Sendai Adventures

Word of the Day: 動物 doubutsu—animal. 

This weekend, I visited Sendai, Iwate. Like every child raised in the early 1990’s I was a Pokemon fanatic. I wanted to be the very best (the best there ever was) at collecting cards, trading them, playing the game, and memorizing the original Pokemon. The big draw for anyone who loves Pokemon are the Pokemon Centers scattered throughout Japan. The flagship store in Tokyo is the largest, but recently a branch opened in Sendai! So of course it was worth the 3 hour drive! 

Pokemon has come a long way. It has seen several movies and now, it seems, several hundred new evolutions…over 300! I can’t say I’ve followed the Pokemon empire after the first two Pokemon movies (if Ash, Misty and Brock aren’t involved, I don’t give a Ratata’s ass) so there are now strange new Pocket Monsters that, in my not so humble opinion, look like a last ditch pipe-induced effort to keep a decades old industry scraping by. 

Admittedly, Pokemon is just as strong as ever. You have to admire a product that has such a strong draw that it’s following continues for generations! 

Take Eevee, for example: the cute fox/rabbit Pokemon. When I was a kid, Eevee could turn into three other Pokemon—Flareon (fire), Jolteon (electric) or Vaporeon (water). Now there are five ADDITIONAL evolutions. FIVE! What? Hey, Charles Darwin? You seeing this? Evolution of a species with radical genetic variants in only 10 years! Get on that!

But the reason for so many “eev-olutions?” Popularity. Eevee is one of a few of the more wildly popular Pokemon in Japan! Yes, it’s sort of a fad…like Pogs and Skippit…but seeing as Eevee has been popular enough to see five new variations recently, and taking into account deep-seated ideal of devotion and loyalty in Japan, you know this “fad” will certainly last longer in the hearts of Japanese children than Fruit Stripe gum’s flavor…

The joke being that Fruit Stripe’s flavor and popularity were both depressingly short-lived.

It doesn't get classier than Charizard cufflinks

The center itself is pretty small, crowded, hot and noisy…and a tad pricey, but hey, you didn’t come all the way down here just too LOOK at stuff, did you? You did?

Get out.

As for the rest of us, it’s a deliriously guilt-ridden shopping spree. My main objective was an Eevee plushie or pillow (no luck), but I managed to get away with a tin of cookies, a couple chocolates, a new iPhone cover and an Eevee charm…

A legit buy, yes?

A few words about my childhood. My parents were staunch believers that if you were going to buy a souvenir, you had to do it with your own money and it would mean more if the souvenir reminded you of where you had been. Otherwise, tough toenails. 

Some loot

Sometimes, it meant a little creative thinking, but for the most part, it’s a good system because it’s easier to remember why you bought that little knick-knack in the first place. So this Eevee charm counts as a legitimate buy because Eevee is clutching a hibachi and staring hungrily at two grilling pieces of cow tongue (the local specialty). And for good measure, “Sendai” is tattooed on the back of Eevee’s head.

Mom would be so proud.

Anyway! Eevee has a soft fluffy spot in my heart…along with Vulpix and Ponyta…so I was very eager to see the Sendai Pokemon Center. But while I was down there, why not make a pit stop and see some real animals? Enter the Yagiyama Zoological Park. Zoos are a hot button issue for some people. To me, it depends on the quality of the zoo. In Japan, real estate is at a premium, so it’s not unusual for a city zoo to be on the small side. There are a few exotic species of animal (lions, white rhino, monkeys and red or lesser pandas) and then…llamas, donkeys, the rare and exotic domesticated horse…

I’m on the fence about zoos. I love them. I love animals. I just don’t like seeing animals in small confined areas. But knowing little about animal psychology or habitat needs, I can’t argue too strongly against them. Zoos usually (yes, usually) take very good care of their animals to keep them active and healthy and drawing in the tourists. Better zoos will provide all kinds of special amenities to make sure the animal is happy and secure. And all things considered, for wild and rare species that aren’t doing so hot in the wild where there are predators, poachers and developing cities constantly encroaching on their natural habitats, sometimes, a zoo isn’t such a bad idea. A wildlife preserve is ideal, but let’s be honest with ourselves…they’re not bulletproof…

Which is my tongue in cheek way of commenting on ivory poachers in Africa who routinely break into elephant reservations. Tasteless? Maybe, but so it poaching.

Anyway, didn’t mean to get dour. I liked the Yagiyama Zoological Park. We stood around and watched the lesser pandas chasing each other, watched the sea hawks ripping into some tender morsels and had a stare off with the lions. I was pretty happy with the whole experience...getting to this zoo wasn’t exactly easy. There was a missed exit and finding the parking lot was a gas. I don’t like being caught off-guard when it comes to driving. It’s not a pretty picture and it’s not something I like about myself, but what’s a female lead without a few character flaws? My impatience may be legendary, especially when coupled with the fear that we wouldn’t make it to the zoo before they closed. 

The man and the raccoon regarded each other...

I only have myself to blame. I should have planned the timing better, but as usual, everything worked out just fine. 

On the way back, we made a pit stop at a rather manky looking second hand store. The main draw was the big beautiful coffee table in the shed off to the side, but once inside…incredible! The place was full of the most eclectic things including decorative samurai helmets, ceramic figurines, kimono, obi, geta, china vases, tea sets, porn, electronics and yes, the beautiful furniture outside. There wasn’t a price tag on the big stuff, but hey, the china vases were about 300 en and a kimono was about 900 en so who knows! I think a return trip is in order.

After such a long rewarding day, today has been all about staying close to home…and planning summer vacation! The big ticket item? A weekend trip to Tokyo! Don’t think a weekend is enough? Well, with an overnight ride on the Japanese night bus (sorry, fellow Potter-heads, no chandeliers or beds rolling around the bus…but a tiny half-blind driver is within the realm of possibility) means we’ll get to Tokyo at 7am. On the agenda, a few things:

·         The Imperial Palace

·         A few parks

·         Akihabara

·         Ueno Zoo

·         Temples aplenty

·         The giant Gundam

·         And more!

After that, there are still about two weeks of summer vacation, but that’s still up in the air. Of course, I want to be back in Kitakami for the big three day cultural festival that includes Oni Kenbai, Shishi Odori, fireworks and floating lanterns. There are also festivals in Aomori I want to see and some outdoor adventures I’m craving including waterfall climbing and grotto tours! 

Of course, all of that can wait. The big push for today was buying the night bus tickets and reserving a room in a hostel…and it was done! The spirits have done it all in one morning! No going back, this is happening! 

Just about one month left until this most excellent adventure takes off. Bring it on, July. Show me what you got!