Category: Blog

The aftermath of the aftermath

Published March 26, 2011 by Alisha

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami now two weeks ago gave Japan a lot to clean up. Most notably, the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Northern Japan. Concern arose following the earthquake and tsunami when power was cut off to the plants, preventing temperature regulation. For about the last week, teams have been working day and night to get the situation under control. While at the time of writing this post, the situation at the reactor seems to be in a somewhat-controlled state, there have been some effects.

Products from Fukushima and surrounding prefectures have been discovered with higher than normal amounts of radioactive material on/in them. Leafy greens and milk were most recently discussed – images of farmers disposing of the contaminated products can be seen all over the web. Many countries stopped accepting shipments of these kinds of products as a precaution to their citizens.

Water was also effected as a result of the situation at Fukushima. On Wednesday, radioactive iodine was detected in water supplying much of Tokyo and some of the surrounding areas. Officials declared the water unsafe for infants to drink, but acceptable for adult consumption. The statement was made under the assumption that the radiation would be present in the water long-term. However, this fortunately does not seem to be the case. Thursday, officials stated the radiation detected in the water had dropped, and had become safe for consumption by all once more.

Regardless of this, it still resulted in immediate attempts to hoard water, especially among families with very young children. Tokyo distributed 240,000 bottles of 550ml water bottles to families with infants in an effort to assuage fears and provide assistance. Every vending machine I’ve come across recently shows there is no water available.

machinenowater — The red kanji denotes items that are sold out.

Signs posted in convenience stores and supermarkets note a restriction for some goods, including water, milk, and bread. Somehow, my local 7-11 seems to be perpetually stocked with water, despite all this. The water is labeled as “French” mineral water, though. Given France’s reaction to the recent events here, I wouldn’t be surprised if leaving this water on the shelves was a subtle statement by the Japanese. Who knows.

waterration — Shoppers are limited to one or two bottles of water, depending on the size they purchase.

This aside, Tokyo is quickly resuming business as almost-usual. Many stores and businesses have shorter hours and less lighting in an effort to conserve power all across the city. Trains run at slightly different schedules. Mostly, however, people, are continuing about their normal lives as best they can.

The only real issue still present in Tokyo is paranoia. Stress and lack of proper sleep combined with steady streams of news have produced a very weary population. A recent report on the news discussed something many citizens were apparently very concerned with – a “strange” yellow substance on the ground all over the city following the previous day’s rain.

pollen — The offending substance on the ground outside my apartment

“Is it radioactive?! Is that the result of acid rain?! WHAT IF WE STEPPED IN IT?!”

These were some questions asked honestly by the population. The news took the time to interview an expert about this mysterious substance, who calmly stated (probably after heaving a big sigh and rolling his eyes): “It’s pollen. It rained, and stuck to the ground, because it was in the air before.” I’m willing to bet the expert would have liked to add: “Go take a nap, you paranoid idiots.”

It’s become far too easy to be scared about regular aspects of life. People have even forgotten it’s allergy season, despite pollen level broadcasts on the trains and on TV.

Life is returning to normal, though. Rather than spend my time hovering in front of the news and worrying about the well being of Tokyo, it’s clear there are better, more productive things to be doing. Relief efforts in Japan are underway. Contributing to the aid of those affected by the disaster in Northern Japan should really be the current focus of the media and other concerned parties. Heartbreaking stories now litter the news – a father who had to bury his three daughters, an elderly husband and wife unable to leave the evacuation areas because the husband suffers from dementia and is unable to walk. People are unable to find even the simplest of items like clean socks, underwear, or blankets.

At this time, it unfortunately appears as though physical items cannot be sent north at this time – I’m hoping it’s because there’s already a surplus of supplies, but traffic is posing a problem. Regardless of this, I know many are coordinating relief efforts both online and in their communities to help the affected people in Northern Japan in any way possible. I hope the media and public can shift into aid mode to help those who need it.

I’ll continue to write about this and more information where applicable, but I do also want to continue including information about regular life, like previous blog posts. Tokyo needs some normal. Thanks for following along throughout all of this, and thanks for your feedback.

When the Lights Go Down in the City

Published March 19, 2011 by Alisha

In wake of recent events in northern Japan, much of the eastern region of the country has noticed some changes. one of these changes is the institution of planned blackouts in designated groups throughout Tokyo and the surrounding areas. At the time of writing this post, metro Tokyo remains largely unaffected by the planned power outages. Most of these blackouts are taking place in the suburbs of the city, and last for up to 3 hours at a time.

TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Company) has released a blackout schedule for the week, and the scheduled group/times. These blackouts affect residences, businesses, and trains, so planning ahead is important. While I have not yet been affected at home by these blackouts, my teaching job has been.

On Thursday of this week, the blackout time fell right in the middle of our designated teaching times. I got a message from my manager stating our school would be open, but we’d have to get creative with the lighting for a while.

I came to the office early, because the train running to work was also planned to halt. We had two small solar-powered lights “charging” in a window and a random assortment of candles ready.

We also had lighters and flashlights. We all rushed to use the copier to get our materials prepared. Then, at 3:50, everything went off. Our first classes were lit by fading daylight. 5:00 classes were dim, and by the end of class, we were grabbing lights for students to see their workbooks by.

Our 6:00 classes were completely black. For this class, I had two of my returnee students. We sat in the dark with one of the solar lights and a candle. We chatted about the earthquake, the blackouts, and their thoughts and feelings regarding the situation.

gamedark — Game pieces we used to practice our vocabulary in the dark

They described the blackouts as fun – one mentioned doing shadow puppets with his siblings. The other student had pushup and situp competitions with her sister and father. Neither expressed fear of the “dark time”, as they put it.

It was the same with all my other students. Power returned at 6:30 PM, and the rest of my classes went as planned. I informally surveyed my students regarding the situation. The answers were all similar – they feel Tokyo is relatively safe, though there is still worry regarding what will happen next. Many of the students mentioned shopping with their families for water, bread, eggs, etc. They are tense, but alert, and all the students seem to be handling things well.

Tokyo has had many of the scheduled blackouts canceled because the city has done so well concerning power. Restaurants, businesses, and residences alike have shutoff signs, lights, and appliances. Trains are running at more limited schedules in some places. It’s impressive, the way everyone has pitched in to conserve power so it can be used where it’s needed!

shinjukudark — Yasukuni dori, Shinjuku, near my home - at night, lights off

I have to say, if I had to choose a place to be during a disaster, Tokyo would be it. Everyone working together has been astounding. Some people chose to leave Tokyo, but my feelings are best summed up by the fitting words of Journey: “Oh, I wanna be theeeeeere, in my city!”

(Whooooa, whoooa, ooooohhh)

Update regarding nuclear reactors and radiation

Published March 16, 2011 by Alisha

Recent developments in the aftermath of Friday’s disasters have again brought up concerns about the safety of Japan’s residents. I wanted to put together a resource page regarding these recent updates for concerned parties to check in real-time.

Most recently and possibly, most pressing in many peoples’ minds is the current state of the nuclear power reactors in Fukushima, located 150 miles North of Tokyo.

The reactors in question are on the eastern coast of Fukushima prefecture. The recent explosions and radiation concerns are at this time confined to a 30km (18 miles) circle immediately surrounding these reactors. At the time of this blog post, current radiation levels as reported by the news are 200 microsieverts. Reports state that 250 microsieverts are currently considered a concern for human health, though the research I’ve been conducting suggests lower levels are actually cause for concern. Again, this radiation reading is in the area immediately surrounding the reactors.

150-ish miles to the south, in Tokyo, radiation levels are within ranges safe for humans. Research indicates that regular background levels of radiation range depending on the area. A live radiation monitor, called a geiger counter, is setup right here in metropolitan Tokyo. This is setup in Koto-ku, in south central metro Tokyo. Current readings at the time of this blog post indicate 18-27 CPM, or counts per minute regarding radiation levels.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/geiger-counter-tokyo

Now, let’s take a look at this article, which summarizes the recent radiation information in Tokyo:

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2011/03/14/geiger-counter-readings-rise-in-tokyo

To summarize:

100 CPM on a geiger counter = 1 microsievert per hour.

100 microsieverts = risk of permanent damage, such as infertility.

1,000,000 microsieverts = risk of serious harm, or death from radiation poisoning.

Given the current readings, Tokyo is in the 10-30 CPM range. It is also not harmful for human health at this time.

Take a look at this website, updating with real-time radiation levels within Japan. The Tokyo area is still reported as within normal ranges of radiation:

http://www.bousai.ne.jp/eng/

If you are concerned about the radiation levels in Tokyo and throughout the rest of Japan, try to keep an eye on monitors like these. It’ll provide you with real-time information you can use to determine your personal safety and the safety of your loved ones. Everyone is exposed to regular amounts of radiation on a daily basis. Tokyo is currently not even experiencing 1 microsievert per hour of exposure, let alone 200-250, like in the evacuated areas near the reactors.

I will continue to monitor the radiation levels and update with any additional information. I am not an expert, but am attempting to educate myself in the interests of my own safety and for the safety of those around me.

Regarding aftershocks – they’re coming less and less often, though earthquakes have been hitting other parts of Japan. Tokyo has food, water, power, and supplies. Please continue to focus your worry up north.

More updates later, or I’ll be late for work! I’m back at the office this week.

Obligatory Earthquake Post

Published March 13, 2011 by Alisha

Many in the vlogging and blogging community have been very active within Japan the last few days following the recent earthquake and tsunami events. I’ve been posting updates via twitter and facebook, but also wanted to add something on the blog. I doubt I will do a video recap of my thoughts.

In a nutshell, Tokyo is fine. We felt the earthquake, yes, but we were safe from the tsunami, and are also currently safe from any radiation that escaped from the nuclear explosion of the power plant in Fukushima. Life here feels somewhat normal, though the vibe in the air is one of tension.

I was at home when the quake hit. My new apartment (more on this another time) is on the second floor of a concrete, three floor building. I was getting ready for work when I saw the items in front of my mirror start to shake. I didn’t think anything of it for a moment because Japan experiences minor earthquakes every so often. However, when the shaking only increased in intensity I paused what I was doing. The shaking grew stronger and I saw the objects on my vanity start bouncing around. The ground beneath my feet was no longer stable. I stood in the doorway of my bathroom and hung on to the walls. Objects were falling off the shelves in my kitchen, and I watched the mirror in my bedroom crash to the floor. This continued for what felt like ages, but I think the peak of the quake must have been only 10 or 20 seconds. Once the earth quit moving, my body was still shaking. We had very strong aftershocks immediately following the big quake, some of which were strong enough to have me holding on to my house again.

I emailed my parents immediately to tell them what had happened, and quickly finished getting ready for work. Cell phone service was intermittent. I walked out on the streets of Shinjuku where everyone was standing outside of their office buildings. Small children and some adults were wearing helmets – many people had blankets and bags. It was clear that many families had earthquake evacuation plans they had just put into place. Traffic was slow, and buses were crammed with people. Everyone was standing and waiting for something to happen. All the trains stopped. I was finally able to receive a message on my phone from my manager telling me to go home – that all my classes were canceled for the day. So, go home I did.

Shinjuku go home — People on the streets of Shinjuku just after the earthquake

Landslide shinjuku — A small landslide in Shinjuku, a few minutes from my apartment

I spent the next several hours glued to my computer, watching the news, updating twitter, and learning more about the situation. The tsunami footage was absolutely heartbreaking. There were regular aftershocks all through the day on Friday, and they’re still coming on Sunday morning as I write this post. Friday night I found someone via twitter who needed a place to stay as all the hotels in the area had been booked up. I picked up my “refugee” and gave him a place to rest for a few hours until he was able to get in touch with his friends and catch a train somewhere at around 5:45 Saturday morning. Amazingly, this guy told a friend of his in another part of Japan that he was stuck. This friend put a message out on twitter which was retweeted by a woman I don’t know. This message was then retweeted again by a person I follow on twitter. My refugee said the amount of time between him expressing his need for help and me contacting him was about 15 minutes. Amazing!

Train delays — All train lines delayed in Tokyo

For the time being, everything is safe here in Tokyo. Some companies are resuming work tomorrow, others are holding off. There are still some concerns regarding the radiation from the explosion of a nuclear power reactor in Fukushima, but the damage seems to be contained to an area very far north of Tokyo, and reports suggest that the harmful substances are being blown to sea by the current direction of the wind.

The magnitude of the quake seems to be continuing to jump up every day, which astounds me. I hope the people in North Eastern Japan are able to get help and recover quickly. The death toll is rising, as is the count of missing people.

All things considered, though, if there was one place I had to be when an earthquake of this size and destruction hit, it would be Japan. Japan has worked for decades to engineer buildings made specifically for earthquakes. Buildings are designed to sway with the movement of the earth, rather than crack and crumble. There are sea walls in place to help protect against tsunamis. There are automatic shut-off systems for gas, electricity, and power plants that are triggered by earthquakes to prevent any explosions or damage from happening. It’s amazing to think of all the lives that were saved as a result of good engineering and preparedness.

Even the aftermath has been quiet and peaceful. A lot of questions coming from other parts of the world worry about looting, even assaults and rapes. It’s almost absurd to think about those kinds of things happening here. People have quietly gone to the supermarket and made purchases. Some things are in greater supply than others right now because there’s a limit on traffic and what trucks can make it into the city to provide items like baked goods and fresh meats. But there’s still plenty of food available here. There are no riots, there is no looting. When I walked into Shinjuku just after the earthquake, I saw huge lines of people patiently waiting their turn to the use the pay phone to contact their families. I was overwhelmed to tears more than once by how astounding that is. There was fear, absolutely. But the vigilant manner in which everyone conducted themselves really contributed to the success of the reparations that are under way.

Empty meat section — Fresh meats section in a local supermarket

Empty supermarket — Bread and Bento section, completely sold out

Life here now feels normal, but in an eerie way. There are masses of people crowding around TVs in train stations, watching the news. Trains are running, but without any kind of set schedule in some cases. We’re all waiting to see what happens next, and what we can do to help.

Crane fixing — A crane fixing a building after the quake

North Eastern Japan is the region of the country that still needs help. Tokyo is picking up quickly, and people are already returning to their jobs. If you’re interested in helping, the red cross is accepting donations for earthquake/tsunami relief. You can donate via their website, or also text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 which is automatically deducted from your bill.

I hope everyone reading stays safe. Let’s hope the situation in North Eastern Japan improves quickly. Thank you for your concern. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

UPDATE FOR THOSE WITH TRAVEL PLANS TO JAPAN: Myself and other residents of Japan have been receiving questions from individuals who had travel plans involving Tokyo and other areas. These questions have been regarding how safe it is to travel to the region at this time – if they should postpone or rearrange their trip, etc. The US Embassy released a statement advising US citizens not to travel to Japan until April 1st, 2011. I am not in a position to recommend or advise against travel in Japan. While I am safe, I cannot be responsible for the safety of others choosing to travel to Japan at this time. I would recommend reading advisories your country has released regarding travel to Japan. Use your own judgment. If you do choose to visit, please be safe and take necessary precautions.

Photo Post: Rikugien, Autumn “Light Up” Event

Published November 24, 2010 by Alisha

During autumn, some parks in the Tokyo area put on a special display to highlight the changing colors of this season. The beautiful reds, greens, oranges, and browns of fall are gorgeous. Rikugien, one such park near Komagome station, is a Japanese style garden currently featuring a “light up” event. While the park usually closes at around 4 or 5 PM, during this event, however, the park reopens at night to display the colors of autumn in interesting ways.

Unfortunately, it was difficult to get clear photos without using flash, so some of these pictures are best viewed small. Regardless, I hope you enjoy – it was an ethereal, stunning evening walk.

This was a bizarre section of the park. Blue lights pointed at the ground and a mist covered the area every couple minutes while new age instrumental music played. Lots of couples here going “WAAAAAA!”

Even the faces of people were dimmed and difficult to see – the paths were lit with little more than candlelight-strength lanterns.

I can’t say enough how beautiful the park is – both in the day as well as this night time event. The park has photos of the area throughout the year – it’s amazing to see the way it changes throughout the seasons. I’m looking forward to seeing it in all its incarnations!

Scenes From Summer

Published October 13, 2010 by Alisha

I’ve gotten pretty backlogged with my photos. Summer is finally winding down (at least, I think it is – some days the weather still seems unsure of what month is is), and we’re transitioning into Autumn, at long last. The weeks of complaining about the heat have been abandoned and will be soon replaced by weeks of complaining about the cold. Most of my summer wasn’t experienced through the lens of a camera. However, a few new pictures made their way onto my hard drive. I’ve chosen the best (read: least crappy) to share.

First (because there’s only one photo worth sharing): this photo is from Koenji Awaodori. A huge, jam-packed parade through the streets near Koenji station. Dancing, music, drunk city folk, food, and fun.

Second: The Asakusa Samba matsuri. Old-timey tourist-friendly Asakusa meets scantily clad, noisy, feathery, busty Brazil. Dancing, music, drunk city folk, and fun (again). With about 3000% more boobs and glitter than Koenji awaodori. Wish I could have counted the zoom lenses and flannel shirts.

Lastly, I visited Honmonji temple to the southish westish of the metro area for another obon matsuri. You may have seen my video on YouTube about the circle dancing festival from Gifu prefecture – many, many of these style festivals took place in the summer – this was the same deal. Also, dancing, drunk city folk, food, and fun (sensing a trend here?).

This temple is beautiful – I arrived just as the sun was going down after hiking around the area for a while trying to determine if I was going the right way. It’s at the top of a hill, and there’s a very ethereal quality about the whole place. The pictures don’t do it justice.

Food choice at these festivals is pretty standard wherever you go – meat on a stick, okonomiyaki, yakisoba, chocolate bananas, and takoyaki (think doughnut holes, but made with octopus and batter instead).

I had my first taste of okonomiyaki at this festival (pictured rather unappealingly below). It’s like a pancake pizza thing made with cabbage that they cover in a sauce and you dip in mayonnaise. I realize how unappetizing that sounds. I’m still undecided if I like it or not – I got about halfway through my portion before I decided I was uninterested in eating the rest. Maybe it’s better to try it…not…at a festival.

This is the central “dance tower”, where all the obon dances are performed.

The stairs leading up to the temple. I apparently arrived at the bank entrance, via a hill. These stairs in the evening really lent to the otherworldly feel of the place – probably moreso when there’s less people around.

Lastly, this is a photo of what I was looking at while I was eating the previously mentioned okonomiyaki. I was parked on the steps of a temple older than my home country eating a new food, and looking at this view when I had a “wow, this is my life” moment.

Moments like those are just one of many reasons I enjoy living where I do. Sometimes I’m still surprised that I made it here and I’m experiencing things like this. Mostly, I’m just grateful. These are good times.

Apologies for the lack of updates recently – there’s been some changes in my schedule and my free time is now limited (and treasured!). I haven’t forgotten all things internet – I have some ideas for videos, I just haven’t put them into action yet. I’m still somewhat active on Twitter, but my content isn’t strictly Japanese-culture-related. Feel free to check it out. As always, thanks for reading!