Memories of Japan

BY LANCE ROBINS & CARY VOGEL

Travel is a passion for us, so to celebrate our 30th anniversary, in the spring of 2017, we packed our bags and explored the country of Japan on a self-guided adventure. Whatever our expectations might have been, they were greatly exceeded in every aspect of our journey.

As we traveled throughout this amazing country and we became immersed in Japanese culture, we began to experience firsthand what life is like in this extraordinary island nation. It has a rich culture steeped in history and tradition, which carries forward to this day. The Japanese are incredibly industrious and take great pride in who they are, what they do, and how they do it. They excel in so many areas and strive to become masters. That is evident by their devotion to education, study, and their overall work ethic. They have created an environment that emphasizes success and prioritizes their work lives above all else. They tend to work long hours to the sacrifice of their own families. That has created a highly stressed workforce, which is evidenced by a correspondingly high suicide rate.

One evening, close to 11:00 p.m., we witnessed a crowd of businessmen and women leaving their office building, finally heading to their train station after a very long workday.

The Japanese people also emphasize art and culture, and we ate this up! We discovered every area was attended to with thoughtful care to create a beautiful aesthetic and preserve their rich history. It inspired us and our senses, which stimulated the creative juices, causing us to indulge and purchase some treasures now cherished in our home.

Because the trip was a special celebration for us, we broke open the piggy-bank and treated ourselves to a “first-class” experience. It began with first-class airfare on Korean Airlines, providing a fantastic opportunity to be indulged with the best of everything. Except for two other people, we had the entire first-class cabin to ourselves, so the staff was extra attentive and could not do enough for us. We each had our own “pod,” complete with a retractable wall on the aisle side. That provided us complete privacy as we dined on gourmet Japanese cuisine, watched multiple films on our 32” televisions, and then settled in for a sumptuous sleep on two pillows and a down comforter. When we arrived in Tokyo, we were refreshed but sad to depart the airplane and all it had given us.

Above From Left: Cary Vogel and Lance Robins

Every accommodation in every city we visited, which included a stay at the Ryokan in Kyoto, where the Emperor of Japan stays when he is in town, was top-drawer, and we were treated practically like royalty. The Japanese have a highly proper sense of elegance and superb service. Their attention to manners is nothing we had ever experienced. It was a very welcome change from other societies, and we immediately became enchanted and tried to reciprocate heartily. It was so gratifying to give and receive courtesy and respect that it became automatic and joyful to engage in this elevated exchange. It made us wonder why all societies do not choose to treat each other this way, taking the human experience to a higher level, allowing one to appreciate each other with more kindness.

Our itinerary began in Tokyo, Japan’s capital, which felt like New York City on steroids. The city offered everything imaginable in a beautiful, clean, and safe environment. We were most fortunate to experience the Cherry Tree blossoming season, which aroused all senses to the extraordinary beauty offered by nature. We spent much time exploring the many Tokyo districts, with some of our favorites being Ginza, Shinjuku, Shibuya, and the Imperial Palace area, to name a few. As night time befell the city, it transformed into another version of itself, beautifully illuminated from the string light Japanese lanterns to the soaring high-rise buildings. It was a joyful, sensory experience to take it all in.

After five splendid days in Tokyo, we departed via high-speed train to Hakone in the Mount Fuji region. It is a mountainous area filled with beautiful topography and breathtaking views. One of Hakone’s highlights was partaking in the ritualistic Onsen (hot springs) bath, about 104 degrees. Commensurate with Japanese culture, there are strict rules to adhere to when enjoying the experience: 1) Be very, very clean by thoroughly washing in the provided wash stations before soaking in the Onsen; 2) Be naked (no swimsuits); 3) No running; 4) No swimming; 5) No alcohol (Saki), and so on.

After our time in Hakone, our next stop was Kyoto, the former capital and Japan’s cultural center. The city is filled with numerous classical Buddhist temples, gardens, Shinto shrines, Imperial Palaces, and Geisha girls. It is a sight to behold, steeped in Japanese history.

Two highlights for us in Kyoto both involved Buddhist Monks. The first experience was a thirty-minute meditation with a Buddhist monk in a 600-year-old Buddhist temple. We were part of a small group of 10 people we shared a tea ceremony with after meditating.

The second monk experience was when we were served a gourmet, vegetarian lunch prepared and served by monks in a rare combination Buddhist and Shinto temple. This tradition dated back many generations and a couple of hundred years and was truly exceptional. Each course of many came decorated with plants and flowers sculptured to compliment the food served. We dined in a private room with shoji screen doors, which the many monks who served us had to open and close to gain access to us. All in all, it was a trip highlight.

Another highlight was the famous Bamboo Forest…WOW!

We then headed to Nara, Japan’s original capital, filled with ancient temples and artwork dating to the 8th century, all exquisitely preserved and still used today. We had the good fortune to experience a Buddhist ceremony by merely being at the right place at the right time. At the Todai-Ji’s Temple, featuring a 5-story bronze Buddha, hundreds of monks and a high-priest joined together in the monks’ rhythm of beating drums to honor Buddha. It was a magical sight to behold. Afterward, we joined another Nara tradition of feeding the deer that roam freely in Nara Park.

Without question, a highlight of Japanese culture is the cuisine. The Japanese have elevated their  cuisine to an art form, and every meal was an extraordinary experience filled with sensations of magical tastes and textures. Whether it was eating fresh-caught sushi, enjoying an omelet on a stick, gorging ourselves on tempura, or doing as the locals do and relishing a bento box from the local 7-Eleven store, we fell in love with the local cuisines. We found it to be relatively healthy to boot.

An unexpected trip highlight was engaging with the Japanese people. Their kindness towards tourists and attempts at communicating (as we tried, too) provided a strong sense of connection. We found that if you treat the Japanese people with respect and attempt to speak a few Japanese words, they consistently go above and beyond to accommodate your every desire and do it with vigor.

If a trip to Japan is not yet on your travel bucket list, we cannot encourage you enough to add it to the list and then do it. It will provide you with new and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that you will be able to re-live over and over again.