A Japan sojourn
Travelling is a great way to seek new sights, tastes, experiences and insights. Thus, the itch is always there, tugging at your heartstrings to look for the novel, strange, fascinating and beautiful.
Hence, along with two veteran travelers, I tagged along hoping for such. It was to go to an orchid trade show in Tokyo. But fortuitously, it was cherry blossom time in spring. Luckier even, the peak of the cherry blossom (Sakura) season was delayed by a cold spell, thus, we could expect lots of sightings even within the city. Truth to tell, it was the best reason to go.
I’m no stranger to Sakura (cherry blossom) experiences. Back when Christine and I were doing our medical residencies in New York, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was my favorite haunt. Every spring, the whole garden would burst into myriads of blooms, from tulips, daffodils, forsythias, hyacinths and most especially, cherry blossoms. There would be Sakura festivals timed for the peak blooming of the Sakura trees, which were lined up along both sides of a long esplanade. There we would sit under the trees, marveling at the dainty pink blossoms hanging on its branches. There were plenty of photo ops. Unfortunately, we only had color prints then and they have faded to the point we could no longer appreciate the sights.
What was especially pleasing was the way the cherry blossoms floated down at the slightest breeze, providing us with a pink shower of petals. It calls to mind how beauty can be ethereal, evanescent and fleeting. It also reminds us of our own mortality which comes at our appointed time.
But so much for the reminiscences. Here was the chance to relive those brief, glorious moments. Once checked in, we hied off to search for sakuras. On the hotel grounds, there were a few cherry blossom trees but they were looking past their peak. A short train ride (ever so efficient, clean and uncrowded at that time of day), brought us to Tokyo proper. Right outside the station on Ginza avenue, were a row of cherry blossom trees, again not at their peak. It had rained heavily the day before our arrival, which took down much of the blossoms. Another disappointment. But we had two more days to go, and that kept my spirits up.
Dinner that night was delicious, as it is almost always in Japan, where the ingredients are absolutely fresh, accounting for the vibrant flavor. The presentation is always aesthetically pleasing to the eye, adding up to a superb culinary experience.
Next day, we went to the Megoro River esplanade where they hold Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festivals). Both banks were lined by numerous cherry trees which was quite the sight. It would have been better if it was night time when they light up pink lanterns along the banks, but we also went there for breakfast at the Starbucks Roastery, the biggest Starbucks in Japan, all four floors of it.
At the trade show, I got some good finds. Our hauls were duly deposited in train station lockers, and we were off for more sightseeing and a little bit of shopping, which is now a better bargain in Japan due to the favorable pesoyen exchange rate.
We decided to try our luck at wisteria viewing at the Kameido Tenjin Shrine where they hold annual Fuji Matsuri (Wisteria Festival) from mid-april to May. There, the wisteria vines were still in bud so we had to content ourselves with some early rhododendron and azalea flowers. Set against the backdrop of a red Torii gate and the temple, they satisfied our flower cravings.
Dinner was a hot bowl of ramen and gyoza, both great on a cold spring night. Logging over 27,000 steps (down from 17,000 steps the day before), my legs were crying out for relief but my purchases had to be packed before anything else.
Travelling in Japan entails some serious walking, so come prepared with muscle and joint liniments and pain medications. It’s a small price to pay for a beautiful experience.
What strikes you in Japan is how everything is well thought out and works efficiently, like train schedules. The Japanese are so courteous and disciplined that their society runs smoothly. I couldn’t help but contrast our helter-skelter way of life in the Philippines. If there’s anything we have to change, it’s our mindset of parochiality, selfand family-centeredness as well as tribal/regional divisions. Our culture is so damaged from centuries of foreign domination which results in a fractured national identity. But I’ll leave that analysis and resolution to the social philosophers.
I’ll gladly go back to Japan for a dose of temporary altered reality. Autumn beckons with the promise of a longer-lasting display of the Kiku Matsuri (Chrysanthemum festival) and brilliant fall colors.
What strikes you in Japan is how everything is well thought out and works efficiently, like train schedules. The Japanese are so courteous and disciplined that their society runs smoothly.