Time: 14.03.15-05.04.15
02.04.2015
Good morning Sendai! This was the day when Yanne started to receive new people into the dormitory and because our stay there was actually not allowed, then we decided to keep away, so we went out.
We had to go to Yanne's university because she had to sign another piece of paper that is so common in everyday life in Japan. On the way we stopped by Osaki Hachiman shrine which is one of the most colorful shrines in Japan. Shrine is dedicated to the kami Hachiman, tutelary god of warriors. Some business men were having a service, with high chance that it was connected to some kind of upcoming project or deal. It was really nice to see that old traditions are still hold.
We went on to Yanne's university where students were recruiting new members to clubs. There were so many students all around and for the first time I felt what means big university. I would like to remind you that Tohoku University is one of the biggest and prestigious universities in Japan and has ~17 800 students and ~1300 international students. So it was really interesting for me to be there. Both of my universities - in Estonia and in Portugal - are rather small. There were also some guys from one club who came to talk to us. They were really surprised to find out that Yanne is studying there.
Even though there are over 1 million people living in Sendai, it feels more like a country city. It is is weird especially because it is almost the whole population of my country, but it is true. You can feel it in everything - architecture, people, nature etc. Yanne can talk a lot about it.
We went to Sendai city center which is pretty cool, because in front of Sendai station there are pedestrian bridges. It was a nice day walking around.
We finished the day with going out with Yanne's friends. We went to nomihoudai and karaoke. "nomihoudai" is a place were you pay for time you spend there and not for the drinks. So advice - drink a lot and fast if you want to get drunk there for paying a little. It is really famous place for businessmen to go to celebrate things, so next table to us were businessmen. NOTICE: I do not promote alcohol drinking - alcohol is bad for your health and should be drank in right amount.
As I am not a big singer then at first it was weird in karaoke, but the easiest way is just to relax and know that a lot of people cannot sing but do it anyway. I was really looking forward to karaoke hoping that I could sing any Japanese song, for example some Tegomasu or NEWS songs, but as usually I am able to forget all the lyrics when I need to sing and I am unable to read kanji.. So only songs in English. I must say that it is rather easy to make a mistake with the right door in karaoke, especially when you have drank already. For me all the doors looked the same and I forgot to check before which was the right one. It was really great and funny day and I was really happy to see that Yanne has awesome friends there.
02.04.2015
Good morning Sendai! This was the day when Yanne started to receive new people into the dormitory and because our stay there was actually not allowed, then we decided to keep away, so we went out.
We went on to Yanne's university where students were recruiting new members to clubs. There were so many students all around and for the first time I felt what means big university. I would like to remind you that Tohoku University is one of the biggest and prestigious universities in Japan and has ~17 800 students and ~1300 international students. So it was really interesting for me to be there. Both of my universities - in Estonia and in Portugal - are rather small. There were also some guys from one club who came to talk to us. They were really surprised to find out that Yanne is studying there.
We went to Sendai city center which is pretty cool, because in front of Sendai station there are pedestrian bridges. It was a nice day walking around.
As I am not a big singer then at first it was weird in karaoke, but the easiest way is just to relax and know that a lot of people cannot sing but do it anyway. I was really looking forward to karaoke hoping that I could sing any Japanese song, for example some Tegomasu or NEWS songs, but as usually I am able to forget all the lyrics when I need to sing and I am unable to read kanji.. So only songs in English. I must say that it is rather easy to make a mistake with the right door in karaoke, especially when you have drank already. For me all the doors looked the same and I forgot to check before which was the right one. It was really great and funny day and I was really happy to see that Yanne has awesome friends there.
03.04.2015
We woke up rather late because of the previous night. It was our last proper day in Japan, but we spent it mostly in Yanne's dormitory repacking our luggage,so I do not have any photos from that day. We did go to the city for a moment just to eat and buy last souvenirs from Sendai, but that was it.
04.04.2015
In the morning around 10.00 we took a bus from Sendai to Tokyo. I thought that it would be much easier to say byebye to Yanne, but I was wrong. Despite the fact that we talk every week and make at least 3 hour Skype-sessions, it was still really painful to leave. I would be a lie if I would say that I was not left in tears. Now all the bus ride to Tokyo seems like I was in another dimension. I sat alone and just watched the big snow-topped mountains going by as if saying "Your journey here has become to the end, remember every moment that you spent in the country you love". It was really weird feeling that I had in the bus.
In Tokyo we still had few hours to spend so we went to Shibuya park where people celebrated hanami. I was actually amazed! The whole park was filled with people, either groups of university friends, families, company colleagues. I know that I knew that it is something like that, but I did not think that there would be so big groups and so big party-ish thing. I have to say that in a way I also was embarrassed, because we did not put our luggage into coinlockers this time, so we were walking around the people with big bags and as Europeans we got a bit too much attention. There were guys inviting us for a drink and one drunk guy was asking email address to keep in contact. This was actually the moment when Chris discovered that she had lost her phone.. with high chance into Sendai bus. Thank Gyoza that in the airport I found it from my bag where Chris before put goods from the store. She had just accidentally dropped her phone there also.
Another thing that we managed to see in Shibuya park was traditional Japanese wedding. I think Japanese weddings are so beautiful and we saw exactly when they were taking wedding photos. Congratulations to newly weds!
Then the time came for us to take the bus to airport and fly back to Estonia. Just 12 hours on a plane to Paris and few hours to Estonia. This time the time difference was worse so I was able to sleep only little sleep and most of the time spent watching movies. From Asian movies I watched "White haired witch of Lunar kingdom".
Then the time came for us to take the bus to airport and fly back to Estonia. Just 12 hours on a plane to Paris and few hours to Estonia. This time the time difference was worse so I was able to sleep only little sleep and most of the time spent watching movies. From Asian movies I watched "White haired witch of Lunar kingdom".
05.04.2015
Finally, back in Estonia I almost did not unpack my things because after 10 days in Estonia, I already went to Turkey for a week. Travelling at its best!
These were my 3 weeks in Japan and I hope you also enjoyed reading this. Hopefully I can make another trip to Japan in few years :)
These were my 3 weeks in Japan and I hope you also enjoyed reading this. Hopefully I can make another trip to Japan in few years :)
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