Arrival in Japan
Hello everyone and welcome to my weblog. Over the coming year (or two) I will be posting with tales of my experiences in Japan. I am employed as an Assistant English Language Teacher at Tatsuno Nishi Junior High School, in Tatsuno City, Hyogo. I have come to Japan as a participant on the JET Programme.
I arrived on 30 July after a 12 our flight from London Heathrow, and then had to attend an orientation for three days at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo. The hotel was great, 5 Stars, and had a pool, a gym, and two bars on the 45th floor from which the view of the city at night was fantastic, even if I was paying the equivalent of 7 English pounds for half a pint of lager.
Between Japanese language lessons and other seminars I found the time to explore some of Tokyo and in particular Harajuku, Gwen Stefani's favourite place in the world. The second night in Tokyo was an organised drinking session with all of the new Hyogo JETs. This was a good opportunity to get to know people living in my area. The last night was a reception at the British Embassy with a display of Japanese drumming. After taking advantage of the free wine and sandwiches a few of us attempted to navigate the Tokyo underground train network. Well we made it back in the end.
After the Tokyo orientation we made our way down to Hyogo by train and then coach. On the train journey I managed to befriend a small group of Japanese Elementary School children, apparently on their way to play football somewhere. They all shook my hand and called me 'Beckham'. Looking out of the window on the train I could see just how different the countryside in Japan is from home. Japan's rural scenery is a patchwork of low plateaus and striking forest-clad mountains which seem to shoot out of the ground in a dramatic fashion that bears no resemblance to the rolling hills of the UK. And whilst Japan's mountain scenery is beautiful much of it is tarnished by metal structures of some sort, usually pylons.
Tokyo by night.
Me with my Tokyo orientation roommates, Will and Jeff.
I arrived on 30 July after a 12 our flight from London Heathrow, and then had to attend an orientation for three days at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo. The hotel was great, 5 Stars, and had a pool, a gym, and two bars on the 45th floor from which the view of the city at night was fantastic, even if I was paying the equivalent of 7 English pounds for half a pint of lager.
Between Japanese language lessons and other seminars I found the time to explore some of Tokyo and in particular Harajuku, Gwen Stefani's favourite place in the world. The second night in Tokyo was an organised drinking session with all of the new Hyogo JETs. This was a good opportunity to get to know people living in my area. The last night was a reception at the British Embassy with a display of Japanese drumming. After taking advantage of the free wine and sandwiches a few of us attempted to navigate the Tokyo underground train network. Well we made it back in the end.
After the Tokyo orientation we made our way down to Hyogo by train and then coach. On the train journey I managed to befriend a small group of Japanese Elementary School children, apparently on their way to play football somewhere. They all shook my hand and called me 'Beckham'. Looking out of the window on the train I could see just how different the countryside in Japan is from home. Japan's rural scenery is a patchwork of low plateaus and striking forest-clad mountains which seem to shoot out of the ground in a dramatic fashion that bears no resemblance to the rolling hills of the UK. And whilst Japan's mountain scenery is beautiful much of it is tarnished by metal structures of some sort, usually pylons.
Welcome to Japan!! Mmmm, I love food!
The Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.
I don't know what these things are but they look cool.
Tokyo by night.Me with my Tokyo orientation roommates, Will and Jeff. 
A view from the train on the way down to Hyogo.
posted by Laurence at 11:17 PM
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