tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17957385956623387302024-03-14T06:42:32.284+09:00Kata in JapanA Vulcanus in Japan 2015/2016 participant writes about her year in Japan.Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-34271848369313773952016-06-10T08:38:00.000+09:002016-06-10T08:38:35.511+09:00Sapporo Yosakoi Soran Festival online broadcastGood morning!<br />
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At the moment I'm on my way to Sapporo for Yosakoi Soran Festival! Whoopwhoop! :) I'm so excited and nervous at the same time.<br />
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If you have no idea what is yosakoi, check out for example<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosakoi" target="_blank"> Wikipedia</a>. Basically it's a really energetic Japanese dance style, which is fun to dance. :) Though actually any performance that has a part of the original Soran Bushi song implemented into it and uses the naruko clappers when dancing is considered yosakoi. That means the range of different styles is huge even if certain styles are more popular.<br />
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As I'm writing this on the go on my way to our local Ibaraki airport, this post will just a short announcement of how you can watch the festival online!
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It's a huge festival (around 300 teams performing during 5 days) and they have live broadcast on Youtube from the main stage everyday. Our team, 水戸藩YOSAKOI連, will perform on the stage on Sat at 14:29 Japan Standard Time (UCT +9), meaning we'll be online around 08:29 Finnish time if the schedule holds (we seem to be the last ones of our round, so anything can happen).<br />
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Here's the Youtube link for Saturday: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHKA20xPxfQ">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHKA20xPxfQ</a><br />
And here's the schedule (6月11日 is for Saturday): <a href="http://www.yosakoi-soran.jp/files/news/file01/nishi8chome_160601.pdf">http://www.yosakoi-soran.jp/files/news/file01/nishi8chome_160601.pdf</a><br />
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You can also find the live broadcasts for other days, but I'm trusting you'll find them without me linking them here :) Sunday evening is the time for finals, that should be an interesting watch.<br />
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Catch you later!Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-73789757745807474482016-05-30T22:15:00.000+09:002016-05-30T22:15:09.460+09:00Close-ups of sakuraAs I mentioned before, this year I was too lazy to take any close-ups as I already had taken so many. My Facebook friends have already seen all these, but I'll share it anyway for those who are in Facebook, so you can notice that the somei yoshino type (the most common one, 2nd photo) is not the only type. All of these were taken in Kyoto in April 2014.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe this is a Somei yoshino sakura.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Kiyomizu Temple.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonus: Kyoto's Kamo river is simply beautiful.</td></tr>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-76099576853509411652016-05-30T22:12:00.004+09:002024-02-27T19:55:59.989+09:00Hanami in HitachiAfter the hanami weekend in Tokyo, it was time for hanami in Hitachi on Sat April 9th as the season here is usually a bit later than in Tokyo. This year though the sakuras all over Japan were apparently ahead of the average year schedule. There are several cherry blossom forecasts (桜予想) to follow, but these forecasts usually appear quite late for tourists to have any gain of it for their trip planning. I think best guess would be being in Japan during the first days of April and actually staying a bit longer in one place to assure you are there during the full bloom. I was lucky enough to spend one month in Kyoto two years ago in April thanks to our school for reorganizing the period system and leaving me without courses during the new 5th period.<br />
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On the 9th there was a Spring festival at our work place in Hitachi. Me, Anthony, Ed, Aidan, Alan and Mathilde decided to go and see it. Also generally no photos are allowed on the company area, but today was an exception. Though I actually think the prohibition applies only to the work related stuff so I've taken photos of the trees also before when they were in the early blooming stage. This post will again contain a lot of photos so I'm only posting full bloom ones.<br />
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The day was the first really warm one in Hitachi this spring and while we were walking from the train station to the company, many of us hoped we would not chosen jeans to wear in the morning. I even got a slight sunburn...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road to the company which the bus takes everyday.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The festival.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entertainment for kids. That guy was the most stereotypical anime bad guy I've seen in a while, but that itself made it fun to watch haha.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQTZErHkpDI/V0wqoBFFVzI/AAAAAAAAClE/nPfD_VRnQwciJArmiWB0QXRR4Fk34QNQQCKgB/s1600/IMG_5082-10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QQTZErHkpDI/V0wqoBFFVzI/AAAAAAAAClE/nPfD_VRnQwciJArmiWB0QXRR4Fk34QNQQCKgB/s320/IMG_5082-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying out the festival sake ("nihonshu" in Japanese as "sake" means alcoholic drinks in general).</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><span style="text-align: center;">Mathilde and Ed represented Europe in the "loud-voice-competition" (which also had kids as participants). Ed won and got 10,000 yen (~80 euros) worth of gift cards for shops. You were supposed to shout some phrase: Ed shouted a basketball cheer in Lithuanian and there was a guy who was leading for a while with はらへったー! meaning "I'm hungry!". :D</span><br /><div><br /></div><div>
After the company festival, we headed for lunch near the station and then to Hitachi-shi for some more sakura. I could only make a short stop there as I had to go for a drinking party with my yosakoi teammates in Mito. No photos from there unfortunately, but I just love how my teammates (all Japanese) love my English pronunciation haha. "Say this, say this." "Waaa, so cool!" :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hitachi Civic Center</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hitachi Heiwa Doori</td></tr>
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Bonus story about sakura: Japanese people also seem to love special/limited edition stuffs, so during the sakura season you'll see season special sakura flavour drinks or some green tea bottles and beer cans getting a seasonal cover with flowers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cherry blossom latte</td></tr>
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<br /></div>Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-2548947286431776672016-05-20T21:11:00.003+09:002024-02-27T19:56:57.183+09:00Daily life in Hitachi and general updatesHow are you doing?<br />
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A small update of what has been going on lately and how's the daily life here as the blog posts appear months later than the actual thing happened.<br />
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- I'm generally doing fine (yay).<br />
- Living in Hitachi is good. More about it below (trying to keep the list clean).<br />
- Got addicted to a melonpan they sell here every Wednesday, it's too good! This one actually has melon in it and they bake the melonpan in the van so when you get it's fresh and fluffy. Yummy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got melonpan with Jess every week and I'm now trying to send her the weekly melonpan photos. :)</td></tr>
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- Got new friends from Malaysia (Jess and Adrian) who were also doing an internship in Hitachi and living at the same dorm. Their internship was also an 8-month one, but it ended in April and they've already gone home by now. :(<br />
- Got some new friends from the new employees. Though they are all foreigners haha.<br />
- Spent a wonderful Golden Week holiday in Kyoto while meeting friends.<br />
- Joined a yosakoi team at the end of January and keeping up quite well. Got an expensive costume (around 35,000 yen ~280 euros), but I love it. Had my stage debut a month ago and the first yosakoi matsuri/festival/competition is coming this weekend. In June I'll also participate the <a href="http://www.yosakoi-soran.jp/" target="_blank">Yosakoi Soran Festival</a> in Sapporo, which is the biggest yosakoi festival in Japan. Last year there were 270 teams, 27,000 participants and around 2 million visitors. Woopwoop!<br />
- Starting playing taiko didn't turn out well as I went to a basketball practice in Jan and got a ball to my finger... The finger was not broken (did x-ray), but it's certainly not ok. It took almost three months to heal to partly ok. Even now, after four months, it hurts occasionally, but it's getting better. I could start taiko now, but yosakoi takes so much of my free time. The practice and performances also collide with the practice of one local taiko team whom I spoke with, so I guess I can't do it after all. :'( Have to play a lot of Taiko no Tatsujin instead!<br />
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<h3>
General opinion about living in Hitachi</h3>
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After the initial shock of "there's nothing here!" I came to realize I have all the most important things here: a supermarket and a 100-yen-shop next door, a couple of konbinis, a huge pharmacy store and a 24-hour book store on a way to the bus stop, an electric-appliance store half-way to the station and a train station relatively close. The train station could be closer, but it's still within a doable distance. And btw there used to be a station right next to our dorm, but they closed it ten years ago... That's why now our dorm seems to be in the middle of nowhere. There's also a really nice bath (onsen) only 2 km away from the dorm which even has a sea view. :) Here we also have both sea and mountains near and I really mean they are near. Though not as near as the mountains and river in Hitachi-daigo. We also have some restaurants, 100 yen per plate sushis and other ones as well as a Starbucks (here?!). The restaurants and Starbucks are not right next to our place, but within a doable distance with a bike.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XHzFpGP9HJ4/Vz70CV8N_OI/AAAAAAAACjE/83HlBwhkjhY6PDUXxcEyOCGL6nrQI9HLACLcB/s1600/IMG_20160520_074509487.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XHzFpGP9HJ4/Vz70CV8N_OI/AAAAAAAACjE/83HlBwhkjhY6PDUXxcEyOCGL6nrQI9HLACLcB/s320/IMG_20160520_074509487.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the bus stop.</td></tr>
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Anyway, at first I was thought I would get bored here and was thinking what am I going to do with all the free time I have. But my schedule was quickly filled and I don't have problems with free time anymore, haha. Also once I got used to living here I realized how this is a lot like Finland. There's nothing much where I live in Finland even though I live relatively near the Helsinki (the capital) city center. From here, Mito, the prefecture capital, is quite close as well (30 mins by train), though it could be a bit more lively there's nothing much there either. For a short stay like mine, this place is a really nice one to see a different side of Japan. Not sure if I would like to stay here permanently, even though I love my yosakoi team and the melonpans and I'll be sad when I have to leave.<br />
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<h3>
Daily life</h3>
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My normal weekdays go like this:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 6:30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>wake up<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 6:50<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>get out of the bed after a couple of alarms and cursing why I have to get up (I'm not a morning person)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 7:30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>leave the dorm and bike to the bus stop or half the way<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>(if it's a day for yosakoi practice, I'll leave a bit earlier, bike to the nearest station, leave my bike there so that you'll get home faster in the evening and walk to another bus stop)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 7:50<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>get on a bus (there's only one to go with in the morning)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 8:20-8:30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>arrive to work<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 8:50<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>start working<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 12:00<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>a 45 min lunch break<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 15:00<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>coffee break<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 17:20<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>day ends, going home<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* 17:40<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>take the bus home<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>* past 18<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>arrive home, get groceries on the way, do laundry, iron shirts, clean up, cook, try to update blog, study Japanese, read books, watch series (currently I don't have any), practice yosakoi choreography from videos or accidentally get lost in the internet and find out it's already 22:00. I need a lot of sleep (like 8-9 hours every night), so I'm trying to go bed early. It rarely happens.<br />
<br />
Or if I'm going to a yosakoi practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays<br />
<br />
*17:20 - walk to the station<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*18:00<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>take a train to Mito<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*18:30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>arrive to Mito, get dinner, play Taiko no Tatsujin<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*19:40<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>practice starts<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*21:30<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>practice ends<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*22:04<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>take a train back (this one or the one before if the practice ends a bit early)<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*22:45<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> - </span>arrive home, take a shower and go to sleep<br />
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Or I might have a Japanese class on Tue from 19:00 to 21:00. As the yosakoi and the Japanese class collide, I'm trying to do them every other week.<br />
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<h3>
Weekends</h3>
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I don't even remember when was the last day I took easy at home. Generally since mid-April I've been busy and will be until mid-June mostly because of yosakoi and my fiancé visiting. In yosakoi we have an all-day practice (10:00-17:00) almost every Sun in a place that takes my 2 hours to go to. If I have free Saturdays (no practice or festival or holiday), but I usually spend them either by going somewhere with friends or writing the monthly reports for Vulcanus.Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-79918374168314543462016-05-12T21:39:00.001+09:002024-02-27T19:58:37.285+09:00Hanami in TokyoDuring the first weekend of April I headed for Tokyo to see the sakura, cherry blossoms, as the season is slightly earlier there than in 1.5-hours-north-of-Tokyo-by-express-train Hitachi/Ibaraki.<br />
<br />
I was in Kyoto two years ago for one month and it happened to be April. Thus I have way too many closeup photos of the cherry blossoms and I was too lazy to take any anymore. I might post some from the two years just for you to see them, but this time it's only general hanami, flower watching, photos around Tokyo.<br />
<br />
I travelled to Tokyo as usual on Friday night after work and stayed with my lovely host family. On Saturday I planned to meet friends for having a hanami at Ueno Park, which is one of the most popular places for hanami in Tokyo. Hanami itself greatly reminds me of the Finnish May Day picnic on the first of May (Vappu). Except that we don't have the beautiful flowers. But the basic idea of having a picnic and drinking with friends is the same.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qefgMWatxQA/VzRxb8B0W6I/AAAAAAAACh0/eah0fkCrurMYdZXZUEteA0DKUAmho9ZVwCLcB/s1600/IMG_20160401_200918931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qefgMWatxQA/VzRxb8B0W6I/AAAAAAAACh0/eah0fkCrurMYdZXZUEteA0DKUAmho9ZVwCLcB/s320/IMG_20160401_200918931.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Changing trains at the Ueno station on Friday evening and I wasn't the only one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzbpWCOjG5c/Vyq1-GPV6QI/AAAAAAAAChQ/7zbbI6TWI7AP0xBG_jNN6kUc7CEO8tIOwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4668-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MzbpWCOjG5c/Vyq1-GPV6QI/AAAAAAAAChQ/7zbbI6TWI7AP0xBG_jNN6kUc7CEO8tIOwCKgB/s320/IMG_4668-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering Ueno Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gckoEZCgBTo/Vyq2AnxDR0I/AAAAAAAAChQ/vU6MzMSwqVcDBdHQ_JgUcBEd1oXK7AaLACKgB/s1600/IMG_4692-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gckoEZCgBTo/Vyq2AnxDR0I/AAAAAAAAChQ/vU6MzMSwqVcDBdHQ_JgUcBEd1oXK7AaLACKgB/s320/IMG_4692-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everybody has the blue sheets to mark their spot.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DXDEAwpZKBA/Vyq2A4mDnxI/AAAAAAAAChQ/SPC-aoPtLDU0RPdtXjhveCR315AP_JJkwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4697-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DXDEAwpZKBA/Vyq2A4mDnxI/AAAAAAAAChQ/SPC-aoPtLDU0RPdtXjhveCR315AP_JJkwCKgB/s320/IMG_4697-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some people had even prepared tables from cardboard boxes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Am-Yn0mn3Ac/Vyq2BPyIHRI/AAAAAAAAChQ/JRKzQHriUGgKWXayYu5_H9zWx00bDXYbQCKgB/s1600/IMG_4703-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Am-Yn0mn3Ac/Vyq2BPyIHRI/AAAAAAAAChQ/JRKzQHriUGgKWXayYu5_H9zWx00bDXYbQCKgB/s320/IMG_4703-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of people (this was not the peak yet).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBCO7M49sE0/Vyq2COHV0RI/AAAAAAAAChQ/H1nW7QYJZLAZ3SOgz4xn3GG3dOU_NbBlACKgB/s1600/IMG_4740-8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CBCO7M49sE0/Vyq2COHV0RI/AAAAAAAAChQ/H1nW7QYJZLAZ3SOgz4xn3GG3dOU_NbBlACKgB/s320/IMG_4740-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_thousand_origami_cranes" target="_blank">Thousand origami cranes (senbazuru 千羽鶴)</a> are supposed to grant you your wish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U3XKSCU4Ugs/Vyq2D0LXBYI/AAAAAAAAChQ/T3nq0EebwIYYUzFL9vvqgOm-LMiL7CJxwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4779-9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U3XKSCU4Ugs/Vyq2D0LXBYI/AAAAAAAAChQ/T3nq0EebwIYYUzFL9vvqgOm-LMiL7CJxwCKgB/s320/IMG_4779-9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chidorigafuchi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V9dawGVnE3g/Vyq2DWBoIoI/AAAAAAAAChQ/5oK2xD-wLdwVmxaUWP_lrymKOXMzaoMCwCKgB/s1600/IMG_4783-10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V9dawGVnE3g/Vyq2DWBoIoI/AAAAAAAAChQ/5oK2xD-wLdwVmxaUWP_lrymKOXMzaoMCwCKgB/s320/IMG_4783-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best view from this side was blocked.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D1yGXHsV_KA/Vyq2EXdtpAI/AAAAAAAAChQ/7sZZcQcbu1MO4fdOewnoqo64rHxyTrMCACKgB/s1600/IMG_4791-11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D1yGXHsV_KA/Vyq2EXdtpAI/AAAAAAAAChQ/7sZZcQcbu1MO4fdOewnoqo64rHxyTrMCACKgB/s320/IMG_4791-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many people.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qhSGosshvOI/Vyq2FrJyMEI/AAAAAAAAChQ/_s5SoGqovXQGS4iRhCeSRzkh5D2lnUC7wCKgB/s1600/IMG_4794-12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qhSGosshvOI/Vyq2FrJyMEI/AAAAAAAAChQ/_s5SoGqovXQGS4iRhCeSRzkh5D2lnUC7wCKgB/s320/IMG_4794-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the grounds of the controversial <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasukuni_Shrine" target="_blank">Yasukuni Shrine</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tying a not-so-luckly omikuji.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naka-Meguro during the night.</td></tr>
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Our small group started to split after visiting Chidorigafuchi and in the end only me and Aidan visited Naka-Meguro, which was packed with people. The view would most likely have been better if we would have continued following the river further, but I was too tired of the crowds to even play with my camera and take decent photos.<br />
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Sunday was a rainy day so I spend it indoors with my host family. Me and Yuka, the daughter of the family who's a year older than me, took it easy and laid on the electrical carpet (it's waaaarm and so nice) while watching TV. A nice relaxing day after one a bit more tiring one. ^^<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing with Kuroe, the younger one of the family's two dogs.</td></tr>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-1529454463077767552016-04-25T22:01:00.001+09:002024-02-27T19:59:14.641+09:00Mito ume(shu)matsuriI know April is the season for sakura (cherry blossoms), but before talking about them, I would like to focus on other beauties named ume (plum blossoms). (Btw. matsuri means festival.)<br />
<br />
On Saturday 5th of March, 6/7 of Vulcanus Hitachi(naka) crew set off to make a trip to Mito, the capital of Ibaraki prefecture, and it's famous <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairaku-en" target="_blank">Kairakuen garden</a>. The garden/park is famous for it's plum blossoms and being one of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Great_Gardens_of_Japan" target="_blank">Three Great Gardens of Japan</a>. On Saturday there was also a umeshu (plum wine) festival going on and there you could taste various umeshu from all over Japan for 30 minutes. Sweeeeeet! Also literally. :D<br />
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Mito is only around half an hour by train from Hitachi-Taga, but for lucky Aidan and Mathilde it's the next stop from their station.<br />
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This is a (flower) photo heavy post. You've been warned. ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67oHrPjL6CQ/Vx4HpxRB9VI/AAAAAAAACdQ/QMwOyCR89BQpyurFp43-ijlukMDcok1BQCKgB/s1600/IMG_4417-10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67oHrPjL6CQ/Vx4HpxRB9VI/AAAAAAAACdQ/QMwOyCR89BQpyurFp43-ijlukMDcok1BQCKgB/s320/IMG_4417-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The prettiest photo first so it will appear as the preview photo when I post it to Facebook. :P</td></tr>
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But wait! That looks like a cherry blossom! Yep, it does, but it's a plum blossom. Probably the easiest way to tell these two flowers apart is that cherry blossom petals have split at the end of each petal while plum blossoms are round. More ways to tell the flowers/trees apart can be found for example <a href="http://www.vcbf.ca/cherry-versus-plum-blossoms-whats-the-difference" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/8-ways-to-tell-a-cherry-blossom-from-a-plum-blossom-1.2595629" target="_blank">here</a>. (There are also peach blossoms which look almost the same as plums, but apparently those petals end in sharp point.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O-4_gn0iJCQ/Vx4Pfuv8r7I/AAAAAAAACfc/6uOj0Th7ryUuyqynDfuzusdi2ceMgB5IQCKgB/s1600/IMG_20160316_073803122-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O-4_gn0iJCQ/Vx4Pfuv8r7I/AAAAAAAACfc/6uOj0Th7ryUuyqynDfuzusdi2ceMgB5IQCKgB/s320/IMG_20160316_073803122-2.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half of the beauty of the plum trees comes from the trunk. A random tree on my way to a bus stop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHsW-lt_wJQ/Vx4IAgzK7oI/AAAAAAAACd0/1p8YgVUhXUwB-K5IpehPgtGfNFQH8gSjACKgB/s1600/IMG_4395-4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WHsW-lt_wJQ/Vx4IAgzK7oI/AAAAAAAACd0/1p8YgVUhXUwB-K5IpehPgtGfNFQH8gSjACKgB/s320/IMG_4395-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeing part of Kairaku-en already!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bnI25Uj30K8/Vx4IBePAFcI/AAAAAAAACd4/hJFgcNZosHsVnnSPtWCSmQw9mXEXfRZzQCKgB/s1600/IMG_4396-5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bnI25Uj30K8/Vx4IBePAFcI/AAAAAAAACd4/hJFgcNZosHsVnnSPtWCSmQw9mXEXfRZzQCKgB/s320/IMG_4396-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical festival booths.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFjWMWSpRjQ/Vx4IBjwXe4I/AAAAAAAACd8/dyn3DsWlrBoxQc1SwYHKmsdCLl-9iL2hQCKgB/s1600/IMG_4399-6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IFjWMWSpRjQ/Vx4IBjwXe4I/AAAAAAAACd8/dyn3DsWlrBoxQc1SwYHKmsdCLl-9iL2hQCKgB/s320/IMG_4399-6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokiwa shrine with people queuing for praying.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56kdAfpTT18/Vx4IBnKB-sI/AAAAAAAACeA/nSt9EU46WWAkiJJJ2ni2uh205K0KgfqsACKgB/s1600/IMG_4402-7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56kdAfpTT18/Vx4IBnKB-sI/AAAAAAAACeA/nSt9EU46WWAkiJJJ2ni2uh205K0KgfqsACKgB/s320/IMG_4402-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umeshu matsuri ticket.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are all plums from the Kairaku-en garden, just different varieties.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NgzyUvX6kE4/Vx4IDOJXm0I/AAAAAAAACeU/Gr3BmVcnAsomarXfrfPOZAdQJ0JcKBq1ACKgB/s1600/IMG_4419-12.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NgzyUvX6kE4/Vx4IDOJXm0I/AAAAAAAACeU/Gr3BmVcnAsomarXfrfPOZAdQJ0JcKBq1ACKgB/s320/IMG_4419-12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the trees had only began to bloom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rhjb0NbqZtU/Vx4IFrwOT7I/AAAAAAAACew/nzqel0jKnBMWUy8vP-ASYGR1P3beZKQMgCKgB/s1600/IMG_4485-24.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rhjb0NbqZtU/Vx4IFrwOT7I/AAAAAAAACew/nzqel0jKnBMWUy8vP-ASYGR1P3beZKQMgCKgB/s320/IMG_4485-24.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night illumination at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dd%C5%8Dkan_(Mito)" target="_blank">Kōdōkan</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night illumination at Kōdōkan.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Senba. For some reason this reminds me of Espoo in Finland...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oL5UwwzlINE/Vx4H-WNtCpI/AAAAAAAACfA/jO6o205rfZseKMPWkr8xT3dvIyK431xBgCKgB/s1600/IMG_20160227_123518562-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oL5UwwzlINE/Vx4H-WNtCpI/AAAAAAAACfA/jO6o205rfZseKMPWkr8xT3dvIyK431xBgCKgB/s320/IMG_20160227_123518562-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And as the last one, some flower I in front my yosakoi practice hall.</td></tr>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-26443066435415326402016-03-17T20:31:00.000+09:002016-03-17T21:02:25.896+09:00Throwback Thursday: Tokyo apartmentI promised photos of my room in Tokyo for comparison to the one in Hitachi. Here they are!<br />
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The room looks pretty ok in the photos, but guess how much stuff I hid behind the bed. :P Not really much space to do anything, especially to cook anything. The table also wasn't big enough for my study style (I need space to spread my books and notes!), but luckily there are plenty of cafes in Tokyo where I could go for studying.<br />
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But the location was perfect! If you don't remember, I lived in Takadanobaba and had only two stations to Shinjuku and five stations to Shibuya with Yamanote Line, which is the busiest line in Tokyo. I certainly don't miss the morning rush hour in it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NP_QD_Rjwhw/VuqRukyVRuI/AAAAAAAACVU/giNo8FuuFxEE7hQyCBTAWU2ZyiKS0z_vw/s1600/IMG_3437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NP_QD_Rjwhw/VuqRukyVRuI/AAAAAAAACVU/giNo8FuuFxEE7hQyCBTAWU2ZyiKS0z_vw/s320/IMG_3437.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greatest things in my room were the TV (great Japanese listening practice, current room doesn't have one...) and the light switch on the wall next to the bed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhknNUly5e0/VuqRwzVRuvI/AAAAAAAACVg/KZsMcFN72ucOa9AuorpZW04uknVhiIunQ/s1600/IMG_3454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YhknNUly5e0/VuqRwzVRuvI/AAAAAAAACVg/KZsMcFN72ucOa9AuorpZW04uknVhiIunQ/s320/IMG_3454.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, I kept my rice cooker on the floor because there was no space.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZf4I_LT5J4/VuqRuw8DcCI/AAAAAAAACVc/OlFGaN8pWLIoyt8fLQt8fPMF1S-X6t0yg/s1600/IMG_3449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uZf4I_LT5J4/VuqRuw8DcCI/AAAAAAAACVc/OlFGaN8pWLIoyt8fLQt8fPMF1S-X6t0yg/s320/IMG_3449.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doorway with genkan. The closets are only for hanging stuff, so not that useful and I ended up keeping half of my clothes in the suitcase.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sZvNvYQ_xp4/VuqRxcC6ALI/AAAAAAAACVk/ASZF3IIapq43XFZ63ej2h-2x3lcHIJW5Q/s1600/IMG_3455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sZvNvYQ_xp4/VuqRxcC6ALI/AAAAAAAACVk/ASZF3IIapq43XFZ63ej2h-2x3lcHIJW5Q/s320/IMG_3455.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're still wondering why I'm so happy with the Hitachi kitchen...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WX5kOWD6kVc/VuqRuySYxaI/AAAAAAAACVY/XAmljQVh5HkZpRZtW3QselI5rcrUC7uzQ/s1600/IMG_3450.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WX5kOWD6kVc/VuqRuySYxaI/AAAAAAAACVY/XAmljQVh5HkZpRZtW3QselI5rcrUC7uzQ/s320/IMG_3450.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom is a bathroom. It's the same size in Hitachi as well. Note: Japanese people love baths, thus a bathtub and not just a shower. Though I have to admit that taking a hot bath after a long day feels reaaally nice.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1R_jklJTro/VuqRWUHlAYI/AAAAAAAACVo/2IryASDZepwVr8tCQ8rs4Syv-XT3tddPw/s1600/IMG_20160107_095023139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q1R_jklJTro/VuqRWUHlAYI/AAAAAAAACVo/2IryASDZepwVr8tCQ8rs4Syv-XT3tddPw/s320/IMG_20160107_095023139.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My great balcony.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQYg_8zdW4g/VuqRWTxE8HI/AAAAAAAACVo/0In1IU9FBpor7B7w8txsLXpTvqQu7D93A/s1600/IMG_20160107_095026901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sQYg_8zdW4g/VuqRWTxE8HI/AAAAAAAACVo/0In1IU9FBpor7B7w8txsLXpTvqQu7D93A/s320/IMG_20160107_095026901.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view. Actually pretty nice if comparing that the people living one floor lower would probably stare at the wall.</td></tr>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-39479372723515460512016-03-14T21:06:00.003+09:002024-02-27T19:59:50.575+09:00Moving to Hitachi-shiHey, my name is Kata and I suck when it comes to writing a blog. It's been three months since the last update, but for my defence I have to say that I didn't have internet in my new room (only on my phone) until the last days of Jan.<br />
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I spent my Christmas holiday in Finland, met friends and family, ate ryebread, cheese and salad, did a shopping as I needed to get things for to survive the next 8 months, ate ryebread, ate ryebread etc... Did I tell you that I ate ryebread? Best thing ever when toasted and eaten with butter, tomato, cheese and cucumber. Yum!<br />
<br />I came back to Japan on Jan 4th and moved to Hitachi-shi on the 7th, so I had 2 full days to clean up my room, do moving-out-registration at Shinjuku city office, meet some friends at izakaya, deliver Finnish souveniers to my host family and pack up all my stuff and send some of then to my new dorm ahead of me. I used Yamato Transport's Kuroneko <a href="http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/en/personal/ta_q_bin/" target="_blank">TA-Q-BIN service</a> which was both efficient and reasonable priced. They picked up my luggage by 6pm on Wed and on the next day it arrived to my new dorm during the time slot I had specified.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGgDE-5qCOY/VuadvI7opBI/AAAAAAAACT4/3PtiUQb4_FwU0UL0WX3fcEdgtqThhf8rw/s1600/IMG_20160106_141721489.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fGgDE-5qCOY/VuadvI7opBI/AAAAAAAACT4/3PtiUQb4_FwU0UL0WX3fcEdgtqThhf8rw/s320/IMG_20160106_141721489.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The luggage I sent to Hitachi. They are the same size. I also carried a full backpack and a sportsbag with me. Wondering how I'm getting everything back to Finland...</td></tr>
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All six of us moving to Hitachi-shi or Hitachinaka-shi from Takadanobaba (Baba for short) went together. Alan (UK) is living in Hitachi as well, but his internship started before ours so he already left earlier. From the Team Baba, Thomas is moving to Kudamatsu (far away to the southern tip of the Japan's main island Honshu) and Francesco (IT) to Tsuchiura (halfway between Hitachi and Tokyo).<br />
<br />Ed and Anthony are living at the same dorm as I am, while Mathilde, Aidan and Giovanni are living near Katsuta station about 20min by train from our nearest station, Hitachi-Taga. We got picked-up by our supervisors at the station and they took us to our new dorm to do the registration and get the keys, showed us the bus stop we'll have to use to get to work and finally took us to the city office to do the registration.<br />
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I never posted any photos or told anything about my room in Baba, but I have the photos and I'll promise you I'll post them here at some point. Anyway, my new room is waaaaay bigger and I have a kitchen as well as my own laundry machine and dryer! I also have a huge amount of closet space, the thing my previous room didn't have. Couldn't be happier with this new room. :) This dorm also has common rooms on each of the four floors, another thing we didn't have in Baba.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riQm2efPUWg/VuarUi3QZnI/AAAAAAAACU0/y0NkyU7uhFojXfwdjYF44CWO00uA8yKfw/s1600/IMG_20160107_153549930_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-riQm2efPUWg/VuarUi3QZnI/AAAAAAAACU0/y0NkyU7uhFojXfwdjYF44CWO00uA8yKfw/s320/IMG_20160107_153549930_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is this amount of space!? (It's normal in Finland, but not in Tokyo)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JL3q-2SOm4Y/VuarUA1ILkI/AAAAAAAACU0/UVHq3M1pF1kbaOzrS7ZriJfbhj0GIiD3A/s1600/IMG_20160107_153544692.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JL3q-2SOm4Y/VuarUA1ILkI/AAAAAAAACU0/UVHq3M1pF1kbaOzrS7ZriJfbhj0GIiD3A/s320/IMG_20160107_153544692.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I finally have something that can be called as a kitchen!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oidBS-hZRWc/VuarUUUr3-I/AAAAAAAACU0/gQ1w2cniC-86hJcyRVefDjxzDA8jWPBEQ/s1600/IMG_20160107_153515802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oidBS-hZRWc/VuarUUUr3-I/AAAAAAAACU0/gQ1w2cniC-86hJcyRVefDjxzDA8jWPBEQ/s320/IMG_20160107_153515802.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those closets can easily fit people inside, they are huge!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TQj_TG_jRa8/VuarTGNeV0I/AAAAAAAACU0/3sU8DSNwuukwhdCz1TwHkadGLy-E6ATXw/s1600/IMG_20160107_153447270_HDR-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TQj_TG_jRa8/VuarTGNeV0I/AAAAAAAACU0/3sU8DSNwuukwhdCz1TwHkadGLy-E6ATXw/s320/IMG_20160107_153447270_HDR-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my window.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zt4Nj7SB7n8/VuarWABWOmI/AAAAAAAACU0/sdTR-uTpKFoLhCfAT_9gLPM2_pSD6EJPQ/s1600/IMG_20160107_153924006_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zt4Nj7SB7n8/VuarWABWOmI/AAAAAAAACU0/sdTR-uTpKFoLhCfAT_9gLPM2_pSD6EJPQ/s320/IMG_20160107_153924006_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View to the city from the corridor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJPU3MVhobE/VuarWXiPkkI/AAAAAAAACU0/_4HKNq4T5lAuta-acOiMN1nLCi9WBeEoA/s1600/IMG_20160107_153936056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJPU3MVhobE/VuarWXiPkkI/AAAAAAAACU0/_4HKNq4T5lAuta-acOiMN1nLCi9WBeEoA/s320/IMG_20160107_153936056.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inner yard. You might be able to see our pets (yellow rubber ducks) in the fountain if you look really closely ;)</td></tr>
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I'm going to write more about my Hitachi life later, just wanted to do a quick update after a long silence (yes, I'm still alive here! :)).<br />
<br />Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-32479998119802662672015-12-15T20:43:00.002+09:002024-02-27T20:00:10.970+09:00お久しぶり!Long time no see! Pitkästä aikaa!<br />
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I've been lazy with this blog (again!), so there hasn't been any updates for a long time. I have also taken a lot of photos with my phone, but I can't to transfer them to my computer at the moment. I'm going to update things while in Finland. At least something. :)<br />
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Anyway, I'm doing fine, here's some updates:<br />
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- This is the last week of school, with only final presentation left on Thursday. On Friday we'll have a Christmas Party and tomorrow is reserved for final presentation practice.<br />
- I'll go back home for Christmas, meaning I now have less than a week in Tokyo left. Where has the time gone again?<br />
- I took the Japanese language proficiency exam (JLPT) level N3 on 6th of December, it went ok, I think I should pass.<br />
- I had a great time with my host family during the visit in October and I've met them also a couple of times after that. :)<br />
- Visited Lake Kawaguchi during a holiday and visited also amusent park FujiQ Highland, which has some world record rollercoasters. Saw Mt. Fuji!<br />
- The internship starts in the beginning of January, but we already had a 2 hour introductory visit to our work place (which is all the way in Hitachi-shi).<br />
- No snow in Tokyo (as expected), but it actually feels like autumn: There are still warm days, I'm using my lightest jacket and some trees still have almost all their leaves. In Japan the indoors are cold during winter though so there have been plenty of times I've used my wool sweaters.<br />
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Also, if there's someone reading this blog who is considering for applying for Vulcanus program for the next year. Just do it. :) Thus far the language course has been demanding, but at the same time fun and rewarding (I really can't believe how much I've improved even though it feels like I'm slower learner than my classmates). I can't comment about the internship yet, but I'm looking forward to experiencing life at the countryside (well at least it's countryside compared to Tokyo).<br />
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For questions about the application, you can check out <a href="http://reteka.net/vulcanusforum/index.php" target="_blank">the Vulcanus forum</a> which Jose is keeping up. I'm also registered there and can answer via there or here on comments if you have some questions, though the application process is pretty straightforward in the end. :)Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-30539988341918953602015-10-25T21:49:00.003+09:002024-02-27T20:00:40.670+09:00Asakusa [Sat 12th Sept]Some pictures from my trip to <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3004.html" target="_blank">Asakusa</a> with some fellow Vulcanusians in September. Asakusa is a district in Tokyo and it's famous for the Kaminari Gate and the Sensoji Temple.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9GYPf6E9q4/VizMrN4dBVI/AAAAAAAACC0/PIL_sjcUTJs/s1600/IMG_2300.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9GYPf6E9q4/VizMrN4dBVI/AAAAAAAACC0/PIL_sjcUTJs/s320/IMG_2300.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous Kaminarimon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D1GdJzg4avM/VizMq-kx6eI/AAAAAAAACCo/wRPgxGffzlI/s1600/IMG_2310.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D1GdJzg4avM/VizMq-kx6eI/AAAAAAAACCo/wRPgxGffzlI/s320/IMG_2310.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asakusa sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PA5py__exKg/VizPdMCNBFI/AAAAAAAACD0/vsSC2_MDM2w/s1600/IMG_2394.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PA5py__exKg/VizPdMCNBFI/AAAAAAAACD0/vsSC2_MDM2w/s320/IMG_2394.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Asakusa restaurants</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Al7MHPlrWww/VizMsiHGadI/AAAAAAAACDM/UhtpC4Ndq0Q/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Al7MHPlrWww/VizMsiHGadI/AAAAAAAACDM/UhtpC4Ndq0Q/s320/IMG_2418.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner at okonomiyaki (etc.) restaurant where you sit on the floor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wPuuY2IRmVE/VizMs0AxSSI/AAAAAAAACDA/2ubT8dkjSjM/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wPuuY2IRmVE/VizMs0AxSSI/AAAAAAAACDA/2ubT8dkjSjM/s320/IMG_2427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sensoji looks better in the dark.</td></tr>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-82225334514998006392015-10-15T20:33:00.003+09:002024-02-27T20:01:01.259+09:00Odaiba and Oktoberfest [9th Oct]<div>
Last Friday we headed for <a href="https://www.google.fi/maps/place/Odaiba,+Japan/@35.6249807,139.7577526,14z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x601889f82c55d4cb:0x79fe8b211d2010b9" target="_blank">Odaiba</a> in Tokyo for <a href="http://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/" target="_blank">Miraikan Museum</a> and Odaiba Oktoberfest. Miraikan had a special Pokemon exhibition some people wanted to see, but the weather was really nice so I wanted to stay outside. I might go back there some day to see <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASIMO" target="_blank">ASIMO</a>, a humanoid robot, which can walk, run, climb stairs, kick a ball etc. while standing on two feet. I think that's really impressing even though I don't know much about robotics. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdQL11uWWcI" target="_blank">Here's one video</a> about ASIMO.</div>
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Oktoberfest was not quite as lively as the real Oktoberfest in Munich and a bit expensive as well as they had German beers, so some of us opted for buying beers from the shopping mall and drinking them outside the Oktoberfest area. So I actually walked and hanged out more outside the area than inside. </div>
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We left the Oktoberfest when it ended at 10 pm and took the Yurikamome monorail to Shimbashi station. What is so special about that monorail? It doesn't have a driver. See here for a video (not taken by me): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60EGEx6cKmg" target="_blank">daytime</a> , <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNka5saiVrc" target="_blank">night</a>. These videos take the train to different directions so don't mind that.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zGOhnp4tQ2A/Vh-AhiQt4mI/AAAAAAAACAw/US3Hxt5SxxM/s1600/IMG_3204.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zGOhnp4tQ2A/Vh-AhiQt4mI/AAAAAAAACAw/US3Hxt5SxxM/s320/IMG_3204.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrived to the Tokyo Teleport Station (by train...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2R-AIJxPl4o/Vh-AhlE85kI/AAAAAAAACA0/eKvoT6jiPBw/s1600/IMG_3205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2R-AIJxPl4o/Vh-AhlE85kI/AAAAAAAACA0/eKvoT6jiPBw/s320/IMG_3205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferris wheel of Odaiba</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dh761F8h6lo/Vh-AhnOLm2I/AAAAAAAACA4/8pnI7kzEW18/s1600/IMG_3209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dh761F8h6lo/Vh-AhnOLm2I/AAAAAAAACA4/8pnI7kzEW18/s320/IMG_3209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some "futuristic" architecture</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48UIYssFQ08/Vh-Aj_FqgpI/AAAAAAAACBM/HysF23h_xlo/s1600/IMG_3226.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-48UIYssFQ08/Vh-Aj_FqgpI/AAAAAAAACBM/HysF23h_xlo/s320/IMG_3226.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oktoberfest at 4pm. People hadn't gotten here from work or school yet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_AX62E8WmT8/Vh-AjrDrvfI/AAAAAAAACBI/InDpTK7UZD8/s1600/IMG_3235.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_AX62E8WmT8/Vh-AjrDrvfI/AAAAAAAACBI/InDpTK7UZD8/s320/IMG_3235.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundam" target="_blank">Gundam</a> mecha (=giant robot controlled by human inside). And no, I don't honestly know anything about the Gundam series.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S9kEZ2B2k7U/Vh-Ajy-tuhI/AAAAAAAACBQ/hAivD3iSybI/s1600/IMG_3239.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S9kEZ2B2k7U/Vh-Ajy-tuhI/AAAAAAAACBQ/hAivD3iSybI/s320/IMG_3239.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our drinks and sweets outside the area. The three similar ones are "autumn special beers".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9k4Dy75lXJY/Vh-GPKV2KkI/AAAAAAAACCI/udZMYOF2SRY/s1600/IMG_3263.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9k4Dy75lXJY/Vh-GPKV2KkI/AAAAAAAACCI/udZMYOF2SRY/s320/IMG_3263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the tent.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NfoD4YnwRJc/Vh-HV8amx6I/AAAAAAAACCM/49gmBIDp1Cg/s1600/IMG_3266.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NfoD4YnwRJc/Vh-HV8amx6I/AAAAAAAACCM/49gmBIDp1Cg/s320/IMG_3266.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on, it's not Christmas yet!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n6xYUlu-Aks/Vh-GJpOPtSI/AAAAAAAACB4/KCRTJYE9cco/s1600/IMG_3267.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n6xYUlu-Aks/Vh-GJpOPtSI/AAAAAAAACB4/KCRTJYE9cco/s320/IMG_3267.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking more bad-ass during the night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LU6bml1MWU8/Vh-GJst42NI/AAAAAAAACB8/sGZtxHmGhQg/s1600/IMG_3290.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LU6bml1MWU8/Vh-GJst42NI/AAAAAAAACB8/sGZtxHmGhQg/s320/IMG_3290.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Odaiba seafront view at night</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-14672065877442822762015-10-15T18:55:00.002+09:002015-10-15T21:09:33.377+09:00Being busy (and lazy)Hi all,<br />
<br />
I know I haven't been active with the blog at all. At first there where so many things to do and see around + the 5 day long holiday "Silver Week" during which I went to Kyoto. After that I had to study for a Japanese language exam as well as write a monthly report for the EU-Japan Centre. I also signed up for the JLPT exam (level N3) and been studying quite a lot since then (I must do that in order to pass the JLPT as passing it seems so far away at the moment...).<br />
<br />
I have too many photos and videos to sort out and I'm being lazy, which means I rather do almost anything else than write the blog. (oops :P) But I'm planning to post a lot of things that happened during the past month soon.<br />
<br />
Today I had the second conversation test at school and it went ok, even though I was worried before it. We'll probably get the results already tomorrow, so I'll let you know later when I write about the school. Tomorrow well only have half a day of school as in the afternoon were are going to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1066460-d4680971-Reviews-Ikebukuro_Bosaikan_Life_Safety_Learning_Center-Toshima_Tokyo_Tokyo_Prefecture_Ka.html" target="_blank">Ikebukuro Bosaikan Life Safety Learning Center</a>, which means we'll experience a typhoon, an earthquake and escaping a burning house (or something like that) through simulations there.<br />
<br />
On the weekend I'll have a home stay with a Japanese family for one night. Looking forward to that! :)<br />
<br />
This was just a small update that I'm alive and well (though tired). I'll promise to write more soon!<br />
<br />
Edit// Oh, and if you have something you would like to know about the life here or something about Japan or the programme in general, tell me and I'll try my best to answer and/or write about that. :)Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-26299917819788637192015-09-16T22:04:00.002+09:002024-02-27T20:01:19.574+09:00Typhoon & EarthquakeFirst two weeks in Japan and already both typhoon (not directly though) and earthquake have happened.<br />
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Last week, typhoon number 18 went past Japan. They count typhoons here with numbers instead of giving names for them since they come every year. So this typhoon was the 18th of this year.<br />
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The typhoon didn't directly hit Tokyo as it went through central Japan, but it rained almost for the whole week. I wore slippers for the whole time as I ruined one pair of (cheap) shoes on Sun 6th when it rained a lot. Or to be honest the shoes got soaked and let of color resulting my feet being black even after a wash.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NkMnWQVv6ko/VflhaMRO5zI/AAAAAAAACAE/B18gPuc5tfs/s1600/20150908_083712.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NkMnWQVv6ko/VflhaMRO5zI/AAAAAAAACAE/B18gPuc5tfs/s320/20150908_083712.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Going to school on a rainy day. Shibuya station.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAhEkGax0X0/VflhaOxMizI/AAAAAAAACAI/l4We6KrA-yI/s1600/20150908_180056.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAhEkGax0X0/VflhaOxMizI/AAAAAAAACAI/l4We6KrA-yI/s320/20150908_180056.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where the typhoon went. 日 means day, weekday is in the brackets, 時 means time.</td></tr>
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<div><div><br /></div>
<div>
The cheap Japanese umbrellas are really nice. :D And actually our teacher said today in the class that the umbrellas are apparently becoming a popular souvenir from Japan. She didn't understood why, but I told that in my opinion they are: cheap (~500yen from konbini), useful (you can see through, so even strong wind wouldn't be a problem), somewhat strong (more than you would expect from a cheap one. I want to take one home to Finland as well haha. :D<br />
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Then on 13th Saturday morning 5:49 am, the first earthquake came. The epicenter was at the Tokyo Bay and the intensity was 5.3. At our place it was either 4 or 5 in intensity based on the map (it doesn't have any names on it so I'm not sure which measurement point is closest to our place).</div>
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At first I didn't even understand what's going on, I was too sleepy. I though my neighbor is washing laundry (and that it's on the fast spinning mode "sling?", "linkous" in Finnish) in the next room and I was like "what the hell, why do you do it in the middle of the night". Then I realized that a) we don't have washing machines in the rooms, b) the walls are moving. But I didn't even bother getting out of the bed as I just looked up and declared that ok, nothing's going to fall on me and just continued sleeping. I can't remember it clearly as I was so sleepy, but the following picture gives some proof that it actually happened.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BCWmzg18Rn4/Vfld-V8BhEI/AAAAAAAAB_8/CQC-_yR8BtM/s1600/a_IMG_2283.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BCWmzg18Rn4/Vfld-V8BhEI/AAAAAAAAB_8/CQC-_yR8BtM/s320/a_IMG_2283.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My laundry money pile was straight in the evening.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
We also learned in our first Japanese culture/history/business/etc. lecture about an app (Yurekuru) that warns about the earthquakes about 10 or 15 seconds before it happens. My Samsung S2 has too old Android so I can't download it. More more reason to get a new phone. Many of the Vulcanus people woke up because of the app, I woke on the quake itself... and some people didn't wake at all. They seem to have good skills on sleeping. :D</div>
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Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-42888783027397578192015-09-07T23:34:00.002+09:002024-02-27T20:02:22.334+09:00First days in TokyoFirst week is behind and it's been a busy one.<br />
<br />
Tokyo is... hot and humid. Though not as hot as it could have been (for example only +26'C at the most during the day predicted by the forecast for the first day). And yesterday is was raining cats and dogs (="satoi kuin saavista kaatamalla" in Finnish) and more rain is predicted for this week especially for tomorrow and Wednesday. Yay....<br />
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I left for Japan on Mon 31st from Helsinki with a straight Finnair flight and arrived Tokyo Tue 1st Sep around 9am. I can never really sleep on the plain so I practiced the Japanese way of sleeping in the train on the way to our hotel. I didn't fall asleep, but the Japanese seem to do so almost instantly. (For those who don't know, Japanese people might have really long commuting to their work or school and thus they tend to sleep on the trains.) We took the cheapest train from Narita Airport to Ikebukuro, so it took us almost 2 hours to reach the hotel.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20SwByAtRL4/Ve2eScsqDmI/AAAAAAAAB-w/hn25jcKhkuA/s1600/20150902_092444.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-20SwByAtRL4/Ve2eScsqDmI/AAAAAAAAB-w/hn25jcKhkuA/s320/20150902_092444.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the hotel room in Ikebukuro.</td></tr>
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</div>
All of us (all 45 people) spend the first night at the same hotel and on the next day we had orientation at Omotesando. After a super brief orientation we waited for our company representatives who took us to our dorms which for us is located at Takadanobaba. Our place is so really nice: we had everything needed ready for us and the place is relatively close to the school as well as Shinjuku. Shinjuku is one of the busiest areas in Tokyo with the busiest train station in world. Wikipedia tells that "The station was used by an average of 3.64 million people per day in 2007".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GsSjCMBO9lQ/Ve2VRhT4vGI/AAAAAAAAB94/n7mPVBrwrhQ/s1600/IMG_2018.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GsSjCMBO9lQ/Ve2VRhT4vGI/AAAAAAAAB94/n7mPVBrwrhQ/s320/IMG_2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not-so-busy Shinjuku in the early afternoon.</td></tr>
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Besides the orientationDuring the first days we had to do registration to the city hall which is in Shinjuku, get National Health Insurance required for people staying for more than 6 months, open a bank account and get a sim card for phone. All of these went pretty smoothly. There's another post coming up soon with more detailed information about all of these (aimed for the next Vulcanus students).<br />
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Some photos of one evening in Shinjuku:<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_u_c7CaIowA/Ve2Waec0PiI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/NK6iytRwGVE/s1600/IMG_2026.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_u_c7CaIowA/Ve2Waec0PiI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/NK6iytRwGVE/s320/IMG_2026.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A smaller street in Shinjuku.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqp0btOMqt8/Ve2WacEvFHI/AAAAAAAAB-U/dGntKmYgzTY/s1600/IMG_2017.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xqp0btOMqt8/Ve2WacEvFHI/AAAAAAAAB-U/dGntKmYgzTY/s320/IMG_2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Godzilla is always watching you...</td></tr>
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On Thursday we had more orientation and in the evening the official reception of the Vulcanus programme at the Sheraton Miyako Hotel. The dress code was business as there were people from embassies and the companies present. There was no-one from the Finnish embassy, but I met a person who is going to work in the same team as me in Hitachi. My feet hurt so much as we had to stand for the whole reception and I wore heels 12 hours during that day.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VIqD1Esu5uY/Ve2fzbj8tzI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/xO159B2G7aE/s1600/20150903_172528.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VIqD1Esu5uY/Ve2fzbj8tzI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/xO159B2G7aE/s320/20150903_172528.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The venue</td></tr>
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Loppukevennys:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cRa4EJ1VQKA/Ve2fadXnMnI/AAAAAAAAB_M/_ExuXwGsXy4/s1600/20150903_203655.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cRa4EJ1VQKA/Ve2fadXnMnI/AAAAAAAAB_M/_ExuXwGsXy4/s320/20150903_203655.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shop named Kiitos with a Swedish flag even though Kiitos means "thank you" in Finnish...</td></tr>
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<br />Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-34589939370215775472015-07-10T22:54:00.001+09:002024-02-27T20:02:41.371+09:00Brussels meetingThe Pre-departure brief (PDB) for the Vulcanus programme was held on Monday 6th of July in Brussels. Most of the participants arrived on Sunday, couple of people earlier. We all stayed in the same hotel so we had a good opportunity to meet and get to know each other already before the meeting. 45 people is quite a lot people to get to know in a couple of days, but I'm sure we'll have enough time while in Japan. On the first meeting everyone seems nice and laid back and I'm sure we'll get along well. :)<br />
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I arrived to Brussels around midday on Saturday and got lunch with the people who had already arrived. We later walked to the city center to see to see the Grand Place (and Manneken Pis, because it was nearby). Brussels is quite small and there's not that much to see. We actually went to the Grand Place or nearby many times during the three days I was there.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elC74-PnoDQ/VZ669-3cy6I/AAAAAAAAB58/-uHg102x74Q/s1600/20150707_135629.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-elC74-PnoDQ/VZ669-3cy6I/AAAAAAAAB58/-uHg102x74Q/s320/20150707_135629.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grand Place square</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N7BNGisN73M/VZ66BG5GNvI/AAAAAAAAB5k/eV2wsLo7JpE/s1600/20150705_154255.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N7BNGisN73M/VZ66BG5GNvI/AAAAAAAAB5k/eV2wsLo7JpE/s320/20150705_154255.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manneken Pis, one of the most famous sights of Brussels...</td></tr>
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Belgium is famous for it's chocolate, which I bought as a souvenir, but also for waffles. I learned that there are actually a couple of types of Belgian waffles, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waffle#Varieties" target="_blank">Brussels waffle and Liege waffle</a>. I got waffles twice while in Brussels and both times the Liege waffle as it seems tastier and softer. Delicious!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUybYb62gmM/VZ6696Hh7xI/AAAAAAAAB6A/bIYaDfay5NM/s1600/20150707_140854.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XUybYb62gmM/VZ6696Hh7xI/AAAAAAAAB6A/bIYaDfay5NM/s320/20150707_140854.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liege waffle with chocolate ice cream from Waffle Factory. The other was a Liege waffle with warm chocolate and hazelnuts from Maison Dandoy.</td></tr>
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On Monday we had the long awaited meeting. We went through a lot of info about our arrivals to Tokyo, how to get to the hotel and to the meeting, we got the schedule for autumn, personal information about our internship and dormitories, the COE form etc. Most of us got all information, but there are still some who are waiting for their dormitory addresses for example. The COE form is needed for the visa application and I already got my visa yesterday from the Japanese Embassy of Helsinki. They made it ready while I waited for max. 10 minutes.<br /><br />
The most interesting info (for me) that I got: Where I will be living:<br />
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We got detailed information (address etc.) about the apartment, but I don't want to tell all that here. So you have to be satisfied with the following info. :)<br />
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My Tokyo apartment will be in <a href="https://www.google.fi/maps/place/Takadanobaba+Station/@35.6900172,139.7073934,13.47z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x60188d399ddaa763:0x954afc3e292c9a7e" target="_blank">Takadanobaba</a>. The train trip to school with Yamanote line (apparently the busiest line in Tokyo) takes only 12 minutes. That means my travel time to school is only 0,5h which a really good time considering that some people on the programme have to commute even up to 1,5h per direction to the school. There will be at least 6 other Vulcanusians living there with me and we'll all have our own room.<br />
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My Hitachi apartment will be located 8km from my work. I'm considering getting a bike since taking the train doesn't seem the best option (have to walk 3,5km anyway). Might take the train on the snowy and rainy days though. We'll see, there's still a lot of time until I'll get to Hitachi. In Hitachi at least two Vulcanusians are going to live in the same dorm with me. Again it's a single room.<br />
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Both of these apartments are well equipped (see below data for my Tokyo apartment), I have internet provided for Tokyo (for Hitachi I apparently have to get it myself) and I don't have to pay for electricity, gas or water. Some people might have to pay for their electricity, or they might not have a bed or desk or they might have a shared kitchen or bathroom (and in at least one company dorm there seems to be no kitchen in the whole building...). So I'm super happy with my apartments thus far. :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dP_sMH9PQR4/VZ_CHQ6uC3I/AAAAAAAAB60/rQDqzCiZSsg/s1600/tokyo_dorm.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dP_sMH9PQR4/VZ_CHQ6uC3I/AAAAAAAAB60/rQDqzCiZSsg/s320/tokyo_dorm.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Hitachi apartment has the same things except there's no telephone, but the apartment is 24m2 and I have a private washing machine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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At the end of the meeting we took a short test of Japanese. Those who couldn't finish the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiragana" target="_blank">hiragana </a>and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana" target="_blank">katakana</a> sheets are required to study them before coming to Japan. As for others who knew more Japanese, we are going to have max 30 minutes conversation with a Naganuma School teacher to determine our speaking and conversation level. Mine will be on Wed 22nd 9am Finnish time which equals to 3pm in Japan. Wish me luck!<br />
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My flight back was on Tuesday afternoon, so I had 24h left in Brussels after the meeting. For the rest of my stay I walked around the city, ate something not that special (+waffles and nice hotel breakfast) and drank some beer, all these with some other Vulcanusians. Belgium has some interesting beers as they also had a raspberry one (with 30% of raspberry juice). After that I wanted to get a real beer, even though I usually rarely drink beer.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgdyxtaBcEk/VZ668n8_aoI/AAAAAAAAB5w/MB16YwNTvm0/s1600/20150706_215148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgdyxtaBcEk/VZ668n8_aoI/AAAAAAAAB5w/MB16YwNTvm0/s320/20150706_215148.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I left my DSLR at home on purpose, so all of my photos are taken with my phone which usually doesn't take any good photos. This seems way better than usually though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Nice trip, nice people and nice waffles. Next time most of the Vulcanus team sees each other will be in Japan. It still feels so far away even though I have less than 2 months left in Finland. Better to eat more rye bread and karelian pies.Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1795738595662338730.post-52409413172655222422015-06-29T22:43:00.001+09:002015-07-31T15:49:44.878+09:00First things firstHello and welcome my blog! :)<br />
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If you are reading this, you'll probably know or noticed that I'm going to Japan for a year. And you'll probably know that I'm Kata from Finland.<br />
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A short story if you are too lazy to check <a href="http://katainjapan.blogspot.fi/p/about-me.html" target="_blank">this</a> and <a href="http://katainjapan.blogspot.fi/p/vulcanus-info.html" target="_blank">this</a>:<br />
I'm a freshly graduated Master of Science (Technology) majoring in Electrical Systems. (Power Systems and High Voltage Engineering to be exact.) I'm going to Japan for a year on "Vulcanus in Japan" programme starting this September. We'll spend four months in Tokyo on a Japanese language course and after that we'll have an eight-month internship in a company. I'm going to work at Hitachi Research Lab in <a href="https://www.google.fi/maps/place/Hitachinaka,+Ibaraki+Prefecture,+Japan/@37.0778534,139.6032762,8z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x60222e54cba76daf:0xdca77f5c3f8eeee6" target="_blank"><strike>Hitachinaka</strike></a> <a href="https://www.google.fi/maps/place/Hitachi,+Ibaraki+Prefecture,+Japan/@37.2212424,137.2559172,6.79z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x602181420e6f2aed:0x59cba92654ee6094" target="_blank">Hitachi</a>, 2 hours north from Tokyo.<br />
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We still have two whole months before landing to Tokyo on September 1st, but since we will soon have the Pre-Departure Brief (PDB) of the Vulcanus programme in Brussels I decided to create this blog already.<br />
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In this Brussels meeting we get a lot of info which I assume contains for example the details of our accommodation in Tokyo as well as the files for applying for the visa.<br />
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This will also be the first time to meet the other Vulcanus participants. There are at least 44 of us this year, though not all rows in our Vulcanus Google Docs file are filled so it might be that we have the maximum 50 participants this year as the last person selected seems to have the number 50. We'll see how it is in Brussels. Some Vulcanus statistics for '15-'16 can be found <a href="http://katainjapan.blogspot.fi/p/statistics.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Exactly one week to the meeting and weather forecast looks like this: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EU0y4lriKEk/VZFMiHBKNhI/AAAAAAAAB3k/0A4M4bk9qUA/s1600/brussels_weather2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EU0y4lriKEk/VZFMiHBKNhI/AAAAAAAAB3k/0A4M4bk9qUA/s400/brussels_weather2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice +30°C for wearing business casual... Good thing the dress code isn't business.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Anyway, I'm excited to go to Brussels, have some more info and meet people. Of course I'm also excited to eat some Belgian waffles and chocolate as well as those super delicious macarons of Ladurée (I thought I hated macarons before I tasted ones from this shop). <br />
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I'll write more after the meeting. :)<br />
<br />Katahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17117301030395701177noreply@blogger.com0