Three weeks in Japan with the family (page 9 of 9)

Hello,

Yum, I love natto!

Now that’s what I call perfect integration!

That’s making me hungry—my dinner for tomorrow night is all sorted.

Enjoy your meal!

Outside of conventions and photo shoots, it’s become really rare to see any. Even ten years ago, it wasn’t common.

Too bad I didn’t know sooner! Some images are hard to shake, but it was still interesting.

Sunday, August 21: Yanaka – Ueno – Edo-Tokyo Museum – Takeshita Street on the way back – return to Shibuya

Last day in Japan, but it’s a big one: our flight takes off at nearly 11 p.m. We’ve got time to enjoy the Japanese capital a little longer.

This morning, we’re heading north to Yanaka, one of the few Tokyo neighborhoods that survived the bombings of World War II. (It also reportedly withstood the great 1923 earthquake and even the 1657 fire.) Preserved in its original state, it’s a great example of what’s known as "old Tokyo."

Starting from Nippori Station, we begin our walk with the cemetery—10 hectares, no less—and plenty of greenery (including lots of cherry trees, though it’s not the right season).





We continue through the charming little streets—picturesque, if ever there was. Nearly every corner has a temple or shrine. Crooked houses, plenty of greenery, and lots of little details of "everyday life."











The sun’s back, and with it, the heat. We cut the visit short—too bad, because it’s a really nice neighborhood.

We stopped by Jomyoin (dedicated to Jizō, protector of travelers and children) with its thousands (84,000?) of stone statues, and then we were off to Ueno Park.





We were hungry, and there weren’t really any restaurants in the area. But where can you always find something to eat in Japan? At the train stations, of course! We headed straight to Ueno Station, where we found exactly what we needed.

After filling up, we set off for the Tokyo-Edo Museum, which our oldest really wanted to visit. The cool thing about this museum is that it has lots of models and life-sized elements, but the explanations and context could be better. Maybe with the audio guide...

After visiting the museum, we still had some time left—what to do? Well, go eat crepes at Marion Crêpes, of course! And off we went to satisfy our craving... Gigantic crepes.

We’ll walk back to Shibuya.



Stopping by Tokyu Plaza, with its psychedelic entrance and rooftop garden—a true green oasis and peaceful spot with a great view of the city.







Not forgetting the charming little alley along the railway tracks.



And a detour through the Love Hotel district (where rooms can be rented in three-hour blocks, with a "rest" rate—no overnight stay—and a "stay" rate).



We pick up our luggage at the apartment without any issues—those following along will know the three Totoros found their place there—and head to the airport. Nothing notable to report, except that we narrowly missed being stuck in Tokyo due to yet another typhoon.

Summary: As I mentioned in the intro, we really loved our trip and would happily return to Japan to explore other regions, maybe off the beaten tourist path. Like I said earlier in the thread, I’ve since had the chance to visit Japan in late January and see Nikko in the snow. Now I also want to experience Japan in winter.

Hello,

Thanks to the little note about Shinsekai you left in my post, I discovered your travel journal, which I’m now reading with great pleasure. Your photos are really lovely, and you have the same eye for details as I do. Plus, your writing is so well done—it’s a real joy to read.

Off to finish reading now! :)

Thanks for the message—and for the compliments! It really means a lot.

Hope the read helps you plan your trip.

Hello,

Thanks for your comment and the link. I ended up taking another look at your travel journal and discovered we followed in your footsteps—we also went to Teshima! 🙂

Everything is so different from back home. I wanted to photograph everything around me all the time. I promise, I won’t say “photographing like a Japanese person” anymore: during this trip, the Japanese person was me. And I understand better the culture shock Japanese travelers experience in Europe.

As an acquaintance of mine put it: “It’s simple, since they have ten fingers, they count in base 10. Otherwise, they do everything differently from us.” Well summarized.

Another point: everything is easy. Everything seems to have a place and to be in its place. The smallest detail seems to have been thought out to make life easier. ....... There’s a certain je ne sais quoi that makes you feel everything is exactly where it should be.

The exquisite politeness of the Japanese and their desire to be pleasant to others are another highlight of the trip.

the hyper-safe side of Japan. I’ve rarely felt as safe as I did in Japan. .... No wonder France is seen as dangerous.

Mind you, I’m not saying Japanese society is flawless. The role of women and relationships between the sexes are downright astonishing and archaic from our European perspective. ..... the story of a Japanese woman married to a Frenchman living in Paris who describes her shock at French habits and customs.

...

Hello,

Since I’m writing a travel journal about my recent trip to Japan, and you replied to me there, I came across your journal from a few years ago. I won’t go into the details of your itinerary back then, but I’ll pick up on some of the comments you made in your introduction, which I found relevant.

I completely relate to all these observations. I’d add that there are so many Japanese manners and attitudes that Westerners, especially the French, could learn from. Cleanliness, politeness, discipline, safety, and so on.

I can see why the Japanese are so stunned when they visit France!

I’m also revisiting your few words on gender relations in Japan—not because either of us knows much about it, but because it’s a topic that deserves a full study!

It seems you didn’t mention how distant the Japanese can be toward foreigners!

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note.

I don’t think you mentioned just how distant the Japanese can be toward foreigners!

Oddly enough, that didn’t particularly strike me—or I don’t remember it.

It seems to me you didn’t mention just how distant the Japanese can be toward foreigners!

Oddly enough, that didn’t particularly strike me… or I don’t remember it.

Hi,

I’d say they’re more indifferent, actually. But every time I spoke to them, I found them really kind or helpful when needed. 🙂

Good evening,

That’s indeed the memory I have of it.

It seems you didn’t mention just how reserved the Japanese can be toward foreigners

There’s definitely a difference between big cities and the countryside—though I think that’s true in a lot of countries.

That said, the sense of indifference can disappear pretty quickly with just a few words of Japanese. Personally, I find the Japanese warm and generous. I’ve made some great connections on every trip I’ve taken there.

Of course, this is a general observation—there are always variations in behavior.

It seems you didn’t mention just how distant the Japanese can be toward foreigners.

There’s definitely a difference between big cities and the countryside—though I think that’s true in many countries.

On the other hand, that sense of indifference can disappear quickly with just a few words of Japanese. Personally, I find the Japanese warm and generous. I’ve made some wonderful connections on every trip I’ve taken there.

Just to be clear, this is a general observation—there are always variations in behavior.

Hello,

I’m picking up on your message, which seems well thought out. I think maybe we misunderstood each other with some of the other folks on this post. So, let me echo your words: yes, I also find the Japanese warm. They’re undeniably—and without exception—extremely polite. We’re pretty much all on the same page so far.

When I say they’re distant and reserved, I’m not implying they’re unfriendly. But they *are* distant and reserved compared to nearly every other culture I’ve encountered. From my experience—limited to two weeks, I’ll admit—I’ve never seen anyone in Japan strike up a spontaneous conversation with a foreigner the way it’s happened to me multiple times in Mexico, Brazil, or India.

Is it because most Japanese don’t speak foreign languages? Maybe. I’ve also heard, from both Japanese people and foreigners, that keeping to themselves and staying reserved is already a recognized social norm among the Japanese themselves. It has nothing to do with whether a Japanese person is facing a foreigner or not.

Hello,

When I say they’re distant and reserved, I don’t mean to imply they’re unfriendly. However, they *are* distant and reserved compared to practically every other people I’ve had the chance to meet. From my experience—limited to two weeks, I admit—I never saw anyone in Japan spontaneously strike up a conversation with a foreigner the way it happened to me several times in Mexico, Brazil, or India.

I agree that Japanese people tend to be more discreet and reserved than other Asian nationalities or even other countries. That said, I think they’re curious and open to others, and that can translate into spontaneous exchanges with foreigners. I’ve traveled to Japan several times, and on each trip, Japanese people came up to talk to me without prompting. A few words of Japanese definitely help.

Of course, each of us can experience travel and encounters differently, leading to different perceptions, as we’re seeing in this exchange. The Japanese people aren’t a monolith either—they evolve like everyone else. What’s perceived today might not have existed 15 years ago or more.