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| crosswalk traffic |
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| just one of Kyoto's wonders |
WHERE: Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima)
DAYS: 100-114
PEOPLE ARE: without doubt the politest in the world. Are these the same folk that routinely invaded China leaving a trail decapitated bodies in their wake? The same people who sprang a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour? According to renowned Japanese scholar Dr Rhaani B. Clements, the historical violence was due to the fact the Japanese had big f*ck-off swords and just wanted to use them. Perhaps when your populace is used as the first testing site for nuclear bombs you lose a little bit of your swagger. Regardless the people couldn’t be more docile. Bowing profusely as you enter and leave establishments, refusing to touch the money you hand to them (they offer a plate onto which you place your payment. They in return hand you your change with both hands and a bow). Furthermore whenever you enter or leave a restaurant all the serving staff and chefs shout out "welcome" or "goodbye, thanks for coming." It’s all the more amazing when you consider this is a people who suffered two nuclear bombs and a year with Dmitri.
DAYS: 100-114
PEOPLE ARE: without doubt the politest in the world. Are these the same folk that routinely invaded China leaving a trail decapitated bodies in their wake? The same people who sprang a surprise attack on Pearl Harbour? According to renowned Japanese scholar Dr Rhaani B. Clements, the historical violence was due to the fact the Japanese had big f*ck-off swords and just wanted to use them. Perhaps when your populace is used as the first testing site for nuclear bombs you lose a little bit of your swagger. Regardless the people couldn’t be more docile. Bowing profusely as you enter and leave establishments, refusing to touch the money you hand to them (they offer a plate onto which you place your payment. They in return hand you your change with both hands and a bow). Furthermore whenever you enter or leave a restaurant all the serving staff and chefs shout out "welcome" or "goodbye, thanks for coming." It’s all the more amazing when you consider this is a people who suffered two nuclear bombs and a year with Dmitri.
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| do you have any idea how stupid you look? |
FOOD IS: the only thing worth the inflation-distorted prices. Even the sushi from the local convenience store is fantastic. Top marks
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| do you have any idea how stupid you look? |
A BEER COSTS: £6 in a crap pub, £2 for a can in the supermarket
HIGHLIGHTS/LOWLIGHTS:
Japan is concentrated krytonite to tight northerners/Scotsmen like Paul with basic accommodation and travel easily double what we've paid so far on our trip....thanks to Chinese Eastern Airline our visit gets off to the worst possible start, two delayed flights and a potentially ruinous customs visit means we arrive in Narita airport AFTER the last train to Tokyo had left. Luckily we meet two helpful security guards - why don't they exist in the UK? - who race us to the about-to-close bus stand and secure us two seats onto Tokyo proper....our luck continues as a man on the bus happens to work just around the corner from our hostel and helps us get onto the last tube in its general direction...experiencing Tokyo's Friday night booze cruise as we squeeze amongst the absolutely paraletic locals who dangle from railings like bits of meat in a butchers window...
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| where Raj Malalgoda’s 2008 bonus cheque went: “Come back soon my master” |
….despite being nearly three miles from our warm beds Paul learns Tokyo's taxi's charge £4 per 350m travelled and insists we - and our 23kg backpacks - can make it to the hostel on foot...two miles later Paul relents and we jump into a cab for the last mile or so... our first experience of temperature controlled toilet seats... ￡46 in a Japanese Youth hostel gets you bunkbeds, in a closet....after being bowed to for the fourth time that day Rhaani declares she loves the Japanese people and wants to adopt them ... superb food, when we can work out what were ordering, crapping all over Wagamama with a great Chicken Katsu curry at CoCo's curry house…. crapping all over Yo-Sushi at Kaiten Sushi ... not so keen on the powdered green tea on offer though...the fashion disaster that is Japanese youth….
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| dedicated followers of fashion |
…. getting used to ordering food through vending machines, even in restaurants... a 5:30am departure still fails to save us from a 90min queue at the famed (and awesome) Daiwa Sushi restaurant in the Tsukiji fish Market…. after a wander through the hectic market which featured some of the biggest fish - and knives - I've ever seen, we sit down for some of the freshest and tastiest sushi on the planet... Paul's tightness comes to the rescue as the group next to us recoil as they receive their "chefs choice" set menu which includes Cod Sperm sac sushi
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| maybe it will taste okay with a little bit of ketchup? |
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| I’m guessing this one’s not reserved for John West |
....wasting ￡20 on the worst city bus tour ever, "on your left is where the fabled ancient castle used to be, unfortunately it was destroyed during the war and now is replaced by a non-descript office building, on your right"....enjoying the best people watching ever.... maid cafe girls....taking part in Shibuya’s iconic five-way crosswalk....after 100 days Paul finally finds caffeine free Diet Coke and can have a coke with his evening meal without being wide await until 2am….our first experience of the superb bullet train doesn't disappoint, not only supra-300kmph speeds but massive leg room and seats that swivel around to always face the direction of travel (Saloni you must have loved it) ...
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| you don’t see too many of these on the East Coast mainline |
….. Kyoto, full of great temples ... Rhaani lets her spiritual side shine through when she declares the famous Ryonji garden is really "just eight crappy rocks on a bed of gravel!"
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| did you think about decking? Or maybe a swing? |
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| damn they’re fast |
…after another agonizingly prolonged internet search Paul finally locates the shop from which we will buy our traditional japanese gyutou kitchen knife. The winner is Shigeharu which has been making knives since the 1100’s… the harrowing Hiroshima peace park and memorial museum....a local ….compliments Paul on his chop-stick skills, quite the turn-around since when we started out he used the single stick stabbing technique.…a great day trip ruined, pouring rain means our day trip to Mijiano island is the shortest ever recorded....
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| alright just take the photo and let’s get out of this rain |
….Rhaani's Japan trip is complete after we discover there is a chance to visit the home of Sumo, Ryogoku wrestling theatre and watch the country’s top sumo wrestlers in a 7am open practice session to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday…
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| ah little white man, see what happens when you don’t have that 8th plate of rice for breakfast |
…Paul’s the big winner as his ticket wins him a chance join the after-show party and receive a signed paw print….catching a Christmas Day flight back to Hong Kong. No crackers are allowed as they constitute a security risk – thanks a lot Bin Laden….China East Airline do their bit to keep the festive spirit alive by serving chicken fried rice on the flight…
JAP-FACT: whenever a country carries out a nuclear weapon test the Mayor of Hiroshima sends the country a complaint letter calling for the scrapping of all nuclear weapons.
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| 150m from the A-bomb epi-centr |
UP NEXT: Back to mainland China for Guilin and Yangshou, home to the scenery that inspired a million Chinese restaurant calenders.
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