Kyoto: Traditional vs Modern

One major theme in Japan is the juxtaposition of tradition with modernity. I believe Kyoto is one of the better places to see this in the country, as it was the old capital city before Emperor Meiji moved it to Tokyo in 1868. Below is some photographic evidence :)

Also, one of the most important historical things to know about Japan is that it was extremely isolationist until the Meiji era (second half of the 19th century). Then, under his direction, the country went through an insanely rapid period of industrialization which, combined with the post WWII "Japanese Economic Miracle", led it to become what is today the world's 3rd largest economy. My greatest contributions to the Japanese economy have been buying a lot of Zelda video games growing up and a Prius ;)

Modern: The "Shinkansen" bullet train.

Modern: Gibson Les Paul and Shohei Ohtani (did you know that the best baseball player in the world right now is Japanese?) This photo was actually taken in Tokyo.

Modern? Japanese pancakes

Traditional: Sushi

Traditional: Chawanmushi (yumyum)

I don't know what a lot of this is but I liked it!

Traditional: Kimono

Kiyomizu-dera (Buddhist temple)

Kiyomizu-dera

Kiyomizu-dera

Udon with pork and pink pepper

Kinkaku-ji, Buddhist temple

Kinkaku-ji (aka the Golden Temple)

Modern: Apple store

Look familiar?

Fushimi Inari: Vermillion has never looked better!

It was fun hiking through the vermillion gates! Apparently a Shinto shrine to the God of rice (the Shinto word for God/deity/spirit is Kami, which also happens to be a very popular EdTech company...)

Japanese roast?

Makin sushi!

Kyoto canals are beautiful

I did not purchase.

I did purchase.

The Little Things

Japan does not feel tectonically different to California to me. Rather, there are many many small things that I keep noticing. Here are a few :)

Architecturally, lot of black slats in Kyoto.

It's quite common to eat close to the ground, which I enjoy. The floor is depressed under the table, so there's room for your legs! 

Most people don't seem to bother locking their bikes in Kyoto--what a world! Japan is known for being extremely safe.

Infields don't have grass here! And in the rec games I've seen, they play with a bouncy rubber ball!

Karaoke is on a completely different level here. It seems especially popular among high schoolers, college students and young adults. They're open 24/7 and it occupies 3-5 floors of a building!

Love the pod beds! This one is controlled by an iPod (yes, that's right, an iPod!) to change its inclination.

Japanese toilets are extraordinary. The seat is warmed, it goes up and down electromechanically, fully equipped with a bidet AND you can press a button to make it play the sound of a river to "give you privacy".

There's a lot of attention given to not disturbing other people in Japan. IMHO there are pros and cons to this social norm.

More slats.

Tokyo Giants Baseball Game!

Here are some notes I took about the Tokyo Giants baseball game I went to! It was SOOOO fun--a big highlight of my trip so far :)

• Bought #24 Tshirt for Mays

• Giants Dodgers?! Sitting next to a guy from LA wearing a Kershaw jersey

• Professional cheer team leading the bleachers

• Whole team bowed on first baseline after win

• Feels like 80s style baseball

• 3 successful sacrifice bunts(!!) Only one of which was done by the pitcher.

• Pitcher hits

• After 3:30 minutes no new inning can start but no pitch clock

• Playoff atmosphere

• Away team fans sit together in half of the left field bleachers

• The bleachers are VERY loud, drums, whistles

• Bleacher section doing organized cheers the entire half inning they’re hitting (including a version of let’s go giants)

• Small but mighty brass section that evokes college football energy

• Singing/clapping chants throughout offensive half innings

• No yelling at umps

• Cushioned seats

• Rally towels after every run

• Cheerleaders and 5! mascots

• 10 bucks for hot dog, drink and cheese balls

• Can also buy bento boxes/Japanese food

• Suites have company names visible on them

• No 7th inning stretch or take me out to the ballgame or god bless America ;) no national anthem

• Teams named after companies

• Right fielder bowed after a nice catch

• Guy comes around with trash bag in the 8th

• Postgame interview with two players of the game

• These two Players go around and high fives fans after game

• Bathrooms still stink!

I wonder whether Ohshiro knows that he's wearing Willie Mays' number?!

Welcome to the Tokyo Dome!

Giants dugout store, Tokyo style, is basically the exact same thing as SF style: overpriced!

What are the odds I sat next to a Dodgers fan from LA?!? Also, the team the Giants were playing (Chunichi Dragons) had identical colors to the Dodgers... so weird!!!

I saw more people eating Japanese food options like noodles and bento boxes than hot dogs

Instead of overweight older men selling beer, Japan has young women in short skirts...

I paid under $10 for a hot dog, cheese balls and drink--Unheard of!

People don't leave trash under their seats--they clean up after themselves, facilitated by a trash bag walked up the aisle in the 8th inning! How civilized!

The Giants held on to win 5-0. Go Giants!!!

Tokyo Dome ice cream sandwich... yummy!

Notice to organized crime groups (which to my knowledge don't exist in Japan anyhow) to keep out of the baseball game!

It's very common here to organize trash into "burnables" vs "non-burnables". I don't really understand how this translates to recycling...