My first surprise: The signs and recorded messages on the subways of Tokyo and the trains we took to Hakone and Fuji city were very English-friendly. Most of the signs and station broadcasts were repeated in English.
I had many impressions about the bathrooms. Some had modernized squat stalls (not a name for them, just a description) that were predominant before opening to the West. In many cases, you had a choice of either
traditional or Western-style toilet. Another nice feature: instead of falling directly into the tank, the water that replaces the flushed water falls through a spout and into a basin on top of the tank, thereby allowing people to use this water to wash their hands (nice efficiency). Some of the Western-style toilets make American toilets look medieval. Numerous knobs on the toilets allow people to heat the seat and have different options for bidet (heated/unheated water, shape of waterflow, etc.). Finally, there seems to be less cultural need for privacy. Several times, I walked into the men's bathroom only to find Japanese men doing their business while a woman was cleaning. Also, on the train, there was a window from the hall into the men's urinal.
We also had a variety of food and/or food vending experiences while I was there. Early on my first full day, we went to
Tsukiji fish market, the central Tokyo distribution point for practically an entire sea-full of creatures, everything from 1500-lb tunas to vivid red spiny crabs to octopi, recognizable at the 'genre' level, but not at the species level. (Very cool experience, but made me worry about what's left in the ocean.) It seemed comparable in size to DC National Airport, though probably smaller. We had sashimi for breakfast at a shop right outside of the market that was very nice. Later, we walked to a department store near Peter and Lori's house, the basement of which felt like another endless warren of food vendors selling everything that could be wanted. While I was in Tokyo, we went to a yakitori izakaya (bar specializing in chicken-on-a-stick), ate ramen (many people smoke, and I don't remember there being any non-smoking sections), Spanish, and Mexican food. I got Japanese snack food from the 7/11 whenever I could (sweet bean/rice paste and other snacks you wouldn't see in the US). We had Japanese fast food (picture a Waffle House counter) at a place called Matsuya, where you went to a vending machine, selected a picture of your food, and paid for a ticket. The only exchange with the staff was in giving them the ticket and waiting for the food, and, of course, the inevitable "Domo arigato gozaimasu," or equivalent. We also hit Shop 99 (Peter and Lori's go-to store), where everything costs 99 yen, and which has a respectable selection as well.
My favorite meal in Tokyo was with Peter's English class. We went out to an Okinawan restaurant and had a bunch of dishes that have now all combined in my brain to be wonderful 'karage,' which is Japanese fried chicken. (I should have written this while it was happening, as my brain is deeply in the process of turning the experience into happy but wispy memories.) I remember bright purple food. It was really fun hanging with them and speaking English. I hope they felt likewise! ;-)
Other impressions: so many
vending machines, so little time! The drinks offered were very different.
I tried the ubiquitous green tea, several kinds of iced coffee (including one called 'Deepresso'), a melon-flavored soft drink, 'Calpis' (white, don't really remember much about taste). I also tried a jelly vitamin drink, but didn't get through it. We had a drink at a bar on the 50th floor of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Shinjuku (think, "Lost in Translation"). Although the drink was good, the most memorable thing about that was seeing Tokyo stretch without end in every direction. A different sense of 'bigness' than New York City, which feels big but which has defined chunks such as Manhattan. I like the fact that you don't tip in Japan. I wish America would build the price of service into its products and leave it at that. Honestly, it was sort of cool to go to Starbucks in Shibuya, situated at the busiest pedestrian intersection on the planet. Check out
this video to see for yourself.
But some of the coolest food experiences were had out of Tokyo. In
Hakone, we had a full Japanese dinner and Japanese breakfast (think dinner, not our typical breakfast at all) served in our hotel room. The hotel, called a ryokan, was quite stunning. It was built around a hot spring and offered both indoor and outdoor baths. Waterfalls fell all around the buildings. The food was really good. We also had a nice dinner at the home of the Nozawa family in Fuji city and a great take on the buffet (think all-you-can-eat cafeteria with the organic equivalent of Japanese soul food, not too fried) with Terry Nozawa and his wife Sylvie. And it was very cool to drive around with them and see the
green tea in the fields of Shizuoka prefecture.
Some of my favorite things to see are gardens, and we had a great time seeing
Hama Rikyu garden near the Tsukiji fish market. There were two couples getting married and posing at the Meiji Shrine, a giant Shinto shrine that was built after the death of the first post-Tokugawa emperor. Also, we went with Terry and Sylvie to
Taisekiji, a huge, beautiful Nichiren sect Buddhist temple in Shizuoka prefecture with rivers of water gushing around its paths.
If someone on the streets of Tokyo hands you a packet of tissues, they are advertising something.
This is already too long. Other cool things: going to the upscale mall in Omote Sando (and
shooting videos); walking around Harajuku and seeing all of the crazy-dressed youths (one was dressed only in Ace bandages); walking around Shinjuku at night, especially seeing the small gay part of town, wandering through the middle of one of the giant blocks on a path that looked as if it were in the middle of the countryside (very quiet, no light), and seeing the maze of bars in the
Golden-Gai part of Shinjuku, each of which had room for maybe five people. The buildings housing the bars were no deeper than 15 feet, and no wider than 10 feet. I am betting more like 7' x 12'. How could these baristas make enough to survive? Also, seeing Mt. Fuji for the minute that it was visible through the windows of our Shinkansen (known to gaijin as the bullet train): in that minute, Mt. Fuji looked like a Pantone 12-0404 triangle against a Pantone 12-4302 sky (see
http://www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idSubArea=0&idArea=45&idArticle=913). Also, the retail experience at Tokyu Hands (Shibuya) and Muji.
But the best part of it was getting a week of freedom from all responsibility and eventually even all sense of time to hang with my brother and sister-in-law.
Eek. Ran out of steam. But what the heck am I doing trying to communicate in words what YOU should go experience!
And so I'll Toodle-doo ya ...
Now GO! And see Shibuya!
