September!
I've been so lazy about posting that I'm just going to mash a whole bunch of things into one big, long, huge post! I'll try for chronological order, but no promises.
A bunch of us decided to visit the aquarium on Keiro no Hi (Respect for the Aged Day) since we had no school.
This is a ramen shop we ate at for lunch! They're all really narrow!
The Osaka Aquarium is one of the biggest in the world. It doesn't seem that huge from the outside, but it goes underground as well. To view the exhibits, guests follow a spiraling walkway.
One of the interesting customs in Japan is the tendency for people to obsessively take pictures. It's as if they didn't really see or enjoy something if they don't have the pictures to prove it, even though being so concerned with taking the pictures can take away from actually experiencing the moment. When I was in the aquarium, I was suddenly gripped by this intense desire to take pictures of the fish to show everyone. I was sitting there waiting for the perfect shot of coral, and even though everyone has seen coral before, I had to take a picture of it to show everyone anyway!! So enjoy the coral pictures especially please.
Seals!! Look how he sleeps so cutely.
Alligators...also sleeping.
PENGUINS. PENGUINS. SO CUTE. That one on the right was just sitting there flapping its arms.
On a random note, the first time I set the table at my host family's house, I made sure to give each kid the right cup. I gave the pink Pengi the penguin cup to the daughter and the blue cup to the oldest (12 year old) son. When they sat down they exclaimed "The cups are all mixed up!" and the oldest son snatched the pink Pengi cup and said "Pengi is mine!"
They're posing!
Coral. Shut up.
More coral. And fish.
Look at all the little fish!
Doesn't this turtle look so pissed?
The really cool thing about this aquarium is that it has a WHALE SHARK in it. It was so big I couldn't fit it into the whole frame, so I took a video of it and a few other things.
Fish!
Click to viewAn unbelievably ginormous fish!
A dolphin <3
This is the whale shark! It was so big I couldn't even get it into a photo.
This guy looks so evil!
Yasaka Shrine!
Obligatory history: Yasaka Shrine is a very important shrine, since it is the central site of the Gion Festival. It's been around forever, and was probably founded by Korean immigrants (although that's hush hush). It's really beautiful!
Although the building has been changed, there has been a teahouse here for 800 years!
Maruyama Park behind Yasaka Shrine:
Summary: A war memorial shrine erected to honor not only Japanese soldiers, but all soldiers who died in WWII. They have a list of names of people who died, and some of their remains. I thought it was touching, but there is actually a pretty gruesome story behind it.
In Thailand, the Japanese army used POWs to help them build a railway to transport supplies. When they lost, the British began tallying the casualities of the railway line. They made seven copies of each casualty report, one of which is in the US and one of which is in Japan. Japan translated their copy and presented it to the UN as proof that they were working on determining the crimes committed/parties responsible during the war.
I felt sad for the soldiers whose remains are here. They still haven't been able to go home.
There is also a special building for unknown soldiers here.
The big Buddha statue you see is the bodhisattva Kannon (who is known for mercy). A bodhisattva is an advanced soul who holds off enlightenment so they can help others get there. They pretty much sacrifice for us.
Visitors receive an incense stick, which they use to pray for peace.
In other news, I've started dating this guy named Daisuke. He's an architect major who plays the piano really well and is very patient with my poor Japanese lol. He's really cool! <333 And tall for a Japanese guy! He's about 5'9"!!
We met when I was walking home one day and got a little lost (I had never gone that way before!) and stopped him to ask for directions. He walked me home and got my number, and later e-mailed me asking me on a date. I at first didn't want to, since I had just randomly met him on the street, but then I literally ran into him in the train station and he asked me again, and I said okay. He wore me down! lol
Since then we've been hanging out a lot. He's really fun to talk to, even if he isn't as into karaoke as I am haha. Then again, is anyone as into karaoke as I am?