Japan

May 7 - May 14, 2001

Japan - few are the countries with so many myths ranking around as this relatively small, yet economically powerful country far out in the Far East. To me as a first-time visitor, the Japanese culture had been described as impossible to unravel unless you spend half of your life there; and even then you would never be accepted as one of theirs: If you are born Japanese and have been there for generations, you will never really feel at home. 
It was time to see for myself what the myth was about. Unfortunately, I did not have the needed lifespan available - we had only a week to unravel its secrets. So we were sure already it was going to be impossible. 

Tokyo

The first surprise hit us right in the cab outside of Tokyo (Narita) airport. As the hotel shuttle bus only left 45 later, we decided to take a cab. A fatal error. After 5 minutes, just late enough to stop again, the driver told us it would take about an hour and 24,000 Yen to the hotel. 24,000 Yen were about $200. I had never paid so much for a cab in my life. Luckily I could negotiate the driver down to the "bargain" price of 18,000 Yen (around $150) after telling him we would rather go back to the airport (for "only" $70) and take the bus (for "only" $25 per person). So the first myth was true: Japan is an expensive place. 

The next price surprise did not wait for long, and encountered us at dinner. We had checked into the very nice Tokyo Dai-Ichi hotel (Be careful, there is also a Ginza Dai-Ichi, not to far from it, but much less classy, where we went first). As it had a very reasonable rate of $250, we thought we would be safe from crazy taxi prices from now on. So we chose its teppanyaki restaurant for a little dinner snack. It is important to know that Japanese people go to dinner very early - the restaurants open for dinner at 5pm and are usually packed at 6pm, at 8pm everyone leaves. Most places stay open until 10pm to cater to the few tourists with strange foreign schedules, but if you arrive after 9pm (which is the standard time for dinner in Paris), they will already tell you right at the entrance that they are going to close soon. We arrived at 9:30, and thought a quick bite would do it anyway. A glance at the menu however suggested that you would obviously want to savor your fare more carefully - steak started at $100 per person, and appetizers were around $50. Selecting almost the cheapest things on the menu, we got away with $150 for two, in about half an hour. Probably the most expensive "quick bite" I ever had - but also the best. The food was excellent, and that was obviously why the place was expensive. We should have had more time to enjoy it. 

Anyway, it was clear now that Tokyo prices were different from the rest of the world. The attitude "can't cost much" does not work here - one should check prices before you enter a restaurant or a cab, or you might get an unpleasant surprise. If you do just that however, it is well possible to get along with normal Western prices. The sushi selection that goes for $50 in the hotel restaurant sells for $10 at a restaurant in Tokyo station. Unfortunately, if you eat outside at local places, you have to be prepared to order your meal by pointing at other's peoples dishes - or at the little wax models most restaurants have in the window. Or you read and speak Japanese. If already the staff in the most prestigious hotel in town speaks an English which is not fluent at all, you know you will be in trouble outside.

The most interesting sight of Tokyo is actually the buzz of Japanese everyday life, not so much temples or buildings you would put into a guidebook. The fun is to marvel at the armada of suit-dressed businessmen walking at fast pace in the Ginza district; to wander through an amazing patchwork of vertical neon signs; yet walk past traditionally clad women doing their daily shopping in the same area. 
The rapid interchange between temples, traditional theater buildings, and mirroring skyscrapers.

Better even are the extremes in the Shinjuku area (around the station): Beggars in front of expensive boutiques. Japanese punks with green hair next to all Chanel-dressed girls. And everyone is constantly talking on his cellphone, of course. 

   

Kyoto

The Shinkansen (Bullet Train) does the trip Tokyo - Kyoto in 2h50, and that with amazing accuracy. And there are trains basically every 20 minutes, sometimes departing from opposite platforms in 3-minute intervals. But they all leave exactly on time. Unbelievable. And there has never been a fatal accident in over 30 years of high-speed operation.

 

In Kyoto, we had booked into the Nikko Princess Hotel. Both of the Leading Hotels Of The World there were booked. It was a weekend, and the Japanese tourists seem to like expensive hotels. In the west, expensive hotels are rather a problem during the week, when all the business travelers come in. 

We strolled a little bit through southeastern Kyoto, which was a very relaxing change to Tokyo's Starting at the Shinjunsangen-Do, a huge hall with 1,000 golden buddhas, we continued to the famous temple at the hill (with its holy spring and surrounding merchants' streets) to various other temples and a small park, which we reached just around sunset. 

The next day we definitely wanted to get out into Mother Nature, to see the Japan outside the big cities. We took a local bus for about an hour to get to Takao. Arriving fairly late, the main tourist stream was already gone - which was nice, as you could tell that around lunchtime this place must have been sprawling with weekend hikers. Here and there, there were still groups picnicking in the river valley, but in general it was a very pleasant and not too crowded afternoon, a perfect nature getaway from the yells and whistles of urban life. 

The map in our Lonely Planet guidebook was (as usual) unreliable, so even with my two-week old knowledge of Hiragana I had to decipher the local signposts. Fortunately we finally found the correct train station at the end - where a train came by every 10 minutes. The train system is truly the most amazing in the world. 

The proper Kyoto dining experience is Kaiseki - a 7-or-more-course experience lasting the entire evening. We wanted to try a really nice restaurant, but as the concierge didn't know much, we just headed to the Brighton hotel - the top-notch hotel we originally intended to stay at. They also had a nice Japanese restaurant, where we had our Kaiseki (13,000 Y per person). It could maybe have been a little better even considering the high price tag (this is about what you would expect to pay in the most expensive Kyoto Kaiseki places), but it was still an extraordinary Japanese culinary experience. 

Summary

1. Japan is definitely very expensive if you do not watch out. If you know where to go however, you can also get by at reasonable prices. Information is key.
2. Avoid peak times not to clash with busloads of Japanese tourists at famous places.
3. Don't spend too much time in Tokyo, rather try to get to Kyoto or more remote areas soon. 

Facts for the traveler

• Taxi from aiport to center: 24,000 Yen (about $200)
• Vaccination required/suggested: none
• Cell phone: own standard
• Time: GMT + 7
• Phone plug: British; A/C: US without ground. 
• Dress code: Less casual. Japanese wear suit and tie most of the time. Avoid shorts unless you want to look like the typical American tourist.