BabuSoge

Vacations always leave us refreshed and all-geared up to go back to our regular lives. And this was the case for our recent trip to Japan also, but Japan is the first place that left us completely awe-struck! We came home absolutely determined that some day, when we have the money and the space, we shall have toilets with built-in bidets in our house! Jokes apart, we can’t point to one particular factor – the crowds, the tech, the neon lights, the transit system, the temples, the gardens, the cleanliness, the food, the people, the attention to detail and the list can go on and on. In Japan, all of these come together in an amazing synchrony making the sum greater than its parts!

Major metropolises in the world – London, New York, Mumbai, Singapore, Berlin – all have renowned transit systems but Japan does it better than any other country . Tokyo, the capital of Japan moves more than half the global population through its transit system every year and does so with lesser stations, better efficiency, and clean and modern infrastructure. To serve the thousands of people riding the trains, the stations have huge shopping areas where one can find cafes, restaurants, clothing stores, convenience stores, souvenir shops, and of course vending machines. There’s something in there for everyone! Language barrier notwithstanding, the clearly labeled signs together with google maps makes it straight-forward to navigate the labyrinth of passages within the stations.

During our trip – we visited 4 cities in Japan – Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kyoto, each had their own vibe and charm. Tokyo is a sprawling metropolis that pulsates with energy. From the electric buzz of Shibuya and Akihabara to the tranquil oasis of Meiji Shrine, Tokyo is a fascinating blend of the modern and the traditional. Osaka on the other hand has a vibrant nightlife and shopping districts such as Dotonbori are popular with both locals and tourists alike and a buzzing food scene from comprising of everything from street food to Michelin star restaurants. Hiroshima, with its poignant history, stands as a symbol of peace and resilience and serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of war. The city has risen from its ashes (literally and figuratively) to become a beacon of hope and reconciliation. The city has also come to be known for proximity to the beautiful Miyajima island, a tranquil place with ancient temples and an opportunity to get away for a leisurely day trip from the city. And finally Kyoto – the cultural capital of Japan. For over a millennium, it served as the country’s imperial capital, leaving behind a rich legacy of historic temples, shrines, and traditional wooden houses. The cobblestone streets of Gion and Hanamikoji street come alive at dusk. The charm of this place is only accentuated by the mystery of geisha which offer glimpses of a bygone era.

Vegetarianism isn’t a very popular idea in Japan – except perhaps among the monks at Buddhist temple. However, vegan and vegetarian diets have become increasingly popular world-wide and Japan is no exception. Vegetarian restaurants (or restaurants with vegetarian options) are few and far in-between but the ones that exist serve exceptional food ! And we have come to realize that a place with a rich and varied culinary heritage is bound to be slow to adapt to new diets and ideas but the adaptation usually ends up being very innovative and firmly grounded in local ingredients. For instance, we had vegan sushi made with vegetables such as okra, Japanese ginger, taro etc, and vegan soy “meat” that was juicy and delicious like nothing we’ve had before. We have a separate post that contains more details of all the amazing vegetarian and vegan food we ate in Japan. Check it out!

And even on the accommodation front, we experienced several types – a Machiya in Kyoto (Machiya Residence Inn), a global chain of hotels in Tokyo (Hyatt Regency Shinjuku), and a Japanese business hotel in Hiroshima (Granvia). We couldn’t stay at an onsen hotel but we did get to experience an onsen in Hakone (Hakone Yuryo onsen). While, there are both public and private baths, we never imagined we would say this – the public ones were far better than the private ones once we let go of our inhibitions! For the next time though, we would love to try out a Ryokan and/or a temple stay such as at Koyasan.

We would want to return to Japan some day again and explore places such as Kanazawa, Takayama, Shirakawa-go, Koyasan, Nakasendo trail, Sapporo and Okinawa and maybe even the Suzuka grand-prix! There is so much more to see and experience in this beautiful country, and while we chose a fairly popular itinerary for our first trip, we now fully understand why this circuit Tokyo-Osaka-Hiroshima-Kyoto-Tokyo is a widely popular one. We made a short travel story to capture our experiences ! We hope you like it!