Graduation Ceremony (卒業式）
Graduation ceremonies in Japan differ from the ones in America. I wanted to know the difference and luckily I was in Japan when a few of my friends were graduating from University. They told me the graduation ceremony (卒業式, sotsugyou shiki) would be long and boring, but that didn’t stop me from attending. The attire the graduates have to wear is kimonos for girls and suits or kimonos for guys. The kimonos were beautiful and made it easier to find my friends. There speeches given by the valedictorian of the class as well as various professors. To pay respect for them we had to stand, bow and sit back down. They said kiritsu (起立) stand, rei (礼) bow, and chakuseki (着席) sit, when it was time to pay respect. I thought they would be walking up to the podium to receive their certificate of completion, but once the speeches and school alma mater were done everyone left the building to head to their department classrooms. That is where they received their diplomas or certificates. Overall the experience was quite different from what I was used to because the whole thing in the auditorium only lasted an hour and a half.
Snow Falling
Snow falling in Japan was one of the most exciting experiences I had. I’m from an area where the only weather you have is sunshine and maybe rain. On this particular day I was warm and asleep in my bed until my friend knocked on the door to wake me up. Still in a groggy state my friend opened the curtains to show me something I’ve never seen before. In a flash the tiredness went away and before my eyes was a town blanketed in snow. I was ready to run downstairs and throw a snowball or something, but my friend told me that it was dangerous snow where it would hurt if I were to throw one at someone. Even though I didn’t throw a snowball I was able to catch a snowflake on my tongue, which was awesome. This picture inspires me to return to Japan and attend a Snow Festival like the one in Sapporo, but I’ll be sure to ask my friends what clothes and shoes are appropriate for the weather.
Individual Ramen Stalls
There are a variety of places where you can eat ramen. This ramen stall style restaurant is very common in the Tokyo area. The way it works is that before you are seated there is a ticket machine for you to choose your ramen and the toppings you would like. If there is no ticket machine then they will hand you a piece of paper to choose from. Once you are seated you will place your ticket in the assigned area and push a button for the server to come. They take the order and sometime later the screen will lift up and your ramen will be served. Behind your stall is a place for you to hang your jackets and bags so that it doesn’t get in the way. Also some places offer little guides on how to order at the place. This style of place was a first for me when I went out with a friend who recommended the place. The line was long, but the ramen was worth it.
Izakaya （居酒屋）
There are many Izakayas in Japan. Izakaya uses the kanji 居 (to stay) and 酒屋 (sake shop). It is a popular place to go to after work to eat and drink with your coworkers. The best thing about these types of places is that some of them offer nomihodai or all you can drink on alcohol. For groups you can pay a certain amount, which will include food and drinks. There is a time limit set to how long you can drink. Usually about 2 hours is offered and if you want a longer time then all you have to do is pay extra. Some izakayas give the option of just drinking with no food. This allows you to order food as needed. Average cost that I have paid for to go to an izakaya with food and all you can drink is 3000yen or $30. That is pretty good considering you can drink as much as you want for 2 hours and this includes sake, beer, cocktails and wine.
Sapporo TV Tower
You may be thinking “wow is that Tokyo Tower at night?” Actually this is not Tokyo Tower, but Sapporo TV Tower. The reason for the similarity is because the architect Tachu Naito built both Sapporo and Tokyo towers. This landmark is a great indicator on where you are in Sapporo. If you see this tower then you will be in or near Odori Park , which is one of the sites for the Sapporo Snow Festival. From the observation deck, which you have to pay to enter, you can see all of Odori Park. One of the unique features is the digital clock that is on all 4 sides. It was donated by an electronic company who thought it would draw attention to the tower. If you have a chance to go to the Sapporo TV Tower around the Snow Festival Time do it because the view is worth it.