Thursday, April 28, 2011
Roppongi Perfect For Young Nightlife
So after a long day of walking around Tokyo and visiting so many amazing historical sites and learning more about the country, all of us wanted a little time to ourselves. So where was the best place to go out, have a few drinks, and dance a little bit with your friends? Roppongi, especially if you are in your twenties. You will find people from all over the globe who go out there. Bright lights, thousands of people, and night clubs and food places everywhere. It's just New York City in the sense the city never sleeps!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sing it Out
What is one of the most popular things to do while in Tokyo you ask? Karaoke of course. I couldn't believe it myself but on almost every few blocks you would see some glass building with a front desk and three workers standing behind it. That is where people may go on their lunch breaks, to throw a party or to just have a good time with friends. You sign up for as long as you'd like to go in for. The one I visited had seven floors and the room sizes varied. The first time I went was with the other fourteen students on our trip. Since we had a bigger size group we had a room with couches, a big screen tv, and a mini stage that lit up different colors. Let me tell you we all had a blast! We hung around, had a few drinks, and sang out a few songs.
Well because me and my roomate had such a good time we decided to go back on our own! This time our room was much smaller because it was the two of us. There was two couches and just a tv screen. Still, we had an awesome time.
After seeing and enjoying the karaoke over in Tokyo I was really bummed coming back to the states knowing we don't have something like that over in the states. However, I'm glad I did it and I completely recommend it to anyone traveling to Japan because suprisingly it is a big part of their culture!
Well because me and my roomate had such a good time we decided to go back on our own! This time our room was much smaller because it was the two of us. There was two couches and just a tv screen. Still, we had an awesome time.
After seeing and enjoying the karaoke over in Tokyo I was really bummed coming back to the states knowing we don't have something like that over in the states. However, I'm glad I did it and I completely recommend it to anyone traveling to Japan because suprisingly it is a big part of their culture!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
New Years In Japan
Best part about being in Japan in December? Easy. New Years at Zojoji Temple! The temple is located right near Tokyo Tower, you can only imagine how beautiful the place was lit up! Hands down it was the most amazing experience I have ever had. The celebration was so culturaly different than ours. Thousands of people came out to the tower to enjoy food, festivies, and to pray at the temple.
For the first hundred or so people who arrived recieved a balloon. When the new year rang in, everyone let go of their balloons and then the gong was hit 108 times. These are a few of the Japanese traditions. Another tradition they follow is recieving arrows. Seeing how everyone was celebrating 2011, citizens would recieve an arrown with a rabbit attached to it then bring last years arrows to be burned.
Balloons released at midnight
The food was absolutely amazing! Specialties they served were chocolate and strawberry bananas covered in sprinkles, baked potatoes, noodles, mooshi, and much more!
It was an amazing experience and something I will never forget!
For the first hundred or so people who arrived recieved a balloon. When the new year rang in, everyone let go of their balloons and then the gong was hit 108 times. These are a few of the Japanese traditions. Another tradition they follow is recieving arrows. Seeing how everyone was celebrating 2011, citizens would recieve an arrown with a rabbit attached to it then bring last years arrows to be burned.
Balloons released at midnight
The food was absolutely amazing! Specialties they served were chocolate and strawberry bananas covered in sprinkles, baked potatoes, noodles, mooshi, and much more!
It was an amazing experience and something I will never forget!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Something Fishy
Tsukiji fish market is the world's biggest wholesale fish and seafood market. The key is going very early in the morning to watch the unloading of the tuna. However, when we visited this was closed to foreigners because the tradeing and unloading of the fish can get too intense for visitors. They can get in the way and even get hurt in some cases. The market opens at 3 AM! We went at 9 AM to see all of the other parts of the market and hopefully miss the "rush" of people. This was the first place I was able to visit and travel to in Tokyo. When we got there I was immediately overwelmed by the loads of people travleing up and down the rows in the market. As I explored the market, I entered the heart of the market where the huge fish are killed, sold and traded. I've never seen such big fish in front of my eyes before. It was so cool. It's definitely something you need expeirence for yourself. I highly reccomend it!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Let's Talk Sensoji
When staying in Asakusa near our hostel was one of the most famous temples called Sensoji. It is the temple that attracts most of the tourists that visit Tokyo. The Sensoji temple is one of the oldest and most significant temples. There and also the other shrines you walk up into the shrine and there is a "prayer well," as what I like to call it, that you say a prayer and throw a yen in. The reason why these temples are so special are because the spirits of ancestors are said to live in there and clear out all the bad in ones life.
Also outside of the temple is a fourtune slip where you put a coin and shake a number out of a cylinder. After you find your number on one of the drawers and pull out your fourtune. If you like your forutune keep it! If not then tie it on a tree or a board which is suppost to bring you better luck.
Always remember tho the first thing you do when you go to a temple is make sure to purify yourself with the water! For all my fellow travelers who went with me to Tokyo...lets not pull a Mary Alice and drink from the purification!
Our group in front of the temple!
Also outside of the temple is a fourtune slip where you put a coin and shake a number out of a cylinder. After you find your number on one of the drawers and pull out your fourtune. If you like your forutune keep it! If not then tie it on a tree or a board which is suppost to bring you better luck.
Always remember tho the first thing you do when you go to a temple is make sure to purify yourself with the water! For all my fellow travelers who went with me to Tokyo...lets not pull a Mary Alice and drink from the purification!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The City of Shibuya
If you enjoy a city like New York than I 100% recommend you see Shibuya. Right when you get off the subway and enter the city it looks like a replication of Times Square. Billboards, thousands of people, and the countless amounts of stores made me feel a little overwelmed at first but once I started walking and picked where I wanted to start I didn't want to stop!
Ladies if you love to shop I suggest you head to 109. It is nine floors of endless clothing, shoes, and accessories. Each floor is catered to a certain type of style and let me tell you just about EVERY style is displayed. A few blocks from that is a huge Forever 21, H&M, and if you're feeling like you want to shell out some money you can hit up Burberry. Majority of the women in Shibuya wore knee high heeled boots with a short skirt, a cute top, and their hair was always done up. Men tend to wear nice slacks, collared shirt, and a man purse is a common trend.
If you're hungry you'll have no problem finding food. There is every resturant from Japanese to Italian to French to Irish pubs. And let me tell you, the food in Shibuya is excellent quality.
If you're wanting to head further from the main area of Shibuya there is a more upscale area that also replicates a little bit of New York City on fifth ave except this area goes for miles. The street is light up beautifully and the only types of cars you'll see cruising through these avenues are Range Rovers, BMW's, and Mercades. The streets are lined up with designer stores from Ralph Lauren to Fendi. But turn down one of these streets and you'll get into an area filled with expensive little boutiques and cafe's. Even if you're not planning on making any crazy purchases it is worth checking out and taking some pictures of.
There's so much I could say about this city. This is a city that I think everyone needs to visit and it is good for all ages!
Tipping : You do not need to tip anyone at a Japanese resturant. The fee is included into your bill so enjoy the food!
Vocabulary:
Good Afternoon: konnichiwa
Ladies if you love to shop I suggest you head to 109. It is nine floors of endless clothing, shoes, and accessories. Each floor is catered to a certain type of style and let me tell you just about EVERY style is displayed. A few blocks from that is a huge Forever 21, H&M, and if you're feeling like you want to shell out some money you can hit up Burberry. Majority of the women in Shibuya wore knee high heeled boots with a short skirt, a cute top, and their hair was always done up. Men tend to wear nice slacks, collared shirt, and a man purse is a common trend.
If you're hungry you'll have no problem finding food. There is every resturant from Japanese to Italian to French to Irish pubs. And let me tell you, the food in Shibuya is excellent quality.
If you're wanting to head further from the main area of Shibuya there is a more upscale area that also replicates a little bit of New York City on fifth ave except this area goes for miles. The street is light up beautifully and the only types of cars you'll see cruising through these avenues are Range Rovers, BMW's, and Mercades. The streets are lined up with designer stores from Ralph Lauren to Fendi. But turn down one of these streets and you'll get into an area filled with expensive little boutiques and cafe's. Even if you're not planning on making any crazy purchases it is worth checking out and taking some pictures of.
There's so much I could say about this city. This is a city that I think everyone needs to visit and it is good for all ages!
Tipping : You do not need to tip anyone at a Japanese resturant. The fee is included into your bill so enjoy the food!
Vocabulary:
Good Afternoon: konnichiwa
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Destruction in Japan
I would just like to take the time to say how saddened I am by this tragedy that has struck Japan. I encourage everyone to help out by donating money, food, supplies, anything they can in order to help the individuals who are suffering at this time. I'm sure everyone knows by now that Japan was hit with an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.9 followed by a deathly tusnami. This is Japan's worst disaster since 1923 and now the devesation and death toll are being compared to WWII. The tusnami itself has taken out towns and villiages and it looks as if nothing had ever existed. The death toll is now over 3,000 and is estimated to reach a shocking 10,000. The destruction wasn't as bad in Tokyo compared to the rest of northern Japan however, it still did damage. Many civilians now fear the high amount of radiation and are worried about how stable the nuclear power plants are. After shocks are still being reported and are being rated higher than a magnitude of 6 which is still considered a big earthquake.
While I was in Tokyo my hostel was down the street from a little local bar called Longchamp II. A young beautiful Japanese woman named Yuko owned it. It was her opening night when we first arrived our group had been her first customers. We had made such good friends with her and most of us kept in contact with Yuko after we left, including myself. When I first heard about the earthquake and tusnami I immediately thought of her and if she was okay. The amazing things about social networks is how quickly messages get through to others even from a whole other part of the world. Yuko and I are facebook friends and after the news of what was going on in Japan I went on her page to see if she had updated any status's. To my suprise she had told everyone she was ok however she was still feeling a lot of the after shock. I had told her I was glad to know she was safe. Her concern was she had no idea if some of her friends or family members were safe which I'm sure was the concern of many.
What happened in Japan is beyond horrifying. You would have never thought such a disaster could actually happen. Many lives have been lost, people have been injured, villages have vanished, and now rescuers are still looking for any surviors. Again, any help to these people would be more than greatly appreciated. If you're intrested in doing so American Red Cross is always taking donations.
While I was in Tokyo my hostel was down the street from a little local bar called Longchamp II. A young beautiful Japanese woman named Yuko owned it. It was her opening night when we first arrived our group had been her first customers. We had made such good friends with her and most of us kept in contact with Yuko after we left, including myself. When I first heard about the earthquake and tusnami I immediately thought of her and if she was okay. The amazing things about social networks is how quickly messages get through to others even from a whole other part of the world. Yuko and I are facebook friends and after the news of what was going on in Japan I went on her page to see if she had updated any status's. To my suprise she had told everyone she was ok however she was still feeling a lot of the after shock. I had told her I was glad to know she was safe. Her concern was she had no idea if some of her friends or family members were safe which I'm sure was the concern of many.
What happened in Japan is beyond horrifying. You would have never thought such a disaster could actually happen. Many lives have been lost, people have been injured, villages have vanished, and now rescuers are still looking for any surviors. Again, any help to these people would be more than greatly appreciated. If you're intrested in doing so American Red Cross is always taking donations.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Time to Pack!
I bet one of the biggest frustrations for some of you is what to pack for your trip, or maybe it is more so the women. However, you can never be too prepared! What I will try to do is hopefully narrow down your huge list or for those who have no idea where to begin, give you a starting point.
First off, I am sure if you are visiting such a big city as Tokyo you are most definitely going to be doing a lot of walking. Walking and subways are the most common transportation. (Tip: Taxicabs are very expensive so if you are not looking to splurge then stay away!) You are certainly going to want a little backpack or larger size purse to keep all of your belonging in such as a camera, water, money, maps, etc. Another thing you are going to want is a nice pair of walking shoes. If you are planning to visit many temples and go inside then wear shoes and socks because you will be required to take them off.
As for clothes, the weather over in Tokyo right now is not much off from here in the United States. Around this time of the year the weather is in the high 50's to somewhere in the 60's. So jeans, t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, raincoats, and maybe a thicker jacket or sweater incase there is a day where it is a bit cooler. Keep in mind though that fashion in Japan is something that is very important. Everyone presents themselves in different ways but always keep it somewhat classy casual. So if you are bringing long and short-sleeved shirts make sure they are not ripped up nor have stains on them.
I know one thing I was nervous about was adaptors. Honestly, I never used one once. Our two prong plugs fit into the walls of the Hostel I stayed at just fine and if I did need something with a three-prong plug there were extension cords available. With that being said, I still think it would not be too bad of an idea to bring one. They are tiny and will not take up any room at all. Better safe than sorry!
Do not forget you are toiletries! Some things are not very easy to get over there. Deodorant is one of them. They are becoming more common to find however, they just do not work as well. So if you do not want to feel like you are sweating and smelly all day I advise you to bring you are own. In addition, medicine is different in Tokyo so make sure you pack you are own from home incase you feel you are coming down with something.
Snacks! I'll admit it may take a while to become accustomed to the Japanese food so if you're a meticulous eater it's a good idea if you bring along some of you're favorite snacks so you don't go hungry.
Last but not least, please whatever you do MAKE SURE you do not lose you're passport. One of my good friends lost her entire purse, which contained her passport, while she was over their at a club that was forty-five minutes away from our hostel. Lucky for her Tokyo is one of the safest cities in world and the owner returned it to her when she went back. Everything was still in place. This happened another time as well to her, again she got it back. This should not only tell you that Tokyo is that safe but also make sure not to be careless!
I bet one of the biggest frustrations for some of you is what to pack for your trip, or maybe it is more so the women. However, you can never be too prepared! What I will try to do is hopefully narrow down your huge list or for those who have no idea where to begin, give you a starting point.
First off, I am sure if you are visiting such a big city as Tokyo you are most definitely going to be doing a lot of walking. Walking and subways are the most common transportation. (Tip: Taxicabs are very expensive so if you are not looking to splurge then stay away!) You are certainly going to want a little backpack or larger size purse to keep all of your belonging in such as a camera, water, money, maps, etc. Another thing you are going to want is a nice pair of walking shoes. If you are planning to visit many temples and go inside then wear shoes and socks because you will be required to take them off.
As for clothes, the weather over in Tokyo right now is not much off from here in the United States. Around this time of the year the weather is in the high 50's to somewhere in the 60's. So jeans, t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, raincoats, and maybe a thicker jacket or sweater incase there is a day where it is a bit cooler. Keep in mind though that fashion in Japan is something that is very important. Everyone presents themselves in different ways but always keep it somewhat classy casual. So if you are bringing long and short-sleeved shirts make sure they are not ripped up nor have stains on them.
I know one thing I was nervous about was adaptors. Honestly, I never used one once. Our two prong plugs fit into the walls of the Hostel I stayed at just fine and if I did need something with a three-prong plug there were extension cords available. With that being said, I still think it would not be too bad of an idea to bring one. They are tiny and will not take up any room at all. Better safe than sorry!
Do not forget you are toiletries! Some things are not very easy to get over there. Deodorant is one of them. They are becoming more common to find however, they just do not work as well. So if you do not want to feel like you are sweating and smelly all day I advise you to bring you are own. In addition, medicine is different in Tokyo so make sure you pack you are own from home incase you feel you are coming down with something.
Snacks! I'll admit it may take a while to become accustomed to the Japanese food so if you're a meticulous eater it's a good idea if you bring along some of you're favorite snacks so you don't go hungry.
Last but not least, please whatever you do MAKE SURE you do not lose you're passport. One of my good friends lost her entire purse, which contained her passport, while she was over their at a club that was forty-five minutes away from our hostel. Lucky for her Tokyo is one of the safest cities in world and the owner returned it to her when she went back. Everything was still in place. This happened another time as well to her, again she got it back. This should not only tell you that Tokyo is that safe but also make sure not to be careless!
First off, I am sure if you are visiting such a big city as Tokyo you are most definitely going to be doing a lot of walking. Walking and subways are the most common transportation. (Tip: Taxicabs are very expensive so if you are not looking to splurge then stay away!) You are certainly going to want a little backpack or larger size purse to keep all of your belonging in such as a camera, water, money, maps, etc. Another thing you are going to want is a nice pair of walking shoes. If you are planning to visit many temples and go inside then wear shoes and socks because you will be required to take them off.
As for clothes, the weather over in Tokyo right now is not much off from here in the United States. Around this time of the year the weather is in the high 50's to somewhere in the 60's. So jeans, t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, raincoats, and maybe a thicker jacket or sweater incase there is a day where it is a bit cooler. Keep in mind though that fashion in Japan is something that is very important. Everyone presents themselves in different ways but always keep it somewhat classy casual. So if you are bringing long and short-sleeved shirts make sure they are not ripped up nor have stains on them.
I know one thing I was nervous about was adaptors. Honestly, I never used one once. Our two prong plugs fit into the walls of the Hostel I stayed at just fine and if I did need something with a three-prong plug there were extension cords available. With that being said, I still think it would not be too bad of an idea to bring one. They are tiny and will not take up any room at all. Better safe than sorry!
Do not forget you are toiletries! Some things are not very easy to get over there. Deodorant is one of them. They are becoming more common to find however, they just do not work as well. So if you do not want to feel like you are sweating and smelly all day I advise you to bring you are own. In addition, medicine is different in Tokyo so make sure you pack you are own from home incase you feel you are coming down with something.
Snacks! I'll admit it may take a while to become accustomed to the Japanese food so if you're a meticulous eater it's a good idea if you bring along some of you're favorite snacks so you don't go hungry.
Last but not least, please whatever you do MAKE SURE you do not lose you're passport. One of my good friends lost her entire purse, which contained her passport, while she was over their at a club that was forty-five minutes away from our hostel. Lucky for her Tokyo is one of the safest cities in world and the owner returned it to her when she went back. Everything was still in place. This happened another time as well to her, again she got it back. This should not only tell you that Tokyo is that safe but also make sure not to be careless!
I bet one of the biggest frustrations for some of you is what to pack for your trip, or maybe it is more so the women. However, you can never be too prepared! What I will try to do is hopefully narrow down your huge list or for those who have no idea where to begin, give you a starting point.
First off, I am sure if you are visiting such a big city as Tokyo you are most definitely going to be doing a lot of walking. Walking and subways are the most common transportation. (Tip: Taxicabs are very expensive so if you are not looking to splurge then stay away!) You are certainly going to want a little backpack or larger size purse to keep all of your belonging in such as a camera, water, money, maps, etc. Another thing you are going to want is a nice pair of walking shoes. If you are planning to visit many temples and go inside then wear shoes and socks because you will be required to take them off.
As for clothes, the weather over in Tokyo right now is not much off from here in the United States. Around this time of the year the weather is in the high 50's to somewhere in the 60's. So jeans, t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, sweaters, raincoats, and maybe a thicker jacket or sweater incase there is a day where it is a bit cooler. Keep in mind though that fashion in Japan is something that is very important. Everyone presents themselves in different ways but always keep it somewhat classy casual. So if you are bringing long and short-sleeved shirts make sure they are not ripped up nor have stains on them.
I know one thing I was nervous about was adaptors. Honestly, I never used one once. Our two prong plugs fit into the walls of the Hostel I stayed at just fine and if I did need something with a three-prong plug there were extension cords available. With that being said, I still think it would not be too bad of an idea to bring one. They are tiny and will not take up any room at all. Better safe than sorry!
Do not forget you are toiletries! Some things are not very easy to get over there. Deodorant is one of them. They are becoming more common to find however, they just do not work as well. So if you do not want to feel like you are sweating and smelly all day I advise you to bring you are own. In addition, medicine is different in Tokyo so make sure you pack you are own from home incase you feel you are coming down with something.
Snacks! I'll admit it may take a while to become accustomed to the Japanese food so if you're a meticulous eater it's a good idea if you bring along some of you're favorite snacks so you don't go hungry.
Last but not least, please whatever you do MAKE SURE you do not lose you're passport. One of my good friends lost her entire purse, which contained her passport, while she was over their at a club that was forty-five minutes away from our hostel. Lucky for her Tokyo is one of the safest cities in world and the owner returned it to her when she went back. Everything was still in place. This happened another time as well to her, again she got it back. This should not only tell you that Tokyo is that safe but also make sure not to be careless!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Cultural Differences
When traveling anywhere that is out of the country you should try your best and educate yourself on the differences in the culture. When I traveled to Japan it was almost a whole new world for me and I'll admit it did take me a good amount of time to become somewhat accustomed to their style of living.
With this post I am going to do my best to break down what it is you should know when traveling to the beautiful city of Tokyo.
1.) Language. At times the language barriers would become very frustrating to me. Something as simple as going out to eat could be made into a task because I did not know how to explain exactly what I wanted and it'd be a little confusion going back and fourth from me and the waiter and I until finally I figured out how to communicate it. The good thing about Tokyo is that majority of the restaurants when you go have pictures of their entrees in a display window outside and sometimes they are even labeled with a number. This makes it much easier to explain what you'd like as you're meal. Usually the Japanese are very good and patient with foreigners who may have some difficulties with the language barrier. Which brings me to my next point.
2.) Generosity. It makes me a little upset to admit that sometimes Americans manners are not all there when it comes to helping others who are from outside the country. When I boarded off the plane in Tokyo and went to customs it was all so quite and the people behind the desk were extremely friendly in greeting us all and welcoming us into their country. However, when I arrived back in the states and went through customs some of the workers just felt like they had better places to be and were plain rude. Giving that vibe off to foreigners I'm sure doesn't make them feel very comfortable. In Japan, if I ever needed help getting to a certain destination the citizens on the street would be more than happy not only to give me directions but some would even show us the way to where I was looking to go. In the United States, you're lucky if you get someone to acknowledge you, at least in a city. The generosity in comparison to here was absolutely amazing. I felt so welcomed and safe feeling as if I could literally rely on anyone.
3.) Curiosity. When visiting a Japanese family ALWAYS remember to take your shoes off! It is considered respectful. Not only that but when you're walking around a city with a wrapper or some sort of garbage you won't find garbage cans sitting around. In Japan trash is considered a personal thing. So hold on to it until you get back to you're hotel or homestay because it is very unlikely you will see a trash can. (Little fact: Even with no garbage pales lying around Japan is still considered one of the cleanest cities.)
4.) Technology. Let me tell you if you're looking for the next best phone, ipod, stereo system, etc. Japan is the place to find it. They are the most advanced country when it comes to these gadgets.
5.) Being Quiet. Although a lot of their cities are somewhat like the one's here in the United States there is one major difference. Our cities consist of honking, people talking on their cell phones, impatience, yelling, and pushing. As long as you get to your destination there's no one or nothing that matters. However, that is completely opposite in Japan. When I was walking through the city of Shybuya on a saturday night I never have felt so much silence in a city. It was the strangest feeling I had ever crossed upon. Even walking into a bar or resturant conversations consisted of almost what I would consider soft whispers. The Japanese are very soft spoken people so for those of you who are like myself where your speaking voice is almost an echo at times make sure to watch yourself!
6.) Fashion. I could not get enough of the fashion in Tokyo. Guys wore purses and girls were obsessed with fur heeled boots with mini skirts. However, the fashion is amazingly diverse over there. People can walk around in whatever and instead of being judged they are admired. A perfect place to witness all the great fashion is on a sunday in Harajuku. If you thought Lady Gaga had crazy style well then you're in for a real surprise. These people walk around in outfits that would STUN people here in the United States except over there people use it as inspiration.
Harajuku
7.) "Excuse Me." It is the most common word to say. Even when your apologizing "excuse me" is the phrase most commonly used. So remember that Excuse me translated is SUMIMASEN.
Hope these little tid bits helped!!
With this post I am going to do my best to break down what it is you should know when traveling to the beautiful city of Tokyo.
1.) Language. At times the language barriers would become very frustrating to me. Something as simple as going out to eat could be made into a task because I did not know how to explain exactly what I wanted and it'd be a little confusion going back and fourth from me and the waiter and I until finally I figured out how to communicate it. The good thing about Tokyo is that majority of the restaurants when you go have pictures of their entrees in a display window outside and sometimes they are even labeled with a number. This makes it much easier to explain what you'd like as you're meal. Usually the Japanese are very good and patient with foreigners who may have some difficulties with the language barrier. Which brings me to my next point.
2.) Generosity. It makes me a little upset to admit that sometimes Americans manners are not all there when it comes to helping others who are from outside the country. When I boarded off the plane in Tokyo and went to customs it was all so quite and the people behind the desk were extremely friendly in greeting us all and welcoming us into their country. However, when I arrived back in the states and went through customs some of the workers just felt like they had better places to be and were plain rude. Giving that vibe off to foreigners I'm sure doesn't make them feel very comfortable. In Japan, if I ever needed help getting to a certain destination the citizens on the street would be more than happy not only to give me directions but some would even show us the way to where I was looking to go. In the United States, you're lucky if you get someone to acknowledge you, at least in a city. The generosity in comparison to here was absolutely amazing. I felt so welcomed and safe feeling as if I could literally rely on anyone.
3.) Curiosity. When visiting a Japanese family ALWAYS remember to take your shoes off! It is considered respectful. Not only that but when you're walking around a city with a wrapper or some sort of garbage you won't find garbage cans sitting around. In Japan trash is considered a personal thing. So hold on to it until you get back to you're hotel or homestay because it is very unlikely you will see a trash can. (Little fact: Even with no garbage pales lying around Japan is still considered one of the cleanest cities.)
4.) Technology. Let me tell you if you're looking for the next best phone, ipod, stereo system, etc. Japan is the place to find it. They are the most advanced country when it comes to these gadgets.
5.) Being Quiet. Although a lot of their cities are somewhat like the one's here in the United States there is one major difference. Our cities consist of honking, people talking on their cell phones, impatience, yelling, and pushing. As long as you get to your destination there's no one or nothing that matters. However, that is completely opposite in Japan. When I was walking through the city of Shybuya on a saturday night I never have felt so much silence in a city. It was the strangest feeling I had ever crossed upon. Even walking into a bar or resturant conversations consisted of almost what I would consider soft whispers. The Japanese are very soft spoken people so for those of you who are like myself where your speaking voice is almost an echo at times make sure to watch yourself!
6.) Fashion. I could not get enough of the fashion in Tokyo. Guys wore purses and girls were obsessed with fur heeled boots with mini skirts. However, the fashion is amazingly diverse over there. People can walk around in whatever and instead of being judged they are admired. A perfect place to witness all the great fashion is on a sunday in Harajuku. If you thought Lady Gaga had crazy style well then you're in for a real surprise. These people walk around in outfits that would STUN people here in the United States except over there people use it as inspiration.
7.) "Excuse Me." It is the most common word to say. Even when your apologizing "excuse me" is the phrase most commonly used. So remember that Excuse me translated is SUMIMASEN.
Hope these little tid bits helped!!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Japanese Food
Attention all Americans planning to visit Tokyo...the delicious food we call hibachi here in the states is not what to expect when you're heading over to Japan. We have definitely over portioned, glamourized, and highered our calories to make the food geared more towards the American way, when in actuality it's completely the opposite.
Wonder why the Japanese are so skinny? There portion sizes are much smaller than ours and the food is much healthier. When I visited the popular dishes were ramen noodles, rice, sushi, chicken, dumplings, fish on sticks (yes an ENTIRE fish on a stick), and moshi. It took me a few days to adjust to the food and I will admit on the occasion I would head to an Italian or Chinese restaurant. Personally, I would recommend the sushi. The fish comes fresh from the markets everyday except Wednesday's. So heads up travelers and maybe stay away from the fish on hump day. I found the best food to be during the festival in the first few days into the New Year at Thunder Gate. They had everything from chocolate and strawberry covered bananas to grilled potatoes to lo mein. All which were exceptional.
If you're looking to save some money and something quick to eat you can head over to just about any grocery store and purchase pre-made food that is also quite good.
All in all, I think you will like the food. Some may take a little longer to come around than others but the point is your in another country trying to learn about the culture. So yes, of course it's going to be different and if you don't like it I promise they do have other alternatives! Just give it a chance.
Eating rice and chicken scours at one of our favorite resturants not to far from our hostel in Asakusa
Wonder why the Japanese are so skinny? There portion sizes are much smaller than ours and the food is much healthier. When I visited the popular dishes were ramen noodles, rice, sushi, chicken, dumplings, fish on sticks (yes an ENTIRE fish on a stick), and moshi. It took me a few days to adjust to the food and I will admit on the occasion I would head to an Italian or Chinese restaurant. Personally, I would recommend the sushi. The fish comes fresh from the markets everyday except Wednesday's. So heads up travelers and maybe stay away from the fish on hump day. I found the best food to be during the festival in the first few days into the New Year at Thunder Gate. They had everything from chocolate and strawberry covered bananas to grilled potatoes to lo mein. All which were exceptional.
If you're looking to save some money and something quick to eat you can head over to just about any grocery store and purchase pre-made food that is also quite good.
All in all, I think you will like the food. Some may take a little longer to come around than others but the point is your in another country trying to learn about the culture. So yes, of course it's going to be different and if you don't like it I promise they do have other alternatives! Just give it a chance.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Adventure Tokyo
Welcome to my first blog! When first thinking of an idea for creating a blog I wanted to choose a topic in which I could help people and yet educate them at the same time. I didn't want to do something cliche. So after putting more thought into it I decided why not blog about my experience in Tokyo. I'll give some of the best spots in Tokyo for shopping, dining, historical landmarks, and nightlife. Also, I'll make sure to give helpful tips of what and what not to do, and even some vocabulary! This way anyone who is planning a trip, thinking about traveling, or even just wants to know what Tokyo is like can get a good overview of what to expect.
If there was one thing I could choose to do for the rest of my life it would be to travel to all different countries to study the culture, see the beautiful architecture, meet diverse groups of people, and overall expand my horizons on my outlook on life. Thus far I have visited Ireland, England, Scotland, France, and my latest trip was to Tokyo, Japan. Out of each place I have visited I have found Tokyo to be very similar to some of the cities here in the United States but also at the same time I struggled with the culture shock. However, it was a good culture shock. The Japanese are some of the friendliest people you will come across. Being a foreigner in Japan can be very frustrating especially if you're not familiar with the language. The citizens are always willing to help you find your way around and go out of their way to lend a hand. Not always something you can rely on here in the United States. The Japanese people were just one of the very many perks to visiting this country.
My goal for this blog is to share my knowledge and experience with everyone on one of the most remarkable cities, Tokyo, Japan.
If there was one thing I could choose to do for the rest of my life it would be to travel to all different countries to study the culture, see the beautiful architecture, meet diverse groups of people, and overall expand my horizons on my outlook on life. Thus far I have visited Ireland, England, Scotland, France, and my latest trip was to Tokyo, Japan. Out of each place I have visited I have found Tokyo to be very similar to some of the cities here in the United States but also at the same time I struggled with the culture shock. However, it was a good culture shock. The Japanese are some of the friendliest people you will come across. Being a foreigner in Japan can be very frustrating especially if you're not familiar with the language. The citizens are always willing to help you find your way around and go out of their way to lend a hand. Not always something you can rely on here in the United States. The Japanese people were just one of the very many perks to visiting this country.
My goal for this blog is to share my knowledge and experience with everyone on one of the most remarkable cities, Tokyo, Japan.
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