It’s been almost 20 years since I first visited Japan. Back then, I went to powder-tastic Niseko when it was only just opening up as an Aussie skiing destination. Channelling the then recently released movie Lost in Translation, I also visited Tokyo to set eyes on the futuristic Shibuya Crossing, drink in skyrise bars where Miyagi-types cooked yakitori, and eat sashimi at Tsukiji fish market when it catered mostly to fish merchants. My partner and I went to a sumo wrestling match, and, just for kicks, stayed in both a “no-tell love hotel″ (awful) and a capsule hotel (cheap).
Futuristic Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo.Credit: iStock
On my latest and only visit since – a trip to Tokyo, the regional cities of Kagoshima and Kumamoto, and the tiny island of Yakushima – I had all sorts of expectations. Was one of Asia’s most culturally unique nations still at the pointy end of wacky experiences and futuristic technologies? Would its cultural idiosyncrasies and curiosities still induce that intoxicating travel buzz? It turns out, yes and no.
Back then, I remember thinking Japan was excessively clean, but it has relaxed since. Perhaps the hygiene rigours of the pandemic have ensured other countries have caught up. Or maybe I’ve changed? In airports and flashy hotels, hand-sanitiser is common, but not so much in public places. Contrary to expectation, face masks weren’t prevalent either. Certainly not on Tokyo’s public train system and not as much as you would expect on the JAL domestic flights I took from Tokyo.
Happily, vending machines are still on every street corner, spruiking water, an icky purple Fanta drink and cans of coffee which become my go-to in lieu of cafes opening before 10am. Try as I might, I didn’t spot any selling underwear like they famously did in the naughties. So, no souvenir spandex knickers on this trip then.
Anime was trending on my first visit, but were school uniforms a fashion statement? On this trip, I noticed students in school uniform naturally, but also fully-grown adults. The look is a polo shirt and mini, pleated, tartan skirt paired with skinny legs, lipstick and bling. In Shibuya (where the famous crossing is still eye-ogling) there’s even a flashy uniform fashion boutique.
Credit: Jamie Brown
Etiquette and good manners – two of the nation’s most valued characteristics, are as evident as ever. After an airport drop-off, one taxi driver bowed so deeply I couldn’t respond without inducing lower-back pain. I inadvertently opted instead for a prayer-hands mini-bow, which I have picked up from living in Bali.
Knowing which slippers to wear and in what situation is another skill I could brush up on. It turns out the traditional geta footwear – wood-based thongs with a thin material strap, are for outside wear. The slide-on slippers, usually pleather or fabric, are used in exchange for one’s own dirty shoes when heading indoors.
At hotels, especially those with tatami mats, it’s common to slip shoes off inside the door, and put on the house slippers. In at least two hotels, slippers were neatly placed inside the toilet, specifically for use in this room. What one shouldn’t do outside an onsen, is mistakenly exchange your own shoes in the rack with the slippers of someone else visiting the spa. Oops!
AloJapan.com