After the escapade at the 100 yen restaurant, we explored a Japanese arcade, making bets on toy horse racing and not quite understanding some of the games we played. It was a wonderful evening, setting the stage for our next two days in Yokohama and Zushi.
Yokohama is about an hour northwest from Yokosuka, and is home to 1) one of the world’s largest Chinatowns, 2) one of the world’s largest ferris wheels, and 3) one of Japan’s baseball stadiums.
1) Although largely uneventful, it was great to explore Chinatown, home to far too many panda trinkets, Hello Kitty trinkets, and Hello Kitty-inside-of-a-panda trinkets. I drank pearl milk tea, ate steamed pork buns, and resisted the variety of panda-shaped desserts cooking on little street-side stove tops. After our exploration of the area, we decided to ride the ever-famous ferris wheel before we made our way to the much talked-about Japanese baseball game.
2) All the rain I’ve experienced thus far in Japan has consisted of light to moderate showers that lasted a couple hours, at most. So, when we felt a few raindrops on our heads as we walked towards the ferris wheel, we assumed it wouldn’t be that big of a deal. False. It turned out to be the most intense thunder storm I had ever been a part of. Dark, imposing rain clouds, waterfalls of rain down staircases, strong wind and lightening every 10 seconds or so. Everyone took cover in a nearby shopping center, except for the three of us crazy Americans, who ran out into the rain to take pictures and videos, clearly excited by the insane change in weather. Ten minutes later, in what I have since learned is typical of Japan weather patterns, it was bright and sunny. Not a cloud in the sky. And HOT. Thanks for the heads up, Japan.
3) Naturally, the ferris wheel closed during the storm, and our hopes for a post-storm reopening were brutally crushed. Still, being the FLEXIBLE and ADAPTABLE Camp Adventure counselors that we are, we made our way to Yokohama stadium to see what the hype about Japanese baseball was all about. We were not disappointed. First off, the Japanese are probably the most enthusiastic, organized, and polite fans I have ever met. Forget the drunken slurring and swaying from American baseball games, the Japanese are in it to win it. Everyone rooting for the same team knows the same cheers, which they all sing in unison at the direction of a leader down at the front of the seats. Best yet, there is no booing, and opposing team supporters take turns cheering. Only when their respective team is up to bat do they start yelling and clapping. I find this entire set-up to be hilarious, since out in public, on the trains, wherever you happen to find yourself, the Japanese are quiet and reserved. I know now that they are all hoarding their energy for baseball.
The next day at Zushi Beach was nice and relaxing (once we found it. Thanks travel agency lady for the map!) We chatted with bartenders, whose restaurants are right on the beach (rebuilt every year due to tsunamis and such), and waved to the groups of Japanese guys who kept yelling “Hi girl! Hi girl!” It was wonderful to just relax, and we definitely needed the energy for what was to be the best adventure (in my opinion) of the weekend.
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