodka/red bull shot (the shots bartender took a liking to me and was being rather liberal with his pouring). but as i am at the bar at Annex, and chatting with a japanese named Jorji (?), he reaches over, takes a bottle of Macellan scotch and pours easily 3 shots worth into my beer. not to be one to back down from a challenge, i of course drank it (not the best mix, beer and scotch). anyway, about 10 minutes later, while dancing to an 80s remix, i felt the drunkedness hit. all good, i had a blast, danced until the bar closed, and took away some incredibly fond memories.

today is my last day in tokyo. i am going to get some lunch and head to yoyogi park to see what has been called the freak parade (or as marcia the bartender put it, the williamsburg of tokyo). tonight, after a dinner with nari, i am getting on a bus to mt fuji to make the overnight climb (ascend at night, be at the top for sunrise). i will blog about that tomorrow afternoon or evening from my hostel near fuji, if i am not permanently affixed to the nearby onsen (japanese word for hot spring).

Traveling Back in Time

2008-07-12T01:57:00.000-07:00

i spent the better part of today in Kamakura, a small town southwest of tokyo, near the pacific coast, populated with nearly 60 zen temples and shinto shrines. i did not visit them all, but i did get in a good five. in a word - stunning. beautiful architecture, painstaking detail and a feeling of ageless calm that brought me from the 21st century world of tokyo into the past ages of a culturally rich japan. i cannot express in words what it felt like to behold these temples. i have certainly seen artifacts and relics and buildings from times long before these temples (constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries; e.g., israel), but this felt different.

first, understandably, the united states is young and any artifacts from ages past do not strike in me any sort of vast difference from my own experience. and in europe, where buildings date back hundreds of years, the sights still fit in with my own basic perceptions of culture. japan, here, is entirely different. for one, no churches. no jesus. no christianity. nari was telling me last night that even after japan opened itself to the west, christianity never really took hold here (came up in a conversation about homosexuality in japan, in that homosexuality isn't thought of as wrong, or immoral, but that any discrimination merely comes from the fact that is different from the rest of homogenous japanese society). take home point - i love the feel of being away from the West and experiencing something new, vibrant, peaceful, warm, beautiful and real.

i don't think that detailing all the temples i saw is a good use of my typing skills, so i am going to aim for brevity. first of, engaku-ji, a large zen complex built in the 12th century. all of the zen temples i saw had the same basic structure: a large gate entrance, a main hall, a large bell, and several temples. occasionally, there would be smaller shrines, wells, and the best, zen gardens. engaku-ji had a goregeous garden that sat behind a small building, and to get to it, we took off our shoes, walked across the tatami mats, poured ourselves some hibiscus tea, and had a very peaceful view in a very serene setting. though, my favorite part of the complex was the gate - no joke this thing was massive, and had dragons and flowers worked into almost of the wood. the colors, shapes, angles - just stunning.

from here, i went to metgetsu-in, a smaller zen temple. some of the same as before, just slight alterations. this one was covered with hydrangeas - purples and blues. i then began to notice that almost all of kamakura was covered in the same. from there, to kencho-ji, where i saw the Hatto, the largest wooden Buddhist structure in eastern japan. similar to engaku, the gates here were more than impressive. i found myself rooted in place, just staring in awe. the temples here had large dragon paintings on the ceilings. if i've had any thoughts as to my next tattoo, the dragon paintings certainly placed some ideas in my head.

from kencho-ji, i hiked the Daibutsu hiking course, a 4 kilometer hike through the hills of kamakura, yielding expansive views of the forest and lansdcape, as well as the nearby harbors and beaches. on the hike, i passed a park featuring a shinto shrine as well as some well placed pagodas for sitting and enjoying some trail mix i bought from the store. i seek out hikes when i travel as ways to really escape civilization and be at peace with myself and my thoughts. coming after multiple zen temples, that concept took a new and exciting meaning for me; i found myself wondering if i was traversing the same paths as zen followers from 800 years ago, making their own pilgrimage to the Great Buddha temple, Daibutsu. i became closely attuned to the movement of my legs, my breathing, my body temperature (yeah, it was hot. 85 and humid, and no cloud cover). and with temples and shrines appearing at various points along the hike, i approached each new turn or hilltop with excitement for what lay on the other side. this short hike certainly paved the way for my upcoming climb up Mt Fuji.

Daibutsu is the Great Buddha, the second largest buddha statue in japan, at 13.35 meters, cast in 1235. awe striking, indeed. another one of those moments where i caught myself completely enraptured in something before my eyes that challenged all of what i have seen and experienced in my life thus far. those who know me are well aware that i am an aetheist. it is a central tenet of my being, and its basic underpinnings of rationality and skepticism have eroded away any elements of spritituality i once held. however, seeing these temples and great statutes, i couldn't help but be moved. maybe it is because buddhism doesn't have deity worship akin to judeo-christian systems. maybe it is because buddhism is about self awareness and pure altruism, laudable goals that do not contain the inherent judgements of immorality that do judeo-christianity. maybe it's because of all the religions that i look upon with scorn, i have never lost my respect and curiosity for buddhism. whatever the root causes, while i did not experience some sort of religious apostasy, i did find a sense of wonder and calm, and a definite sense of excitement and openness to the 3 days i will spend at a zen temple in a few weeks.

finally, i left Daibutsu for the Hase-Dera temple, which held a large Avalokiteshvara Boddhisatva statute (the boddhisatva of infinite compassion). unfortunately, this temple did not permit photography, but take my word for it, another cultural gem. this temple sat on a fairly steep hillside, so it provided stellar views of the water and the hills.

at this point, i had been hiking and viewing for nearly 6 hours without stopping or eating, so i went into town and found a little out-of-the-way noodle shop for some soba with shrimp and a tall, cold glass of Sapporo, where i alternated between watching tv that i couldnt understand and reading my book (Wind up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Murakami; its a lot of fun to actually have a frame of reference to the locations in his books).

that reminds me, i thought i would mention kafka tamura. while hiking, and stopped at a shinto shrine, i noticed a really cute asian at the handwashing area (all shinto shrines have a fountain for hand and face washing - ladle water out and let it run over your hands, just don't mix the post-washing water with the clean water!) (also, btw, i have no gaydar here - so many japanese men look gay, because maybe they possess more "american gay" traits like thin, fit, lacking machismo, well dressed, etc. anyway, i can't get my gaydar to work, so i am just assuming everyone is gay unless i am told otherwise). when i saw this guy, i had just been thinking about another Murakami book, called Kafka on the Shore (one of my top ten books), which featured a character named Kafka Tamura. so, that being in my head, i mentally dubbed this guy Kafka Tamura. we never talked, but he sure does move like a ghost ninja! he was running up hills, disappearing around corners, moving, it seemed, through the trees themselves. so as i hiked, i tried to keep up - one, because he was actually able to read the trail markers to know which way to hike, and two, because i was enjoying my mental game of "where's kafka tamura now?" eventually, he got well ahead of me, as i had to use the WC. though, i did see him later on at Daibutsu, and he gave me a cute little wave. i do enjoy the japanese.

this is a lot of typing, and i need to quit it. shower time. going out tonight. ttys.

For Joel

2008-07-11T03:01:00.001-07:00

i miss your hugs and kisses. i miss your face. i love you very much.

give Parker a big kiss for me.

For Parker

2008-07-11T03:00:00.001-07:00

i miss your cute little face. i miss your snuggling in bed. i love you very much.

give joel a big kiss for me.

Observations and Random Kindness

2008-07-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

a few things i have noticed about the japanese, at least in tokyo: the youth are way styley dressed, most everyone is thin and the populace is beautiful. and here's the kindness: as i was looking at my subway map trying to figure out a transfer, an elder japanese woman comes up to me and asks if i speak english.

"yes i do"

"oh good. where are you trying to go?"

so i explain and this woman points me toward the right subway transfer and i thank her and begin to head down the stairs.

"wait," she says, "i am trying to practice my english, so do you mind if i walk with you?"

so all the way to the platform, this nice woman chatted with me about her son, who happens to have a strong affinity for new york. i told her i felt the same about tokyo, and that he and i can switch places if he wants. we had a good laugh, said our goodbyes, and i came away with a wonderful moment in a foreign country.

by the way, i have posted more pictures and they are available here (from night out and fish market)

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Lost in Translation

2008-07-11T00:55:00.000-07:00

i finally had that moment where i felt completely out of place. i went to nakano to this huge multi-level department store with just about nothing but anime, manga, games and toys. (joel, i still couldn't find your toys - i did see a movie toy of optimus but i left the sheet at nari's, so i wasn't sure if it's the right one!). i more than enjoyed myself, just walking around and taking everything in. and window shopping doesn't really get old. it mostly hit me in the anime and manga book stoes - thousands of serials, and i can't understand a single word. this is vastly different than my european travels, where at least if i didn't understand the language, the characters were recognizable. not so in japan. some of that manga looks great! ranging from fantasy, to yakuza crime stories, to sexy time, to who knows what! just about none of it was in english. i ended up buying some anime art books; pictures do speak a thousand words. i may get some porno manga, but at least i understand what's happening, if i can't decipher the dialogue i can make it up as i go along. maybe it's the gay geek talking, but some of those gay manga comics are way hot.

following hours in the nakano shops, i had an amazing lunch of noodles and marinated pork in a sweet chili broth with some gyoza on the side. i spent that time working on my plans for this weekend - i am going to get in some pre-Fuji hiking and see some of the neighboring towns. Lonely Planet says they are goregeous. i will ask Nari for advice. he has a friend coming in from britain tonight, so i think the three of us are going to hit the town. tomorrow, he is taking his niece to see Wicked, performed entirely in japanese.

following lunch, and some video game playtime in an arcade, tokyo got a little rain. so here i am, ducking into an internet cafe where you can rent manga and a booth, and have a private space for as long as you want to pay for (80 yen per minute) (currently, 1 dollar = 105 yen). these cafes are open 24 hours and provide a place to sleep if you miss the last train home - the chair reclines quite nicely and the cushions are rather comfortable. but that is one thing i would change about tokyo - there is a bustling nightlife and many people live far from center city - why are your trains stopping service at 1am? who wants to leave the bar at 1230? if nights are anything like last night, not I, I say. toodles.

Pictures

2008-07-10T20:30:00.001-07:00

this may or many not work. these are pictures from my first day and a half.

i will try to get photos from the gay bar and the fish market up later.

i am off to see some manga and to have a few drinks.

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Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

2008-07-10T20:25:00.000-07:00

two words. fresh fish.

Tsujiki fish market is insane. thousands of fish straight from the oceans (i mean, tuna carcasses being hauled around by hooks!) being cut, packaged and readied for shipping. but what is the other bonus of such an atmosphere? that much of the fish goes to the local sushi and noodle shops for delicious breakfasts.

ladies and gentlemen, words cannot describe the sensations my mouth experienced when i ate freshly cut sashimi. i was so happy, i was laughing like a giddy schoolgirl. i have numerous pictures to document this wonderful time. no joke, some of the best food i have ever put in my mouth.

i should move to tokyo.

Wee Hours

2008-07-10T20:12:00.000-07:00

last night i went out on the gay town. the gayborhood in tokyo is about 3 square blocks. but within that area there are about 30 establishments - bars, clubs, bookstores and saunas. how? they build up. there are bars on the 3rd or 5th or 7th floor of a building. i began my night at Dragon. the best means of conveying my night is through the many people i met as i consumed way too many Sapporo and shots of whiskey.

i think one of the favorites is bartender Nihak at Dragon. a local, who lived in brooklyn for 12 years (dancer), he hooked me up with good talk and good beer. it was his stevie wonder shirt that got my attention, not to mention his great smile. i look forward to seeing him again tonight. i forget the other bartender's name, but with his bleached blond hair and long conversations about dragonball z and miyazake, he is also imprinted - he has plans to move to vancouver with his husband to be so they can get married and enjoy the greenery. at the bar, i met scott, the charles schwab working san franciscoan (born and raised in syracuse), who has been with his partner for 23 years and will be getting gay married in october. i also met paul, a washington dc native who lived in africa for 17 years working for the State Department; we talked about obama's potential picks for state department posts.

i spent quite some time at Dragon with these men, but decided to broaden my horizons. my next stop was to Advocates where i imposed upon Phil, sydney native but in tokyo for 7 years, and guy=whose-name i forgot #2, born in marquette, michigan, lived on the Big Island in hawaii, and then tokyo for 10 years. we talked long windedly about living in tokyo, the gay scene and, but of course, comic books! #2 works for a film company, and so not only did various comic films enter the picture, but so did the knowledge that he was an avid comic reader for 20 years - we were quizzing each other on the New Mutants roster (remember them? the pre X Force days? work!). the comic discussion bored Phil. we were soon joined by a delightful transvestite, whose name i regrettably forgot. i do have pictures! she, phil, #2 and I spent the next 45 minutes talking about American Idol. oh Lakisha. oh Melinda. oh Sanjaya. our fallen stars...

Advocates was clearing out, and I had clearly missed my train home. back to Dragon for me! therein, I met Justin, from new zealand, lewis, from nyc but now in tokyo, alex, from france but now tokyo for study, and jim, from manchester. and of course, Nihak and bleached-blond-bartender. things got rowdy. i think i was there for another 2 hours of beer downing, shot taking, silliness. such a blast! remind me sometime about my conversation with Justin about Angels in America (it's just not appropriate for public consumption).

Around four in the morning, the bar closed up, people started going home, and I needed to kill some time between then and when the trains started so I could get to Tsujiki Fish Market. similarly to my comment about Angels in America, those stories are best delivered in person. let me just say, tokyo is one awesome adventure!

An Aside About Cleanliness

2008-07-10T03:36:00.000-07:00

ok. seriously. japenese toilets that aren't squat toilets are the best things ever. picture, if you please... you are sitting down to do a number two. after you finish up, instead of immediatly reaching for the TP or the babywipes, you press a button on the side of the toilet, and water begins to shoot at controllable pressure and temperature into your nether regions. after a cleansing wash, you press another button, and in lieu of the water comes a continuing blast of warm air to dry and comfort you. i can't get enough. swear. to. jebus.

Of Emperors and Octopus

2008-07-10T02:22:00.000-07:00

so first, let me be clear about something. my spelling and punctuation, as you all know, are impeccable. however, in japan, the keypads are proving a bit daunting, what with mixing things about and placing obstacles in front of my overzealous typing. for example, the quotation mark is shift+2. and apostrophe is shift+7. and the space bar is shorter to make way for the toggle switch between english and japanese. ready? っqウェリ. i don't know what that means. i hope it translates to "rock and roll ain't noise pollution."

moving on, without ever forgetting my caveat, today was a long jaunt around Tokyo. it began with a breakfast of watermelon and cherries while watching japanese tv. i am no more informed now than before I watched it, but I am more entertained. I took the train with Nari to work and then continued to the Imperial Palace and adjoining gardens. much of the palace has long been destroyed and all that remains are tall stone walls and guard buildings. the gardens were a nice walk, but overall, I wouldn't place it high on the list of things to do. then I went for a walk through the main shopping districts of Shibuya, Harajuku and Shinjuku. I didn't buy anything, but the 6 floors of toys at Kiddy Land blew me away. panda bear lotion dispensers? piggy banks that munch on your finger? more anime than I know what to do with? sorry joel, they had many a transformer, but not the ones you wanted. they did, however, have Soundwave ipods and Optimus's convoy in the form of ipod speakers.

after much walking about, I had a nice lunch buffet for a mere 10$. 1,200 yen. one thing i will say about yen - too many coins! anything below 1,000 yen is in coin form - 5, 10, 50, 100, 500. cmon now. my pockets are full, dude!

I really enjoyed the walking about. I still maintain that tokyo is a futuristic cartoon land. everything is bright and bouncy and cartoon like. by the way, Uniqlo japan is awesome! manga tshirts galore, though nothing that I thought looked good on me. in general, the clothes shopping is dynamite. I am not buying anything now, one, because I don't know what I'd even be looking for, and two, because I don¥'t have any room in my pack right now. when i get back to tokyo, I might pick something up.

following lunch, I went into Yoyogi park to see the Meiji shrine, a Shinto shrine built in remembrance of Emperor Meiji and his wife. Amazing. the buildings are insanely beautiful, and sited within a blossoming and dense park, transported me back in time to the Japan of legend. I was able to watch a brief prayer ceremony and take part in the shrine customs of handwashing, charity and prayer. the walk around the park both prior to, and following, the shrine knocked my socks off. austere beauty and dense greens, well sheltered from the noise of the city beyond. this is the park that Marcia, from the bar last night, suggested I visit on sunday, when it is filled with punks, firedancers, musicians and other hipster folk. I may stick around to experience local youth culture.

while walking into the shrine, I spotted a cute boy from afar - tall, blond, seemingly muscled and impeccable bone structure. I shadowed him for awhile, and after watching the prayer ceremony, I asked him if he could take my picture. following, we got to chatting. his name is Tommy, and he is on a five day trip from Finland. a very shy man, he had some of the worst teeth this side of austin powers. i quickly sensed our conversation was going nowhere quickly, and took my leave.

after more window shopping, I located the gay district for later adventures. but, with tired feet and an already hungry stomach, i took the train back to Nari's to relax until going out tonight.

sidenote, at Kingston last night, I also met a Japanese boy named Tomo who emailed me today with many a link to videos of him trainjumping. I will paste some of these after I take a look. I hope to find him later on down the line, as he seems like an interesting person to know.

i am also working to upload my pictures as I go to Flickr, and will post a link when I figure it out. as for now, i am going to have a beer, eat some sushi i picked up from the corner store, and chill with Nari's brother's girlfriend (who speaks no english, but who just stir fried some octopus I want to try). kampai!

Land of the Rising Sun

2008-07-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

I've arrived in Japan. Indeed, yesterday I landed at Tokyo, Narita airport at 2:30 pm. I really don't remember the flight as after a few glasses of wine, a clonopin and an over-the-counter sleeping pill, I fell into a deep state of unconciousness and awoke when the plane was landing. A wonderful respite that had rid of me of potential jet lag problems.

After clearing customs, I made my way through mazes of subway systems, ingesting food and drink bearing no english characters, and located my friend Nari near his work in Ebisu (by the large Ebisu Garden Place). Being an absolute gem, Nari and I took a taxi to his home near the

Todoroki station and then took a subway back into the city so I could figure out my bearings. He had prior dinner plans and left me to my own devices.

I headed to Roppongi. That area of town kind of reminds me on midtown Manhattan, if midtown Manhattan was cartoonish and in the future. Well, let me attempt to be a touch more descriptive. The subways (sleek, fast, spotless, video screens) and bathrooms (toilets have warm seats and shoot warm water and air into your butthole after a number 2) and showers (i still don't get it) and doors (push a button so they slide open) are way futuristic. And all the ads and videos are strange and bizarre cartoons.

I had some miso ramen and gyoza at a small shop off the beaten path. I am making an effort to eat only japanese food while here, and the first bite at the apple did not disappoint. From there I made my way to Roppongi Hills for the Tokyo City View. 52 stories into the air, I took in a 360 degree panoramic view of the city. Beautiful. I topped that off with a visit to the adjoining Mari Art Museum. The most interesting piece was a cow, sliced in half and preserved in a vat of formaldihyde. It was as if the Bodies exhibit now featured cows.

I needed a few drinks in my system and visited a bar called Kingston. I heard music from other bars, but nothing aside from Janet Jackson or Bon Jovi. Cmon now, this is Japan! So Kingston seemed to be the spot for me - something different. On the fifth floor of a building in the heart of Roppongi, I walked in to a darkened room with Desmond Dekker playing. Not bad. A cute girl behind the bar asked me what I wanted to drink. "a good shot, and a red stripe." She gave me some tequila. After a few minutes of talking, I learned that Marcia is Colombian and into world traveling. She had been in Japan for a few months and began working at this bar in Tokyo to allow her to stay on. I also learned that when she had lived in NYC, she called Greenpoint here home. How fun! So, she gave me some tips about things to do in Tokyo, pointing me out the "Williamsburg" of Tokyo. She also gave me her phone # and told me of a really fun Sunday party with music and bbq, in case I am still in town. A few shots and drinks later I took the last trains back to Nari's.

Looking forward to more!