Tales of Asia - Part 8 - Lost in Japan

The 2nd of June 2006 and its off to Japan to check out some history. The aim of this trip is to visit temples, shrines and castles as well as experiencing Japanese culture and lifestyle.

Japan is the country where the past meets the future. Japanese culture stretches back millennia, yet has also adopted and created the latest modern fashions and trends. Cities in Japan are as modern and high tech as anywhere else, but tumbledown wooden shacks can still be spotted next to glass fronted designer condominiums. On an average subway ride, you will see childishly cute character toys and pornography magazines- sometimes enjoyed by the same passenger. Japan has beautiful temples and gardens that are often surrounded by garish signs and ugly buildings. In the middle of a modern skyscraper you might discover a sliding wooden door which leads to a traditional chamber with tatami mats, calligraphy, and a tea ceremony. These juxtapositions mean I was often surprised and rarely bored with my travels in Japan.

After the plane touched down at Kansai Airport it was a quick train ride into Osaka. Famous for its down-to-earth citizens and hearty cuisine, Osaka combines historical and cultural attractions with all the delights of a Japanese urban phenomenon. Often maligned by visitors as 'ugly' and still best viewed under the neon light of night, Osaka is currently undergoing a facelift to woo daytime visitors to its concrete and pachinko city grid. Waterfront developments are restoring Osaka's image as a port town and creating new attractions for tourists.

As I had left Hong Kong late that Thursday afternoon there was little to do once I arrived at the hotel except to find out where I could get a decent coffee and planned for the next day.

The next day it was off to Osaka Castle. Osaka's most popular attraction is this 1931 reconstruction of the original 1583 castle. Although it's a copy, it's a very good one, and both the castle and the heritage museum inside are very popular. The castle is surrounded by a beautiful park with many cherry blossom trees. The site is probably 5 times as big as the area of Melbourne's Myer music bowl, Shrine of remembrance, government house and botanical gardens. The castle includes outer and inner moats and is just breathtaking. It was part of the reason why I took over 1000 pictures with my camera on this trip.

That afternoon and I left by train for Kyoto about one hours train ride from Osaka. I was positioned in the front of the train and was witnessed to one of the weirdest things I've ever seen in my life. The train driver is separated from the other passengers by some windows. As we made our way along the train tracks to our destination, I watched this fellow is doing some real theatrics with his white gloved hands. Almost as a magician, or a TV game show hostess, this chap was waving his hands around, pointing with his finger down the track as if he was conducting an orchestra, and waving at the train schedule on the noticeboard in front of him. I was later to learn that all Japanese train drivers perform this behaviour, as it is part of their training to acknowledge the green signals in front of them down the track, and also so that they keep on schedule and are aware of where they are on the train track. I observed this theatre a few times during my travels as I made a point of sitting at the front of the train, and it never ceased to amaze me how animated the Japanese train drivers are.

Kyoto, with its hundreds of temples and gardens, was the imperial capital between 794 and 1868, and remains the cultural centre of Japan. Its raked pebble gardens, sensuously contoured temple roofs and mysterious Shintō shrines fulfill the Japanese fantasy of every Western cliché hunter. With an astonishing 1600 Buddhist temples, 400 Shintō shrines, a trio of palaces, and dozens of gardens and museums, Kyoto is Japan's cultural treasure house. Seventeen of Kyoto's ancient structures and gardens have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Kyoto's station building is a striking steel and glass structure - a futuristic cathedral for the transportation age. Unveiled in September 1997, the building met with some decidedly mixed reviews. Some critics assailed it as out of keeping with the traditional architecture of Kyoto; others loved its wide-open spaces and dramatic lines. Whatever the critics' views, you'll be impressed by the huge atrium that soars over the main concourse. Take some time to explore the many levels of the station, all the way up to the 15th-floor observation level. If you don't suffer from fear of heights, try riding the escalator from the 7th floor on the eastern side of the building up to the 11th-floor aerial skywalk high over the main concourse.

The next morning it was off by train to Nara. Japan's first permanent capital was established in the year 710 at Heijo, the city now known as Nara. As the influence and political ambitions of the city's powerful Buddhist monasteries grew to become a serious threat to the government, the capital was moved to Nagaoka in 784. Nara is located in the Kinai plain, less than one hour from Kyoto and Osaka . Due to its past as the first permanent capital, it remains full of historic treasures, including some of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples.

Nara Park (Nara Koen) is a large, pleasant park in central Nara, established in 1880. It is the location of many of Nara's main attractions including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji and the Nara National Museum, a museum specialzed in Buddhist art. The park is home to hundreds of freely roaming deer. Considered messengers of the gods in Shinto, Nara's deer have become a symbol of the city and have even been designated a National Treasure.

Being in total awe of the size and lay out from all of this wonderful history, it was little wonder that I was still out walking around taking pictures after it got dark before taking the train back to Kyoto and staying there for the night.

A word here on the Japanese accommodation. Every place that I stayed in Japan had an electronic toilet. These little beauties are made of ABS plastic and have a little control panel at the side of the seat. Not only can you program in the temperature of the seat to keep your backside warm whilst you are doing your business, but there are other controls to shoot various jets of water at various parts of your undercarriage whilst you are sitting on the toilet seat after you are finished. Enough said.

On the Sunday I took a walk around Kyoto and went to visit a place that I had planned to visit for a long time before going to Japan, the Imperial Palace. Upon my arrival I found out that the Imperial Palace is shut on Sundays, the day when most people have a day off so, I found that quite interesting. Undeterred I took a walking tour around the Imperial Palace before heading off a short distance to Nijo Castle. Nijo Castle was the home of the Shogun of that era and also includes a smaller castle at the rear of the main one that the shogun built for his daughter. Lucky daughter.

That afternoon it was back to the hotel to collect my bags and head off to Arashiyama, about 10 km from the centre of Kyoto in the Japanese countryside to stay at an authentic Japanese "ryokan". A typical ryokan is an old-fashioned Japanese-style inn. Like a Western-style inn, maintaining the special, traditional atmosphere and appearance is more important than providing the latest modern convenience for the guests. A ryokan is for travelers who wish to experience traditional Japanese culture and enjoy the comforts of old-fashion Japanese hospitality and service.

With the Hozu-gawa River flowing by right outside, I found the ryokan that I was booked in to. The ryokan was named the Hanaikada. This elegant ryokan has a dynamite riverside location in scenic Arashiyama and serves delicious kaiseki(Japanese haute cuisine). It is one of the closest ryokan to the Hozu-gawa River, which is the heart of Arashiyama. It's no surprise that this place is loved by many travellers.

You'll have to search pretty hard to find a nicer spot in Kyoto. Directly across the river a mountain rises that bursts with cherry blossoms during the springtime. The food is excellent, and the rooms are all you'd expect from a top-of-the-range hotel. Each is elegant, tastefully appointed and relaxing. Best of all, the staff are friendly , non speak English so that gave me some great practice for my Japanese language skills, making this a great spot to be based for a thorough exploration of western Kyoto. That night I was treated to an authentic Japanese meal in my room while wearing a traditional Yakuta robe.

The next morning I headed off to explore the surrounding countryside and stumbled across a number of temples and shrines that got my complete interest for the remainder of the day. It was hard to tear myself away later and get my bag for the train trip back into Kyoto and then from Kyoto to Kansai airport for the plane flight back to Hong Kong.

On the train trip from Kyoto to Kansai, I was treated to the ticket inspector on the train who walked into the carriage while the train was in transit, strode up to the front of the carriage, turned around very formerly and announced that he was Mr Miyagi (or something like that) and that he was here to inspect the tickets. He then made his way down the carriage and dutifully inspected everybody's tickets. When he was done he strode back to the front of the carriage, stood up as straight as a rod at attention, announced that he was still Mr Miyagi and that he had finished inspecting the tickets before making his way to the next carriage to start the procedure all over again.

Japan is a wonderful place, different to any other place I have ever visited. The countryside is wonderful, the people are wonderful, it's just the best. I used to think that Australia was number one, but Japan would have to come a close second.