...At the Cusp of Dawn, We're Going Shopping!

Ok, so maybe not the "cusp of dawn." More like "after I mosey out the door for lunch." But we did do a lot of shopping today. Not touristy shopping, but just getting settled.

First, Amy, Katlyn, and I (Amy and Katlyn are the two other students from Coe) walked to the super market. They have the cutest, tiniest carts there. We spent a lot of time looking at pictures to figure out what things are. We also just kind of wandered the store to get a feel for what's available. I picked up a pot and some ramen - the essentials - as well as a package of chopsticks. Stupidly, i forgot my nice metal ones at home. We also got some luch fromt he store's pre-made lunches. most of the lunches consist of rice and some fish or meat. they are really good and well priced.

on the way back, i picked up an umbrella at another shop. This proved to be a very good thing because as soon as we finished lunch, Amy and I were convinced to walk to Don Quixote, even though it was raining. Don Quixote is probably the closest thing that japan has to a Walmart or Target, though it doesn't carry clothes (except underwear and socks) or appliances. It turned out to be a very long walk, but well worth it. The store is in a mall-like complex. Between Don Quixote and the 100-yen shop next door, i was able to get most of the things I need to settle in but couldn't pack; things like dishes, soap, dish towels, etc.. (100 yen is historically somewhere around a dollar. it used to be less than a dollar. now that the yen is stronger than the dollar, is is a bit more.)

By the time we got back, we were really tired, but decided to meet in a half hour to dinner. We ended up walking to a cool sushi place. we had quite a long wait, so we spent some time in the arcade next door. it was really cool and all kinds of people were there, including men in business suits with brief cases. I played a taiko drumming game with a guy who's on the drumline at his own school. it was very fun.

The sushi place was amazing as well. some may have heard of sushi places in japan with conveyor belts. this is one of those. you sit down at a table and watch the sushi as it rides by. if you see something you like or that looks good, you take it. they have green tea stations at the tables and other beverages on the belt. you can also special order dishes via a com speaker at the table. when everyone is fed and happy, you press a button that notifies a server. Most of the plates are flat-priced (this place was 105 yen a plate, usually two pieces of sushi) so the server comes and counts your plates, records it electronically and hands you a ticket with a number. you take your ticket to the counter and pay. my sushi dinner was about 560 yen including tax. not bad; really good actually.

While i was ther, i also had corn sushi - yes, corn sushi. it's really nothing special: basically corn and japanese mayonnaise on top of rice wrapped in nori (seaweed paper). but it was still funny. i had to get it just to say that i've eaten it.

in case you haven't noticed a theme, we walk everywhere. it's cool that so much is within walking distance, even if it might be a hefty walk. the school strongly advises that we purchase bikes. i'm thinking about it. there are some being sold by last semester's students that are much less expensive than getting a new one. there are bike lanes everywhere and it doesn't seems a corny to have a little bell. it was fun to see so many people on bikes holding umbrellas. it seems to be an art of sorts, but a very useful skill. most of still have to master walking on the left though instead of the right.

I have many pictures from my first two days and will hopefully get around to posting them when i have more time and get my camera recharged.