Tokyo Part 1
Shut your eyes and tell me the first things which spring to mind when you hear the word.... Tokyo!
Those were the words streaming in my head when I confirmed my business trip to Japan (lucky huh?).
Although I was beside myself with excitement, I was also a little intimidated. I'd heard that everything was very expensive, and that there was very little English in Japan. For someone who is not content to take a taxi every day (I love wandering), how was I going to find my way around?
Well, I was off to a great start when the guide book recommended having the name of my hotel written in Japanese for the taxi drivers. "Excellent, Bex", I thought, sitting in my 32A window seat somewhere over Taiwan, "you're very organised". A quick 'sumimasen' to my neighbour resulted in a Japanese translation and the discovery that my neighbour was a professional snowboarder who spends two months each year in Queenstown and has a photo of Lake Wanaka as the screen saver on his phone. It's a small world.
Several things have struck me in my first three days in Tokyo. Everyone is incredibly polite: drivers, pedestrians, road-workers, Joe Bloggs on the street (or maybe Joe Suzuki). It's a lovely change from Singapore where the status quo is to stick your head down and pretend you haven't noticed anyone.
You'll laugh, but one of the biggest shocks was the toilets (unless you've been to Japan, then you know what I'm talking about). Toilet seats are heated! Not just in fancy hotels, but in public bathrooms, office blocks, everywhere! Fear not if you're feeling bashful in the bathroom - toilets play a soundtrack of a stream running over stones to mask any individual noises. If you're forming the impression that toilets are extremely technological you're not far off the mark. With all these whiz-bang benefits, you'll need some instructions right? That's where it gets tricky... the trial and error method has been employed a few times just to find the flush!
One of the highlights has clearly been the food. Obviously, for Japanese-food-lovers coming to Japan is like a pilgrimage to the culinary equivalent of Mecca. Japan has more three-Michelin restaurants than any other country - yes, more than France. Of course, my business expense account doesn't stretch that far, but where breakfast, lunch and dinner provide the opportunity for a culinary experience, I'm diving right in.
What about dinner? Well we've been working most nights so dinner has been a very subdued affair. However, Sander arrives tonight from Singapore for a long weekend so stay tuned for Tokyo Part 2 - sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Tokyo (including dinner).
Until then... sayonara!!
Shut your eyes and tell me the first things which spring to mind when you hear the word.... Tokyo!
...Sashimi... Harajuku Girls... Cherry blossom... Neon... Lost in Translation...
Those were the words streaming in my head when I confirmed my business trip to Japan (lucky huh?).
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| It probably says something completely ordinary, but Japanese script looks fantastic |
Although I was beside myself with excitement, I was also a little intimidated. I'd heard that everything was very expensive, and that there was very little English in Japan. For someone who is not content to take a taxi every day (I love wandering), how was I going to find my way around?
Well, I was off to a great start when the guide book recommended having the name of my hotel written in Japanese for the taxi drivers. "Excellent, Bex", I thought, sitting in my 32A window seat somewhere over Taiwan, "you're very organised". A quick 'sumimasen' to my neighbour resulted in a Japanese translation and the discovery that my neighbour was a professional snowboarder who spends two months each year in Queenstown and has a photo of Lake Wanaka as the screen saver on his phone. It's a small world.
Several things have struck me in my first three days in Tokyo. Everyone is incredibly polite: drivers, pedestrians, road-workers, Joe Bloggs on the street (or maybe Joe Suzuki). It's a lovely change from Singapore where the status quo is to stick your head down and pretend you haven't noticed anyone.
You'll laugh, but one of the biggest shocks was the toilets (unless you've been to Japan, then you know what I'm talking about). Toilet seats are heated! Not just in fancy hotels, but in public bathrooms, office blocks, everywhere! Fear not if you're feeling bashful in the bathroom - toilets play a soundtrack of a stream running over stones to mask any individual noises. If you're forming the impression that toilets are extremely technological you're not far off the mark. With all these whiz-bang benefits, you'll need some instructions right? That's where it gets tricky... the trial and error method has been employed a few times just to find the flush!
 |
| Um... potential for dire consequences if the wrong button is pressed... |
One of the highlights has clearly been the food. Obviously, for Japanese-food-lovers coming to Japan is like a pilgrimage to the culinary equivalent of Mecca. Japan has more three-Michelin restaurants than any other country - yes, more than France. Of course, my business expense account doesn't stretch that far, but where breakfast, lunch and dinner provide the opportunity for a culinary experience, I'm diving right in.
Breakfast
Exquisite presentation for the most important meal of the day
Lunch
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A lot of pointing, gesturing and smiling got me this curry and soba noodle lunch from a tiny restaurant |
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| Packed lunch, Japanese-style |
Vending Machines
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| Banks of vending machines on every street selling everything from soft drinks to beer |
What about dinner? Well we've been working most nights so dinner has been a very subdued affair. However, Sander arrives tonight from Singapore for a long weekend so stay tuned for Tokyo Part 2 - sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Tokyo (including dinner).
Until then... sayonara!!
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