This blogpost covers the day of April 11th, 2023 while in Kyoto.
Started the morning off decently well heading towards ‘Nakau – Shichijo Shimmachi’, a similar chain as on the other side of Kyoto Station. Went there to eat a quick meal keeping my “over-ordering” in check. I didn’t want to over-eat, nor over-order. The Japanese locals following me on Twitter/X were always shocked & surprised to find how much I keep ordering, even in mistake.
My plan for the day was to visit the railway museum for the trains (as noted upon arrival in Kyoto), Go-O-Jinja Shrine for KanColle’s Takao memorial, and to even hopefully visit Kyoto Palace. I would also venture to Nijo Castle, and a slow walk back to my inn by foot playing Pokemon GO.
It was mostly a great day, if sadly sprinkled with “some” negativity. It is what it is, and that’s life, I guess.
Related Blog Posting (Japan Travel):
[Day 1] – [Day 2] – [Day 3] – [Day 4] – [Day 5] – [Day 6] – [Day 7] – [Day 8] – [Day 9] – [Day 10] – [Day 11] – [Day 12] – [Day 13] – [Day 14] – [Day 15] – [Day 16] – [Day 17] – [Day 18] – [Day 19] – [Day 20] – [Day 21]
Attempted Foreigner Suicide – Twitter & Japanese News Segment:
[Note: I have to note this prior to going back to the Japanese happy thoughts. We have to be aware of both the good and the bad. People keep trying to hide in ignorance, even avoiding my other blog posts in the process. You have to accept Japan at face value. I’m aware of it, even if I vented about it in a slightly exaggerated way for blogging purposes. I had to express what I was thinking in my mind in those previous 21 days, and after.]
Prior to my eating at Nakau, and even heading to the railway museum, I caught wind of a Tweet mentioning a foreigner attempting suicide in Japan on the night prior to this one. Both on Twitter and Japanese TV. They had a segment of it noting how a local Japanese schoolgirl used an translator application to keep the foreigner alive. It hit me hard noting I’m not the only one feeling somewhat rejected by society itself, something to which hit I’m now seeing other people attempting self-harm around the world. We’re in an overly brutal “loneliness epidemic”, and destroying everything. Fabric of society is falling apart.
It’s even highly encouraged by Western government, especially “assisted suicide”. Think I’m joking? Simply look at Biden and Trudeau (U.S.A & Canada), then you shall see the overly negative flaws of Western society. A fellow co-worker (whom I view as a great friend) took his life prior to my trip, only finding out about it after I had arrived back in Canada. He quietly took his own life in February to everybody’s shock. We wanted to know why, and how. You can’t even properly afford a home in Canada, nor are they being built in both an home or apartment form. It’s intentionally being scaled back while Trudeau happily shoves immigrants into Canada to intentionally overload the system. It’s intentionally done to break the system, as shown in Europe (France). People hate politics, yet this is the reality we face. People hate when I note this, yet people around us are perishing. Busou Shinki community has mostly rejected me after seeing me constantly vent, and I’m certain the KanColle community shall do the same. I can’t speak the truth, nor am I allowed to. Like others, and my coworker, I may be forced into silence, loneliness, and constant rejection.
I myself have considered time and again about taking my own life thanks to Ottawa’s grand delusions. Always bullying people, gaslighting people; Treating truckers, retail workers, nurses, bus drivers like absolute trash. Being ganged up on by both students and teachers at the same time, and even treated like a ghost, or like trash. Ottawa barely has any common sense, let alone respect. The news media corrupted and polluted people’s minds. It’s horrible. Everybody is a puppet of mainstream media. Barely anybody has a will of their own, it’s highly depressing. You’re not even allowed to live as a normal human being, only a hateful husk of yourself hating normal people; Hating on a normal nuclear family. Anything normal is shunned in Western society. All the fake corrupted people desire to be fake-Trans, spewing hatred and bigotry pretending everything is ‘Nazi’, ‘Racist’, or whatever idiocies they keep spewing. They’re brainwashed, yet they ironically label other people as what they themselves negatively claim others are. They even hate the Japanese for how free and creative they are. They have how traditional the Japanese are, even making spambot & fake Japanese Twitter accounts to pretend Japan is some falsely fake-political haven. It’s disgusting. No wonder people desire to kill themselves. Granted, it’s also because of over-work and lack of a life in Japan, but that’s half of the equation here.
I wanted to kill myself so many times, yet it’s thanks to traditional Europe, to Anime, and Japan I’m alive. I may indeed have screws loose, thank all the constant bullying and harassment I’ve gone through, I however achieved things people are now jealous and envious of. Both on a positive and negative level. I’m forgetting how to be human, yet desire to be one. It’s being less encouraged in my area. Having fun in Japan (as a tourist) woke me back up seeing what normality looks like again. I genuinely 100% desire to go back to Japan, yet it has to also allow me back there.
In short: People may allegedly see that as rambling and ranting, I view it as necessary and normal. I have to note the seriousness of social degradation and suicide. We’re all thinking about it, we have to revert back to normality. I’ve considered suicide on numerous occassions, and I’m sure many others around me have as well. One even successfully took his life. It’s depressing.
What a rough world we live in, and it’s all the world leader’s fault. No joke. They intentionally desire us to suffer, including Prime Minister Kishida. It’s all a grand scheme. Both foreigners and Japanese people are intentionally suffering for the amusement of the Elites.
(Japanese people need to also purge Japanese political accounts of Western influences, they desire to destroy Japan from within through puppet accounts and bots. Be cautious! If they have Trans flags in their name then block them ASAP, regardless of their status. They’re playing with you; Taking advantage of your Japanese kindness and good will. Trojan Horse tactics & salami slicing tactics.)
It’s nice to see normal Japanese and foreigners are still playing on the same team by having one another’s back! That’s the way things should be! Now that I’ve once again noted this I’m certain people shall reject me even more. It’s always the case, and it’s always depressing. I want things to be normal again.
Onwards to Kyoto’s Railway Museum!:
With the whole Japanese & foreigner suicide topic noted, we can finally get back to the Japanese escapism by visiting touristic destinations, such as museums and shrines. Need to look at what makes Japan awesome. I also need to acquire the stamps. I also planned to visit this museum in order prior to visiting Go-O-Jinja Shrine because of travel options. I would visit the museum first, then the shrine with Takao’s memorial, and then Kyoto. Location accessibility.
I also chose to walk because riding a bike seemed too tedious for me. I also loosely feared I may end up accidentally breaking a few Japanese laws which may get me needlessly in trouble. I favoured walking for convenience, even if it caused me back issues with sweating more than desired with how bloated my backpack is of stuff.
Looking at this tram reminded me of Vancouver’s tram museum located in Richmond. I visited it previously. Also briefly thought of how useless the City of Ottawa is unable to get their LRT system up and working.
Gradually made my way to the Train museum, even paying for my ticket. I was lightly guided, if at all. Slowly proceeded to the main area taking in the whole scenery. The trains, the people, the vibe. I was trying to take the whole experience in.
Once I reached this main lobby area I went towards the middle of the front (near the entrance) to a ink stamp location. I stamped whatever I could, even allowing the ink to briefly dry. I was happy, and proud. I’m loving my ink stamp book.
I was basically looping around the museum once or twice. Even hung around the kid area slightly just seeing what was in the area (behind the JR 500 train). The kids were driving me slightly mad with how they kept setting off the alarm to the railway network whenever the gates would settle. I guess I’m too old now when I simply desire things to be in their intended role. When I see things going against the grain (train wise, of society wise) I simply desire some order to be in place. I know kids are kids, and I should allow kids to be kids. Just seeing the kids constantly setting off the alarm (for demonstration) just made me depressed. It’s like seeing a fire alarm in school constantly getting pulled and reset, it’s …. off putting, or at least for me.
I’m going to assume I’m simply too far emotionally damaged that simple things like kids constantly triggering the gate alarm depresses me too much. I worry too much about things, and I’m not allowed to have normal things, also because of how sabotaged society is. Annoyed, I continued exploring the museum. I decided to venture up to the second floor.
I tried piloting the train after someone gave up on it. I tried figuring it out, if briefly. A group of tourists rushed me at one point to which I simply rage-quitted the area and left them have it. I’m not even allowed to play-test a train set. My god…. I’m getting agitated by other people a little too much. The social peer pressure was too much and I got annoyed. It’s all yours, screw you. Knock yourselves out…..
Exploring the second floor was indeed interesting. The brief moment I could pilot the train was neat, I however also had fun exploring the various seats and ticket gates. I wish I took pictures of those. People were fiddling with the ticket gates, printing out tickets (think JR Rail Pass), and other neat fancy displays. I sadly became irritated when other museum goers were playing too long with the ticket machine. I waited, and waited. Even my fellow foreigners (Older, or elderly appearing) were trying to have their tickets printed.
Kids were being kids, and I was simply getting agitated having to wait long. I never did get my personalized museum ticket. I simply moved on, finding new areas to visit.
I need to find a proper train sim or a train game with proper trains in them.
Feeling satisfied, I decided to venture to the other side of the museum. Tried to venture towards the trains out in the rounded train yard.
Was a bit of a struggle trying to figure out how to get there, though eventually reached my next destination. Slightly a round-about way of getting there.
Once satisfied, I went to the back of the train shed to obtain some coin tokens with trains on them. Even train gacha toys, and some other small trinkets. Nothing big. Just coins and one gacha train toy.
I proceeded to make my way through the gift shop, explored it briefly, even venturing out through the vintage building I made note of prior to entering. Time to head to my next destination!
I constantly kept debating in my mind on how to reach my next destination. I considered a bus, a taxi, and even how to reach a proper JR line train. I kept trying to loosely flag down taxis, they however fled before I could flag one down, or even were in areas I was unable to flag one. I simply walked to Kyoto Station, if slightly annoyed. I however enjoyed the walk because I could take in the various hidden sides of Kyoto. The side streets, daily life of Kyoto, etc.
Stopped off a nearby 7/11 for Sushi and treats, even capturing the attention of locals nearby. I accidentally stared at them longer than I should have, they were even being somewhat curious about what I was doing. Just eating sushi and some light snacks. Drinking water as well. Threw out my trash and proceeded to the next destination.
(Side-note: This may have occurred either enroute to the museum, or exactly as noted in this moment of transit. My memory is fading of various situations happening in Japan.)
I basically walked from the Train Museum to Kyoto Station to pick up the Marutamachi train for Go-O-Jinja Shrine. Needed to finally reach Takao’s shrine before it was too late, has was the case the day previous. I missed out on Takao’s shrine yesterday. Needed to visit her today, and for sure.
Go-O-jinja Shrine:
As suggested by a KanColle Admiral I had to visit this shrine for Takao’s Memorial. To my surprise, I would also be greeted by the ‘Year of the Rabbit’ plaque, and even Demon Slayer’s Inosuke Hashibira Shrine. The theme of the shrine themes up with Inosuke Hashibira, makes sense.
Year of the Rabbit & Boar shrine.
This is due to a shrine legend that tells how during the travel on his way to exile to Usa, Wake no Kiyomaru was attacked and suffered a leg injury, but was saved by 300 wild boars that saved him and protected him until the end of his journey.
For this reason, the Shrine is also known as the ”Wild Boar Shrine” and has statues of boars instead of the traditional komainu statues seen at Shinto Shrines.
Wild boar statue at the Shrine.
Wikipedia
The shrine is also known as a place to pray for the well-being of children and child rearing, as Wake no Kiyomaru’s sister, Wake no Hiromushi, is said to have taken care of 83 children who lost their families due to war. Wake no Hiromushi is also enshrined at the site as a child-rearing deity.
Even though I dislike Wikipedia for spouting fake political nonsense, poorly cited on Youtube videos, I still have to quote from it for historical and blogging purposes. Teachers note not to source from Wikipedia for it can be easily fabricated, and it has been.
- Takao’s Shrine
I’m well aware people would much rather I place KanColle’s Takao over the shrine instead of an Azur Lane one. If KanColle wasn’t so “reclusive” (hiding in its shell) I would have. KanColle hates foreigners, hence why I’m using Azur Lane’s AR mode. KanColle developers and Kadokawa both need to accept proper foreigners again, or forever rest in despair and financial ruin. Make KanColle fun again.
I need to thank Tori (KanColle Admiral) for pointing me this way, and may other locations.
Maybe it’s rude and disrespectful for Takao to flash her panties, I’m using whatever I’m given. Provide me better tools and I’ll do things properly. Make KanColle fun again and give me more designs for Azur Lane characters.
Also, to my surprise, I’ve come across Demon Slayer’s Inosuke Hashibira shrine here. Makes sense, being a Wild Boar shrine, and all that.
If one had to make note of their zodiacs and horoscopes, I’m both an Aries and a Rabbit. If one is serious about their astrology one can note my temper being that of an Aries, and my softness being that of a rabbit. Many people do not take it seriously so I’m only noting this for blogging purposes. People laugh and scoff at the thought of astrology.
Even so, I’m proudly an Aries and a Rabbit. I believe it’s the Year of the Rabbit which finally allowed me to venture to Japan, and such a positive note, even if I had noted negative experiences in parallel with positive ones. Life is life, and I’m proud to have been in Japan.
The Rabbit gods of the year had finally allowed me to venture to Japan, and I highly respect and thank the respectful Deities for allowing me to do so. Sure, I did not pray at this shrine, as I had others, I however still show high, and great respect for me being in Japan. I genuinely believe the Rabbit Year allowed me to finally venture into Japan, and to experience all things previously denied by Ottawa, Anti-Anime friends, Dutch Anime/gaming friends, etc.
Thank you for allowing me to experience the Japanese culture and sceneries after 20+ years of waiting, planning, and plotting. Granted, it’s still too much to ask for a significant other. That’s still out of my grasp. I’m still too much of a piece of trash to people.
After having paid my own version of respect to ‘The Year of the Rabbit’, Boar shrine, and Demon Slayer shrine containing Inosuke, I made my way next door to Kyoto’s Imperial Palace.
Kyoto’s Imperial Palace:
I took a bit of a breather at Kyoto’s Imperial Palace area. Various benches placed around, and even a few tourists and locals resting around. It was here I had lost my newly acquired Scathach badge (from Tokyo) to which I spent the next ten minutes mourning its lose on Twitter. Was trying to figure out where I had lost my Scathach badge. I even ate some snacks, tweeting things in general.
I openly stated I would have to obtain a Scathach replacement item, something I would eventually obtain in Sapporo. I had to replace my Scathach pin somehow.
Well, damn. I can’t make another trip here. I cursed how I wasn’t allowed in blaming my luck and fortune. Maybe I really do have to become fully Japanese, even if I’m a foreigner, or something. Fully immerse myself in superstition. Either way, I’m fine. I’m not all that bothered, even if I’m dramatic for blogging purposes. Noting things both in reality and what I was thinking and considering at the time.
(Note: Not dramatic for dramatic sake, but slightly exaggerated because that’s how human emotions work.)
A fellow tourist even asked the police what was going on, to which they were informed the place was closed and that they should try again tomorrow. I can’t, I have to be in Osaka, and then Sapporo.
I took the above and below image after hearing cases of foreigners climbing Sakura trees in Japan. I adopted their frustration desiring to call them out, yet shouldn’t. It’s also not a Sakura tree so it’s a non-issue. I’m a foreigner, not Japanese. I took this image because a kid was climbing a tree and it’s not my place to yell at people. I shouldn’t become that angry elderly person yelling at people to get off the lawn.
What I SHOULD do is yell at fellow foreigners for disrespecting Japan’s rules, but only if they intentionally do so.
Instead, I’ll back pedal to make note of people having a grand time in Japan, how neat the pathway is, and how vehicles passing through is neat.
Nijo Castle:
Basically sped-walked my way to Nijo Castle as my final destination.
Sadly, no images were captured. I even accidentally scolded a guy for using a camera when they shouldn’t have. They were probably using it for informational purposes, to which I want to apologize for. I was becoming full of myself, and I needed to revert to my more reserved Canadian self. I’m accidentally picking up on the wrong Japanese behaviours.
“Monkey sees, Monkey do.”
I need to keep Japanese affairs to the Japanese. It’s just, I’m angry with abusive foreigners and tourists betraying the Japanese themselves. We’re guests, we need to keep Japan proper and clean.
I also made note of the overly traditional rooms with varying decorations. The tigers, the flowers, branches, and such. Even Japan’s take on weirdly designed Tigers and Lions, not having personally seen them themselves. Only by verbal communication. Basically second hand information.
The place was going to be closed down soon so I rushed to the exit skipping certain exhibits and displays, yet still admired whatever I could. Hastily grabbed my shoes, rushed to the next zone to find it was either being renovated, or none available. Rushed for no reason.
Now feeling untied and unrushed, I took many rests and breathers on another bench. I checked Twitter, and various other Google Maps oriented stuff. I even tended to Azur Lane, and eventually Pokemon GO. Might as well play Pokemon GO in Japan.
Briefly sat in the area once again to make use of Pokemon GO’s AR function. Tried getting Ho-Oh to fly above water in the moat, it refused. Frustrated by Pokemon GO I decided it was time to move on.
Whoever played Pokemon GO here (defending their gym) at this Nishi Hongan-ji Temple sure is hardcore. They had overly active people it was insane. They over-healed their Pokemon, brought them back, and held their grown in brutal force. I was able to waste 1 hour battling Pokemon here looking like a fool. Just standing there, appearing like a fool.
I’ve wasted a lot of time, effort, and needless time here. I could have been searching for food instead. I was also surprisingly close to my Inn.
I tried seeking out various other restaurants to only give up. I found certain places closed, out of reach, or inaccessible, to which I simply raged my way to Kyoto Station. Not anger, just defaulting to my new standard.
I had a decent time searching for a food joint, eventually coming across this place. It’s an underground restaurant at Kyoto Station. I paid for my ticket, waited in line, eventually allowed to go in. I had a decent time.
[Travel Journal Log: Ate, was looked down upon, even as I left.]
Maybe it’s true, maybe it isn’t. The place was busy and I left when I the staff weren’t looking.
I then had to cautiously make my way back to my Inn. At one point I had to run so fast back to my inn (speed walking, not running) because I was nearly going to soil my pants. I had to rush as fast as I could prior to destroying my lower half. I barely made it back to my inn, and safely. RIP the toilet. Too much information? Maybe. I was however relieved to be back at my hotel.
Ramen always destroys my gut. I have to always be near a toilet for a good 20 minutes after eating one.
The rest of the night was spent catching up on Twitter, Azur Lane, and even playing games on my Steam Deck. I played a Kairosoft ‘Paradise’ game for the first time.
Final Disclaimer (Suicide & politics related):
I had to seriously note the Japanese suicide incident of having saved a foreigner because it’s a serious issue. I myself thought of suicide numerous times, and I have to renote it thanks to people (friends, locals, Government) who encourage suicide on a media-parroting level. I was betrayed by Dutch Anime-gaming friends, even taunted and mocked by them. They sidelined me treating me like trash. Same with locals in Ottawa. I was being bullied by both students and teachers alike, even voided of human value. People pretended I didn’t exist, always belittling and degrading me. At the time traditonal Europe kept me alive. I thought of suicide, suffered heavy depression, and suffered from trust issues thanks to the constant betrayals all around. That’s all people seem to be able to do, betray. Betray, betray, betray. People don’t know what friendship and loyalty means, only bullying people, gaslighting, and voiding their existence. Students bullied me, teachers gaslighted and bullied me. Constantly harassed and abused. I’m basically trash to Ottawa, and I hate Ottawa because of it. I’m not seen as human to them.
Busou Shinki community briefly respected me, though sadly sidelined me as well. You know how things go, because everything is always my fault. Granted, I do vent too much. KanColle? I’ve seen the same, or similar behaviours. Both respect and sidelining. It’s hard to be friends, or even share things which makes you human. I simply see people eager to sideline. I genuinely hate my Dutch ex-friends who betrayed me on the drop of the hat (all thanks to fake politics), yet thankful to those who treat me like humans from 2017 onwards; Have stuck with me from 2000 onwards treating me properly. Needed VRChat from 2017-2019 to return my emotionally damaged and betrayed self back to normal.
It took Japan, Anime, and Japanese games to be humanized again. I admired everything Japan, and admire Japan deeply for its more deeply rooted philosophical, creativity, and inspiration nature. Canadians refuse, Japan happily however expresses themselves. Sadly, normal Westerners don’t know how to view philosophical side of Anime, only hijack it for their egoistical means. Westerners (I befriended) watch the mainstream Anime, even refusing to expand their horizons into more obscure Anime. Everything they allege “sucks” is actually worthy. Hivemind of society is destroying everything that is genuine in Anime.
Even when having traveled to Japan I’ve noticed both sides of Japan – The loneliness and the hospitality. I’ve experienced it both. I’ve even seen fake Japanese political accounts encouraging suicide by going Trans, by voting Americanized Liberals in Japan, and even freely sharing NTR porn on those same political accounts. I’ve seen fake Japanese Twitter accounts with fake Trans flags. Fake following for morally corrupted foreigners pretending to admire Japan. Too much of it is fake. I can only respect people who are genuinely honest, and that’s few and far. I miss J-Vloggers from pre-2006. TkyoSam is still present, though Roger Swan was awesome. He was neutral. Tkyosam, Roger Swan, Tokyo Cooney, and a few others. It’s honestly a shame CNN & Vice News (and other corrupted foreigners) desire to destroy our sacred ground of normality; To destroy Japan. PM Kishida is killing Japan, and everything is being salami-sliced into oblivion.
In short: Suicide shouldn’t be the option, though with how harsh the world is, Japan and Anime is our escapism. Japanese games & Anime appear to be our escapism. Nature appears to be our escapism. I need to once again thank Japan for their hospitality, yet on the loneliness epidemic problem Japan needs to sort its social issues out. Make people whole again. Make people have fun together again. Everybody keeps avoiding each other. Let’s be wholesome like romance Anime, but in moderation. We’re in this together.
Thanks for reading! Thanks for viewing, and sorry some things had to be sprinkled with negativity. Not everything goes smoothly. You have to make the most of your situation, sometimes even cherry pick from them. You have to make note of both the good and the bad to make it a fond and nostalgic memory. 🙂