Japan

Trip Photos from Japan

Our much anticipated trip to the Orient started in Japan.

Tokyo is mostly modern, but like all of Japan, it has managed to blend its traditional side with ultra-modern settings. Our five days in the city took us to different districts with different characteristics: Asakusa's old Edo feel, Palette Town's international stores, Akihabara's (Electric Town) tech toys, Shinjuku's funkiness, Ginza's sophistication, Roppongi's foreign flavour, ... Two other places of note are the Edo Tokyo Museum which is extremely informative although I do wish they had more signs in English; and the Mitsukoshi department store, which is nothing like the department stores in North America. Where else would you see salesman and customer bowing deeply to each other, have a beautiful young lady operate the elevator, order a small cake only to receive a package in return that is too perfect to touch?

In the Hakone region, we took various modes of transportation in the mountains and on the lake. I didn't have high hopes of seeing Mt. Fuji since sightings of the famed mountain was fleeting even in the ancient days. At one point while we were on the tram, I thought I saw good ol' Mt. Fuji peeking out from the clouds, but the image was too faint to be captured on camera. The highlight of the day was the Open Air Museum in Miyanoshita. It was a large park set against mountains, and dotted with sculptures by world-famous artists. What a brilliant idea.

No trip to Japan is complete without seeing Kyoto, the ancient capital. In three days, we saw enough temples there to last a life time: Kinkakuji, Ryoanji, Kiyomizu, Sanjusangenko, and Koryuji and Todaiji in Nara. (Jeff got yelled at in Nijojo for not following proper protocol in taking off his shoes.) A walk through Gion turned up no geisha sightings. Apparently, it's exceedingly rare for a dumb tourist to stumble upon an elusive geisha.

The legendary Japanese train system went beyond my expectations. The transportation lines in Tokyo covered every part of the city. The Shinkansen (the bullet train) was mind-boggling: punctual, super fast, quiet, clean, comfortable, its conductors bow upon entering and leaving each car. One could get spoiled rather easily.

Eating in Japan was an eye-opener. Here in North America, we think of Japanese food as basically sushi and teriyaki. Over there, I was confronted with so many more selections. Most restaurants focused on one specialty, so we had tempura at Asakusa, fresh sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market, teppanyaki at Ginza, ramen at Shinjuku, yakitori at Roppongi, traditional Kaiseki at Ginza, Unagi (eel) in Kyoto, and French food in Kaiseki style on the Pontocho in Kyoto. In addition, Kyoto has its famous Kyo-style cuisine which is supposed to be more delicate. We tried and loved them all. Two particularly noteworthy meals were at the Fujiya Hotel in Chokoku-no-Mori in the Hakone region. In its glory days past, the hotel housed the Japanese royal family several times. Today, it still held a formal air. Dinner was a multi-course French fare with white-gloved waiters rushing around in silent efficiency. Breakfast was more of the same. I was more amazed by the whole presentation than the food itself. To the Japanese tourists (who made up most of the clientele) it must have been an exotic experience.

There was so much to see that our nine days barely scratched the surface. Of course, I know that things are not all they appear to be. Japan is not without its problems and worries. Because I happen to value many of the same qualities held in high regard in Japanese society, I enjoyed my time in Japan immensely.