Japan!

I was in Japan about two weeks ago and I had a delightful time I tell you. It was the best week I have spent so far. I had loads of food to eat and lots of new sights to see thanks to the Japanese student Organization who made the trip possible.

Ill first start with a full disclosure that most of the meals on the trip and some of the transportation and all the accomodation was provided for by them. So if this turns out to be a Praise report you can tell why:)

It is difficult to state that there were some parts of the trip I did not like. I would be lying if I did say there were. Having said that, there were very many things about the trip that I did like. Several people have asked me to describe Japan in one word and the word I came up with was CLEAN. Everywhere is so clean, the trains I rode on where squeaky clean you could almost see the reflection of your face on the polished floors:) I exaggerate of course but in truth its the cleanest place I have ever been to. They pay great attention to detail. All the drains covers in Nagsaki had some design on them.


Its the only place I have been to where all the public toilets are clean and I dont mean clean as in toilets flushed but clean as in fastidious cleanliness. They also have controls on them to warm the seats, wash you up when you finish, make a flushing sound to mask the sound of your urine etc. I can go on and on about the clean streets without dustbins and the clean trains and the clean buses and restaurants but Ill move on to another topic.


I must have received a million bows in the one week I was there.The Japanese are so polite. I was astonished by the courtesy of the attendants in every shop I walked into or of the bus drivers who thanked you as you got off a bus and even the digital image of a woman on the public phone gave you a little bow. Virtually everyone 'arigato goseimastad' you and gave you a little bow. Its more like the culture I am used to where you greet everyone you meet and dont walk by even an acquaintance without acknowledging them with a greeting. So it felt like I had walked into some yoruba setting but instead of curtseying bows were given instead.

Another thing that tripped me was their punctuality. It is extremely bad manners to be late. Thankfully I was late only once and it was for a trip to Tsukiji which is purpotedly the biggest fish market in the world. I was to wake up at 4.30am but haven slept at almost 1a.m, my body refused to respond to the shrill alarm.




Eating in public is certainly a no-no and yours truly fell foul of this stipulation. I was given a packet of chips to eat by my friend and co-traveller.I was told soon after that everyone was watching me as I ate, I was mortified. Not only was I eating in public I probably could be identified by all those on the train at a later meeting if I happened to stay in Tokyo for much longer. How many black girls do you see in Tokyo eating on the train!

I loved the food and of course had my fill of tempura, seaweed, octopus, squid, shellfish, and sushi. I can tell you that though I do not consider myself a sushi fan, I did enjoy the white silverfish! It was oishii! I prefer the taste of cooked fish though,I guess its an acquired taste.



I learnt to use chopsticks and I wonder how I ever thought it was impossible to use to sticks to pick up grains of rice:) Luckily the rice is sticky so its easy to pick up. My teachers were Yadumi an elementary school pupil, Sachiko,and a classmate Leesa. They all deserve good marks for they did an excellent job!

We went to Nagasaki and visited the Peace Museum which was a collection of photographs and relics from the Atomic Bomb. It was a moving experience.
We also went to Iojima islands which is about 20minutes by boat from Nagasaki and then spent the last few days in Tokyo. We had lunch with elementary school children and even became mini-celebrities as a reporter from the Nagasaki times was there to cover our lunch at the school:). We visited two old peoples homes and I gave a rendition of the song 'Iyaniwura' which I am sure I messed up properly, I could never sing the words right. I was thankful that there were no Yoruba speakers there listening to me, but some people recorded it and horror of horrors there is a record for life:(
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Everyone we met was truly helpful and very hospitable, the students from the different universities were excellent tour guides taking us all over Tokyo and Nagasaki while paying their way. They gave up their time and spent their money so we could have a great time. I can truly say I have family in Japan. I also appreciate a family I met on my last day in Japan who took me out for lunch and raced with me through the train station so that I would not miss my plane. I am grateful to the lady I met on the train whose name I probably will never know but who raced with me through the tube and confusing passageways in the airport explaining in rapid fire Japanese to the guards that I was late for my flight and calling out 'Tomisan best of luck' as I ascended the elevators and was lost to her sight! Thank you for your kindness!

To the organizers of the trip who were always on hand to help us at every point in time.Thank you so very much! Arigato Goseimasta! Their organization of the trip was excellent!

Hopefully I'll visit Japan again but in the meantime I'll encourage you all to do the same! Its a very nice country!