I have been in Japan for about a week now...spent a few days in Tokyo and then moved on to Kyoto and now I am in Hiroshima getting ready to go to a baseball game. The uniforms for the team here in Hiroshima look just like Cincinnati Reds uniforms. Their mascot is the Carp. I know they like their fish here but I didn´t realize they liked it enough to make it a team name.
When you visit a country like Japan where the language and culture are so different it´s hard not to feel like you´re on the outside looking in, but the Japanese people do their best to make you feel at home and get something out of the experience by being incredibly helpful and polite. It´s almost embarrassing how polite they are. A businessman on the bullet train gave me his lunch when he saw I didn´t have one. He then got off the train with me to show me where the information bureau was. Even gave me change for the telephone. We talked quite a bit...I was sorry to hear that his wife had died a few years ago (he was probably about 80 years old), but then he managed to marry a 45 year old Ukrainian so he´s not too bad off. I guess we Americans aren´t the only importers of Slavic women. Anyway, on the politeness thing, I went to a library earlier today to kill some time before the ballgame and use the internet; the internet was down but the librarian drew me a detailed map of 3 different places to use the internet nearby, with the prices they charge. So the people have certainly made it easier to travel. The language barrier can be a problem but many Japanese speak some English...although I wouldn´t depend on finding an English speaker everywhere...I had a heck of a time finding my hotel in Tokyo and couldn´t find anyone on the street to help me for quite awhile.
Kyoto is known for the many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in the city. It was spared from bombing in WWII as a result...the city is quite well preserved. The temples and shrines typically date from long ago - some over 1000 years ago - but given their wood construction the present buildings are usually no more than 500 years old. The two religions live comfortably side by side. The Japanese have a practical approach to religion...they turn to Shintoism for the good times and Buddhism to help deal with the tougher times.
As for Tokyo...I did all the normal tourist stuff...visited the famous fish market, museums, pictures of the Imperial Palace, and of course the nightlife in Roppongi. Didn´t quite realize how much of the city was destroyed in WWII...most of it. Spent a lot of time in museums including a really cool science museum full of schoolkids...they take their science seriously over here.
Went to an American style bar last night. Upon entering the bartender asked me (in broken Japanglish) if I was "military staff". I was like, well, no, not really. He then said he couldn´t have a bunch of Marines in the bar as they are too crazy. It took me a minute to put it together that there is a Marine base, Iwakuni, about an hour from here. I guess the Marines, shockingly haven´t been good patrons. I said I was on vacation and he apologized profusely and gave me a couple free drinks...at least he told me they were free but the bill I got a couple hours later was a little painful. The bar had some bizarre bits of Americana - a framed, signed baseball card from Jody Wyatt (?) and a life-size mannequin of a black man in a 49ers uniform wearing number 80. I´m guessing that was supposed to be Jerry Rice but it looked nothing like him.
The girls here seem very classy, well-dressed and have a sophisticated aire about them. That being said, I haven´t had a lot of luck talking to them with my 10 words of Japanese. Not sure what that says about me, but I expected more atttention, especially since my 10 words are is probably 6 more words than most tourists can speak here. The younger schoolgirls do seem to get a kick out of me though. I cause quite a spectacle when I walk by. Left Hiroshima and got back to Tokyo 3 hours before my flight to Singapore, which game me time to grab a 3 hour nap in the base hotel before heading onward.
