AS Japan was one of my dream destinations that I’ve been longing to visit one day. I was very glad and excited after I had learnt that I was selected to attend the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program 2004 which ten days of the program would be held in Japan. This will be my first time experience aboard. My dream comes true!
Our journey began. My other 27 Thai participating youths and I, we flew to Tokyo with Japan Airline - JL 708 flight. We had touched the touches of Japanese since walking through the terminal, seeing the big smiles of Japanese airhostesses with their welcoming eyes.
Five hours of flying, from the plane window and looking down to take a further glance of Mt.Fuji on the lower land as bird’s eye view. I could imagine that things must be different after getting off this airplane. Not long we found ourselves at Narita International Airport.
As a first time experience aboard of mine, things must be both nervous and excited.
And I was culture shocked when using Japanese-style toilet for the first time. It is just different from what we have in Thailand.
Japanese, Japanese everywhere! And having no basic of Japanese words, except for easy words for greeting skills. I was in the state of confused hearing the Japanese language announcements and fascinated the writing on the signs. I have realized that the fact that English is not the most important language in the world. I wish I could turn back in time I would have chosen Japanese as my minor like most of my university friends are now studying it now.
After arranging with our luggage, we were welcomed warmly by some Japanese staff that came to wait for our arrival and took us to ‘The New Otani Hotel’ – a five-star hotel. We all were getting on an airport coach, leaving the airport and heading to Asakasa - downtown of Tokyo where the hotel is located in.
Daylight has gone and nightlight has come. It was getting darker and darker on the way to our destination. But it was such a good time to take a night city tour, seeing the night views especially many lighting skyscraper buildings. One thing that lighted up night was the outstanding big wheel from Tokyo Disneyland which changed its colorful lights every time I looked at it. Tokyo Tower which is similar to Eiffel Tower in Paris was also outstanding one.
Getting in the hotel, checking in arrange our luggage to the hotel room. It was a dinner time then Japanese box meal was served. It is true that Japanese food was said to be a feast for the eyes with the delicate arrangements as if it was not eatable. On the other hand, Japanese food was tasteless to me; I was so missing my spicy Issan food and I started to have been counting the days to survive in this land of “sushi” (raw fish).
We just wanted to discover Japanese night life as the first day we came. Walking out from “The New Otani Hotel” to Asakasa Street. This area is primarily known as the downtown nightlife capital – expensive and vibrant. There are colorful neon lights decorated around the street and many convenience shops like am-pm and 7-Eleven and ramen shops can be found. I saw many business men and office women walking down and around the street.
We just wanted to discover Japanese night life as the first day we came. Walking out from “The New Otani Hotel” to Asakasa Street. This area is primarily known as the downtown nightlife capital – expensive and vibrant. There are colorful neon lights decorated around the street and many convenience shops like am-pm and 7-Eleven and ramen shops can be found. I saw many business men and office women walking down and around the street.
One thing that really amazed here is “Pachinko Parlours” – a pinball game which adapted from a Western game. A lot of people of all ages are crowded in Pachinko shop. I was wondering even old people are playing that games”. Before leaving this street we got hungry and looked around ramen (Chinese noodle) shops and tried to find the cheapest one. It seems hopeless. Funny I think it was better to go back to our hotel to eat instant noodles that bring from Thailand. By the way, I slept tight wearing “Yukata” dress as my first night in Tokyo.
Morning sunlight was shining through my hotel window. I got up quite late thanks to being tired from yesterday night hangout. Some friends already went out to Tsukiji fish market since early morning. I missed that chance. But never mind I heard some group of friends will hangout in Shinjuku, hopefully I can join them. Before leaving my hotel room, I read The Daily Yomiuri (English newspaper) to update some news.
Life in Tokyo is filled with rush hours. When you set foot in Tokyo you have to walk like Japanese to make yourself be on time for your schedule, especially when using the subway. It is true!
We started at subway train station nearby the hotel to head Shinjuku Station for our Shinjuku hangout. I was astonished when arriving at the train station. The entrance gates and station grounds were packed with people. No wonder why they say that over two million people successfully pass through this station each day!
Arriving at Shinjuku Station, suddenly I stopped myself waited on the train platform for a while and watched several jam-packed trains go by. Imagine comparing the number of people using new subway Thailand is definitely different. That is why traffic jam still exists in Bangkok. Hopefully Bangkok will add more lines of subway so that it maybe helps reduce some of traffic jam problem.
Stepping out from the exit gate, I found a long clean street, people everywhere, not many cars passing by, people riding on bicycle but crowded people crossing road. So when crossing the road in Japan you don’t have to worry about an accident to happen – I have tried.
Shinjuku is a business and shopping district in the west of Tokyo with many skyscrapers buildings that contains with many department stores and restaurants – selling with high prices. 100 ฅ (yen) shops seem to be what we can afford, and then we stop there to buy something Japanese as souvenirs.
Two more things that I notice about Japan here was there are all kind of vending machines along the street, in the train station and other public spaces and many bicycles are neatly stopping along the street as well.
On the next day, as we still have enough free time to wander more around Tokyo, we decided to go toAkihabara, because some of us needed to purchase new digital camera in lower prizes. At that time, I remembered to make a phone call my Japanese pen pal, Tomoko who lives in outside Tokyo, hoping to meet her up for the first time and guiding us around Tokyo. It took her one hour by train from Gunma to reach us at the hotel. By late afternoon we started to hit Akihabara by subway.
Not for long we found ourselves in Akihabara the world's biggest electrical equipment town. It is said that here there are more than 250 electrical appliances and electronics shops and it is covered with many service centers and the showrooms of major manufacturers, as well as duty-free shops and various events, the town is attractive in the eyes of visitors. Many of them shopkeepers speak English, Chinese and Korean. After long bargaining we came out with buying four different digital cameras
Time is still left for us; Tomoko suggested us to hangout in Shibuya and also meet her friend who lives in Shibuya. We reached Shibuya Station. Shibuya is another shopping and entertainment district situated in the west of Tokyo. It's newer than its rival Shinjuku and has a cleaner, safer reputation. It is all about lively, fun, faddish, crowded, cramped, and busy. There is a giant TV Screen as an eye-catching thing. After hanging out all day long, we were getting hungry. Then we stopped a dinner at a ramen shop. We all enjoyed big ramen bowls which it costs 700 yen us per bowl. Even though it is not many days that I explored Tokyo. But what I got is just an overwhelming experience!!!
