by Donald Sevilla
MY JAPAN TRAVEL EXPERIENCE
Japan with its rich history of culture and tradition is one of the most exciting travel destinations to visit. Its magnificent temples and shrines and beautiful scenery with the iconic Mt.Fuji standing tall above the rest are just one of the many reasons to awaken the wanderlust in us.
But contrary to popular belief, it is not quite expensive and beyond reach by ordinary mortals like us. As long as you carefully plan ahead, everything should be just fine.
Yet no matter how good we prepare, our best-laid plans sometimes come with last-minute glitches. But no worries, such adjustments to the situation on the ground are part of the overall travel experience.
CHOOSING YOUR DESTINATION
Where to visit in Japan depends on what you want to experience. Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are the more popular destinations which you can explore in a week or less with careful planning and logistics. Most travel guides recommend itineraries that cover these beautiful cities and they are right. There are so many sights to see and things to do that time may not be enough.
But don’t worry you can always come back.
CHOOSING YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Where to stay and for how long, eat a huge chunk of your travel budget. So it’s important to know beforehand what you are getting into. With the help of the internet through various booking websites like Agoda.com and TripAdvisor to name a few, you can find a wide range of places to stay from boutique hotels to backpacker hostels and comfortable apartments.
Regardless of where you are billeted, it is best to consider those closest to subway stations and public transport. Taking taxis in metropolitan cities like Tokyo could be expensive. Compared to our local Philippine taxis the flagdown rate ranges from Php220- 280 depending on the city and service.
” WHEN IN ROME BE LIKE THE ROMANS”
We often hear this phrase and what it basically means is to adapt to the local customs, practices and way of life. We have to get out of our comfort zones when we travel.
Japan’s public transport system operates on efficiency and precision. Most people commute by the bus and railways which run like clockwork. Unlike us, in the Philippines you can get to where you want to go using these services. There is no need for a car.
On the upside it entails a lot of walking which is good for our health. No wonder Japanese people are known for their longevity owing to their diet and daily exercise.
Such daily commute augurs well for a hardworking society. On the streets and in the trains you can see the elderly going about their daily grind independently without aid of servants like we are used to.
A TOURIST’S PARADISE
The tourist attractions are almost everywhere in Japan. Both modern and traditional you don’t run out of places to see. But like any other tourist hot spot you have to navigate carefully lest you fall for pricey options.
As a rule of thumb, go where the locals go and eat where they do. Food is affordable and surprisingly inexpensive compared to the prices at our own Alona Beach. But then again you have to know what to do and not jump the gun on impulse which can set you back by a few thousand yen for the same options.
Much to our surprise while we take pride in our white sandy beaches we barely hit the numbers in tourist arrivals by comparison.
Japan has many tourists that locals are starting to feel this foreign invasion into their way of life and are battling to regulate the numbers. We’d like to think that Panglao and the Chocolate Hills have put us on the map but we’re way far behind. But now I understand why.
A SHOPPER’S PARADISE
While Bangkok in Thailand and Hongkong have traditionally been acknowledged as shopping meccas, little did we realize that Japan has its own share of bargain finds. From the Shinsaibashi shopping district in Osaka and the shops in Ueno and Akihabara in Tokyo offering a wide variety of goods from electronics to branded clothes, it is indeed a shoppers’ delight.
Having gone on to check the prices of goods in their grocery shops, made me realize that item for item,value for money Bohol is a land of gold. The average Japanese working class on their salaries can get by for their basic needs.
Tokyo is more expensive than its suburbs without a doubt, but on the average as long as one has a job he can live decently.
This is in stark contrast to us here where the disparity between rich and poor, politicians and constituents is such that lines can be drawn.The gap has widened into a great divide.
IS JAPAN WORTH VISITING?
By all means it is. It is exciting to explore new cultures and expand your vision of the world. The country has a lot to offer and many things which we can learn from. What impressed me most is the sense of discipline and responsibility that permeates their psyche. People look after their own trash and act responsibly even without authorities around.
It is generally safe to roam their streets and crime is almost zero. People follow the rules zealously. In subways and buses you can see little kids commuting on their own, to and from school without company, a sight we cannot imagine here.
A case in point, even checking in and out of hotels are sometimes contactless and done without any face to face. While in Osaka we rented out an apartment, an entire home for a couple of days and everything was done through the internet booking site from check in to check out.
It seems everything is done based on a certain level of trust. We checked out, left the key in the mailbox without anybody having to check the rooms etc. like we usually do here in the Philippines.
Restaurants have automated systems for ordering and you have to scan and bag your groceries without need for much manpower. Automation and technology are far advanced, something we “baby boomers” have to learn to adapt.
While navigating the web of Japanese subway lines is tricky, it helps to have a young techie for company. In our case we had our daughter who is a certified millennial and tech savvy. Otherwise Google becomes your best friend when navigating the cities.
THE DOWNSIDE OF A TECHNOLOGICALLY DRIVEN SOCIETY
With breakthroughs in AI more felt in advanced countries than in others, the human touch is wanting in the workplace. Seeing the heavy foot traffic during rush hour in Japan’s subways makes you wonder if they are overworked and stressed out.
This may explain the Japanese penchant for karaoke which they invented where they shout their singing voices out to relieve their stress.
We may not see them as happy by Filipino standards of being laid back but the Japanese are hardworkers and passionate about their jobs.Something which we must develop to instill national pride and to bring our country forward.
FOOD CHOICES ARE ABUNDANT AND AFFORDABLE
The Japanese epitomized the culture of the convenience stores for just about anything. You can practically live off Family Mart, Ministop and 7 Eleven to name a few. These stores have branches all over and you can find one in almost every street corner. Browsing through the items available on the shelves , you have precooked meals and others all for your convenience at surprisingly affordable prices. For example you can buy a 2 ltr. bottle of mineral water for ¥69 the cheapest, about Php 28 at the current exchange rate which is much cheaper than what we can buy hereabouts for a similar item.
A decent three tiered ham and cheese sandwich can be had for as low as ¥179 which is equivalent to Php75 which is not bad. We can go on but what is clear is that it is not as expensive as we thought.
Everywhere you go you can see vending machines for your convenience but compared to the stores their prices are a little bit higher.
Yet again amid all the ease and comfort, a major drawback is the extensive use of plastic bags and containers that end up polluting our environment. While they are gradually adapting to the use of paper bags, plastic is still extensively used for groceries and for microwaveable foodstuff.
REMARKABLE JAPANESE LEGACIES
Remarkable Japanese contributions to our pop culture could best be summed up by the following to mention some:1. The convenience stores.2. Vending machines.3. Anime.4.The karaoke5. The toilet seat.
THE TOILET SEAT
The Japanese are gungho about their toilets that they have taken comfort to the next level. Toilet seats have warmers and different bidet settings to suit your preference. Public toilets carry standard bidet settings and hotels have far more luxurious options. But generally, relieving yourself is such a comfortable experience that you’d be impressed at the extra lengths they go to create such a novelty.
JAPAN IS A COUNTRY PRONE TO NATURAL DISASTERS
We must remember that like the Philippines, Japan is along the “Pacific Rim of Fire” where it is not spared from nature’s calamities. While Mt.Fuji stands majestically over the horizon, it is also an active volcano. The famed hot springs emanate from its bowels.
Yet we must not also forget that the word “tsunami” ( harbor wave) came from the Japanese to describe huge waves or tidal waves coming from the ocean in the aftermath of a seismic occurrence.
Albeit anywhere we go we can be at the mercy of nature’s fury, this is no reason to dampen our travel spirits.
Admittedly on our first night in Tokyo we were literally jolted by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake that caused our hotel building to sway. It was quite an unforgettable experience that made us question our country of choice.
But then upon regaining composure, it was reassuring to know that the country has one of the toughest building codes anywhere on the planet. And in that instant such preparedness was put to the test.
CONCLUSION
In a nutshell a Japan travel experience does exceed one’s expectations. Having traveled to other places too, it is rich and amazing. Compared to our tourist fares in the locality we are at a loss for words.
Yet this is the greater challenge for all of us and the authorities running the show.There is so much room for improvement. Our leaders just have to be serious and committed to our goals.
But first we must have to acknowledge our weaknesses and work towards overcoming it. Bohol should not be a ” land of gold”. This is a minus factor for our tourism industry.
So what are we waiting for? Given the chance, experiencing Japan is well on top of any bucket list. We travel to draw inspiration from others to be able to apply it to our own to improve ourselves.
Travelling broadens our horizons and helps us become better.