Another update from Japan! I should have been writing more, but honestly, I haven’t done that much that I felt writing about. A lot of stuff I do in my everyday life is the same as I have been explaining previously. That said it’s not like I just sit at home, so here are some of the things I have been up to.

I also did the mandatory visit to Asakusa temple, and it’s very beautiful and big. And thank god for that, because if it wasn’t that big you wouldn’t be able to see it for all the tourists! I went there, as I had something else to do nearby, and saw the temple and took pictures of the gates, I didn’t want to join the crowd for a picture of the main temple, so perhaps another time. It’s a sight but honestly, with all the great and beautiful temples in Japan, I can’t recommend this one, unless you love joining the hoards of tourists trying to get the best shot of the temple…

One thing that I always will be surprised by is all the festivals that are during summer and early fall. They aren’t limited to certain areas either. So one day you just exit the supermarket and this is walking down the road, to the sounds of drums. It’s such a great sight and lots of people enjoy it, just be careful because if you hang around for too long you will get pulled in and join them carrying! Truly a thing for everybody!

In September the sharehouse held another BBQ, where we got together and met some of the new people. As some people only are here for vacation, and others move once they get a bit more used to Japan, it’s nice to have an event to get to know everyone. So as far as we know, I’m currently the one who has been in the sharehouse the longest. But I have some great friends here, and it’s always fun to go hang out with them, and the random party on a Wednesday night, because someone finished an exam.
So we ate some BBQ, drank some beers and listened to music, it was a great time!

After the BBQ, I went to Craig and his family’s house, Craig is a professor from ICU (a big university nearby), whom I meet in the sento I go to every week. He is an American who lives in Tokyo and lived here years ago, he had moved back to America, but after certain things happened, they moved back to Japan. He has taught me a lot about Japan and Japanese culture I didn’t know, and it’s super fun to hear the perspective of someone who went through my struggles earlier and hear his perspective on things.
We had been talking for some weeks and I got invited over for dinner, we drank some beer, ate some great food his wife prepared and she even taught me how to cook fish in the Japanese fish grills (It’s ridiculously easy, but tastes amazing!).

So on the school front, as you might have guessed, there is more grammar, more words, more forms, and more homework. All in all what you would expect. I cleared level two and moved on to level 3. The thing is, in level 2 I spent too much energy and focus on passing and studying my high-level course, that it started having negative effects on my health. So for level 3 I decided to limit myself on how long I’m allowed to study each day, and in general to focus more on having fun (Japan and Japanese is my hobby after all), so I have it way better currently. Today I got my mid-term exam results back, and let’s just say that limiting my studies is reflected in my grades, so I have to repeat level 3.
After school, I still hang out with my friends, one of the times we went to an arcade, and there they had this awesome Pong table, I just wanted to show you it was super fun, but way harder to control than it should have been.

I still go to Abu every Sunday, often along with Craig as I showed him this hidden gem. I get to try a lot of different foods, get told stories both old and new, and have gotten to know the other locals. We talked about some Japanese foods and ended on 梅干し (umeboshi [pickled plums]), there are different kinds of these, so Nakamura-san (the owner), went up in their private and fetched Craig and me one each of his late mother’s homemade plums. Very special and his father wasn’t particularly happy that we got one each. So that was a very special feeling. Not nearly the same, but the week after I was able to return with a Linie aquavit (snaps), so I at least could give something in return, and though their faces changed when they tried it, they ended up enjoying it. Craig loved it, so I wonder if I should get a different kind for some occasion. I feel like I get so much, but have so little to return, and it’s kind of annoying me…

So what now, what am I planning and what am I up to? the next few things I’m planning is a trip to Takaosan (a mountain nearby), to see all the fall leaves turn yellow and red. Yes, you heard that right, we are currently at the end of November and the leaves are barely starting to turn yellow now… Also why I’m so confused about the weather, we can have 22 degrees and sun one day, and 2 days later we have 9 degrees and clouds..?
Japanese houses aren’t built with isolation in mind I have noticed, so not heated areas are starting to get rather cold.
Another trip I most likely will take soon is a trip to Hakone, a lovely area roughly 1,5 outside of Tokyo, with some great views, lovely hot springs, and black eggs cooked in said hot springs. So I’m looking forward to that as well
When this semester ends 21’th of December, we will be on our biggest vacation until January 17th! Currently, I have nothing planned, but I will properly figure something up.

Until the next one!