Tokyo hearts, Waseda Clubs and drinking!

It has been a busy couple of days. Since arriving here in Japan on Tuesday the 12^th, I’ve met my fellow CSU students, the Niji no Kai (Rainbow Club … they don’t know the gay symbolism ^^) and WIC (Waseda International Club), had 3 drinking parties, toured Shinjuku and Harajuku, met my host family, and began to get settled into my life here in Japan.

*Whew!*

Although a lot has been going on, I’m not too busy to take a break to contemplate. That is, after all, part of the reason why I’m here; to learn Japanese – the people, their way, the country, and the language.

On Thursday 9/14 we went with WIC and Niji no Kai on a short tour of Shinjuku (visiting the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building) and Harajuku (visiting the Meiji Shine and Takeshita Dori, the rock and Lolita fashion street). I was amazed by the view of Tokyo from the top of the unbelievably tall Tokyo Met. Gov building. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji, but that day was NOT a clear day…it rained pretty hard ^_^

But what really stuck me was how between all the modern high-rises and apartments building that dot the Tokyo skyline, the are still the old parks, temples, and shrines. No how modern Tokyo becomes, the essence of the old traditions still remains, in one form or another. This is true not only for the city’s buildings, but also it’s people. No matter how modern or how “western” Japanese people seem to become, at the deep core of their hearts they are still traditionally Japanese. The outside of a person or city does not tell the full story of what lies deep within the heart, mind, and soul.

At the end of Thursday, the clubs put on a join Welcome party, my first introduction to Waseda student party life; in other words, drinking culture. Wow, when they drink, they drink. I’ve had quite a few parties at Raymond’s house that I thought were crazy, but we didn’t drink like these people drink. The president of the WIC club, Teru (his name means brilliance, similar to my nickname Hikaru, light) was out drinking everyone and going from table to table in our small private drinking room, loudly asking everyone in accented English, “Hey are you FANTASTIC?!” He was wearing an “I love LA” hat and a “UCLA” jacket and if you talked to him, he would tell you that he graduated from LA – that is, he finished a 1 month summer program. Yes, Teru, we know, we know, you GRADUATED. “But I DID!” he would reply ^_^ What a guy. Later, after the party and before Teru and others went to drink AGAIN at a British style pub, Teru was standing in the middle of the Waseda Club Rotary, attempting to sing the US national anthem. I can’t say I’ve heard worse, he was so out of tune ^_^

What was also interesting was the traditional way for clubs to end their festivities. Everyone gathers in a circle, holds both hands out palms up, and, following the club president’s lead, everyone claps their hands once together. I will look into where this tradition came from….