Dear Friends:
As I sit on a train, headed far outside the city of Tokyo, I wanted to save this last post about Japan for some observations about Japan and its culture. I didn't get to spend a lot of time here in Tokyo on this particular trip, but managed to take some quick pictures to show.
March and April are time for the famous cherry blossoms to emerge. In some areas of the city, there are parks that are literally bursting with these delicate blossoms. Many festivals have been dedicated to this natural event that has taken place for years and years. Visiting Tokyo in April is a great time of year. I managed to capture this single tree, just outside of the hotel as I was catching a bus:
It's not a secret that I'm a fan of Diet Coke. As a diabetic, I drink diet sodas…perhaps a bit too much. My new favorite however, is Coke Zero. Some love it, and others are horrible wrong ; ) I found that here in Japan, it's extremely difficult to find Diet Coke. Coke Zero has taken over the market. Here's a pic from a convenience store…not a Diet Coke to be found...and I'm OK with that:
As I was walking through one of the biggest train stations (Tokyo Station), I found kiosk after kiosk that were selling a new treat. The brand name is Tokyo Banana - here's the main logo:
Basically, they are small sponge cakes that are filled with what I think is banana custard. The closest thing that would compare is a Hostess Twinkie. They're actually quite good. They have a variety of flavors, including strawberry and caramel. I didn't have room in the suitcase to bring all of them back. I can tell you that this is REALLY popular in Tokyo right now.
At one of the smaller stores in the train station, they sold small baked treats. I found this curious sign:
I'm not sure what a Sugar Butter Sand Tree is, but it looked like a delicious cookie to me ; )
They also have some interesting takes on brands from the West. Here's a great way to make Kit Kat look like a Japanese brand:
One other aspect of the Japanese culture that I've written about before, is the sense of community responsibility. Each person is raised to understand that their actions have an impact on others around them. While not perfect, this system is amazing to watch. In stark contrast to China and other Asian countries, you see this in practice every day. When it's time to board the train, instead of a mad rush to get on, people politely wait to the side, letting passengers off the train first. A small thing, but it makes life more pleasant. Here's another example. You find these on sale in all convenience stores:
That's right, it looks like a surgical mask. People wear these in public all the time. You might think that it's because they don't want to catch other people's germs. The truth is actually the opposite. People who are sick, or catching a cold, wear these to prevent OTHERS from getting sick. Amazing, right?
Much of urban Japanese life revolves around the trains. That's how most people travel around the city. You spend a lot of time on both subway and trains because they're so efficient. An entire ecosystem has grown to surround this fact of daily Japanese life. Inside the major train stations, you'll find restaurants, shops, tailors, salons…and in the really large stations you can find doctors, dentists and massage therapists. I found a cobbler inside one of the stations:
One of the things that I love about this aspect of the culture are the tiny noodle shops that are set up right on the train platforms. They're usually no bigger than about 10 ft long, but serve hot noodles in broth in seconds. You eat quickly, so you can jump back on the train.
The food is delicious, even in these tiny shops. It's hard to believe that they have enough customers...but they do.
One last observation. In my 25 years of traveling to Japan, it never ceases to amaze me at how much technology that the Japanese put into your bathroom experience. Almost every single hotel I've stayed at has a toilet with complicated remote controls. Here's a sample from my hotel:
You can see the pictures for yourself. The seats are cushioned and heated - and the options of plentiful. It's a crazy experience. This is Japan in a nutshell.
I think that's it for now. I'm heading to the airport for the next part of my Asian tour. Next stop? Sydney, Australia...
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