My Eastern Adventure - part 1
This blog is about my adventures across the East. I looked at the world map and decided to trek on a route of discovery from the north to the south, starting in the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan; and ending down under in the glorious sun baked city of Sydney, Australia. I will travel through 7 countries over two months, including South Korea, China, Thailand, Malaysia and New Zealand.
Some of the countries I have visited before. However, as an avid traveller, with a passion for photography, adventure and exploration, I will be setting foot in certain places as a debutant guest with a curious mind. This adventure to me is a case of whether curiosity did kill the cat, but this is my time to find out.
This is my story through Japan...
Land of the Rising Sun
After leaving for Manchester airport, United Kingdom, I gave my parents a big hug each as I knew they will be emotional seeing their youngest son disappear to far away lands without a notion of knowing what may come for me, and to be honest, if they weren't thinking that way, I certainly was. And getting slightly delayed returning my travel books to the local library in Wakefield for my research didn't help my travel omens. But alas I made it to the airport on time, boarded my Emirates flight (www.emirates.com), and on my way to the grandeurs of the East.
Arriving in Japan at Tokyo Narita airport, I couldn't help but feel a sense of surrealism. Almost a feeling that I needed to pinch myself or wake up from a dream. The fact that I arrived in such a far away and alien land, the sense of excitement combined with nervousness set in very quickly.
"Yeah not so bad," I replied.
Then the usual questions of how long I'm staying, where to next and so on. All I cared about was as long as I get that entry stamp I'm good. Alas the entry sticker was placed and stamped and konichiwa Nippon I was in Japan.
My next step was to transfer to the city. Not as easy as I anticipated. Well simple enough if you're not so knackered, but coming half way round the world believe me I was! I remembered my Airbnb host suggesting to take either the NEX airport train or the slower but cheaper service via Nippori. At that moment to be honest I didn't care about the price and I just wanted to get to Shinjuku as soon as possible. I bought my ticket from the NEX counter and before boarding I proceeded to the Japan Rail (JR) office to enquire about my JR pass - highly recommended if visiting Japan (www.japanrailpass.net or www.japan-rail-pass.co.uk). Little did I know the JR pass can be used on the NEX, as advertised in the JR office. Admittedly I felt this was just another financial burden to cope with. However, I had a 7 day pass and wanted it to start on a later date. This combined with my jetlag I was willing to let it pass. The NEX ticket was just an additional cost.
Arriving at Shinjuku station, the world's busiest, I struggled to find my way around. Rush hour in a megacity of 30 million isn't the best way to start finding your way around. Determined as I was I went searching for the subway to get to my accommodation. After endless searching and dragging my luggage to and fro, I found my line and off I went. Japanese metro and train stations (www.tokyometro.jp/en/) can be rather annoying, especially carrying luggage around. I couldn't help but notice all the stations are rife with corrugated tiles that have a tendency to jam and wreck one's luggage! Personally I didn't see the need for so much washboard style flooring for stations, considering there is normally a sizeable number of users conveying wheeled luggage about, sometimes hurriedly.
Anyhow, arriving at Higashi Shinjuku metro station I remembered the directions my host gave to get to the accommodation. Straightforward? Not entirely. You see Japanese cities tend to go upwards rather than outwards. Understandable really bearing in mind space is of the essence in Japan. It's a case of stack em, pack em, and rack em really. After searching back and forth I found the apartment block that I would be staying in whilst in Tokyo (or Edo as it was once known). Once in the flat all was well - cosy bed, clean apartment, separate bathroom, all was looking great. I lay down on the bed, switch the TV on and start my laptop. Wifi was provided, but this time I was out of luck. My thoughts being no wifi was really the icing on a bad tasting cake. I tested on my mobile phone, still nothing. I asked my host what was happening and he explained to get in touch with the provider. At that point I was so weary that I didn't bother as my home network gave me a good deal whilst roaming in Japan. Hungry and tired I grabbed some food from the nearest convenience store, ate up and just nodded off to bed thinking enough hoo ha for one day. The real adventure starts tomorrow.
Up in the clouds
Hiring a car sounded enticing. Little did I know how expensive Japanese toll roads are! The locals refer to them as ETC, which is actually the card used to charge you when using toll roads in Japan. I opted to venture to the Central Japanese Alpine town of Hotaka, a 4 hour drive from Tokyo (www.hertz.com). Admiring the beautiful scenery enroute I thought my luck was in as far as the weather was concerned. Arriving at the cable car station in Hokata, and awe-inspired at the oriental equivalent of Switzerland, I climbed aboard. The sky was radiant and blue with a few white fluffy clouds. My optimism for what lay at the top was exceedingly high. Unfortunately the anti-climax was bestowed upon me and the top was shrouded in cloud. Not one to be saddened, I just felt I managed to get most of the mountaineous vista whilst climbing. Only the last 10 seconds of the cable car journey was foggy. I was just glad I had been there - another destination to knock off the bucket list. Certainly Hokata is overshadowed by the nearby, more touristy Kamikochi, but I felt that was Hokata's charm. Hokata to me felt like a local delicacy still left secret to foreigners and travellers alike.
Head in the clouds
Japan's weather was not playing ball during my time in Japan. Half the time it was cloudy! Not much rain though, thankfully. Driving to Fujinomiya on Mount Fuji did not bode well - overcast and rather cool. But I stayed true, and alas when I reached the top it was as if God opened the skies for me and the sun had its hat on.
Marvelling at the views below it felt slightly surreal to see how small everything was from 2400 metres above sea level. The ultimate view was having lunch above the clouds from a commanding position, a moment I will savour for a long time.
Not quite the speed of sound
Checking out of my host's Tokyo apartment I was overcome by a tinge of sadness about leaving Tokyo. A week in such a vibrant, fast paced, overcrowded, exciting city left me wanting not to go. But this sorrow was overshadowed by my inner child. I was excited about catching a Shinkansen - the so-called 'Bullet train'. These trains are one of Japan's classic icons and I had to experience their majestic speed and engineering. Also considering they are faster and cheaper than driving, it's abit of a no brainer really.
JR pass in hand I climbed aboard and whisk myself to Osaka. The experience was the best yet for me as far as train travel is concerned. Speed, smoothness and reliability are just a few superlatives to describe the Shinkansen. That being a regular user of British trains, Shinkansen put the nation that invented the railway to shame. Bring on HS2 I say.
I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji whizzing by, but unfortunately nature stayed consistent thus far on my journey through the land of the Samurai. It would have to be left for another journey perhaps.
My journey continued as normal enroute to Osaka, contemplating whether or not Osaka and Kyoto could live upto the stature of Tokyo. Weirdly I kept on thinking of the movie Black Rain, which is set in Osaka. I guess it's only natural to let your mind adrift from time to time, even if you are travelling at over 300 km/h, which wasn't as fast as I thought the trains would go, but fast enough nonetheless.
Arriving mid afternoon the sun in the clear blue sky above Osaka was slowly making its retreat beyond the horizon. I made a dash for my hotel hoping to get some beautiful sunset shots from the Shin Umeda City observation deck (www.kuchu-teien.com/observatory/information/index.html). After rummaging around the Osaka public transport network I made it in time for a golden sundown over Japan's second city. After days of hit and miss weather it was a welcome relief to finally see that golden disc in the sky retreat over Japan's western frontier.
I would highly recommend getting a JR pass before arriving in Japan, they're worth it and not available to foreigners after arriving. Also just to note if leaving Tokyo sit on the right hand side of the train for views of Mount Fuji, and left hand side if coming the other way. There are no backward facing seats on Shinkansen. The cleaners at every terminal station switch all the seats around.
Solemnity and remembrance
Tuesday morning, and I could not envisage how this day would go or end. I decided today would be the day I would visit a very sombre place. A place that is capable of evoking the emotions of even the toughest of human beings. Certainly a place of reflection and contemplation as to why, or whether it was necessary. The place I am referring to is the city of Hiroshima.
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| Genbaku Dome-mae, Hiroshima |
Arriving into Hiroshima on the Shinkansen, the first impression I got like nothing had even happened - just a regular Japanese city. However, getting on the Hiroshima Electric railway (www.hiroden.co.jp/en/) to the Genbaku Dome-mae (Atomic Bomb Dome) station, it suddenly hit me. Gazing upon the dome you realise what sort of historical landmark it represents. The vast scale of destruction caused by the bomb, and the harrowing cries and screams that no doubt would have resonated from the building at the time of the explosion, overwhelmed me when walking past the dome. But the most solemn experience I have ever had was when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp). Walking round the exhibition halls I have never been so moved; never seen every visitor's face stern to the core. As I put it, Hiroshima can trigger emotions even in the most hardy of people.
On the train back to Osaka, my mind switched to political mode. I contemplated as to why and how politicians and military generals could fathom such decisions to use such brutal force. Perhaps people who visit Aushwitz or Srebrenica go through the same subjective onset. I've certainly heard people claim religion is the cause of all wars. Well I beg to differ. It was the decision of a politician to wipe out 350,000 civilians in an instant. It was a particular politician in the 1940s who conquered nearly all of Europe and millions perished during his reign of power.
Religions occasionally have sparked wars, but more often that not it is power-hungry politicians who set the flame alight, and it is civilians who have to pay the heavy price.
Not so convenient after all
The day after being moved by the horrors of Hiroshima's past, I took a more light hearted day trip to the old capital, Kyoto. Fifteen minutes on the Shinkansen from Osaka and I arrived at the great cathedral-like station of Kyoto. At 70 metres high it definitely took my breathe away! Never have I come across a railway station that look like a modern day Westminster Abbey. Truly awe-inspiring.
The real fun though came during the second half of my day. After visiting The Imperial Palace Gardens, Nijo castle and walking along the Hori-kawa river, I got on the metro to go back to the train station. Getting on was pretty straightforward. Leaving was when a whole comedy of errors began.
Unfortunately I didn't have enough credit on my Pasmo card to exit. The officer explained the obvious - I had to top up - and the only way was by cash. I outlined I had no cash and only credit card. His assistant joined in and repeated what his colleague originally told me. Again I repeated my situation, thinking there was the distinct possibility I could be sleeping in the subway that night! After much deliberation they let me through without tapping out. This would lead to further dramas that lay in wait. I arrived back in Osaka and couldn't tap into the metro system there. I asked the ticketmaster what was the matter. He explained that I didn't tap out so the card will have to be confiscated and I will need to get another one. This really was the pinnacle of nuisances of my day. I didn't bother getting a new one as I was leaving Japan the next day.
Actually prior to this incident my day's woes were snowballing to great effect. Arriving at Shin Osaka station from Kyoto I found that I lost my JR railpass. Searching around to no avail I had little choice but to buy individual tickets. I queued up for the ticket machine only to find at the end the machine does not take foreign credit cards. I was duly informed I had to go to another machine opposite for advanced tickets (I was going to Fukuoka the next day). Fortunately, the machine took my card and alas got a ticket. All done? Not quite. The next morning enroute to Fukuoka I got stopped by the ticket officer at the barrier. He outlined I needed to add a premium in order to use the Shinkansen. Other options were available, but I would have missed my ferry to Busan, South Korea. I headed back to the advance ticket machine, and without knowing how to top up my ticket and not enough time to ask for assistance, I bought another ticket - this time suitable for the Shinkansen. The only thought going through my mind was one of annoyance. It was another shot to my wallet.
Arriving at Fukuoka I jumped in a taxi to go to the ferry port. I told the driver, "International port". He nodded his head and off we went. I soon realised that the sea wasn't in any view, and there were a lot of airport signs. I quickly noticed we were heading for the international airport and not the international ferry port. I told the driver I wanted the international ferry port, and very apologetically he turned around and sped for the ferry port. He was constantly apologising, but I tried to reassure him that it was really my fault for not being clear in the first place.
Alas we arrived at the correct port and by the skin of my teeth I boarded my ferry bound for South Korea.
A fond farewell
Leaving the land of the rising sun, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness mixed with curiosity. Sad that I was leaving a land where I became accustomed to the sincerity, kindness and good nature of its inhabitants, and the beauty of its urban and natural landscapes. And curiosity of what lay ahead in South Korea - a land I didn't really know much about or what to expect. The only exceptions being I knew of the Korean war in the 1950s, they hosted the Olympics in 1988 and joint hosted the football World Cup in 2002 with Japan, and they are not on good terms with their neighbour, North Korea. Oh, and one of their K-pop artists called Psy made the genre world famous with the tune Gangnam Style.
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| Fukuoka |
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| Leaving Japan from Fukuoka |
Briefly though, another notion that pondered on my mind was Brexit. I noticed in Japan most manmade things you see were homegrown. The materials used in the infrastructure of their cities would say 'Made in Japan'. Majority of their automobiles and trains were created at home. Sure Britain exports products and services, but imports quite a lot as well. A lot of British manufacturers are foreign owned. Being defiant and protectionist in a globalised world can only take you so far. Of course I am only giving my opinion subjectively. Further research and analysis of Brexit is for others to comment. I guess time will tell whether 52% of the British public were right in choosing to leave the European Union. But from what I saw in Japan with their homegrown products and materials, Brexiters might end up having to swallow their pride and ditch their new found utopia. Politicians like to say what the voters want to here, but once they get in power, it becomes a whole new ball game. Sometimes in life it is better or easier to chase than to lead.
Very good blog but what about the food?!
ReplyDeleteFood I might write about in a separate article
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