Nagoya

I returned earlier this evening to Aizuwakamatsu from Nagoya after a short three days. I was unable to do any sightseeing because of the crappy weather and some proofreading work I had to do for a member in my lab. Still, I managed to enjoy myself during my trip to Nagoya.

The trips both there and back were completely uneventful. And by uneventful, I mean that I was going stir-crazy. I spent a total of about 14 hours travelling over the past three days, on the shinkansen, express trains, local trains, and subways. Sure, I had my phone and the Internet to keep me company, but even that gets you so far. It's another reason why I wanted to take the car. Even if I spent an extra hour in each direction travelling, I would at least be keeping myself busy by actually driving. Unfortunately, with Tackawanna in the shop and a mother almost-hyperventilating at the thought, the train was the method of travel that I had to choose.

In front of Nagoya Station

Nagoya is like a more laid-back version of Tokyo. There isn't the sense of urgency that you'd feel in Tokyo. People still moved, but I felt an underlying steady pace. Despite the public transport, Nagoya is a car city. The city center, where I was staying, was laid out for maximum lane usage. In fact, a few blocks away from my hotel was a "park" that was wedged in between two single-lane roads. It had green grass and statues and walkways, but it was a very narrow park nevertheless.

I ordered a pizza from Pizza Hut on Tuesday, the night I checked in. There are Pizza Huts here in Japan, but not near where I live, and the pizza prices are outrageous. My medium pizza was what you'd consider to be a small back in the states, and it was three times the American prices, too. That's another reason I don't usually eat out in Japan; prices can creep up on you.

Barges waiting to load vehicles for export

Exposition ribbon cutting ceremony

Wednesday was the convention itself. It was the 2016 Automotive Engineering Exposition, held at a convention center in the southern portion of the city. I decided to wear a suit for the occassion in the interest of looking professional. Wow, was that a mistake. I was getting hot and sweaty to the point where I blew over 500 yen on a handkerchief just to wipe myself off from all the sweat. Not even staying hydrated helped with all the sweating. And the other students at the convention center came dressed in regular clothes. Thankfully, the train from Nagoya Station to the convention center had air conditioning and a low density of people, so it wasn't entirely suffering for that portion of the trip. But I was dripping by the time I got back, which was truly a first.

The convention center

I spent a total of about four hours at the convention hall. That's because automotive cybersecurity, my research field, has just started receiving attention and hasn't fully penetrated the market yet. The first representative that I talked to, a British expat working for a company that was acquired by a Japanese company, said that the company had only been in the automotive cybersecurity field for about 18 months. So while it's a shame that I didn't see as much interest, I've started my research just in time, when it's starting to pick up.

Example of a wiring network in a car

Isuzu commercial natural gas engine. 9.8L of existence

Subaru Impreza WRX S4

Never heard of this car before

City vehicles. Take a guess as to which one I fit in the best.

But even though I was there for what seems like a short period of time, I managed to talk to quite a few people regarding their research and what they have been up to in trying to address the problem. Some of the representatives were Japanese, and some were foreigners. I left with a bunch of pamphlets and other information, and I even got to talk tech with some of the staff to get a better idea of certain protocols and methods to look out for. (There was one representative, a foreigner, who was like a walking dictionary when it came to this topic. I wish I could've compressed that knowledge and brought it back with me.) I now also have a series of companies to turn to when finding a job in the future. Some of the companies even have American branches.

There was also a test driving event for some of the newer cars on the market. I was interested in getting behind the wheel of some of them, but I left my IDP and passport in Tackawanna. Thankfully, I had digital copies on my computer from when I had to send info to my insurance company, so I asked one of the staff members to see if this would be acceptable. Unfortunately, it wasn't, but not because it was only a copy. I had to have an actual Japanese driver's license to test drive the cars. Tough luck.

Later that evening, I used the Google to find some nearby restaurants to go to. One of them was a Hooters. Apparently, there are only six Hooters branches in Japan. Four of them are in Tokyo, and the fifth one is in Kyoto. Not imagining another chance to go, I walked the mile or so to the restaurant, which was on the second floor of the building that it was in.

Hooters Japan offers the same kind of foods as in America. I helped myself to some boneless barbecue chicken wings, tater tots, and two glasses of Jack and Coke. (livin' on the edge, huh?) The girls were pretty, too, and I didn't have the confidence to ask them for a picture. However, I did learn that every once in a while, they'll stop what they're doing, spread out in the restaurant, and start dancing. I've never seen this at the Hooters in America, so that was something different for sure. Dinner was about $50. (Again, I don't eat out often.)

Nagoya is pretty nice at night. Sections of the main road would have special street lights and ornaments. Entrances to some areas would be met with gateway signs bearing the name of the area. Student dance groups assembled in front of commercial buildings as night fell to work on their routines. People hung out in the side streets outside restaurants and bars. It was very lively and cozy. I want to go back to Nagoya before my time in Japan is done. (I'm driving back next time, though.)

After some more proofreading, I treated myself to a soak in the bathhouse on the top floor of the hotel. I still have yet to get used to the bathhouses here, because the water is extremely hot. It took me about 25 minutes to get adjusted to the water, after which I only stayed submerged for about 10 minutes. I was honestly scared of getting first-degree burns from this water.

The one thing that I really wanted to get but couldn't find was a postcard. They didn't sell them at the convenience stores, or at the train station store where I bought some omiyage (food gifts for friends and colleagues). I was going to send one for my second cousin, who is currently at summer camp. I guess I'll have to find a postcard here to send to her.

Tackawanna was fixed on Tuesday, and I picked her back up today as soon as I got back. I'll make a post about that process tomorrow, and this weekend we shall continue our expeditions together into the beautiful mountains of Fukushima.

-wp