There's no way you can resist falling in love with Japan the moment you step into its folds, starting from your flight experience - provided you flew into Nippon Land with a Japanese airline.
I flew with Japan Airlines, and I couldn't help smiling when the air stewardesses donned a cutesy apron, as they prepared for inflight service. And it was smiles and bows galore throughout the duration of the flight. Quite the opposite of service onboard Emirates, the flying funeral. It was easier to tease a hair out of a bald head than to get the Emirates crew to smile as they served me.
When I landed at the new Tokyo Haneda international terminal, everything was so orderly and immigration clearance was brisk. Hell. Singapore Changi Airport has a worthy competitor!
Then there was the highly efficient coach service from the airport to various points around the city.
I was initially terrified of having to find a bus to take me from the airport to my hotel, considering how I've always simply flagged down a taxi whenever I travelled for business to Asian cities. I was warned against taking a taxi by well-meaning travel agent friends. I was told it could cost me a hefty US$300 for the ride from the airport to the Makuhari area. She has GOT to be joking. How could a taxi ride cost US$300?!
But I'm a Japan virgin and I did not want to learn the lesson the hard way. So I obediently hunted for the bus service. And that turned out easier than I had expected. Language was hardly a problem, unless you happen to speaketh like Shakespear. Every service staff at the airport, as well as the bus drivers, spoke and understood English.
Early morning in Tokyo was very cold, and I had to wait an hour for my ride. No problem. Some genius had invented vending machines that dispensed cans of hot drinks.
And vending machines is the other thing that made me love Tokyo so much. Those damn things are so fun to operate. You could buy drinks, sandwiches, soup, cup noodles, snacks and ciggies from the many vending machines available in the city.
Buying stuff from vending machines became my addiction, and on the first day alone, I've bought more drinks than I've ever purchased from a vending machine in Singapore in a year.
One's love affair with Japanese vending machine is further nurtured by the need to purchase a food coupon from a vending machine before claiming your meal at a food court or standing-room only ramen stalls inside a train station.
Truth be told, I've always wanted to eat a bowl of ramen in a train station, although I am hardly a ramen fan.
And that was exactly what I did, as I passed through Tokyo Station enroute to Shibuya Station from Makuhari Station on my first day in Tokyo.
This particular ramen outlet at Tokyo Station made me such a lovely bowl of kakiage soba that I just had to walk up to the chef and bowed my thanks at the end of the meal. She probably thought I was a weirdo.
I enjoyed the experience so much, that I did the same for dinner at Makuhari Station. Alas, that outlet left me disappointed.
Shibuya was also a fascinating experience. I saw the famous pedestrian intersection outside the train station, where all traffic lights would turn red at the same time, allowing pedestrians to spill out into the roads at the same time, in all directions.
Organised chaos, one website described the vision. How true! And I was part of that organised chaos, except I was walking a little more chaotically than the rest of them because I did not know where I wanted to go. All I wanted to do was just cross the road. :)
I ended up in Shibuya 109, a mall favoured by young Japanese girls. I say, the shopping there is out of this world (or at least, the world I know of). Alas, it was a bitter case of too many things to buy, too little money.
I had to keep thinking of the financial commitment brought about by the new home. :(
Ahh, the responsibilities of an adult!
Will write more about Kobe and Kyoto when I'm back in Singapore. Now, I've to go sleep.
Night night, peeps!
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