Japan! A place high on my wish list, finally checked. Thanks to circumstances which made this the holiday choice for a family vacation.
For us, the trip was in two parts. First 9 days as part of the larger group of 12 people, we visited most of the hot spots as curated and managed by a tour group. Second, for 5 days we experienced some of the natural beauty of Japan by exploring the alps.
It was a packed 2 weeks and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment. For this writeup, I will leave out the details and focus on anecdotes and our experiences. So, this will be active blog as I intend to update it when I remember something fascinating that I want to share and remember for myself.
Lets start with Japanese punctuality which is well known. We have lived in America and travelled wel in Europe, so are aware of the countries where time is taken seriously. Japan seemed to take it to the next level. Since we, Indians, have quite a flexible with time, it was a clash indeed a clash culture. One of our Japanese guides, was quite direct about it. She politely told us that she knows Indians are not punctual but she will manage! Good... because she had to in our trip 😃. During our stay several incidents highlighted Japanese seriousness about time. When we were approached by a rickshaw tourist activity person selling a ride near Sensoji Temple, Tokyo, we told her her that we were supposed to be on our tour bus in 20 mins at a landmark. She immediately pointed out that it takes 10mins to get there and that we should start right away or else we wont be on time! Another time, a hotel receptionist in Matsumoto who was also the driver to drop us to the station, ignored our request to take a photo of us in front the hotel. First, we felt he was rude, then realized he was just being professional or Japanese if you will as it was just few minutes to the announced 9am departure.
The biggest cultural feature is of Japan is of course, their politeness. We soon realized that they maintain it to a fault. Arigato gozaimasu, thank you in Japanese quickly became our most used phrase. Bowing was a bit awkward to time and ended up bobbing our body all the time! The politeness transcends normalcy. For instance, if you are blocking the bike path, more often than not, rather than telling us to get off, the biker will slowly follow/wait until we get off the path or even get down and walk around us. All this with a polite bow, no angry looks and sometimes even an Arigato to us! Compare that to Amsterdam where we were yelled at to get off the path. The funny thing is, they have so many unwritten rules that makes life better in Japan. However, when you break them, either ignorantly or intentionally, no one will point it out to you. They will just adjust and avoid any confrontation. Rules like no eating/drinking while walking, no loud talking/music in public spaces. If you are sensitive and empathetic, you will soon realize yourself and correct your behavior.
The izhakayas, were everywhere and we managed to try many of them for dinner, each different in cuisine, ambiance and experience. Izhakaya, as per google means, “stay-drink-place.” A spot to grab a drink, settle in, and get comfortable. That's exactly what they were along with good food. Sushi, Ramen noodles, Yakitori (grills), and so on.
Another purely Japanese experience we enjoyed were the Onsens, which are natural mineral water fed public baths. If there is no minerals present then they are referred to as just public baths. There are strict rules on using them which we learnt by checking other blogs and YouTube videos. The hotels too provided sufficient information. Once we got over our shyness, the luxury of relaxing in the Onsen after a tiring day was so good, that we used them every chance we got. Our first experience was in the Hotel public bath in Osaka. Kurobe is known for its natural mineral water fed Onsens. Hotel had a beautiful ones that we used multiple times. Highlight was the natural pool open air one at Kuronagi reached via the Gorge Railway.
Personal space was another interesting cultural trait. People waiting at street crossings place themselves at arms length of each other. We also noticed school children on a field trip keeping their bags evenly spaced out as they explored the area.
Their professionalism when helping out also means you ask one thing at a time. I was told to stop talking as is my habit after I made one request until they had finished.
Summary of our itinerary.
- Osaka (2 nights)
- Hiroshima
- Nara Deer Park
- Kyoto (3 nights)
- Kimono Experience
- Arashiyama Bamboo forest
- Tokyo (4 nights)
- Sensoji Temple
- Tokyo Skytree
- Mt Fuji
- Digital Art Museum
- Andon Ryokan
- Kurobe (2 nights)
- Gorge Railway
- Matsumoto (2 nights)
- Kamikochi
