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Gina came to Japan from Philadelphia in the U.S. nearly four years ago. She first became interested in Japan while still a high school student. This developed into a curiosity for Japanese society and economics, an interest that in turn led to a fascination for Japanese culture. At Bucknell University, she majored in Japanese Studies.
Ever since she began studying about Japan she dreamed of living here. Although it seemed like a distant land, far away from her home, her dream eventually came true. Four years ago she had a chance to study about Japan as a student on the Associated Kyoto Program at Doshisha University. Asked about life in Japan and, in particular, her Kyoto college life with all its tangible history and culture, she told us, "College life was great. As my first time to Japan it was a wonderful experience, especially being able to live with a host family. Five days a week I went to the Imadegawa Campus at Doshisha University where I studied with several other students from American universities. The campus is located near the heart of Kyoto so, in between classes, we had enough time to go and see places like the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Nishijin Textiles Museum, Ginkakuji Temple and other sightseeing spots."
Kyoto, one of the most ideal places for Japan enthusiasts to make a direct connection with the country's wealth of history and cultural heritage, was clearly the best environment for Gina. It was the natural step to take after her Japanese culture studies back home.
She added, "We had both language classes and culture classes, which really took advantage implementing the area's surrounding resources into the curriculum. As a part of my art and architecture course, we had field trips every Friday to visit temples, shrines, museums and modern buildings to learn about their history, architectural uniqueness and their significance to the area. Also, there were always activities on the weekends to participate in other cultural activities like attending a sumo match or Noh performance."
After spending a year in Kyoto as a student, she has lived in Osaka since taking her present job. Asked to comment on what Kansai means to her, she answered "Compared with other big cities like Tokyo, Kansai has the best of everything. Every city or town around Kansai has its unique traditional aspect and there are lots of sights with very specific histories behind them. On the other hand, Osaka is representative of one of the world's largest cities. So in Kansai, you have everything you want in a relatively small area, an area that is easy to get around and has many places within easy reach for a day trip thanks to the efficient, modern, transport services. If you go to Kobe you can still be in the city without the downside of feeling that you are in a big city. Kobe is not on such a large scale that it ever feels overpowering. It is not crowded with people and you cannot get lost in the way that you do in a big city, like Tokyo.
Asked about her favorite sightseeing spots in Kansai, she answered "As far as traditional buildings I like Kiyomizudera Temple and Himeji Castle. Next I'm hoping to go to Kokedera Temple on the west side of Kyoto. On the other hand, there is a lot of great modern architecture in Kansai. For example, I really like the Kyoto Station building and the ATC (Asia and Pacific Trade Center) building in Osaka. The exterior of the ATC appeals to me. The ship-like design is an excellent example of how modern Japanese architecture has been able to maintain the tradition of incorporating buildings into their surrounding landscape [in this case the sea]. Before coming here I didn't envision Japan as having such unique architectural marvels. I was very impressed." And the HEP Building in Osaka was the source of particular surprise. "I never imagined that constructing a Ferris wheel on top of a relatively tall building was physical possible, especially in earthquake-prone Japan!" she commented.
Of course many of Kansai's attractions are found not only in the modern or ancient buildings but also in the many aspects of daily life or the seasonal changes. Gina told us, "I was really intrigued when I first saw the pedestrian crossing lights that play music. I guess that counts as one aspect of Japanese life, doesn't it? Of course, Den Den town in Osaka is the best place to find all the gizmos and gadgets closely linked to daily life. On the other hand it's a delight to stroll up the Kiyomizu Slope and look at the ceramics or visit the monthly flea bi-market held at Toji Temple. And when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom Maruyama Park in Kyoto and the Mint area in Osaka are wonderful places to encounter the beauty of spring in Japan. "
Gina thinks that one of Kansai's core attractions lies in the culture of daily living. For example, if she were to guide people from her own country, she would like to take them to something that fully immerses them in the culture and not just have them visit the sights by tour bus. She, herself, used to take traditional dance lessons and intends to try her hand at other crafts such as Kiyomizuyaki (making Kiyomizu ceramics) and paper-making.
When it comes to the culture related to daily living, she thinks food and language come next. Asked about her favorite Japanese food, she named 'okonomiyaki', 'yakisoba', 'yatsuhashi' and 'ichigo daifuku' (a sweet that has a fresh strawberry inside). These are also typical of the dishes that young ladies in Kansai really like. Gina says she can make some Japanese dishes herself. These include yakisoba, tonkatsu (pork cutlets) and sushi. She added, "Of course Kansai is fun and convenient for eating out. There are a wide variety of restaurants ranging from typical Japanese establishments to a whole host of ethnic eateries, including Indian, Italian, and Turkish restaurants in Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. As for the language in Kansai, she feels a deep warmth for the colloquial Kansai-ben (Kansai dialect). Before she came to Japan, she had studied Japanese but didn't realize there were so many local languages from different towns. At first she was at a loss to know what was being said but now enjoys talking in the Kansai dialect with close friends. She feels that the sound of expressions such as 'wakarahen' (I've no idea) or 'eraikocha' (what a mess) have a cool ring to them.
While Kansai has an ample dose of particular charm in its traditional architecture, modern streets, good food, dialects and so on, Gina feels the real draw to Kansai is the warm friendliness of the people living here. The first encounter with this came through her host family, the family she lived with during her first stay in Japan. She said, "I was definitely blessed with one of the best host families imaginable. They made a point of teaching me about the culture of daily life as much as they could. So now I can't imagine coming here and not living with a host family. I truly recommend living with a host family if you are looking for real Japanese culture."
Although she no longer lives with her former host family, Gina still contacts them often and they continue to treat her like another daughter. Another reason she has grown so attached to Kansai is her relationship with her host family and Japanese friends who she regards as friends for life. She also finds it easy to get on well with people living in the area. She said, "The people in Kansai are the best people in Japan. They are very kind and there is always someone to help the foreigner who is looking lost. Kansai is also a safe area so I feel very secure."
Gina views her four years of living in Kansai as a time of memories on a daily basis. "The people I have met and all the places I have been to make up a collection of great memories I will never forget. Without a doubt my experiences in Japan have turned out to be totally different to the typical life in Philadelphia. I felt at home here the moment I arrived even though the culture was so different. I never felt out of place and had no major culture shock."
The kindness Gina speaks of and the friends she has made in Kansai were undoubtedly attracted by her own warm personality. As she mentioned in the interview, she was clearly drawn to Japan by fate and the ideal living environment of Kansai. She hopes to live in Japan for maybe another five to ten years and to write a book about her experiences in Japan.
She told us that each day holds a particular memory so we wish her well in her future here and hope that she will continue to encounter more memorable places and people around Kansai. |
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