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When I first arrived in Japan I taught lessons about traveling since it is my passion in life. I told my students about all the incredible places I had been and intended to go, including places like living on a boat for a week in the countryside of England, eating the best baguettes in the world in the south of France, hiking the Swiss Alps, scuba diving in Mexico, drinking Czech beer in Prague, riding a camel in Tunisia, and wandering the canals and red light district of Amsterdam (now I am just bragging!). As the year went on I boasted about hiking Fuji-san, riding a bicycle to Shikoku, and my desire to harvest rice. All these amazing things did nothing for my students. I soon realized that a) leaving Japan was not high on their priority lists and b) the temples of Kyoto were about as exciting to them as riding a cable car in San Francisco was to me.

The Happiest Place On Earth

Casey Lary
2007-04-27 21:49:04

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/>The Disney obsession in Japan is quite the phenomenon. Everything revolves around Mickey, Minnie and the rest of the gang. Other cartoon characters (Pokemon, Universal Studios characters and Totoro) are also very popular, but nothing holds a candle to Disney. Every person picks a favorite. Once chosen, they load up on stuff adorning that character. One of the teachers at my school loves Donald Duck. So, all over his desk he has Donald paper, pens, pencils, and folders. Winnie the Pooh, ie Pooh-san (my supervisor's daughters favorite) is HUGE here. I think Japan is the only country where I will see high school students toting around Disney characters on their cell phones, bags, pencil cases, belts, shoes, and pencils, and be considered really cool. In America, doing that is a straight ticket to nerdville. Having a favorite character is very important. Again, I think I have been in Japan way too long because I myself have chosen a favorite. His name is Rilakuma, 'Relaxing Bear.' He is this cute little brown bear and his whole premise is to eat and sleep all day. He is my Japanese Cal Bear. His main colors are blue and yellow- coincidence? I don't think so! He is not an actual Disney character, so maybe I am not THAT Japanese yet.

Prior to leaving for Tokyo, being the huge geek that I am, I printed out the rides and special events taking place at the two theme parks. I admit, I was ecstatic to go! When going to Disneyland how can you not be excited? Late Friday night the three of us boarded the shinkansen bound for Tokyo, reading up on Disneyland. Saturday morning I woke up early knowing that I was going to Tokyo Disney Sea! Larissa and Nikki bailed to go shopping (Mickey or shopping, was there a contest?) and it was Naomi and I heading out to (one of the) Happiest Places on Earth. When we stepped off the train, the atmosphere was already different, the hustle and bustle of Tokyo miles away. Other Japanese visitors were decked out in their Mickey ...