It's bad. I am obsessed with Japan. OB-SESS-ED. Well, Tokyo technically since it's the only part of Japan I have visited thus far. I fear I am going to become one of those terribly annoying people who compares everything to some other place they have visited (ie, "This sushi is ok, but it's so much better in Japan." "The QuickE Mart in Japan has way more stuff than this" (which is true), or "I really prefer to pay in Yen." LOL). Bottom line, our trip fucking rocked.
I could give the play by play of the weekend, but the pics pretty much tell it all (many of them have captions), so here's the link to my picasa album: HOLLA TOKYO! The only thing that is not there is Sat night up in da club, because the damn place wouldn't less us take pictures! Believe me, we tried! But da club played all the hot jams, so they're forgiven. Anyway, instead, I am going to perform a comparative analysis on Korea vs. Japan.
KOREA
1. The subway is cheaper.
2. Cabs are WAYYY cheaper (they are absolutely ridic in Toyko).
3. Korea has more street food.
4. Korea has the waffle treat, Japan does not.
JAPAN
1. Not sure why, but the Japanese are SO friendly. People went out of their way to help us!
2. The food is DA BOMB! Everything we ate was absolutely delicious. And since we were ballin on a budget, we didn't even splurge on anything extravagant. A $7 sushi meal was to die for (yes, I used the phrase 'to die for').
3. Toyko is very picturesque. From the Vegas style neon lights to the mid-city gardens and temples, everything is gorgeous and well manicured. Can't beat a Japanese garden!
4. There are parks and gardens everywhere!
5. All different types of people are represented. Korea is a kinda uptight and vain culture. You have your super skinny females in their standard outfit of dress, leggings, super high heels, and Louis Vuitton bag and your metrosexual males in tight pants, tight shirt, tight jacket, scarf, purse, and man bob. Pretty much everyone looks like that. In Japan, peeps of all walks of life are prevalent! There were Japanese (obvs), other Asians, North Americans, Europeans, white people, black people, gay people, David Bowie clones, Harajuku girls, everything. And no one looks at you twice. It's very un-Korea, where there are mostly Koreans and white teachers.
6. I can buy shoes there! They had regular sizes!
Now if only they offered the same type of teaching contract Korean schools offer, I would be there in a heartbeat! I am seriously shocked at how different the two countries are. The vibe is different, the culture is shockingly different, even the weather is different (Tokyo is warmer).
Anyway, I am super tired -- still catching up on sleep, but here are a few pics. Check out my web album for more. (I don't know why these look so blurry! They are normal in web album.)
I could give the play by play of the weekend, but the pics pretty much tell it all (many of them have captions), so here's the link to my picasa album: HOLLA TOKYO! The only thing that is not there is Sat night up in da club, because the damn place wouldn't less us take pictures! Believe me, we tried! But da club played all the hot jams, so they're forgiven. Anyway, instead, I am going to perform a comparative analysis on Korea vs. Japan.
KOREA
1. The subway is cheaper.
2. Cabs are WAYYY cheaper (they are absolutely ridic in Toyko).
3. Korea has more street food.
4. Korea has the waffle treat, Japan does not.
JAPAN
1. Not sure why, but the Japanese are SO friendly. People went out of their way to help us!
2. The food is DA BOMB! Everything we ate was absolutely delicious. And since we were ballin on a budget, we didn't even splurge on anything extravagant. A $7 sushi meal was to die for (yes, I used the phrase 'to die for').
3. Toyko is very picturesque. From the Vegas style neon lights to the mid-city gardens and temples, everything is gorgeous and well manicured. Can't beat a Japanese garden!
4. There are parks and gardens everywhere!
5. All different types of people are represented. Korea is a kinda uptight and vain culture. You have your super skinny females in their standard outfit of dress, leggings, super high heels, and Louis Vuitton bag and your metrosexual males in tight pants, tight shirt, tight jacket, scarf, purse, and man bob. Pretty much everyone looks like that. In Japan, peeps of all walks of life are prevalent! There were Japanese (obvs), other Asians, North Americans, Europeans, white people, black people, gay people, David Bowie clones, Harajuku girls, everything. And no one looks at you twice. It's very un-Korea, where there are mostly Koreans and white teachers.
6. I can buy shoes there! They had regular sizes!
Now if only they offered the same type of teaching contract Korean schools offer, I would be there in a heartbeat! I am seriously shocked at how different the two countries are. The vibe is different, the culture is shockingly different, even the weather is different (Tokyo is warmer).
Anyway, I am super tired -- still catching up on sleep, but here are a few pics. Check out my web album for more. (I don't know why these look so blurry! They are normal in web album.)
Me and new friend, Atsuso, who showed us around. We are eating squid balls on the street.
Dinner on Sat night: salmon, tuna, and chopped tuna belly :-)
Jullia and I at Meiji Garden in Harajuku.
Sanja-sama shrine in Asakusa
So, I like sushi...
...and giant bottles of sake!
Tokyo sounds amazing. Thinking of going there to teach next??
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