I don't know, my Japanese friends seem particularly close with their families. They try to distance themselves from their parents. Most live with their parents during college (those who come here on exchange) and commute to school. Their mothers usually cook their meals for them. One friend had a younger sister she was sort of close with but they fight like siblings do often. My best friend and her older brother seem sort of close too, she goes on trips with him. But it just seems similar to the life style here in Canada of middle class families too (except it's funny to me that they're surprised dads cook here).

quote:

---

Originally posted by foreignfilmfreak
I don't know, my Japanese friends seem particularly close with their families. They try to distance themselves from their parents. Most live with their parents during college (those who come here on exchange) and commute to school. Their mothers usually cook their meals for them. One friend had a younger sister she was sort of close with but they fight like siblings do often. My best friend and her older brother seem sort of close too, she goes on trips with him. But it just seems similar to the life style here in Canada of middle class families too (except it's funny to me that they're surprised dads cook here).

---

__________________
Watch everything but only take the good things from it

Ask, think and learn. Because the more we know the more we grow.

Watching the wrong to happen is the same as commiting the wrong.

If it looks like things are forcing you to be creative, Then be creative.

its a uniquely Miyazaki film, one only he could make and its uniqueness places it beyond being easily critiqued.[About Porco Rosso]
taken from a quote of Saddletank and Orphic Okapi

Their at the age where they're coming into adulthood and want to distance themselves from being seen as a child by their parents. Or something like that. They're trying to build an identity of their own.

Wowww Arren, this is fantastic - looks like you're having an amazing time! Do you plan to visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka at some point?

I will be going to the Ghibli Museum! It seems I need to wait until the 10th of February to get tickets for March, but that's when I plan to go.



And finally I will post some photos from New Year. Sorry for the delay! I also have pictures that I took during January lined up for upload, so I'll start posting those soon too.

First, a few from Kitano Tenmangu on New Year's Eve (if anyone watches Noragami, you'll have encountered Tenjin-sama, who is the deity that Tenmangu shrines are for).





That night we also went to a temple to ring the bell.





And then on New Year's Day we revisited Fushimi Inari.







As always, feel free to ask if there's anything you want to know, or things you'd like to see more photos of.

__________________

Since I have them all ready to go, I'll post another set of pictures now. A few days after New Year (I think it might've been the 3rd) there was an annual karuta tournament at Yasaka Shrine. Sadly I got there too late to see the actual tournament, but I at least caught the end of the ceremony, and then wandered around the shrine area for a while.













The temple in the last few pictures is Chion-in. At the time I just went because it was there and didn't realise it was actually a very important temple.

__________________

What would people like to see next? Since I don't know what anyone thought of the last few sets, it seems like it might be a good idea to ask instead of just posting. I have photos from a festival in Nara where a mountain was set alight, and also from my trip to Sapporo. I'll be uploading others soon as well.

__________________

I like all the pictures you've posted. The temples and gardens and people, especially events where people dress in traditional costume. The one above with the girls and boys all in their amazingly coloured kimono was really neat.

Its so nice to see the real versions of so many things I'm familar with but animated in 2D.

Some ordinary street scenes would be interesting, particularly ordinary people's homes. Or perhaps those lifting barrier railway crossings so beloved of anime directors

__________________
Isakaya High School Roleplaying Info

"An old man like me stands no chance fighting against a high school girl in her underwear" - Oshino Meme, Nekomonogatari (Kuro)

Ooh I'd love to see some Sapporo pics.

__________________

If close to a coastline, water pics are nice with ships, etc and ports... (the old Navy sailor in me, lol)

__________________

I'm afraid I'm not really near the water! In a straight line the coast isn't so far away, but actually getting there is another matter. I might check out the port area in Osaka or Kobe at some point though, so I can take pictures then.

As for Saddles's request, I don't have much in the way of everyday photos, but here's a few that I have found.

One day after it snowed:


A busy sort-of-indoor shopping street:


Houses in a suburban area:


Next I'll post pictures from Sapporo, and then maybe a few from that festival in Nara.

__________________

how much is 85000 yen

i mean is it enough for a month

or how much one can afford with it[ie house rent food travel bla bla]

if its dependent on a city then something like saga.



@arren and orphic

__________________
Watch everything but only take the good things from it

Ask, think and learn. Because the more we know the more we grow.

Watching the wrong to happen is the same as commiting the wrong.

If it looks like things are forcing you to be creative, Then be creative.

its a uniquely Miyazaki film, one only he could make and its uniqueness places it beyond being easily critiqued.[About Porco Rosso]
taken from a quote of Saddletank and Orphic Okapi

About 850USD, give or take. I've no idea about Saga, as I had to look it up to even find out where it is. 85,000 yen isn't bad for a month, but any big trips would break the budget. I live in a dorm so I can't tell you how far that would go for rent, but my friend who has a place in Sapporo pays very little per month, so maybe I'm overestimating.

__________________

quote:

---

Originally posted by arren18
About 850USD, give or take. I've no idea about Saga, as I had to look it up to even find out where it is. 85,000 yen isn't bad for a month, but any big trips would break the budget. I live in a dorm so I can't tell you how far that would go for rent, but my friend who has a place in Sapporo pays very little per month, so maybe I'm overestimating.

---

__________________
Watch everything but only take the good things from it

Ask, think and learn. Because the more we know the more we grow.

Watching the wrong to happen is the same as commiting the wrong.

If it looks like things are forcing you to be creative, Then be creative.

its a uniquely Miyazaki film, one only he could make and its uniqueness places it beyond being easily critiqued.[About Porco Rosso]
taken from a quote of Saddletank and Orphic Okapi

I like that 3rd photo. Japanese homes seem to sit on very small plots, or rather they build a house that almost fills the plot and leave only timy strips of garden at the front, rear and sides. With 2 storey structures that close I imagine Japanese houses can be quite dark inside, especially at ground level.

__________________
Isakaya High School Roleplaying Info

"An old man like me stands no chance fighting against a high school girl in her underwear" - Oshino Meme, Nekomonogatari (Kuro)

Yeah, I think a lot of houses are like that, especially in the likes of Kyoto where everything is very compact and pushed together. It's different where my dorm is though, as it's somewhat on the outskirts.

saviour - my rent is 45,000 yen, which includes bills, my own toilet and fridge, and the various things that come with being in a dorm. I get 80,000 yen a month as a scholarship, which might cover me if I were more frugal and didn't go on serious trips. As it is, I'm glad that I also get around 75,000 a month in student loan. Altogether it's more than I need.

__________________

As promised, here are some photos from Sapporo. Since the forum software doesn't like too many images in one post, I'll exclude the snow festival and make that a separate post later.













The last two are from the top of the JR Tower at the main railway station, where you can go to the 38th floor and look down over the city.

__________________

as per the snow pictures... you sure you're not in the eastern USA??? lol

Picture #4: I sure wouldn't want to slip on the stream crossing...

Great pictures, arren, Thanks.

__________________

Thanks husky! My friend who's studying at Hokkaido University said that there are signs up telling people not to cross the stream there, but he's seen people doing it anyway. I don't think I'd want to even when there isn't snow though...

__________________

Part two: the snow festival









As you can see, the sculptures were generally very impressive, but there were also a few that were charmingly not-so-great, including this one:

__________________