Journey Through Japan

Japan caught me unaware! A mesmerising intoxicating blend of crazy neon and modern infrastructure contrasting with deeply-steeped ancient culture and courteous, respectful citizens going about their business, sometimes in huge numbers sharing tiny confined spaces. Despite the overwhelming towering skyscrapers and seemingly endless shopping streets of Tokyo I was smitten from the off! The toy-like vending machines on street corners selling all manner of hot and cold drinks reminded me of toys I played with as a child. There is a childlike quality to much of Japan from the wonderful array of every imaginable kind of candy store to the doll-like fashions and crazy Manga cartoons. It is all part of Japan's captivating charm. Tokyo’s Haneda airport is closer to the city than Narita. My first stop was a compact hotel in the Marunouchi area near Tokyo station. It proved to be perfect for getting around, and the local shops and vast shopping centre beneath the station were ideal for surprisingly cheap local food. Japan doesn’t have to be expensive if you are happy to eat the delicious, healthy local dishes rather than Western food. Food is everywhere! The local restaurants where you could order your meal from a vending window outside for a few pounds proved fascinating. Equally Starbucks, German Beer Kellars, Italian and Chinese restaurants and British Pubs were readily available. A preloaded swipe travel card is by far the best way to get around. They are used for trains, buses and even buying snacks and are easily topped up with instructions available in English. The public transport is clean, efficient and sometimes extremely crowded. The underground seems vast compared to London. Asakusa in the Eastern neighbourhoods away from the skyscrapers has a traditional older residential feel with temples and gardens. At the Asakusa Cultural Centre, we engaged in Nihon Buyo, a form of Japanese dancing that has been around for 400 years. We embraced the occasion and dressed in a yukata or casual kimono, and flourished our fans as directed by the lovely ladies in charge. The Cultural Centre itself is a fascinating piece of contemporary architecture from Japanese architects Kengo Kuma. In keeping with Japan’s juxtaposition of old and new, it stands directly opposite the ancient Buddhist Temple Senso-Ji, constructed in the 6th Century and the oldest of its kind in the city. It was bizarre to see Super-Mario go-karts whizzing past us in the traffic driven by grinning drivers dressed in Super-hero costumes, but we soon realised they are a constant presence in the craziness of Tokyo. At the famous Meiji-Jingu, Tokyo’s largest Shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken whose reign brought Japan from an isolationist feudal state to the modern nation, we learned how to purify ourselves with water at the font before approaching the shrine. Our guide explained that this is different to the ritual for offering a prayer at a temple and it is important to distinguish between the two. Harajuku is the heart of Tokyo’s fashion and street culture district and Takeshita-dori is a pilgrimage site for teens from all over Japan. Packed with excited throngs of shoppers where basques and tutus appear alongside punk, gothic and Victoriana with more than a few strange characters hanging out along the way. Later we braved the famous Shibuya Crossing, rumoured to be the biggest interchange in the world, where a thousand people can cross at any one time. We were fascinated by the neon and billboards of Akihabara or “Akiba” as it is affectionately known. It is the heart of pop culture with garishly lit electronics stores, retro arcades and cosplay cafes. Entire stores are devoted to manga and anime with comics, DVDs, action figures and all manner of accessories. Maid cafes with waitresses dressed as racy French maids or prim Victorian maids are a regular feature as are the live singing and dancing shows with performers wearing cute costumes and handing out light sabres. Our next day took us to the sunny seaside resort of Kamakura and the ancient Great Buddha which dates back to 1252. Originally housed inside the Kotokuin Temple and covered in gold, the Great Buddha weighs 93 tons and stands 13.35 metres high. Since a tsunami on 20th September 1492 the statue has been exposed to the elements and now only traces of gold can be seen behind the contemplative Buddha’s long elegant ears. The nearby Zen Temple of Hokokuji built during turbulent times is a haven of tranquillity with a serene bamboo garden where visitors can enjoy tea. A highlight of our trip was finding a tiny local restaurant with just three chairs at the bar and two choices on the menu where we enjoyed the most delicious tempura freshly prepared by a Japanese gentleman who quietly produced one mouth-watering morsel after another for the tiniest price. Iconic Mount Fuji beckoned and a visit to the annual Phlox Moss Festival where the slopes of the famous Mountain are decked in a skirt of vibrant pink and purple moss. Around a pretty lake were stalls selling colourful themed snacks and Mount Fuji-related souvenirs. There was even a temporary Post Office so you could send a postcard. At 3776 metres Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest and most famous peak. It is often hidden in the clouds but when it makes an appearance it is strangely endearing and the surrounding five lakes reflect its almost symmetrical cone. A popular must do when visiting Japan is staying in a traditional Ryokan or Japanese Inn. The minimalist rooms are carpeted with tatami mats and we slept on a simple futon which can be a little hard. The Kaiseki evening banquet laid out in the hall like dining room was a sight to behold and truly delicious. Kaiseki is a form of fine dining with lots of tiny exquisitely presented dishes. A feature of our ryokan was the Onsen or natural hot spring baths which were so wonderfully relaxing we ended up going back again for a relaxing pre-bedtime dip. I especially liked the outside pool where you could be immersed in the warm water whilst gazing up at the night sky and breathing in fresh mountain air! Our next stop was Kyoto. The iconic Bullet trains were very impressive as they swooshed through the station at Mishima. Soon it was our turn to board excitedly remarking on the spacious, clean carriages. For lunch we enjoyed carefully laid out Bento boxes purchased at the platform kiosk. They look too good to eat and taste even better. As one of the most culturally rich cities in Asia, the lofty galactic style Kyoto Station building is a fitting gateway and an attraction in its own right. The first sight as you step outside is the distinctive Kyoto Tower. Kyoto is home to an abundance of UNESCO World Heritage sites, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. The Sanjusagen-do Temple stands out for its 1000 life-size statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, each hand-crafted and slightly different to the others. The pretty and romantic Geisha district of Gion was my favourite with its scenes from Memoirs of a Geisha and many photo opportunities. It was fascinating to learn about the lengthy expensive training a Geisha will undergo and how revered they are in Japanese society. We enjoyed a cultural performance with musicians, Japanese comedy and a Maiko (apprentice Geisha) dancing. Later we were thrilled to have a much-coveted photo with her. Nijo Castle built by the first Tokugawa Shogun in 1603 is one of Kyoto’s most impressive UNESCO sites with powerful masculine structures. KInkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, is an attractive Zen Buddhist Temple and the gold leaf covering the first two floors is reflected perfectly in the lake on which it stands. The Fushimi Inari Shrine has a winding path lined with thousands of red torii gates up to the top of Mount Inari with panoramic views over the city. All too soon it was time to bid farewell to Japan and start the next leg of my tour in Shanghai but Japan left a lasting impression on me and I can’t wait to explore more of this beautiful country of contrasts and respectful, gentle people.