Wow, where to start with Tokyo?? Was it everything I had imagined it to be? I feel like it was such a whirlwind trip and I worked long days but on the whole I really did love Japan and would definitely plan to go back in the future especially to Kyoto or Osaka where its more historical and traditional. For the first time in my life I had serious culture shock! Whenever I have travelled around Europe most people speak English and there are English signs around for restaurants or travel or the wording is similar enough for you to figure out what it says - even travelling to Turkey I was with a bus full of Aussies and Kiwis with a tour guide that organised everything for us so this was my first experience being the sole traveler in a completely different country to anything I had experienced before. Of course I was looked after by the team in Japan who were so hospitable - in general the Japanese culture are incredibly polite and respectful, everything they do is done with a touch of natural elegance.
It was also my first official business trip - I have traveled to Paris for work to look for prints and fabrics and do market research but this time round I went by myself and had to meet a lot of people and learn a lot about what our company does in Japan - I feel it went very well and I was so nervous before I went but I just got on with it and did the best I could. I didn't experience any jet lag which was a bonus - I arrived around lunch time on the Monday and then had a nap before wandering around the area near my hotel it was so exciting and I ordered a Ramen noodle dish through a vending machine system - you select what you want then pay then the receipt is taken to the kitchen and the food is made in front of you! It was a small, loud, fast paced Japanese diner and I was the only foreigner in there - over my travels I have learnt to eat down the side streets where all the locals are hidden!
The Japanese have so much respect for their country and each other - the subway stations are five times the size as London one - literally - and still people line up at each door to get on the tube where as here everyone just pushes and shoves. The streets are so clean, to think that there are 130 million Japanese people in a similar sized landmass to New Zealand which has 4 million people and their busiest city is so much cleaner - it was really something. I thought that the London stations were confusing when I first got here - even if your a local in Tokyo it can still be tricky to figure out which line to go on - even if you have a smart phone! So many exits, platforms and train lines I would have honestly just taxied if I was by myself!
One of my favourite things in Japan was Kakigori - its literally crushed ice with amazing syrups and whipped green tea ice-cream oh my god I had one every day I was there! It was so humid during the day and it poured down on one of the nights to the point where I had to empty my shoes! My favourite day was spent with my dear friend Maiko who used to work at Daks. We visited Asakusa where there was a temple and huge market - my eyes teared up a bit when I saw the temple, I have never seen a Japanese temple in real life and have always dreamed of visiting one. When we were leaving Maiko spotted a 'Monjayaki' traditional restaurant, barely any signs and no tourist would have noticed it or wanted to go in cause it didn't look very appealing but inside was amazing and we sat on the floor and had our own BBQ table, you order the ingredients and cook your own food, was so cool! Then we headed to Kappabashi which was a road full of amazing cheap shops at wholesale price so I bought some chopsticks, miso bowls and cups. We then visited Meigi Zinguu temple but had to look through the gates as we got there too late! But it was round the corner from Takesita Douri which was a really cool young fun shopping district, so colourful and exciting! We went to the Sky Tree but no tickets were available (was still amazing to see from the outside) so we decided to head to Roppongi Hills where you get one of the best views of all of Tokyo city - it was as high as the sky tower in Auckland. It was a really breath taking moment just standing there staring out at the biggest city I have ever seen - it was dark by this point and the lights were amazing, it was like something from the Matrix, just building after building it stretched on and on. It was 9pm by the time we finished there so we headed out for a traditional dinner - in Japan restaurants some have separate areas / rooms so they slid open this door for us and our table was in there, then they closed the door we had our own room it was such an experience! We ate traditional food and it was so good - I want to go back!! Of course I had some Saki too then we headed back to the hotel, had a few hours sleep then headed to Tokyo station for my bus.
Because I travel so much around Europe it never occurred to me that my debit card wouldn't work in Japan... luckily I had my credit card but that could have even been cancelled cause I didn't tell my bank I was traveling out of the EU. It was quite stressful on the last day cause I literally just made the bus to the airport (I did leave with plenty of time but couldn't figure out where the bus stop was!) then I had to pay for my ticket on the way - if my card had declined I would have literally had no money or any access to money and I wouldn't have been able to get to the airport.... the thought alone makes me feel ill! But I made it in the end so all good! Before I left NZ I was sooo super organised with all things travel but now I'm so chilled out about it, probably a bit too much though!
I didn't get jet lag when returning either so, bonus number 2! All in all it was such an amazing adventure, it all went so quick I have to really tell myself it actually happened! Next work trip is to Lake Como at the end of October so I can't wait to go and see all the design archives and work with the designers there. Will update when I return!
