The Kansai Trip
Background
Japan is divided into two major geographic areas, Kansai and Kanto, which means Western and Eastern plain. Tokyo is in Kanto, whereas Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe are located in Kansai. In addition to geographic differences, there are interesting cultural ones as well between these two areas. Tokyo is considered to be Japan's most international city, with a large foreign population that influences the local culture heavily from cuisine to music and art. Kyoto, on the other hand, is still the cradle of traditional Japanese culture. Their accent and style of speech is so indirect and polite that it is common to hear about businessmen from Tokyo who complain about not understanding what the Kyotoite was really trying to say (sounds a lot like American businessmen in Tokyo). Then, about 40 minutes by train from Kyoto is Osaka, the down and dirty blue collar worker city of Japan (think Philadelphia). A common greeting in Osaka is translated roughly as "Made any money lately?", imagine someone in Tokyo saying something like that! Every Osakan I have met has been sure to point out how different they are from Tokyo people, and their rough Osaka-ben (accent) and attitude is a source of pride and distinction for them, and jokes for Tokyoites.
The First Day
This was the trip that everyone was waiting for, the centerpiece of our year in Japan. The Monday after finals, we all gathered at Tokyo Station, eagerly awaiting our Shinkansen (bullet train) ride to Kyoto. I had seen many Shinkansen trains on TV and in person, but had never actually been on one before. After what seemed like forever waiting for our train (that was just my excitement, the trains in Japan are never late), it pulled up and we had a few minutes to admire it close up before getting on. It looked very much like a jet built for travel on rails with it's aerodynamic nose and glistening white and blue paint. On entering the cabin, it also looked very similar to an airline jet, except for the seats, which were nicer and could rotate around so you could talk to the people behing you. As the train left Tokyo Station we were all kind of quiet, as if expecting a sudden burst of acceleration or other kind of turbulence, but nothing strange at all happened. If anything, the train was riding much smoother than regular Japan Railways and subway trains. Soon, an attendant came down the aisle selling food, gifts, and beer (even though it was only about 10 am, that's Japan), so we all had an Asahi to celebrate the end of Fall term. I couldn't help but notice the slightly amused regular passengers, mostly business commuters, watching us and laughing occasionally at our festivity. About halfway through my beer, I looked out the window and noticed that things were going by very quickly! Then, another Shinkansen blew by us going the other way in the form of a whistling blur that lasted about two seconds. What an amazing feat of engineering to create mile upon mile of tracks so precise that trains can travel over them at about 140 miles/hour with hardly a bump. Unfortuneately, it was too cloudy to see much other than the cities we passed through occasionally. At about noon we arrived at Kyoto station ready to explore "Old Japan", and were rushed off the train before it continued on to Osaka.
As we rode our tour bus through Kyoto to the first of many, many temples, shrines, and places of interest on the itinerary, I noticed many interesting differences from Tokyo. First of all, the streets were arranged in a grid pattern similar to American cities. In Tokyo, it is a rare street that goes in a straight line for more than about half a mile. I have read that was done intentionally during the old Edo period to make the city more difficult for invading armies to navigate. Nowadays, I think it is part of what gives Tokyo such character, but I digress... Another striking thing about Kyoto was the presence of historic buildings and centers all throughout the city. Far too many to visit in our short time there, but even passing them on a tour bus was gripping to us, who were used to ultra-modern Tokyo, where older shrines and temples are few, most likeley renovated after 1945, and always out of the way of business traffic.
--TO BE CONTINUED--
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