Japan | Philippines | Hong Kong | United Arab Emirates | Oman |
August 2003
Japan is undoubtedly a unique country. Many things I like it here, many also surprised. Around the giant Tokyo Wojtek guided me, who also arranged my accommodation in the dormitory with another Polish student - Marek. Generally speaking, the Japanese cities are enormous, but ugly. In addition on hanging electronic wires, rectangular buildings, they may also frighten the crowds of people. There are full of them at any time. Strange feeling when going by full metro I can't hear any humans sounds. People sleep, stay in silence, read comics, play with their mobiles, but don't talk. I have the impression that they fear become different then the rest of the crowd, like I would be among the mechanical robots.
On the street no one greeted me, when looking at map, no one will ask if I need help. However, when I ask for it, in the response I get friendly regard, smile and will to try understand me (English rarely used).
One major advantage in the country is honesty and safety. I haven't seen fat people here, this is from a healthy diet. I like sushi train restaurants where the dishes ride on carousel and you grab that one which you like. At the end you will be charged by number of empty plates. Strange - I haven't seen in Tokyo rubbish bins, but the streets seem to be clean.
Another issue are local prices - is expensive here. I even didn't think to use the hotels. I used the weekly train pass, which minimizes some costs. Unfortunately, I could ride only the local trains. I usually took a late evening train to the province where I could find quiet place for wild accommodation.
One of the most interesting sights is the overnight climbing for the highest peak of the country, Fuji San volcano 3776m. I was accompanied by hundreds of people, crowds blocked the narrow trail. Many Japanese were late for sunrise because they stuck in queue to the top! I had to overtake them on the side of the loose surface, to make it before sunrise.
To see the old temples, Kyoto is place not to be missed. There are several hundred temples here, and I saw only a few of them (the admission fee for each complex cost from 4 to 8 €, expensive but worth it). As many as 23 of them are on the UNESCO list. I saw as well one of the former capitals of Japan - Nara, with the largest wooden building in the world and with free running deer on the city streets. Strongly recommended is as well Himeji Castle.