Two Earthquakes!

Last night I was talking to my mum on the phone. It was about 1am, when suddenly the room started shaking. I felt the bed rock first, then I saw the wardrobe shudder, and the door was banging about in its frame. I couldn't hear it, so I knew it wasn't as big as the last earthquake. It was very strange, saying into the phone "Ooh! Earthquake!!"

The shuddering lasted for maybe 30 seconds, and then subsided. It was the first time I'd actually seen the effects of an earthquake on my room, because all the other times I've felt a tremour I've been asleep or nearly asleep.

I went to bed, and about 30 minutes later, there was another quake! I assume this one was an aftershock, or the first one was a "pre-shock" or something, because this one was bigger. I could hear and feel it. The room shook again, and I actually felt a bit of motion-sickness from the swaying.

This one lasted the same amount of time, but was stronger. I was a bit worried as two earthquakes in a short space of time seemed a bit ominous. I checked the Japan Meteorological Agency's website and sure enough, two minutes after the quake, there was information about it. So efficient! 100 miles north of Tokyo, in the Tohoku region of Japan, there had been an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale. This is relatively big, but I haven't heard of any damages or deaths. There's more information about this quake here.

I did check, just to be sure, to see if they thought the quake was related to the Tokai earthquake (the big one that is meant to strike Tokyo and Yokohama every 60 years and is long overdue) but it wasn't. So I could sleep easy! You can view information about what to do at the various warning levels of Tokai prediction and see current circumstances on the website.

It does make you think though, if a large earthquake was to strike Tokyo soon, the damage and death toll would be horrendous. And there is no 'if' about it, there will be other large earthquakes, it's a guarantee.

The earth is a very powerful thing, if we could feel a tremour from 100 miles away, what would it feel like if the epicentre was under Tokyo? Scary, huh?!

Family Visit: Nishiki Market & Return to Tokyo

On the morning of our last day in Kyoto, and last full day in Japan, we wanted to do something during the day, before catching the 17.02 Shinkansen back to Tokyo. I would have loved to see Kiyomizu-dera or Fushimi Jingu, but unfortunately we didn't have time. I hope to return to Kyoto to see the sights I missed.

Instead, we went somewhere someone had recommended to me at Gaba. It was Nishiki Market, about 30 minutes walk from Kyoto station.

It was another bright, warm day, but there was a cloud hanging over my mind. I couldn't push the sadness out of my head, I knew that this time tomorrow I would be on my own again.

We stopped at a couple of nice sights on the way, and my mum took a photo with a Glamour magazine in front of a nice temple, so she could enter the 'Around the World Photos' competition. We had lunch in a small restaurant and then headed into the market.

It was full of everything you could want to buy. There was clothing, jewellery, and most of all, food! There was such a wide variety of strange foodstuffs, and the smells ranged from enticing to frightening.

The market stretched on for several buildings, all in one long straight line.


My brother and I met a devil holding cherry blossom!

The fruit is as huge here as it is in Tokyo! All those chemicals... We bought an apple and cut slices off it - it actually fed five of us!

After the market, we realised we didn't have time to walk all the way back to Kyoto Station, so we went to our nearest station after buying a bit more food to keep us going.

We got on an Express train and wanted to go two stops, then walk to Kyoto Station. But we didn't realise that the express train skipped the first stop, and then made our stop the first one. I was standing there reading the station name in kanji, when I suddenly thought, hold on, didn't we want this one? By the time I'd worked it out, the doors had closed and the train was on its merry way again. I exlained what must have happened, and we said we'd get off at the next station. But no so luck! The express train missed the next five stops before giving us a chance to turn back.

So the last part of our day was a little rushed! We got back to the hotel to collect our bags and everything on time though, and then got to the station to catch our train.

We settled into our seats, as you can see on this photo on my Dad's Flickr page.

And then we were off again, leaving Kyoto behind us. It really was amazing. It was such a pretty place, and so different to Tokyo. I think it's definitely a must for any visit to Japan.

The following are videos showing the view from the train. Sorry about the occassional reflection of my camera or my face!

You can also see the shots of Mt. Fuji taken from the train window.

By the time we got back to Yokohama and Tokyo, it was dark, and there were good opportunities to see the city all lit up!

The train journey back wasn't nearly long enough. I tried to speak to all of my family, saying the things I'd made mental notes to mention. The whole time I was being struck with waves of sadness and foreboding as the goodbye came closer.

We pulled into Tokyo station and collected our bags. It wasn't such a rush to get off the train this time as Tokyo was the terminal.

On the way to take my family to their platform, I realised that I couldn't bear to leave them here, even if I did intend to get up early and wave them off at the airport. It just wasn't enough time with them. I knew I'd regret it if I went back to my guesthouse and didn't spend one last night with them.

We discussed it and decided that we'd make it work. The relief that flooded through me was immense, my mind was completely full of thoughts of staying with them. Nothing else mattered.

Because the way I got to Narita Airport to collect my family was so long and arduous, we decided to take the JR Sobu line from Tokyo station straight through to Narita Airport. Unfortunately we didn't know you had to reserve the N'EX Narita Express train, so we took a normal train.

This wasn't the easiest thing in the world! The Express train that pulled in was very crowded already, so we dragged all our luggage in, and the train slowly filled up with more and more people heading out from work to the suburbs in Chiba Prefecture to the East.

The train journey was very uncomfortable, until the train started hitting the major suburban stations, like Funabashi and Chiba. Then the flow of people started to ease off and we could sit down and relax.

By the time we reached Narita Airport, there were only a few people left on the train.

I was with my family!

We entered the airport, all having flashbacks of when I met them a week earlier. The hotel was nearby, but all the taxis were long-distance. One driver spoke English and told us that there was a free shuttle bus going to our hotel. We arrived at the right bus stop and it was waiting there. We clambered aboard and were off! It was surprisingly simple.

The hotel was very nice, despite being only 3*, it had the feeling of a 4 or 5*. We went up to the rooms and ordered some food, watching Japanese TV. It was so nice to still be there with them. It was like an extension of the holiday.

We went to bed late, at gone midnight, and then slept well, because we needed to be up early for their flight.

What a mad rush of emotions. I was confused, happy, and sad all at the same time. Was any of it actually happening?

One thing was certain, we'd be saying goodbye again very soon.

Family Visit: To Kyoto & The Singing Castle

It was an early start of 7.30 on Tuesday. Well, 7.30 for me, my family had to be up earlier to pack their bags and check out of their hotel.

We met at 8.00 at Suitengumae station to take the Hanzoumon line to Tokyo station. They had to take all their luggage they brought with them so we all struggled up and down the escalators with the huge suitcases.

We went to Otemachi station and followed the twisting passages (and lots of escalators and stairs!) to JR Tokyo station.

I had previously reserved the Shinkansen tickets so we were all booked in for the 9.10 Nozomi 700 (the newest to date) to Kyoto.

We found our platform (number 14) without too much trouble and had nearly half an hour to spare.

Once we were there, all present and correct, I could relax and get excited about going to Kyoto. A few minutes later, the Shinkansen made its sleek entrance.



The Shinkansen are very modern and clean. They look like aeroplanes inside, and have infinitely more leg room, even by long-legged Western standards. There is room for luggage at the back of each carriage (there are usually 17 cars!!) and in the racks above the seats.

Usually carriages 1-3 or 5 are for unreserved passengers. I had a peek inside and was surprised to see that everyone had a seat! Maybe it's not so bad to not reserve, but I bet there's a rush to sit down as soon as the doors open.

Announcements were in Japanese and English (would you expect anything less?) and top news stories (in Japanese only) scrolled along the screen at the front of each carriage.

There was a trolley service with food and drink, and my brother kept asking me what "Anything from the trolley, dears?" was in Japanese.

The train was incredibly smooth but my mum and youngest brother felt a bit motion sick from the way the train seemed to bob up and down on the tracks as it sped across the landscape.

And speed it did. Before we knew it we had passed Nagoya (Japan's not-very-famous fourth largest city) and were well on our way to Kyoto.

Halfway through, a man entered and bowed deeply and then said something very quietly and quickly, before checking everyone's tickets.

The journey took 2 hours and 18 minutes in total, and arrived within the minute it was scheduled to. Apparently the average is that they get to their destination within 6 seconds of when they're supposed to. Wow.

We got our stuff ready before we pulled into Kyoto station because it didn't seem to wait for very long at each stop.

The machine swallowed our tickets as if they were ordinary train tickets as we walked into Kyoto station's famous high-roofed central hall. It was quite chilly in there but I've heard it's a lovely refuge from Japan's infamous heat and humidity in the summer months.


Because we booked quite late, all the traditional ryokan we would have liked to stay in, with tatami mat flooring and futons etc. were full. This meant my parents had to shell out for a 4-star hotel attached to Kyoto station itself, the Granvia.

It was very nice, but obviously very expensive! I'm so grateful as I'd never be able to stay there out of my own pocket.

We checked in and left our baggage with them, not being able to get into the rooms for a few hours. So we got straight on with touristing, by taking the subway (it's virtually the same as Tokyo's) to Nijo-jo mae station, to see Nijo Castle.

It may look like other similar places in Japan, but the difference is that the floors inside the castle as you walk through them squeak and sing like birds. It was designed to do this as a warning in case any intruders tried to break into the castle.

Sometimes it just sounded like creaky floorboards, but occassionally I would put my foot down and be met with a twittering just like dawnbreak. It was very different to other places I'd been to.

We were inundated by school-children visiting at one point. I actually thought Kyoto would be heaving with tourists, as it was cherry-blossom viewing season, but the weather was lovely (19C on one day) and it wasn't crowded at all. We were so lucky!
There were pretty gardens attached to the castle grounds.

After the castle, we took the subway back to Kyoto station, and wandered round the area, until we found a nice looking place for dinner.
The restaurant we chose had salt outside the door, I assume to ward off evil spirits.

This was the passageway leading up to the door. It was very atmospheric.

We were given the choice of a table, or a tatami room to ourselves, so of course we took the mat room.
Everyone's legs hurt by the end of the meal, but we had the proper Japanese experience of taking our shoes off, and going through the sliding doors and sitting on tatami, eating at a low table. Plus the food was delicious.

After that, we went for another wander round the area, and my brother Dominic hugged a random bear outside a hair salon.

Near the station is Kyoto Tower. It's not as impressive as Tokyo Tower, but it's a good landmark, as you can see it from most areas nearby.

We went back to the hotel and settled down for bed. The beds were lovely and soft, the type that you sink into and can just lie there feeling comfortable. Great!

Earthquake!

Okay, you might be a little disappointed after seeing that title.

But it's true, there was an earthquake two nights ago. Tokyo experiences earthquakes several times a day, but most are far too small to be noticeable.

This was the first one I've actually felt and been sure that it was an earthquake. It was about 2.30am and I was lying in bed trying to fall asleep, when I heard a faint rumble.

That rumble became more of a painful groan, and then my bed started shaking. At first I thought I might have been dreaming, but floating in and out of consciousness. But the bed was definitely rocking from side to side and there was a rumbling from the foundations of the building.

It lasted maybe 10-15 seconds, then everything was calm again and I fell asleep.

I asked people the next day, just to check that I wasn't imagining it, and yes! Tokyo de jishin!

It wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. However, I was half-conscious. It would have been much more worrying if I'd been standing up in the middle of the day and other people were around, then we were all thrown off balance by the earth's shudder.

Statistically, Japan has a major earthquake every 60 years, and the last one was in 1923. Scary, huh? Long overdue. If you did Geography, or are generally just knowledgeable, then you might be wondering what the 1995 Kobe Earthquake was if not a major earthquake. The Great Hanshin (as it's also called) earthquake killed around 5,000 people on January 17th 1995 in the Kansai port town of Kobe. The majority of the damage was caused by the collapse of a section of the Hanshin Expressway, which links Kobe and Osaka. The epicentre of the earthquake was under Awaji Island, in the Seto Inland Sea, which runs between Honshu and Japan's smallest main island of Shikoku. This island lies on the triple subduction zone of the Pacific, Eurasian and Phillipine tectonic plates, which originally created the Japanese archipelago. (And yes, I wrote all that from memory - I'm so sad, but it was my A-level CASE study!)

However, the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake was something else entirely. It flattened half of the Tokyo connurbation (one of the two reasons Tokyo is such a modern, and confusingly laid-out city now (the other was WWII bombing)), and killed an estimated 140,000 people (this figure includes missing people, but it's 90 years later and they haven't turned up). I just can't imagine that many people being killed from maybe a 20-second quake, it's terrible.

Fingers crossed the Tokai (the name given to this type of earthquake) earthquake chooses not to strike too soon. Or worse still, Mt Fuji deciding to become un-dormant and erupt for the first time in centuries.

A word of advice if you live in an earthquake-prone area. Turn off the gas during an earthquake! The majority of damage from an earthquake is done by fires resulting from burst gas pipes. Also, open a window or door to prevent jamming so you have an escape route. Then get under a strong structure, like a door or table.