November
2010
While I
was getting ready for yet another business travel – this time to Japan – my
Japanese client told me – there are only 2 things that you will need to survive
in Tokyo – Money and Bowing. We laughed it off and soon, I landed in the land
of rising sun. And what I discovered, was that in addition to bowing, and loads
of money, I will also need to-
- Learn how to use chopsticks. Yes, for real, learn to eat rice with chopsticks.
- Develop a fascination for hi-tech toilet seats. And learn to identify what each button means – from seat warmers to deodorizers
- Not pick up my cell phone in trains. And also learn to hold my breath in a full train.
- Not tip. People will feel insulted and come after you to return the money.
- Feel comfortable around people when they “slurp” their food
- Vend alcohol off a vending machine (yes – no kidding!)
- Appreciate wrapping is as important – not just for gifts, but also food items. The way they wrapped my croissant made me feel so very special.
- Appreciate and follow the order, even while you window shop. If you take an item out of a hanger, ensure to keep it back with similar cm spaces in between the two.
- Click the divas – ask them for their photo and they will oblige; and feel very happy
- Watch out the prices before entering a restaurant. It is not a norm to pay $10 for coffee or $80 for a cucumber shushi roll
- Saki can be hot or cold – I need to specify
- Roasted green tea is something to die for;
- And - be polite ( yeah, the most difficult one for me).
And –
when I learnt all this, I loved very clean, super, uber cool and stylish Tokyo.
Some of
the photos from my experiences there:
Akhibara – most frequented
destination for electronic shoppers. Go to Akhibara for fresh sushi rolls, maid
cafes, and of course if you want to buy electronics.
Asakusa – for the very famous Buddhist temple ( Sensoji), local shopping for Kimonos, chop sticks, local snacks and other souvenirs ( Nakamise) and Pullman rickshaws
Imperial Palace
Gardens – for a
very serene experience. The gardens are abundant with all the prime elements of
a Japanese Garden (Bridge, Arbor or
wooden sitting area, pagoda, stone benches, pebble path, water falls, tea
houses, stepping stones, and bamboo structures). The water is so crystal clear
that you can see complete shadows.
Shibuya for popular
shopping and entertainment. It has colorful and busy districts, packed with shopping,
dining and nightclubs. Another place, especially for foreigners for shopping
and clubbing is Roopangi Hills.
Shiodome –a redeveloped city district in Tokyo, with breath taking skyscrapers and a large variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, theaters, hotels and other attractions.
And, since nothing is ever complete without shopping – a heaven called The Ginza. It is famous for Sony building, upmarket shopping, dining, and entertainment, numerous department stores (I really liked Matsuya) boutiques and cafes.
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| Samurai - not the real one |
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| Beer Tower |
Meiji Shrine – for experiencing
culture, seeing little divas all dressed in Kimonos for various ceremonies, and
simply strolling.
Tokyo tower – but of course modeled on Eiffel Tower; taller by 13 ms, and
red. It has a phenomenal observatory deck, and do take out time to sip coffee
at the café on tower, and enjoy spectacular views. On a good weather day, you
can actually see Mount Fuji from the observatory.
I totally
loved the hi-tech modern and traditional contrast. And I would totally go to
Japan to explore the other parts of the country.
Arigatou
