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After many sleepless nights before the trip, I finally found myself at Narita Airport in Tokyo. What struck me the moment I stepped out of the airport was the extreme sense of discipline.Even the trees along the road had been neatly pruned to the exactsame size.
We first visited the Meji Shrine, right in the heart of bustling Tokyo city. Built in the traditional style with Japanese cypress and copper, the shrine commemorates Emperor Meji, who is credited with having abolished the feudal order and established a democratic government in Japan.
Our next stop was the Asakusa Sensouji Temple located in the centreof the shitamachi (or low town). This temple was completed in 645 BC, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.The lane leading to it, called Nakamise, is one of the oldest shopping centres in Japan. Besides typically Japanese souvenirs such as yukata (or summer kimonos) and folding fans, these shops also selllocal snacks from the Asakusa region.
Mix of old and new
The ancient and the modern sometimes result in a baffling mix inTokyo. For instance, I was amazed to see trendy young men toting iPhones and GPRS devices pulling hand rickshaws. They were so far removed from the impoverished rickshaw pullers I had encountered in Kolkata.
The next day, we visited Mt Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. The12,388 ft-tall dormant volcano is considered one of Japan's 'Three Holy Mountains'. The volcano last erupted in 1707. We caught our first glimpse of Fuji-san (san is a Japanese mark ofrespect) from Lake Yamanaka, the biggest of the five lakes around MtFuji. We also visited the two other lakes around Fuji san LakeKawaguchi that has the biggest shoreline alongside Fuji and LakeMotosu, which is a popular destination for adventure sports such aswind surfing and scuba diving.
I got a taste of Japanese hospitality at the Gokayama village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village withinthe city of Nanto remains untouched by modernity. Its traditional gassho-style homes are over 300 years old, and guests are treated with a great amount of courtesy.
I was treated to this courtesy elsewhere in Japan too. We didn't faceany inconveniences as tourists. I came back impressed with Japaneseculture, warmth and above all, the discipline that makes the countrytick like clockwork.
We first visited the Meji Shrine, right in the heart of bustling Tokyo city. Built in the traditional style with Japanese cypress and copper, the shrine commemorates Emperor Meji, who is credited with having abolished the feudal order and established a democratic government in Japan.
Our next stop was the Asakusa Sensouji Temple located in the centreof the shitamachi (or low town). This temple was completed in 645 BC, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.The lane leading to it, called Nakamise, is one of the oldest shopping centres in Japan. Besides typically Japanese souvenirs such as yukata (or summer kimonos) and folding fans, these shops also selllocal snacks from the Asakusa region.
Mix of old and new
The ancient and the modern sometimes result in a baffling mix inTokyo. For instance, I was amazed to see trendy young men toting iPhones and GPRS devices pulling hand rickshaws. They were so far removed from the impoverished rickshaw pullers I had encountered in Kolkata.
The next day, we visited Mt Fuji, the highest mountain in Japan. The12,388 ft-tall dormant volcano is considered one of Japan's 'Three Holy Mountains'. The volcano last erupted in 1707. We caught our first glimpse of Fuji-san (san is a Japanese mark ofrespect) from Lake Yamanaka, the biggest of the five lakes around MtFuji. We also visited the two other lakes around Fuji san LakeKawaguchi that has the biggest shoreline alongside Fuji and LakeMotosu, which is a popular destination for adventure sports such aswind surfing and scuba diving.
I got a taste of Japanese hospitality at the Gokayama village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village withinthe city of Nanto remains untouched by modernity. Its traditional gassho-style homes are over 300 years old, and guests are treated with a great amount of courtesy.
I was treated to this courtesy elsewhere in Japan too. We didn't faceany inconveniences as tourists. I came back impressed with Japaneseculture, warmth and above all, the discipline that makes the countrytick like clockwork.
Kaushik Chakravorty is a professionalphotographer based in Bombay
Getting there
Most major airlines including Air India, Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airways and Japan Airlines offer r
egular non-stop as well as connecting flights to Tokyo.
