February 26, 2002
Everyday life is the Path

My interest in Zen Buddhism is certainly more than trivial and has lasted the better part of the past six years. So, one of the very few things that I absolutely wanted to accomplish while in Tokyo was to sit in zazen at a Buddhist temple, many of which are open to the public at least once a week. Monday night I decided to try to hear the sound of one hand clapping.
Janet and I completed the day's work a little early and headed to Chokukku-ji at about 6:15. As I befriended an english-speaking Japanese woman, Janet left to finish her errands for the evening. The woman, who's husband is American and went to Duke amazingly enough, guided me to a reception counter where I thanked her, paid a 100 yen alms and was prepared for some instruction.
After shedding some of my worldly attachments (watch, belt, wallet, socks) I was guided into a kind of waiting room with the other first timers, all Japanese. Yet again, an english-speaking woman initiated a conversation. She would prove to be quite the bodhisatva as the evening progressed, helping me out when the Japanese instruction seemed lost on me.
At 7:00, another monk retrieved us and took us to a first-time instruction in zazen, seated meditation. The instruction room was tatami style with a row of black zafu (cushions used for zazen) on the floor. The instruction lasted about 10 minutes and was once again beyond my comprehension of Japanese, but I felt I was quite succesful in grasping everything, including when to bow (gassho), how to sit (lotus style, hanka-fuza), and the proper breathing technique (kanki-issoku). After that, the monk left us on our own for about 40 minutes.
Chokoku-ji is over 400 years old and seems not to notice that a teeming city of 10 million people has grown up around it. There is a stone and wood wall guarding the monks from the material world and an enormous gate that the world crosses under to enter. The floors are stone, wood and straw mats and a slight hint of incense pervades the air. The monks shuffle along very quickly, bowing to visitors and each other, bowing upon entering and leaving, bowing at certain shrines. The monks have an incredibly peaceful countenance and are quite patient, even with the gaijin invading their solemnity.
After our time of quiet contemplation, we joined the other guests of the monastery, in a meditation hall. The room was split into long quarters, each with raised platforms, with rows of zafu. We were each positioned behind a zafu, given a booklet, and told that mid-way through the meditation, we would be chanting from the scripture. We then commenced with a few gassho, were seated on our zafu, and then turned to face the wall for zazen.
The actual process of zazen is really quite interesting; the point is to abandon the concern and attachment of daily life. Ideally, you are able to enter a state of awareness that transcends your thoughts. As your thoughts creep in, like pieces of paper blowing about in the wind, your task is not to concsiously ignore them (because that would require thought), but to simply not engage them, let them pass on until even the breeze that blows them is meaningless. Obviously, it's something that takes a little bit of practice.
Periodically, a smacking noise would interrupt the silence. I had read about this but obviously never encountered it--apparently, practicioners will request (via a slight nod) a smack from one of the monks, to help them focus. I found just the sound actually helped me to focus as well.
After the burning in my knees and lower legs subsided, as it invariably always does during a longer meditation, a kind of calmness swept through my body. Even though the full lotus is not at all comfortable, I actually felt much of the stress that I usually carry around with me simply melt away. Not long after that, a bell indicated that the chants were to begin.
Fortunately, my liturgy was in english, but wasn't a literal translation of the chants. Rather, it contained a full set of the equivalent Romanized pronunciations of what everyone else was chanting. The chant, a very deep set of seemingly random bellows, actually lasted quite some time, what seemed like 20 minutes, and then we finished our meditation, accompanied by a gong and a bell. We all slowly stood, allowed the feeling to return to the lower extremities, bowed a few more times, and left the hall quitely.
Amazingly enough, the world that I had left at the temple gate still existed when I returned to it. And for a few fleeting moments, on my bike back to Omatesando, the experience of reality seemed just a bit more fresh and new without the strain of thought weighing heavily.

Posted by jimray at 11:26 PM
February 25, 2002
My evening as a power generator

Most gyms across the world now offer spinning classes and my temporary Tokyo gym is no exception to the trend. I must admit to being a bit intimidated by the classes I've watched from afar--there's a lot of movement on these stationary bikes and everyone seems to sweat a lot. I'd say spinning is actually part rave, part Marine boot camp, part guided meditation, with the wild electronic music, variable lights, zealous instructor and focused breathing exercises.
I showed up to the spinning room a little before start of the class, told the instructor in my best Japanese that this was my first spinning class ("Sumi masen, this is my first time") and managed to stretch a little bit. I staked out a bike next to a pretty serious fellow that looked like he knew what was going on and behind an attractive girl, and made the necessary adjustments to accomodate gaijin height. The room quickly filled with people dressed to race the Tour de France.
A spinning bike isn't like any other stationary bike--the wheel is actually weighted like a fly whell and takes a little getting used to. There are adjustments for increasing and decreasing the resistance on the wheel as well, to simulate an uphill battle with the elements if you so desire.
Being that I know enough Japanese to say hello, thank you, and excuse me, most of the instructions were lost on me, but my spandex-clad compatriots offered enough guidance in their activity that I was able to pretty much fake it. The only times I truly felt cheated were when you were supposed to turn the resistance down--an event I managed to miss every single time. I predict my elevation by the end was about 5 miles above sea level.
All in all, it was challenging, particularly the points punctuated by bursts of speed and lots of standing and sitting to really work those quads and hamstrings. But I survived my first spinning class, in Japanese no less, but was quite relieved to join the class in giving my instructor high-fives 45 minutes later. Sadly, the cute girl escaped without engaging me in the witty conversation that I was sure would follow, which is probably for the best since I did, in fact, sweat a lot.

Posted by jimray at 12:00 AM
February 23, 2002
Japanese Effeciency

My mom once made a joke that the Japanese had invented something that was sure to make most road maintenance crews in the U.S. obsolete--a shovel that stands up by itself. (Get it?) The irony is, in Japan, a shovel that stands without the assistance of a "supervisor" would be even more devastating on the economy.
As you may imagine, a city the size of Tokyo requires a lot of maintenance. Any time you stroll around the city, you are sure to come across a crew of uniformed workers, performing any manner of routine repair. Unique to this scene, though, is the presence of at least two supervisors, often more. I've seen quite a few crews around the city and am amazed at the supervisory skills required for each one of them. The Japanese shovel holders put their American counterparts to shame.
What's even more amazing is the automated traffic guides that are set up on roadway projects. The Japanese have borrowed any idea straight from Walt Disney and set up animatronic traffic directors. Because you don't want to loose out on the value of a good supervisor, after all.

Posted by jimray at 11:06 AM
What a difference 10 minutes makes

The Japanese seem to be very big on the concept of massage--this is the country that invented shiatsu after all. And in Japan, just like most nations across this fickle planet, massage can mean many different things, depending on how much you are willing to pay.
In the mail this week was an advertisement for "Visiting Massage", complete with prices, a telephone number and a drawing of the girl that would most certainly be showing up at your doorstep. This isn't so amazing in intself as is the price structure. Sixty minutes of deep kneeding is a modest 6,000 yen, but 70 minutes will send you to the bank to convert those hard earned dollars into 12,000 yen. The fact that the operating hours are between 7:00 pm and 4:30 am does little to assuage my fears of naughtiness.

Posted by jimray at 10:47 AM
February 20, 2002
What does parking in Tokyo have in common with the Bat Cave?

Tokyo, much like any other major city, manages to squeeze parking into just about any availble corner. And the Japanese have come up with all kinds of creative ways to cram as many cars into as small a space as possible. Usually the simple act of leaving a parking lot requires the assistance of at least two attendants, who direct traffic and pedestrians. Tonight, however, I discovered my favorite Japanese parking lot innovation: the automotive lazy susan.
Because the parking garages are so narrow, you can't turn your car around in the decks themselves--you have to back out to exit. But, it's kind of a safety hazard to back into the busy Tokyo streets, so a disc in the ground rotates your car 180 degrees. Holy wasabi, Batman.

Posted by jimray at 11:19 PM
February 18, 2002
Tofu CAN be delicious

I've been some form of vegetarian now for about 5 years, waxing and waning on certain issues like fish and the occasional half chicken from Boston Market. During this time, I've never been particularly impressed with tofu, the supposed soybean godsend for veggies. Dinner last night, however, changed that impression.
After a great workout, Filip, Janet and I met up with Zia and Ariadne, two of Filip and Janet's best friends in Tokyo. Like most of the really good restaurants in Tokyo, this one was tucked away in some residential corner, barely recognizable as a restaurant, but full. The decor was traditional tatami style, with straw mats, no shoes, everyone sitting on the floor, and very subdued lamp light.
Filip and Ariadne did most of the ordering, since they speak Japanese, and the rest of us just kind of waited for food to be presented. One of the first dishes was sesame tofu, which looked like block tofu that had been pureed. I scooped up a glop with my chopsticks, preparing for the same blandness I've tasted a thousand times, and was instantly impressed. This tofu was good. It had texture, like nutella or peanut butter, and flavor. I was literally blown away! All of this from soybean curd and a little sesame oil.
The rest of the meal was just as amazing--spring roles, sauted eggplant, Japanese yams with tartar sauce, and of course, Japanese beer and a little sake. We finished it off with a cup of hot tea and set home. Coupled with my 45-minute shower/sauna/bathing at the gym, the evening was quite possibly one of the most joyous and relaxing of my life

Posted by jimray at 09:19 AM
My tatami style shall defeat your dragon style

Tatami is the form of design that most people think of when they envision Japanese interior decorating. Straw mats cover the floor (and are the reason for taking your shoes on and off all the time), earth tones pervade, and the walls and supporting beams are wood.
My bedroom is the only tatami room in Janet and Filip's apartment, complete with futon on the floor. The entrance is right about 6 feet high, so I have to duck or risk knotting my noggin, and closes with a screen, not a hinged door.
My bathroom is paneled in cedar, with a huge shower and bath, reinforcing the importance of cleanliness (as if I the gym doesn't solidfy this).
The really amazing thing about all of this is that the rest of the house is very western in design--marble and wood floors, tiles in the other bathrooms and in the kitchen, doors that are 8 feet high and hinged. Apparently, during the economic boom of the 80's, it was very popular to build western-style apartments, leaving one room traditional. Of course, you still take your shoes off.

Posted by jimray at 09:01 AM
February 17, 2002
Questions, answers

I thought I'd take a little time this Sunday morning to answer a few questions that have cropped up since I landed 10 days ago.
First--yes, I am working. Many of you are concerned that I seem to be freeloading and sightseeing more than anything else. The beauty of freelance work is that you can set your own hours, including the wee hours of the morning if you prefer.
Despite the sea urchin encounter and my lack of slurping skills, I'm finding plenty to eat; Tokyo, like any other gigantic city, is full of victual variety. I've had Mexican food served by a Spanish and Japanese speaking waitress, Italian food and French cuisine served without even a hint of haughtiness. And of course, we cook as well. I managed to break the convection oven the other night fixing stuffed peppers, which caused some kind of internal alarm to sound for about 2 hours. The repair man determined it was a faulty computer. I'm going to try to redeem myself by fixing blueberry pancakes this morning.
The weather here is a lot like home. It's rather nice during the day, high in the low to mid fifties, and cool at night. Because Japan is a rather small group of islands surrounded by a rather large ocean, the patterns change pretty frequently from totally clear to cloudy and back to clear.
Keep the questions coming, I'll try to answer them as best as possible. Now it's time for those pancakes.

Posted by jimray at 08:55 AM
February 15, 2002
Lost in Shibuya

In an effort to combat frustration brought on by too much time in front of Janet's cinema screen, I decided to take a walk through the neighborhood today.
Even more amazing than the labyrinth of streets, which are laid out in anything but a grid, is the fact that none of them have names. So you have to either use a radar-like sense of guidance or landmarks to get around. I opted for some combination of the two and am happy to report that I did quite well--after all, I'm back posting to the website, aren't I? I could still be aimlessly wandering the somewhat dizzying maze of electronics bazaars and massage parlors.
Not five minutes after leaving the apartment and hitting the streets, I was accosted by a Japanese girl that decided she needed to practice her english. "Hello," she said.
"Hi," was my response. I was trying desperately not to stare at her teeth, which unfortunately bared more of her lipstick than her lips did.
We went back and forth for a minute as I waited for the light to turn. I told her I was from the United States. "Of America?" was her response. I added I was from North Carolina, then she said she had been to Hickory, which I was inclined to believe because I know people from Hickory that don't admit they've been there. As we crossed, she asked if she could have a picture with me, which I agreed to as soon as I determined we would be traveling different directions at the next light change.
I then headed towards my new gym, just to get my bearings, and then back towards Shibuya, a very colorful, youth filled part of town. I came across a gaggle of school children, walking hand in hand from school to the subway for a ride home, each clad in a yellow hat and matching backpack. I must admit to being quite amazed by the fact that none of these kids had much supervision--they were just entrusted to get from school, to home, via the subway. Can you imagine this happening in New York City? I'm scared of the subway half the time I use it in New York. I also felt somewhat more comfortable in my surroudings after my run in with the kiddos--nothing like the vitality of youth to give you hope and direction.
I wandered the major streets a bit more, soaking up the city as much as possible, and ducked down a few colorful alley ways. I'm still constantly amazed at the visual feast that surrounds me all the time--it's almost too much to take in. At any given point, I'm being bowed to and politely handed flyers for an electronics store, given complimentary tissues laden with advertising, marveling at the 100-foot neon signs and trying to figure out where I am. Shibuya, a market district of sorts, seems to be saturated with all of this and more. Not to mention the occasional Japanese wanting to practice her English...

Posted by jimray at 10:43 PM
February 13, 2002
It's all in the slurp

Tonight, Janet, Filip and I headed over to their favorite noodle shop for dinner, a hole-in-the-wall kind of place that has apparently been in business forever.
For those of you that haven't seen Tampopo, I highly recommend it, if only to see how everyone eats their ramen here. Ignoring what most Western mom's would consider good table manners, the Japanese slurp their noodles straight from the bowl. Chopsticks are used mostly for shoveling the noodles from bowl to mouth, where they are quickly slurped in.
Eating in a noodle shop is a bit of a disconcerting experience. The sound of everyone slurping away is rather cacophonous and it's pretty hard to concentrate or hold a conversation over the din. But, this is how it's done and I quickly joined the fray, proudly trying to slurp, but mostly sucking in air and watching as the noodles dangled from my mouth, not wanting to be eaten.
As the three of us were finishing, a few business men came in and were disappointed that all the seats were taken. Filip told them that we would be leaving soon and they should hold on. Apparently this was very encouraging news, as they slapped me on the back several times, between a few domo arigato's and some Japanese that Filip laughed about. As we left, they thanked us a few more times, laughed and sat down, no doubt ready to begin slurping.

Posted by jimray at 11:33 PM
Rock, roll

"Is this an earthquake?" I asked Janet. She nodded her head as we both held on to the desk, as if that was going to do any good.
I asked because I've never experienced an earthquake before, even a mild one like the one that literally shook things up at about 11:00 last night. Janet and I were working on the site and then everything started shaking. Not the short, jerky shakes I expected but longer, more fluid tremors. It was kind of like being on a boat when the sea gets a little choppy. It lasted for about a minute and was supposedly one of the "better" ones they've had recently.
Filip got out of bed, to make sure everything was alright. "Put that on your website!"
The Japanese have lived with earthquakes since there were Japanese. The country is a string of volcanic islands and sits on a fault that makes California's look like a crack in the sidewalk. It's just another part of life in this amazing place.

Posted by jimray at 08:47 AM
February 11, 2002
So there I was, naked, surrounded by Japanese men

Janet and Filip's gym is very nice, with lots of equipment, no waiting and free gatorade (well, the Japanese equivalent). I'm able to get in a great workout, even if it took me a few trys to figure out the treadmill. It's definitely nicer than most American gyms, but pretty similar in most respects.
The ritual after working out, however, is unmatched by anything I've ever seen anywhere in the world. There is an entire floor at the basement level dedicated to men and women's locker rooms and shower factilities. First, you disrobe and enter the shower area, armed with only a towel smaller than many wash clothes I've used. After showering off, there are the many baths and steam rooms. In the center of the room are three large baths, of varying temperatures. Two are very warm and one is freezing cold. Amazingly enough, after soaking in a hot bath for a few minutes, the jolt of the cold water is quite invigorating.
In between baths, you can sit down at a scrubbing station and vigorously scrub away anything you may have missed in the initial shower. There are also two saunas--a wet and a dry one--for sweating out the toxins you've accumulated through the day.
Bear in mind that I was figuring all of this out with no guidance. Filip had started this whole process before I finished working out, not that I would want to follow him around the public bath. And unlike most public situations in Japan, such as in the train station or airport, it's not exactly accepted to just sit and stare at people to figure out what's supposed to be going on. So I meandered to and fro, making several rookie mistakes as I went along, trying my best to get as clean as possible. At the end of it all, I felt more relaxed than ever, convinced that these guys are on to something.

Posted by jimray at 10:53 PM
Tastes like...sea urchin

Janet and I spent most of a cold, blustery Sunday in the office (her home office, my new office). We sat hunched over our keyboards and monitors, listening to audio she's recorded from around the world, editing photos, critiquing other photo sites and snacking on Pokki (chocolate covered pretzel sticks).
After returning from the gym at about 6:30 or so, Filip suggested we run across town to their sushi place. That's right, Filip and Janet are co-owners of a sushi restaurant in a little neighborhood on the edge of Tokyo.
Upon arrival, we were greeted, in the parking lot, by another of the partners, Sasaki-san. He was instantly excited to see us and welcomed the gaijin (that's me) with open arms.
We sat down and were then instantly greeted with full bottles of sake, an appetizer of snapper (cooked), sashimi and roe salad. Next up was some miso soup and tuna cheek (yes, cheek from a tuna), which was AMAZING.
I must admit that unagi (smoked eel) is some of my favorite sushi, but the unago that came next I was unprepared for. The chef flanked half an eel, prepared it, and set it upon a tiny rice square. Of course, it was delicious, just a bit daunting. Next, the sushi. We started out with some mackerel, a delicassy I'm told, and then mixed in some tuna, octopus, salmon and few I've never seen.
After more sake and a little green tea, Filip and Sasaki-san suggested that I should try the sea urchin. I looked at the mustard yellow blob wrapped in a little rice and seaweed and swallowed hard. It looked more like something you'd expect to see towards the end of your digestive tract, not the beginning. However, always ready for a challenge, I picked it up with my chopsticks, dipped it in a little soy sauce, and gave it a whirl.
In an effort to distract my attention, Filip started explaining how sea urchin are prepared, a fact I'm sure I would have been more interested in had I not been eating it. Basically, the urchin are farmed, and then plucked, split in half and the insides are scooped out like avocado, which is what you swallow down, with the help of a lot of sake.
Afterward, Suzuki-san (the chef, also a partner) sat down with Filip and Sasaki-san and discussed some business details in a flurry of Japanese. Janet and I tried to talk about the website, but the sake had taken its hold and we just kind of babbled.

Posted by jimray at 08:49 AM
February 09, 2002
Do androids dream of electric sheep?

In a place like Akihabara, the question of androids suddenly becomes a serious one. After trapesing through old Tokyo, Filip and I headed towards Japan's infamous electronics bazaar, Akihabara. It was about a half mile journey, which included a quick stop at a pachinko parlor and lunch at a noodle shop. I'll try my hand at pachinko next weekend.
Akihabara, which stretches both horizontally down major streets and dimly lit alleys, and vertically up neon clad buildings, truly conjures images of a market from the Middle East. However, in place of silk clad Arabs hawking dates, almonds and fine silk are uniformed Japanese behind stalls of palm pilots, mp3 players, mobile phones and all kinds of technical wizardry. The smaller, more feature filled, the better.
Filip and I stopped in one of the major buildings to see what we could see. Each of the six floors had a theme, one with handhelds and mobile phones in every color (with full color screens!), another with miscellaneous computer parts to build your own machine with the latest and greatest that Taiwan has to offer. There was one floor filled with flat panel televisions bigger than most of the walls in my apartment, sharper than looking out my window; I figured they'd better be for the millions of yen they were going for. Filip and I tested out the new palm pilots from Sony (full color screen, built in mp3 player!), watched a little of Star Wars: Episode I (in Japanese) on a huge flat panel tv and gawked at the ultraportable, fully featured laptops. All in all, it was kind of nice to see six months into the future.

Posted by jimray at 09:10 PM
Konnichi wa, old Tokyo

Today, while Janet finished preparing some audio and pictures, Filip and I set out on an adventure to old Tokyo. After a passing glance of the Imperial Palace and a brief visit to the financial district (where Filip's office, Merril Lynch, is) we took the subway into old Tokyo. I'll note here that during the economic boom of the 1980's, it was calculated that the sacred land the palace and surrounding gardens occupy was worth more than the state of California, including the buildings, because of it's prime location just outside the financial district. The subway is even built to circumvent the palace.
Tokyo is considered a "new" city by Japanese, largely because it kept getting destroyed by fires, earthquakes and Allied bombing raids. However, old Tokyo supposedly offers a glimpse of how things were and is a pretty fascinating walk.
After emerging from the subway station, we immediately turned into a small park. Apparently, parks just spring up all over Tokyo, from the sprawling Imperial gardens to a few square meters of hillside and a single bench. This one had a beautiful bridge, a small pond with carp and even a shrine.
Not wanting to linger at the beginning of our adventure, we crossed a few streets and found a tea merchant. While sipping on our complimentary, freshly roasted green tea, Filip and I marveled at tea that cost as much as 3,000 yen for 100 grams. He picked up some more modestly priced coffee and tea and we headed back into the alley.
We then happened upon a small sweet shop that blasted American country western music, the Japanese propietor of which sported a huge cowboy hat.
We wound our way through the narrow streets, flanked by a seemingly infinite number of temples and tombstones. Amazingly enough, the land-cramped Japanese find space for cemeteries. However, the ashes of several generations are all buried under a single headstone.
We then found the Asakura Choso Museum, which was originally the home and studio of Fumio Asakura, a sculptor and intellectual. He designed the home and garden himself, and they were amazing. The garden, complete with pond and carp, sits right in the middle of the 3-floor home. Each room was incredibly balanced--the whole place puts you in a pretty peaceful state.
After the museum, we visited a Japanese decorated papers store (briefly--it was rather small and crowded) and a store that sells colors for Japanese paints. The store was stocked with every color imaginable, as powder in jars, from floor to ceiling. It was really quite amazing to see the entire spectrum distilled to this room of jars--including an entire shelf of whites.
We ended the trip to old Tokyo with a trip to a tea shop, enjoying a cup of very strong green tea and sweet cakes.

Posted by jimray at 08:56 PM
February 08, 2002
Out and about

I finally got my internal clock straightened out enough to wander around Tokyo for a few hours without requiring a nap. Life at street level is pretty amazing. First of all, Tokyo has got to be the cleanest city of over 8 million people in the world. You could eat off most of the streets--not that you would, but you could.
Then, there's the grocery store. I've actually been to three different grocery stores since landing. The stores are all spotless, a little crowded, and the food is perfect. Not a blemish, everything is perfectly round and uniform in color--it's kind of unnerving, really. I usually want a little variation in my fruit. The downside to all of this is cost--a cantaloupe can cost 6,000 to 8,000 yen, or about $50-$75. Apples are about $4 a piece. I don't ever want to hear you New Yorkers bitching about the cost of living again!
By far, the most exciting trip of the afternoon was to Kiddy Land, a four-floor toy store filled with some of the most amazing crap you've ever seen in your life. Digimon, pokemon, stuffed animals of all kinds, Barbi's, goats, stickers, Hello Kitty, cell phone accoutremen, every kind of pen, pencil, eraser you can imagine. It was truly one of the more surreal experiences of my young life, this giganitic Japanese toy store. I'm afraid I've become hooked, though, and will likely spend many of my free hours roaming Kiddy Land like a junkie jonesing for a fix.
At dinner tonight, I discovered that I'm terrible at slurping soba noodles. Several Japanese business men stared at me as I tried to figure out the proper noodle eating etiquette.

Posted by jimray at 11:18 PM
Your toilet says a lot about your country

I've never been one of those people that analyzes what certain things say about where you're from--I just try to take it all in stride. However, the Japanese toilet is cause for exception. It's the most amazing thing you've ever seen. First of all, it's operated by remote control. There's no handle, just an electronic keypad. The seats are heated. HEATED SEATS ON A TOILET! I don't even have heated seats in my car, but here my tush will be nice and toasty on the toilet.
In addition to the remote controlled flusher, every other aspect of the toilet is remote controlled, including lifting and putting down the seat and myriad other options I'm too afraid to try, because they're in Japanese. Is this a dream come true for American men or what? What man wouldn't put the seat down, if there's a remote control involved. The only problem: their wives having to wrestle the remote away just to flush.

Posted by jimray at 09:55 AM
February 07, 2002
At home in the land of the Rising Sun

It actually seems like the sun never set, as my plane chased it around the globe and across the international date line. 14.5 hours of flying, a little waiting, and one train later, I'm in Tokyo!!
The trip was uneventful for the most part. I flew to Chicago, hung out in O'hare for about 20 minutes, found my gate (amazingly enough, it was the one with lots of Japanese people waiting), then flew to Tokyo. 12.5 hours in a plane is mindnumblingly boring. And the movies were horrible, between Zoolander, Hearts in Atlantis or some awful Courtney Cox "romantic comedy". I read a lot and watched a lot of the National Geographic channel, over and over. I didn't sleep on the plane.
When I got to Tokyo, I breezed through customs, changed some money (130 yen to the dollar) and met Janet. We trained to Tokyo from Narita airport (about an hour) then cabbed it to her apartment. I was blown away by the visual feast that is Tokyo! Everything glows and flashes--it's Time Square on steroids, all over. I met Filip (Janet's husband), who is exceedingly cool, and then we went out for some dinner--lots of sashimi, some cooked fish, too! Then, I crashed hard and now Janet and I are off to a traditional Japanese breakfast at Denny's!
The adventure has officially begun.

Posted by jimray at 09:09 AM
February 04, 2002
Ready to go, almost

I've bought socks, $120 worth of film, toothpaste and just about everything else I need. I've almost finished packing and I have a ride to the airport (thanks Archana! You're the very best!!)
This whole thing is just so surreal. I'm gonna be in a plane, airport or train for something like 22 hours before settling in. But it's all HAPPENING and I couldn't be more excited.

A note to all my peeps following along. PLEASE, please leave a comment or two if you get a minute. I kinda want this to be interactive and fun for everyone. Leave tips, suggestions, rude remarks, questions--ANYTHING. I'll try to check in as often as possible.

Posted by jimray at 03:41 PM
February 03, 2002
I should be packing

Joe, always the first to point out when I'm wasting my time, noted that this time would probably be better spent packing. I don't leave for another 36 hours--what's he talking about? At least my laundry is done.

Stuff to buy before I leave:
Underwear (you can never have too much)
Socks
Deodorant
Toothpaste
Film. Lots and lots of film. (p.s.-if anyone wants to donate a digital camera, you'll get a special shout out.)
Fleece Jacket. It's a little chilly in Tokyo.

Posted by jimray at 05:02 PM
February 01, 2002
Why in the world am I going to Tokyo?

Way back in May, 2001, when the economy wasn't AS bad, I was working for Rich at the multimedia bootcamp at the J-School. There, I met Janet Jarman, amazing photojournalist, frustrated multimedia developer. About halfway through a Flash session, she asks Nate and I if we had plans for September. Of course not, we don't have jobs, was our reply. Then came the kicker: "If I fly you guys to Japan, do you think you can teach me some of this stuff?" Nate and I took all of about 3 seconds to reply.
As time moved on, this thing kept getting pushed back further and further, for a variety of reasons. Through a series of emails, super long distance phone calls, dealing with 13 hour time differences, we finally found a date that worked. And now I have a plane ticket for February 5th. I come back March 5th.
The next question, of course, is what in the world are you doing there. The short answer is, building Janet a web page. A web experience, really. She's an amazing photographer and has millions of images, sound clips, video files. And it's all going on the web. Well, not all of it, but enough. I'm also supposed to help her get up to speed on a few things, like Flash and Final Cut Pro.
This will all be an AMAZING experience, with out a doubt. A whole month in Tokyo, working, exploring, teaching. I just have to figure out how to do all that now...

Posted by jimray at 06:35 PM