An amazing summer in Tokyo

It's been an amazing summer in Tokyo. By living abroad and studying Japanese for an intensive four weeks, we have great insight to the Japanese language, culture, and food. We enjoyed being very busy with full class days every day of the week and then touring the museums and gardens. A favorite past time too was window-browsing the high fashion stores and admiring the beautiful food markets in the department store basements. We met many interesting people at our language school who were primarily European and Australian university students. Also, several adults attended for both business and personal interest in Japanese. Our teachers were highly qualified and excellent.

Genki JACs program

 

 Genki Japanese and Culture School, Tokyo

 

Yea! July 1-26, 2013

Yahoo! July 1-26, 2013

classmates

(German, French, Holland, Switzerland, and Boston)

classmates

(French, Holland, and Boston)



Japanese favorite flavors- green tea and red beans

Part of the fun in traveling is trying different food and tasting new flavors and combinations. The Japanese love green tea (matcha) and red bean (adzuki) flavors in everything. Green tea is a popular flavor for drinks: hot tea and cold bottled tea, sweetened, unsweetened, and even with milk. Starbucks (which is everywhere in Tokyo) serves several tea flavored drinks: roasted green tea latte (hojicha), jasmine orange tea latte, matcha tea latte, chai tea latte, green tea, and green tea frappuccino. Bread and pastries come in green tea flavors, which we can tell by the light green color. The green tea Kit Kat candy bar is delicious too.

Red beans are usually ground into a sweet paste and are a filling for steam buns, jelly candies, and glazed as whole beans on top of sweet soft rolls. Red beans are also served chopped up and mixed with rice as filling for sushi rolls and sushi triangles snacks (onigiri). Red beans are a favorite pairing with green tea flavored desserts, like green tea pudding parfait or ice cream with layers of red bean puree.

Popular Japanese flavors

Special Kit Kat

green-tea white chocolate flavored

Edo-Tokyo Museum

We explored the Edo-Tokyo Museum today after class and learned about the history of Tokyo (initially known as Edo) through the centuries from 1590 to 1964 when Tokyo hosted the Olympics. The museum building itself was impressive and resembled a modern torii or shrine entrance gate. Most of the explanations were in Japanese, but there was plenty to look at such as a replica of an old Kabuki (puppet) theater, models of the Edo Castle and a lord's mansion, and a town water well. There was one room that described how Japanese women traditionally gave birth, and another had displays of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the bombing raids of World War II.

We could climb into a man-carrier, sit on an adult tricycle, lift an old gold coin box, and ring a fire alarm. Fighting fires was a big deal during the 1700s where the towns were built of bamboo with buildings close together. Fire fighters had flags that they carried to sound the alarm. The interactive displays made it fun and easy way to spend the rainy afternoon. We got a better understanding of the art, disasters, culture, science, and even architecture of Tokyo.

 

Edo-Tokyo Museum

looking closely at a model of an Edo village

 

  village people- see the man's carrier?

 



ready for a lift in the full-sized man's carrier

 sounding the fire alarm

elaborate, colorful festival cart

riding the adult tricycle- showing the Western influence (1870s)

 

Edo-Tokyo Museum- exhibits on the top floors

 

 

 

 

The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (MOMAT)

Today we went to the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT), where we explored the largest collection of modern Japanese art. We have studied extensively Western-style paintings, but don't know much about Japanese art, so the museum was really interesting and a great exposure of the work by Japanese artists through the 1900s. The museum was well-designed in that the collection started on the 4th floor, starting with a "highlights" section of a handful of pieces that gave an idea of each period. Then we were led around each floor (3 total) starting from the earliest 1900s to the most contemporary works at the bottom. There were a handful of paintings by Western artists, like Klee, Kandisky, and Miro, that showed how their Impressionist and Cubism styles influenced the Japanese artists, such as Kishida Ryusei, Munakata Shiko, Kuroda Seiki, and Yokoyama Taikan. We always linger over the 1880s-1930s period with the beautiful Impressionist works and amusing Cubist pieces, but hurry through the more jarring works in the contemporary period.

After the museum, we crossed the street back in the Imperial Garden and then over into Ginza, the elegant boulevard shopping area, for some window browsing. We peeked into an 11-story (!) stationary shop full of origami paper, envelopes, cards, and fans. Noticing a bakery full of people, we popped in and bought one of their famous Anpans, sweet buns made of sake yeast and filled with red bean paste. We later found out the store was Kimuraya Sohonten, the first Western bakery in Tokyo, opened in 1869.

Imperial Palace- East Garden

watch towers along the moat

crossing the moat

pleasant garden and pond

restored tea house

 

The National Museum of Modern Art Tokyo

(MOMAT)

 great collection of modern works by Japanese artists

 

Shopping at Ginza

waving fans- popular way to cool off for the Japanese



The Japanese language

We first learned about the structure of Japanese at the University of Florida before studying how to speak, write, and read Japanese at the language school here in Tokyo. By structure, we mean the basic linguistic components (subject, verb, object) found in every language, the morphology (the little bits that make up the bigger parts, like prefixes or verb endings), and the phonology (the sounds and how they're combined). Japanese sentence structure is subject-object-verb with particles that mark the grammatical function of words.

Here's an example of the subject-object-verb sentence structure:
Michiko-san wa sushi-o tabe-mas. Michiko eats sushi.

The wa marks the subject (Michiko-san), o the object (sushi), and mas is the present tense verb conjugation for the verb taberu (to eat). 

Also different than English, Japanese adjectives are conjugated, changing in the present/past and whether positive/negative.

Most famously, Japanese has a complex system of honorifics with verb forms and vocabulary that change depending on the relative status of the speaker, the listener, and the persons mentioned. Pronouncing Japanese is easy actually because the vowels are pure and the syllables are mostly CV (consonant-vowel) structure.

Learning the language has helped us to understand the structure better... but a linguist doesn't need to learn every language before understanding how it works.

(image means Nihongo or Japanese)

Greetings and Bowing

The Japanese greet each other with bowing, which also is used for showing respect, gratitude, and apologies. The bow can range from a head nod to a 45 degree or lower bow to indicate deep respect. Even the traffic crossing guards give us a bow while we pass by!

The Japanese do no like physical contact and reserve handshaking for business situations. Greeting with hugs and kisses European-style or couples holding hands are unacceptable. Any child punishment is reserved for the home, as the children seem to behave beautifully in public.

Verbal expressions range in formality with ohayoo used between friends and family and ohayoo gozimasu used for less intimate acquaintances, similarly with arigatoo and arigatoo goziamasu. For good-bye, there are several expressions depending on how long you will be separted. Sayoonara indicates that the speaker will not see the person addressed to before she "turns a page in her life"; or until the next day or until fate brings them together. We do not hear sayoonara often, as it is mainly for school children saying goodbye to their teachers for the day.

Rikugien Garden, Nippori

We strolled through a small traditional Japanese-style garden and pond, the Rikugien Garden, that was completed in 1702 during the Edo period. In the 1900s, it became a second resident of the founder of Mitsubishi. Unique to the garden were the variety of natural bridges, including a large slab stone bridge, earthern bridge, and small stepping stones. Later in the day we crossed over a modern pedestrian bridge with views of the skyscrapers and highways. It was an interesting comparison of crossings. Before we headed back south to main Tokyo, we walked through Nippori, an older area with little traffic and several pedestrian-only streets.

Rikugien Garden

overview from the tallest hill in the garden, 35m high,

Fujimi-yama, "Fuji-view Peak"

stepping stones

 grassy bridge

 



old boat

stone bridge

 

Nippori

 old-fashioned shopping lane

 

shop selling handmade bamboo baskets

bustling vegetable stall

Yanaka cemetary- interesting vertical markers

 

Modern pedestrian bridge crossing

 

 

 

Eclectic experiences

Each day we see different things in Tokyo and are enjoying the experience of everyday living here and seeing how the Japanese live, work, and play. Here is a collection of sights from the past few days, such as flowers from a garden, a wind chime display and home decor store at an indoor mall, bowling alley on the seventh floor of a high rise, and popular steam buns from a department store basement food court.

Shinjuku Garden

lovely hydrangeas provide color along the city streets

interesting Asian-style tea house

roses in bloom

 

Browsing displays and stores

at an indoor mall (Tokyo Midtown)

Fanning a chime so it will ring

wind chime display structure

home decor- modern tatami seating

typical 'double' sized Japanese Western-style bed

 

Bowling on the 7th floor

37 lane bowling alley on the 7th floor!

 

Popular snacks

 delicious steam buns

filled with seafood, meat, and vegetables

 

Japanese fondue

We usually think of seafood first with the Japanese diet, but meat has also become part of their diet. Meat was originally considered unclean by Buddhists and banned until the late 19th century. Now the Japanese prepare meat in delicious dishes such as sukiyaki and shabu-shabu, both fondue-style. Sukiyaki is a thinly sliced beef dish cooked at the table in a broth of soy sauce, stock, and sake along with vegetables like scallions, mushrooms, tofu, and bamboo shoots. The custom is to serve yourself from the pot and then dip the bite into your own bowl of raw egg. The eggs here have the most amazing orange-red color. We love to buy the hard-boiled ones from the market and have them daily as snacks. Another table-side service is shabu-shabu, which is also thinly sliced beef cooked in a broth with vegetables. The difference between the two is that sukiyaki has a soysauce and sake-flavored stock while shabu-shabu has a clear, lightly flavored stock.  They're actually pretty expensive to order at a restaurant with dishes at about $25-$55 per person. Both are delicious and it's really fun to use your chopsticks and cook your own meat and vegetables. So next time when you're having fondue, consider chopsticks instead of fondue forks. :)

Sukiyaki

 



Shabu-shabu

 

 (these photos are courtesy of other web pages; we couldn't take photos in the restaurants)



Chopsticks (hashi)

Like the Western fork and spoon, chopsticks or "hashi" (meaning 'bridge') are an important utensil in Japanese (and all Asia) eating and cooking. Japanese chopsticks are rounded and tapered at the point while Chinese chopsticks are squared off and blunt. We see chopsticks everywhere, mainly disposable ones at restaurants and convenience stores but also at shops that solely sell chopsticks and chopstick holders. Chopsticks range in price and quality with some going for more than a hundred dollars each. The wood and ornamentation vary, with each set having a different personality, from playful ones that look like color pencils with bright primary colors to elegantly carved ones from rare wood to modern ones with sparkles and a black glossy finish. Chopstick etiquette is very important; here are some rules for correct chopstick usage.

And if you can't remember anything else... it's ok to use your fingers to eat sushi rolls!

Coffee Milk

We've noticed that the most frequently consumed beverages are hot green tea, complimentary at convenient stores and department stores, and cold coffee milk cups. At restaurants, hot green tea and water are served immediately along with a sanitation hand towel or hot towel. During the meal, beer, especially, but wine as well are enjoyed. Rather than sodas or bottled water, cold coffee milks by Starbuck's, Mt Rainier, and Van Houtte are very popular. Cafes are all over Tokyo- there are more Starbuck's than any other international franchise here! The hot summer climate probably is a factor in the choice of beverage. The drinks, either purchased at one of the ubiquitous vending machines or Family Marts (7-Elevens), are consumed immediately on site, and tossed in the appropriate recycling bin before moving on. We have not seen any Japanese eat either while walking, even an ice cream cone is consumed while sitting.

 

Japanese Cold Coffees 

popular coffee beverages sold in convenience stores

vending machines selling coffee drinks

Super view of Tokyo, and an onsen experience

With clear, blue skies this afternoon, we went to a well-known (and free!) observatory for a view of the Tokyo. Located just west of Shinjuku station (about 20 minute walk from class), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) Office offers the best free view of Tokyo. The building itself is impressive- 3 buildings, with the tallest where the observatory is at 48 stories (240 m or 787 ft). Many important Japanese government offices are in the complex, so it must be quite a sight when all the floors and cubicles are filled by the workers during the week. Today was a holiday, so it was quiet.

Since it was a holiday, the program organized an excursion for the group to go to an onsen, Ooedo-Onsen Monogatari, which was located about a 30 minute metro ride south east. After changing into yukatas (cotton kimonos), we went to the baths (men and women had separate areas) and enjoyed relaxing in the several different bathing tubs at various temperatures, a Jacuzzi, and several outdoor baths. The souvenir shops, games, and restaurants on site made it a little hokey, but apparently the onsen is really popular. There weren't many people there today, but maybe that was because it was noon on a hot July day.

Views from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office

interesting (and huge!) skyscrapers

western views

 we look short!

 



Tokyo Metropolitan Government office,

twin 48-story towers with observatories