Japan truly a treasure
A HANDWRITTEN note from a train conductor was the moment I fell in love with Japan.
Riding the bullet train (or ‘Shinkansen’) from Tokyo south to Osaka, I asked the conductor what time we would be passing Mt Fuji.
He whipped out a laminated card which showed ‘11.09am’. At 11.08am, he returned to remind me that Mt Fuji was coming up on our right. I excitedly rushed to the window with phone camera at the ready, only to be disappointed that the iconic landmark was shrouded in low cloud and virtually invisible.
I trudged back to my seat and fell asleep.
I woke up an hour later to find the note placed carefully on my lap. It read: “Mt Fuji most beautiful season is winter 8am. Please come again to Japan.”
This respectful gesture from a complete stranger was by no means isolated in Japan.
In fact, respect seemed universal in Japan, along with efficiency, customer service and politeness.
A flight from the Gold Coast to Tokyo takes about nine hours, and navigating Narita Airport isn’t daunting.
As we found everywhere in Japan, just ask someone if
you need directions. We used the Google Translate app on our phones when we could get Wi-Fi, and there is a great app called “Learn Japanese” that can be used without an internet connection.
It gives you common phrases such as greetings, food orders, asking for directions and medical help.
The Triposo app was also helpful for its maps (when we could get Wi-Fi) and it does also have some offline features.
My brother and I stayed at the Citadines Hotel in Shinjuku. It was modern, clean and only a few blocks from the main entertainment and shopping district, as well as the train station.
For two blokes over 6-feet tall, we found most hotel rooms in Japan had barely enough room for two beds and our luggage, but if you’re just sleeping and showering there, you shouldn’t be too worried.
After four days in Tokyo, we took the bullet train to Osaka. After spending hours on TripAdvisor, we settled on Hotel Hanshin and to say we struck gold would be an understatement.
It was a short cab ride from the bullet-train station, and just across the road from the “Osaka Loop” train line that takes you everywhere you want in the city.
There would have been 200 bars and restaurants within two blocks offering everything from sushi, ramen (the country’s favourite noodle soup), steakhouses, seafood and more.
It also had its own “onsen” or steam baths that are a must-do if you head to Japan.
There was a great café onsite and the staff had good English and provided excellent advice and instructions on what to see in Osaka and exactly how to get there.
Shinjuku presents travellers with unlimited shopping, hundreds of restaurants, clubs and a plethora of “hole in the wall” bars that are only big enough to accommodate six or so people at a time.
And if you’re planning on catching a Japanese baseball game, you have to go between March and September.