Travelling can be fun and overwhelming.
Even if it´s for business – you probably don´t only see the airport and your hotel, you meet people and places and sometimes make new friends.
A place, where I haven´t been before and which I really enjoyed is Japan. Even that I was there for business only many new impressions have been packed into my luggage after my visit there.
I´ve never made it to a similar place where people are more friendly more patient than this place in the world.
So – let´s start from the beginning of my travel.
From Germany it´s a nearly 11 hours ride in a plane. You´d better get a warm jacket and a place, where you are able to take a nap. But you´d better use something like Seatguru – or a similar website to get information about the better seats in the cabin.
Even if you fly with one of the larger airlines, such a long flight can be exhausting if you occupied the wrong seat. I did by accident and I will never take the window seat in the emergency exit row again. The free space for your legs is terribly reduced by a large thing, the Door Opener is placed in. (Hey Minas, congratulation – you had the same experience the other direction 🙂 )
Anyhow – I´m a survivor. In many views.
Because of cost issues, my company booked a one stopover flight to Amsterdam and then to Tokyo.
The downside of this was a 6+ hours layover – which I countered with the second cheapest version of Priority Pass.
If you don´t own a senator status or have booked business class – which even our executives don´t do – a paid lounge access can save your life – or at least your day. Definitely.
So – here we go. After an 11 hours flight we reached Narita Airport in Tokyo and headed for our hotel near Ohsaki City.
To say a word about the transportation system in Tokyo – this is marvellous. I have travelled with many trains during my life, but none of them have been so clean or even so fast and in time as those in Japan have been.
The downside of this is, that you first need to understand that – at least in Tokyo there are 5+ different companies operating the Underground and Train lines. This means you need to get different tickets that you “throw” in the ticket machines prior entering the train access.
CAUTION: you need to get your ticket back from the ticket machines at the entrance of the train access – if you don´t take them back – you are not “allowed” to leave the train stations through the normal access doors. So – always get your tickets back or you can´t leave as easy.
Also good to know is that you have to put all the tickets you need on your way as a “stack” in the ticket machine at the train access – and gain them back after the entry. But you will learn that after the second or third train…. 🙂 – and Japanese people are friendly.
Please be aware that in Tokyo – the Ticket vending machines “speak” english. Also the direction signs mostly have english language in addition to Japanese Kanji.
Be aware that Japanese people often don´t speak english well. So either you travel by experienced travel group leader – or you are able to speak at least some words in Japanese that helps you to “survive”.
Warning:
Be aware that people in Japan will be utmost friendly but give you the wrong direction if they don´t know the right direction – it would be more than unfriendly if they say “Hey – I don´t know!”. So – be prepared and get as much information about the way to your destination before you start your trip!
Food in Japan can be very, very good. Especially if you love fish / Sushi. Be aware that there are mediocre qualities but in general the food quality is outstanding.
If you have the opportunity to visit a high quality Sushi master´s place – take it and make your tastebuds happy. Be aware that the Tuna is mostly not from Japanese waters but from Europe! Japanese people consume so much Tuna that it is now hard to find in the Pacific Ocean. And even in other Oceans – Yellow Fin Tuna is seldom – so please think twice if you order it. Anyhow. we took the opportunity and had an excellent portion of Sashimi – which is only raw fish.
You either drink green Tea, Sake (Rice Wine) – or just one of the local beers (like “Sapporo”).
Be aware that the quality displayed here is a very high price cuisine. You get cheaper quality – which is also a great experience in almost any Mall here in Japan – or in smaller restaurants.
Have a try even on things that you don´t expect are eatable! 🙂 – you will see even those are are prepared to satisfaction!
For those of you not going for raw fisch – there’s plenty of possible food for you too.
In Japan soups (Ramen / Udon) are offered and those are really, really tasty. I promise – you won´t stay hungry!
Even a lot of battered food is offered and you can have things similar to our Wiener Schnitzel. Give it a try. you won´t be disappointed.
Tokyo is not that far away from Mount Fuji (Fuji-san) – you might see his white cap from several places in the town – but you need to be in more exposed places to have a good view.
Give it a try and travel by train along to Nagoya or further south. You will be nearer to Mount Fuji and this 3500 m Volcano is really impressive!
Also impressive is Tokyo with its more than 35 Million inhabitants. This is the largest settlement in the world! A real superlative you can see best either from a helicopter
or from the Tembo Deck at Skytree – which is btw the second largest building on the globe after Burj Khalifa.
Stand on a glass bottom and have a have a view down the 375m to the ground – shivers down your spine guaranteed!
More thrill to get – if you go and visit Japan. A real innovative country and so many more things to see!
Sayonara!
