Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Japan: Final Thoughts

Some final thoughts on my Tokyo, Japan adventure:

- I adore how beautiful everything was: the streets, the greenery, the people. 

- We only got lost once and immediately a young lady pushing a stroller approached us and asked in perfect English "Can I help you?" and immediately directed us to Yoyogi Station. The people genuinely were generous and thoughtful. 

-It is hot in Japan, in July. Like full body sweat. And this is coming from a Florida girl. The fans are NOT for show. Those bad boys are tools. And they are handed out on the streets like candy. 

-The vending machines saved us from instant dehydration. We must have bought 6 bottles of water a day. Or Pocari Sweat, or whatever I fancied.

-Including this mango gelatin soda that was incredible. 

-Get a change purse because the $1 and $5 are in coins, not paper. And the coins add up fast. 

-Toilets are either really simple. As in squatty potty.

-Or really fancy. And yes, I used ALL the features EVERY time I sat on one. Music, heater, sprays and all. And why doesn't America have the kiddie seats?! I mean really. 

- I quickly learned to put the money from purchases into the money trays, not their hands, and to accept my change using both hands as a gesture of respect. 

- I say "arigatou gozaimasu" in my sleep now.

- When shopping at the Daiso and grocery stores, you are given your bags and go to a special counter where you bag your items yourself.

- I learned not to walk while drinking or eating.

- Japanese advertisements made me giggle. I mean look at how enraptured this man is to be using these wipes.

- Trains and metros are quiet. No phone conversations or ringers turned on. If chatting to someone, speak quietly. No bumping or touching unless crammed in. Which happens. 

-Walk (and drive) on the left. On escalators stay to the left, leaving room for people to walk up the right. The level of order and calm amazed me.

- Back into parking spots. Unless you are an American and don't care if you are the only one who pulls in and has the butt of your car showing. >Ashley<

- Whatever you do... DON'T honk. Ever. 

- Tattoos are kinda taboo. I only saw visible tattoos on two people out of the thousands I laid eyes on. And one was a teeny tiny cross on a finger.

- Dress semi-conservatively. Very few tanks tops  and little to no cleavage was spotted. 

- Research chopstick etiquette. Before you stick your chopsticks in your food to rest. 

- A surprising number of people in Japan smoke. But only in designated places.

I had a blast and learned a lot while away. If I had an opportunity to go again, I would. The people are wonderful, the scenery is beautiful. 


  1. I am so glad you had a great time! The car parking cracks me up and for some reason I feel ignorant with how I imagined Japan to be. I am glad you shared the beauty of this culture. :)

    Do you have a favorite experience in Japan?

    1. Thank you sister! I loved hanging out and catching up with Ashley and her family. I really loved the challenge of figuring out the trains and metros. I loved the food and sights. My favorite experience though would be the cleansing ritual before entering the shrine. It felt peaceful.

  2. I've really enjoyed reading your Japan posts! We have a friend in the Air Force over there, but so far have not found the time or $ to visit. I hope I make it someday.

    1. Thank you Amanda! That is where my friend is too, Yokota Air Force base. I hope you get the chance to visit your friend there one day soon! I saved a little bit at a time for about a year. The ticket for the flight cost the most but since I didn't have a particular date I needed to go, I set the kayak app to alter me to the cheapest flight to Tokyo every day. It was as high as $2,200 but one day it got close to $1,000 so I jumped.

  3. hahaha... I have no shame about parking "American style"!! but I'll be a pro at backing in before I leave here!!

    1. Lol! I loved it! Thank you for showing me such a fabulous time. I missed you tons! I know you, you will be whipping into those spots backwards in no time.

    2. That's funny, one of my coworkers always parks front out and I never knew why until reading this post, his father is Japanese. I loved reading about your experience in their culture.

    3. That would explain it! Lol! Thank you for reading all Japan posts! I hope they weren't too tedious <3

  4. Totally agreed that Japan has beautiful sceneries and people! We got a little lost one night and a smartly dressed young Japanese man brought us all the way to where we wanted to go before he U-turned to wherever he was originally headed! Really impressed by the hospitality and he was a total stranger!

    1. Shelnmum, you have me going back and re-reading my trip experiences and day dreaming about them all over again.

      How sweet of him! What a beautiful moment of human kindness. I love it. Thank you for sharing! What was one of your favorite meals?

  5. I had 2 favourite meals while in Tokyo. One was at a restaurant at Hakone, it was a traditional Japanese restaurant that served the full course which included tempura, udon noodles, rice and some tepanyaki beef. It was way too much for one person but the hospitality from the owner! And the heart and soul the chef put into his cooking! Another meal was just a beef bowl from a random place in Shinjuku but it was a rainy night and the piping Beef Bowl brought us much comfort from the cold outside! :)

    1. Mmmmm! I can practically close my eyes and taste it now. I fell hard for the ramen. So much good food. The yakitori blew me away too.