I've been back in Australia for six months now and it's only been this past week that I've started having serious Japan homesickness. I am yearning for the fluorescent green of the summer leaves, the amazingly cheap and filling meals and the lovely faces of my Panda class.
I've been pouring over my videos and photos with a sad (and occasionally near tears) look upon my faces. Instead of moping. I am going to post some of my favourite bits and pieces from my year in Japan.
Note - I took all the photos so there are no licensing issues.
I miss Kyoto
This was magical to take in.
The biggest cherry blossom - like a gnarled old but beautiful lady,
I miss Shizuoka
The view from the playground
Incredible - dwellings, gardens and highways all together.
My village - Asabata Kita
Just lovely
I miss Mt Fuji
It reads: "This is the field where our food is made. Please don't throw rubbish into it or walk through it.
It was so lovely this day - I wanted to eat it up!
I miss the food
Oden - how I love you and your years old black soup - so much better than it looks
Oh man this was good.
Lunches don't look like this at home!
Eel, soba noodles and picked ginger.
I miss the really, really weird stuff
This was supposed to cure what ailed me...it didn't.
Billboards like these on the street?!?
Creepy looking vegie statues
Candied bananas
I don't miss really, really bad hair days when rain cannot be avoided.
The Silver Pavilion is to my left...shockingly bad photo
Or sleeping and sitting on the floor.
My digs
But I have many people I miss terribly...
Cate, our afternoon jaunts were so much fun.
The Juku Boys and myself at the Izakaya (pub) eating, drinking and singing really bad karaoke (well, me anyway).
Brandon, a delight to be around - curious, fun and a bow tie wearer.
The lively Nat, who left me after three months but is now back in Australia.
So gutsy, helped me get out and see Japan ( musicals and all!)
Your post makes me miss Japan all over again! I lived in Nagasaki from 2006-2008. Every so often, a wave of MISSING will wash over me. Maybe I'm playing a Japanese-influenced level in Little Big Planet or ordering tempura from an American Japanese restaurant that just isn't as good or maybe a Japanese song I first heard in Japan will come over my ipod.
I miss people, places, food. In two years, the country grew so close to me! I totally emphasize with you <3
Your post makes me want to go back to Japan! I was lucky enough to get to live in Tokyo for a while, and I genuinely grew to adore it. Miss it! And the food...yum.
I only stopped in Japan for a day on the way to New York - I loved that taste of it - the beauty of the land, the exotic food, the little noodle cafe where all the men stood up for us, eating exotic foods - it was such a special experience - your photos/experiences took me back there and MUCH more.
I'd love to go there and really see Japan - although with the terrible earthquakes they need time to rebuild which they will do.
Oh my! I miss Japan too. In year 11 for school our week family stay was in Iwata so not far from Asabata Kita. Was going to go teach English this year but I wasn’t 18 until April and then luckily I didn’t considering the recent disaster.
I taught for a private school, not via JET or something else. It was the best way for me - the programs didn't sound like fun and I had a teensy bit more of spare time. Not enough to really travel but definitely to explore my area.
I can totally relate, I lived in Japan for 13 months, in Nagoya, and sometimes I get so homesick for it it hurts. I miss tebesaki chicken wings and eating everything, even lettuce, with chopsicks, and little things like the buzzer on the tables in the izakayas, toilet paper with cute pictures, toilets with warm up seats, the smell of the tatami mats in my house, and so much more. Is it weird that I even miss all the tiny earthquakes? I don't miss the summer and I don't miss the weird guys on the train who often tried to touch my skin. I really look forward to being able to take my children when they are old enough and show them all the places I fell in love with. We will definitely go in the spring and go hang on the blue tarpaulins under the cherry blossoms :-)
I can totally relate, I lived in Japan for 13 months, in Nagoya, and sometimes I get so homesick for it it hurts. I miss tebesaki chicken wings and eating everything, even lettuce, with chopsicks, and little things like the buzzer on the tables in the izakayas, toilet paper with cute pictures, toilets with warm up seats, the smell of the tatami mats in my house, and so much more. Is it weird that I even miss all the tiny earthquakes? I don't miss the summer and I don't miss the weird guys on the train who often tried to touch my skin. I really look forward to being able to take my children when they are old enough and show them all the places I fell in love with. We will definitely go in the spring and go hang on the blue tarpaulins under the cherry blossoms :-)
12 comments:
Going to Japan have been one of my dreams! I loved your pictures, I can see why you miss it.
Your post makes me miss Japan all over again! I lived in Nagasaki from 2006-2008. Every so often, a wave of MISSING will wash over me. Maybe I'm playing a Japanese-influenced level in Little Big Planet or ordering tempura from an American Japanese restaurant that just isn't as good or maybe a Japanese song I first heard in Japan will come over my ipod.
I miss people, places, food. In two years, the country grew so close to me! I totally emphasize with you <3
Your post makes me want to go back to Japan! I was lucky enough to get to live in Tokyo for a while, and I genuinely grew to adore it. Miss it! And the food...yum.
I only stopped in Japan for a day on the way to New York - I loved that taste of it - the beauty of the land, the exotic food, the little noodle cafe where all the men stood up for us, eating exotic foods - it was such a special experience - your photos/experiences took me back there and MUCH more.
I'd love to go there and really see Japan - although with the terrible earthquakes they need time to rebuild which they will do.
Oh my! I miss Japan too. In year 11 for school our week family stay was in Iwata so not far from Asabata Kita. Was going to go teach English this year but I wasn’t 18 until April and then luckily I didn’t considering the recent disaster.
Which company did you teach English with?
I taught for a private school, not via JET or something else. It was the best way for me - the programs didn't sound like fun and I had a teensy bit more of spare time. Not enough to really travel but definitely to explore my area.
Perhaps the Centre for Youth Literature could promote YA books set in Japan? (Can't give any examples, sorry - I have eejit brain.)
Such a pretty place, no wonder you miss it. And OMG do I want a candied banana.
Haven't made it to Japan yet, so thank you for sharing! I can see why you miss it!
I can totally relate, I lived in Japan for 13 months, in Nagoya, and sometimes I get so homesick for it it hurts. I miss tebesaki chicken wings and eating everything, even lettuce, with chopsicks, and little things like the buzzer on the tables in the izakayas, toilet paper with cute pictures, toilets with warm up seats, the smell of the tatami mats in my house, and so much more. Is it weird that I even miss all the tiny earthquakes? I don't miss the summer and I don't miss the weird guys on the train who often tried to touch my skin. I really look forward to being able to take my children when they are old enough and show them all the places I fell in love with. We will definitely go in the spring and go hang on the blue tarpaulins under the cherry blossoms :-)
I can totally relate, I lived in Japan for 13 months, in Nagoya, and sometimes I get so homesick for it it hurts. I miss tebesaki chicken wings and eating everything, even lettuce, with chopsicks, and little things like the buzzer on the tables in the izakayas, toilet paper with cute pictures, toilets with warm up seats, the smell of the tatami mats in my house, and so much more. Is it weird that I even miss all the tiny earthquakes? I don't miss the summer and I don't miss the weird guys on the train who often tried to touch my skin. I really look forward to being able to take my children when they are old enough and show them all the places I fell in love with. We will definitely go in the spring and go hang on the blue tarpaulins under the cherry blossoms :-)
Girl, *I* miss pictures of Shizuoka in your blog posts!! :) So nice to have a recap, a walk down memory lane...
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