Japan

We just finished our whirlwind tour of Asia, and Japan was a wonderful finale. I haven't met anybody who doesn't want to go back. There is so much to do: skiing in Nagano, exploring the world-class city of Tokyo, taking in the cultural sights in Kyoto, eating Kobe beef in Kobe, remembering the effects of World War II in Hiroshima, and so much more. I didn't have enough time to accomplish all of these things, but that is what future visits are for.

 

Some key words about my visit to Japan:

·       Peaceful: I was so surprised by how peaceful the cities were. There was no loud honking and people were quiet on the trains. Such a contrast from a lot of large cities that I visited previously.

·       Sushi: Oh so good! The best was the conveyor belt sushi because you could see the sushi and then choose what type you wanted to try. It was so cheap too: $1.30 for two pieces of nigiri sushi. (picture above)

·       Karaoke: Let me just say, I was skeptical. I am not a huge fan of singing in front of people. Yet, we stayed for over four hours. I can see how it gets addicting.

·       Kobe beef: Once again, oh so good! They cooked it in front of us and it melted in our mouths. The Japanese steaks are known for a marble pattern with the fat and muscle spread throughout.

·       Orderly: Everything ran on time. People waited in lines to get to places. When is the last time you saw people in lines to get on the subway?

·       Geishas: An eminent symbol of Japan. These exquisite women entertain wealthy men with visual and performing arts. People may pay thousands of dollars to see them perform for one night. We were lucky enough to see some of these women walking in the streets of Kyoto. (picture above)

·       Gadgets: Heated toilet seats. Vending machines on every corner. Motion-activated escalators.

·       Fashion: Very stylish people. In an eclectic sort of way.

·       Manneken waffles: Not very Japanese, but we ate them everyday in the train station. The best waffles of my life. They didn't even need syrup. Nevertheless, I was surprised to see such a European influence on Japan, especially with regards to food. Kobe was renowned for its pastry shops. (picture above)

 

Like China, there was very little English spoken in Japan. However, when necessary, we were able to find people who could help us. Most of the Japanese people that we met were very friendly. It was funny because, even when it is obvious that we don't speak Japanese, they just keep talking to us in Japanese, as though we know what they are saying.

 

This was the first country that I had no SAS trips and explored completely independently. Japan is probably the safest country that we have gone to and the rail pass for foreign visitors makes it really easy to travel around.

 

Our ship was docked in Kobe. When we arrived, we had to go through the longest customs process of all the countries. We got our temperature taken, fingerprinted, photographed, and interviewed. The other countries only needed to look at passports. We heard that this intense screening process is probably revenge for what the United States does to their citizens.

 

After going through customs (by the way, my passport is filling up quickly with lots of stamps!), Anabel, Brittany, and I took a 30-minute train ride to Osaka. We went on a giant ferris wheel and saw the city. Then we just explored the city and had some delicious sushi.

 

The next day, we took the train to Kyoto, which was one hour away. Kyoto is where you will find the traditional Japanese sights that you imagine. We rented electric bikes, and I tell ya, I just can't go back to a normal bike. It is a bicycle, but pedaling is easier. It was the best of both worlds, because we could be a pedestrian when we wanted to and a car when we wanted to. It was also a great way to see the beautiful city. Of course we had sushi. We also saw the geishas on their way to their evening performances. We made a stop in Osaka on the way back for dinner and waffles!

 

The last two days were spent in Kobe. We took a cableway up to a peak to see the city from above. Then we walked down and our legs have felt it ever since. For lunch, we had Kobe beef. Spectacular! That evening, we went out on the town and did some karaoke. The following day we explored the city and did some shopping, although Japan is much more expensive than any of the countries that we visited previously. We were joking how we should do a carry trade – convert all our money to yen and then at the end of the trip convert it back to dollars, hopefully making some profit from the strong Japanese yen. We finished our last day in Japan with what else, but sushi and sake!

 

For future visits, I am most definitely going to Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagano. I heard that all those trips were spectacular as well. My goal for this trip was to stay around the area, seeing that I have been flying a lot in the previous countries. Oftentimes, the port cities are just as interesting. It was also wonderful to stay on the ship this time since a lot of the students were gone. It is so nice to have a place to call home in each of these countries. I have met so many amazing people, from the students to the staff to the crew. They take care of us so well.

 

Now is time for our long cross of the Pacific. It has already been getting quite rocky and rumor has it that it will get worse. A lot of people have been dreading this time, but I won't mind it. It will give me a chance to be productive and hang out with all the great people that I have met.

 

Also, thanks to Mr. Schulteis' sixth grade class for reading my blog. I love your questions and comments! I will make sure to answer them in the next couple days. It will give me something to do for this Pacific crossing. Keep them coming!