Jetting through Japan

Land ho! After seeing nothing but water for a week, I have reached civilization and feel like a human again. Japan. Where do I begin? A unique land for sure. I wasn’t at all prepared for the language barrier. I faced many blank stares and exchanged confused faces this week. The struggle to get around loomed, but the train station and friendly locals asking if we were lost, saved our lives. Silverware was rarely used which meant my chopstick skills were put to the test. They have only slightly improved, which obviously meant I had to buy myself a pair with my name engraved on them. Toilets are either HIGH tech or very old fashion. Every high tech toilet I found was heated which made the freezing temperatures slightly more bearable. It snowed almost every day which made our time here more magical.

Everyone in Japan wears medical masks to ward off germs and to protect others. They are such considerate people! The Japanese are so helpful and would try and converse with us. Anytime I paid for something, the cashier would hand me back my money with two hands or put it in a tray as a sign of respect. Vending machines are EVERYWHERE and filled with random things like cat clothing or ice cream. Somehow in the span of five days we visited five cities. Here we go:

Osaka

Our tester day! Having no experience with Japanese, we spent an hour roaming the train station and the financial district until we finally found a taxi. We saw the historic Osaka castle, ate at a quaint sushi restaurant, and went to an incredible aquarium known for housing unique Pacific Ocean sea creatures. After being in the Pacific for 17 days, it was cool to see what all had been lurking beneath us.

Tokyo

What a city people!!

If you like New York City then you will love Tokyo. So vibrant, so much to do, too many things to see. Tokyo consists of 23 wards, which are all governed as their own city. We spent most of our time in Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Harajuku, each very unique and beautiful.

Harajuku! A ward filled with colorful shops, funky clothing, and of course, rainbow cotton candy. Can’t miss out on the gram ya know? If you want to go shopping, Harajuku is the place. Something I wasn’t expecting going into Japan was the amount of sweets that filled the streets. Japan is known for their healthier diets, but everywhere I went it was matcha ice cream and pastries. Did not see that coming. It was interesting to see how westernized Japanese food is. Though we could find sushi, ramen, and dumplings everywhere we could also find a pastry shop or a McDonald’s around the corner.

Shinjuku was a hot spot for restaurants, bars, and the robot show. What is the robot show you ask? The weirdest and most exciting show I’ve ever seen. Filled with dancers and singers fighting robots in the most elaborate way, it leaves you speechless.

Shibuya, a bigger hot spot for bars and clubs, is where Shibuya Crossing is! One of Japan’s most chaotic and iconic cross streets surrounded by its own mini time square. TBH, it’s slightly underwhelming. I loved the area but it’s not as big as you would think.

I love you Tokyo!

Kyoto

A city up to date and full of culture, Kyoto was my favorite! Kyoto is like Tokyo’s laid back older brother, he’s in the know with the trends but likes to keep it old fashion. It’s filled with historical temples and food at your every reach. After a packed day of Tokyo it was nice to come to a city where there wasn’t a constant sense of hustle and bustle. If you are in the mood to go out though, there are some fab places to go. We explored the markets, Fushimi Inari-taisha (orange Shinto shrine), Kinkakuji (the golden temple), and Iwatayama Monkey Park! If you are planning on seeing the monkeys, do not look them in the eye. They will get angry and scream. Lesson learned.

Kobe

Our port city! I wasn’t planning on spending much time here but I had a mandatory field trip with my marketing class and I’m so glad I did. We toured a sake distillery museum and learned about the marketing of Kobe beef. We had kobe beef for lunch and let me just say, it’s fantastic. One of my favorite meals in Japan. Have you ever heard of a school field trip where you get to eat Kobe beef and try four different types of sake? Yeah, me neither. For those of you wanting to try Kobe beef, make sure the restaurants trademark of a bronze cow is in sight so you know the beef is authentic. Kobe beef is made from 100% purebred Japanese cattle, which why it cuts like butter and hurts your wallet. We got to see Japan’s most historical Starbucks along with visiting a coffee museum. Kobe, I’m impressed.

Nara

Sweet, sweet Nara. On a whim, we decided to go out of our way to make a quick stop at Nara’s Deer Park! Nara Deer Park is a park filled with deer freely roaming around, cool right? We were only here for an hour but I can honestly say this was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Though I was nibbled and nudged at multiple times, the deer are so friendly and peaceful. If you purchase food or carry a paper bag around, they flock to you like sheep.

Safe to say that my exposure to Japan was surreal and a great first port to be immersed by a new culture. As I travel through the rest of this voyage, each country will be more and more foreign to me and Japan was the perfect way to introduce us to this adjustment. I will be back for you Japan, specifically during cherry blossom season. You will be missed.

xx,

Cat

P.S. Here’s a video of Japan!