Saturday night shenanigans

On the last Saturday of our week off, some of the peeps decided they wanted to go clubbing. And since I felt up to a night of light hearted amusement I decided to tag along. Our group consisted of Joel, Joseph, Judy, Jean, Fiona and myself and we all headed over to Joel's place for pre-drinks. I don't quite understand the tradition of having pre-drinks but I'm a green innocent thing when it comes to such things.

We chatted for a while and played silly drinking card games before we headed out to Club ID. I've been told that while Club ID is the most popular club in Nagoya it's also one of the seediest. I was told that I should only go if I want to get hit on by fifty Brazilian guys. But Jean wanted to go there and nobody else had any suggestions.

When we got there the line was ridiculous. It literally went around the corner. Some of group went to the convenience store to get drinks while we waited. Joseph very kindly got me drink as well but we barely cracked them open before we got to the door. Fastest moving line I've ever been in.

At the door we were greeted by a pro-wrestling team of security guards. They did the prefunctory check of id and then Joel and Joseph got frisked. That pissed me off because none of the Japanese guys got frisked or any girls for that matter.

Joseph: They probably wouldn't get away with frisking girls.
Isa: But a girl could just as easily have a girl strapped to her thigh as any guy.
Joseph: Yes, but that would be sexy and if they saw that they'd be like, 'Please come straight on in.'

It was packed inside of course and Jean led us all to the hip-hop, R&B level. And thus the dancing ensued. Despite all the warnings about ID, it wasn't quite as horrendous as I was expecting it to be. I never actually got hit on by any Brazillians. I got the sleazy look over all the time but I think Joseph and Joel's presence in our group kept most of them at bay.

At one point we all started a bump and grind train with a whole bunch of other people. It was hilarious. I also saw one guy dressed up in a Yoshi suit and another in a Pikachu suit. Hilarity. They must have been hot as heck in those.

It got so crowded we had to do our best worming to get through the crowds to get a drink. Jean grabbed my hand and led the way do I put out my hand for Joel or Joseph. I turned back and saw some random japanese guy had grabbed my hand. And he refused to let go until we got to the bar at which point he thanked me for leading him out of the crowd. Smart man.

After Club ID we all decided to head to Joy Joy for a bout of Karaoke. Our bout lasted into the wee hours of the morning. By the end of it, only Judy, Joel and I were still rocking. When we stumbled out of there the sun was already well and truly out. It gets so bright so freaking early over here.

A spot of terrain jaunting at Kakizore

Today I was on a mission to find a waterfall. I found out about a particularly beautiful one out in the Kiso Valley in the Nagano prefecture.

As I made my way to Nakatsugawa, I realised that I've spent the bulk of my holiday on trains. It's a good thing that the trains here are fo hospitable and easy to use. At Nakatsugawa, I had to wait about 30 minutes to get the train to Junikane. Junikane is a tiny deserted country station. I was the only person to get off there and as the train departed I was struck by an ominous horror-film feeling that I might never leave this place again. Been watching too many movies lately? ;0)

There were plenty of maps to guide me towards Kakizore ravine. They were imminently helpful, if a little false in their distance gauging. But maybe it was the winding roads and the heat that made the four or so kilometres seem more like ten. I saw the river immediately and was at once enchanted by its siren-like waters. But I was not to have the pleasure of experiencing it for quite some time. I swear the river was taunting me throughout my hike.

It was about a four kilometre hike from the station to Kakizore, all of it following a narrow road. I'd brought my runners thinking I'd be hiking more but because of the heat and the easy road, I accomplished the hike in my thongs. I have such a funny tan line on my feet now. Sigh, I've spent far too much time in the sun this holiday. I look like a turkey roast roll with the criss-cross net pattern.

The views were amazing along the way: little quaint country houses on luscious farm lands and the most beautiful wild flowers lining the roads. The mountains were majestic and already dotted with a few early deciduous red and yellow trees. This area would look magnificent in the autumn. And of course throughout my journey was the constant tinkling laughter of the running water. I was always so close to that river yet still so very far.

My first sight of the water left me in awe. It was blue and gorgeous but as I got closer to Kakizore the water got even clearer and purer. By the time, I reached Kakizore, I was hot and wet with sweat, wonderfully glad for the shade and ready to sit down and eat my lunch. I decided to cross the river and the suspension bridge was one of those shake-with-every-movement-you-make types. It was fun and made me want to bounce up and down.

Then I crossed the river again, this time through the water to get to a shaded glen to have my river side picnic. It was glorious. The water was the clearest, coldest water I have ever experienced. Forget the chilly waters of the lake that inspire cries of 'decollatage!' this was freshly-melted-snow cold.

I lost my thong again as I walked in the water. But this time the water moved so fast I didn't have time to laugh as it's appearance let alone save it. It disappeared from sight before I could utter a cry. Thank god I'd brought my runners or it would have been a long and utterly painful walk home.

After my picnic and recovering from the loss of my thong with aplomb, I headed for the Ushigataki waterfall, following a narrow and decidedly rickety looking pathway. The time-worn planks bent this way and that, leading up and down stairs that sloped at dangerous angles.

On the way to the falls, I spotted three guys in wet suits in the river, clambering over the rocks and tackling the cold rapids head-on. Since they were hopping along those rocks like mountain goats I dubbed them the Terrain jaunters.

The sight of the waterfall was unforgettable. I stood on the viewing platform with my mouth literally hanging open. In the presence of such overwhleming power and beauty there really wasn't much else I could do.

The Terrain jaunters reached the pool just below the waterfall just as I reached the viewing platform way above them. They took great delight in hollering as they dived from the rocks into the icy swirls that skirted the falls. Lucky bastards.

While I was there I wondered why the ravine air seemed to be scented with the smell of barbecued meat. I was expecting more of a pine scent, frankly. On the way back, I saw several families crowding around tiny little barbecues, preparing their dinners. Ah...that would explain the smell.

As I headed back to my shaded glen for a spot of relaxing, I saw a woman carrying my lost thong. Huzzah, it had been rescued! I swear I am the luckiest thong owner in the world. Twice now I've lost my left thong in the waters of Japan only to have it rescued for me.

It was utterly serene to sit by the river and write as I listened to it rush past. I dangled my feet in the water but it was just too cold for a proper swim.

I headed back, giving myself plenty of time since I didn't want to miss the highly irregular trains. But the trek back was so much easier, quicker and cooler that I made it back with more than an hour to spare. I caught the earlier train and was expecting to have to wait at Nakatsugawa for a long while. But I was able to get on a rapid immediately. My train connections were seamless and I was home before 7:30pm. God bless Japan's efficient trains.

A visitation with Mother Kyoto

Atsui des ne! (It's so hot!) I heard a lot of this yesterday. I'd been warned that Kyoto was really hot in August but I can't say that it was any hotter than Nagoya. Osaka definitely felt hotter. Though that could be because I was under the direct sunlight the entire time.

So, if Osaka is Nagoya's try-hard flashy sister, then Kyoto is definitely their quintessential Japanese mother: desperately trying to keep up with the trends but on the inside still clinging to traditional Japanese values. I went to Kyoto because it's one of the top three must see destinations in Japan (Osaka, Tokyo, Kyoto). Plus I have an unlimited train ticket, so why the heck not?

Kyoto is supposed to be the heart and soul of Japan, old-style like what we see in movies. But when I arrived at Kyoto station it was as if I'd gotten off at the wrong stop. The station is a monolith of modern architecture, all arching metallic beams and clean lines. Certainly not what I as expecting but pretty cool.
I headed straight for Kiyo-mizu dera temple (Pure Water temple). The roads of Kyoto are well-signed and easy to follow. They're set on a grid structure unlike the hodge podge of streets in other cities. So, I didn't get lost in Kyoto either. Woo, maybe my sense of direction is coming back to me.

Although I doubt I could have gotten lost even if I wanted to. There were so many tourists following the same path that I really just had to follow the tide. I immediately decided to ditch the crowd and followed a path up to a gorgeous shrine. Then I took the back road up to Kiyo-mizu. The back road was actually an uphill hike through Toribeyama cemetery. All the tombs were so immaculately kept and dignified looking it wasn't as creepy as cemeteries usually are. All the tombs clung to the clopes overlooking the city, talk about prime real estate for the dead. That hill would look even more spectacular in Autumn or Spring when all those trees changed. The hike up that hill was gorgeous even if it did leave me dripping with sweat.

When I got to Kiyo-mizu I followed the crowd again and took a bunch of pictures. I tried to take a few with me in them but since I didn't exactly have a range of angles to choose from they all look like mugshots.

Kiyo-mizu was like a huge national park full of temples and shrines. It was wonderful because when I got up there a breeze set in. whew! There were so many different paths and hillsides to explore. There was a waterfall from which the temple derives its name, Pure Water.


As it trickles down the spouts you can catch the water in long metal cups and take a sip. It was gloriously cold stuff. The water is said to bring one of the following: long life, wisdom or beauty. Since I don't feel any wiser and I know I'm looking a little the worse for wear, I guess this means I've increased my lifespan.


It really was a beautiful temple. The main hall with its wooden balcony that lets you peer across the entirety of the city was constructed in the traditional Japanese method: without using a single nail!



I went down 'teapot lane' on my way out. It was a cobbled, winding street of market stalls selling souvenirs, ceramics and ice-cream. There were also these man-drawn hackneys lugging tourists up and down those hills. Those guys must have legs of steel to make it up those hills carrying those carriages. Not to mention the stamina they must have to survive the heat.



The people wearing yukatas looked like they truly belonged in Higashiyama (the temple/shrine area of Kyoto). Higashiyama is what foreigners expect Japan to look like. Cobbled streets, temples and shrines on every corner, tiny curving alleys, trees bursting with blossoms, people clip-cloppping in their yukatas and wooden sandals just make it seem all the more like the mystical Land of the Rising Sun.

But like anything that lives up to a stereotype it has become clotted with tourists. The chattering crowds and constantly flashing cameras certainly contradict the peace and tranquility one generally associates with temples and shrines.

I really enjoyed wadering off the well-trodden and Lonely Planet recommended tourist routes. At one point I climbed up a set of intriguing looking stairs expecting to find a park or something equally pretty. When I got up to the top I was faced with a...car park. To say I was disappointed was a mega understatement.

Then I looked up and saw a towering statue of Quan-Yin (the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy). It was awe-inspiring. It was really peaceful to see her beautiful and serene face smiling down on me.


Then I headed for Gion where Maikos (geishas in training) and Geishas are said to roam. Since the number of maiko and gesiha have rapidly declined in recent years I wasn't actually expecting to see any. But I actually caught sight of two clip clopping down the alley of teahouses, giggling away.
Past the cobbled streets and teahouses, Gion city is where Kyoto's wrinkles are starting to show. It's looking a little rundown and cheesy.







I had to cross the bridge over Kawa river to get to Potoncho-dori and I noticed a family playing in the water. So of course I decided I had to get in on the action. I've become such a water baby since coming to Japan. I love it every time it rains and whenever I see a body of water I feel the urge to run head long into it and splash about. The water was absolutely gloriously, clear and cool. As I as crossing the river, I lost one of my thongs. The image of my foot-imprinted thong floating down the river was so comical I wanted to take a picture. But I knew that actually saving my thong was more important so I chased after it. Thank goodness there was a couple ahead and the man fished my thong out for me. Ahh, blessed be the kindness of strangers.

Potoncho-dori is a tiny little cobbled alley that reminds me of Melbourne's laneways and acts as the nightlife artery of the Kyoto region. It's glutted with bars, clubs and restaurants and has a real night owl vibe about it. I can just imagine it bursting into like as the night descends.

By early evening I was so hot and tired from my hiking that I decided to stroll back to the station. I am still taken aback whenever I see the buddhist sign around Japan. It looks to me like a swastika which is such a tabboo sign in Western countries but I have to keep reminding myself that it's actually the symbol for buddhism.

Good, clean, naked fun in Osaka

The next day I had to wake up early to check out. I was still tired but still deliriously happy from the day before.

Osaka is kind of like Nagoya's try-hard sister. It looks like Nagoya but everything is five times bigger and five times flashier (but more often than not just as useless).

Den Den town is Osaka's electronics district. It's absolutely huge. It really is it's own town. Clearly a heaven for all electrical and comic book nerds.

I visited a couple of fresh food markets and all the yummy food smells reminded me of Malaysia. Of course the markets here are meticulously clean. There were plenty of fish stores (we are in Japan after all) but I was surprised by some of the live fish. They had live eels (summer is eel season. The Japanese believe eating eel will recharge all the energy summer has drained from you), huge octupi with tentacles the length of my legs, sea snails the size of my fist, turtles and the infamous fugu (puffer fish).

Dotombori is an open aired-arcade market. They had some crazy fantastic decorations so I was busy taking photos. This is the place to be and be seen in Osaka. I was tempted by all the food, especially the ice-cream and desserts. Oh oh, they have ice cream vending machines in Japan. Not crappy stuff either but Cornetto style ice-creams. Woah!

I decided on sushi for lunch and wanted to go to another sushi train place. But they're not as easy to find as you'd think. I saw one place that was an all-you-can-eat sushi train. Men were $15.80 and women were $12.60 (Yes, in Japan they have separate prices for men and women and more often than not women have to pay less. Eg. at gyms, to get into bars or clubs. They really don't understand sexual equality here). I knew I wouldn't be able to eat that much sushi so i passed on that one.

I found another sushi train place. This one was so much better than the one in Nagoya. all the plates were $1.30 not just the crappy ones. So I filled up on fresh and amazing sushi. And it only came up to a total of $6.50. I swear I'm going to get a rude shock when I go back to eating out in Australia. It's so cheap over here.

After my meal I decided I was too hot and tired to walk back to Shinimamiya so I took the train. My unlimited train ticket is the bombdiggity. Namba station is not. It's actually 3 stations in one and of course I was on the wrong end. So I had to walk to the opposite side of the station to catch my train. The station was so huge I felt like I walked all the way to Osaka station.

There was also random stuff in the station. Like a mini replica of the Chicage art gallery with gorgeous prints of famous works by Van Gogh and Monet. It made the hike slightly less tedious.

I know I don't usually complain about walking but I was hot, tired, still dirty from the day before and carrying my huge backpack of wonder on slightly burnt shoulders. But I was heading back to Shinimamiya to remedy all that. I was heading to Spaworld!

I'd read about it in the Lonely Planet and they made it sound really touristy and therefore not my thing. But I looked it up on the net and I realised it actually sounded like fun. Spaworld is a theme park of hot springs/baths from around the world. I also got a discount coupon, so entry was $20 for 3 hours and included towels, access to shower facilities (plus soap, shampoo, hairbrush, toothbrush, dryer etc) as well as locker use and use of all the spas on the level assigned to your gender.

Since you have to be completely nude to use the hot springs they have separate mens and womens levels. They have the Europe zone with spas from Europe and the Asian zone. They swap the levels fore each gender according to the month so you have to come two different times to experience both levels. This month it was the Asian zone for women.

I was fully prepared to do the full monty for this but I was surprised at how easy it was. I always wondered why people told you to imagine the crowd naked when you're feeling nervous. But now I understand. When everyone is completely nude you just feel completely at ease. They do provide tiny hand towels that can cover the essential parts as you traipse from spa to spa but you can't wear them into the water. They also provide you with pyjamas to wear when not in the hot spring area.

I started off with a hard scrub. It was blissful to wash away all that dirt. Then I started in the Islam bath. It was beautifully decorated and hot, hot, hot. I swear I melted, there and then. It was so relaxing. There was also a waterfall thing where the falling water pounds you. It was like a water massage. Absolutely brilliant for the knots in my back. And also a herb steam bath.

There was a Persian section with a milk and honey scented spa and a flat screen tv to enjoy whilst relaxing. The Bali spa was beautifully decorated and tucked in a candlelit alcove. The stone's of the spa were perfectly shaped for lounging and the bubbles were delightful.The Japanese are had a pine onsen. It was like a sauna and spa combined in one. There was also a cold spa because apparently it's health-improving to dip between cold and hot water. I dipped a toe in and no more. It was just too cold.

The outdoor Japanese spa was my favourite. I just lay there listening to the waterfall and watching blossoms float down and land in the water from the trees above as a light breeze ruffled my hair.There was also a section called Dr Spa that had a high temperature mineral water spa (although I still think the Islam pool was hotter) and a low temp spa. The piece de resistance was the salt sauna. Basically you go in, scrub yourself wih the salt provided then let it melt off your skin. It was utter bliss for my poor callused feet and it left me feeling like a snake who's shed it's skin.

I also decided to check out the family spa and swimming zone on the top floor. This area is for everyone, so swimwear must be worn. After the spa area this was an utter disappointment. There was a huge moat of a pool and there were so many people they all basically walked round and round the moat. To be fair, there were two giant waterslides with giant lines to match and also there was a massive bucket with water dripping into it. When it filled a siren went off and everyone underneath got hit with a huge load of water. That was fun. But everything else was the touristy gunk I'd wanted to avoid. So back to the hotsprings I went to get naked and relaxed again.

I'm supremely glad I did the whole naked onsen (hot spring) thing on my own for the first time. I felt completely at ease with my nudity in front of all those strangers. There were women of all ages. From little baby girls to wizened old women. There were mums with their bubs, and teens with their friends. Naked bathing is such an ingrained part of their culture so they don't think twice about it. But I think I would have been a lot more hesitant about the getting naked idea if I'd gone with mum or the girls.

There was also a rest room with lounges you could sleep in. These weren't your average plastic or cane lounges (although they had different areas with those too). These were your Gold class cinema seats that stretch out to lying position with blankets provided. Obviously people were wearing the pyjamas provided in this section.

After I'd done the rounds on all the spas again I had another shower. I left feeling rejuvenated, gloriously clean and relaxed. As an added bonus it had cooled down to a bearable temperature by the time I left. So I headed back to the station and made my way home to Nagoya.

Typhoon Isa hits Summer Sonic

I got an early start on Sunday morning to get to Osaka by early morning. I wanted to leave as soon as possible because I knew it would take around 3 hours (and that's if I didn't get lost along the way). Sleep? Pfft who needs sleep. Besides, I thought I'd have plenty of time for sleep on the train. Little did I know...


Even at 7am the trains to Kyoto/Osaka were packed. I figured it would die off as we headed out. But that was just deluded optumism. So I spent the entire time making like a cow and sleeping while standing.


Every time I opened my eyes to check I was still going in the right direction, I'd look out the window and the landscape would just get more beautiful. The mountains in Gifu took my breath away. And the greens of the land were indescribable. They're almost a lurid green. If someone had painted that landscape I would have said they'd exaggerated the colour. Nothing can be that green. But seeing is truly believing.I also saw a pine forest. These bare-to-the-midriff pines look like the Japanese cousins of the Ents: magical yet spindly, tall and revelling in their half-nakedness in the summer heat. It was like Japanese watercolour come to life.


Of course at that time the train was too packed for me to turn to get a better look let alone get my camera out of my bag.I had to transfer twice on the way and this was where I thought I'd get horribly lost and end up in Narnia (which wouldn't have been too bad but I really wanted to go to Summer Sonic). But I just went with the tide of people and read the signs every now again. And 3 hours later I was in Osaka. Woo hoo, I didn't get lost.


I booked a hotel close to Namba (the exciting part of Osaka). It was really close to the Shinimamiya station and cheaper than a youth hostel. Thank god they provided a pictorial guide on how to get there otherwise I would never have found it. For $15, I got my own teeny room (about a 1.5m squared), with a fan and tv.


The landlord was so nice. I spoke to him in broken Japanese and he replied in broken English. He gave me a really good map of Osaka and pointed out all the highlights around the area. I was really glad to have a place to dump my stuff. I totally over-packed my great second-hand backpack of wonder. I think I was channelling Maddy's 'what if' vibe as I packed. But I didn't bring any candles. Needless to say, I don't think I'd make a good backpacker.



When I got to Sakurajima for the festival the station was bursting with people. I thought I'd be waiting all day to get the shuttle bus to the festival. But of course they were so well organised and had so many shuttle buses we all just drifted straight on. When we got to the festival site, I collected my wristband, festival map and complimentary mints. I was so chuffed that I was finally there.



Summer Sonic (SS) is 5 times bigger than QMF. I'd written up my timetable of artists to see based on the QMF system: i.e if something sounds interesting í'll check it out. If they're not that great I can bail and head for another tent. With SS it took about 10 mins to get between stages - at a fast walk, so that system didn't work out quite as well as it does at QMF.





The first band I checked out were Beat Union. A British soft punk, pop-rock band. You know the type: they wear their tattoos like sleeves then rock out to love songs. They were fun to kick everything off with. As I was dancing along I realised that I was going to fry under the baking sun. Most of the stages are outdoor. I'd totally taken the tents of QMF for granted.


Then I meandered over to check out OneRepublic. You know how at festivals, you go along to some bands just for the sake of filling time, but then they surprise you with how fantastic they are. Onerepublic was the first band of the day to do that. I initially thought they would be too mainstream pop for my tastes but they actually sound more indie live. I take my hat off to any band that can rock the cello and the piano like they did.


The fest was very heat management friendly.There were plenty of giant fans connected to mist sprayers, staff that would spray the crowd with giant hoses and drink taps too. There were so many guys stripped to their shorts, most were either a gentle puce or the colour of a freshly roasted turkey. Then you had the other extreme of some people wearing beanies elbow high gloves and thick, long denim overalls. Maybe they thought if they convinced their bodies it was winter, they wouldn't get hot.

After OneRepublic I decided to check out a Japanese band called Caravan, but it was too hot at the Park stage. Plus one of the staff told me I wasn't allowed to take photos. Initially I thought it was just for that stage/band. Then I realised we weren't supposed to be taking any photos of any of the artists. I scoff with derision!


Then I went to the sonic stage which was an indoor (airconditioned) venue. There were a lot of people napping in the foyer, smart people. Cajun dance party weren't nearly as cool as they sounded on their myspace page so after a couple of songs I faced the heat again and went to see Old Man River.


I'm so glad I did. He would be a perfect candidate for QMF. He just gives off that happy, chillaxed vibe we get at Queenscliff. And there's a chick in his band who rocks on this massive sitar. It was pretty pyschedelic. He sang 'La' for his last track and invited some people on stage to sing along. I totally would have been there but I was wearing a dress and I just didn't scramble over the barriers fast enough.

One of the things I love about music festivals is how strangers can bond over good music. While I was sitting, waiting for Death Cab for Cutie I started chatting to a guy called Jeff. He was surprised when I started speaking English because he'd thought I was Japanese. We had a really nice chat. He was in japan for a holiday and had come to Osaka specifically to see Death Cab who are from Seattle like him. He even showed me pictures of his hike up Mount Fuji. The view looked outstanding. It looked like he was on a plane.



Death cab were beautiful live. It makes so much of a difference to see and hear them live. Sigh...After Death Cab, Jeff wanted to see a band called the Lost Prophets but I knew I couldn't miss the Verve so we split up and decided to meet up again for the Prodigy. The Verve were so fantastic, even if Richard Ashcroft is the biggest tosser. During the performance he smashed a perfectly good guitar. I hate it when they do that. Waste of a (no doubt fantastic) instrument. Then halfway through he went off to get a ciggie and smoked through a couple songs. Umm...alrighty then. But tosser behaviour aside it was a brilliant show. They played all the golden favourites and a couple of new ones. Apparently they have a forthcoming album. I didn't even realise the Verve were still together until I saw them on the bill for SS. I danced along to Drugs Don't Work as the sun set in an explosion of colours. Then I went absolutely insane when they wrapped it all up with Bittersweet Symphony. Oh it made my day.



After the Verve I made for Hot Chip (over and over and over again, like a monkey with a miniature cymbal). They were another band that surprised with how much I enjoyed them live. Another thing I loved about SS was that the crowds don't squish like the crowds in Australia. If you're dancing they'll give you space, especially if you're dancing around other foreigners. Hot Chip were so much fun. I literally got picked up by a random British guy. He was tall and lanky so I snuck in front of him. I noticed him joking with his friends about how tiny I was and how he could just pick me up. I told him he could if he really wanted to. I love surprising people by speaking to them in English. But he got over his initial surprise and decided he wanted to, so he picked me up.


While I was dancing, he asked me where I was from and complimented me on my dancing. Thank you very much, random. Some other Japanese guy complimented me on my dancing too. It's nice to know I've still got it. ;0)

Hot Chip finished their set by doing a gorgeous version of Nothing Compares. It was so unexpected but beautiful.


After that I ran for the Prodigy. Man they've gotten old. And that makes me feel old. I remember listening to them in high school. The Sex Pistols played SS too but I didn't feel a burning need to see them. I swear all these bands came out of retirement just for SS. Met up with Jeff again and we danced our little feet off (okay, my little feet. His feet were normal sized). The sun had well and truly set at this stage and the stars had come out to play. It sounds romantic doesn't it? Dancing under the stars...to the Prodigy. Uh...maybe not.


Then Pendulum time came and I said my farewells to Jeff. I always said that if I ever got the chance to see Pendulum I would have to take it. And now I know precisely why I was always plagued by this conviction. They were mind-blowingly fantastic. I tore up that dance floor. They played a lot of stuff from 'Hold your colour' still my favourite album of theirs. he set went by far too quickly and they didn't do an encore. Actually none of the bands at the fest did encores. But come on, Pendulum, you were the last act for the night was it really so much to ask for another hour...or maybe five.


After Pendulum everyone rushed for the shuttle buses (in the orderly fashion that rule the Japanese of course) so I followed the tide. As I was heading that way, i walked into some guy so we both apologised simultaneously. He thought I was Japanese so he said 'sumimasen'. I took him for a foreigner, so I said sorry. Again, he was surprised by my english. I was surprised (pleasantly) by his cute french accent. I noticed he was with a Japanese guy so he knew what was going on. So I asked French dude if I was going in the right direction. Better safe than sorry (Isa protests innocently).


I really did want to make sure I was getting on the right bus. Getting to hear his cute French accent was an added bonus. So I chatted to Thomas from Briton (Northern France) while we made our way back to the station. We compared notes on the festival. We also got a free walk-through tour of Universal Studios on our way to the station. So now I can say I've been to Universal Studio. Unfortunately we got separated in the crush at the station.


By the time I got back to my hotel, I felt like an A-class festival feral. I was covered in a mixture of dirt and dried sweat (most of it my own but certainly not all of it), my feet were black and my hair felt like one big dreadlock. I was too boned to shower by that time. Not that it would have made a difference since the shower room closed at 10pm anyway. I fell onto my futon with a feeling of enormous satisfaction. I'd made it to Osaka, found my hotel, danced all day and chatted to some randoms: all on my lonesome. It made me feel all proud and accomplished.

This little piggy went shopping

I went on a huge monetary blow out this weekend in preparation for my holiday next week. I get a week off for 'summer vacation'. It's Obon (festival of the dead) so everyone in Japan goes back to visit family and pay respects to their familial ancestors.

I was originally planning to climb Mount Fuji during Obon since it's smack bang in the middle of climbing season. But 98% (yes that's an exact calculation) of people I've talked to about Fuji-san has said that it's actually quite disappointing. Up close the mountain is all ashy and black, so the climb up isn't exactly soul-soothing. The main reason to climb it is to see the sunrise at the peak. But all the people I talked to said it rained all the way up and when they reached the peak it was so cold and foggy they couldn't see anything anyway.

Then I realised that Summer Sonic (music festival) was on the weekend that Obon begins. So now I'm going to the last day of Summer Sonic. So I spent all of my money on my ticket yesterday. Plus I bought a special train ticket which allows me to travel around a bit more too. I can't wait to finally go dancing and listen to live music again.

The line up for Summer sonic isn't anywhere as fantastic as Fuji Rock Festival but beggars can't be choosers. I'm looking forward to seeing The Verve, Death Cab for Cutie, Old Man River and Pendulum. Hopefully I'll be able to stumble upon some new fantastic acts too like we always do in Queenscliff.

Summer Sonic will simply have to be my Queenscliff replacement this year. And all this is happening in Osaka. So first I have to get to Osaka. If I get horribly lost and I don't even make it to Osaka for the festival I'll be sending y'all a tearful email full of rage at my inability to read signs and get the trains right. But fingers crossed that doesn't happen.

And since I'd already spent so much money I decided to go out and spend more. I went to Osu market near the city. It's a fantastic quirky little undercovered market, about half the size of Queen Vic's but a lot less touristy. It's got mostly clothes and food stalls but with an amazing range. There were also a few electrical stalls and pachinko parlours thrown in.

The fashion ranges from the crazy Japanese pop-art clothes, mod, indie-rock, to bohemian. So it's pretty amazing. It was also a great place to go people watching. There happened to be a Summer Festival parade on while I was there. Plenty of Brazilian carnivalé dancers, belly dancers and salsa dancers to be seen. All the half-naked dancing women attracted the old Japanese men like a squashed banana in a forest of beetles. I never got close enough to the parade to take pictures because the horde of skeazy old men created an impenetrable wall around the dancers. Some of them were literally dripping with sweat but they refused to budge and continued to click away on their cameras with frenzied smiles on their faces.

I enjoyed my time scouring all the vintage clothes stores and looking at all the crazy fashion. Eventually I started shopping based on the music the store played and how annoying the sales people sounded. In Japan ALL the store people yell 'Irrashaimase' as soon as a person enters the store. Some of them have crazy high pitched tones that drove me insane. But there were some pretty kooky sales people, dressed in colouful yukatas with crazy hair and make up trying to drag people into their stores and offering free plastic fans.

I found a few Ishka-like stores where I could have happily spent all my money on all their beautiful things. But I didn't have any money anyway.

After Osu, I went to the Cosplay championships which was happening in Oasis 21. For those not in the know, Cosplay is a huge thing in the Anime nerd (Otaku) world. People dress up as their favourite anime/manga characters and act out scenes. They are then judged on their costume, act and how well they represent their character. It was insane. There were so many people and so many oddballs in costume. These people are the literal definition of enthusiastic.

My favourite was a dude who dressed as a Harry Potter character. He was wearing the full school uniform with the cloak and wand and Gryffindor vest and scarf. He also had on a blond wig so I'm not sure who he was meant to be. There were some other pretty spectacular characters out there but I can't explain it nearly as well as the photos can.

After watching a few of them acting out there scenes on stage we decided to head out to Anjo for their Tanabata festival. There were only so many times we could watch grown men running around with samurai swords play fighting, kissing then screaming at the injustice of it all after they kill their opponent. It seems like a popular theme in these animes.

The Anjo festival was huge and beautiful. Nat and Joel's coworker Kayo was our guide for the night. It was great. She was telling me about Tanabata, a festival that celebrates two unrequited lovers who have become stars. They can only meet on the one day everyday (July 7). So people write wishes on papers and tie them on trees with stars.

They had the usual festival stalls but also some hilarious extras. One stall sold 'Magic voice'. Basically these were bags of helium. So there were teenagers running around inhaling helium and cackling at how funny their voices sound. Personally I think most Japanese teenagers have really high voices anyway so I couldn't really tell the difference. ;)

There were also some stalls selling beetles. The Japanese kids are crazy about having beetles as pets. Nutty. Apparently the beetles in Japan love Nat and they keep appearing around her and stalking her. So we all kept making fun of her. We saw a beetle that was literally the size of my foot. Yes, I know my feet aren't terribly big but for a beetle that's pretty ginourmous.

Oh we also got to join in on a bon-odori dance. There was a parade of dancers and they were pulling people in from the crowds so we decided to jump in. We were clapping and hopping about. It was great. High-fives all around.

Photo credits: Natalie Borda