I’ve been traveling around Japan for a little over a week now. There’s much I want to talk about and ruminate over but I know that most of it will happen when I’m back home and able to reflect over what I’ve seen and heard. Both the country and the people living here are fascinating, the approach to work and life, their manners, the code of ethics they live by and the efficiency everything is dealt with.
Basic Things to Know before hitting Tokyo
1.Cash is Required – some street vendors and small restaurants will only accept cash. The ATMs in 7-eleven stores around the city accept international cards and can be used for withdrawals.
2.Vending machines are everywhere, although mainly for drinks.
3.Eating out on the road is not acceptable.
4.No restaurant will ever dish out regular cutlery, practice your chopsticks skills.
5.Suica Card is like a metro card but can be also used at vending machines and certain stores.
In Tokyo
I landed in Tokyo and spent the first three nights in the district called Shinjuku. A lively district especially at night full of bars, night clubs and restaurants. I loved Tokyo, full of energy, buzzing with people, buzzing with energy but yet never felt too crowded. No one ever bumped into me, no one looked at angrily for being in the way when I stopped in he middle of the street as I tried to figure out where I was.
I didn’t feel jet lagged at all, the weather was decent, alternating between sunny and cloudy temperatures hovering around 13 degrees Celsius for most of the day.
After 3 nights in Tokyo, Kyoto was the next destination point for 4 nights, a stay which included castles, temples, geishas and lots of food.
What’s Next?
More to come – Onsen, Temples, Osaka and I’ll be back in Tokyo at the tail end of the trip and I plan on writing a comprehensive travel guide about Japan and each place I visit, this is just a short introductory post.
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