JAPAN
Country Overview:
"A captivating blend of ancient traditions and modern marvels, where exquisite cuisine and vibrant culture beckon at every turn."
My two-week December 2017 adventure in Japan, shared with a Canadian-born-Chinese girl I met in Beijing, was a bittersweet memory. While the city of Tokyo, aglow with Christmas and New Year's festivities, was nothing short of enchanting, the romantic spark sadly fizzled out. Still, Japan's allure remains undeniable. From the serene beauty of ancient temples to the neon-lit energy of bustling city streets, and the delicate artistry of sushi to the hearty warmth of ramen, Japan is a feast for the senses and a journey of discovery.
Tokyo - Akasaka Palace + Tokyo Dome
Palace was closed today, which was unexpected. The Tokyo Dome is also located in the middle of an urban intersection, so trying to get a complete shot of it was challenging.
Tokyo - Sunset
These photos were taken from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Free entrance, and a gorgeous view of the city from the North Tower
Tokyo - Akihabara
From what the tour guide stated as we drove through here, this is the sub-culture district of Tokyo. This includes video games, cosplay, and anime, and yes, anime porn as well. All the buildings have large anime posters on them and the first 3 floors of a building are devoted to video game characters, comics, and other fan-related merchandise. However, after that, the next floors are solely devoted to porn, sex toys, costumes, and every category of naughty anime erotica that one could imagine. Having browsed though here, I’m sure internet rule 34 applies; there was some weird stuff to say the least.
Tokyo - More
One of the differences between China and Japan is the subway system. In China, the trains only travel along their designated line. In Japan, a subway car will transfer among multiple lines. In China, the train stops at designated points on the platform allowing the doors to line up with the corresponding markings on the ground. In Japan, it just stops at the station and people line up at the doors wherever they might be. In China, getting from the station to where you want to go usually requires some walking. In japan, probably because they have over 600+ stations, you can get exactly where you want to go. In China, subway lines are designated by numbers, which is simple. In Japan, every line has a different name, which is confusing if you aren’t accustomed to them. However, and this might be the deciding factor, Japan has public water fountains in the middle of the subway platform.
Tokyo - Ferry + Fish Market
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France that was only gifted for 1 year to Japan and then taken back. The story goes that the Japanese people loved it so much they begged the French to give it back and so they did. It looks big, but it pales in comparison to the ‘real’ one in NY
Tokyo 2
These barrels are filled with sake. I'd love to have one just sitting in my house, ready whenever I wanted some hot sake. These photos were taken from Meiji Shrine, one of Japan's most important shrines. It's in a huge park, so it was nice to walk around and enjoy pollution-free air
