Design Intervention

For the design class, everyone is making some type of prototype based on our observations. It could be about almost anything.

For me, the thing I was most interested in was the cute mascot characters seen around; including commercial mascot characters from Sanrio and San-x to the yuru-charas that represent more local communities.

From that, I wanted to make my own. For a while I wasn't sure what I could do with them, and eventually I thought about using that character to introduce a topic about Japan to visitors, since many people usually have similar questions regarding various customs, attitudes, manners, etc.

One big thing that I tend to hear about is getting around the train system. Therefore, I decided I'd want to make a prototype for a series of edutainment videos on understanding how to get around via train in Central Tokyo. I would probably only get as far as making a storyboard regarding a subtopic within the overall topic of train.

So yea. Back to making an edutainment. Depending how it goes, I might continue with it into Kyoto rather than make another protoype for another thing.

I'll make another post with more pictures from this week's set of museum visits soon!

Week 1 finished~

Pretty surprised the first week is almost over!! It's definitely going a little to fast for my liking haha.

First off, the Nezu Museum was beautiful. Unfortunately we couldn't take any pictures inside, but I took plenty of the garden that was there~ The galleries were on the smaller side, which was pretty nice. We were encouraged to take notes/draw while there, so I actually took a bunch of random notes on the techiques of maki-e, which is applying gold powder on laquer. I also doodled some objects from a gallery focused on tea ceremony utensils.

   

The last couple days I wandered around various places like Akihabara and Shinjuku after classes haha...

Then on Saturday, we went as a group to do shodo (書道), calligraphy. Last time I did this, I wrote 平和 (heiwa; peace). I chose to write 希望 (kibou; hope) this time around.

Sunday, I spent time around both Kanda Myojin and Yushima Tenmangu, especially the latter. They were having their Grand Festival, so I got to eat some nice okonomiyaki and kakigori and watch numbers of mikoshi (portable shrines) on the streets and at the shrine. I also saw this cute old dog called Ojii-san (old man/grandpa(?))...

 

                                      

I also got great luck (大吉; daikichi) from an omikuji (fortune) at Kanda Myojin~ I've tended to have pretty good luck each time I do omikuji haha...

                           

We made it!!!

Hi everyone!! Technically this is my third day here, but I've been really busy settling in and all that jazz... I'm gonna cram a lot of info into this post but whatever hahaha.. It'll be all over the place.

So I'm finally here!! It's really exciting that I've been waking up around 5 am lolol. Jet lag probably is contributing to that too. Our hotel is really cute and small! It's essentially a freshman dorm with minimal furinture. Just a table and futons with some hangers. Most of us are in doubles, but I got lucky and have a room to myself~ For three weeks too!!

                

For my classes, we're using a classroom at Sophia University for classes. I'm really happy about that since I'm somewhat familiar with how to get around! I hope we get a chance to talk with some students... That'd be fun~

On Tuesday we had a group dinner at a kaiten sushi place and then got to go around Shibuya for a bit! I did some shopping at 109 for the first time haha. Yesterday I went back to Shibuya (got to replace my luggage hehe) and also Harajuku with some classmates for a short while.

 

Today we're visiting the Nezu Museum!! I actually am sitting in a nearby Starbucks right now lolol. I got up really early and stopped by Yushima Tenmangu and Kanda Myojin on my way..

Departure!

いよいよ！！

ACENのために、2時間しか寝なかった．．．

ね む い。

Gonna keep this short bc lol tired as h e c k bc of ACEN. But!! Super excited. At the airport now~ Boarding starts in about 20 min. Then sleeeepp..

«٩(*´ ꒳ `*)۶»ﾜｸﾜｸ

もちちかともちんば💕

Pre-Departure

こんにちは、皆さん！
日本に行くまであと3日！！(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o)))

今年もブログを書くつもりです✩　去年、エントリーは２～３つしか書かなかったlol
それだから、毎日のようにエントリーを書くようにしているよ～　
ほとんど英語で書くけど、日本語も使う。

I decided I'd write a blog again, especially since I failed at it last year lololol.
I only kept up with it for like..what. 2-3 days? This time I'll do better and write more...
Also take more pics! I'm bringing a camera again, so that'll be good.
I want to keep practicing Japanese so I'll be writing my posts partly in it. I'll repeat everything in English, and with more detail too.

（*＾-＾*）ノ~~ﾏﾀﾈｰ