Japan 日本 25-29 Jan 2004

In a place which main medium of communication is almost foreign, you can only be a passive sight-seer. There are more to Japan than merely weird fashion statements, cute displays or bullet trains. Though I categorize myself as a passive sight-seer in this case, I think this trip is a good start to what's hidden underneath the many facets of the country.

Downtown Tokyo 26th Jan, Mon

Call it touch-and-go or hit-and-run.... I have seen what I have wanted to in Japan. Some ridiculed at my 'only 1 day in Tokyo' statement, but who cares so much?

But seriously, this can be done when the city is blessed with a subway network, that is so well integrated to create a disarray of confusion.

In brief, this was my route

東京 -> 池袋 -> 渋谷 -> 原宿 -> 新宿

In details, this was my descriptions, in Chinese though.

第 一天， 我随着安静的上班族乘坐JR 的山手环线到达目的地的第一站 --- 東京(Tokyo)。

蹋出地铁站的那一刻便马上联想起香港。

   

无论是工作人士高贵的衣着打扮，熙攘的地铁站，快速的步伐，矗立的摩天大楼，都让我感觉置身于香港。

就连那种蹋出地铁站所感觉到的迷惘，都十分类似。

或许这是隐藏在大都会里的一种膀恍，未知，无奈。

我们就像被时间的不留所牵。

他们也不会想到这里还有游客悠悠自在地凝视这一幕。

 

不知不觉地走到有楽町(Yurakucho) ，这里是银座(Ginza)的 入口处。

由於银座并未列为本人朝圣的地点，所以便索性继续往高楼大厦迈进。

   

和上班族一同在晴海通り(Harumi Dori)  与时间比赛(因为得赶上行程表)，也真过瘾。

在かちどき 橋(Kachidokibashi) 见到远处的东京铁塔，that gave the trip a good start.

   

 

北上到池袋(Ikebukuro)， 走了一段冤枉路，也浪费一些瞎拼的时间。

从EXIT35冒出来，还以为这里是香港的铜锣湾。店面的斑斓色彩及人群的精彩打扮，不免造成一点混乱。

池袋 有HELLO KITTY, HMV，廉价商店，以及240m 的SUNSHINE60.

   

从高处望下整个东京的landscape，犹如已经将这里一‘览’打尽。

 

瞎拼时间到了！

本人是因为 渋谷(Shibuya)有个特别的斑马线及大形荧幕混和成的精彩画面而慕名而来。本地的几间商场也以 渋谷为发展蓝图，积极模仿并营造领导潮流的气氛。

如果 渋谷真有这种本领，本人当然不会错过。

由於时间有限，本人只能到出名的109看看日本辣妹们的奇装异服。

兜了6层楼的衣服店，有点眼花缭乱。但，本人定力十足，口袋没有在这里破洞。

109的服饰可以看，可以摸，但你未必敢穿。或许因为是冬装，所以不会心动。

   

 

跟着，到原宿的竹下通り逛逛。这里会比 渋谷能够吸引我购物的兴致，正如我在香港的尖沙觜待久都不嫌闷一样。同样是冬装，但设计较朴素，价格也便宜(因为是冬季清货)。

本人满心欢喜离开原宿，朝另一个购物集中地前进。

   

 

新宿汇集了大型shopping malls，琳琅满目但价格较昂贵。这里出名的是夜间性场所，歌舞伎町(Kabukicho)。奇怪，本人在瞎拼场所的每个角落，见到的都是女性。歌舞伎町弥漫的是身穿大衣的男性流连于灯光闪烁的小店外。

       

从白天到黑夜，我在东京转了一圈， 认识了它白天的快速文化，它不闻不问的个性，它夜晚的缤纷狂澜。我也随着黑夜的降临，将今日的行程宣告一段落。该看的都看尽了。我满足了.

If Tokyo was confusing enough with bad maps and broken signage, 鎌倉(Kamakura) couldn't be any better.

The tourist center at the JR station wasn't much helpful by giving me a map with Jap characters and limited English translations. I had to feel the way around and only when I had reached the landmark was I sure that I was on the right path.

I hit a busy junction and saw locals strolling into 鶴岡八幡宮 (Tsurugaoka Hachimangu). It is one of those shrines that you might have seen in Jap serials where people visit, pray and ask for some blessings.

Kamakura has plenty of temples. I had to narrow into the famous one, 大仏宮(Daibutsu). Whether it was an innocent or unintelligent move, I took the long way to see the 750-year-old statue. Hiking had long been a business of the past, when I was residing in HK. But then again, I wanted to REvive the hiking spirit. So I bypassed some small temples and parks, walked steep slopes, conquered slippery gradients amongst woods and cool air. Once again, the lack of maps was frustrating, even cartoon drawings on vending machines offered the best clues to my venture into the unknowns ...

It was a 2.2km trail which took me 1.5 hrs ? Exhausting. But the statue was worth the effort. It was less magnificent than the Big Buddha at the Lantau Island, HK. But for its miraculous survival through historical times such as earthquakes, fires, waves and wars, you would be amazed by its aura.

Next stop,  横浜 (Yokohama).

My legs could no longer take me further after the trail. Yokohama just looks like another city with the same old thing. OK, maybe it has a port and some marine-related artifacts that are worth some photo shots. I did the same trick as in Tokyo, by taking the world's fastest lift (at a max of 750m/min) to the top of the 296m Landmark Building, to capture the entire city in the fastest possible time and least walking effort.

Taking a walk into the country's largest Chinatown made me wonder if the shopowners were at all proud of their ethnic roots. Are people trying to rid of their origins by pretending to be a breed of a more superior (?) ethnic group? Or are they extending their identities for more acceptance, establishment and recognition ?

The back alleys in Chinatown led to a modern thoroughfare of shops and posh brandnames in Motomachi. This street helps in exercising eye power.

I had an early finish to my scheduled plan today.

I thought I had to accomplish one more pressing task, that is to see the Tokyo Tower shine at night. Located in 神谷町(Kamiyacho), a quiet part of Tokyo, where subway was virtually unavailable, the search for the famous (in J drama serials) landmark was another unsure adventure. Personally, I felt the ascent up this structure was not worth the high price, since I had seen the best views already. The only thing that was worth the journey down here was the informative brochure and great photography opportunities.

I wanted to move on further to witness the decadence of 六本木 (Roppongi), but really, I had enough walking already. So this other wild playground of Tokyo shall remain as a mystery to me.

Totally Out of Tokyo 28th Jan, Wed

One of the coolest experience is to sit the famous Shinkansen (aka bullet train) that reaches a maximum of 275kmh once it is out of the urban narrowness. I hit 仙台(Sendai) not knowing what to expect, since this city is almost unheard of, except for its seafood and beef tongue delicacies.

Please don't think that only Nami Island in South Korea has the best pine tree line-ups. 松島 (Matsushima) has a similar clone to the one more romanticized by a particular K drama serial. Plagued by icy remains and spared from tourists in chilly winters, 松島 certainly offers tranquility in any of its 200+ islands.

Totally out of Tokyo, and Japan 29th Jan, Thurs

Anyone who wishes to tour Narita can seriously consider its airport.

Apparently, 成田空港 (Narita Airport) contains a large array of shops worth browsing for last minute souvenir gatherings. Here, I found the food that I have been hunting high and low for. It is Yoku Moku's Cigare biscuit, which is rich in butter and soft to the bite. I was ecstatic since the trip here would have been incomplete without acquiring all the lost times that made my childhood so full of 'sweetness'.

Last but not least, 成田空港 has a totally remarkable outdoor viewing gallery to watch aircraft land and take off with a soar into the clear sunny blue sky to the next destination!