Traveling Adiva

Today was a very relax-y day. No big walks or trips (well, mostly), no walking all over the world. We woke up at 5 to head to the station and took a metro to the Nobu line, an express subway that would get us to Ota to meet up with Donna's friend Jen (the one we went to Takarazuka with). We had a bit of confused trouble about whether we were on the right line or not, but thanks to my handy-dandy phrase book we were able to ask if we were in the right place and understand that yes we were, just had to transfer over.

The ride was uneventful and within a few hours we were in scenic Ota home of...not very much XD They've got a Subaru company there. Jen met us at the station in her company-issued clown-car (they are TINY) and we swung by to pick up her friend Charlotte, and then it was roadtrip to the onsen time.

We got there a little early so we wandered around a closed-for-Monday town for a bit. We did see first a tiny little shrine, then a large sort-of famous one and both Donna and I got fortunes. I was going to have a good school year, but be unlucky with travel. Uh, considering that we're n the middle of travel, we all figured that was bad luck, so I left it, as you're supposed to.

Then the onsen. It was an interesting experience. I'd never been to one before (obviously) and the outside one was closed that day, but the inside was still good. It was a very nice Onsen, complete with body and hair cleansers (which were sort of fun to use) and we stayed for a while.

Once re-dressed (and floppy) we went to get lunch, managing to find a soba and udon place that handmakes their own noodles. The handmade noodles were served cold, but I still wanted to try them. I ordered the soba, and they were pretty good.

Lunch over, we started the way back to Jen's apartment, where she showed us (me, mostly, because SOCOOL) her collection of Takarazuka paraphernalia. Pictures, flyers, that sort of thing. They've put on everything guys. Because I was so interested, sshe pulled out her DVD collection (!!!) and showed clips from a run of Singin' in the Rain (!!) and Guys and Dolls (!!!). What was interesting to note is that Lina Lamont and Adelaide were both played by Otokoyaku in those shows. It was probably odd for the fans to see their beloved 'male' stars all of a sudden turn female for a show.

She also played the openings from two different versions of Elisabeth, one of the most famous German musicals of all time. I. I want to see it. Because. This.

Doesn't do it justice I'm sure, but look at it.

Interestingly enough, Elisabeth is played by an Otokoyaku who, in a later run of the show, actually stars as Death. The Otokoyaku playing Luigi the narrator starred as Adelaide in the Guys and Dolls clip Jen showed me, and...someone else played something else and it was cool too but I don't remember. Anyway. Takarazuka is a Very Neat Thing.

We parted ways then and Donna and I headed back to Tokyo. Tomorrow is a tour of the Imperial Palace, wandering around Ginza, and going to see Kabuki theatre. Looking forward to it!