Japan: Week 7

7 - Family in Tokyo

One of the greatest privileges is introducing people you love to a thing which you love, and have them love it, too. A portion of my family are currently in Japan, and it's one of the most exciting things in the world. This is my third visit to the country, and not so much of it takes me by surprise any more. It's still wonderful, and charming, and exciting, but all those feelings are different when it's not for the first time. Comfort and familiarity are valuable, but seeing such an incomparable place through another's eyes, as they take it in for the first time, that's a feeling which means a lot.

It's Golden Week in Japan, the fortnight containing a string of bank holidays, and one of the busiest times of the year for domestic travel. This was the time we chose for my mother and little sister to come to Japan and pay me a visit, as well as doing a bit of sight-seeing. It was busy, but I think it only added to the atmosphere, and as the weather was perfection incarnate, we just took it slow and rolled with the crowds.

So, you'll want to know what we did! Absolutely nothing of interest happened at the beginning of the week, I  just had to make sure I was on top of all my work so I could enjoy the weekend. On Friday morning I left I-House to make the 4 hour journey to a certain Tokyo hostel.

Empty, sunny bus. Set a good precedent for the weekend.

Given that it's about 250 miles, and I was travelling by public transport, that's pretty good. Most of the credit goes to our dear friend the Shinkansen.

So as soon as I'd achieved Tokyo, and hugged and kissed and marvelled at the tiny size of mum and Claire's room, we had a picnic lunch in the roof garden of the hostel (Great thing about Tokyo - they make use of every available space) and set out to explore.

On the right there is Kaminarimon, gracing the front of many a 'Guide to Tokyo'

First was Kaminarimon, 'Lightning Gate', and the temple it leads to, Senso-Ji. This was one of the things I was talking about. Temples, and the abundance of red, and Japanese architecture in general, are not surprising to me any more. It gave me a glow to see others light up in reaction to them so completely.

Claire, and a pagoda

Another new feeling was meeting up with an old friend out of context. A very dear girl in my life happens to be studying in Tokyo at the moment, and we met up on the Saturday.

The family, and Yuna

We went on a cruise down the River Sumida, enjoying the glorious sunshine (especially the two who had come from England...) and catching up on news. After we'd been deposited in a lovely park, we wandered to Tokyo Station for our free walking tour leading us to the Imperial Palace Gardens. These were a sight worth seeing, surrounded as the serene landscape was by the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo.

On Saturday evening we went out for a pancake/omelette dish called Okonomiyaki because it is delicious, and because you get to cook it on your table. Japanese cuisine > All other cuisine.

Today we packed up and visited the Sky Tree as our last activity in Tokyo, although the Shinkansen does count as an activity in itself in reality.

Tokyo Skytree. Is tall.

We headed back to Nagoya on the fastest mode of transport readily available, and because this was turning out to be just the perfect weekend, also ate Obento (traditional Japanese 'lunch boxes') and saw Mount Fuji out the window, against a postcard-blue backdrop of sky.

Shinkansen speeding into the station.

Lunch!

Fuji-San

Now my mother and sister are tucked up in a hotel in Nagoya, to have fun and get their breath back while I study hard again this week, and we head off for more Japanese sights next weekend. Until then, I'm going to extremely enjoy wearing all my summer clothes which the beauties brought for me from Home.

Yours,

Abby

                                                  

(My) First Night at the Proms

I love London, and have done so for a very long time. Everything is so close, and so easily accessed. Coming from a person who lives in an isolated village with nothing but the odd bus or a death-trap cycle ride to get you anywhere, a city with a fleet of buses passing every ten minutes, endless trains, the tube and if you're in the right place, the DLR or a tram, is nothing short of paradise. And they're necessary, because there are so many places to go.

I'm currently staying in London working at the Olympics, which is tough and seemingly non-stop, although I have so far enjoyed two whole and precious days off. Before I came to stay I was vaguely thinking that I'd use this time to sleep, laze around the house, do some casual revision for a looming exam. I'm not sure why I thought that. Firstly, once you're in the routine of getting up and getting out very early, it's hard to get out of it. Secondly, these are the gorgeous months where I can meet up with my non-uni friends as much as I like, and I wasn't about to waste over two weeks without seeing any of them.

So it was that on Wednesday 1st August 2012, I met up with my wonderful Yuna, London side-streets (and the shops they contain) were explored, the National Gallery was visited (she'd never been!), and our very first prom was attended. For those who don't know, the BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an 8-week season of daily orchestral classical music held in the Royal Albert Hall. They have a different programme each night, and they all last about two and a half hours with an interval. The first Prom was in 1895, and they now stretch to including about 100 concerts each year. Our clarinet teacher had been encouraging us for several years to go to one, and finally we made it.

The proms are great because they're so unrestricted. I'm sure a lot of people read "orchestral classical music" and shuddered, but is it just because you've never really heard any? By that I mean live, in a venue with beautiful acoustics, and a crowd breathless and silent with anticipation. That's how orchestras have to be appreciated. Unless it's an especially popular programme on that night, 'prommers' can just rock up an hour and a bit before the concert's due to start, queue (sit on the wall) outside the Albert Hall, pay a fiver to get in, and stand in the arena listening to music you will either love, or hate, or just appreciate for what it is. And hey, you paid 5 quid, who cares what your reaction is. At least you felt something, right?

Luckily the BBC Symphony Orchestra, joined later by the BBC Proms Youth Choir, affirmed my faith in the beauty of orchestral that night, my favourite being the Adagio by Strings by Samuel Barber (youtube is your friend, it's likely that you'll know it!) The instrumentalists were so disciplined, so in love with the music they were playing, and it makes the whole experience unique. The notes hang in the air, wrap themselves around the welcoming audience, take each and every person to somewhere different in their mind. It's surprisingly difficult to express the captivation the Proms holds, but all I can do is encourage each and every person to give them a try.

The night was ended by bumping into friends not seen for a while and Japanese curry from a take-away by the name of one of my favoured nick-names. Need I add that it was a perfect day? Thank you, London, for being wonderful, and for containing wonderful things. It is certain I will be back. It's unfortunate I can't drag everyone I know to a Prom with me, but there are a certain few I know I shall persuade.

You have until the 8th September! Go, go!