Alas day didn't start too well as it was pouring rain in Kyoto. Biggest issue with this was that the books inside the bag got soaked up a bit. Damn. They are still in readable shape but would have preferred non soaked. If for nothing else these will take up bit more space in shelf. Ah well. Damage done, can't do anything more about it.
Trip to Tokyo was uneventful. After arriving to Tokyo I stopped for a lunch, left my stuff at hotel and did little bit of shopping.
Arriving to Sangen-jaya was soooo nostalgic. Last two times I have been to Japan I went through this area a LOT. I know this little place quite well so walking here put me to time trip to past.
I had meeting arranged with friend so I headed to Futakotamagawa. This is pretty funny because I visited that place last year. Not big famous tourist spot so odds of meeting there isn't that big. Still nice little place.
Last year I had went there to go to temple that has pitch black tunnel with buddhist statues and writings inside(in lighted areas). Seems she hadn't heard of it so we went there together. First time I actually ended up showcasing place in Japan to Japanese. But as we talked tourists actually can know more about places than locals as they usually pre-study place in preparation of the trip. They want to make good of time they have there so learn all they can. Locals meanwhile...Well you don't really tourist your home place now do you?
Odds are good many tourists know more about MY town than I do :D And there's Japanese who know more about Finland than I do and I have visited more places than many Japanese have. That's often how it goes. You study more of places far from you than those near to you.
Was as interesting experience walking the tunnel as it was before. Sure is bit spooky sometimes but at least having gone through it once already I was able to walk it with confidence. Was therefore shorter than I remembered! Last time dark parts seemed to go on forever.
We had lots of fun chatting for about three hours about this and that and looking at pictures. She was able to show pictures of wisteria tunnel I would like to visit that she had taken herself. Learned out going there by public transportation is pretty tough. Also seems they are blooming for very short period and around golden week. Bummer! Seems I can't see it during Shikoku Pilgrimage since by the time I have finished THAT one those are dead. Unless I want to make some sort of quick break from the pilgrimage to visit that tunnel and come back?
Had rather fun discussing with her. Again made me think just what IS it that makes women speech so much easier for me to understand than male speech. Men as a rule of thumb is quite hard for understand. Have talked with enough men to notice trend nevermind news, tv shows, animes and movies. Oh and music. Women meanwhile tend to be lot easier to understand and today despite her speaking quite fast(don't think I have ever talked with Japanese who spoke as fast as she did. Usually Japanese slow down a bit their normal speech. Well I'm sure she slowed down a bit as well but less than most) I still was following her quite well. Biggest problem came when we were talking about Finnish political system! Couldn't remember word for parliament at all.
Would sure like to talk with some professional why women speech is so much easier to understand for me. Just that women tend to speak more clearly? Should I study yet another language to find if I run into same thing in that language as well? (english I'm used enough that it isn't much of comparison. Men or women doesn't matter anymore).
In the end however time ran out and it was time to go on our ways. All good things come to an end sooner or later.
I had remembered there were two videos I DID want to buy on this trip(had even bookmarked them pre-departure) so going to Shibuya for Tower Records. Think there was some male idol or some other male celebrity there as entering on 4th floor I heard rather distinctive voice of excited female group and sure enough lots of womens of various ages talking all excited waiting to get behind screen with SOMEBODY inside. Not quite sure who but hey if men are allowed to have female idols to handshake why not male idols for women :)
Tomorrow yet another meeting and then go meet with friends and stay at their guest room in their apartment complex(interesting to have quest rooms available in such buildings) for early departure on saturday. Not sure how many pictures I can take tomorrow either. Kinda low on picture count but when you are sitting in train and having fun talking photographing isn't top priority(and starbucks coffee isn't THAT interesting place to take photos of)
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