Japan: surprisingly different

We spend the night at the great
Palace Hotel,
a family business with excellent service and very good cuisine. The hotel is also within walking distance of the famous gardens of the Imperial Palace where it is wonderful to walk. Here too, a feature of Japan immediately stands out: neatly pruned (Bonsai) trees, spiky and span clean and you feel extremely safe there without visible security.

In Tokyo you mainly travel by subway; a well-organised underground transport network brings you to all the highlights and fun neighbourhoods in the city. A visit to the Tsukiji fish market is highly recommended. In the evening we met Aki, our guide, who takes us to various local restaurants and we are pampered and initiated into delicious Japanese food. What a delight; freshly cut raw fish with wasabi, soy and fresh ginger; This is enjoyment. And each plate is beautifully made up, complemented by a beautiful Japanese vegetable garden.

With the famous Shinkansen high speed train we travel to Hakone. Along the way you will travel through hilly landscape and you will see that Japanese people also live here neatly in decent houses with high-rise buildings here and there. The risk of river flooding and light earthquakes in this country makes it safe to build here.

Arriving in Hakone you feel like you are in an Austrian ski village. Beautiful scenery consisting of mountains and lakes. A must is a visit to an impressive world exhibition in the open air museum. With a cable car you will explore the area; we were unlucky that it was rainy, but you can imagine that it must be great to see the majestic Mount Fuji lying with its snowy peaks. In the evening we are spoiled by the hotel with a huge schnitzel; We look at each other and laugh. Our preference is really for sushimi, but we understand that here we have done their best to serve a recognizable meal for us.

We continue the journey to the impressive Hiroshima. Here we are all silent from the memories of the atomic bomb disaster. The exhibition at the museum, which has been open for a year, grabs you by the throat; what a disaster, what shocking images and what an impact this has had on the people of Hiroshima. A walk in the city is worth while and it makes you happy that one has managed to rebuild the city with a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere.

The Shinkansen will take us to the former capital Kyoto. We explore the city by bike; a retired Japanese with a passion for cycling and for the history of the city led us along the river, through the Old Town, through the district where geishas are in training and to the gardens of the Imperial Palace; I don’t think there is a better way to explore the city! After all the sushi and sushimi we enjoy ‘shabu shabu’ in the evening; delicious woks with thinly sliced beef, delicious fresh vegetables and salads, served with sake.

We talk about the difference in culture with the West, other education, the punctuality and organization of the country (present at 2.23pm), the seeming humility with a thousand bends and thanks, always being kind, answering our questions half-half to never get a conflict and celebrate the other way of holidays when they travel themselves. With your bag open can walk around in subway and on the street; Japan is comfortable traveling, has an impressive culture and history and the food is top notch! Next time I want to explore the beautiful landscapes of the other islands!