I loved Japan! Loved it beyond anything I expected. The food, the people, the architecture, the culture — it was bliss.
1. The Beautiful Temples and Zen Gardens
The temples of Japan are beautiful. The bells, the Zen gardens, the bamboo, and the torii gates really do instill a sense of peace and serenity. Best of all? You can find them all around the country, from big cities to rural towns. If I ever settled down, I’m going to create one of these in my own garden.
2. The Delicious Sushi
Sushi was one of the things I was most looking forward to eating while in Japan. After all, Japan is the birthplace of sushi. To be completely honest, even the worst sushi I had in Japan was still as good as the average sushi I’ve had elsewhere in the world. That’s how good it was!
3. The Sidewalk Vending Machines
You are never more than 10 feet from a vending machine in Japan. Everywhere you look, two or three machines are lined up to give you everything you need — beer, sake, water, cold tea, clothing, cigarettes, and much, much more!
Even on tiny, small-town streets without a soul in sight, you would see the glow of one of these machines. You’ll really be able to find them everywhere!
4. The Crazy Fashion
I love the crazy and wacky outfits people wear in Japan. From the greasers to the Harajuku Girls to traditional, kimono-wearing locals. You can really see the entire spectrum of fashion here — for better or worse! I mean here’s a photo of people I saw in Tokyo:
Different, huh?
5. The Multipurpose Train Stations
When is a train station not just a train station? When it’s a Japanese train station! In Japan, train stations aren’t just for trains, they’re also for malls, supermarkets, huge restaurant areas, and office buildings. You can pretty much find anything at train stations here, which is really convenient if you’re running late or forgot something at home.
Talk about using space effectively.
6. The World-Class Service
Asian countries always have much better hotel service than in the West, but Japan takes it to another level. I left my bags out one day and they were brought to my room. Towels brought up just because they thought I might need extra. At the traditional hotels, my bed mat was set up at dinner and taken away while I had breakfast. Hotel owners wave you good-bye. Everything is done with a bow. Everyone is helpful. American hospitality is great, but even we could learn a thing or ten from the Japanese.
7. The Sake
Japanese rice wine is one of my favorite alcoholic drinks. The smooth taste, the fine finish, the fruity flavoring — mmmmm. It makes for the perfect accompaniment to Japanese food. Sake in Japan doesn’t taste better than anywhere else in the world; there’s just more of the good stuff (a fact I took full advantage of!).
Ukiyo's Japan Adventure 