Friday, November 19, 2010



Hey gang, it took me a while but here is footage from my last excursion. This time my school went to Miyajima Island and Hiroshima. Due to the amount of footage I took, I am going to split these two places into two videos. Look forward to Hiroshima coming soon.

Miyajima Island is best known for the iconic gateway that rests off its shores. During high tide, the gateway looks like it is floating on the surface of the water (or at least rises above it). When the tide is low, people can walk up to the gateway and touch its old wooden frame(I fell into this category). It is massive and truly a site to behold. Up close, one will find coins placed up against the bottom of the structure. I assume people place them here for good luck, hoping that the tide will carry away their wishes. Honestly I don't know.

Also at Miyajima Island is an ancient shrine that is open to the public. It is located on the shore so it also looks like it is on the water when the tide has risen. I should note though, the water is pretty shallow in these regions. The most impressive view of these monuments is when the tide has risen to its full capacity. I sadly have no footage of that.

It was a blast being on Miyajima Island. I enjoyed the Japanese architecture as well as the nature that surrounded me. It made for a relaxing break from the hustle and bustle of city life. I definitely want to experience more nature before I leave.

Oyasumi (good night),

Tristan

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Haircut in Japan: 1800yen

Most people say that haircuts in Japan are expensive, and they are right! If one goes shopping for haircuts, several places will ask for 4000yen ($44) for a generic haircut. When I first heard this, I was shocked. How can common businesses like barbershops get away with charging so much? I asked this to a Japanese friend of mine and he said that it is normal for him. Apparently, Japanese are willing to spend more on haircuts then most other countries in the world. That said, I was able to find some cheaper solutions for myself.

Japan has certain barbers that offer 1000yen ($12) haircuts; though they can sometimes be hard to find. These places offer some of the cheapest haircuts in Japan if one is looking to save money. However, I read that these places will sometimes not offer the traditional Japanese haircut experience. By that, I mean that one might not receive as much attention to detail or the traditional shampoo afterward. Basically, these are the cheap places that most guys go to in Japan. Well, the poor guys anyway.

Which brings us to me. I did not want to pay $44 for a haircut that will only last me for three weeks. I also didn't want to risk a bad haircut by going to a cheap barber. I finally settled on a reasonably priced place near my apartment. The barber was friendly and the haircut only cost me 1800yen ($21).


Not a bad looking guy, wouldn't you say?

Sayonara for now,

Tristan