Welcome to Japan! Or so that sign told me when I entered the country! So yes, I'm here! After a huge ordeal with our tickets at check-in that took so long to resolve that American Airlines People didn't even check our luggage weight, I'm finally here! Our flight went really smooth and we got in almost an hour and a half ahead of schedule. Our seats were really good and we had cool little monitors that let us choose our movie, games and music anytime we wanted. Plus you can take 2 suitcases to Asia. I highly recommend AA!
When we got into the country, we went to go get our luggage. Mom got through just fine, but when she turned around, I was gone because I got detained by immigration. I put on my entrance papers a time that was longer that 90 days (because that's how long I am staying) and since I don't officially have my VISA, I'm entering as a tourist and they only allow tourists to stay for 90 days. I wasn't actually ever scared, and the people were really nice. Once I explained to them that my school had not gotten me my certificate of eligibility on time and I showed them the certificate and the paperwork my school had to fill out, they let me out saying I just had better get that VISA within in 90 days.
Mom and I caught a Limo Bus into our hotel and managed to stay awake until 7pm...unfortunately this resulted in us waking UP at 6/6:30AM...but hey, details. We're staying at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel which I recommend! The carpets could probably be a little cleaner on the residential floors, but its nice. There are all kinds of restaurants, shops, amenities, entertainment and the like right in the hotel complex, plus the train station is right across the street and its a major train station. Very, very nice. If you're ever in the area and need a place to stay, they're great.
Unfortunately its rather cold and rainy today, so we had to modify our activities to indoor stuff. We ended up going to the Edo Tokyo Museum, where I had to go to the service counter and send a security guard out looking for my mom since I had lost her, which was fun. I had all ready been to this museum last time, but I figured it was a good thing for my mom to see to better understand Japan.
After that we headed over to Higashi-Ginza to go to Kabuki-za, the largest and most popular Kabuki theater on this side of Japan. We saw Benten Musume meo no Shiranami. It was...interesting. its certainly a very good way to get a quick grasp on what is theater as well as what is humor in Japan...because its certainly not usual humor in America. We were also very confused when we learned by example that Kabuki Theater is apparently a interactive experience....people would start clapping at what I thought were the most random times (but hey, what do I know about Kabuki?) and they would also just shout out at random intervals through out the show.
Because we were only seeing a single show as opposed to the whole afternoon program, we were in the cheap seats on the 4th floor. My only recommendation is that if you go, get there EARLY to get in line. The further up in line, the better your seats will be. We were in the 2nd row of the fourth balcony and it was really hard to see over the person in front of me, and some people even had to stand for the whole program. They also offer English head sets for 1400 Yen (with a 1000 Yen return if you give them back the head piece). GET IT. I don't care how good your Japanese is. The actors are not wearing mics, and they really drag out words and say them strangely at times, so up in the 4th balcony, it can be really hard to hear. Plus the headset also includes some cultural information which is good to know.
Unfortunately in 37 days they're closing down the theater in order to demolish the theater and build a new one in its stead, which is a shame because its a beautiful building...in any event...If you're planning to go in the near future....go now!
We also went to the Sony Building, a few blocks away from Kabuki-za, because my mom is what we in the family call "the gadget queen". We had heard that the Sony building was a huge multi-story hands on show room that featured items that were not yet available and virtual reality games...but this proved not to be true, so if Sony Building is on your itinerary, I'd just as soon say skip it. Its free to look, but not really worth your time. About the coolest thing I saw was a camera that could rotate on its tripod, find my face and take a picture with out human aid.
All in all it was a great first day in Tokyo, and I'm excited for tomorrow! We're meeting Araragi, the girl I hosted in 2007 who just found out she got into Tokyo University, which is the Japanese version of Harvard, and we're going to the Japanese Anime Convention.
I'm not really sure when, where or how I'll be getting internet over the next few weeks...but when I can, I'll update about Japan!
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