Arielle, Exploring Japan: Busy weekend holiday update

Holidays in Japan

Nara University's 4 day-long festival

For the students planning to study in Japan, just so that you know the holidays here are a little different than what we are used to in America.

Usually in America we have holidays and then we have Holidays, and we differentiate between the big ones and small ones whether you get days off from school or work.

A cute Halloween gift from a friend since I hadn't seen any pumpkins.

So if it's a big holiday like Thanksgiving you get a few days off, but when its a small holiday like Groundhog day you don't get a day off typically.

Just to let you know if the calendar says it's a holiday in Japan, you get the day off.

Of course double check with professors and such but I have been told by advisors that this is the way things are done, so if your calendar says its a Japanese holiday (and there are a lot) then you get the day off.

The school's festival in action

But Halloween sadly is not a holiday here and it doesn't seem like it will be for a long time if at all.

School festival time

Before coming here I was told by many that it was starting to catch on among younger adults, but it seems like its really a big city thing and it's really not the same feeling as the Halloween I know and love so it was a little sad since it's my favorite holiday back home.

Flea Market part of the Festival.

Nara University has a four day festival in which there are no classes and everything is closed, so don't think you can go do homework at the library.

At the festival, walls are decorated and outside is a music performance.

But there are concerts, a flea market, hip hop dance exhibitions, foods, games and the whole school participates.

Students made this duck to advertise their event in room 201.

On that first day off (Friday) International students also are able to enter the Nara National Museum for free which is usually around $7, so I went to the exhibit that showed old items of Emperors past.

Scrolls and furniture and so many other items. I especially liked the archery bows that used marbles instead of arrows.

Clubs advertise their events at the festival such as the calligraphy club. (Often Nara events use the city's mascot deer as seen here)

Then Saturday I went to the school festival found some neat handmade things at the flea market and watched some hip hop dancing.

At the Hip hop dance performance.

Sunday I went to Osaka and let me just say that is not going to happen again except to go to an art exhibit I have been waiting to go to for a long time.

In Osaka I had a hamburger that was much better than any I had had in American restaurants.

I've been staring at my art exhibit poster for about a month now for Kudo Tetsumi (and also Yamato Jikara). So I will be going to that.

Many students do actually like to go to Osaka. They, however, have different tastes than I.

Just the title sounded so odd.

Personally I don't like to be squashed up against hundreds of other people just so I can walk across the street, or walk in the shopping district.

But I'm not really into shopping or night life much so to me the area I went to (Osaka Namba) really isn't the type of place to top my list of places I want to go.

Part of the crowd in Osaka. Maybe it's better on a weekday.

There is more to Osaka than just the super crowded night-life and shopping district and every city and place has it's own personality- so for some its a great place.

Obligatory photo with the Glica running man.

Even in Tokyo which is also huge and has lots of people, it depends on where you go and the images we frequently see like Shibuya crossing crammed with people and such are not the whole story or personality of Tokyo.

These people are smoking inside, since many places still allow smoking in public places and businesses in Japan.

For me- places like that wear me out and I have no real reason to go. Possibly when I go to the different part of town next time I can discover something more to my taste.

Osaka crowd crossing the street.

It was nice to go around and spend time with friends though, and I got to meet a new place.

I also found this kitty when i was wandering in Kyoto.

Then Monday since the festival was still going on I decided to go to Kyoto since I was disappointed by Osaka's personality and originally I wanted to go to Kyoto first anyway.

I found this in some off the track area while I was wandering around Kyoto.

So I just up and took a train and went to Kyoto to explore on my own and I liked it a lot. Kyoto's personality is much more in line with my interests.

Outside Kyoto station

Plus it was great to explore alone after so much time squashed next to other people in a truly metropolitan feeling place it was such a relief.

Down by the river in Kyoto.

At the bridge and river east of Kyoto station and south of Gion.

I went to Kyoto Tower and compared to Tokyo Tower it isn't much but it was neat to go up there and see the city at night.

I found this wandering around Kyoto and loved the texture, and the layered look.

I found this walking around Kyoto and loved the glaze and colors they used.

I will be returning to Kyoto next week and plan to go to the traditional district of Gion where

people can see Mayukosan and Geisha and traditional building styles.

Unique trees outside of Kyoto station

I love how even in the big city areas of Kyoto there are trees, and plants it was such a relief from Osaka's huge concrete-ness to see the trees even in the middle of the city.