Why the West Sucks...
...and what Japan does better.
For the past two weeks I’ve been upside down, seeing temples and urban neighbourhoods, spending extortionate amounts of money in Japan. This has been my first trip abroad since - I believe - 2019, in Crete, and I have never wanted to go back to a place more in my life. Let me tell you why.
Pilot
I am not the best flyer. I can’t say I’m the worst, and yet whenever there is turbulence or a re-attempted landing my hands become cold, clammy, my shoulders tense and I become increasingly aware of the large metal box I am floating in at 35,000ft. To Japan, I took two planes: one was six hours to Doha, and the other was the connecting 11 hour Qatar Airways onwards to Japan.
The quality of flying was not what I expected, particularly for so long in the air. Blankets provided and entertainment monitors made a tedious journey actually enjoyable [this is not an ad]. Nothing could have prepared me for the breath of culture ahead.
No Smoking
From the second we landed at Narita Airport, I could tell this country was like no other. Spotless. The streets are clean, no litter anywhere - yet no public bins either. Designated areas to smoke, that aren’t in public areas. Using the underground is like entering Disneyland. Well…that may be a stretch, but I promise it is no less pleasant. In south-eastern Tokyo (our first destination) the subway plays short jingles at every stop; no one says a word out of respect for those briefly resting their eyes. Women only carriages and more priority seating is just the beginning of why Japan is better and the west sucks. Even the signage is adorable and indirect. Any warning or instruction is done so usually as a suggestion, rather than instruction, following a little cartoon picture.
The attitude people have towards one another is incredibly different. There is an element of respect in every action: when calling the waiter, buying something at the store, using public transport. There is a huge emphasis on personal hygiene; public toilets are immaculate, always working, and many do not have hand towels (instead, I found, everyone carries their own).
In a city of 37 million, it is hard to imagine that such a densely populated hub of tourism and business would have neighbourhoods complete with Pure Land temples, machiya housing and old-style restaurants. The clash of urban and traditional culture is strange when your most familiar city is London, for example. It is rare to see traditional dress in the streets of London; traditional grand houses are reserved for blatant bourgeoisie, aristocracy or listed countryside dwellings. In Kyoto, a quaint traditional house could be stood next to a towering skyscraper and no one blinks an eye.
I’ll Have the Tea
In the era of samurai, tea ceremonies were used to calm the mind and rebalance the senses, and they are still performed today.
We were lucky enough to have a ceremony at Gallery Okubo in Tokyo’s Yanaka district. Okubo Mitsuru, an antiques dealer, offers the experience with a shocking addition. Guests are allowed to drink their matcha tea from ancient tea bowls worth up to $25,000; we were explained the history of our choices and the owner illustrated our bowls for the memory. Presented with tea, the bitterness of hot matcha was balanced by the sweet-bean sweets provided. Calmness, balance and reflection were apparent in every element of this experience and I very highly recommend going here if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of crowded districts.
The Empty Suitcase
When my mum said that she got us all an extra cabin-sized suitcase I thought she was mad. There was absolutely no way I was going to buy that much. I was wrong.
Did you know that the Japanese yen is the weakest it’s been in 20 years? It definitely felt like it, and I went ballistic buying most things in sight, from two pairs of new shoes, to bags and clothes and an abundance of trinkets. If you ever go, buy, buy, buy. You will not regret it!
Nothing Beats Pink
I was lucky enough to have travelled to Japan during cherry blossom season. Coincidently, the cherry blossoms were late blooming, so that when we arrived, they did too.
Walking down the Philosophers Path, while the trees were blooming, made you forget how surrounded you were by other people - tourists and locals alike; petals floating downriver and polite chat in the background reaffirmed for me how this may be my favourite place on the planet.