Story of Christmas and Departure

Hello, everyone! It saddens me to say this, as it saddens me to experience this as well, but I will be leaving Japan tomorrow. It's been an amazing experience, and one during which I have had a great deal of fun and many challenges, but I think I will also definitely be glad to be home, among friends.

I apologize once again for the small number of posts, but this will be the last one for the blog, at least for now - I may well one day visit Kansai Gaidai again. With that being said, here is perhaps the final Kansai Gaidai story!

The last few weeks of classes at Kansai Gaidai are a very hectic period of time for students, as several tests emerge and final paper deadlines are coming up. The tests usually seem to exist with multiple variations on the single test that must be completed such as split reading and writing for Reading and Writing Japanese, etc. All of this adds to a feeling of confusion and panic, combined with a desire to do something - anything major - to have a memorable experience in Japan, both due to the short period remaining and a natural desire to procrastinate inherent in many students.

There are surprisingly many events that take place toward the end of the semester, such as various festivals and even some conventions, but the most surprising of all was the manner in which Hirakata-shi is decorated for Christmas. Many towns, even small towns, partake in the Christmas celebration by hanging lit displays from various light poles, putting Christmas lights on trees in parks, and so on - In Hirakata-shi, things seemed to be exactly the same! It was somewhat difficult to get a good picture of the lights, since my camera kept trying to adjust too well to the lighting and blurring them out, but they were beautiful.

An interesting light display on a bridge in Hirakata-shi, atop a Tanabata-based decoration.

Grocery stores and other locations also had decorations up in the center or front areas of the store, with special deals on seasonal products such as certain types of cider, Christmas cakes, and so on. Top World was one store where these special deals could be found, and it seemed reminiscent of the special aisles found in stores such as Wal-Mart, though perhaps a bit more aesthetically pleasing for the viewer.

A selection of specialty goods in Top World, a nearby supermarket.

While Christmas cakes have been mentioned, I find it also important to mention a very special event that was hosted by the Resident Assistants in Seminar House II, the dormitory-style area in which I have been living for the entirety of this semester. The RAs provided all of the necessary materials, including pre-prepared cake bases, for crafting a fully-decorated Christmas cake from the ground up, with plenty of toppings and other edible decorations that might not be considered normal, yet were definitely interesting to work with. It was very fun to attend the event! My group went with a simple yet satisfying aesthetics of cake decoration, and some people decided to go all-out in various crazy yet amazing ways.

One of the more strange - and interesting - Christmas cake designs.

Another interesting fact, something that I learned during my study here in Japan, is the fact that KFC - Kentucky Fried Chicken - is a Japanese tradition for Christmas time. Beginning in 1974 with a campaign called "Kentucky for Christmas," often speculated to be the result of foreigners who were living in Japan and could not find a turkey for their Christmas dinner. Turkey is very scarcely found in Japan, usually very expensive and ordered from places such as local Costco locations, so this seems to ring true in at least one regard. People often order KFC months in advance of their Christmas celebration to avoid lines that last for multiple hours on the day itself. I was not able to get any photographs of promotions for this year, but it seemed very interesting.

Finally, the last part begins - I will be leaving tomorrow (December 18th in Japan) from Kansai International Airport and stopping at multiple locations along the way during my return to America. It will be a very interesting, perhaps occasionally dangerous, journey - However, I have faith that I can make it just fine. I will be making it back on the same day due to time zone differences, but it will be very late. Everyone, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

This marks the end of this post, the possibly-final Kansai Gaidai Story!

Story of Kyoto and Kobe

Hello once again, everyone! Due to the long period of time since my previous posts, I decided to follow the most recent one up with another shortly afterward. In this post, I'll be talking about trips that I took earlier in the semester to Kyoto and Kobe!

The trip to Kyoto was sponsored by Kansai Gaidai as a part of their Experience Japan Program, giving students and opportunity to visit various areas in Japan as a part of groups. When I went to visit Kyoto, it was with a very small group composed of a friend, my speaking partner, and her friend. It was also my first time using the train system in Japan (and my second time on a train, ever) so it was very exciting!

Taking a picture of friends taking a picture on the train to Kyoto.

The ride was fairly smooth, though I was a bit intimidated by the speed of the train in motion. When we arrived in Kyoto, I was surprised by how beautiful the area was! The specific area that we visited was a fairly urban area with interestingly-style buildings, built near the famous Kamo River, looking a bit like New York City with a slight rural touch.

A view from a walkway near the Kamo River, in Kyoto.

After exploring the area's shopping districts for a short while, which consisted of various department stores and other shops, we stopped by a local okonomiyaki (a savory food created from flour and ingredients, often described as being like a vegetable pancake and literally meaning "what you like, fried") shop to have dinner, and it was delicious! I ordered a pork okonomiyaki, and we all shared some of the other choices, such as ika (squid), cheese and roe, and yakisoba (stir-fried noodles). The okonomiyaki shop had a very rustic and somewhat nostalgic feeling somewhat like old diners or steakhouses in America, with some old and very interesting advertisements posted on the walls.

Advertisements for Met's Cola and Kirin Beer on the walls.

Though I never learned its name, we also visited an old temple that was built in one of the now-more urban areas of Kyoto, my first time seeing a temple in Japan. It was a very beautiful place, with the various things one would usually see - statues, hanging decorations unique to the temple, and a place to wash one's hands outside the temple. It was interesting as a cultural experience to see for one's self what it looked like, and the care that was taken to preserve the place.

The inside of a temple in Kyoto.

Finally, it was time to leave Kyoto, though it felt a bit sad to do so - It was a very interesting place, one to which I have not had a chance to return due to my schedule (though I would certainly like to someday).

One last picture in Kyoto before returning to Hirakata-shi.

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Several weeks after leaving Kyoto, I went with some other friends to Kobe, the area of Japan known across the world for its famous beef. It was a bit surprising to me when I actually saw it, since the descriptions I had heard from others usually seemed to make it seem as though it were a small or otherwise rural town - it was definitely well-developed, and home to various large buildings and businesses.

In front of Sannomiya Station, upon arriving in the area.

The first place we visited upon our arrival was an area known as Nankin-machi, a China-town style area which was home to various decorations and stalls selling items particular to the China-town style, such as ramen stalls, places to buy meat-filled buns, and so on. The food was delicious, and the sights were very interesting! Statues of figures in the Chinese Zodiac surrounded a gazebo where patrons sat and enjoyed foods prepared in a Chinese style.

A gazebo in the central area of Nankin-machi, a Japanese China-town.

The area of Nankin-machi also featured various references to famous martial artists famous in China such as Bruce Lee, with statues and various products featuring his likeness within the area.

A statue of Bruce Lee in Nankin-machi.

As we explored more of the area of Kobe, we also came across a section which was home to a large number of European-style houses which were built many years in the past, standing in contrast to the rest of the buildings yet beautiful in their construction. For those who are familiar with the visual novel and anime series Fate/stay Night, it was also home to the building whose filtered image was used for the house of Tohsaka Rin. Mainly, it was interesting to see such a literal example of how Western culture stood among the residents of Japan, especially how similar it was - in some ways - to regular old homes one might see in America or Europe.

A Western-style house in Nankin-machi.

Before leaving to return to Hirakata-shi, my friends and I stopped by a local Starbucks Coffee, where I ordered a Matcha (Japanese green tea) Latte. We had a lot of fun, and made sure to make some good memories before we left!

Silliness ensues at Starbucks, as picture-taking commences.

When it was all over, I once again returned to Hirakata-shi, satisfied with the experience and even more excited to be living in Japan! While I knew that classes would make things more busy in the weeks to come, it was definitely nice to be able to take a break and enjoy time with great friends!

That's all for today's second post, and I hope you all enjoyed it! The next post will come relatively soon, so keep an eye out as ever for Kansai Gaidai Stories!

Story of the Campus and Classes

Hello, everyone! It's been a long time - I can't believe that it's been around 2 months already. My schedule has been surprisingly busy, with required readings, papers, and studying Japanese taking up much of my time. Throughout the rest of the time, I mostly took time to rest, and also to visit some interesting locations.

On that note, it's past time for a new blog post, so here it is:

In the last post, I discussed the process of moving into my Seminar House, a local grocery store that's close to the Seminar Houses and the Kansai Gaidai campus, and an electronics store to visit when searching for forgotten or otherwise-necessary adapters, etc. These were all very helpful things to know for me, but now I'll focus on the college aspect.

The campus itself is a very beautiful place, consisting of various buildings and walkways which are surrounded by lush greenery. A large fountain sits in one corner of the central area of campus, and various trees change colors beautifully during the Fall semester.

An aerial view of campus from one of its tall buildings.

Another beautiful aspect of the campus is its Japanese Gardens, situated behind the Center for International Education (which I will mention shortly). The gardens are a very peaceful place to relax after classes, with a few benches, a pond with a small bridge, and other features.

A view of the pond, a statue, and various plants in the Japanese Gardens.

During the first period of time at Kansai Gaidai, there is a series of Orientation events that introduce you to various aspects of campus life, including the bookstore, the convenience store, and so on. Many of the events center around a particular building - the Center for International Education (CIE), where all Japanese language courses - and some lecture courses - take place.

The Center for International Education (pictured on left).

The Center for International Education is home not only to Japanese courses, the core of the Asian Studies Program, but also houses a large staff to assist with students' questions, concerns, payments, and so on. In addition, there is a Language Lab where students can - and often are required to - complete voice-based Japanese assignments such as simple speech practice and responses.

A written reminder to use the Language Lab for academic purposes.

Another one of the most frequented buildings on campus is the North Cafeteria. While other cafeterias exist on campus, this one is the largest and definitely the most popular among Kansai Gaidai students as a meeting place and eatery. Several dishes exist here, such as ramen and udon dishes, various types of sets with meat or vegetables over rice (-don, such as katsudon, which is fried pork cutlet), and cheaper options of curry rice and hashed rice. Everything at the cafeteria was delicious for me, and it was hard to choose for quite a long time - However, to those first visiting Kansai Gaidai, I highly recommend the kara-age don (fried chicken over rice), which comes with miso soup. There are also often lunch specials which vary from day to day and week to week, offering a nice amount of variety!

One of the lunch specials, consisting of fried chicken with vegetables and various sides.

For those who are interested in more American fare, there is also a McDonald's on campus, offering regular menu items found in other countries as well as various Japan-only specials such as the Teriyaki McBurger, Shaka-Shaka Chicken, and the Mega Potato (also known as the Share Fry, if I remember correctly).

The Mega Potato, resting on a tray lined with an advertisement for McDonald's chicken.

Connected to the McDonald's is a Seattle's Best Coffee, offering all of the main varieties of coffee to be found in the United States while also offering some delicious variations such as the Matcha (Japanese green tea) JavaKula or latte. For those who are daring and want an extra kick of caffeine, a secret menu item called the Summer Captain also exists and is not present on any menus. The Summer Captain is composed of 3 shots of espresso with some milk over ice, and was invented by Mark Tracy, the Director of the Asian Studies Program through an odd series of events.

Many students signed up for lecture courses at Kansai Gaidai will have a classroom in Building 7, a building whose construction was being finalized only briefly into the Fall 2013 semester. It boasts a large number of classrooms, a large staff ready to assist students with various issues related to their coursework, and a sturdy yet transparent glass exterior. In this building is also a surprising amount of natural features, such as an open area in the center just outside the glass walls, home to various plant life.

A view from the inside of Building 7, exhibiting its glass walls and plant life.

Though I have been very late in posting, I would also like to discuss the classes that I have been taking this semester. I am currently taking Shojo Studies, Anime: Method and Meaning, The Relation of Life and Fiction in Modern Japanese Literature, a Spoken Japanese course, and a Reading and Writing Japanese course.

While I have had great difficulties from time to time in learning Japanese, I must stress that this is mainly connected to a bit of a bad memory for vocabulary on my part - The professors are actually very good at teaching the material, and I have been able to learn a great deal within one semester. Naito-sensei teaches Spoken Japanese 1, and her teaching style is fairly straightforward, consisting of speaking practices, vocabulary memorization, and workbook pages relevant to the material at hand. Likewise, for Reading and Writing Japanese, Uenaka-sensei and Muroi-sensei (2 professors, due to the large number of people), these two professors are very good at what they do, though grading might be a bit harsh on quizzes and tests.

Two of my other courses - The Life and Fiction course and the Anime course - are taught by Professor Berry, a native English speaker who has a great interest and passion for animation in film and serial works, Japanese literature, and film as a focus of study. While his paper assignments are somewhat difficult to approach, they are fairly straightforward upon writing and ensure that students are working to the best of their ability.

My last professor is Sugawa-sensei, who teaches the Shojo Studies course. Her style of teaching is a bit hard to describe, since it mostly relies on visual aids such as PowerPoint and video clips while also incorporating group discussion of various critical literary articles regarding Shojo studies in general. Those taking her course must ensure that they keep a close track of the materials posted online through Kansai Gaidai's online class management system, but it is not too difficult and is certainly interesting.

I hope that this description is able to help those who are planning to study abroad at Kansai Gaidai, and I look forward to seeing your reactions. Please look forward to more (timely, this time) Kansai Gaidai stories!

Story of Preparation

Hello! Thank you all, once again, for reading - While the previous posts have been about my journey to Hirakata-shi, this post will finally begin describing the main thing you have all been waiting for, a selection of my experiences in Japan and some helpful information. It has been a while between posts, but I thank you all for being patient and bearing with it!

Last time, I left off by mentioning how to take a bus from Hirakata-shi Station to the area near the Seminar Houses, which I did on the morning after staying the night at the Hirakata Sun Plaza Hotel. From there, it was a fairly short walk through the rain to Seminar House II, which is somewhat oddly positioned at the bottom of a hilly area and around a corner street, though it becomes easy to find once you've learned the way. When I arrived, I wasn't actually sure if it was the correct Seminar House, which had me worried a bit - A decoration on the inside, however, helped in confirming my location.

A decoration welcoming residents to Seminar House II.

Something which has still been a bit strange getting used to was the customary action upon entering any Japanese-style home - Directly upon entry, I noticed a set of cubby holes for shoes, where I was directed to take off my shoes and put on a pair of slippers designated for visitors (or first-time entrants to the Seminar House). I've never actually worn slippers before, at least not that I can remember, so it was a strange feeling wearing them, though definitely not an uncomfortable one.

The shoe cubby/shoe locker at Seminar House II.

From there, I met several new people with whom I would be spending the rest of the semester, and they are all pretty great people! While I was naively expecting the students to just be Japanese natives or American transfer students, there were also many international students from other countries as well, such as Germany, Korea, France, and other locations of the world! It's definitely been an interesting experience meeting all of them!

Friends from Japan, the UK, and America gathered in the TV Lounge.

After checking out the bottom floor of the Seminar House, I went up to my room to unpack my clothes and other luggage. The room is a fairly small yet cozy space with an adjustable air conditioning unit, something for which I am very thankful! The weather in Hirakata-shi was surprisingly humid on the day I arrived, being around 4 or 5 times as humid as I had been used to in Florida, so it was difficult for me to deal with at first. The floors are comprised of tatami mats, and 2-3 futons (depending on the number of residents) are placed for bedding. A shoji separates the main sleeping area from a small space with computer desks, as well as the door to the balcony.

My room in Seminar House II, where my roommate, is currently at work at his computer.

There is also a great view from the balcony, which overlooks a large portion of the Katahoko neighborhood within Hirakata-shi. From this particular room, the view is usually comprised of the tops of buildings and some natural features, yet by looking at a particular angle, some mountains can be seen in the distance.

A view of the Katahoko neighborhood from Seminar House II.

After getting settled into my room, I decided to go downstairs and meet some more people, who decided to visit a local supermarket between the Seminar House and the Kansai Gaidai University campus. The walk to this supermarket, named Top World, is about 20 to 30 minutes, with the campus being an additional 10 to 15 minutes of additional distance. While there are a variety of supermarkets in the area, Top World offers one of the better selections for a fair price, and was the first that I visited during my time so far. Fresco and Sanko are also nearby supermarkets, offering a little less variety but somewhat better prices.

Something of great importance to note is that students are not allowed to use kitchen facilities for regular cooking until the orientation period has ended. This means that food items such as pre-prepared obento and instant rice are essential to surviving the first week at the Seminar House. Other foods, such as curry and sauce for hashed rice, are also available in pre-made, microwaveable packs - these are very convenient, and do not sacrifice taste for the sake of convenience.

A down-the-aisles view of Top World, focusing on its vegetable section.

The next day, after buying necessary food products in preparation for the orientation week, I decided to go on a trip to a local electronics store with a few friends in order to buy something I had neglected to bring with me (the proper kind, at least) - A power converter. For many smaller devices, this may be unnecessary; however, in Japan, all devices are made to draw power from an electrical outlet with 2-prong openings. By taking the path to Top World and continuing on farther down the same road and going straight, I made it to a store called Edion which sold a very large variety of goods, including many modern and antiquated electrical devices, video games, and even anime posters!

An electrical converter for using 3-prong devices in a Japanese power outlet.

Having access to this information is something that I believe will help future Kansai Gaidai students immensely - If there's anyone who is interested in more specific details, feel free to e-mail me at jkaltmix@gmail.com. That's all for today - look forward to the next post, where I'll be talking about my time so far in classes at the main campus, as well as other Kansai Gaidai Stories!

Story of Arrival

Hello! First off, I would like to apologize to you all for not posting sooner - It's been very busy lately since my arrival in Japan, and I have been filling out forms, attending mandatory events, buying necessary materials, etc. I have, however, had plenty of time to gather information for the blog! In this post, I will cover a few different areas which have seemed to be of great importance to me in the first few days of travel.

First off, I would like to mention a few things about American Airlines. When I flew from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Narita Airport, I took an American Airlines jet. American Airlines, despite my previous worries, has proven to be a very good carrier, one which I would highly recommend for international flights. Because of the length of the flight, there was a variety of in-flight entertainment options including popular (and new) films, video games, and music available for free. There were even 3 small meals offered during my particular trip, something of which I was not actually aware until I actually boarded. They were fairly high quality, and drinks were provided generously as well. Upon arrival in Narita, I disembarked from the plane feeling satisfied with my flight and very excited to be in Japan!

A display at Narita Airport, making visitors feel very welcome.

One thing which may be an issue for travelers is the waiting period - After picking up baggage (if necessary) and going to the next area, international visitors must fill out a form in order to go through the initial line, and must eventually visit Customs. This initially seemed like a terrible problem for me, as I was pressed for time, but the workers at Narita Airport are actually very accomodating for those asking for assistance, and may move you ahead to a priority line if necessary, as was my case! This may not always be an option, however, so it's important to leave plenty of time for the connecting flight/bus/etc. The trip through Customs was very short, lasting around 2 to 3 minutes for my experience. For departure, Narita Airport also has a limousine bus service to local areas as well as Haneda Airport for a fee of ¥3000 (around $30).

The relevant forms for entry into Japan, sitting atop a good book.

The process for boarding other airplanes and getting to the destination was fairly simple from my initial point of landing in Japan, much like flight in the United States, so there were no problems to be found. By the time I made it to Hirakata-shi, Osaka, I was alone but not frightened - That's what was most important to me in being an international traveler.

After arrival at the Laporte Hirakata, near Hirakata-shi Station, I walked around 6-7 blocks to the Hirakata Sun Plaza Hotel, one which was close and highly recommended to me for international students planning to eventually study at Kansai Gaidai University. The price was very affordable at a low cost of ¥7000 yen (around $70), though it was somewhat difficult to find the entrance to the hotel since the front desk is actually located on the second floor! The hotel was fairly nice, though the rooms were a bit small in comparison to those in most American hotels. It also provided a breakfast service for the morning at a mere ¥500 when paid up front (or ¥550 in the morning).

The breakfast includes ham, salad, fruit, bread, and other interesting items.

After waking up and having breakfast at the hotel, I walked over to the station to check the bus schedule, and this is where I found an important tip for those traveling to Japan - Make sure that one of the following is the case if you plan to take a bus:

1. You know Japanese very well and can read the bus timetable.
2. You are with a friend, preferably someone from Japan, who is very familiar with Japanese.
3. You have already checked the schedule and verified it with an English-speaking local.

The bus schedules are entirely in Japanese, with no English listed, so it is very easy to get lost if you are not careful!

A view of the area surrounding Hirakata-shi Station, with the bus schedule visible on the left.

For those traveling to Kansai Gaidai University, the method I found was to take bus number 12 or 13 - These follow a route which stops near the university, and eventually continue to stops near the Seminar House locations.

The next post will cover more of my experience so far, including the location of an excellent supermarket, the check-in process at Kansai Gaidai, and other Kansai Gaidai Stories!

Morning of Departure

Today is the day - In less than 4 hours, I will be aboard an American Airlines jet and on my way to Japan! I'm nervous, of course, but I'm also excited beyond what I can really describe. As it's said in Japanese, mune ga doki doki (my heart pounds)!

For those of you in the east area of Florida planning to study abroad, the Comfort Suites on Airport Road in Jacksonville is an excellent hotel for a pre-departure stay. The price is very affordable, with nice rooms and a good selection at breakfast. Most importantly, it has a free shuttle service to the airport, making travel a lot easier!

I have to cut this post short, since the shuttle will be arriving shortly, but look forward to my next post when I arrive in Japan!

Hello, all! Welcome to Kansai Gaidai Stories, a personal blog regarding the experiences of a American student studying in Japan at Kansai Gaidai University!

The purpose of this blog is initially simple - My main purpose is to provide friends and family back home with a record of my experiences. Many posts will likely be text-only, though some will contain images, videos, etc.

The secondary purpose of this blog is to provide you, the reader, with valuable information regarding life in Japan, particularly the Hirakata-shi area in Osaka. I plan to include travel tips, information regarding the best (and, in some cases, the cheapest) attractions and restaurants, and other content intended to be of assistance to future students traveling abroad.

While this is the initial post of Kansai Gaidai Stories, my trip to Japan will actually begin on August 23. At that point, expect to find new content and stories updated on a fairly regular, and perhaps daily, basis.

Look forward to the next post, as I'll be looking forward to bringing you advice, updates, and Kansai Gaidai Stories!