Tanja Walsh

Flying on Japan Airlines, direct from Vancouver, we arrived at the Narita Airport.

Now, Narita is a good 2 hours from Tokyo and in our case it was almost 4 because of the steady traffic. But, once settled into our hotel, the Takanawa Prince Hotel, I was greeted with an ultra-modern room, a large bed and a lovely washroom with a heated floor. Got to like that!

We spend the next few days in and around Tokyo. The Tokyo tower is well worth a visit as its views show off Tokyo's architecture and style quite nicely. On a clear day you can also see Mount Fiji.

Being adventurous, our group decided to try out the Tokyo subway. Wow, there seems to be a million lines but we found our way thanks to many helpful Japanese. My advice here - buy a day pass from the ticket machines. To try and figure out the rate as you go is very difficult since not all stations have labels in English.
Travelling by train is feasible and quick in Japan.

Places visited in Tokyo were the Ginza Strip for upper class and modern shopping, Asakusa district where there are many buddhist temples, and the Ryogoku district where the Sumo wrestlers train and perform. We also walked through a enormous inner-city park, the Shinjuku Gardens where in April all the cherry blossoms are out and many festivities surround this time. The park is probably one of the largest I've seen in a city. It has lots of traditional Japanese flora and flauna with a gorgeous temple overlooking a large pond and a traditional teahouse where you can partake in a tea ceremony! Lastly in Tokyo, we set out one night to the nightclubs. To our surprise they don't open until 11pm (at the earliest); however, they don't close until 4 or 5am. What a fun, but long night!! Karoke anyone?

After our time in Tokyo, I was on a 3 hour bus ride to a mountain town called Nikko. It is a very small town and home to an ancient religious centre where Shinto and Buddhist leaders would gather. There are many shrines, golden temples and old homes to see, including a five story pagoda reaching up to the heavens.

In Nikko, you can try out the Japanaese hot springs. There is usually one area for women and one for men. They are so hot, many people wear a small damp, cool cloth over their head so that they don't faint!

Nikko is also home to some stunning waterfalls, small family owned restaurants and gift stores and very curious wild monkeys. I went for a jog one morning and they were following me and then tried to steal a camera from a fellow tourist!

The food in Japan is very good. The sushi is nice and fresh. Dining out and away from your hotel is a must and it will also save you money. Plus, the experience of meeting and eating among local Japanese is not to be missed.

Overall, I found the Japanese very hospitable, and the cities and towns very, very clean and inviting. It is a very safe place to visit. If you dropped your wallet on a busy Tokyo street, someone will pick it and pass it to you or you will find it exactly where you dropped it the next day without a missing bill.