Research Adventures in Japan Chapter 1: Plane...Plane....Plane...TRAIN!

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Konichiwa! Thanks for joining me on my adventures in Japan this summer! I'll be posting every weekend for the next 9 weeks. In general, you can expect a good mix of science and cultural experiences with plenty of pictures of both! This first post is going to be heavy on the culture since I just arrived 3 days ago.


So to start things off: Why am I in Japan this summer?

    I received a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship to perform scientific research. JSPS uses these fellowships to further scientific research and build lasting collaborations and relationships with scientists across the globe. So huge thanks to them for this opportunity!



Okay...So What's the Science?

    I'll be spending the next 9 weeks under Dr. Misato Hayashi at the Japan Monkey Centre. We'll be comparing the cognition of different primate species across groups (so our goal is to use lemurs, monkeys, and apes). This weekend I'm starting construction of our testing apparatus so stay tuned next week to see if I get it built or if it's total chaos!


Getting to Japan

    To get to Inuyama, I took three planes, stayed at a hotel, and then got on a train for the first time. Not speaking much Japanese and only having traveled internationally once before in a large group, I was pretty nervous. Luckily, everyone I've met has been SUPER friendly. I had a man who wasn't even an employee offer to help me at the train station as I stared at one of the signs, slowly reading the hiragana! I've found if you say "Sumimasen...watashi no nihongo heto desu." or "I'm sorry...my Japanese is bad" you'll get a friendly laugh and an offer to speak English or some very animated signing and slowed down Japanese.

My first view of Japan after over 13 hours on a plane. Worth it!


Hotel near the airport in Nagoya. The toilet did have instructions for the bidet/seat warmer! The center picture was my view during breakfast!

Settling In

    Dr. Hayashi was nice enough to pick me up from the train station ("eki"), so after running some other errands she helped me pick up my apartment key and move in. The apartment is similar in size to studio apartments I've seen in Alabama but set up a little more efficiently. Bonus: it's walking distance from Inuyama Castle (pictures next week)!

My apartment (pictures of living/bedroom area coming soon...after I unpack!). Lots of efficient storage space. Yes, the sink is built into the toilet! 

    Today I went with another JSPS fellow to lunch and she was kind enough to walk me through a nearby grocery store after. Generally, you can get the same basics available in the US. The major differences: TONS of fresh produce and a relative lack of a frozen food section. Stores generally do not bag your purchase so I brought my own bag and even remembered my umbrella. Unfortunately, I buried it under my groceries and got properly soaked. Lesson learned -- keep your umbrella handy at all times!

Lunch from Saigon Dining and my first grocery haul from a Japanese Super Market.

Next week: Testing of research methods/materials (and hopefully some lemur pictures!) and a trip to Inuyama Castle!  Until then, sayonara! 

Location: Inuyama, Aichi, Japan

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