Kirishima Shrine

First, you wash your hands (and mouth, I think) here

Then go up to the altar and make a wish

You can also buy good luck charms (approx. 500 yen or up)

Or get your future predicted (the stall has four sides, and thus four types of predictions in the form of small rounded-up scrolls: those for kids, those of love, those for happiness, and those for general use).

Around and about Kirishima Shrine

These are pictures taken before we actually went into the actual shrine grounds. For some reason, there were Noh masks everywhere. Must be the place for Noh plays...

JR Kirishima Shrine Station

We went to Kirishima Shrine today, and this is the station from which we got off (we had to take a bus to actually get to the shrine). Kirishima is just outside Kagoshima (I think), and it has a really nice rural feel to it. :)

Sakurajima

We caught an amazing sight today.

Sakurajima (a volcano and a landmark in Kagoshima) is spurting out smoke!
Apparently, this happens once in a while, but this is the first time I've actually seen it!

(The camera was slightly out of focus, though...)

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

I'm currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde on the Project Gutenberg website (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/174/174.txt).

For those of you who do not know, Project Gutenberg is a database of books and other publications whose copyrights have already expired. These books are now free for everyone to print and circulate.

The Picture of Dorian Gray seems pretty fascinating. Although, finishing just one chapter, I'm starting to feel like this is a story about homosexual love.

For those who have read the book, please don't tell me the ending. :P

Today's lunch: Hayashi Rice

This is what I had for lunch: Hayashi Rice.

Don't ask me what that means; I don't know, either. :P
Basically, it's curry rice with too much tomato in it. I'm not quite used to tomato curry, I guess.

The cafe where I had this meal is located on the fourth floor of the university library (can you believe that?)

Convicted Felons??!

...not!

Although we do look like convicted felons... =_=


The school newspaper introduced us (exchange students to and from IUK) in this month's edition.

Free magazines in Japan

Free magazines abound in Japan, which kind of goes against their rigorous recycling regimen. It does also mean, however, that I am never short of reading material. The free magazines are entertaining enough so that I do not have an urge to buy magazines (besides my Japanese is not good enough to enjoy reading materials fully). The magazines range from job ads and product catalogs to campus magazines and free newspapers (local). Works for me.

Cafeteria food

Here's my first taste of cafeteria food. The price is about right (JPY 200) and is pretty delicious and filling. It's called "Kake Udon."

I'm gonna try new flavors to decide which ones I like best.
:)

Nabe night

What started out as a plan to take a quick stroll turned out to be a glimpse into the everyday life of people in Japan.

Since we didn't have classes today because of a typhoon that decided not to come, I thought maybe I should take advantage of the weather and go to a not-so-near commercial center for an afternoon stroll. I was supposed to meet my language partner, Shinichi, for lunch at school, but since we don't have classes, I canceled the meeting. To make a long story short, he wanted to see where I lived so he came to my place, and Tienchi, another exchange student, came by because I asked her to go with me for a stroll. She then received a call from her language partner who ended up bringing two other people. I finally got to use all of that extra space I have in my apartment. LOL.

Afterwards, me and Tienchi and our language partners (Shinichi and Yuge) went to the commercial center and browsed around the stores.

Fast forward to dinner: Shinichi and Yuge made Kimchi Nabe (Japanese hot pot) and interestingly, they first eat the nabe with rice, and later, noodles are added into the soup and we had a second dinner.

It was really very filling. :)