Nagoya

Nagoya is Japan’s 4th largest city and only half an hour, or an hour, by train (depending on which train you get) from Okazaki. On my first trip into this busy metropolis I went with a classmate to attend a delightful “lunch break concert” in a lovely little concert hall. We got tickets at the door, had seats in the third row from the front and heard violin and piano music performed by two beautify young ladies in evening gowns. The program included a Brahms Sonata, Schumann Op.15 and, my favorite, a work by W.G Still. I can’t read the names of the pieces, but I enjoyed them very much. The concert lasted about an hour and a half and cost less then $10.

On my second trip to Nagoya, I went alone to the Tokugawa Art Museum, which exhibits the family treasures of the Owari Tokugawa from the Edo period (1603 – 1867). For Japanese history buffs and samurai “wan-a-bes” this was a great place. There were lots of swords with long names and lacquered armor sets, as well as unbelievably delicate costumes worn by Noh performers. There were a reconstructed tea house, Noh theater, and several reception rooms. A famous scroll of the Tale of Genji is housed here but too delicate for viewing, so a video and slide show fill the gap.

After the quite halls of the museum I went to the formal garden next door, the Tokugawaen. It was charming and had some interesting rockwork. I think that the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon, is more impressive. Granted, this wasn’t one of the peak times, like May when the irises are blooming or March when there are peonies, but it was fun to see the kids feeding the fish in the pond and sit in the shade near a waterfall.

I have to say that big cities are in some ways the same everywhere, and I was glad to come “home” to my “small town” of Okazaki and the quiet coolness of my room. I enjoy visiting, but I am not really a big city person. At the train station I got on my “new bike” and rode home. I feel very Japanese going and coming from the station on a bicycle because judging by the number of bikes at the station, about 4000 other people do that too. You park the bike in a huge bicycle lot and hope that you will find it when you get back. Not that anyone will steal it, but there are so many that look just like yours that forgetting where you parked it would be a pretty serious problem! Having a bicycle is great. I got mine for about $30 from a student and am just getting used to it. I’m still a bit wobbly and haven’t gotten used to some of the narrow bike paths I have to negotiate. The benefits are many: 1) getting there faster, 2) getting there cooler, 3) being able to go farther 4) being able to carry heavier things in the basket on front or the rack on back and 5) getting some real exercise. Since I haven’t found a dojo yet and only do yoga in my room once a week, I can use something aerobic and the bike sure is that when I push myself up hills with not gears to help out! Well, it’s “back to the grind”. Sayonara.