Charles and Christy’s Weblog

So, today was day #2 of the satellite conference.  I haven’t really had much time to explore Takarazuka though I have enjoyed our 15 minute walk to the conference site from the train station.  We walk behind all of the school children in their cute uniforms.  We even get to see them doing their morning exercise in the school yard.  I went for a short walk around Takarazuka this morning by the river that runs through town and there were some heron and egrets in the water.

Last night, another conference attendee and I skipped the formal banquet and went to a local market to pick up dinner… cold soba noodles with beans and some steamed pork buns.  The Japanese version of a food court is so much better than the American version… so much fresh fruit and fish.

We left the conference a little early today (3 pm) to start our train trip back towards the airport.  We bought bento boxes to take with us.  It was about a 5 hour train ride from Takarazuka to Narita (both a city and an airport).  We are now settled at our hotel.  After breakfast tomorrow morning, Li-lin (a fellow conference attendee) and I will go to a nearby shopping street and temple before heading to the airport.  My flight back has a layover in LA… I hope my flight home goes better than my flight here.  At least I’ll have clothes at home if they lose my luggage this time.

I will try to write a final entry with my overall thought on my visit.  The short version is that I’ve really enjoyed it.  It is a beautiful country with very efficient transit and city planning.  The food is good.  It is also an interesting mix of very modern and classic culture.  I’m sure that Charles and I will come back…

Today is the first day of the satellite conference.  The weekend off was very interesting.  First thing Saturday morning, one of Charles’ friends from business school, Nori, and his wife met me in Yokohama.  They guided four of us (Rick, Martin Moskovits, one of Martin’s former students, and me) on a tour of Kamakura.  Kamakura was the capital of Japan before Kyoto, and thus, has some beautiful temples.  We saw an enormous Bhudda.  It was cast from bronze and you could actually go inside.  We also went to a Shinto temple and learned about some Shinto traditions.  We had lunch in a sushi bar where all the different kinds of sushi go around the restaurant on a conveyor belt and you just grab what you want.  Then you pay based on the number and color of the plates on your table. 

After a lot of rushing and lugging suitcases around subways stations, we got onto the bullet train to Kyoto.  I was staying in a traditional ryokan.  You have to take your shoes off and wear slippers inside.  Then you cannot even wear the slippers in your room.  The floor is covered with tatami mats and appointed beautifully.  My room had a back door that looked right onto a babbling creek.  The ryokan had a public bath (gender-segregated, of course) - an interesting experience… actually a lot like the Turkish baths in Budapest as far as I can tell.  The food was overwhelming.  There is a special cuisine in Kyoto called Keiseki (spelling?) and it was so much food that I couldn’t believe it… many items that I could not identify.  I could not wear my normal clothes to dinner - a woman that works at the ryokan dressed me correctly in a gown.  I felt like I was wearing a costume but it was nice to have the authentic experience.

On Sunday, we wandered around the temples of Kyoto.  We walked the Philospher’s Path to the Silver Temple where there are beautiful Zen rock gardens and bonsai trees.  This was how I imagined Japan.  It started to rain pretty hard so we ducked into a shop and a bought a few souveniers.  We then took the train (again lugging luggage) to Takaruzka where I am staying for the conference.  This is a much smaller town… famous for a comic book museum and a theater.  Unfortunately, I won’t have time to see a show because of the conference.  I will try to write more details about the weekend when I have better computer access…

After the last talk of the conference yesterday, Rick, a colleague named Marco, and I decided to head into Tokyo. We changed trains 3 times but eventually we made it to the Asakusa station where the famous senso-ji temple is. This is the most famous Bhuddist temple in Tokyo (in Japan maybe?) It is quite beautiful. We saw statues of the four major “gods” and people were surrounding a large incense well, letting it wash over them for good health. People buy little pieces of paper for the equivalent of $1 and then tie them all over these racks for luck. You could also light a candle for someone just like in Christian churches. It is a little hard to get used to a symbol that you see everywhere that looks like the Nazi sign… but otherwise the temple was quite nice. We also went to a nearby Shinto temple before shopping a little in the market near Senso-ji.

From there, we took the train to Ginza (the Tokyo equivalent of Times Square). It was very busy on a Friday night. The stores are very high end (Harry Winston, Prada, etc) and the people on the street are very fashionable. We saw some women in kimono - they are very beautfiul… and very expensive as I found out when we went into a kimono store. The most expensive one we saw was more than $13,000. Ginza is beautiful and energetic - I love cities, and Tokyo is a great city. I wish I could spend more time there.

Today, I will meet up with Nori (a friend of Charles’ from B-school). He and his wife will take us on a tour of Kamakura before I get onto the bullet train for Kyoto). Tonight I will stay in tradition Japanese ryokan. Both Yokohama and Tokyo are pretty modern cities whereas Kyoto is more traditional… so it should be very interesting. I don’t think I will have internet access until Monday so I will write again then!

After yesterday’s conference sessions, we had the official conference banquet.  After dinner, there was a short lecture about the origin of the Japanese language.  I am pretty undereducated in this area, so I learned a lot.  I didn’t know that the Japanese people use 3 different alphabets.  In the 3rd or 4th century, instead of coming up with their own written alphabet, they started using the Chinese kanji.  Later, the kanji were not sufficient to express all Japanese ideas, so they developed two more alphabets (both related to kanji).  Each has about 50 characters with each character representing a sound (like our alphabet).  This is in great contrast to kanji which are ideograms. The speaker did some funny things… showing us representations of scientific names/terminology in all 3 alphabets.  After the lecture, the hosts brought out a large cask and asked 3 distinguished professors to don robes and break open the cask.  These professors then ladeled out sake to all of the guests (>500 people).  I have never had sake before, and I liked it very much.  After the sake distribution, ~10 young people came on stage with traditional Japanese drums for a concert.  It was very loud but good.  Afterwards, they let the guests come up and play the drums.  I have a hilarous video of Rick and Andreas Otto playing.

There are a few cultural characteristics in Japan that I wish were a little more prevalent in the US.  First, humility seems to be a revered characteristic in people.  When the organizers were giving speeches, they were very modest even though they worked very hard and the conference was quite successful.  Also, people seem to work hard at everything they do, and they don’t attempt to hide that.  It is OK to be industrious… so often, in the US, people need to look like they are successful without trying too hard. 

Today is the last day of talks.  In the afternoon, I have to decide whether I will visit a local silk museum or head into Tokyo (or both).  It is raining quite hard right now… so, I’ll see if that passes.  Tomorrow, I will meet with one of Charles’ friends from UNC to tour Kamakura and then I will spend a day in Kyoto before heading to the second conference.  

Yesterday morning was filled with the usual talks… but the afternoon was allocated for the conference excursion to Mt. Fuji.  Everyone was handed a bento box as we got on a bus.  Then we drove for 2.5 hours to reach the 5th station of Mt Fuji (~8000 ft).  I understand that it would take 6-8 hours to climb from there to the top (~12000 ft).  I would like ot do this someday.  Obviously, we only wandered some paths around the 5th station and went to some shops.  It was pretty hard to see the top because it was so foggy but it was quite beautiful.  There are lava rocks everywhere and interesting trees/flowers.  It seemed like a very spiritual place once you got away from the crowds and shops.  You also get a few of the “Southern Alps” from the 5th station… though those were also hard to see.  After our time at Mt. Fuji, we went to the strangest restaurant.  It was a buffet that had food from all over the world.  You receive a plate that is split into 9 separate little boxes (bento style) and then take some of everything.  It was also a brewery, so there were local beers to try.  One thing I just can’t get used to is the lack of Japanese “line etiquette”.  Nobody waits in line for anything… even at a buffet, people just jump right in front of you to grab what they want.  I remember that this was also true in China… it’s just hard to get used to.  Then, we took a long bus ride back to our hotels.  My jet lag is finally wearing off - I actually slept until nearly 7 am this morning.  Maybe I won’t be exhausted at 9 pm tonight.  After a full day of talks, tonight is the conference banquet.  I understand that we’ll be on a boat in the harbor - should be beautiful.

It is Wednesday morning in Yokohama, and I wanted to write a few words about what a nice city this is.  The city seems so well planned.  All of the shopping areas and restaurants are integrated into the subway stops and bus lines.  People walk everywhere.  Even though it seems like everyone smokes, there are not cigarette butts or litter anywhere… despite the fact that it is difficult to find a trash can on the streets.  They seem very energy concious… turning off electricity to buildings not in use at night.  Even in my hotel room, the electricity is not on unless I’m in the room - I have to put my key in a socket when I enter to activate the electrical appliances.  I know that this city had to be completely rebuilt after WWII… but it still shows a lot of foresight.

 On another note, I wrote about having sushi for lunch yesterday… well, I had more for dinner.  I went out with a group of 10 conference attendees (Paul Champion, Rina Dukor, Sandy Asher, Larry Ziegler, Katrin Kneipp, Rick, and a few others for the scientists reading).  Rick wanted to go to the Japanese restaraunt in the Intercontinental Hotel.  It was beautiful but very expensive.  He ordered an array of sushi for each of us.  They brought us so much food - I didn’t get anywhere close to finishing it.  The most exotic thing on our plates was sea urchin eggs… I didn’t eat it but was dared to.  I like the idea behind sushi… small bits of many different foods.  I think I need a  break from sushi today - I’m going to look for a noodle bento box for lunch.  After this morning’s talks, we are going on the conference excursion to Mt. Fuji.