The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

Reverb-drenched piano plays solemnly with morose rests in between each note. Sound deliberately spreads out, filling the space but creating a stark sound. "Seijaku" by Yoshida Shigeru is lonely and cold, as if one is stumbling about in a blizzard, lost. It is frozen time itself, and all progress is halted - it is desolation in musical form.

Beyond the Boundary of Medicine and Disability

First, here's my fair warning that there are plot specific details regarding the show Kyoukai no Kanata but ignore this disclaimer if you don't care.

I want to pursue biomedical engineering in order to help other people.  Despite being such a lofty and noble goal, it gives me some pause. The medical model of disability guides medical professionals and related scientists and engineers to improve the health of those who are disabled. The medical model of disability views disability as arising from medical conditions and as something to cure or, failing that, to mitigate.[1] That definition is quite dry and seems morally unproblematic upon cursory glance. This model is more sinister than it initially appears. Through treating disability as something to eliminate – as something that does not truly exist in the perfect medical world – the medical field moves towards normalizing the human body .

Thus, with modern technology “we should strive to make everyone as perfect as possible,” at least under this model of disability. Obviously technology is not yet powerful enough to achieve that. It is, however, constantly evolving to the point that treatments are becoming quite sophisticated. Currently, for example, Sarepta Therapeutics is working on a drug to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a step towards curing it. As a person with Becker’s Muscular Dystrophy – which is quite similar –  I am supposedly obligated to support such efforts. I want medicine to become more sophisticated and to play a role in that development but a drug like that functions to bring an individual closer to normalcy. The technology should be available for those who wish to use it but not forced upon people. Cochlear implants are used to treat deafness; for a large part of the implant’s history it has been forced upon people with deafness, rather than from obtaining their consent. Prosthetics as a whole faces this problem. People should be allowed their individuality, which includes staying “disabled” if they choose that. Growing up with Becker’s Muscular Dystrophy, for example, is a vital part of my identity, not simply a disorder that causes me trouble. For that reason I would refuse to cure myself of my condition, even if I may do research that leads to it. As I previously said, I care more about the option existing but not forcing people to conform.

I chose to take the corticosteroid Deflazacort in order to manage the pain I was facing at the time. Though I did conform to the medical model perspective, I was able to keep my individuality. Despite having to rely on a drug, I felt that I ultimately benefited because I could overcome institutional barriers facing me. Thus I was able to continue attending school, despite the many challenges I faced then.

Akihito Kanbara, a character from the show Kyoukai no Kanata[2], symbolizes at least to me the struggle between keeping one’s identity and societal standards. (Yes, pretty much everything I have mentioned goes back to that time-honored theme.) Akihito is half-demon, half-human. He is considered extremely dangerous because his demonic side: threatens his human side, is immensely powerful and threatens others, and leads to isolation on account of his perceived dangerousness. At multiple times throughout the show his demonic half takes control leading to changes in appearance; personality; and dangerousness, forcing his friends to restrain him. At some point he nearly savagely murdered one of his friends by accident. Akihito also claims that he has no friends, hinting at a sense of isolation. (Though we know this statement is not quite true it certainly still suggests an insecurity.)  The viewer also learns in a flashback that Akihito was not injured when a car ran into him, prompting fear from everyone in the train car. Despite his half-demonic nature apparently being the center of his misery, he stubbornly holds onto his mixed identity. A separate character, Mirai Kuriyama, manages to remove his demonic side. Instead of being grateful, Akihito resentfully remarks that he never asked for a normal life, to be just like everyone else. At the end of the show he reclaims his half-demonic identity.

A way out of the “negative” side (disabled, cursed, etc) of Akihito’s identity is presented. The societally expected response would be to strip that side and become wholly “positive.” Instead, he embraced both aspects of himself and refused to conform to normality. I view disability the same way: accepting the good with the bad, resulting in balance. Such a message is obviously Taoist, which leads of course to a discussion on yin and yang. (See this image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism#mediaviewer/File:Yin_and_Yang.svg.) The most important part of the image is the depiction of good having some evil and evil having some good. A disability (akin to the “cursed” state of Akihito) is conventionally considered wholly evil in modern medicine. A Taoist interpretation is that a disability has good to it, comprising an essential part of one’s being, though it is mainly considered bad due to the associated societal barriers. That is why I would not seek a cure for my condition, even if it may cause me trouble. No matter what bad there may be in Becker’s Muscular Dystrophy, I value what it brings me.

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[1] Nikora, Linda Waimari; Karapu, Rolinda; Hickey, Huhana; Te Awekotuku, Ngahuia (2004). "Disabled Maori and Disability Support Options". Maori & Psychology Research Unit, University of Waikato. Retrieved September 14, 2014.

[2] Translates to "Beyond the boundary"

Spirited Away

Usually a villain's theme is full of brass and loud sounds (though still within classical confines); usually it hits the listener with speed and loudness. "Yubaba" from the Miyazaki-directed film Spirited Away plays with these notions, resulting in a sinister piece that suggests instead of announces. The piano is jarring, making use of low-pitched keys, dissonant playing featuring dramatic rests, and the instrument's own reverberation pedals. The orchestral ensemble, though proud at points, is still understated, never quite exploding. An alien-sounding woodwind instrument breaks through the typical approach, injecting the atmosphere with darkness. Harp adds a soft but tense touch, as do glockenspiel and the other instruments that play during soft interludes. Taken together the instruments create an insidious persona, buffering Yubaba's malice. But instead of being some Kafka-esque authority figure, her evil is human.

The Trip into Glorious Nihon

Day 1

We arrived in Kansai International Airport outside of Osaka around noon. We arrived in Kyoto at around four pm, but the ride only took around 75 minutes. Why the discrepancy? My scooter unnerved the JR people, who were apparently unfamiliar with it – I was told I could not take it aboard the JR Haruka train to Kyoto. My parents had to argue with them, saying that my scooter could fold. By the time we had arrived in Kyoto it was too late for visiting shrines and temples, which often close at 4:30 or 5 pm, which was disappointing. I had done a lot of research specifically on Kyoto. At the same time, I was also excited because I had read about Kyoto and some of its temples in volume seven of the Oregairu light novel series.  We just visited the Isetan department store and bought Japanese food – including Yakitori chicken – for dinner. The food was good at least. The hotel at which we stayed was located right by Kyoto Station and was quite luxurious (though expensive). There were 4 beds in the room, one for each of us.

Day 2

Today we actually visited the historic Japanese sites in the city. First we visited the Higashi-Honganji Temple, which was quite cool. I enjoyed the exterior but the interior was the  best part. The floor was covered with tatami mats and lighting streamed in from the outside. Kneeling in the temple felt serene, akin to the famous mosques of Istanbul. We got to witness a prayer, even. Japanese schoolchildren and their parents participated, while the monks (I’m not sure if that’s the right word) led. My sister and dad went back to the hotel but me and my mom continued onto the Shosei-en garden.

When me and my mom arrived at the Shosei-en garden, it began raining rather vigorously. My mom already had an umbrella but a lady at the admission desk loaned me one. I accidentally bumped into the desk while backing out on my scooter, prompting a Daijobu[1] from the lady. Then we went exploring the sea of green and various buildings. My favorite moment was standing on the wooden bridge, holding the umbrella above my head. Of this my mom took a picture. I enjoyed the view greatly. The garden was quite pretty, though hard to traverse in a scooter. I had to leave my scooter at one point due to the stones in the way. Nishi-Honganji temple was also interesting but felt very similar. Learning that many of the Kyoto buses were accessible, we took a bus back to the hotel. In Japan they use foldable ramps stored inside the bus to allow scooters and wheelchairs on board buses. I thought that was an effective way of making buses accessible. Electric lifts are quite finicky and slow, after all. Upon arriving in the hotel we checked out of the room.

With this knowledge of the bus system, me and my family were able to visit the Kinkakuji Temple – Temple of the Golden Pavilion – with ease. Kinkakuji was literally covered in gold foil, reflecting off the sunlight. Smaller buildings were also nearby – these were also aesthetically appealing. The temple itself and its grounds were nice to look at but the area was hard to traverse in a scooter.  (I think you can see a trend appearing, but don’t worry: a lot of the temples and shrines we visited were accessible.)

That evening we went to Kyoto Station to travel to Shizuoka via a fast train.

I think that Rail Wars! describes this portion of the journey quite well. We learned that my scooter, which I had brought from the US, could not go on the train. My dad, as he did many times this trip, said that the scooter could be partially disassembled and made lighter.  It took nearly an hour for us to learn that my scooter was too heavy and to also realize that a simple solution existed. I left my scooter in the storage room and we borrowed a JR wheelchair until I returned. We had to return to Kyoto Station to reach Kansai International airport, anyways. Unfortunately by the time we had realized this the next train was coming quickly (for we had missed the train we had reserved seats on). So we went really fast with the help of a JR employee. Ultimately we made it onto a train and were on our way to Shizuoka where we stayed the night. My parents got one room, and me and my sister got another room,  with each room having two beds.

Day 3

We travelled to Tokyo for the day via Shinkansen[2], a journey taking roughly an hour. While my dad tried to get reserved seats for our return to the airport (on Day 5), me and my mom figured out our plan of attack while my sister analyzed her phone. Today we focused on things-to-do in Harajuku, Ueno, and Akihabara.

First we saw the Meiji Jingu shrine in Harajuku. Its path, which was fairly long, was gravel, making transportation via wheelchair difficult and aggravating. The wait, however, was worthwhile, for the shrine itself was well-designed and quite pretty. One highlight was a large taiko drum next to the ramp leading to the elevated part of the shrine. Another was a paper on which one could write prayers to give to the shrine; I took one and an envelope but didn’t write anything.

In Ueno, we saw the park and the National Museum of Nature and Science. Both were alright. The Ueno Park contains a multitude of museums and other things, including the famous Ueno Zoo. In the museum we saw a 3-D film about the evolution of mankind, in particular highlighting early Japanese peoples. We stood in a chamber where the 3-D film enveloped us with images, sound, and motion. I liked the exhibitions showing the evolution of certain animals over time. Basically, they shrunk. I guess evolution favors smaller animals or something?

Akihabara was our last major stop in Tokyo for the day. We visited Friday evening, the district’s apparent primetime. Akiba featured more people and vibrant shop lights than I expected, but then again it is the electronics district and co-districted with anime and otaku culture. The Tokyo Anime center was more barren than expected, only taking up one (large) room on the fourth floor of the UDX building. Not speaking Japanese, I had some difficulty reading what items said. Despite that, I saw a lot of cool stuff. They were airing some anime featuring voice actor Saori Hayami (I think) but it looked unfamiliar. I also saw a couple magazine things, one of which talked about an upcoming Gundam series. I saw a couple Nagi no Asakura posters, in addition to t-shirts and other merchandise. Surprisingly they also had something involving the show Another, but I couldn’t tell exactly what it was. I also saw a Railgun poster featuring Mikoto and Kuroko sitting on the bed, reading some sort of magazine. There were also posters for Mahouka, Hitsugi no Chaika, and Anohana. The store did not really have a lot of posters per se, but rather smaller versions of them. I saw some for Gochuumon wa desu usagi ka?, Chuu2, Fate/Kaleid Prisma Ilya. A couple standouts involved the “wedding” scene from Chuu2, and a poster of Rikka and Dekomori – two of the main characters in the show - wearing bunny ears. There were also a number of keychains including Hotaru from Non Non Biyori, Kuroneko and Kirino from Oreimo, and some other ones. Another keychain featured the head of a cow on a crossing symbol (for Non Non Biyori). A Fate/Kaleid glass class was on display, with the decorated cloth hanging down. Non Non Biyori and Chuu2 had a few card cases. They even had Gochuumon-themed pens and stickers, as well as a keyboard pad (I think).

I ultimately purchased two things: a Non Non Biyori card case and a Gochuumon mini-poster sticker-sized thing. The designs on both were quite awesome, though the latter is not particularly pragmatic. On the case was featured the main girls – Hotaru, Renge, Natsumi, and Komari – standing among autumn leaves, each with varying expressions. Komari is the only one smiling, while Hotaru and Natsumi look upwards curiously and Renge seems distracted. All in all, the picture comes together quite nicely; it also serves as a reminder of one of my favorite shows. The Gochuumon item had the show’s Japanese name written out, with its translation Is the order a rabbit? Written below. It features the five main girls Chino, Chiyo, Cocoa, Rize, and Sharo , each holding an instrument. The instruments shown are: flute, violin, accordion, tambourine, and what appears to be bagpipes. I also quite enjoyed this design. It doesn’t hurt that I really liked the show, either. Would these items be worth the ~$22 without the designs or connections to those shows? Nope. But they had them, which counts.

I also checked out Animate, a large manga bookstore which also features anime trading cards. (I don’t get it either.)  As far as the trading cards go, I saw some of Rewrite (which is a visual novel, so technically not an anime), Yuru Yuri, Madoka, Denpa Onna, and some other stuff. The store was quite decorated in anime and manga characters, with the elevators being covered with similar designs. My mom had me take pictures inside the store. I also saw some Psycho Pass manga.

Because I was using a wheelchair my family members got to see some of the Akihabara experience. Akiba probably seemed quite strange to my family, which probably by corollary made me seem quite strange. I still found the trip completely worthwhile. I plan to use my NNB card case for my school ID as a returning senior and for whatever cards I’ll have to swipe in the future. There’s a practical reason for this – having to reach into my pocket is more annoying riding a scooter, so it’s easier to just have some I can swipe more easily.

By the end my family was quite done, so we headed back to Shizuoka to rest. While returning from our first (of two) day in Tokyo, I read volume one of the light novel Hyouka. The Shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Shizuoka is not that exciting, especially at night. Oreki – the main character-  made a comment about Ueno Zoo’s giant pandas. I had been in Ueno Park, which engulfs the Zoo, mere hours earlier, so I found the reference amusing. I actually can understand some references to Tokyo now!

Day 4

We travelled again to Tokyo. Today we accomplished visiting Asakusa, Marunouchi, and Fukushima (a city north of Tokyo).

Our first stop was Marunouchi, the part of Tokyo surrounding the Tokyo station. Its most important site is the Imperial Palace, whose exterior was visible from the surrounding gardens. These gardens were obviously well-kept. I was disappointed that we could not see the Imperial Palace proper, but one needs reservations for that. The moat surrounding the Palace, though dirty, was expansive and impressive somehow.

In Asakusa we honed in on the Sensoji Temple, a major tourist destination for Tokyo. We first saw the Kaminarimon Gate, leading to the temple.  On our way to the temple – past the gate – we saw the Nakamise shopping street, where various wares were sold. I did not buy anything but it was still neat to see. We unfortunately could not find anything for my older sister – who was not with us in Japan – here. This temple was vividly red and featured dragon statues at the entrance. A tower was visible in the distance, standing impressively above us. Inside the temple proper we saw black lanterns hanging from the ceiling, something new to me. Before the main building was a fire pit, from which smoke emanated. Here one was supposed to stand at the edge and fan the smoke back towards oneself. I didn’t see the point but I participated regardless.

Then we visited the Ameyoko market in the Ueno area; here we looked again for clothes. We surprisingly managed to find Turkish food (doner kebabs). My dad, remembering some Turkish, spoke to the owner (though the owner also knew English and Japanese). We got four free cans of Coca Cola as a result. Our kebabs were to go. Despite the market’s reputation for being affordable, it wasn’t cheap enough (for kimonos and t-shirts).

We took a Shinkansen to Fukushima afterwards. Somehow we had managed to take the wrong train, so we got off at the next stop. Then we took the right train and rode comfortably the rest of the way. (And we finally got to consume the doner kebabs.) We passed rolling hills and trees but unfortunately the sky turned dark blue, obscuring my vision. Upon arrival in Fukushima we simply took a Shinkansen back to Tokyo Station.  At some point, I began watching rain streak diagonally on the window against the night. Some rain fell in a stream while others are composed of more discrete droplets. The train’s swift speed led to water translating quickly in two dimensions. Meanwhile nocturnal Japan kept moving past. Water is given no chance to fall straight down, so the bottom right part of the window stays almost dry. By now I have travelled on the Shinkansen many times but this display was dazzling in its own way. Upon completion of the rain, much of the water dried up due to forced convection urged by the train’s great speed. We made our way back to our hotel and called it a day.

Day 5

Today I returned to South Korea with my family, requiring a Shinkansen ride from Shizuoka to Kyoto and an Express Train to Kansai International Airport. Before leaving Shizuoka, we visited two Shizuoka monuments: Fugetsuro and the Hodaiin Temple. Neither were major but both were aesthetically pleasing at least. Fugetsuro was the house of a shogun  with a clear pond in front. I saw an orange fish floating around. A garden surrounded both the pond and house. The Hodaain temple was more or less a building next to a grave. The surrounding buildings did not really fit in.

So ended our active sightseeing in Nihon[3] – we then returned to the hotel and prepared to leave. At each stop several Jr employees assisted me, making our return smoother than coming. I got my scooter back at Kyoto Station. After what happened on Day 2 we came to some implicit understanding that me and my family needed help. The JR employees guided us along the accessible paths. This experience was beneficial for them too – the JR staff was unfamiliar with mobility scooters but now they were learning. While waiting for the JR Haruka train to leave for the airport, my dad instructed the JR employees who were helping us with making my scooter more compact. (The general process is removing the chair and basket, then rotating the control stand down.) The JR employees at the airport specifically voiced their intention to improve their services for the future. My initial experiences (Days 1 and 2) were unfavorable for traveling on JR lines. Past that the traveling became a lot more streamlined with their help. Though they were initially unhelpful, I admired that they strove to improve their system, rather than simply pinning the blame on me. On the Haruka train I also tried out Sushi for the first time. It was okay, but I probably still need to get used to the taste of seaweed.

 Some Overall Impressions

1.      Upon arrival I learned that I actually remembered some spoken Japanese (due to anime). I think Japanese people generally appreciated people trying to speak Japanese, even if they are not particularly good at it. Even more fascinating was understanding bits of conversation. Before you ask, I did say usagi[4] a few times. And fuyukai desu[5] once when my dad wanted to take a photo of me in the airport. I got to even hear kawaii[6] a few times. No hyouka[7] though. Though I did not pick up many new words, I feel that this experience has helped fortify my spoken Japanese. I enjoyed the bowing I got to see from hotel employees and such too.

2.      Japan – at least Osaka through Tokyo (east) and up to Fukushima in the north – is quite beautiful in its lushness and unique architecture. The cities are obviously modernized but contain many more traditional buildings as well. What I saw tended to in fact feature old and new side-by-side. The weather was either hot or cloudy and/or rainy. Humidity was present as well, obviously. In many ways Japan reminded me of Oregon. Cyclists, runners, rain, vegetation. Sure sounds a bit like Portland.

3.      I regret not getting to see Nagoya, Osaka, and other cities like Nara. I did enjoy spending time mainly in Kyoto and Tokyo, but I wish I could have stayed longer in both respective cities.

4.      I preferred Kyoto over Tokyo because it featured more historic buildings and had less of a generic big-city vibe. Both cities were great, however.

5.      I found more French food than expected in Japan. There were a number of French-style bakeries in all the cities we visited.  One cool find was chicken tandoori sandwiches at Vie de France[8] in Kyoto. While in Shizuoka we frequented a bakery called The Little Mermaid. I also ate food from L’Ami du Pain[9] (which was at Kyoto  station) on the ride to the airport. We also got to eat Turkish food at Ueno, as I said earlier. I should also note that I finally tried out tofu and sushi. We unfortunately did not eat that much Japanese food in restaurants, so I missed out on that experience.

6.      As far as accessibility goes, I found the stations to be pretty accessible. There were ample elevators and ramps, and none of those weird wheelchair lifts that they have in Seoul metro. The buses were made accessible due to foldable ramps, which was nice. We also encountered those ramps in the metro – we were helped by station employees with those. I found that other than the Kinkakuji Temple and the Shosei-en garden, Japan was pretty accessible. There is room for improvement naturally, but the accessibility was better than I had thought. The trains required ramps sometimes but were easy to manage. I hope that in the future Japan can improve its accessibility so I don’t fall prey to what happened Days 1 and 2 again!

7.      I really enjoyed Japan and I think I want to go back again in the future!

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[1] More or less ‘it’s okay.’

[2] Bullet train

[3] What the Japanese call Japan

[4] Rabbit

[5] More or less ‘How unpleasant’

[6] Cute

[7] Ice cream

[8] Life of France

[9] Friend of Bread