Kyoto’s geiko and maiko (Kyoto words for geisha and apprentice geisha, respectively) are a window into Japan’s traditional culture. And I know where to find them…

Geisha culture is one of the oldest and most graceful forms of Japanese hospitality, dating back to the Edo period, with the women known for performing traditional art, dancing and singing. Today, it’s a dying art, but yes, real geishas still exist. The most known district of geishas is definitely Gion in the heart of Kyoto. Gion is not only the famous entertainment district but also the center of Japanese traditional arts. Packed with bars, restaurants and traditional teahouses, Gion is the most atmospheric in the early evening, when the lanterns are lit and apprentice geisha will flit about the back streets on their way to their appointments. However, there is also a lot to see here during the day. So let’s take a walk and explore Gion’s picturesque streets.

 

How to get there

Our 29 hours layover takes place in Nagoya but with Japanese super fast Shinkansen bullet train (with maximum speed of 240-320 km/h), it’s not a problem to reach Kyoto within 40 min. The regular one way fare from Nagoya to Kyoto is 5170 Yen for a non-reserved seat and around 6000 Yen for a reserved seat. But trust me, reserved seat is not necessary. Round trip will cost you around 90 Euros. Once you arrive to Kyoto Station, you need to take a bus to Gion. It’s really easy. The bus terminal is just in front of Kyoto Station’s north exit. You can catch either bus service no. 100 from bus stop D1 or bus service no. 206 from bus stop D2. Both of these buses are very regular and make several departures each hour. The travel time is about 20 minuets for a flat fare of 230 Yen. Buses are boarded at the rear, and you pay at the front when you get off. The Gion bus stop is just across from Yasaka Jinja Shrine which is one of Gion’s best known sights. Other option is to take a taxi, which is again very easy. Follow the signs to Taxi terminal and just next to the main one you can find the stand for the taxi for foreigners with English speaking drivers and no difference in price! 

The best photo location

The most iconic street and most photogenic spot in all Kyoto is definitely historical Yasaka Street located in a heart of Higashiyama district. Most likely you have seen it already somewhere on internet. It’s the one with the oldest pagoda in Kyoto (built in 592) called Yasaka-no-to Pagoda, also known as Hokanji temple. Visitors can enter the pagoda up to the 2nd floor. And yes, that best photo spot of the charming streetscape with the pagoda can be found at the middle of the street. For the best atmosphere be there at the sunset but count with lots of other tourists. Early in the morning, it is very quiet area. 

Meeting with a geisha

Most geiko who live in Kyoto’s hanamachi (geisha neighborhoods) head out at about 5:45 p.m. to their evening engagements, which makes this the best time to see them. Its two hanamachi – Gion Higashi and Gion Kobu – are by far the biggest and most famous out of the five geek areas of Kyoto, the others being Kamishichiken, Pontocho and Miyagawacho. But be careful, not every geisha you meet in Gion is real geisha. It’s ok to dress like a geisha and in Gion you can find many studios offering this experience for coming tourists. (For example, Aya Studio in Gion offers a variety of packages ranging in price starting at 12,340 yen ($112), depending on how many photographs you want taken.) Multiple Kyoto tour guides and hotel staff share stories of tourists being delighted to meet a friendly geisha in the street, only to learn she was actually a costumed tourist from Hong Kong, Tokyo or Taiwan. If the geisha or maiko is overly friendly and posing on the road, chances are she’s not the real deal. Real geisha do not usually do that. Real geisha, when dressed up, are on the way to work or on the way back so do not have time in spare. 

Can you take a photos of real geisha?

Actually not. Authorities in Kyoto banned tourists from taking photographs after receiving many complaints about tourists disrespecting Japanese culture. Only photographers with an official permit issued by Gion-Machi South District Council will be allowed to take pictures in Hanamii-koji. Geishas are very respected in Japan. They are professional entertainers and people pay for their time. Asking them to stop so you can take a photo is basically asking for a freebie. Unwritten rule says that if you really want a picture, paparazzi is the name of the game. Do it so discreetly that none of geisha feel bothered. They are aware that they are subject to interest and it is a part of their lives, but still, leave their path open. 

A date with a geisha

If you want to meet real geisha and learn something about their culture, then there is a better option than just paparazzing them. Apart from buying the tickets for one of artistic geisha shows at Gion Corner, there is one more old school way to meet a geisha. Simply book yourself an evening at an ochaya (tea house). Not cheap, but certainly the most authentic geiko experience. Via Chris Rowthorn tours you can have private geisha experience like an exclusive dinner at kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) restaurant in the company of geiko or maiko. You will really be able to interact with the geisha, play traditional drinking games, and pose for pictures with them, all while enjoying a fantastic traditional meal in refined surroundings. Some companies offer a quick drink and a snack for prices only slightly cheaper than this, while others offer meals in large rooms with a few dozen strangers. Prices start at 70.000 Yen for 90 min. 

Are geishas prostitutes?

As Gion was the scene of much of the drama in “Memoirs of a Geisha” – the popular novel and film that reignited global interest in geisha culture – it’s not surprising that many tourists want to visit the area. But the real lives of geisha are nothing like the ones depicted on screen. First of all, geishas are entertainers. All geisha attend a special school throughout their careers, where they go through rigorous training in traditional Japanese arts, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement and various musical instruments. Maiko apprentice needs to study for at least five years before she’s considered skilled and mature enough to become a full-fledged geiko. How to recognize them? Maiko will have decorations like flowers in her hair and wear high platform wooden slippers. And the most common question – do geishas sleep with their customers? Some geisha would have sex with their male customers, whereas others would not. Various terms arose to describe the distinctions; kuruwa geisha, for example, described geisha who slept with customers as well as entertaining with their skills in the performing arts.

Japanese Gardens

But there are way more beautiful things to see in Gion than just geishas. About 10 min walk away from Kenninji temple (the oldest zen temple in Kyoto), there is beautiful Shioseo-en garden. This tranquil garden with typical Japanese design is hidden behind large walls, where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. The wooden bridges and garden ponds make stunning photo spots, especially during Autumn. On the other side of the road, Kenninji temple is one of the only locations around Gion where you can have a photoshoot inside a temple. The most iconic bridge of Kyoto, where many tourists choose to take photos is called Gion Tatsumi Bridge. 

The Kimono Forest of Arashiyama

About other locations from movie “Memoirs of a Geisha” famous Sagano Bamboo Forest and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine (the one with tunnel out of tightly packed orange torii gates) I already wrote in post Kyoto #1. Both are easily reachable by JR lines. The name of the stop is the same like the name of the sight. And both need to be visited as early in the morning as possible (6 a.m.), otherwise you won’t be able to take those beautiful photos you had in your mind. These two places are desperately overcrowded throughout the day. But once you are at Sagano Bamboo forest, make sure to pop in to Randen Arashiyama Station. It is on your way to the Bamboo Groove. As I missed it during my last visit of Kyoto, I wanted to see it on this trip. This picturesque old train station holds many little secrets, one of which is the colorful Kimono forest! I believe that there are over 600 decorated colorful pillars here. Another great location for your photo-shooting… 

 

Kyoto is one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Japan, where the modern architecture is still dominated by ancient Japanese traditions. The Western world became more interested in this place after the premiere of the Hollywood movie Memoirs of a Geisha, filmed in these locations. And precisely because in some of the streets of Kyoto it seems like the time has really stopped there. And geishas still live their traditional (almost undisturbed) life so far…

 

The fastest train in the world

We do not fly directly to Kyoto, but today as we will. From modern Nagoya, where we have a 29-hour layover, we can take the Japanese super fast Shinkansen train that runs to Kyoto. And since Nagoya is a little explored, nothing can stop us from going to one of the most interesting places in Japan! I meet my two Brazilian colleagues Corina and Eduard at the Nagoya railway station at half past eight in the morning. For approximately 85 Euros, we get a return ticket for the fastest train in the world, which connects the largest cities of Japan at speed of 300 km / h! Shinkansen will take us to Kyoto, which is about three hours’ drive from Nagoya, in an incredible 40 minutes! The train is more precise than the Swiss watch, but from the inside it looks like any ordinary carriage back home. Just landscapes outside the window smudge faster and look more like pictures of impressionist painters.

Bamboo forest

In 40 minutes sharply, when we get off at Kyoto Central Station, we immediately connect to free wi-fi. We need to find out how to orientate ourselves in the maze of Japanese public transportation lines and which one to choose for our first planned stop – Arashiyama Bamboo forest. Google will guide us to the JR lines. To the stop called Sagano Bamboo Forest it takes us directly, without changes. In Japan it is extremely hot today, temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius, so I can not wait to exchange the narrow streets, family houses, cafes and souvenir shops for the shadows of the tall and dense bamboo trees. We just stop by the kiosk with my favorite matcha green tea ice cream. We also pass by several rental studios that offers Geishas kimonos to tourists for an entire walk around the bamboo park. Arashiyama’s Bamboo Forest is one of those that appears in shots of the famous American movie. There is very pleasant shade under the trees, but I still do not envy Japanese guides with strong legs who carry their traditional Japanese rickshaws with tourists. We prefer to enjoy the coolness of the green forest in our own way.

The path of fulfilled wishes

Our next stop is Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, one of the most important shrine temples in Kyoto. Do you remember little Chiyo running under the thousands of red gates to make her wish true and meet the Mayor who she fell in love with? That was Fushimi Inari Shrine – a complex of temples with a 4-kilometer-long path to Inari Hill, lined with thousands of red Senbon Torii gates. Many believers and tourists take their pilgrimage to the Inari Hill beneath Torii gates, believing that they will be successful and fulfilled at the very end. The temple is dedicated to the God of rice – Inari, who is also the saint patron of sake, abundance, peasants, craftsmen and overall success. Every Japanese Torii temple gate was sponsored by a Japanese businessman or trading company to bring good luck and success to ordinary visitors as well. In addition to the red gates, at every step in the complex, you can also come across the portraits of fox, a messenger of gods and good news.

Geisha district

There are many ancient streets around the temple with traditional wooden Japanese houses. Some have been turned to souvenir shops or small sushi restaurants and some may still be houses where Geishas live… Although the main district of Geishas is the Gion neighborhood. However, it is so hot outside that we walk from shop to shop not so much for souvenirs and traditional Japanese products, but rather for indoor air conditioning to avoid the hot weather outside. Finally, starving and exhausted, we settle down in a small restaurant that serves sushi and traditional Japanese noodles. Yummy!

Taxi for tourists

After lunch we get back to Kyoto Main Station. One of the reason is easy connection to free wifi. We are considering whether to take the train back to Nagoya or in this hot weather handle at least one more sight. The closest looks to be the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This time we go for transportation by taxi. The temple is not far away, but the road goes uphill what we probably wouldn’t be able to manage under the burning sun. There is a special taxi stand for tourists at the station. Foreign Friendly taxi, where drivers speak at least basic English, costs no extra charges. Japan is simply amazing… 

Typhoon or not?

Around four o’clock in the afternoon we return to Nagoya and in less than two hours we are flying through Beijing back to Abu Dhabi. Weather forecasts some possibility of typhoon, but eventually the weather don’t stop us. Too bad! I was hoping to stay in Japan for a lil bit longer. Trip to Gion in the footsteps of Geisha will have to wait till next time… Just follow my blog! 😉

Who has never been to Akihabara, does not know Tokyo! Therefore, on my third trip to Tokyo, I must not miss this neighborhood. But this time I go to the crazy city just by myself. Not everybody who wander is lost. And one of the busiest places in the world is no longer frightening me. To be honest, I feel safer in Japan than anywhere else in the world. Just as the Japanese respect the rules, they respect each other. And you definitely can’t get lost there!

 

Akihabara and Otaku culture

Akihabara has the reputation of the largest Japanese electronics center in Japan. Today, however, tourists don’t come here just for the latest hi-tech stuff. What you can see in Akihabara is not found anywhere else in the world – Otaku culture. The neighborhood is full of video games, playstation clubs and comic book stores and manga literature. Slot machines are also popular. However, not the kind you know from the casino, but slot machines, from which you pull the stuffed toys out known from your favorite cartoon. While walking down the streets, I often come across cinemas showing manga porn movies. Just for fun and a memory I almost buy one erotic manga poster. Almost on every corner stands a young Japanese girl dressed in an erotic maid costume and gives out leaflets inviting to the popular maid cafes, where you are served by sexy maid as a king.

Cat cafe, maid cafe, owl cafe

While in Shinjuku you will find cafes with cats, in Akihabara you have to find something even more special. How about an owl cafe? I personally love owls, I consider them the cutest creatures in the world. Of course I can’t resist going to one of the owl cafes in Akihabara. For a not high 700 yen entrance fee, I can have my coffee in company of owls and some friendly species are also allowed to touch! Just in Japan!

Cosplay

Quite commonly, the Japanese stroll the streets of Akihabara dressed in colorful costumes of cartoon characters. Teenager look and Sailorman are especially popular with girls. Many take their look inspired by cartoons so seriously that they are photographed as celebrities. Mania of dressing up as cartoon characters is called cosplay, and in Akihabara you can find a lot of shops with cosplay costumes, makeup and wigs, even a variety of photo studios to make your photos look even more like a cartoon character: in Photoshop they enlarge your eyes, retouch your face and lengthen your legs. Many cosplay artists have thousands of followers on social media. In addition, they have places in Akihabara where they meet and where they go to boast their new fashion creation. Cosplay is a purely Japanese thing, foreign tourists are not very welcome among the cosplay community. However, if you are an animé admirer and would like to dress in a Sailorman or someone else’s costume, there is one studio that makes an exception and dresses up Westerners, as well. The studio is called Crown Studio and is located about a 6-minute walk from Akihabara Station. Here you can rent a costume together with a professional make-up and a personal photographer for an hour’s walk on the Akihabara Street promenade. However, you must order the costume experience online at least a week in advance. If you can do it without a photographer and make-up, there are many shops in Akihabara where you can buy similar costumes. Maybe they’ll come in handy for your next Halloween party. And who knows, maybe next time I will travel to Tokyo in Sailorman costume. 

Three months later, I fly again to Narita to explore other parts of Tokyo. However, I also have an important mission: I have to get a Judo belt for my brother-in-law. It is Japan were these martial arts such as jiajitsu or judo were born, and in Tokyo there is also a sport center called Kodokan, to which all judoists bow with respect, much like Muslims to Mecca. My brother-in-law wouldn’t forgive me if I returned from Tokyo without a Judo belt with a Kodokan sign. This time I take two colleagues from the flight to Tokyo – one Slovakian and one Filipino. They haven’t been to Tokyo yet, so they’d like to go with someone who could at least be able to guide in the Japanese underground maze. Unplanned, I’m becoming their guide.

 

Shibuya and Hatchiko

First I take the girls to Shibuya Station, which is known in the world for two things: the bronze statue of the dog Hatchiko and the biggest pedestrian crossing. Because of its excellent location at the intersection of railways, Shinjuku station stands in the Guinness Book of Records as the one with the largest number of passengers in one place. More than three million people transit here every day. Whenever a green figure lights up on the traffic lights, a bunch of people from every direction to the shape of a cross begins to cross a wide road. The most interesting view of the created pedestrian choreography comes from the viewpoint in the shopping center above the station or from one of the terraces of the restaurants nearby. Who has not seen the movie with Richard Gere, I will explain what the story is related to the famous sculpture. Hatchiko was a very loyal dog. Every day he regularly accompanied his master to the train station when he was leaving for work and waited there till he came back from work. One day, however, the gentleman did not return. Hatchiko, however, did not leave his position even after his death. He had been waiting at the station every day for ten years until he passed away as well. Many people tried to take the dog home, but Hatchiko still found his way to the station, where he waited steadily for his master. Later, people stopped trying to find a new home for the dog and started bringing him food. Today his statue at Shibuya reminds the Japanese of their most esteemed values ​​such as loyalty and perseverance.

Sushi from a master

Shibuya is the district with the largest number of young people in Tokyo. It is packed with world-class fashion stores, boutiques, bars and restaurants. However, it is not nearly as colorful and blinking as the crazy Shinjuku, and I certainly want to show Godzilla to my colleagues. So we get on the train in the direction to Shinjuku station and later, just opposite the monster we find a small sushi restaurant. The tuna there melts in mouth. Who has never eaten sushi from a true Japanese sushi master, a highly esteemed profession in Japan, doesn’t know what the really sushi taste like.

Cat’s cafe

When we return to the hotel after a fantastic dinner (this time I managed to find a hotel in the APA hotel network for only 40 euros per room), we pass by a cat cafe. And girls can’t resist. My colleagues love cats. It is a café where we enjoy a coffee for a small extra charge while cats of all kinds are spreading all around us. We can cuddle with them and play for hours. An ideal place for those who love pets but cannot keep their own. In Japan these cafes are very popular. When we agree on that the cats are well cared for and it’s quite late, we say goodbye to the staff and animals, and without any delay we head to the hotel. The next morning I instruct my colleague how to get to Tokyo station safely, where we have a transport to Narita. And while the girls are buying miraculous Japanese face masks, shampoos and Shiseido cosmetics, I’m going to the Kodokan Judo Center to complete the mission for my brother-in-law. Successfully!

Slot machines, world of comic books, animated porn, heated closets, video games, cartoon role-playing, Buddhist temples and fortune-tellers, robot restaurants, cat cafes, owl cafes or cafes where you are served by maids, crowded trains that run more precisely than Swiss watches and the unenviable profession of train pushers, the smallest restaurants in the world, even smaller hotel rooms, but the biggest crossing you have ever seen… Welcome to incredibly real Tokyo!

 

You can imagine my enthusiasm before my flight to Tokyo. Even the most obnoxious passenger can’t spoil my mood today. However, I doubt I will come across such a thing. The Japanese are my favorite. I never seen so many courteous, humble, polite, and orderly people in my life like on one flight from Abu Dhabu to Narita which is the name of the airport where we land near Tokyo. Narita is actually a smaller city just outside of Tokyo, where, I guess, stay more pilots and stewards than local Japanese. This time, however, I don’t plan to spend the night in Narita, today I’m going to Tokyo! Onboard in economy class I have a very good team of crew and we all are for leaving the gates of our crew hotel in Narita and rather spending the night on our own in the center of the capital of Japan. Just let us land and the trip can begin…

 

Japanese subway

Finally, four of us get on bus to Tokyo Station – me, Justin from the USA, Gian from Italy and our inflight chef from Germany. And in less than an hour and a half, we are in the middle of the busiest station of my life. People with briefcases, uniforms, or just coffee in hand pass by on average speed from 6.2 people per second! However, no one pushes anyone, no one glowers, nor swears, everyone moves as organized, almost as ants in anthill! Justin, who have been previously flying for the American Delta Airlines and already has experience with Tokyo, leads us to a large wall map of the subway. It looks like this:

I start to understand why so many of crew are afraid to go to Tokyo alone. There are many ways to get lost. But in fact, there is nothing to worry about. If you overcome the first fear, you will find out that the Japanese system is very smart, well arranged and well organized. On trains and stations you will get free wi-fi connection (thanks God for google maps!), all signs are bilingual (Japanese and English) and the staff will be happy to help (English or non-verbal body language). The system of lines, subway, trains, super fast trains and metro can be easily understood. Not even buying a ticket for the right price or finding a platform in the right direction requires extra talent (thanks God, there are so many colors!). The Japanese specialty is that if the train leaves at 15:03, at 15:03 the doors really close and the wheels move. And if cart number 4 is to be arrived on platform 7 in zone A3 at 14:58, believe me, it will be there millisecond and millimeter sharp. People obediently stand in rows in the marked lines, and when the door opens, they quickly step in one by one. One way ticket to the desired station will cost you from 200-700 yen (up to 5 euros), depending on the distance. We’re heading to Shinjuku, the most blinking district in Tokyo…

In the train to Shinjuku

Shinjuku is an area for entertainment. Right here you will find most of Tokyo’s skyscrapers, illuminated moving advertising signs, eye-catchers, billboards, hotels, theaters, entertainment venues, bars (mainly karaoke bars) and restaurants. In busy hours, the trains to Shinjuku are so crowded that the stations employ staff to push passengers into the carts faster so that the train can leave on scheduled time. Fortunately, we avoid busy hours. The train is full enough, but not crowded. Despite the number of passengers, there is still peace. Many read books, look into phones or relax. No one is talking, only my two colleagues are talking loudly in Italian. One elderly Japanese in the corner glowers at them. Later he jump out of his seat and urge them to shut their mouth up. I pull my noisy colleagues back to me and remind them of what they were teaching us at the Japanese trainings. Out of respect for the passengers who have to travel to work by train for hours each day and therefore use these moments to rest, we are not supposed to talk or make phone calls. And the Japanese really follow all the rules to the dot.

The smallest hotel in the world

Most young people in Tokyo sleep in so-called “capsule” hotels for around 20-30 euros per night. These are extremely clean hostels that save space and money. Instead of a room you will get something like a sleeping bank or sleeping cell. But you will also get pajamas, a bag with basic toiletries and locker keys to lock your personal belongings. Shared showers and toilets are located in the corridors. I wanted to experience the night in a capsule hotel which are so typical for Japan, but Justin insists on comfort, privacy and a private bathroom. So he convinces us for the night in APA hotel network. This is a cheaper mini version of 4-star hotels. For 40-70 euros (depending on the location and size of the room) you can expect your own room with its own double bed and separate bathroom with bathtub, but in its mini version. The room is not larger than the bed and you can barely turn around in the bathroom, but there is everything like in any 5-star hotel: plasma TW, wi-fi, pajamas, bathrobe, slippers, towels, hairdryer, fridge, coffee maker, toothbrush and toothpaste, hair-comb, razor blade, shower gel, shampoo… just everything in its smaller compressed version. The self-service reception also saves time and space. In a machine similar to our photocopiers, you scan your passport, attach a credit card, and it will take a while to prepare a chip key and a room number ticket. But most of all Western tourists are amazed by Japanese toilets…

Japanese toilets

Not only in our APA Hotel, but in every good hotel, restaurant, and even in many public (!) places, you can find heated toilet plates with automatic fountain controls in their toilets! I know a stewardess who once did not even want to go to dinner because of the toilets. She preferred to stay in the hotel room and enjoyed the conveniences of her closet. Japanese toilet bowls are not only pleasantly heated, they also shower (and massage) your background from below with a water jet, while you can regulate the flow of water. Each toilet fountain has several pleasant adjustable programs. ☺

ROBOT restaurant

We check-in, take a shower, test heated toilets and head to busy streets of Shinjuku. The only goal tonight is to wander around and find a good restaurant for a dinner, and then place for a good drink. There are a lot of people in the streets, and all the area is illuminated and flashing. Promotional eye-catchers compete which one attracts your attention first. I don’t understand how anyone can even react to these signs, so many of them. The huge Godzilla, whose head stays above the skyscrapers, will certainly catch your eye. Especially when it’s lit up and opens its mouth. Our attention gets also the most illuminated restaurant in the neighborhood named Robot restaurant. In front of her gates, two giant robots dance to a simple song: “ROBOTO, ROBOTO, ROBOTO reee-stoooo-rant!” Unfortunately, we do not know what is happening in such a place, because the entrance fee they are asking for is too high, but the melodie “ROBOTO, ROBOTO, ROBOTO, reee-stooo-rant!” has stacked in our minds.

The smallest restaurant in the world

After a few hours of wandering around Shinjuku and arguing over which restaurant to choose, we finally enter the smallest one. It is just a small room with a kitchen bar for 7 people, behind which two Asians prepare food right in front of our eyes. When we sit down at the bar, the restaurant looks full already. We order a cup of warm sake as an aperitif, all ready for a Japanese culinary experience, when we suddenly find out that dishes from the daily menu are actually from Korean cuisine.☺ Never mind, two friends behind the counter cook great and we don’t regret our choice. Later, two more customers enter the room and this time the restaurant is really full. We all start to talk to each other, taste each other food and drink sake. Later in the night, when I roll into a cozy bed in my mini hotel room, I have to admit that I feel quite dizzy…

Matcha ice-cream

Perfect bed but little sleep. In a few hours, the next morning we all meet in the lobby. In the supermarket nearby we take something for breakfast and head to underground world. Again, I have to say, “thank you google maps!” The goal is the old part of Asakusa and the most famous temple in Tokyo – Senso-ji. Asakusa is famous for its cherry blossoms and old streets with traditional Japanese products and souvenirs. There are mainly stalls with Japanese sweets from rice dough such as mochi, kaminari-okoshi, ningyo-yaki or daifuku with traditional flavors such as green tea and sesame. You have to taste it! They taste great especially with a cup of green matcha tea. Personally, however, I can’t resist matcha ice-cream. The day just started, but I already enjoy my third. 

Buddhist fortune teller

The street leads to Senso-ji temples and the Skytree Tower, offering beautiful views of traditional Asakusa. Those who do not want to walk can pay a rickshaw, which is carried by fit Japanese with well muscled legs. It does not cost a little, but the guide in excellent English is included. There are many people in the temple, mostly Chinese and Japanese Buddhist believers. Some are dressed in traditional Japanese costumes, which can be rented for approximately 5,000 yen (40 euros) in the present shops. In a rented Geisha costume, you can take pictures and walk around the temple for an hour. We are most impressed by the fortune telling and the ritual around it. First, shake the metal container properly until you drop one bamboo stick. According to the drawn symbol on the stick, find the corresponding drawer with the same symbol. Here you will find a paper with your destiny. I pull out a happy fate. I can expect lots of traveling, money and love. However, my colleagues have a less fortunate hand. To really fulfill your destiny, you have to wrap the paper around the special hanger. If you aren’t happy about your fate, you must burn it. At least that’s what others do as I watch them. Travel, money and love… What more can I wish for? I hang the paper on the stand, absorb the incense fumes and we can happily return to Narita…

We don’t fly directly to Tokyo, but we fly to the nearest airport in the smaller city of Narita, about an hour of driving from Tokyo. And in Narita, not far from the airport, we are all accommodated. However, many crew members often refuse Radisson’s 5-star hotel hospitality and rather travel to the capital of Japan as soon as they arrive. They prefer to book a cheap capsule hotel for a few dollars and stay in Tokyo for the night. Everyone wants to enjoy the famous city as much as possible, see how thousands of neon lights turn on at night and inhale an atmosphere of busy streets.

 

Shopping in Japan

Capsule hotels are something you can find only in Japan, where is lack of space. These are small cells designed for overnight stay. I imagine something like space ship banks in movies. Together with the key, you will get your locker, the basic hygiene kit and the pyjama. You lock your personal stuff in the lockers in common area, take a shower in the shared bathroom, close your sleeping cell and good night… I wanted to have a similar experience, but unfortunately no one from my crew want to join! And I have to admit that I’m a bit afraid of going to crazy Tokyo by myself. I do not know how it goes in Japan and I’m terrified with the idea of  being ​​”Lost in Translation.” The first day, I follow my crew to the AEON shopping mall in Narita, where a big shopping is happening: sushi, matcha tea and other Japanese green tea, miso pasta, popular Shiseido cosmetics products, Fancl supplements, especially collagen drinks and similar stuff available only in Japan…

Jetleg

The next day, I get up early and take the shuttle bus to the train station, from where it is just a short walk to Narita Temple. I’ve heard it’s definitely worth a visit. I find out that Narita is a center where stewards and tourists from all over the world gather. Therefore every hotel in the city, even the airport itself, has a well-organized shuttle service not only to the city and shopping malls, but also to the temple or even to Tokyo city. Not far from the railway station you will find the Jetleg bar, which is open all night and where most travelers meet, when they cannot sleep due to jetleg. But there is a beautiful sunny autumn outside today, so I rather prefer to walk to the famous Shinshoji Temple…

Shinshoji Temple

To the Shinshoji Temple leads an easy downhill path from the main station, all lined with statues of a Chinese Zodiac and thousands of small shops with traditional Japanese products, crafts and goodies. The alley ends in front of the gate to the temple complex, where people from all over the world gather, especially those who profess Buddhism. There are beautifully carved wooden pagodas and fabulous Japanese gardens. I didn’t expect such a large space. The bushes are arranged in all sorts of interesting shapes and the autumn colors give them an interesting look. One could wander here for hours! Some paths lead to hidden fortune tellers, where you can have your future read, others to museums, where they will introduce you to the art of Japanese calligraphy, to theaters where different performances take place, or to a waterfall and a lake full of colorful fish. The gardens are well maintained and I admire the kind of organized and clean nation like the Japanese are. With their hard work, uniformity and respect for the order, they remind me a little bit of hardworking ants. 🙂 When you once go to Narita, before going to Tokyo, be sure to go first to Shinshoji Temple, you won’t regret it! Tokyo can wait for a while…

Before my first flight to Japan, I had to study Japanese culture. Until recently, no one in Etihad was able to fly to Japan who did not pass our special training. However, cabin crew for training was assigned randomly. Just recently was this procedure canceled. Training is not required anymore nowadays, everyone can fly to Japan. However, I am glad that my application finally got into the right hands and I could join one of the last Japanese trainings in our Academy. It was very interesting, because Japanese are really special people…

 

Loyalty is everything

Apart from the fact that many young Japanese have really specific fashion tastes, they do not like to be different than the crowd. They respect all the rules in a very pedantic way and with excessive respect. On the board, they put on their seat belts, as soon as the captain turns on the seat belt sign and before landing they automatically open the window blinds and put back their seat-backs before being alerted by flight attendants. They are strict on others, especially on themselves. Order, obedience and loyalty are among their highest values. Children in school spend whole days until late evening hours and work really hard. Adults consider the working overtime as a act of loyalty to their employer and would never ask for extra money. They do not change jobs as often as we do, but they remain in the same company for decades. Only those who show loyalty to their employers are entitled to promotion. Therefore, only hard working seniors usually work in higher positions. They don’t even take the tips from you in Japan! After all, why should the customer pay them for the service if they are already paid for their work by the employer?

Strict Japanese world

It is said that the most of suicides in the world are committed in Japan. Although the standard of living in the country of the rising sun is quite high, not all Japanese manage so well the high workload and strong pressure from both the authorities and the family. There is not much time left for personal interests. If they steal a little for themselves, they run to lost childhood. They adore comics and animated characters. Many girls do not look like more than 13 years old with their teenage make-up and clothing. Otherwise, they have a really fined taste and a sense for  modern art. Older generations hold sacred respect for traditions and rituals. Sayuri in the movie Memoirs of Geisha says: “The ritual promote daily activities to a pleasant pleasure,” and therefore even ordinary drinking of tea becomes an experience in Japan. The Japanese are very nice, helpful, humble and always willing to help, but they can also be very aggressive if they get angry.

Vending machines for everything

Japanese do not like to stand out from the crowd or to bother others, so it is quite possible that if they are sitting on a plane in the middle row, they will rather hold their need for restroom than wake up the passenger sitting next to them. Since many people travel for hours on a daily basis with their high-speed trains for work in large cities, it is essential to avoid making phone calls or talking loud in trains. Someone can be sleeping before/after hard working day. And maybe because they don’t like to bother others, at every corner, there is some vending machine, almost for everything, not just coffee and tea… I guess, that’s all from my pre-flight preparation, let’s see how the reality will look like…

Time for sushi

We arrive to Nagoya in the evening after the transit flight through Beijing. We stay in the center of everything. From the room, I have an amazing view of skyscrapers in the setting sun. An hour later, as soon as we all take away our uniforms, we meet in the hotel lobby. The Captain takes us to some nice place for dinner. Many of us go for seafood in interesting style, but I prefer to stay with sushi. All day long, I was struggling with headache and don’t want to add stomach-ache to it.

Red means stop!

The next morning I wake up pretty early to see as much as possible. The weather is beautiful and sunny, nothing reminds me our foggy late autumns, only if the bare branches of some trees. At the reception, I get the city map and head to the most famous building in the city – the Nagoya Palace. I could go there by metro, but I still don’t feel courageous enough for this underground maze. And outside is so beautiful! Some of the streets are pretty empty, many Japanese are probably sitting in their offices. The highways lead over the overpasses above our heads. Down at the “roots” of the skyscrapers is quiet. First experience with the Japanese culture come at the crosswalk. All roads are completely empty, but the red light is shining on the semaphore. Normally, I would ignore it, because I don’t see any car in the distance, but one young Japanese couple obediently stops and waits. So I have to go back and wait for the green. I don’t want to behave like a tourist! 🙂

Nagoya Palace and Matcha Diet

After less than hour of walk, I reach the palace surrounded by the large park. Inside the former palace is nowadays a museum of Japanese history – weapons, farm tools, fishing nets, kimonos and traditional Japanese houses “minka” built of wood and paper (!) with their typical sliding doors. Later in the park, I finally get to know the taste of the well known Japanese matcha ice cream. Matcha is a kind of green tea leaves that are grown in the shade, so they contain far more chlorophyll than other green tea leaves and are apparently very healthy. But Japanese drink green tea differently than we do. The green leaves are crushed into a powder that completely dissolves in the water and so, much more vitamins are absorbed by human body than while drinking just tea infusions. Although Matcha tea has a very distinctive and specific taste, I immediately fell in love with it at the first sip. Japanese like to add matcha flavor almost to everything, especially to sweets – they make green cakes, chocolates, milkshakes, frappucinos, latte, biscuits and cookies. Seems like I’m on the matcha diet today: ice cream for breakfast, ice cream for lunch, ice cream for dinner!

Japanese gadgets

On the way back to the hotel, I take a walk around the main square, where the TV tower and the interesting Oasis 21 Sakae building full of shops and restaurants in the shape of a flying disk is. At Starbucks I still want to try one matcha frappucino and matcha cheesecake. When I pay, I forgot about the tips rule, and I’m trying to convince the staff to keep the change. However, waitress shakes her head as a sign of disapproval, forcing me to take all my coins back. From the coffeeshop, I continue to the street that leads me to the Planetarium and Nagoya City Science Museum. It has a funny shape of the planet Earth trapped between two buildings. The robot mania of the country is seen in the park, where robots dance for the money from audience. Before returning to the hotel and getting ready for a flight back to Beijing, I stop at one of the many tax-free shops whit miraculous Japanese creams, face masks, shampoos, whitening toothpastes, collagen drinks and other gadgets which other flight attendants are obsessed with. The only problem is that many products have only Japanese inscriptions on their packaging, so you have to rely on your intuition or pictures. And maybe you’ll be lucky enough to meet a salesman who speaks a little English! 🙂