Was just informed that I need a visa to transit in Shanghai.

GRRRRRR! I DON”T WANT TO GET ANOTHER FREAKING VISA!!!! (But I must)

>o< Daimaou is visiting

Forget about <Memoirs of a Geisha> or other Hollywood movies about “another movie about mysterious Japan uncovered for you by Steven Xberg. With the leading Japanese character played by yet-another-Asian” or something along that line.

The movie I’m recommending is wacky. I laughed during the first 30 seconds of the film. The first five seconds was a lady playing a samisen (like in <Sakuran>) and I thought it would start as a semi-serious movie, but then we see a bunch of people’s feet running left and right, up and down in small lanes.

The camera then shows that they have cameras hanging off their necks. One of them screams, “Maiko haaaaan!!!!” And we see two powdered Maikos and the cameras starts flashing and the maikos pose.

It’s a movie about a man who is obsessed with maiko and geisha. The obesssion started when he was on his junior high (perhaps) graduation trip to Kyoto. His wish of living in Kyoto was fulfilled when he was demoted to Kyoto. He dumped his girlfriend before leaving for Kyoto, after finding out she’s not really from Kyoto.

The story’s a bit too long to write out, but this is a great 2-in-1 mix of comedy and Japanese culture. Great kimonos!

The poster:

PS, I have the Chinese subtitled version.
PSS: It’s JUNE!

Yeah, another topic for me to blab about. I’ll be listing places I want to visit, add links about the place and stuff like that.

First up is “Kyoto Studio Park”.  It’s like Universal Studio Park, only it’s of Japanese period films. COOL!! My camera batts will be drained here!

I know it’s fake but I love this sort of stuff. >o</ very excited.

I’ll definitely skip the “dress up as geisha/princess/period-drama-character”. Why spend money putting on clothes for only two hours?

And, sometimes there’s actual filming going on! I wonder if I’ll see my favourite Jdrama stars. ^_^ No way Atsuhime is going to be filmed there, but fingers crossed for Tamaki Hiroshi ;)

A map of the place

Ha ha ha ha! Just found out I could map the summer programme module for FREE!! Yipeee!

Unfortunately, I only need one module to map. If I could map two, it’ll mean that I can slack off two modules. Oh well, it’s good enough

I met with some old pals from high school for a chat tonight. They asked, “What will you actually be doing in Japan?”

I couldn’t give them a straight forward reply and said, “AH! I’ve never really thought about that. At first I’m thinking of going there to have fun, but . . .” Then conticos asked in a comment the same question.

Oh… I have to make up my mind what I want to do there to get the most out of all that money.

OK, first a small intro about the programme I’m joining. It’s a summer programme called Asia in Today’s World, organised by Kyushu University. It’s a six week program where we have Japanese language classes and other humanities classes. We also have field trips to Hiroshima (where the atomic bomb was dropped), some farm (to plant rice?) and a Japanese culture experience thingy.

And for accommodation, they let us choose between: home stay, dorm and apartment. I really want to get home stay because (duh!) I’ll be able to see how the Japanese live. Dorm’s also OK because you’ll have a dorm mother and I’ll meet other students too. Apartment is so blah.

So, fo now, my aim is to have enough Japanese be able to backpack in Japan. I’m now revising my <Minna no Nihongo>, bought the textbook at a second hand shop for $12, 1/5 of a new book. :D

But if I’m only aiming for backpack-travel-Japanese, I might as well read my books until they crumble. So until then, I’ll think of some really fancy goal I want to achieve.

Stay tuned!

Did-list
*booked ticket: leaving Singapore on June 28 and leaving Tokyo on Aug 16.
will start visa application documents as have help from the very nice K sisters.

A Japan Rail Pass costs ¥ 28,300. That’s about S$ 371.94 for a 7-(consecutive)-day ticket. Very expensive. It makes me bleed inside thinking about that amount of money.

But I’ve discovered another type of train ticket available during my stay in Japan! Seishun 18 Ticket (青春18きっぷ) for those who read Chinese, yes it’s the Youthful 18 Ticket (pardon my bad translation). It costs only ¥ 11,500 for 5 days. Even with bad math you can see it costs only half of a rail pass.

And that’s absolutely BRILLIANT! I wouldn’t need seven days of train ride! And I’m so youthful, I don’t mind sleeping on a train.

But, a 2-hour train from Fukuoka to Kobe will take 12 hours (with 5 transfers).

Hmm… This youthful youth will consider seriously.

Will be going to the Japanese consulate tomorrow to ask about extending my stay in Japan.

Random entry of the week:

I give up! It’s 10.30pm and I’m starting to feel sleepy.

Makes you wave your fist, doesn’t it?

Just received the visa application stuff from Kyushu University today. Bad luck that Monday is a public holiday and I can’t go to the Japanese consulate to ask about visa application.

I want to backpack after the summer programme but the university says that I’ll be staying till Aug 9. I want to stay for travelling!!

Think I’ve made my Japan travel plans. N had been very kind to shake me with a comment on my previous post. Yes! Why should I give up Tokyo?!

So I’ve thought of a plan. I shall solo travel from Fukuoka to Tokyo and return to Singapore from Tokyo. All I need is a plane ticket from FUK to TOK, ask for JW’s sis for room and voila! I’ll have Tokyo under my travel belt.

Will ask the travel agent about plane back from Tokyo.

And will have to watch a lot of Japanese dramas so I can pose like a dummy in front of settings of dramas with super good looking male leading character

I received good news from a friend K who’s in Australia now. She says that her sister who’s studying in Tokyo is able to room me if I’m going there! Yipee!

I have emailed the travel agent to ask if I can get an open jaw tix which goes to Tokyo and return from Fukuoka. Hope it’s positive news (somehow Daimaou is on vacation)

I’m checking out the cheap domestic airlines. The cheapest one discounted way ticket is only 10,000 yen, abuot half the price of the train!!! Just checked, the cheapest is around 14,000yen. Dang cheap!!!

All my fingers are crossed for the trip to Tokyo. What can I do in Tokyo except gawk?! How many days can that take? My plan is to fly to Tokyo on June 25 and fly to Fukuoka on 28/29. I hope it’s 29 coz I’ll get to see the weekend street fashion.

Please Ceiling Cat give me some hint.

(just looking at the air ticket booking page is making me excited!!!)