My first blog, titled Bright Green Gaijin Pants, was a chronicle of my time as an exchange student in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan. I’ve decided to repost its contents on this blog. For a full list of all these posts, check out the Bright Green Gaijin Pants category.
The first blog post of any real worth that I published from Japan was far larger than it had any right to be. It was actually several posts combined and posted at the same time because I didn’t have internet access when I first got to Japan. I will be reposting them separately, as they were meant to be.
Finishing Up the Official Stuff
Originally posted on October 16, 2005.
I met Sayaka-san the next day after her first class. We went to City Hall again (by foot this time since there was no rush) and got me a piece of paper that will serve me as a substitute alien registration card until I get the actual card later this month.
With that, I was able to get a post office account and a bank account. These are both savings accounts. This is probably one of the weirdest things I’ve seen here. I couldn’t get a cell phone without a savings account at the post office, but I can only pay my bills to the city government through the bank. What??? I like how the latter works, since it streamlines your bill paying to the one office. The former really boggled my mind until I looked at the ATM books I got and realized that the post office one looked a little more formal, considering the fact that the post office had officially sealed my hanko into the book.
So yeah, I got a cell phone. It’s green and shiny. My cell phone ringer is a J-pop song, because it’s the best thing that came on the phone. Cell phones in Japan also come out of the box with sub par ring tones. One thing that was interesting to me about it though is that two of the pre-loaded ring tones have a visual component. Not impressive visuals, but I’m sure impressive ones could be made.
The last thing we did was sign me up for a student card. I need to take that to the cell phone company so that they have something official to base my 50% off month fees on. Hooray for student discounts.
Exploration
After that, I started exploring. I went for a while on a random road away from the school, discovering a lot of houses and a second way to the food store Sayaka-san had showed me the day before. After that, I went toward downtown to actually look through all the stores there.
I found a lot of different things. Inside the game store, I didn’t see any actual game systems for sale, but didn’t want to ask ’cause I didn’t intend to buy just yet. I also didn’t see Minna Daisuki Katamari Damacy. :( Ah well. It can wait. I found a ramen shop, an art gallery, a sewing shop (that was lucky, ’cause I need a needle and thread to fix the clasp on my cloak; the old man who ran it was really nice, too), what appeared to be a used book store (it had Harry Potter OotP, but it was the British version), an arcade (Haha! Right within walking distance of my house!), a pachinko parlor, and a karaoke place.
I went inside the karaoke place to do some karaoke for an hour and get a feel for how it works and how much they have in terms of English music. I had always been told that there are English songs in the back of the karaoke books, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was surprised. The karaoke books were actual books, not binders like you find in America. These books were also the size of phone books. As for English songs, you can find almost anything in there. I even found a Blind Guardian song. The only things I looked for and didn’t see were System of a Down songs and the song “The Dolphins Cry” by Live. There were other songs by Live, though. I also tried a couple of songs I know in Japanese. Woot!
After that, I headed home. I’ve been battling a headache since I got to Japan, and sitting in a karaoke box… well, it didn’t help. I wasn’t doing too bad with the headache until I got halfway up the stairs to my apartment. Blarg.
I ate some different foods in this day that didn’t come up in the non-blow-by blow version.
Taste-O-Meter!
Melon Pan (Pan is Japanese for bread): 4
This is what Utsuki recommended to me. It doesn’t really taste like melon, which is good ’cause I don’t like melon. It’s got some kind of glaze on top that reminds me of sugar cookies.
Wantanmen (a random instant noodle from the loot pile earlier): 3
It was noodles with vegetables. It had cute little pig heads made out of what tasted like pork floating it, though.
Special Sweet Bread: 5
It looks kind of like cinnamon rolls, but I could tell before I bought it that it wasn’t. It is, as it claims, a sweet bread. I’m noticing that the Japanese are fond of sweet breads, which I am finding is really quite spiffy. While I ate it, I read the label, and realized at once that the label must be shared.
Aquarius, The Sports Drink: 3
I had to try it. The name intrigued me. This would rate a 4 if I liked grapefruit, but I don’t.
Sprite: 4
It’s different from its American counterpart, but still good. Reminds me of ramune — a Japanese drink that I have not had the opportunity to try yet in Japan.
Realizations of the Period
1) “Conrad” is very difficult to say in Japanese. I’m shortening his name to Con (pronounced more like “cone”) any time I mention him to Japanese people. Con-kun.
2) I have blisters on my left foot from walking around so much. :(
3) Since the one class is all about playing the koto, I have one guaranteed easy class. Yes!
4) I need to pull a Ted and set up an image gallery online. I’m taking way too many pictures for a blog.
5) I pasted this into Open Office to spellcheck it, and it’s 20 pages long.