Farewell Dinner

My last day at Toshiba. (;;)

At 17:00 the department manager asked me to give farewell remarks to the people who work in my department, since not everyone was able to go to the dinner they had for me. So first he gave some remarks, and I followed with a short speech. At 19:00 our department went to dinner together. We went to a Japanese style restaurant close to the office, and had a private little banquet room just for our party.

We had a blast. It was an awesome time of everyone hanging out and talking, and is yet another example of an occasion that will make me miss the company lifestyle. During dinner two of the managers made toasts and speeches for me, and I also gave another round of farewell remarks. Also they surprised me with a gift from the department, a group picture we had taken framed in “Tesogi wood.” Which is a special artistic style of wood work that looks like a mosaic. However, when I first opened it I found that the picture was in the frame upside down so they had to take it back for a quick “repair work” session! It was so funny, but an easy fix and they gave it back to me as soon as it was righted.

After dinner everyone had to say goodbye, and I shook hands with several people (for the first time!). It is sad that I will no longer be a part of their company, and I hope to be able to see everyone again. The people in my department each taught me something in their own way about Japan, work, or life in general. I went to Japan by myself and felt very lonely the first few days, I remember wondering how I was going to get through the summer feeling like that; but so quickly the people at Toshiba welcomed me into their company and their lives and contributed to my absolutely fantastic summer. I am really going to miss the company and the people that I met here in Japan.

Last Weekend in Tokyo

My last weekend in Tokyo was a three day weekend. So I started Friday morning with a trip to Kyoku, the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. This is the palace that the current emperor actually operates out of. It was an hour walking tour of the grounds and we did not get to enter any buildings. Aesthetically it was not that wonderful, I have definitely seen many, way more beautiful places in Japan. But it was interesting to be able to go since it is the current palace.

After I finished the tour I went to lunch with my supervisor and two American businessmen who are working with Toshiba. We went to great udon curry shop near Tokyo station, and it was delicious! After finishing lunch we went to visit the Tokyo Skytree. We waited in line for about an hour and a half, but were actually able to climb to the top (which means we rode an elevator to the top). The Tokyo Skytree just opened in May and is the world’s tallest tower, at over 110 stories tall. From the top we had a wonderful view of Tokyo! I love going to tower observatories because it is so awesome to see the city from above. Especially, looking at a city like Tokyo is great because it is huge! The expanse of buildings, houses, and streets goes for miles and miles.

On Saturday, I went to the Sumidagawa Fireworks display with one of my friends from Toshiba. I dressed up in Yukata and we bought food for a little picnic which we ate sitting on a side street while we waited for the fireworks to start. We arrived in Asakusa three hours before the show was scheduled to start and already the area was full of people camping out to have a spot sitting down to watch the show. In Japan there are many fireworks shows held every summer, throughout July and August. I was told they are usually held during festivals or in honor of Japan prospering in the coming year by growing good crops of rice, protection from fires, and general prosperity. When the show started, we realized we had picked a bad spot! Our view of the fireworks was obscured by a tall building. Luckily we were able to move closer to the road and find a spot where we could stand and see the show just fine. The road was open for people to walk by on, but was lined with police constantly requesting people to keep walking, keep walking. The show lasted for a full hour and a half! It was the longest and biggest firework show I have ever witnessed. This was an awesome event for me since I LOVE fireworks J

On Sunday, I went to Chinatown in Yokohama with two of the ladies I know from Toshiba. We had lunch at a Chinese restaurant and tried many kinds of steamed dumpling dishes in all different flavors. We also walked down the streets and looked in various food, souvenier, and Chinese medicine shops. Our last stop was a little place where we could dress up in traditional Chinese clothes and take pictures. So that was a nice girly way to end the trip, playing dress-up!

For dinner we met another Toshiba person and went to a fishing restaurant. The restaurant literally is literally one that you can go fishing inside of, and then eat your catch! On the first floor there is a big boat with several tables on it, and surrounding it is a tank with fish and lobsters in it. The staff gives you a fishing pole and bait, and you get to catch a fish and then they cook and serve it to you.  It was so much fun! I caught a lobster for us to eat, and we also caught a Tai fish. We feasted on sashimi, tempura, and of course our catch. It was a delicious last dinner in Japan.

Today I am traveling back to the United States. I am sitting in the airport right now, and am already started to feel like I am no longer in Japan because the waiting area by the gate I am at is filled with foreign people. I was originally supposed to fly with Air Canada, but when I arrived to check in my bags they asked if I would like to switch to a direct flight with American Airlines. So I am leaving Japan an hour later (one more precious hour in this country! Haha), and arriving in the U.S. five and a half hours earlier. So it actually worked out quite well for me, I have a direct flight (no more layover in Toronto!) and will be arriving earlier in the day too. Today is my birthday, so I am getting my birthday two times this year, once in Japan and then I go back in time during the flight and have my birthday again in the U.S. so that is pretty rare and awesome.

誕生日のパーティー　Let the birthday celebrating begin...
Yesterday some of my associates from Toshiba took me around Tokyo to celebrate my birthday.
But first, I started the day by having lunch with a lady that I met while riding the shinkansen to Kyoto back in June. We went to a nice Japanese restaurant in Roppongi Hills, and I told her about what I had been doing in Japan, and my plans, etc etc.  I think she is like an older, Japanese, version of me- she loves working, traveling, and learning languages, all qualities that we share.
After that I walked back to Roppongi station where I met one of my friends and we headed to Tokyo Tower. We went up into the observatory and looked out over Tokyo for awhile, which is always fun for me. I am not used to big cities, so I really like to go up towers and see the expanse of buildings in the city. Next we met up with two more friends and went to a shrine called Shibatoshogu. It is always interesting to see an old, traditional style building contrasted with the new, modern buildings also in the area. After that we walked down towards the river and looked at the Rainbow Bridge. At that time two of our party had to leave for another engagement, and the rest of us headed to Akihabara, the electronics district of Tokyo. They have many stores selling electronic products for much cheaper than the usual retail price. Also they have an abundance of maid cafes and stores catering to nerd culture.

At Akihabara we met another friend and then went to a maid cafe. Maid cafes are very interesting... At these places, the waitresses dress like maid-dolls with frilly dresses and thigh high socks and maybe some bunny ears in their hair. The maids are very interactive with the patrons of the cafe, sitting by their table to explain everything in detail. We ordered a mixed juice drink, which the maids actually shake and pour at your table.  While they are doing it they say cute things for you to repeat and do a whole show of making it interactive and elaborate so it "will taste better." Also everyone who goes in gets to take a picture with the maid of their choice. When you order they bring a board that has a picture of each girl, and the patrons choose the girl they want to take a picture with. While we were there, this one guy was recognized on stage because he has been to that cafe 500 times. So he got to go up and take a picture with all of the girls. We were trying to figure out how often that guy goes to the cafe, since he looks young and we think he must go 3-5 times a week! The maids address the patrons very sweetly and say things welcome home when you arrive, and when you leave they say I will be waiting for you return (which is what Japanese normally say to their family members when they leave the house).  Also the maids call men goshujisama meaning lord, and girls they call ojosama which means princess.

                                                    The next generation of AKB48 girls

After leaving the maid cafe, we went to a restaurant for dinner. While there my friends surprised me with a delicious chocolate mousse and fruit cake that the waitresses brought out and then sang happy birthday to me. Also, my friends presented me a wallet, towel, and pocket mirror. It was a great birthday celebration!

料理の授業#3- Cooking!
I got to have another Japanese home cooking lesson!  This time we made my favorite dish, okonomiyaki, and gyudon (beef bowl).  Both were delicious! For dessert we had homemade azuki pudding and a jello like dessert. 

                                                  Lunch with a nice view from the apartment

                                                                    Okonomiyaki

                                                                       Gyudon

After dinner was over we went to watch the Toshiba baseball game.  Unfortunately they lost to JR (East Japan Railway company) and are no longer in the running for the championship, but it was a strong finish.  The last ten minutes of the game the crowd was so excited and loud that it reminded me of games at A&M. It was pretty neat the support the fans showed the teams. Even though they were losing, the crowds stood and continued cheering the whole game.

お祭りー Temple Festival
Today I went to a festival at Sojiji, which is a Buddhist temple in Tsurumi.  It is a huge temple that is supposed to be bringing more Soto-zen to Eastern Japan.  There are many monks in residence, and the temple also operates Tsurumi University and an academy for kindergarten through high school kids.
The festival was very lively! At the entrance food, toy, and game vendors lined the streets which were mobbed with hundreds of people, many who were dressed up in yukata.

Once inside the grounds of the temple, the huge stone courtyard was decorated with lights and had a stage in the center where the monks were leading the dancing.  There were also monks in the crowd encouraging people and children to join in the dancing.

 I got this chocolate dipped banana from a vendor, they wouldn't let me take one until I rolled some dice.  I rolled a seven... not sure what that means but perhaps I will receive good fortune or something.

Food I brought from the street vendor- Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, so the ingredients are in layers instead of mixed together.  And deep fried noodles that are salted like crazy!  Oh, and that is a fan that a monk gave to me.

東芝のやきゅうー Toshiba Baseball
Toshiba`s baseball team is in the corporate league championships, and yesterday I attended one of their games. It was held in the Tokyo Dome, a huge indoor baseball stadium located in the heart of Tokyo. At the entrance they handed out towels, fans, and jerseys to everyone to transform the audience into a sea of red (Toshiba`s color). The crowd was energetic as always at baseball games, and the cheer squad had really fancy routines and props this time. They even held up props that resembled a Shinto shrine at one point. Toshiba won the game, so they will continue to compete this week.

After the game, I went to dinner with a group of Toshiba people.  We ate at a Korean grill restaurant. There are burners built into the table with grills over them, and the waiters bring out plates of meats and vegetables so you can grill your food a couple pieces at a time. In Japan there seems to be an abundance of different types of restaurants where you get to cook at your own table, which makes eating out here always a fun experience.

蛸やきのパーティー　Ｔａｋｏｙａｋｉ　Ｐａｒｔｙ
The third Monday of July is Marine Day in Japan, which is a national holiday considered a day of gratitude for the blessings of the oceans. I celebrated by going to my friend`s house to make takoyaki.  Takoyaki tastes similiar to a hush puppy except that they are filled with octopus, green onions, and other little ingredients of choice like ginger, sausages, cheese, and dried tiny shrimps.  Takoyaki is made in a special pan with round forms, so they come out in a spherical shape. The pan has a heating element attached underneath so you can cook them right there at the dinner table with everyone. To make them you first pour batter into the pan, then add your fillings, and top with more batter. As they are cooking you turn them with a toothpick, producing the round shape.  After they are ready they are topped with a special sauce, bonito (fish) flakes, and sometimes mayonnaise. An expert takoyaki-eater told me that the only way to eat takoyaki is with mayonnaise! Takoyaki is delicious and fun to cook.  Along with the takoyaki we ate Japanese potato salad, avocado and tomato salad, and donuts for dessert.

We had a great afternoon of eating and talking.  My friend and her husband both grew up in the Kansai area of Japan, so they taught me some of the differences between Kansai (Kyoto) and Kanto (Tokyo) dialects.  It is my goal to be able to speak both of these dialects of Japanese!
They also surprised me with a birthday present, a beautiful Japanese fan. This is a very useful gift right now particularly since it is hot and humid every day.  Fans are actually still commonly carried and used by the Japanese, even though many westerners have the image that fans are only a traditional part of Japanese culture. I was completely surprised and so grateful for this beautiful present!

品川の水族館ー The Aquarium
I went to the Aquarium in Shinagawa with one of my Toshiba friends and her friend from university. Shinagawa aquarium has several aquariums featuring fish from freshwater rivers, to the sea, to exotic fish from other places.  It has a really neat walk-through aquarium too, where we saw a diver go in and feed the sting-rays. We also saw a dolphin show which was a lot of fun, as well as a sea lion show.

                                                                     Shark!

                                               We rowed around the pond in a rowboat.

                                                            Seafood doria for lunch

                                                    Here I am with a blue whale statue

                                                                    Grave for whales

                                                         Japanese curry for dinner!

カトリック教会ー Catholic Church
A few weeks ago I saw a sign for a Catholic Church here in Tsurumi, and I was so excited to be able to go to Mass in Japanese.  So every time I rode the bus and passed by the sign I tried to read it to figure out where the church is located.  Finally it dawned on me to google it- much easier.  So I found the directions and today I went to mass.

On the way there today, walking through a little neighborhood, I found a tiny Shinto shrine.  It is funny how there are shrines everywhere!  I have seen them in the middle of cities next to department stores, office buildings, and residential areas like this one.  I have been told that perhaps the shrines were bigger at one time, and when the area was built up around them people avoided moving the shrines so as to respect the feelings of the gods.  So... there are shrines everywhere.  This one was extra cute though, as it is set in the middle of a pond.

I found the Catholic Church very easily.  It is very close to my dormitory- only about a ten minute walk away. Once I arrived I wandered around a little and found a very pretty ornamental pond in the courtyard that had a little chapel hiding behind it.  Next I went to the main building and walked through the quiet, dark building wondering where the sanctuary was.  In the lobby I found an Indian lady and her little daughter waiting for her husband and son to arrive.  So I talked to her until the rest of her family came and then we walked upstairs for mass together. They were very kind and showed me where everything was and after mass introduced me to the priest.  It was really neat to hear mass in Japanese, and I understood everything the priest said pretty well (of course that's not the hardest task since Catholic masses all follow the same format!). It was the smallest mass I have ever attended though, with only about 15 adults and 5 little kids.  The recessional song had the same tune as one we sing in English, so that was pretty awesome. I was able to follow along and sing to it from the Japanese hymn book.