This entry was posted on 2001-04-19
Tokyo Disneyland
So I really did it. I went to "the happiest place on Earth" -- Disneyland. Though this time I didn't have to travel to Anaheim, Orlando, or Paris. Just 15 minutes from Tokyo-eki on the Keiyo line is Tokyo's version of the Magic Kingdom. If it weren't for the Japanese writing and the Japanese people every where, I'd have sworn that I were in Orlando. But on the other hand, what could the Japanese possibly love more than Disney? It's cute, full of interesting characters, and very American. It only makes sense that there is a Disney theme park right outside of Tokyo.
Why, of all places in Japan, did I choose to go to Disneyland? I could've used my time here to do something more cultural -- visit a shrine or a museum -- anything but Disneyland. Well, to me, Disneyland is the perfect place to study contemporary Japanese culture. It is interesting to watch how the Japanese behave there and react to what they see as "American culture." At Disneyland, a lot of Japanese cultural norms were forgotten. I observed people walking while munching on food, butting in line, obeying the no smoking rules, etc. Fathers were pushing baby strollers, carrying and feeding their children, as well as mothers. For the Japanese, it almost seemed as if a day at Disneyland was like a day of entering another culture and defying standard cultural norms and etiquette.
Of course, I also wanted to ride Pirates of the Caribbean (I only road twice this time. The record: 20 times at Disneyland Paris).
Will I go back to Tokyo Disneyland? Probably not. It was on the expensive side and there is so much more that I want to see and do in this country. But it was something that had to be done once. There, I got it out of my system. Now tomorrow I can visit the museums in Ueno and stroll down Waseda-dori.
As far as what I did at Tokyo Disneyland, here is a short recap (I am not going to go into detail about the sights and the rides, because it's all exactly the same as any other Disney park):
I arrived around 10 am, one hour after the 9 am opening. I headed straight for Pirates of the Caribbean. Of course I wanted to make sure that I was on the right track, so I asked. I learned (or re-learned, I probably learned it at some point and forgot it) a new vocabulary word: pirate=kaizoku, which literally translates into "sea thief." I like how Japanese can be so literal at times. I was very happy once I found the ride. There was no wait (despite what the guidebooks say about long queues for all the rides, the longest wait I had all day was about 10 minutes. I have a feeling it was less crowded because a) it rained in the morning (but by noon the sun was out) and b) it is a Thursday.). I jumped onto the boat and listened to the narrative of my favorite ride of all time in Japanese. It was really funny to hear Japanese being spoken with a "pirate accent."
After Pirates of the Caribbean, I headed over to It's a Small World. I know. I know. Mucho corny, cheesy, and fruity. But it's one of those guilty pleasures. Besides, that is my mom's favorite Disney ride, so I did it in her honor. I took note in the fact that there was no representation of either Canada or the United States. Weird. You'd think there'd be a grand old North American room, especially at Tokyo Disneyland. As soon as I got off the ride, I regretted going on it in the first place. That damn song stuck in my head for a good part of the morning.
The Snow White ride came next. Nothing special. No different from anywhere else. The car's sudden stopping and starting made me ill.
My final ride before lunch was Peter Pan. That has to be one of the coolest rides anywhere. I love "flying over London." I became very excited as I passed the crocodile.
Lunch time! Since it was my "American day in Japan," I exited the park (and got a re-entry stamp of course) and headed over to the Rainforest Cafe in this resort and shopping complex adjacent to Disneyland. The menu was pretty similar. I successfully ordered my pasta without the chicken. Since I am on vacation, and since I was at a place that I knew could make a decent frozen drink, I decided to order some alcohol. Not a very wise idea. After lunch, I felt inebriated. I walked around the shopping complex (and since I wasn't thinking clearly) spent too much money.
Back to Disneyland (I caught the "swanky hotel's" complementary shuttle bus for guests back to the park. It's not like the driver knew that I wasn't staying there.). Here is a very important lesson for all of my readers: don't ride Space Mountain drunk. Just don't do it. Besides the planets zooming at you (this time, unlike at Anaheim, not made of styrofoam, all laser. Therefore they (again unlike Anaheim) do not hit you in the head), when drunk on Space Mountain, you have other weird sensations. Not a good thing. As I was getting off the ride, I observed a group of business men on a company outing boarding the train, all wearing identical suits. That would have been a perfect picture.
Let me pause for a moment to explain how weird it was to see both business and school outings at Disneyland. The school children all wore their uniforms so it was easy to tell that they were on a field trip. Everyone believes (and for me most part, correctly) that the Japanese school system is so rigorous. But let me tell you, I never went on a trip to Disneyland throughout my 13 years of American public education. The kids looked like they were enjoying themselves. And why shouldn't they be? They're spending a school day at Disneyland.
After recovering from Space Mountain (And buying some food. Theme parks have a tendency to make me hungry. Ok, fine, between you and me, anything has a tendency to make me hungry), I headed over to the Haunted Mansion ride. There I had an experience very similar to a good friend of mine. I had this Japanese man (must have been at least 45 years old, probably older) following me around wanting to ride next to me. Hell no! A dark ride like the Haunted Mansion presents the perfect opportunity for a 40-something man to engage in perverted acts. I've been on enough Japanese trains to know that this country is home to quite a few groapers. Thank goodness I was able to lose him. I even let a few people go in front of me. Being impatient, that is something that I hardly ever do. I got in the car (alone) and after I exited the ride, never saw the man again. A good thing.
Next came the Thunder Railway, or whatever it's called (I forget). Not exciting.
After walking around for a bit and riding Pirates of the Caribbean a few more times, I headed for my final ride, the Pinocchio one. It was pretty nondescript, except that Jimmeny Cricket was adorable.
On my way out of the park, I met a boy. And unlike the dude near the Haunted Mansion, he was friendly, about my age, and very hot. Whoo hoo! He invited me out to some club in Chiba tonight. Damn! That's way too far to travel to go clubbing with someone I just met. He told me that he'd be performing (? -- a band boy????) in Shibuya next Wednesday. He invited me. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I leave on Tuesday! Finally, we were content in exchanging e-mail addresses. I promised to call him next time I am in Japan. We'll see how this one goes. I have dated a lot of Japanese boys. A lot of them are only interested in improving their English. But he seemed really cool.
Yes, so on Tuesday I have to leave this country. Will I be ready? Probably not. Out of all my experiences in Japan, this time has been the best by far. But I also know that I will return soon. Since I am starting graduate school in Japanese studies, this is my country of study. Of course I'll be making numerous trips back and forth. I'll probably live here again one day. And I am already looking into summer graduate study abroad programs in Tokyo for next summer (2002). Plus, when (if) I go on to work on my Ph.D, I'm sure I'll be living here for at least a year to do research. Probably more (Sensei was here for three years while she was working on her Ph.D). For me, Japan is more than just a travel destination. It is my study and my life. It's really a second home to me. I love this place and know that I will be returning very soon.
I can't wait to start graduate school and continue to study this place in an academic setting (unlike some foreigners here who study through anime, and fucking as many Japanese as possible). I really do miss many of my major classes from college. Being here makes why I chose to study Japan and Japanese so clear. I am in heaven.
Tomorrow I hope to head to some of Tokyo's famous museums near Ueno. I am also interested in visiting one of Tokyo's oldest onsen (there aren't many onsen left in Tokyo). I also really need to start shopping for souvenirs to bring to my friends back home. I already got Suzanne's present, but I have a list of people I need to buy stuff for.
Four more full days in Japan. I plan to use every second wisely. Speaking of which, I should head out to Shibuya. There are some small bars that I want to try.
Mata ashita!