La Huge Update (Part 3)

And now... the part where the guy goes rogue...

Episode 3 - Revenge of the Nick


Let's do this.

There was one phrase they were not allowed to utter this year at orientation.

"Every situation is different."

Except it is actually, and sadly, true. But for that little bit of poison to circulate at ORIENTATION, of all things, is like shooting the AJET organizers in the foot. And then their face. After all, if every situation is different, then what's the point of going to orientation since what you hear won't apply to you anyways?

Um. Let me think.... wait for it.... uh..... No, there is no point in going, actually.

And that's why us three happy musketeers hopped on the JR after breakfast (which was conveniently provided by the organizers at CLAIR), and let ourselves loose on the unsuspecting Japanese 9-5 working class. But first, a visit to the Meiji temple.


FREEDOOOOOM!!!! (rawr)

Constructed in 1920, the Meiji Jingu houses the enshrined souls of Emperor Meiji (of the Meiji restoration) and Empress Shoken . It's Shinto, so there was a nice long walk (read: burning Tokyo summer hell) through the surrounding forest before we got to the main Torii, pictured above, that led into the temple proper. Unfortunately they don't like people taking pictures in there, so I don't have anything to show. BUT, I did have an excessive amount of documentation on the purification cermony/process/thing right outside!

Follow these steps and you too can be pure!
1. Take a ladle and fill it with water.
2. Pour some onto your left hand to wash it.
3. Pour some onto your right hand to wash it.
4. Pour some onto your left hand again, and use it to rinse your mouth. Do NOT drink from the dipper directly.
5. Hold the dipper vertical and let the rest of the water pour down the handle to wash it.
6. Put it back.

Oh and yeah. Wash up and spit in the trough. NOT in the clean water. XP


But I'm only gonna put up two pictures.


Nolan on step 3. Lenny's just started.

The temple was nice and toasty since it was 10:30ish by the time we got there, but all the same, we made our wishes (throw in coins, bow twice, clap twice, pray, bow, leave), poked around for a bit, and Lenny bought a health charm for 800 yen. I regret not getting one. x.x If nothing else, it makes a nice gift. The temple courtyard was gorgeous, with two ancient, majestic trees that were stood symmetrically opposite each other: one was the wishing tree where you could buy wooden plaques to inscribe your wishes, while the other hand a whole bunch of people like us - in tshirts and shorts - standing under the shade frantically fanning themselves. The three shops at the temple were crowded with people too, but not with shoppers - there was AC there for the clerks, so visitors were there "browsing" and cooling off. And I don't envy the clerks. The temple gowns are gorgeous and the AC is nice, to be sure, but they have to sit in seiza (on their knees) all day; I can barely manage 5 minutes without breaking my ankles. x.x

So that was that, and we left the temple to cross the street into Fashion Mecca: Takeshita Street, Harajuku.


This place is sublime. Except sizes only go up to medium. That's what they're laughing about x.x

There are two main places in Tokyo to do your front-line fashion shopping. The first is 109 in Shibuya, a 10 storey building dedicated only to women's fashion; the other is Takeshita Street, better known as "that street in Harajuku." Except nothing there fitted any of us: I spent half an hour poking around the same shop looking for this really cool (and slightly feminine) tshirt in my size only to find that I was HOLDING the largest size they had. Right, time to go lose 30 pounds and look anorexic! Yay!

And I am going to sum up the rest of the shenanigans of the day with these three pictures. They really got to the essence of things that week.


JJ going nuts on X-Japan's Standing Sex


Lenny shows us his O face


And a smattering of bromance