Japan

Day 2: Educate us on something you know alot about or are good at. Take any approach you'd like (serious and educational or funny and sarcastic)

I've been to Japan 3 times and it's safe to say I know a lot about it. Specifically, Hakuba and Tokyo.

Before I went to Japan, I was not sure what to expect. The first time, I was 15 and went with a school group. Our teachers spoke Japanese, the got us around and all was well. The second time, I went with S. We both spoke very little Japanese and had to navigate our way around a very big city. The third time we knew what we were doing and it was fantastic.

When people ask me if I recommend they go to Japan, I always say yes. I always tell them it is so easy to get around, there is a wide variety of good food and there is so much to see and do. What I tend to forget though, is they've never been. A person with no Japanese language (speaking and reading) skills in Japan....well that might not end so well.

The first time S and I went to Japan together, we went straight from Tokyo airport to our accommodation in Hakuba. We caught a ‘highway bus’ as I thought that would be the easiest and least fuss way to get there. Little did I know after spending 10 hours on a plane, a 6 hour bus ride would be the last thing I wanted to do. It was awful. But we got to the accommodation and all was well.

We learnt from that and did it differently this time over. If you have a little knowledge and do your research, it really is a great place to travel to.

Transport:

The train stations are huge. They are confusing. They go everywhere. If you do your research on Japan Guide first, most of the time it will tell you what line to catch to get to your destination. If it doesn’t, you can pay the minimum fare and use the fare correction machine at the other end, you are sorted. You don’t even need to speak Japanese for that.

Food:

The food is amazing. At first, I was picky. I only looked for chicken..bad mistake. There is such a wide variety of food and so inexpensive that you can try something new every day. If you have never been to Japan, try and find a restaurant that has a plastic display of meals in the window. They are everywhere. Meals are much cheaper than here in Australia.

Sights:

There are a lot of different precincts within Tokyo. Many places to visit. Tokyo is huge and each different precinct has a different vibe. My favourite is Ueno – there is so much to do there that we have spent 3 days all up exploring and still have stuff to see. And that is just one of the many many precincts to see in Tokyo alone. Again, Japan Guide was my best friend. I would look up different areas, decide what I wanted to see, work out how to get there and go the next day.

People:

Japanese people are so friendly. They want to help you in any way possible. If you don’t speak Japanese, they don’t mind. They will try their English skills. Every job is considered a profession. Retail, hospitality, everything. They don’t stand around talking to their colleagues or ignore you when you walk in. They are attentive and helpful. Everyone is.

 I love everything about Japan and would love to go back there as soon as I can.