Rafting the Tone River

Roppongi is famous for it's night life which was all-apparent in the wee hours of the morning as I stepped out of our apartment in Tokyo at about 5:45am only to be confronted with a group of all night partiers reeking of alcohol and staggering around. Weaving my way through the mayhem I almost had to step over a guy passed out on the street! Ladies in evening dresses and men in business suits all a bit bedraggled... and then there was me in my rafting outfit! I was on my way to the Tone river.

In any case, I was looking forward to getting out of the city and quickly commenced my shuttle to the small town of Minakami. First the Hibiya subway line to Ginza and then a transfer onto the Maranouchi line which took me to Tokyo station. Once there I was waiting in the que to buy my ticket for the 6:32 Joetsu "shinkansen" or bullet train, only to be skunked by a 10 year old kid who let 20 of his classmates cut in front of me. I finally got my ticket and realized I had 4 minutes to find my train! I ran! NO-I SPRINTED! Only to see the doors close ten feet in front of me and the bullet train speed away. At this point I had been awake for an hour and was already exhausted. Lucky there was another train a half an hour later...

Finally on board the 7:08 Joetsu bullet and traveling at 200+ miles per hour I watched as high-rise buildings, endless concrete, and billboards gave way to green hillsides and rice patties. It felt good to leave behind the city and I have to admit- I was mesmerized by the fast approaching mountains in the distance. Arriving at Jomo-kogen station I eventually found the right bus to Minakami. Then at Minakami station I was greeted by a driver in a farmer john wetsuit named Hitoshi... who took me to Canyons Outfitters. I was getting closer to put-in and I knew the Tone river was close!

I was traveling incognito. This would be the second time in the last 15 years where I would be a paying customer rather than a paid guide on a rafting trip (the first was the Upper Navua river in Fiji circa. 2003). I was given a wetsuit, booties, life jacket etc. and was once again loaded into a van and driven to put-in. I arrived as the safety talk was being given- all in Japanese. I assured the one English speaking guide named Rowan I did not need a safety talk in my native language - I had been rafting before. Eventually, rather than argue, I fessed up and admitted I was also a guide. Rowan was a bit surprised (I thought my rafting outfit would have given me away) and promised to put me in the front of the raft as long as I did not try to guide when he wasn't looking. Finally, two subway rides, a bullet train, a bus, two van rides and three hours later... I got in the raft. I have mentioned it before and I have to say it again- the hardest part about rafting is getting there and getting back- the easy part is floating downstream!

I was relieved to be on the water as we began our journey down the river. I would not say it was a magical trip, but I loved it just the same. Paddling down a river is where I feel most at home and comfortable and this was no exception. A day away from Tokyo was a much-needed respite from the city 'sensory overload'. I blissfully paddled along in the technical class II and III rapids and enjoyed surfing a little ledge hole towards the end of the trip. It ended way to fast! I wanted another 12km and some bigger drops! Alas, take-out came all to quickly and we were shuttled back to Canyons where a lovely BBQ lunch and a cold beer were waiting for me.

A couple of the guides had worked in Coloma, California and for those of you who are not guides- Coloma is like a mecca for whitewater enthusiasts! Although I did not recognize them it evoked a 'warm fuzzy' knowing they had rafted in my part of the world! The manager also invited me back to work a couple of trips if I was interested. It felt great to be among like-minded river folks. The day was quickly slipping by and after exchanging email addresses and phone numbers it was eventually time to begin my journey back to Tokyo. It is much easier to go back to where you came from once you know the route so I nonchalantly began retracing my steps.

Relaxed, slightly sunburned, and a bit dehydrated I fell asleep on the bullet train. Lucky for me I somehow roused myself out of a deep slumber at Tokyo station just in time to dash to the exit. Who knows where I would have ended up! I hopped back on the subway and walked back to our apartment smiling. It had been a great day on the river and my little spirit was refreshed and happy. I can't wait to check out the next river - the Shikoku. Or maybe I should head to the beach for a day of surfing...

Earthquakes and Typhoons

Last night after a much needed and amazing yoga session I joined the rest of the class for an after-yoga cuppa tea. We headed over to a local spot the instructor recommended and when I stepped off the elevator to the 8th floor rooftop restaurant I thought I had mis-stepped - but no - it was an earthquake! Yikes! It lasted for about 30-45 seconds which was long enough for me to think about what it would be like if the building just collapsed or if everything around me started to crumble. Then it stopped as soon as it started. I heard it was a 7.1 and centered off the southern coast of Japan hundreds of miles away. An interesting way of ending the evening after feeling so 'grounded' after yoga! Japan is like San Francisco - over due for a big quake...

This morning I headed off to Ginza trying to find a store called Bic Camera which is essentially a Best Buy X 100. The only thing electrical or battery operated they do not carry is vibrators (not that I was looking)! No luck finding the store - but I did get to tromp around in a torrential downpour which I guess was the remnants of typhoon Morokot. There were so many umbrellas and people you could hardly make your way through the puddles of water. Soaking wet I decided to hop back on the subway to Roppongi and make it a movie afternoon. The rain had stopped by the time I returned and it is now even hotter and more humid than I can even describe. I find it fascinating how I can drink 12 ounces of water and sweat it out all at the same time! This city is like a giant sized steam bath. Is there such a thing as 110% humidity?

"Tipness Fitness"

I went searching for a swimming pool yesterday and I found myself once again on the Oedo subway line. I got off at the Kokuritsu-kyogijo station and started looking around the National Stadium mumbling "Where is the pu-ru"(pool in Japanese) to about 5 different non-English speaking folks. After getting a variety of different directions I eventually found it by getting a whiff of chlorine and following the smell!

I needed exercise. I needed to feel the water enveloping me and I needed to swim the jet-lag and the sweat and the stress of an overwhelming city away. Upon arriving I was so excited! The pool was huge- beautiful and then I almost cried when I realized it was closed for the week because of a water polo competition. Rrrrrrrgh! Back on the subway, after a moment of fighting back tears, I decided I was going to find a pool to swim in even if it took me all day and five different subway lines!

I headed back to Roppongi frustrated but determined. I had heard I could pay to use a pool at one of the posh local hotels. On my way to the Ritz Carlton I was walking down a side street I had not been on before, when I walked past a picture of a swimming pool. Yaaaahooooo! I could not read the script to save my life but knew it must be close! After wandering around the building complex for about 15 min I finally found "Tipness" an athletic club in the basement of the building. The pool was small but clean AND they offer yoga classes as well. I had found a little oasis for my tired spirit.

Unfortunately at this particular club tattoos are not allowed (I have four). Apparently the Japanese find them offensive. So in order to use the pool I had to cover my tats with athletic tape. You can tell who the expats were even with goggles and swim caps on - we were all plastered with white patches of tape covering the offensive ink... I decided I will gladly use their roll of tape every time I swim so I signed up for a 1-month trial membership. It was a small price to pay for an hour of swimming laps.

That was yesterday and I am looking forward to a Yoga class this morning. It doesn't matter to me if the instructor only speaks Japanese. Down dog is down dog is down dog right? Ahhhh... I can't wait for the yoga class "after-glow". Maybe it will help me clear my head enough to absorb my first Japanese language class this afternoon...

Arrival in Minato-Ku

I never would have imagined myself living in Japan. As a matter of fact it wasn't so long ago I could have listed Japan as one of the last places I would want to visit. So surprise! Instead of moving to India like we had originally planned - my dear husband accepted a job in Tokyo. A 'boondoggle' he calls it. One of those crazy once-in-a-lifetime opportunities you cannot refuse. The job offer came out of nowhere just days before we were to leave on a trip floating the Missouri river in Montana and a couple of weeks after I had graduated from Palo Alto University with a BS in Psychology. We were able to pack up our lives in San Francisco in about a week. I arrived in Minato-ku two days ago on August 3rd, 2009.

I have found myself living in culture I am unfamiliar with and surrounded by a language I do not understand. I am not a city girl - but a nature nerd/river guide who is more at home sleeping on the ground next to the river than in a corporate apartment building in Roppongi. I have often described myself as a modern day explorer - so I am delving into this Japanese adventure with as much enthusiasm I can muster. Although I am completely out of my element I relish this opportunity and find myself incredibly grateful for the chance to experience a year living abroad.

Navigating the subway is a class V experience- just google map 'tokyo subway' and you will see what I mean! Here my hair seems blonder, my eyes rounder, and my body larger than when I left San Francisco but I LIKE being the only white girl on the subway! An avid voyeur, I am doing my best not to get "Lost in Translation" but to translate Tokyo in a such a way I will find myself falling in love with Japan.