Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Planning for Tokyo

I have now read the first 50 pages of the Rough Guide: Tokyo (I have the version prior to the current one here, but you get the idea) and I have learned *much*! Thanks so to SKS for lending me the book!

First, the word of the week, which is "onna"=female. Not that I will have cause to say it aloud; I think if anyone is talking to me, my gender should be as apparent as it needs to be. But the guide tells me I'll need to learn the written Japanese for my gender if I have hope of using the appropriate bathroom. Hence, my first kanji!



Other things I've learned:
--I want to ride in a boat designed by a cartoonist
--I will be in Tokyo for the portable shrine festival (Kanda Matsuri) and another festival (Sanja Matsuri) that also features portable shrines, but seems to focus more on an ancient tale of fishermen finding a statue. I'm sure I have this all wrong, but I'm looking forward to it.
--you have to take your shoes off indoors and put on slippers, which I am fine with and in fact always do at home, because I a) don't like wearing shoes but b) get cold easily. However, even when you are indoors, you have to change out of your normal slippers and into toilet slippers when you go to the bathroom, and that seems *exactly* like the sort of thing I'd forget to do. Worrying.

More soon, I'm sure.

I craved / I ate hearts
RR

7 comments:

Frederique said...

When do you leave? Will you be blogging from Tokyo?

Kerry said...

I never learned to read anything during my 14 months in Japan, so I wouldn't stress out too much if I were you. Also, everyone will expect you to do things, you being foreign, so don't worry too much when/if it happens. You should also learn the word "sugoi!" which means cool/awesome/amazing and is used as an exuberant exclamation. Pronounced, "sa-goy!!!!!" (with at least five exclamation marks).

Kerry said...

"Also every will expect you to do things WRONG"

Kerry said...

Um, everyONE (I am tired. Obvious? Enough of this).

Rebecca Rosenblum said...

I leave in a month--eek! I mean, yay! I mean...oh, my goodness, I have a lot to get done between now and then.

I don't imagine I'll have *much* blogging time in Japan, but I should be able to manage a few posts!

Careygirl said...

Japan! Purrrr, such a wonderful place. How long are you going for, gaijin?

Rebecca Rosenblum said...

Two whole weeks--long enough to get good and lost, and found again! Very excited!!