Submitted by Felix Ackon on the 2017 winter session program in Japan sponsored by the Department of Behavioral Health & Nutrition…
I cannot believe that I have already spent six days here in Japan. I remember arriving to Narita Airport on Tuesday (January 3rd) afternoon and using the shuttle and train system for the first time. I was surprised with how safe, clean and sleek the train and subway infrastructure is. From my short experience with the subway, it appears to be superior to the NY metro in almost every way.
I knew I was not in Delaware anymore when I stared at the train stops and advertisements, but could not pronounce or understand the text because they were written in Kanji (Chinese symbols used by Japanese). I arrived at the hostel during the evening and simply wanted to rest.
The space and lay out of our accommodation was different than all the dorms that I have lived in during my four years here at UD. The size of the room was small and to my surprise, it is able to hold four people. Later during the week, I realized that this was done to maximize the amount of space used. This explains why the sidewalks and roads are tight; also why restaurants have very limited seating. This was quite the change from my usual “bigger is always better” viewpoint. Similarly, the showers and sinks are designed to conserve water through sensors that immediately shut them off after a certain amount of time. Lastly, the restroom looked like it was brought from the future. Toilets were equipped with seat warmers, bidets and music sounds that switched on with a press of a button. I will definitely miss these features once I come back home.
The next day we walked around the area and saw a few shrines and temples. The locals pay tribute to their ancestors and I say this because anyone who enter the temples has to wash their hands before they can enter. Although the area is urban, the ancient buildings and temples were still kept.
The streets began to get crowded during the afternoon time. It reminded me of the swarms of people getting out of Penn Station in Manhattan because it would be very easy to get lost. I was thankful that I learned how to say excuse me in Japanese because the small sidewalks make it hard to avoid pushing into somebody.
Lastly, I saw a street performance of a few drummers and a dragon that chomps on children for good luck. This was another showcase of their respect for their ancestors.
Today we traveled to Asakusa and watched a sensei and his pupil perform a traditional dance. We had to perform a special bow that was distinct for male and females to greet the sensei. We sat on our knees during the duration of the performance. Because I am so used to sitting in a chair, I felt really uncomfortable in this position. This stance showed me how strong and disciplined the Japanese are. The pupil was only 14 years old, but she was very graceful with her dance. I could tell that she spent a lot of time learning about the history of the dance.
Later that day, we walked to the sky tower and I got a chance to see the aquarium. I took a lot of pictures here and really felt like a tourist.
During the day time, we traveled to a place known for its night life. There was an arcade that contained games for any kind of person. The audience ranged from children to middle aged adults. Since gambling is legal, the arcade serves as a place to gamble and includes slot machines. I traveled to a Samurai museum and learned about their history, weapons and armor.
Overall, this week has been a great experience. I am starting to embrace the local routines and have grown accustomed to the noodles, soup and seafood diet.