Of a Trip to Tokyo

I got back from Tokyo last night around 10 by Shinkansen. It was a wonderful trip. I got to see Tai and his family, and we got to spend some quality time together, the first in 4 months to be honest. It was great, and I can't express how happy I am that I was able to take the trip.

Things in Tokyo were actually relatively normal considering all that's happened. I actually didn't go into any supermarkets or konbini so I can't tell you the status of those. However, it seemed like the food supply was restored, especially considering we ate things like sushi and clam miso soup which I'm pretty sure was not ok before. You do notice some change in what's provided though. There's more things from the Kansai and southern areas of Japan. Produce from the Fukushima and other severely affected areas is not really seen.

Honestly, the biggest difference is the continue prevalence of the 自粛 (jishuku) mood (refer to previous posts for a definition). People are keeping power off in a city where most things run on power. Lights are off, and A/C is off as well despite the fact that it's getting warmer and therefore more humid in Japan. People are just opening windows instead. Shops are still continuing to close early. Trains are running normally though. The biggest problem is when the weather gets warmer and people are forced to use power in order to keep cool in the worst of the Tokyo summer. For example, with regard to the jishuku mood, Tai and I were at a vending machine, and the lights came on inside. We spent a couple minutes trying to turn them off because it's unnecessary power that can be better spent elsewhere. Eventually, they turned off on their own. But here in Japan, where electricity used to be taken as a common item, the difference to it today is rather startling.

I experienced my first earthquake. It was a M3. It was fascinating to watch the earth shift left and right. You're standing on it, and you know, the earth shouldn't move. And here I am watching the car bounce around on its wheels, and the fence at his grandmother's house sway, and feeling this kind of weird not-weightless parsay, but a definite feeling of unsteadiness. Earthquakes here have also become commonplace, but yet are a little more untrusted now. People are nervous that there will be another large one, so they're not sure how to respond when the little buzzer goes off on the TV or their phone warning them that an earthquake is approaching. If you know you're safe, you can enjoy it. You can watch the earth move and just be amazed at what's happening beneath your feet. But if you don't know if you'll be safe, they could easily be terrifying. For my brief time experiencing one, it was a positive experience, but for those that endured the big quake, I can't even begin to imagine how they must have felt. I truly wish them the best.

Tai and I spent our time going to the river and playing some catch with the football, which was more of Tai teaching how to throw and catch and me failing miserably, but it was still fun. I'm pretty sure I can get throwing down, catching with take some more time.

We also watched some movies, which were fantastic. We went to Rikkyo University's baseball game as well, and it was a blast. Japanese baseball games are tons of fun. People shout things like "NAME かっこいい！ (NAME, you're cool/hot!)" to cheer on their players while catcalling the other team with phrases like "可笑しい！ (You're strange/weird/funny!)" There's also lots of songs, and just general fun for the team and fans. I have a feeling baseball was like in this in the past, but somewhere it lost that spirit in the States. It really was fun though, and I recommend anyone to go to a game here in Japan if they get the chance cause they'll love it.

Overall, it was a wonderful trip to Tokyo.

Michelle