Impressions of Japan

When I first arrived in Japan, (well, I was in Shinjuku, one of the busiest areas in Tokyo after all), I felt that I wasn't even jet lagged! It wasn't until the next morning when I woke up at 5:30 am. Even though Tokyo is the biggest city in the world, and about the same population as Canada itself, I felt very safe there and I wasn't very overwhelmed, as I was in New York City, (clutching on to my dad while strolling around Times Square). As we ventured on into the small, peaceful town of Ena, (about a 2 hour train ride from Tokyo on the Shinkansen), I found that it was MUCH different from the busy city of Tokyo, and far more calming and relaxed. There was even something about how the people dressed there that was even slightly more laid back than the hustled business men in Shinjuku. I loved Ena and the stay with Koda-San and Karo-San was really fun. My family and I got to experience what it's like to stay in a Japanese style traditional house. I soon realized that Japan has many cities and they're all so different. There is the hustle and bustle of Shinjuku and Shibuya and then the calming and laid back town of Ena and the peaceful city of Hiroshima. When someone says, "Japan", most people might think immediately of Tokyo, shopping and cherry blossoms. Well, the truth is, is that Japan isn't all shopping, cherry blossoms and sushi. What about Mt. Fuji? How about the bombings in Hiroshima? Singing toilets? What I'm trying to say, is that there are so many different areas of Japan, and I think that's what makes it beautiful and special. 

If you've watched my interview on my thoughts about Japan, (posted on this blog), you would remember me saying that the food in Japan is much different from the Japanese food in Canada. I find that here, there is much more of a variety of Japanese foods, (soba and udon noodles, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, octopus balls, sushi, rice balls, ramen, and so on), but also a lot of Italian and Indian food as well. Some of the foods here in Japan I'm not a fan of, but others are just delicious. Some of my favourite Japanese foods are kappa maki (cucumber sushi), yakisoba (noodles mixed with vegetables smothered in a sweet, sticky sauce), and miso soup. That's one of the reasons why I love Toronto. Toronto has a lot of culture and lots of different kinds of food. Although I may not be a fan of some dishes here in Japan, it's still cool to experience the Japanese culture and the foods they eat here.m

The last topic I'll be talking about is the transportation here compared to Canada's. If you've ever been to Japan, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The way to get around here is to walk, bike, or to use public transport (busses, trains, subways, streetcars, etc.). Almost no one gets to school or work by car. The public transport here is just so efficient, there's almost no reason why someone should use a car to get somewhere. For example, if your train is scheduled to arrive at 2:47 pm, it will come EXACTLY at 2:47 pm. No joke. In Canada, if your train is scheduled to come at 2:47 pm, you just might be lucky if it arrives at 2:30 pm. Perhaps even 2:35 pm. I just don't see why the prime minister of Canada shouldn't come to Japan and use some of their ideas to make the transportation in Canada much more efficient. Not that Canada is a bad place, of course not! Just...you know...improve the transport.

Overall, Japan is an AMAZING place, and I'm so sad to be leaving in about 5 days. Well, I have a big adventure ahead of me!