Japan once again! The first time it was through the books Murakami, Kiga Higashino, Ryu Murakami to name a few… These books showcased the simplicity of the locals and the dark side of the city and that’s one of the reasons Japan fascinated me as a place to travel and explore so in June 2018 was the first time, A time where everyone questioned us Why Japan? To answer it’s a place so little we know about.. The first time was a touristy visit going to the temples, streets and viewing the towers of each city we visited. Japan was coming alive through the pages I had read, the streets sounded familiar and some streets I specifically visited since they were mentioned and described in the books. The recent Trip to Japan was being an exploration of what all does the city has to offer besides the tourist sights and the humanity the people showcase in the country. The food was and still is the best in Osaka. The city was buzzing and full of tourists even closer to midnight, unlike Tokyo which seemed busy with people chasing their dreams.. Kyoto is still a small town where you can walk around and still discover the city. The vintage shops and the second-hand Market seem to be thriving in the country with more than 80% population that has aged over the age of 70 and living a minimalistic life. Retail was thriving with American, British and Asian tourists shopping at malls and brands that are relatively cheaper in Japan from countries like the US & India. The Osaka Expo was an experience like no other, an endless Snake line on a hot afternoon, which tested not just ours but quite a few people’s patience too. Since we had to register and get specific slots for pavilions we managed to only get one the Blue Dome, the others were long queues to enter and waitlists, The magnitude of the whole expo was huge 130+ countries participated and the tourism it brought to the city and country has been huge. The designs and the sustainable options used to create them were interesting. This was the first time we visited an expo abroad that had so many cultural influences on just design but food too the expo offered.
The moment had arrived when we were not just thinking about Japan!
But, had actioned our vacation in 2018!
The flights were getting booked! The hotel, Train Tickets and Visa process had begun.
The countdown was inching closer!
Japan was happening!
The first stop of our Journey was Singapore! We travelled by Singapore Airlines which gave us the option of exploring Singapore City while we had a layover at Changi Airport.
The flight landed at Haneda Airport. We Did not choose Narita. As Haneda was closer to the city!
Tokyo! Huge! One of the largest cities in the world! With millions of people staying in MatchBox homes.
We passed by the Tokyo Tower! And soon reached our hotel! The Prince Tower Hotel Tokyo! A centrally located hotel for major tourist attractions and landmarks neighbourhood.
The first night we explored our surroundings the Roppongi a buzzing neighbourhood with nightlife and walked through the Meguro River a prominent river of Tokyo!
Oh! We witnessed the city landscape from the rooftop bar at the hotel before we called it a night.
Next, we explored the city’s sightseeing landmarks Meiji Jingu, Imperial Palace and Senso Ji temples and the Tsukiji market the largest fish market in the world.
They also have a tuna auction daily at 5:30 am. Since it’s limited seating you need to be there as early as 3 am to get in.
We explored the Akasaku neighbourhood which is traditional cultural side of Tokyo.
The neighbourhood had a very interesting hostel Bed & Books Tokyo! That was a cute little place filled with books and bunk beds!
On another day we visited Harjaku & Shinjuku which was filled with restaurants and shopping stores! While going Banana in Tokyo! I visited a Pokemon Store! Had relived those childhood moments. And little did I know I had entered the Animated neighbourhood of Tokyo Akihabara
While exploring ourselves and the city we were sometimes naturally lost! When the locals not just helped us but held us through to our final destination. Ginza! Felt like the futuristic side of Japan with Nissan cars armed with robotic gizmos and Ginza is also known as the Haute couture neighbourhood of Tokyo.
Omestando another neighbourhood about the luxuries of Japan with Architectural buildings and interiors you wouldn’t get enough of.
One of the stores worth visiting is Nicole Bergman’s Floral store in the neighbourhood.
The other side of Tokyo that we witnessed was the industrial side where all hospitality-related goods were available and to spot that there is a life-size chef Cap that you need to watch out for. And so we crossed over to Shibuya the busiest crossing neighbourhood in Tokyo whose sight can be enjoyed from a Starbucks across from the crossing and Hachi statue a dog that waited for his owner to return at the same spot over the years until the Hachi had passed away.
Before we left Tokyo we enjoyed the glimpses of Central Tokyo Station while it started to pour and we got ready for the next few journeys across the country.
The long-awaited Bullet Train shin-shaken to Kyoto had sped away.
Kyoto felt like a mystical small town in Japan that preserved the Japan of the past with temples like the Golden Temple that was surrounded by trees. The day trip to Nara Deer Park was unbelievable getting clicked and witnessing so many Deers under one roof.
The evening we enjoyed at another temple that was surrounded by trees.
Kobe! A destination that’s not on tourist Radar while visiting Japan!
But, the city had one of the oldest traditional cafe Nishimura that’s popular for its setting and Coffee Jelly a dessert that’s made of coffee and is also known for Wayu Steak! A popular beef-style steak from Japan.
Osaka! AKA The Food Capital of Japan!!
We got a taste of the Okonomiyaki traditional Japanese pancakes that are cooked live on your tables.
Amerika- Mura a neighbourhood in Japan that’s very youthful and inspired by American
Dotobori is the Shinjuku neighbourhood of Osaka that has a landmark icon of a runner.
Shinabasi an entertainment hub of Osaka that that would remind you of Times Square.
Tseutanku Tower which is sponsored by Hitachi is a sight that can be enjoyed from a rooftop space & Osaka Castle is the sightseeing to go for.
Also, Osaka the city that has a Japanese Liquor store based allow only one miniature of Yamazaki to be bought and carried by a tourist.
Important things:
Book your JR Pass at least two weeks before you travel.
To travel within Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka buy metro/Subway tickets from the station or airport.
Download the Google Translate app.
Eat in Japan:
Tokyo Banana
Ramen from Ippudo
Coffee Jelly Nishimura Kobe
Tiger Gyoza in Tokyo for Japanese Raw Food
Okonomiyaki in Osaka
Wagyu Beef in Kobe
Senbei Rice Crackers
Seaweed Potato Chips
Mochi
Matcha Tea
Cheese Tart from Secret Tokyo
Japanese Cheesecake.
Shashimi
Experience :
Tokyo Hands departmental store
Conveyor Belt Sushi
Nerman Bergman Store
Shibuya Crossing from Starbucks
Cheese Garden Store
Stay:
Prince Tower Hotel Tokyo
Westin Osaka.
Sightseeing:
Tokyo Tower & SkyTree
Imperial Palace, Tokyo
Osaka Castle
Arashiyama bamboo grove, Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto
Kobe Port Tower
Deer Park, Nara
Hachi Statue
Cafes:
Starbucks Reserve Tokyo
Here cafe in Kyoto
%Arabica Kyoto
Nishimura Kobe.
Hoshino Cafe Tokyo
Read:
Haruki Murakami -Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki
Sayaka Murata – The Convenience Store
Meiko Kawakami – All the lovers in the night
Hiro Kawakami – Strange Weather in Tokyo
Toshikazu Kawaguchi – Before the Coffee Gets Cold series.
My 3rd Book from Keigo Higashino, 2nd one of the year and two and half days of another page tuner from Keigo Higashino.
The Writing is so engrossing. Murder has already being committed in the first thirty pages and You might have the hint of who the murderer might me. But How it actually happens remains a mystery…Until Detective Galileo works around the theory with the Police officers and comes to the conclusion. A Book & author you wouldn’t want to miss reading, Who surprises you with a perfect Murder Crime that you wouldn’t in your wildest thought, imagined to take place like the one mentioned in the books and with logical backstory and supporting evidence, This book is all the more enjoyable where you just want to read more stories like these from Keigo Higashino one of my new favourite Crime/Thriller who doesn’t disappoint. Now the next one I want to read is his bestseller “The Devotion of Suspect X”
Seventeen by Hideo Yokoyama
A Story about a plane Crash that took place in 1985 and How the piece is reported by
Kazumasa Yuuki, a reporter at the North Kanto Times who is responsible for covering the news of the Plane Crash. The Story revolves around the daily battles of the power struggles and office politics in the Print Media and Media as a field .
Itself ,But in 2003 Seventeen years later, Yuuki remembers the adrenaline-fueled, emotionally charged seven days that changed his and his colleagues’ lives. He does making on a promise he made that fateful week—one that holds the key to its last solved mystery and represents Yuuki’s final, unconquered fear.
Though I picked up this book for the story. What I enjoyed the most was the way it was written,The Writing and setting was just like how internal politics & power takes over.
When it comes to reporting & publishing news. If you are looking to read a nice Investigate Journalism book on reporting a disaster. This one you should be reading.
A Story written by a writer who has been in the journalism field for years working with Jōmō Shimbun the largest general circulation daily newspaper based in Gunma prefecture, Japan. The same region where apparently the Aeroplane Crash takes place.
Seventeen, is a slow burn but a very interesting. Battles, arguments over departments who feel they contribute & our more important for publishing business are well written. I guess writing a setting one knows, does truly bring out the authenticity in the writer while writing his story. Hideo is best known for six- four a murder thriller.
After Dark by Murakami
Yes! This year I have read more than a couple of books from Murakami. Ranging from his Bestseller “Kafka on The Shore”to “After Dark” Though the style remains the same in the writing,The ideas that are shared in the writing by the writer are amusing to immediately get you interested in wanting to read the book. The same thing happened After Dark. After Dark is story that’s written describing the dreams and psychology of a person while in sleep, the thoughts, the nightmares etc. Coincidentally just like After Dark being Murakami’s Eleventh novel. This also happens to be my Eleventh read from his collection.
The Story revolves around a night in Tokyo where two college students bump into each other after a long time.
And Mari one of the protagonist in the story is approached by the manger of a restaurant as Mari is fluent in Chinese and the manager isn’t and request her to act as a translator for her. Soon both open up about their feeling within Mari opens about how she became fluent in the language and her feeling and comparison with Eri who is sister.
Meanwhile, strange things have been happening at the sister Eri’s place. Eri has already gone to bed by the time the events of the novel take place, but as she asleep strange things happens around which the writer narrates in his writing.
The Novel like most of the authors works ends abruptly, without any definitive answers to its many mysteries.
Incase you haven’t read any of the works by the authors and are considering starting of. Please don’t read this book first read a couple of his other works first.
A Documentary that I had a heard a lot about and while reading the “The Ride Of a Lifetime” I wanted to watch it as soon as possible. While browsing what to watch next on Netflix, I found Jiro Dreams of Sushi A Documentary on Jiro Ono who is the owner of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a Japanese sushi restaurant in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan and who has been running the sushi restaurant for the last fifty years, Today he is ninety-five years old.
The documentary is about how he strives to perfect the sushi and how considerate towards their guest, Right from observing the clients whether they are right-handed to left-handed and accordingly they were served and how his dreams were also about perfecting the sushi.
It’s The World’s Best sushi place & Worlds Most expensive restaurant each plate of sushi cost 30,000 Yen ($300) and you require a reservation at two months in advance with three Michelin stars and has served the All the dignitaries from around the world at his restaurant.
One of the key learning – Octopus are massaged for forty- Fifty minutes to give the soft texture & Best Tuna & Shrimps are sourced from Tsukiji Market.
As this documentary was made in 2011 by David Gelb. You might not know by the name. But must have watched or heard about the Chef ’s Table & Street Food Series on Netflix. He is the creator behind these two successful series. Also since it’s been nearly a decade there has a lot happened in those years and have shared the insights as Trivia below.
Trivia :
Tsukiji Market Which is the largest Fishmarket in the world and is known for the TUNA Auction that happens at 5 am to 6:30 am and can be viewed by the tourist. The Tsukiji market has now been relocated to Toyusu and is known as The Toyosu Fish Market.
Also, The auction is held on Green floor as Tuna is determined by the red stains and Red stands out on Green Backdrop.
Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo is now open reservations only from regulars, people with “special connections,” or those who use a luxury-hotel concierge
Restaurant has also lost it’s Michelin Stars.
Jiro Ono is the Worlds oldest chef alive at 95.
American Factory
A Story about aChinese Billionaire opening up a Factory in The United States of America and the conflicts between the American labourers & Chinese working styles are highlighted in this documentary. This is an interesting documentary to understanding the challenges the two nations face & the difference in working styles.
The Game Changer
The lifestyle of going green & vegan is one of the biggest changes today and with the situation, we are all in this is the biggest game-changer. And the ninety-minute documentary-style film worth watching on the streaming platform for both the ones against going green in their diets and ones thinking about changing their diets and for the ones who have always followed this diet. It’s truly one of the biggest Game changers – The Food we are consuming today and the food we should be consuming now.
McQueen
Why some designers are considered the well-known one in the industry and how they establish themselves with the competitions in the very competitive fashion industry. Alexander McQueen is a documentary about his early & fast success in the fashion industry and The eccentric styling & fashion showcases he displayed in his period has been one of the influential and aspirational designers to collaborate with and own.
Untouchables – Harvey Weinstein
A Hollywood Mogul who exploited his power by taking advantages of an aspiring actress who wanted to make it big in the industry. This story is about how he was finally caught after being, The Monster for three decades who successfully owned & managed one of the most successful studios of “Hollywood” Miramax named after his parents and a studio who had quite a few Academy Awards for the films he produced with his brother Bob. This is about the #Metoo movement that was a revolution that started for everybody to speak up, the one’s who was once a victim of harassment not just in Hollywood industry, But in the other industries.
More than halfway through 2020. I ended up reading about a dozen books, Losing track of time. It hardly made me realise it’s been five months, I haven’t travelled anywhere at all. Not even Mumbai which is the closest Metro city from my hometown Nashik.
This also made me question am I liking it to be in one place, without moving at all.
Well, To be honest. It’s a first for me and while I couldn’t travel physically anywhere. Not even to a restaurant or cafe.
I have been having the best of food cuisines right from Thai, Chinese, and Italian pizzas to freshly baked desserts and cakes at home. This doesn’t mean I don’t miss going out.
I Sure do because, when we go out, We go for the experience of going somewhere, Trying something new, different or sometimes just for the ambience and service of being served, rather than helping ourselves. You also go for the occasional noise that’s part of the environment. People chit-chatting having conversations, to you finding the solution and clearing your doubts from not knowing what to order, to going with the suggestion by the waiter serving you to missing out a menu option, that the order table guest has just ordered.
As far as travelling goes as a tourist- The Books have been helping me by taking me to America by going on a history tour by having a well-researched guide (Bill Bryson) To telling me about Indian history by making me meet Historians such as William Dalrymple. Reading makes me feel sometimes “Lost in Japan” by either overhearing a mysterious case “Under The Midnight Sun” or giving it a realism-magical sense of the place by letting me know about “Kafka on The Shores” To making me Revisit Turkey But this time also making me experiencing the “Snow” by a local Orhan Pamuk and taking me to a lesser-known city in the country Kars.
Reading made me understand a doctor’s life by sharing the concept of “Being Mortal” to making me meet some interesting personalities, Michelle Obama & Robert Iger.
All these experiences while sipping coffee and hopping around the different corners of my home, enjoying the weather and trying to do my best while sitting at home.
But, Yes Travelling physically cannot be replaced by reading books. But, reading can comfort you in planning out your next travel journey.
A K H I L N A N D A 