Halloween in Japan (continued)

The never ending topic, we know. Halloween was a lot of fun in Japan, and we found some extra shots of the holiday. 

Although yummy, this is not like the pumpkin ice cream you get at home. There is a swirl of what tastes like actual pumpkin puree. It's pretty tasty, just not what you would expect from pumpkin ice cream. 

Porta in Kyoto station had a free photo station set up, complete with staff to take your photo with your cell phone! 

We went as a Korean couple, obvious isn't it? Korean couples are notorious for their twin-like dress. Unfotunately in Japan people just thought we were twins or not dressed up at all...

The Hub was a Halloween central! Well decorated and populated by many costume-clad Japanese people. For once it was actually a great place to be. Also to be noted was the awesome waiter who came to my (Meg) rescue when while Kev was in the bathroom, a drunk guy sat down at our table and wouldn't leave! Thank you to the Hub and their awesome staff (even if you are a chain)

Yes, it's totally fine to bring your precious baby to the bar...and yes it's totally fine to let them wander the bar. 

Black face DJ at Butterfly! Because it's totally fine to be racist here...(just kidding...sort of)

Our tiny little pumpkins...Sharpie pen decorated as they were too small to actually carve...

Pumpkins for Halloween

As October started a few days ago, Halloween began to appear in Kyoto. We went to Loft (a Target-esque store) to pick up pens and an envelope and the downstairs floor had been turned into a Disney-dia-de-los-muertos Wonderland. Unsure what we are going to do to celebrate the holiday, we held off on costumes. This did get us thinking though, as every year we carve pumpkins for Halloween. No matter how far apart we are, we've figured out a way to always do pumpkins. Unwilling to let this go, we began the hunt for a good non-Japanese pumpkin (native Japanese pumpkins are green and very different in shape). Check out our past blog post about the Anraku-ji pumpkin festival to see native Japanese/Kyoto pumpkins

A couple days later, we found a flower shop that had a beautiful, perfect globe-shaped pumpkin. We asked the shop girl, "kore wa ikura desu ka?" which means "how much does this cost?" The woman replied that it was 4000 yen (i.e. $40!!!). Floored we thanked her and left, sans the pumpkin.

Two days ago we made our way to pick up bagels and decided to go by the botanical garden on our way home. Even from the outside the buildings and lush green, bush fences are worth passing. Right in front of the Tadao Ando building that borders the garden was a small pumpkin patch.
In a rush to get home we made plans to return later. Finally this afternoon, we made our way back. The pumpkins were 300 yen per kilo, and with a variety of sizes everyone can find the perfect pumpkin.

After a long debate in the "patch" over the safety of carving with full-size kitchen knives (they don't sell the kids carving-safety packs here), we decided on instead getting small pumpkins for decoration and possibly to carve (TBD on this part). We chose our favorites, and made our way home. 

Osaka Aquarium

As part of our recent trip to Osaka, we made our way over to the Osaka aquarium. Living in Kyoto is absolutely amazing, and the only way it could be any better is if it was on the ocean. Thankfully living on an island nation, we are able to access the ocean within 30 minutes by train.

Having never been to a Japanese aquarium we just sort of expected it to be identical to aquariums in the states. Boy were we wrong! I apologize now to anyone who has not been to an aquarium in the states and is reading this, because the difference may not make sense. With that said, the biggest difference between the two is the layout. If you are familiar with aquariums in the states, you know you can walk around as if it was a museum, a little bit of time here, a bit here, basically just walk around as you please.

The Osaka aquarium is a different story entirely. You purchase your tickets outside, and then enter on the first floor. You then take an escalator up seven stories and begin your decent, along with the 200 other people who have decided to visit the aquarium on a late Saturday afternoon.

You then wind your way down the floors, still with the 200 other people, all packed in together with little ventilation or room to move. As you descend through the floors, you walk through a series of areas of the world, “Japanese rain forest”, “Monterey,” and “Antarctica” to name a few.  As you walk, you really just see the same tanks, only lower and lower into the tank’s depths (so you see the same fish, seals, and other sea-life over and over). It’s sort of amazing and depressing all at the same time.

The Antarctica exhibit where, if the seals wanted there was nothing in between you and them...

Your eyes are not deceiving you, that sting ray is leopard print!

Giant sea crabs

Full size shark in the tank...

dinner...

Another classic English shirt

Regardless, there were some really amazing areas, where you could pet sting rays and small sharks, and even a few fish we had never see before. You could also get really close to penguins, and as the station is unmanned you could probably get away with reaching out and touching one….terrifying as that sounds.

Hornet Sighting, Nightmares Do Come True

The mythical Japanese Hornet has been sighted. On our recent weekend adventure to Kurama and Kibune, the large beast was spotted on the lower portion of the trail. It looked tenacious and fierce, proud of its notorious reputation. I'm almost certain that it smelled the fear emanating out of my body (or maybe that was just the sweat from the 90+ degree heat). Either way, he gave us a dance that clearly said "stay away" and we obliged. One thing we've learned, don't mess with the Juju in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. This guy was left well enough alone.

Update: We've come across these hornets on other hikes. They appear to live in the woodland hills around Kyoto.  No stings yet, but we'll post on the damage if it occurs.

Nijo Castle and a really easy way to offend non-Japanese in Japan

Trying to kill some time in Kyoto on Saturday morning before our meeting for the immigration consultation at Kyoto House, we wandered through Nijo Castle (aka Nijo jo). There isn't much to be said about these beautiful grounds that can't already be found on some really well written sites, so we won't bore you with out lame commentary. Instead here are a few shots of the grounds (again, like San Ju San, no inside photos allowed :-/)

Apparently, hundreds of years without any predators and you will get HUGE too. 

D-san checking out the water fountain/face washer/whatever the hell it was. 

How to be offensive in Japan (to foreigners, not Japanese natives...)

So although this shirt is hilarious to lots of US citizens in the US (don't judge, just laugh, you know you want to) foreigners in Japan mean mug you like you are solely responsible for the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Although Kev will not wear this shirt out in public anymore, non-Japanese traveling to Japan, please stop your mean mugging. Even in normal clothing, we get the worst mean mugs...We are sorry if walking by us in Kyoto ruins your ideal image of an all-Japanese Japan, but we can't help it. If anything, ask us how to get where you need to go -we are really helpful, we promise!!