Today was my first day of classes, and I was going to use this opportunity to talk about Rikkyo University and it's campus, as well as my first day. Well like any good plan it went straight out the window. More and more I am realizing I should give up on this whole planning thing. Chaos is hard to plan for, but much easier to direct.
When the first thing I get to do in class is a spelling test that sends me down a grade if I fail that's a great way to leave me in a completely irate mood for the rest of the day. Don't worry! I passed it! But it was still a blind side from the dark and left me reeling for hours after. I hate spelling tests. I always have. They were the one thing that made me feel like an (academic) idiot in grade school.
"You don't know how to spell that? Wow, I bet you must not be all that smart."
"Yeah, well I bet I can calculate the rough velocity, timing, and trajectory of my shoe bouncing off your face in my head."
Factor in the sprinkling rain at lunch and I was not in the mood to go around and photograph the campus. There will be more sunny days, even if they are in spring.
I chose instead to take care of paperwork. I finalized my class schedule, signed up to take part in a University Study Abroad fair tomorrow, and received information that the Rykko Kendo Club is interested in having me practice with them! I chose to keep this good trend going and take care of some paperwork at the Asaka City Office that I forgot to when I first registered as an Alien (I'm sorry, but that's just cool to say). Mainly it was a nice simple piece of paper saying I wasn't earning an income so I wasn't going to be paying into (or taking away from) the state pension fund. It was doing me very little sitting in a "to do" pile.
The city office is at a different station then my dorm, but only one away. At the ticket counter I was confronted with the dilemma the title of this post comes from. If I took the Semi-express and got off at Asaka rather then the express to Asakadai it was only 240 yen, rather than my usual 300 (So, about 60cents cheeper for you folks in the US). However, I knew the one stop fee between the two stations after that was 140 yen. But for one station was it worth that much? I mean, not truly thinking penny pinching here, but just... it was only one station away. All you needed to do was keep the tracks on your right and you'd get there. It'd stopped drizzling and just changed to a comfortable grey. It wasn't bad out per se.
It was the train ride that helped me decide in the end, or lack of a speedy one that is. I chose to take the Semi-Express to get off at Asaka, but it was the fact mid-way through the trip the train happened to stop that gave me perspective. Not sure what happened even now well after. The engineer was speaking in fast Japanese and I could only catch a bit of it; the times and all the "kudasai"s in particular. From what I gather something kept our train and the other local train in the station stuck for upwards of an hour. I hear this happens and I didn't have anywhere to be, so I enjoyed my music and an impromptu nap. When they decided to let the local train we were paired with go up the tracks I hopped aboard it and continued on my way. I say that like it was some kind of decision, but when you are listening to the conductor and only can understand a time that is yet another half hour away and something about another train moving... you follow the crowd and hope your guessing was close.
Turns out it was; and by the time I made it to the City office I completely realized I had nothing I was waiting on save homework and getting to the city office while it was open. After I did that I could go for a walk of indeterminate distance and only general location. It wouldn't be hard to save 140 yen.
The visit was productive, I took care of my problem with only slight difficulties and even was able to pick up my Alien Registration card early! It saved on another trip I'd have to do in two weeks. Soon I was on my way wondering down really narrow roads and through all different kinds of neighborhoods.
The first thing that popped up on me was this shrine:
I really wasn't expecting it but, bamb, turn a corner and there it was. I wasn't sure about paying my respects, at least alone and without anyone to tell me to bow at the shrine and not just an ornate fishbowl. So I soldiered on.
As I began to weave through these tight nit houses and down these narrow roads the first thing that floated into my head was this odd safety about it. Not my safety, if I was a small white girl and it was late at night I would probably feel scared as all hell. But the safety people felt over the things there. Well cared for plants siting next to the doorways. Fencing made more to keep out eyes than pilfering hooligans. Umbrellas just sitting right outside next to the door. The people felt safe leaving them out there. Sure on their property, but not under latch and key. I don't know for certain why they felt that they could leave their fold up bikes safely behind a knee high stone wall or all they'd need to do to keep people from placing garbage in their pick up location by covering it with a small fishnet. Was it the fact if someone nicked something you'd know who it was since they lived right next door or was it an aspect of the Japanese social pride? The thing that results in Japanese CD copyright protection being a note in the CD case asking you nicely not to steal it; and allows it to actually work!
I was reminded of images you'd get of the edges of old medieval cities or villages, or those places where a community existed here simply because it needed to. Occasionally a shop or little bar would pop up in a crack. The dark shadows and soft yellow glow of lamps at night would exist here just as it had for centuries prior.
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| (The Photo I wanted for this had a more hilly slope and some red lamps but it didn't turn out, but I didn't want to leave you empty handed so... here have this!) |
These little neighborhoods all had that feel, and I saw a wide variety.
Some that looked like they were styled off of old castles...
I even saw across the way (and a small crop field!) what looked to be the Japanese attempt at those horrific cookie cutter suburbia projects. The ones that keep trying to buy the old farm back home.
Whatever the reason though, no matter what type of household you'd find down these roads they all had that same feel to them. That same community, that odd relaxed safety.
I saw a few people, but I mean only a few from where you are packed elbow to elbow anywhere else usually. A few kids on over-sized bikes rode by (and fell over once or twice) and there were plenty of people walking their small dogs with bags in their hands. I would love to add some flair and say they glared at the various "No Dog Poopy" signs with desire for impunity but this is Japan, people don't readily show that to others. Only once did I catch a glare that unsettled me and made me feel like I wasn't wanted, and it was from a cat.
A street cat mind you, these were his roads he had all right to be angry at you mucking about in them. But it was the way he looked, slowly turned his head at me. It reminded me of those looks you'd get when someone who wasn't very nice wanted to let you know that these were his side of the train tracks and you'd best only cross them one more time: when you left. It went something like this:
"Oh hey, how are you-"
"Goodtalkingwithyoubye!"
The way continued on and I could see up ahead was the outcropping of buildings, one of which I knew I lived in:
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| (... the slightly shorter one just touching the left of the power pole in the center of the frame. If you really wanted to know.) |
On my way there, passed some larger houses, I found myself in some small but relatively open fields with some early fall crops were planted in them. Eventually I came to a river, someone was fishing just a hair upstream but down the way I could see the bridge which my morning train crosses. It was nice to see these rows of trees and the break of the city from the other side.
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| Usually I'm on that train looking this way! |
I can't wait to visit again in late fall, winter, and then when these trees are blossoming in spring.
Apparently Asakadai is on a little hill and my up-climb found me surrounded by tall buildings again. It did break once though when I found a park. Grass and everything! But it was small, I suspect not very well used, and therefor not very well maintained. But it was a patch of open ground, a patch of sand and grass, passed my point of expecting to see one. A little more (and passed a policeman holding his truncheon a little too comfortably) and I was back at the Asakadai neighborhood I knew.
Sure this trip was a lot longer and I had walked from the city office all the way here but it was a good trip. Seeing new things and stepping a little bit out where the world was. As I entered my dorm I found myself wondering again whether walking what I did today was worth 140 yen. I instead confidently told myself that 140 yen was worth walking this route today. I would have paid to do that. And I tell you, the cool can of normal, honest to God, Pepsi that I was able to spend 110 yen on when I got home was well worth saving that money too.
Postscript: I actually saved a total of 200 yen by getting off 60 yen early and not paying the 140 yen for the ticket onward but I didn't think the distinction is that overly important. >,^
Beautiful Shrine. It's places like that that make me really want to visit Japan. I've always thought about going with the JET program or something. It would be an experience!!
ReplyDeleteThat cat reminds me of Azumanga Daioh! Poor Sakaki.