Japan 2006...Nagoya, Fujiyoshida and Tokyo

These diary entries are from my visit to Japan in June 2006. I might have written differently if I had gone now....but I will stay faithful to the original entries.



Thursday, June 15, 2006

8:55 am , Roanoke Airport

Waiting for the 9:56 am flight to Chicago from where we fly to JAPAN. Am pretty excited!



Saturday, June 17, 2006

7:15 am, Nagoya

Arrived here last night with M. The plane stopped at Kansai Osaka International Airport. As N expected, everything was super-organized. I have yet to see a more sparkling clean airport. Not fancy or flashy. In fact, Japan uptil now seems extremely clean. Even the back alleys I saw on the train from Osaka to Nagoya were dirt free and the air seemed clean and fresh. Tokyo is probably different I think.. On the train, I was besotted by the countryside - neat paddy fields, artistic houses (with the typical greyish/brownish colored roofs like a pagoda) and bright cars which look very efficient (no ugly SUVs or even big cars). Saw Toyota Corollas as taxis. People drive smaller cars here.

Uptil now, a remarkable feature of Japan is the quietness/stillness which emanates from everything. Noise levels are very low especially to the ear of a person raised in the cacophony of India. People are very sweet and courteous. Dad would love Japan - cleanest people ever. I think I read somewhere that cleanliness is a synonym of beauty in Japanese culture. How apt. People are little too..It is difficult to spot mature-looking men and women (according to my untrained eye). It seems they go straight from adolescence to old age physically. Surprisingly, I saw a lot of school girls in uniform. I read a novel, Kinshu (Autumn Brocade) by the Japanese author Teru Miyamoto (good book- emotional upheavals of ex-spouses) where the schoolgirls on the trains are described.

The dress code is predominantly western (as I expected). Males in dark suits and females in skirts or dresses (short). One thing I noted was that several Japanese women (in fact all of them) are slim with thick legs. Anomalous? Great skin and hair but personally speaking Chinese and Korean girls are prettier (so far).

We are staying at a youth hostel with a room of our own. It is in Japanese style. Bamboo mats line the sleeping area (90% of the floor). There is a low table with a thermos flask with hot water, blue teapot and little cups with a box of green tea bags. Had a cup an hour ago.[There is a clothesline strategically placed over the AC. N would love it...and the windows open too!]

Very charming. There are slippers available near the entrance of the room and the bathrooms so that you remove your shoes and wear the slippers. Not to forget, horror of horrors, communal bathrooms! Was forced to use it yesterday as badly needed a shower. There was no one last night except an effusive young thing (who was not embarrassed at all). I waited for her to leave and took a shower hurriedly. An older woman entered and she bowed. Multiple faucets and a jacuzzi where people take a final dip. I did not try it.

As expected, finding vegetarian food was problematic especially with the language barrier. Nagoya is not a common tourist destination, it seems. People tried to help. At 7-11 yesterday (yes, they are ubiquitous), a young man and a woman tried to help me a lot but because of cash problems,I had to go to another place. Got a couple of odd looks yesterday probably because people are not used to foreigners here. Will visit Nagoya castle tomorrow.



3:15 pm

We are on the train to Mount Fuji. Spent some time in Nagoya. Went to the Nagoya Castle which had been bombed during WW II but several parts had been recovered, Reconstruction is still going on. It was surrounded by a dry moat filled with pebbles. It was very humid and I am still sweating. One of the girls who assisted me with an ATM at the Nagoya train station asked, 'Why did you come to Japan in such bad weather?'

In the castle, saw pieces of art...a replica of figures hauling rocks to build the moat. Went to the Ninomaru Garden and Teahouse which is nearby. The word on the street is that if you drink tea in this teahouse, you add 5 years to your life. They served us cake (more like jelly) and bowls of green tea. Got my picture taken with smiling, pretty kimono-clad hostesses. It was a very serene place. Japanese decor is delicate and exquisite. Would love to incorporate it in my own home. Also, ate green tea icecream near the castle. Very few foreigners. An Indian family (lady in churidar) just passed me. Then, we visited 3 shrines near the city hall (shinto - shrine; buddhist - temple). Blue, purple and pink hydrangeas encircled some of the shrines. All of the shrines have a little enclosure with water for people to wash their hands and drink. A man indicated this to us by miming it. Ate at a small place in JR Nagoya station where I managed to get a cucumber salad with sweetish- reddish beans and a tofu dish. She asked us about our countries (in fact guessed mine- India) and said we had good eyes. The train from Nagoya to Fuji involved 2 stops (Nagoya to Otuski and Otuski to Fuji). Very scenic countryside. Big green mountains and streams with rocks (somehow reminded me of Madhopur). Very different from South-West Virginia and the East coast of the US (even Smokies). Needless to say, I find this more appealing. Was nauseous most of the time. So I could not appreciate it more. Reached Fuji station at night. Bought few groceries (milk, juice, fruits) at a mall in the train station.

We took a cab to our hotel which turned out to be another charming Japanese place (Ryokan, I think). Very traditional. Saw real flowers in vases with cotton plants (interesting combination) all over. I took a shower with really cold water. Slept like a log. Saw some World Cup (Football) action on TV with M - Argentina thrashing Serbia & Montenegro 5-0.

Woke up around 7 am. Ate a very traditional Japanese breakfast seated on cushions near very low table.

Menu: salad (greens, onions)

Miso soup with tofu (did not eat because of fear of fish broth)

Plain tofu

Rice

Seaweed wrapped

Pickled vegetables with tofu (cabbage, carrots)

Egg (was being slowly cooked in front of us on fire as we ate! did not know the covered dish contained an egg!)



Saw the lush greenery outside the windows and rain dripping down the leaves. Then we decided to look around. Walked to a cluster of ponds which faces Mount Fuji....but it was so cloudy that day, we could not see the mountain. Wisps of clouds floated over the mountains. Ethereal! It was either drizzling or raining most of the time. Saw 2 big yellow fishes in a small pond. Went to a shop which was perched right next to a pond with 2 cranes who were the cynosure of all eyes. This shop had souvenirs and traditional food. I got a thermometer for home and chopsticks. Hiked further and saw a desolate shrine. M wanted some cash and we hunted for an ATM. We found a post office and her spirits rose.

While returning from the post office, we came across a shrine where monks were reading scriptures (?) followed by chanting. It was raining heavily now. We sat in an enclosure facing the sanctorum. Memorable experience. Wish N and Dad were here.

I explored the back side of the shrine and stumbled on a huge cemetery which was packed (very little space between headstones). The cemetery was 'guarded' by a huge grey statue of a woman holding an infant (could not figure out who this might be) and in front of her, smaller grey-colored statues wearing red capes. A family in black came out of the shrine...funeral?

Left this place...and returned to the shop where I ate a hot rice cake stuffed with beans...sweet. I bought 3 different kinds of rice cakes (Mochi).



June 18, 2006

We returned to our Ryokan and packed our bags and the kind gentleman (who was transfixed by baseball on TV) called a cab for us. He had lent me a raincoat earlier in the day.We bade him good bye and Arigato.

As our train started approaching Tokyo, I saw greater number of buildings and the countryside disappeared. One thing I noted was that even in the dingiest building, some form of greenery was prevalent. Japanese love plants. Almost every shop has flowers growing in pots. Exceptionally healthy plants. Saw the ubiquitous Americans signs of MNCs...KFCs, McDonalds, 7-11s....shudder!

Trudged with our bags to the Tokyo Hostel where the receptionist (African guy) spoke fluent English. This hotel is packed with Caucasians (primarily from Australia and the UK). An older, verbose Chinese guy from Amsterdam told me about his journeys in Japan and China. He asked me, 'Are you shy to talk?'...amusing.

This hostel is very different from Madrid's...bamboo matting all over the floor; Japanese artwork on the walls. We don't wear shoes or slippers except in the bathroom. A common kitchen-dining area adjoining the living room with a big TV. World Cup was a hot topic. Aussies and Britons seem even less inhibited than Americans. We went out for dinner. M was out of cash and had not checked before ordering food and drinks (thought credit would work). Managed to get help from an Aussie from the hostel by exchanging dollars for yen...interesting transaction.

I visited my 'favorite' 7-11 for milk and a funny-looking ice cream (banana coated with a chocobar...cheap and yummy).



9:15 am

Right now, I am sitting in the living room. There is an Asian guy who is doing yoga...lithe

I headed out to Akasuka. It was hot and humid as usual and I was ready with an umbrella and sunglasses. I wore my flowery, breezy skirt and peach top. Walked on alone with trepidation...did not want to lose my way. Asked (or rather confirmed) the route with several people along the way. Streets were full of people. I stopped at a shop filled with the unique dishes of Japan...I fell in love with these dishes in the restaurants. While I was examining the wares, a couple of clowns beating big drums passed by. One of them greeted me heartily. and asked ,'From India?'..I was bewildered as I said yes. He said..'beautiful'..and went merrily his way..India is beautiful...most unique place I have seen.

I picked up several pieces in this shop where two very courteous people moved silently in the background as I peeked in all the nooks and cranies of the shop. Very different from the aggressive advertising among Indian shopkeepers..:)

I moved on further and suddenly reached the typical doorway with red cyclindrical objects painted with the Japanese script. This doorway to the shrine was followed by a long bazaar-like alley. Some tacky and ornate stuff on display. Ate Japanese apricot ice-cream, which was fresh and flavorful. Rummaged in several shops....reached the shrine at last. It was surrounded by a garden. There was a huge urn in front of the shrine in which some wooden objects were burning, Some Japanese people were trying to inhale it with their hands (akin to the Indians waving their hands on the pooja thaali). I bought a special wooden object on which I wrote my name and age and gave it to the lady who told me that the priest would burn these wooden plates.

Supposedly, there are several types of these plates signifying things like longevity, desires and dreams, healing sickness, etcc. I chose the 'desires and dreams'...well, one always has some..:)

The Buddhist philosophy, I think emphasizes freedom from desires and dreams as the ultimate goal. This might be a Shinto shrine..?..(I checked..it is a Buddhist temple). Sadly, the history was not available in English. Returned to the hotel at 2:30 pm and started for Kyoto in a Bullet Shikhsai train. Did not seem any faster but it did reach Kyoto earlier than other trains. The countryside did not seem particularly enchanting...maybe I was tired hauling luggage around in the humidity.
Kyoto next..