Assignment 5: Five Image Album

Image 057

I had heard from others how wonderful it was visiting Japan, with their foreign customs and beautiful scenery.  So after a long time of contemplating, I decided to go to Japan.  After a long and tiring journey to the Far East, I finally arrived in Japan!  This country is so different from America, starting with the people to the architecture and even the plants.  I arrived at the inn that I was supposed to stay.  The building was unlike one I've ever seen.  The foundation of the building seems to be wood and the windows are covered with some kind of paper.  Two Japanese men looked like they came back form a long day of farming or whatnot to the inn and were greeted by two beautiful women in their traditional dresses (or known as kimonos).  I too, was greeted by the lovely women.  I looked over to exchange a smile at one of them, but she turned her gaze away from mine.  She escorted me inside.       

Image 058

Inside the building was more foreign than the exterior.  The "doors" inside were sliding doors and were covered with the paper material the windows.  The floors were wooden and some covered with mats.  As I was being escorted to my room, I gazed into a room where the door was ajar.  There, I saw a glimpse of another Japanese woman in blue and yellow pouring tea for a couple men.  Her movements seem very steady and gentle at the same time.  It was so fascinating to see this in person.  I had heard of Japanese woman having girlish hobbies, but I never expected to see it so soon.  I'm guessing the people she was serving were  other tourists like me or businessmen.  It's fascinating how the women here seem to avoid eye contact.  I continued walking and got to my room to rest.  I was excited for the next couple days to come.

Image 093

Of course, the first place to go when arriving in Japan was Mount Fuji.  I had heard it was beautiful and of course as a tourist I had to go see it!  Getting there proved to be quite a nuisance.  I had to take a boat over to get there.  But it was definitely worth the trouble.  At the foot of the mountain, I looked up.  The top of the mountain was soaring into the skies and was hard to see where the mountain ended and where the clouds started.  I was too exhausted to climb it and was still in my right mind so I left.  We crossed Motosu Lake and hiked up towards where our things were.  I took a look back once again to see the mountain.  Ahhhh, from here, I could see the top of the mountain and it looked exactly like the pictures I had seen.  We continued our trek down towards our things, but on the way back, we passed by a small village.  There I saw a couple things that were so bizarre to me. 

Image 196 

Contrary to the refined and cultured parts of Japan I had seen with the inn I was staying at, this village completely boggled my mind.  I'm not exactly sure what they were wearing, but we saw 4 grown men in these ridiculously primitive tribal outfits.  I had never seen images like this in photos of Japan.  Unlike the fair skinned women I had seen, these men were dark and wrinkly, probably from working out in the sun.  And they were so...naked.  The Japanese people I was exposed to were always covered head to toe and were always averting their gaze.  These people stared intensely at me and my group I traveled with as we passed through.  It was not something that offended me, but it was so fascinating and I realized that this place was so foreign to me.  I had no idea of what kind of culture these people were raised in.  I thought I knew, but this village filled with field workers and unrefined men and women proved me otherwise.  The long trek had exhausted me and I was ready to sleep when I got back to the inn.

Image 253

The next day, I was curious of the education system in Japan.  I heard recommendations to go to Kobe College in Nishinomiya, so I took up the recommendation and went there.  When I got there, it was definitely an interesting experience, seeing as though it was a women's liberal arts college.  The women here, once again, proved that my idea of a Japanese woman was very narrow and only represented a small percentage of the rest of the women.  I attended a play that they presented.  It was weird seeing just women, not just normal women performing, but these foreign women attempting to act out John Milton's Comus.  Overall it was entertaining, and I can't wait to see what other adventure Japan will hold for me... 

The narrative was written through the eyes of an ignorant American businessman who, prior to this experience, had never had exposure to other cultures.  He is very narrow-minded and has very stereotypical views and ideas of Japan.  He assumes all the women where kimonos and are all fair skinned.  Seeing the men  in tribal wear is weird for him because to him, it's so not "Japanese".  It does not carry that Japanese essence that he thinks makes things Japanese.