Japan. A country that’s made such a
profound impact on the rest of the world, from technology and cars, food, and cultural phenomena such as geishas,
sumo wrestling, karate and samurais, anime and gaming, and so many other
cherished obsessions around the world. For me, it’s always been a place of
wonder and fascination.
Since I now live in Hawaii, this was
a natural choice for my first Asian vacation, although I feel like a
traitor since I’m 1/4 Korean. But hey, a large majority of tourists and Asian residents here in Hawaii are
Japanese, so there are a plethora of affordable nonstop flights. Plus, I
figured Japan is Westernized enough that it’s a good cherry popper for visiting
Asia, rather than other places I also want to go such as China, Thailand and
India, which would induce much higher culture shock without warming up first.
Even still, Japan was a lot to get
used to and take in. It’s overwhelming and outrageous for us Americans in so
many ways, but it was thrilling and incredible at the same time. The American influence in Japan is heavy and can be felt everywhere you go. The one thing that I definitely did
not expect to be so and and definitely struggled with the most was the language barrier,
which made things difficult at times. Since so much is written in English
alongside Japanese, you assume people know English,
but they’re shy about speaking it. As Americans, we tend to go out
there and expect everything is catered to us and made easy. Japan was Americanized just enough for the naïve to survive, but foreign enough to really push you out of your comfort zone and make things interesting.
My first impression of Japan was that everything I’d heard about it being immaculately clean was absolutely true. Even train stations and public restrooms were in much better condition than anywhere else I’ve been by far. I was really impressed. Another thing that proved itself to be true was that it was incredibly safe. I never once felt like I was in any danger. During my trip, I learned that this cleanliness and safety is due to the Japanese spending a considerable amount of time teaching children about CHARACTER in school. They learn the importance of integrity even before math and reading. So when they find a wad of cash or a wallet, they turn it in every time. And, as I witnessed, if they drop something on the ground, they are scolded to pick it up immediately. They do NOT litter, as it’s considered disrespectful (as it should be). This is a huge pet peeve of mine in the States and other countries where litter, spit, gum, and even urine line every street, so it was another thing that I loved seeing. They are definitely so ahead of Americans in ways like these.
Tokyo is a city that you can truly explore on your own if you’re willing to do
a bit of research and figure out the huge subway system that is
extremely efficient and punctual. We took the trains everywhere and it involved
a lot of walking, stairs, and crowds; but it was the best way to really see
Japanese people firsthand and get the real Tokyo experience. However, it's best to avoid rush hour, as it gets unbelievably crowded, as you may have seen on
an infamous Youtube/Facebook video where people are stuffed in a subway car
like sardines. Once you get the hang of the
different lines and stops [and learn to utilize great subway routing apps like Hyperdia], you'll be a pro. Definitely one of the best public
transportation system I’ve used. Also if you ever travel here, keep in
mind that the main Narita airport is about 2 hours away by car or train. The
best option is the Narita Express train, which will cost a little more at 4000
Yen or $32 roundtrip, but it gets you to central Tokyo in under an hour.
On our first full day, we
headed to the Disney area right outside of Tokyo since we wanted to visit
Disney Sea, which has different themes revolving around different seas or bodies
of water. It’s the only one in the world, so we went on a weekday to avoid
weekend madness. It was my first time at a Disney park, so I got myself some
Minnie ears and had fun. The
next day, we ventured about an hour away via the subway to Kamakura, where I
got to see a huge Buddha and then a gorgeous temple honoring my favorite deity,
Guanyin, at the Hase Dera temple. This was one of the most beautiful and sacred places
I got to see on this trip. After this, we visited the insanely busy Shibuya
Crossing. When you see Tokyo on TV and in movies and there’s mobs of people crossing
streets, this is what they’re showing you. It’s even more hectic in
person. Finally, we headed to the
Roppongi area, where I got to witness a gorgeous sunset on the rooftop of the
55 story Mori building. I could see the entire city including a great view of
the Tokyo Tower, and in the reddish orange horizon, I could even see Mount
Fuji! It was breathtaking and I could not believe my eyes. Simply unforgettable. I cannot recommend this “Tokyo City View” attraction enough.
Another highlight for me was visiting Senso-Ji, the oldest temple
in Tokyo built it 645. It also consisted of a chaotic marketplace, pagodas, and beautiful
gardens all before the magnificent shrine. There was an overwhelming amount of
tourists, but that's all a part of the experience. This is an absolute must in Japan. Also, we visited the anime district Akihabara, known as “electric
town” to witness the notorious flashing lights, big screens, and people dressed up as cartoon characters everywhere. I was in search
of certain anime items for my nephews, which I never ended up finding, but oh
well, I tried. What an experience. Anime is a huge deal here, so it's yet another incredibly busy area. Not too far from here, we headed to see the Emperor
of Tokyo’s home, Imperial Palace. It’s tucked away so you can’t see much of it,
but there’s a very iconic bridge leading to it where hundreds
of people are trying to get a picture at any given time. This area is downtown
Tokyo, and the fall foliage was just starting to come in so I really enjoyed
seeing the colors. Also made a quick stop in the Ginza district just to check out this well-known upscale and high-end shopping area, which reminded me
of Fifth Avenue. Speaking of which, much of Tokyo will remind
you of an Asian version of New York City... well besides the occasional old world remnants,
like a random pagoda amongst skyscrapers. Many areas (especially Shibuya and Shinjuku) reminded me of Times Square, though many times even more chaotic somehow.
One thing I was determined to do on this trip was to make it down to the
Harajuku station. I have been obsessed with this area and Japanese street fashion since Gwen Stefani introduced it
to the American mainstream over a decade ago. It's basically a shopping mecca where young adults and teens frequent, often dressing in the outlandish outfits that Tokyo is famous around the world for. I was SO thrilled that I got to see some girls dressed in "Lolita" and "kawaii" styles walking around the main strip, which is lined with girly and pastel colored boutiques. I am swooning just at the memory of it.
Another bustling area of bright lights and action was Shinjuku. Here
you’ll find more shopping, theme restaurants, and also seedy establishments, such as
tiny bars where “salary men” go after work to “chat” with pretty women. Our
whole reason for being here was to see the craziest production I’ll ever
witness in my lifetime at the famous “Robot Restaurant”. Here, scantily clad
Japanese girls will giggle, sing, dance, and fight clowns, robots, monsters,
and even a giant shark, all among laser lights, glowsticks, fog, and
explosions. It’s basically a live anime, or for some, a real-life nightmare. Total and complete ridiculousness, and
a guaranteed good time. I cannot imagine visiting Tokyo and NOT seeing this!
On
our last day, I had several hours before our 7PM flight, so I took the train to
an area called Komagome to visit a gorgeous park, Rikugien, which is actually
a garden of poetry. Fall colors made this a gorgeous hike, and you can even
climb an easy trail to a great view of the park from the top of a hill. I know landscape gardens are such a big deal in Japanese culture, so I did not want to
leave Tokyo without visiting one. Next, I headed back to the Harajuku station, since
this was my favorite area by far, to shop and check out the sights again. I also
visited the last attraction I was determined to see, the Meiji Jingu shrine. This
consisted of a long walk in the forest to a very lovely and historic shrine.
Overall,
I had a great and eye opening trip as expected. Tokyo is the most populous city
in the world with almost 38 million people, all of whom seem to be in a big hurry. While
those who work in the service industry are extremely professional, gracious,
and polite, in general most of the population would come off as rude to many Americans. They hardly ever smile or show any emotion, they don’t cover their
mouths when they sneeze or cough (which explains why so many wear masks), and
they’ll walk right into you without an apology. But at the same time, this is a
culture that deeply values respect, humility, and modesty. No one will point or
stare at you, even though you stand out because you’re completely different.
From what I could see, they seem to welcome foreigners, especially Americans. I thoroughly enjoyed the
extremeness of it all. Safe to say, you can certainly add Tokyo to the growing list of cities I fell in love with.
XOXO ❤️
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