Himeji, Japan

When I was in high school/ college, it wasn't a secret that one of my must-go-to destinations of all time was Japan. I grew up watching anime and because of its influence, I was fascinated by the culture that brought tentacles Gundam.

I thank my lucky star that my first project in HP was in Japan. Without going into details about my project (which was awesome, btw), I'll focus more on what I did during the weekends. It was my first time in Japan; therefore, wasting the weekends in my hotel room was not in my vocabulary.

I took the flight from Manila to Osaka. Our customer's office is in Kobe, so I took a bus from Kansai International Airport to Rokko Island. It was a smooth 60-minute ride using nothing but the expressway.

My first picture in Japan, onboard the shuttle to Sheraton Towers, Kobe.

Semi-trashed room :-)

Had time to ogle the toilet. It had a butt-warmer and different kinds of "sprays" for all your hygienic needs. Way to go, Japan.

Despite being so late in the evening, I still had the adrenaline to try the only way out of the island Rokko Liner.

Osaka at night is very "sparkly". Obviously I was underdressed, I only had a light jacket on. This was end-winter, entering spring but it was still friggin' 10 degrees out!

Kobe to Osaka is a quick ride if you take the Shin-Kaisoku (Special Rapid) trains. It has the fewest stops and usually stops at major stations. If you prefer the sighseeing episode, take the Futsu (Local) which stops at all stations. You can also take the Kaisoku (Rapid) which is between Futsu and Shin-Kaisoku in terms of number of stations.

The boards indicate which type of train is approaching a specific platform. Don't worry, it has an English translation so you don't get lost in translation.

Which train to board...?

That week, there was a Japanese holiday which means, I get to explore Kansai! I hopped on a train with Phoebe (center) and Anne (left) going to Himeji.

Me (right) in "newspaper boy" outfit.

Travel like a local

Take the Rokko Liner - Center Island Station going to Sumiyoshi, which connects to the JR Line - Sannomiya Station. The JR Line is the lifeline of Japan - you can access almost any prefecture using this rail system.

Himeji, located in Hyogo Prefecture, is along the Sanyo Shinkansen line. For those coming from Tokyo, hop on the Nozomi (bullet train) and gaze at Japan's landscape for an easy breezy 3-hour 200mph adrenaline rush. If you're lucky, you might see Mt. Fuji. The same Nozomi stops at Osaka and Kobe.

Hop on the Shin-Kaisoku train for a smooth 38-minute view of Kansai, unless you'd like the stop-go motions of the Futsu. From Himeji station, it's an easy 7-minute walk to the famous Himeji Jo.

Swooning over the castle moat and bridge leading to the castle.

Admission is about JPY600 (~Php 300)

Dating back to 1333, Himeji is the most beautiful castle in Japan. The structure today was the result of continuous fortification and expansion until 1609. Once called Shirasagi Jo (White Heron Castle), this cultural icon is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It was lucky enough to be spared by earthquakes, civil wars and World War II bombings. 

Courtyard leading to Himeji Jo. It's still winter so the trees are still bare. Best season to go here is spring when the area is littered with sakura (and people).

Can't help doing the "V" sign

Leading to the admission booth.

Himeji, like most Japanese castles, was designed to withstand attacks from warring feudal lords. It was built atop Himeyama (Mt. Hime) and had holes for archers, drop windows for pouring burning oil and stones, as well as confusing pathways and solid wood for gates.

Leading to the first gate

Enter!

That's a really high and mighty stone wall you got there, Ikeda Terumasa.

Roof details containing family crests

Looking out

A view of modern Himeji

Ancient map of Himeji Castle and its town

Oooh, long-barreled guns

My dark hair and pale face blends nicely with this Japanese horror-esque scene.

Samurai sword belonging to one of the lords

Dojo

Hidden rooms, designed for quick escapes should the castle be overrun by invaders.

View from the highest room in the castle. No, that is not the Hollywood sign on the mountain!

A small shrine at the top room

Me, in all my "nene" glory

The castle courtyard. Best for zen meditation and the occasional discernment. Can also be used as a backdrop for period films.

It was a fine day indeed.

A more solemn part of the complex. Honor is an essential part of Japanese culture, as part of the Bushido (Way of the Warrior). Dishonored or defeated samurai commit Seppuku which is cutting of the belly and is then followed by decapitation. The stone slab in the middle is where the fallen samurai lay his head for the final blow.

(attempted) Majestic shot

That's me!

Providing a creepy facade...

Sleeping quarters

Look how thick and sturdy this door is!

Receiving room

Do you dare walk here at night?

This reminds me of a Japanese horror game

Reenactment using dolls

Bye!

Himeji Jo can be covered in half a day. You may opt to get an audio guide but it's best to immerse yourself in the architecture.. no translation required. There are (supposedly) free English guides (usually university students wanting to improve their English) but there are no definite times for these.

Unfortunately, Himeji Castle is being renovated from 2010-2015. You might want to enjoy the other spots in Himeji:
- Kokoen Garden
- Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History
- Engyo-Ji Temple

Other notable establishments:
- Koba and More - ramen shop that sells milk ramen
- Starbucks - for that souvenir mug ;-)
- Sanyo Department store - because you can't have too many department stores in small towns
- Himeji 588 Guesthouse - tatami style rooms with futons! Get ready to share as bathrooms are communal

Second Wind

It's a beautiful Friday morning. I had to wake up early because of a "breakfast" thing with our managers and the president. We’re not really included in the breakfast but it was more of a “strength in numbers” kind. Should the president decide to go to our area, at least we were there. But that wasn’t what happened... you see, even if we were dressed in sort of business casual attire instead of the casual Friday look, we had our own breakfast at the pantry. I had my fried bananas and coffee while my officemates munched on Bread Talk pastries.
The week flew by fast (I guess that’s what happens when you’re suddenly bombarded with requests and some jumpstarted initiatives. Nope, I’m not going to discuss work. Not now. ^_^

This week, Joey flew to Singapore to attend a forum and take advantage of the IT Fair at Suntec City. I had felt a little guilty for not informing dad earlier so we could give him the apartment key so he could save on accommodations. Dad was also busy with his business trips and is still recuperating from his appendectomy a few weeks back. Dad’s back in Manila now, the hole near his bellybutton got infected and was recommended a few days of rest.

So anyway, I’m giddy to see Joey again tomorrow with his bag of goodies. I didn’t ask him to buy anything from the IT Fair but I know he bought some gadgets and I just want to see his latest toys. =)

I’ve also been busy in the nostalgic department. I still need to create a slideshow of the trip we had in Europe 2 years ago! That and fix the slideshow of our trip the year before! The transition of the slides were too fast for mom and dad’s comfort so I had to fix them manually. I hate rework so I decided to start all over. Clean slate is better than looking at a horrible mess.

I’ve been meaning to leave the office on time today and spend a few good hours at a coffee shop and finish my slides. My good ‘ol ipad is struggling with the massive photos and videos but seems to be keeping up. I’ve finished Zurich, Lucerne and almost done with Vienna... it’s a wild ride back to memory lane. I’m still thinking if I have time to create a blog entry about it. Or maybe create a separate blog for my travels.

Seriously, where is this energy coming from??? ^_^

Pay it forward

An old college buddy spoke to me this evening and was telling me about the story of an officemate of hers who was being the butt of all jokes. She had the juiciest resume a fresh graduate could ever have. Naturally, they gave her a role which they thought she could handle.

Since they were part of a customer-facing team, she was given the task to do very critical interfacing with middle management. It turns out that she was a big mess. She gave vague and erroneous emails.. to which she would send another email to disregard the previous one. During calls she would hesitate and often ended up not really understanding the whole topic or even make sense at all! The client was furious with the way she did her job. Her manager would always save her butt at the end of the day and she gets to see another day.

Of course, the customer is not very happy with this. They demanded they replace her with someone who is more competent or at the very least, have common sense.

***

I remember this particular moment in my life when I had a similar situation. I was escalated to the highest heavens for not doing this critical job. My customer was getting irritated by the fact that I kept fumbling and looked like someone who did not know what to do.

I felt like a lamb in a lion's den.

Sleepless nights I endured. Even my business trip to Japan was dreaded... and every time it was being mentioned at family dinners and get-togethers, my parents would brag about me being sent to other countries during my 1st year as a yuppie. I would cringe inside at the thought of staying in a country with no one to turn to for support.

One person pushed me to the limit. He patiently helped me in all my technical booboos. I was very glad he was also there with me in Japan. I may have died or killed myself anyway if he wasn't there. He became an inspiration to me. The respect he earned from me went up exponentially. I suddenly realized that I wanted to be like this person.

The commitment he gave to me motivated me to go beyond what I thought I was capable of. The world needs more people like him. So... I decided to pay it forward. I wanted to commit to people who need help and is willing to learn.

Sadly, he already left the company to pursue bigger things but he left such a big footprint that it was impossible to ignore. I want to help people in a way I know best. =)

Not enough

I hate this feeling of going on vacation when everything back in the office is in shambles. I got this bad feedback from an equally bad customer (just my opinion). I swallowed it and moved on like nothing happened. I was really on the verge of telling him off that not everything is my fault and that there were gaps on his(her?) side too...

To top it off, my Project Manager was siding him (for lack of a better term) and was even encouraging scope creep! So much for his responsibility to the team. Sellena and I were left to fend off for ourselves. And I admit it, I was raw. I didn't have the skills I needed to push back, given a bitchy customer who always demanded but never gave his(her?) own requirements. Everything was supposed to be me.. test data, master data... what the..!?! He(she?) was upset(PMS-ing?) that it was still him(her?) who provided the scenarios.

I just feel so bad about it all. I know I can count on my partner, who has always been dependable and ever so reliable tech guy. But this time, I feel as if he's cleaning up after me. It saddens me to think that something like this would happen and I let it happen. *major angst coming up* I want to make it up to him, to Sellena, to all the people I've affected. I feel like a new hire again. *sigh*

Anti-murphy's Law

Dad called this evening to tell us very good news. It was very good news. Good news indeed.

Everyday, I tell myself that the bad things that happen to me are nothing if you count the blessings that you get. Why bother and let yourself down with negativity? I say that if bad things happen to you, good things will come your way. A life of smiles and positive thinking beats an attitude of always looking out for Murphy's law. Of course it's not a bad idea to take note of all the bad things that can happen to you but let's face it, the more you search for Murphy, the more it will hunt you down.

We had this dream that we thought was about to come true. It came crashing down on us and of course we were depressed. But we didn't let it get the best of us and just move on and do the best you can with what you have. And true enough, hard work always trumps luck.

One cannot help but realize that life doesn't always work out the way you want it to be. Sometimes the life you think is ideal never was bliss in the first place. The path to true happiness comes with pain and hardships. It is then when you can truly savor your accomplishments and blessings!

Moment of Weakness

Allow me this moment of weakness. It's been a day since we got back from Tokyo. The transition from pleasurable bliss to depressing piles of work was too much. I feel like I've been harshly pulled down from cloud nine, without any remorse for the confusion of my mental and psychological state..

haha, andrama!

I struggled this morning to serve in this morning's mass. And then I went back to sleep and woke up again sweaty and with a sense of unease. I worked half-heartedly, my laptop went on blue screen as it struggled to download 100++ emails. It was a relatively uneventful day. Can we wait till tomorrow to get things in its momentum??