Country of great weather, breathtaking sceneries and sumptuous food.
Through this short 7 days trip, my father and myself mainly did a great deal of hiking to immerse ourselves in nature’s transition to Fall and was traveling from point to point using various transport ranging from the famous bullet train (Shinkansen) to ropeway cable cars.
Hokkaido was a great place to kick start this little urban escape as it was famous for its nature parks and fields of greenery. Though predominantly an agriculture area, the state was filled with interesting sights scattered within suburbs, aside from nature itself.
Tokyo never failed to capture our imagination, be it the people, the architecture or the food. At the forefront of fashion, even their old folks dress well. When the old and new world blends in perfect harmony, you have the imperial palace preserving its charm amidst the rising skyscrapers.
During this journey we met and talked to a variety of interesting people; one of the sales lady even gamely joked with my dad. The hospitality and service was great and we felt a genuine sense of sincerity from strangers whenever we needed help.
This journey was a first for many things…
Hot springs, were initially shocking, for the fact that you could make a choice to take a dip at different pools from 40°C — 60°C, but it felt so great after soaking there for 1/2 an hour, that my back problem just had to go.
Bullet trains, never compromised comfort for speed. They were gone in just 7 seconds when they skipped this main station, on the right, I was taking photos at.
Tokyo Game Show, stretched 3 halls, with each hall the size of 4 football fields, showcasing awesome performances, game trailers, game demos and leggy models. My dad just had to give up catching up with me.
Trekking alone in a nature park, pretty much boosted my confidence because the terrain wasn’t friendly at all and there weren’t people looking out for you when the skies are turning dark. As much as I wished there was a squirrel or two who could tell me I’m not alone, it was Autumn.
Indulging in so much good food and kickass wine, just gave me more weird dreams every night. Did I also mention they have the most kickass tomato juice on Earth?
It’s been more than a month since I departed for Japan but I guess if you give me a nudge or phone call, I could possibly still recall and share a couple more stories about my travels in Japan.
I’ll love to visit this quirky country again during Spring, where the cherry blossoms are blooming and the squirrels aren’t sleeping.