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Friday, 14 November 2014
Day 5: Goodbye, Homestay Family @ 22:49
So after reading everyone's homestays, it's time to go back to our normal schedule!
On the second day of the homestay, Genia and I couldn't wake up on time. We slept too late and were too tired :( We were supposed to wake up at 7am, but woke up around 8am instead. Well, actually, I dragged myself out of bed even though I just wanted to sleep for the whole day. I've been sleep deprived this whole trip :'(
We had breakfast half-asleep, and tried natto! Yumika was giggling the whole time she was mixing it for us. It was interesting. Slightly bitter and slightly salty, it had a bit of the burn of wasabi but not the spiciness.
Then we made onigiri with Shimama! I couldn't catch what she was saying because she spoke too fast for me, but I just copied her hand actions and tada!! Onigiri.
After that, Shimama brought out the yukata she had laid out the day before. We both tried on the yukata! The ties at the waist are a complicated process and actually kind of helps with your posture. Look at how pretty the obi was!
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| Thanks to Shimama |
We took loads of photos, of course.
Taken by Shimama
Taken by Shimama
Taken by Shimama
Taken by Shimama
Taken by Shimama
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| Credits to Genia |
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| Credits to Genia |
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| The wooden slippers we wore with the yukata. |
Genia and I started the cumbersome process of repacking and got ready for the day. We went to one of the shoyu factories and had "proper" shoyu ice cream.
It was saltier and slightly bitter than the one we tried at the matsuri in Sahara. Yumika tried the vanilla ice cream with the shoyu sauce.
It was interesting. We all tried the shoyu roll cake too! It wasn't half bad.
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| Thanks to Shimama |
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| Thanks to Shimama |
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| Thanks to Shimama |
We also saw Lynn there with her homestay family, and Shimama bought both Genia and I souvenirs! >< At this point my phone died because I didn't charge it enough so thanks Genia for all the photos! And Shimama and Shione for letting me borrow her phone. I had to beg and borrow for as many photos as possible :(
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| Thanks to Shimama |
Then, we headed to the Chiba train station to go to Inubohsaki to try our hands at making nuresenbei. It was raining and a little before schedule (Japanese trains have scheduled timings), so we stayed at the station itself for a bit and chatted. I asked Yumika and Shione if they'd been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios Japan, and they said they'd be going soon, for a school trip!!! I'm super jealous.
We braved the rain and got on the train to Inubohsaki! It's not on the main line, I think, because we went to a secluded side off the main train area to get on it. We also needed an actual paper ticket, different from the trains in Tokyo.
The inside of the train was really cute!
I've never seen trains like that before even on my previous trip to Japan. There were origami decorations, teruterubozu and children's drawings all over the train.
Genia was super prepared and brought her fisheye lens. Yumika and Shione were really amazed at it!
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| Credits to Genia |
Did I mention that we were really tired? I slept like a pig on the train ride, and remember absolutely nothing. When we reached Inubohsaki, the nuresenbei (and pther Chiba speciality goods) were right outside. Yumika and Shione also talked to the train master and they let us keep our train tickets :)
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| Credits to Genia |
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| Credits to Genia |
We went to another side of the souvenir area and followed the instructor in making nuresenbei!
We wore gloves on our non-dominant hands and pressed down on the rice cakes given to us to toast them.
Thanks to Shimama
When sufficiently flattened, we dipped them in the shoyu sauce and ate them :D
Thanks to Shimama
The instructor said my nuresenbei was professional hehe. I'm not sure how they judge it, but still :)
Then, we tried some of the specialties they had on display. More nuresenbei, some crackers, peanuts, and sardines.
After that, we headed off for Kappa Sushi to try "authentic" sushi. I guess it's their only sushi place near Chiba, because the boys also went there the day before.
Credits to Gabriel
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| Credits to Genia |
It was really cool, because they had this literal sushi train that brought sushi to your table when you ordered it on the screen. Genia and I were both fascinated. We tried the roast duck sushi and as usual I ate a lot of salmon.
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| Credits to Gabriel |
Hamburger sushi and marron shortcake (cr: Gabriel)
There is always space for sushi, and dessert! We then went off to some shopping district an hour's drive away.
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| Credits to Genia |
All of us - except Shimama, who was driving - slept on the drive. I'm not joking when I say I was really tired the whole time.
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| Credits to Genia |
The first "mall" we went to had a lot of cheap clothes!!! GU is an outlet mall that sells both male and female clothing. I bought a woolen skirt and a pair of tights there, for ¥1,480 in total, which is about S$15.
Apparently in Japan, it's a custom to put the clothes you tried back to where you found it on a hanger and everything. I didn't know because I'm so used to having people help me put everything back.
Then, we went to another outlet mall which mostly sold shoes. The shoes were super nice and were all my style, but they didn't have my size :( the price was okay too. So we left and went to the local Uniqlo outlet. It was really big, and the clothes sold were cheaper than in Singapore, but neither Genia and I were interested, so we left to yet another shoe outlet mall at my request. That mall sold mostly imported shoes like Converse and Vans, and weren't my style nor in my budget.
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| Credits to Genia |
We left for home to pack and chill out a bit before going back to the CIS for the farewell party. Looking back, it gives me a sense of nostalgia - I really miss being back there with my homestay family. They really made me feel comfortable and welcome, I do miss them a lot. I wish my Japanese were better so I could message them more.
At the farewell party, the Principal of the CIS and Mr Ng both made a speech. Then, one representative of the homestay families went up to make a speech. I have to say that I nearly started crying then. Hearing their side of their experience really touched me - how they were inviting strangers into their homes, how they felt about everything. I can't quite recall the exact words he said, but I teared up and needed to excuse myself.
When the speeches were over, it was time to eat. I was able to snatch up some of the seafood salad before being snatched away myself. We did the presentation about Singapore again to all the homestay families, and then the Taiko performance started.
Credits to Mr Ng
Credits to Mr Ng and Gabriel
Taiko is a form of traditional Japanese entertainment, and what I had seen before in Singapore cannot compare to what I experienced then. It was amazing.
I was busy taking photos of the Taiko drummers and dancers and didn't realise the party wouldn't be for a longer time. When they finished their performance, I wanted to sit and talk more with Shimama
Shione and Yumika, but we had to leave! I hadn't even eaten properly yet! I was really upset. Genia and I gave them our farewell presents. I think they knew it was coming because I had prepared a huge bag for them.
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| Credits to Eugenia |
I was really reluctant to leave them. Before getting on the bus, I made them promise to keep me updated on their lives and hugged them.
When we left, almost everyone cried. I had done my best to not cry, but it was just too much at that point :(
We calmed down and reached the fancy spa hotel quite quickly. The girls split in two groups and I roomed with Li Xuan, Syazana and Pei Sze. (These photos were mostly taken the next day in the morning by Li Xuan)
The sliding door to the room and the toilet door, a story for my personal blog. (cr: Li Xuan)
Credits to Li Xuan
Credits to Li Xuan
Credits to Li Xuan
Credits to Li Xuan
I took the other side of the room with a futon and unpacked everything to repack and prepare for Disneyland. You'll see :)
The four of us got our things for the baths and quickly went over before it would close for the night. Some of them wanted to swim at the huge pool, but it was already closed.
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| Credits to Li Xuan |
One cleaner was kind enough to (attempt to) explained the facilities provided to me. We both went in to the bath area fully clothed and garnered a lot of stares from the ladies enjoying the facilities. She showed me the shower area, the aroma bath, jacuzzi-type bath, the "normal" ofuro, sauna, "cool-down" area, massage areas, and both the outdoor and indoor onsen, which was really cool. She also showed me the hot stone/hot room facilities, which was outside of the bath area.
Pei Sze, Li Xuan, Syazana and I tried all the facilities! We were only there for one night because it was expensive. I feel that we should have had more time there, at least, and more time with the homestay family. Maybe they should've been put on separate nights.
The first stop was the aroma bath, which was rose-scented and rose-coloured! Mr Hazen told us later that he's been before, but that was the first time he saw a coloured aroma bath.
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| Credits to Li Xuan |
We then went to the outdoor onsen, which was the coolest part, I think. There was an artificial waterfall you could sit under and you can look out to the outside area, all the way to the lighthouse.
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| Credits to Li Xuan |
Next, we tried the indoor onsen, in which was really humid and I nearly fainted again.
After that, we went to the jacuzzi ofuro, which released oxygen bubbles from the floor of the bath. It was quite ticklish.
Then, we went to the normal ofuro, which actually also featured jacuzzi seats. There was also a kiddy ofuro next to it with rubber duckies, how cute? I was really tempted to go in there.
Right outside of it were these stone seats that had water pouring down onto your back, and hot water at your feet.
Finally, we tried the sauna and showered, leaving the bath area. Intermittently, I had to cool down with the cold water provided outside the sauna, because I got really warm.
I had wanted to try the hot stones but I felt slightly dizzy at that point, and it was getting late, so we went back to the hotel room. On the way, we met Mr Hazen, who told us that people could also just pay to use the facilities instead of staying the night.
Instead of just going to sleep after the whole day, the girls headed to the boys’ room to play some card games. It was quite fun - I also messaged Yumika on LINE then.
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| I'm in the corner adjusting the charger ha ha. (cr: Mr Ng) |
Then, we got tired and went back to our room to sleep - I managed to stuff everything into my luggage! I’m quite proud of that.
