MY JAPAN TRIP: PART THREE

 MY JAPAN TRIP: PART THREE

Welcome back dear reader to the third and final part of my Japan Blog series. If I remember correctly, I left you all off at Dotonbori in the previous part.

As soon as we reached Dotonbori, I was taken aback by the dazzling neon lights, large advertisements, and the streets filled with shops. Dotonbori is basically a marketplace, that feels more like an open shopping mall. It has a river that flows through it and the market place stationed on both sides.

If the reader has read my previous blogs on Milan, then you can compare it with the famous The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. While the The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was more of a shopping mall filled with extremely expensive and fashionable brands, Dotonbori covered each and every price range. It was also much bigger than the mall in Milan. It was more of an area, rather than a mall.

 

 

The next day, we decided to go to yet another city which was not Osaka. We went to the famous Deer Park in Nara. Nara was also once the capital of Japan in the 8^th century and you can tell that just by looking at all the ancient temples of historical significance. We went to the famous Todai-ji temple in Nara. This temple was certainly the largest temple I had ever seen in Japan so far. It felt more like a castle instead. Inside, there was a giant statue of Buddha, around 15 metres tall, displayed in the great hall. It was truly magnificent and I was left gawking just at the sheer size of it.

 

 

I really thought that this must be the largest Buddha statue ever made (although later, a Google search proved otherwise). After the temple’s visit, we went to the nearby Deer park. And as the name suggests, this park was famous for its deer popultion. It was filled with really friendly deers who meant no harm. The tourists were allowed to interact freely with them. You could play with them, feed them, and even take photos. They were used to the tourists taking photos of them, so some of the deers had even learnt how to bow, just to impress us.

 

 

After spending some time in the Deer park, we decided to head back to Osaka, the final destination of our trip.

 

The rest of our days (around a day and a half) were spent in Osaka. And all we did was just hang around Dotonbori. There was also this really cool building through which a highway had been constructed. So essentially the cars went through the building just to get to the other side.

 

 

In all fairness, I really enjoyed Osaka almost as much as Tokyo. It felt like a lighter version of Tokyo. At least the people were talking to each other in the metro. And another interesting thing I noted were the skyscrapers. I am really fond of skyscrapers and I must admit, Osaka was the only city that I have seen which had the most beautiful skyscrapers of all time. Each and every structure was completely different from the other. It felt so futuristic to see everything!

 

 

And Dotonbori at night gave a complete cyberpunk science fiction vibe which no city has ever given me so far. We took a boat ride in the Dotonbori canal, did some shopping, ate food, had ice creams, took photos and videos, etc.

 

Finally, when it was time to leave Japan, I was leaving with a heavy heart. Japan had given me a lot of fond memories. Europe may have been my first international trip on my own, but Japan was certainly an unforgettable experience too. It blends technology with culture, the people are very different yet very similar. The architecture, the way of life, the society, everything was so magnificent. One would never want to leave after experiencing Japan and its culture.

Thank you for reading. I hope to see you soon, with more interesting travel blogs, and more opportunites to come!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY JAPAN TRIP: PART TWO

 MY JAPAN TRIP: PART TWO

Hi readers! Welcome back to my Japan blog. This is part two. Let me refresh your memory. Previously we left of at the majestic city of Tokyo and how I was mesmerized by its skyline and vibes.

As you may recall my last visit was The Tokyo Sky Tree. Soon after that, we had to leave for Hiroshima. And the journey from Tokyo to Hiroshima was a long one if taken by road. But, we weren’t going by road. We were going to travel by Japan’s famous Bullet Trains!

I was super excited to experience bullet trains and I could not believe that such a technology like this actually existed. As soon as we reached the platform, my eyes went to the sleek design and ‘bullet’-like shape of the trains. Here’s a photo that I took

It almost looks like the image is stretched out and that the real shape of these trains is not how it appears to be. But that is the beauty of it. In fact, I got to know that bullet trains in Japan are never late. They have a time buffer of around 30 seconds and no more than that. They are exceptionally punctual and respect the traveler’s time.

Another cool thing that I noticed was that the seats inside the train faced the same direction as the train was supposed to move. So, when I was standing at the station and the train arrived at the stop moving in, say, the east direction; and now if it was supposed to go the other way back, then the seats automatically get rotated and face the proper direction accordingly. And one more plus side was that all of the doors were automated too. Even the ones inside the washroom.

The speed with which we went, it almost made me feel as if I was an unlucky assassin mixed up with the wrong people who were going after the same briefcase as me. That was a niche reference to the movie, Bullet Train (2022), apologies if you got distracted.

 

We reached Hiroshima in the evening. And unlike Tokyo, Hiroshima was very quiet and very sober. No tall buildings, no fancy architecture, no chatter of public. It felt like a small town. Our hotel in Hiroshima overlooked a serene lake. Me and my mom spent some well-needed time together near the lakeside and had a great conversation. The vibe was so smooth and quiet it felt like we were the last remaining humans on this earth.

The next day in the morning, we went to visit the Miyajima Island. It was basically a small island in the middle of a big lake, which had a few temples and a large Tori gate in the middle of the water body.

Outside in the sun, the temperature was super hot. But somehow inside the temple there was a cool breeze caressing my face.

And that is when I realized how great the life of a Japanese monk might’ve been in the 12^th century. Imagine waking up every day in the middle of the lake, with no people nearby. Just you your thoughts, left alone, looking down upon your reflection in the water, gauging over at the sky, absorbing the sounds of nature. Such a serene environment.

 

Soon after the Tori Gate visit, we decided to go to the one place which this city was well-known for. The Hiroshima museum. No one was mentally ready to go through the horrific and abhorrent images displayed in the museum about the notorious atom bomb event.

 

 

The entire area near the museum was designed in a very serene and placid manner. There was a large memorial where many people had gathered and were paying respect to the dead. There was also a giant dome that had been destroyed but still standing. It was a whole lot to take in. There were photos and memorabilia kept outside the museum near the park. There was also a giant bell outside the museum near the park called as the Peace Bell. It was a reminder to the world about the impact and repercussions of the bombing.

 

Later on we went inside the museum to take a tour. It was filled with many people and everyone was just as apalled as we were after seeing everything. There were over a thousand stories, a thousand articles, a thousand pictures, all of them reminding the world of the horrors of that fateful day. In fact after a point it was too much for us to take in so we actually had to come outside to take a breather. This was so sensitive and one could only think about what pain the people may have gone through.
I also learnt that the horrors of the bombing did not just stop on 6^th August 1945. Rather, the survivors of the atomic bomb had to even face severe racism because of their disfiguired faces and bodies. The victims were known as hibakusha. In fact, here is what wikipedia says –

Hibakusha and their children were (and still are) victims of severe discrimination when it comes to prospects of marriage or work^[33] due to public ignorance about the consequences of radiation sickness, with much of the public believing it to be hereditary or even contagious.^[34][35] This is despite the fact that no statistically demonstrable increase of birth defects or congenital malformations was found among the later conceived children born to survivors of the nuclear weapons used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or found in the later conceived children of cancer survivors who had previously received radiotherapy.^[36][37][38]

 

I was deeply shocked to know about this and almost unable to fathom it. We left the museum with heavy hearts and sadness in our eyes. Later on, me and my mom, we sat near the riverside and discussed about the whole ordeal and how the world politics works today.

 

In the later part of the afternoon, it was time to leave Hiroshima and go to the next destination via Bullet Train – Osaka!

I was really excited to get to Osaka as I had heard a lot about it. There was also a recent expo related to technology because of which the city was already bustling with advertisements and decorations. In the evening we reached Osaka and checked into our hotel. My mom insisted that we explore a little part of the city right then at night using the metro and subway but I was too tired to do anything so we just decided to take rest.

 

The next day, we weren’t going to explore Osaka, but rather we were going to go to the old capital city of Japan – Kyoto. Kyoto seemed like a really small town when we entered, no different than Hiroshima, but that meant more greenery and more nature. Kyoto had a very famous place called as the ‘Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine’ where around hundreds of Tori gates were placed along the path which goes up to the mountain. There was also a very beautiful bamboo forest nearby. Walking inside the forest seemed so unreal, I actually thought that it was virtual reality for a moment. I had never seen bamboo for myself, let alone walking inside a forest covered with it.

 

The whole area felt like a maze. If anyone even accidentally got lost here at night, they would be done for. We also had authentic Japanese grilled sea food near the tourist area in Kyoto. It tasted so rich and buttery that even now as I write this article, I feel the tang on my tongue leaving a lasting effect. But that was it for Kyoto. We just spent around half a day and left back for Osaka.

 

When we reached Osaka, that was the time when me and my mom decided to go out and roam the city on our own, just like we did in Tokyo.

This time, I had done my research and knew of a famous place in Osaka known as Dotonbori. Soon the reader shall realise that Dotonbori was really the highlight of our trip.

 

But unfortunately, this is where I leave you. More stories about Osaka are to come really soon. See you next in the final part of my Japan blog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY JAPAN TRIP: PART ONE

 MY JAPAN TRIP: PART ONE

Hello dear readers!

Welcome back to my Travel Blog - a website which has been abandoned for over a year. But guess what?

I am back (as you can obviously read this); and this time I have another place that I want to tell you about - Japan.

Indeed, I visited Japan this year, and explored 6 of its famous cities. This blog will be divided into 3 parts. I hope you have a good read.

So, to give you an overview, I went in June (which was NOT the cherry blossom season unfortunately), and unlike last time where I was all on my own on the Europe trip, this time I went with my mom. We had booked our trip through a tours and travel company. It was a week's stay.

 

Our first stop was Japan's capital city Tokyo!

I fell in love with Tokyo. What an amazing city! Tall buildings, beautiful scenery, bustling with life, and so very clean. On our very first day when we landed in Tokyo, it was almost 11 AM (JST) or so. A bright and beautiful day, the blue sky shining up above us and surprisingly, it was a little hot. Even at the airport I couldn’t guess that the outside temperature would be so warm. I also happened to bump into a friend of mine from college. We had coincidentally planned an international trip to Japan at the same time. Although the only difference being, as me and my mom had decided to go with a tours and travel company, during the entire trip, we had a personal bus with a driver with our group who would take us anywhere we wanted. And our first stop in the city was a very famous temple known as the Asakusa Sensoji Temple.

The typical Japanese architecture that I had always seen in movies and shows was right in front of me. Needless to say I was mesmerized. There, we also had authentic Matcha coffee. And that is where I learnt one fact about Japan that might shock you - there are no dustbins anywhere in the country. Yes! You read that right. We tried to find a dustbin to throw our trash in but our tour guide told us that the Japanese people don't throw garbage in the trash can. Instead they put it inside a plastic bag, go home, and then dispose of it. Hence the absence of trash cans on the streets. So in case any one of my readers plans to go to Japan, they must carry their own plastic bags for the waste materials. 

After the temple we visited another famous place that my movie blog readers might recognize. The very famous Shibuya crossing!

The entire time I was in this place, only one song was continuously going on in my mind - Six Days by DJ Shadow. To all the ones who don’t have a clue of what I am talking about - Shibuya crossing is a very famous spot in Tokyo which was featured in the Hollywood movie, Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift. I don’t know the exact statistics but at least millions of people use that crossing every single day. It was like Tokyo’s very own Times Square! This was probably one of my most favourite spots in the entire trip.

After that, we went to a place that was probably the most extra-ordinary and exotic location I have ever seen in my entire life. Team Labs Planet. 

To give you an overview, Team Labs Planet is sort of a museum, although it doesn’t contain any historical artefacts. Rather, it felt like a futuristic museum that had incorporated 3D life-like models and spaces. It was visually and auditorially appealing. I felt like I had entered a whole different dimension. It is kind of difficult to explain what the museum was like, but think of it like this, it’s a space that is filled with dark rooms, bright neon lights and fashionably weird architecture. I don’t think I will ever forget Team Labs Planet. Truly an experience like never before.  

After that we went to the Statue of Liberty. Yes, you read that right. The Statue of Liberty of Japan!

And the view from that place was absolutely breathtaking. Probably one of the best views of Tokyo. I could see the entire cityscape, the rainbow bridge, the Sumida river, etc. And just behind it, there was a mall where we went for dinner. All in all, the first day in Tokyo was an absolute blast. So many interesting things, so many beautiful places, absolutely unforgettable. Another thing that I must add is, the hotel experience in Japan was unlike anything I had ever seen. They provided us with night clothes! And that too traditional Japanese clothes. Both me, and my mom were absolutely stunned. 

The next day was rather uneventful. We took a trip to a town called Hakone. It was covered with beautiful mountain ranges and a river ran through it. The place was supposedly known for its hot springs. But that was not the reason why we were there. We had actually come to see Mount Fuji. The iconic peak of Japan. And the reason why that day was uneventful was because it was a cloudy day! 

We took a short boat ride to the base of a ropeway cable car entrance. From there on we took a cable car and went atop a mountain. It was really beautiful. Because of the hot springs and sulphur deposits, it gave me a Western movie kind of a vibe, because the ground looked like an American desert. Nevertheless we couldn’t see Mount Fuji due to the clouds, so we took a short tour of the place and then decided to come back to Tokyo. 

At night is when the real fun began. I had been bugging my mom that I wanted to go and see the Tokyo tower at night. Thus, when we returned back to our hotel in the evening, we decided to roam around the city on our own. 

We first located the nearest metro station and then took a metro to the famous Shibuya crossing once again. I had to see it and experience it at nighttime. 

Then, we took another metro and went to the Tokyo tower. It was MAGNIFICENT! Gleaming brightly in the night sky. I felt like I was back in Paris. After gawking at the structure for a while, we decided to head back and end the day.

The next day I was very excited. The reason was that we were gonna go to Tokyo Sky Tree. The tallest tower in Japan!

But first we decided to visit a famous garden known as Shinjuku garden. It was filled with Japanese zen architecture and was really soothing. I also saw a building from the trees that looked like the Empire State Building. Here is a photo

Next, finally, we went to the infamous Tokyo Sky Tree. As soon as we reached the top floor, my jaw dropped. It was majestic! I could see the entire city of Tokyo, sprawled out below me, like a mini architecture designed for a child to play with. It may not have been better than my Eiffel Tower experience (if you know you know), but it was certainly bigger than Paris. Or at least it looked like that. 

After that, it was time to say goodbye to Tokyo. What an amazing city. Well balanced and clean, it has everything you want. A river, city life, greenery, nature, technology. It is the perfect city to live in. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay there forever. It was magical. And as one of my friends said, “You don’t understand their language, but you never feel like a stranger”