(Review 1 | Review 2 | Interview with Director)
Getting There
Earlier this term I spent many hours with a travel agent arranging this trip when I should have been studying. Because of obon, mid-August is one of the busiest times for all forms of transportation in Japan, and we had to try many different combinations of routes and carriers.
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AGENT: Your last name?
ME: H-I-R-U-K-I. (I don't bother saying it because I know I'll likely have to spell it anyway) AGENT: Hiruki? That's a common name in Japan, right? ME: (Surprised) Uh, no, it isn't actually ... AGENT: Sure, it must be. I've known other people named Hiruki ... where was that? Oh yes! In university, my prof in my Japanese language course was Hiruki-sensei. ME: (Now interested) Oh? Which university? It turns out the person wasn't a long-lost relative, but my mother! This was a good example of erroneous conclusions due to sampling error, just like we learned in my statistics course. :-) |
I ended up going through Nagoya on Canadian Airlines. They have started joint flights with Japan Air Lines, so crews are drawn from both staff. I'm sure the main motivation was budgetary for these two financially troubled carriers, but the move might yield other dividends if the CAI flight attendants can learn a thing or two about truly courteous (as opposed to just competent) service from their JAL counterparts.
From Nagoya I rode a full Boeing 767 on a domestic flight to Fukuoka, then went to the harbour where
the Taiko Maru, the passenger boat to Fukue leaves from. I boarded two hours early,
and even then only managed to secure a spot in a hallway. At least I got to lie down,
unlike others who had to sit on the stairs for the overnight trip! Luckily we didn't capsize (I can't stand that Titanic song).
Hatsubon
The first Festival of the Dead after a family member passes away, and the sole reason for this trip.Food
In Fukue, our suppers were at the restaurant of the hotel where some of my relatives were staying. We enjoyed superb meals of local specialties.Tokugawa Art Museum
I needed air-conditioned refuge during a half day in Nagoya waiting for my flight to Canada, so I went to see this famous treasure trove of shogun-era artifacts. You can too -- just click on the link!Major Buys
- Pocket towel - Because a handkerchief wasn't absorbent enough. A beach towel might have been better, given all the sweat I was pouring out.
- Makura - I got a real Japanese pillow at a depaato for less than half the price charged by these guys. Hmm, but if you calculate in the airfare maybe it wasn't such a good deal ...
- Japan continues to be mired in a fukeiki (recession), but there is still little overt evidence of it in daily life to the casual observer. I'm told it is because the Japanese (at least the older people) have huge amounts of cash savings. Flea markets and Y100 stores (the monetary and conceptual equivalent of dollar stores) are increasingly popular. I picked up a few small Japanese dishes that would have cost four to five times as much in Canada.
- Monpei - These loose pants with elasticized waist and ankles are actually meant for yard work, but with the cool pattern and feel of the fabric, I thought they'd be good for a "bohemian lounging around" look.
- Nenohi Junmai-dai-ginjoh - Lately on my return trips I've been buying sake (rice wine) instead of hard liquor at the duty free store. It's more interesting (and less expensive!) to explore the unique tastes of various types of sake from different regions. I've never seen this local Nagoya brand before. In Canada, most liquor stores only carry Gekkeikan brand.
