To oversleep and go to University, the everyday story.

So today I overslept by 3 hours!!!
I was to be up by 9 o'clock, but oh no I woke up at 11.58, so typically right?
So anyway I had to take the shower and get to Nagoya university by 13.00 which turned out to be an impossibility.
Not only did the train just pass me when I got to the Sanno station, and the local trains don't operate that frequently towards Nagoya stn., but it was raining again outside. Sigh*
Oh well when I got to the Nagoya station 30-35 latter than we had agreed with Kentaro but luckily he was not angry at all. Kentaro is a really chill and funny dude and really easy to hang out with.

Some professors must be earning well

So yeah, he showed me around Nagoya Daigaku (university), the whole campus grounds and some of the buildings. Nagoya University is one of Japans most biggest universities (in size that is).

We ate at the cafeteria there and I had some curry with a chicken cutlet, they just love their deep fried cutlets in Japan! It was pretty cheap, around 400 yen for the whole portion and let me tell you, it might not been the best curry I ever ate but it sure as hell won over the school food we have in Finland, though we get it free, but I'd gladly pay 3-4 euro for that meal any day.

We went to the campus Museum where they currently had an exhibition on Whales. They had even some whale bones you could touch freely.
It was really interesting since there where a lot of other stuff as well. It wasn't such a big museum though. And whats best, it was free and it is for anyone, so you don't have to be a student to enter the museum!

Then we went to Kentaros university branch facility. He studies technology, or well a branch of it anyway.
He introduced me to his friendly co-students who were really friendly, and one of them happened to like the Finnish metal band Children Of Bodom. So crazy !

They were making a racing car for a science competition held between universities and I got to see the amazing 3d models on their computers and also the unfinished real race car. It was so amazing to get this unique experience while in Nagoya.
You can check my YouTube account to see the unfinished race car.

We had a little brake in between visiting places and we ate some dango, or Japanese sweets made out of rice flour. We also had some Pocky sticks which are these delicious "bread" sticks with chocolate topping (usually). I found their newest product which was a "rare cheese cake" flavored Pocky.
It smelled a bit weird but it tasted really great ! so If you ever find them somewhere or if you come here to Japan and they still have them, TASTE THEM ! they were worth the buy.

We then went to the university library to check it out. After the library we headed towards Nagoya station because as it is my last night in Nagoya, I had made some arrangement to hang out with my host Rod.  So I went and quickly bought my bus tickets to Toyama, where I'll  be heading tomorrow and said my good-byes to Kentaro.

I got back to Rods apartment somewhere around 6-7 P.m.
I uploaded my videos and photos and then we had dinner, had a good chat, listened to some music and drank some beers !
All in all, today has been a really successful day in all ways.
Oh and by the way Rod made a really delicious meal of coconut curry !
It was great.

Cheers
Robert

Nagoya tour pt.2, the massive down pour !

Today I slept a bit longer than yesterday (to about 10 a.m.), took a shower and left for Nagoya station.
I had arranged a meeting with another couch surfer from Nagoya to meet him and his Polish host and go around the city with them. We were going to meet at 12.30 inside the JR Nagoya station, in front of the infamous "kintokei" or gold clock.

As we had extended our greetings and introduced ourselves to each other we went to get something to eat, I had tough about skipping breakfast but as soon as I had arrived at the Nagoya station I had searched a bakery where I could kill some time before meeting them and had my breakfast there. 

I also went and filmed inside of LABI Nagoya, a really big and cool dep.store near the station. 

Anyways, we went and ate "kishimen" which is a flat type of noodle and also one of the local must eat cuisines!
It tasted great, just marvelous, and the guys also enjoyed their portions. 

We then went to the subway station/underground shopping mall to get our one day passes for the city subway and buses, the prize was something around 600 yen so a pretty good deal since the subway system is really useful in Nagoya and saves ass-loads of time.

We started of by going to the Nagoya castle, which is still having some reconstructions done to the annex buildings but the castle in it self was visible and you could still enter.

The castle has an museum inside of it where you can learn about the history of Nagoya and also a bit of Japanese history in general, like for example about the Shogunate etc. 

It had been raining ever since we arrived at the castle so it was kind of a bummer but it didn't bother us since we are not made out of sugar ( I hope). 

From there we took the subway to Nagoya st to change into a buss taking us to the famous Toyota Museum, a place where I recommend that everyone should go and visit when in Nagoya! 

I have blogged about it before also and you can check my older posts for that or you could just watch my video for today from my YouTube account (TravelersPOV). 

We spent a while there gazing and awed in amazement. 

We soon took the buss and stopped to change for the subway again (It's so easy to change when ever you want when you buy the one day tickets!).
Our destination was Osu Kanon (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3306.html) it's very famous and a beautiful little temple that you should visit when you have the time, we however couldn't stay for long since the weather was just depressing. 

OSU KANON

There is a shopping arcade right next to the temple where we then went and ate some deep fried chicken bits ("kara-age") and I also found a 100 Yen store (similar to, but way better than, the one euro stores we have in Finland).
For those who do not know what they sell there let me tell you. In short : EVERYTHING! 

I bought myself a toothbrush and toothpaste since I didn't bother taking any of those two items with me here to Japan. 

We started to get hungry so we consulted for a while where we should go and eat and we decided on a place that sells another Nagoya cuisine, Miso-katsu, deepfried pork cutlet with miso-sauce. 

It was pure heaven, just amazing! Delicious! 

It was a old chain that had been making this same style of dish for many years now and the recipe was handed down from the older generation. 

When we had eaten we took a stroll to the nearby Oasis 21 underground shopping mall to have a coffee and chat before I was to return to Rod's (my couch surfer host) apartment in Sanno. 

I had a really enjoyable day with the guys and I'll meet Kentaro tomorrow and he will give me a tour of his University, so look forward to the pictures and videos from that ! 

Also I had a really good time talking with Rod about just basic random stuff.

I have to hand it out to him that he has really been so nice to let me stay at his apartment through couch surfing! Thanks Rod! 

Cheers 

Robert

Barbershops and tornadoes; The Nagoya tour pt.1

Tokugawa-en 

"Early wake up" today at 9 a.m. since I wanted to check if I had gotten a response from my couch surfing host in Nagoya as to where and when we should meet. I had, so I scribbled it down and went to make my check out. I ate my breakfast at the nearby Komedas Coffee and took the tube to Nagoya station.
I left my luggage in the very useful coin lockers at the station and went on a little city tour.

First I went to the Tokugawa gardens. I had hopped aboard the Me-Guru (meguru) city tour buss so it went quickly. 

The Nagoya city Science museum

The sun was trying hard to turn me in to a crisp as I walked through the beautiful garden area. There weren't any flowers blossoming but it was still breathtaking. The Japanese sure know how to make their gardens appealing! 

From there I hopped again to the tour buss and headed towards the Nagoya city science museum, but before that I had to go and eat. The place I decided on was at the basement level of an apartment store (as you'll find in many big stores, shopping malls and complexes. 

Indoor tornado 

I ate a pasta meal with deep fried chicken cutlet and it was ... ~OK I guess but it really shows that the Japanese are good at making food . . . Their own style ! :) No but seriously though almost everything I have eaten here throughout all of my times visiting, have been delicious. 

The museum was pretty full and had a lot of interesting exhibits going on so really recommend visiting if your ever in Nagoya. The building in its self is worth to see already!

Band playing on the street

I then continued by foot towards Nagoya station when I saw a barbershop pole (which I had been waiting to find since the morning). I went to the barber and got my hair cut, the were really nice people and complimented and thanked me for my Japanese since without it, the old employees would not have had a clue of what I wanted.  

I shortly arrived to Nagoya station and stayed outside for a while since there was a band playing in front of one of the apartment stores.
I then went inside and got my luggage, hopped on a train and went to Sanno sta. (one station from Nagoya station) to meet my host.

Some Carps for your viewing pleasure 

Rod is a really friendly host and I will surely enjoy my stay here thanks to him. 

As always thanks for reading!


Robert

From the land of a thousand lakes to the land of the rising sun

So I finally arrived in Japan today at 8.20 local time after a long yet pleasant flight by Finnair.
The flight went very smoothly so big props to Finnair for the excellent service and friendly crew, since it just made the 9+ hours long flight just that more tolerable.

The most coincidental thing happened though, I found to my happy surprise the Japanese band, Asian Kung-Fu Generations CD in the "on flight music" section!  This is the band to whom's gig I'll be going to in Tokyo on the 28th this month. Super pumped.
Needles to say I rocked that CD out!

Mountain view from the airplane 

Anyways, I went strait and ate breakfast when I have arrived at the airport, since my body was craving for caffeine like crazy. There I had the chance to collect my thoughts and after a short while I was off towards the "center" of Nagoya, the Nagoya Station".
Full of many fine shops and malls it certainly packs it all, from big,expensive brand names to the more mundane, the complex seems to have it all.

I started to take some video material as well since this day is going to be more like a test run for my little "project". So go check out and subscribe the one and only : TravelersPOV
Link down here :
http://www.youtube.com/user/TravelersPOV

Lunch 

And I'm off to the Airport of Helsinki-Vantaa!

So I am out of here, soon at least.
Starting from tomorrow I'll make an effort to post daily videos, vlogs, random stuff on my YouTube account called TraveleresPOV, here's the link to my channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TravelersPOV

* Check it out and subscribe to get my daily videos*

Thanks!
Robert

Success! Finally I will get my laptop

This is kind of a side note and really does not matter so much, but I got word from my insurance company that I will be receiving a brand new laptop from them! My old one broke and was covered by my insurance so they are going to buy me a new one instead of fixing the old ! Heck yes. This means I am sure to be able to make more Vloggs whilst still IN Japan !
Looking forward to that !

Robert

I'm on YouTube now !

So hi guys, today I finally posted my first actual video for my YouTube channel : TravelersPOV !
Go check it out and subscribe if you like!
I'm still going to continue writing my blog since it's a lot easier and quicker but in addition to my blog, I'll start making/posting videos on YouTube.

Check it out, my first Video :
VIDEO

Cheers!
Robert