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Japan: First Impressions

January 29, 2013 By Katie MacLeod 2 Comments

Tokyo skyline from the window

It may have seemed quiet on the suitcase story front recently, but the travel tales have been building up behind the scenes.  I’ve recently returned from a three week stay in Japan, and I loved every second of it.

I was amazed by the sheer mass of people navigating Shibuya Crossing.  I relished in the quiet serenity of ancient, tucked-away temples in Kyoto, the old imperial capital.  I was constantly in awe of the cute-yet-cool way Tokyo women dress, and even more excited when I came across kimonos amid the seas of suits.

Despite being one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Tokyo is free of the sidewalk chaos I’ve encountered in other cities; people always walk on the left, and are incredibly polite.  Home to everything from bullet trains to luxurious, music-playing toilets, Japan seemed to me to be ahead of every trend.

The food was fantastic too.  Aside from indulging in my dumpling obsession (Japanese gyoza are similar to my favourite fried jiaozi) I devoured all sorts of delicious dishes.  There was tonkatsu – fried pork on a bed of rice and cabbage – at famed Meguro restaurant Tonki.

Of course, I tried sushi, where the raw and slightly steamed creations came round on a conveyor belt in a Roppongi Hills restaurant.  I sampled a street food feast of fried noodles with seaweed sprinkles in the maze of stalls around Asakusa Shrine.  Then there was the seafood, and Tsukiji Fish Market, which was nothing short of spectacular.

It will be a hard holiday to top, so stay tuned for more details from one of my favourite destinations to date!

Update: read about my visit to Kyoto, my encounters with Japanese fashion, and my visit to Japanese temples in Tokyo!

Related

« 2012: A Year In Review
Culture Hunting In Kyoto »

Comments

  1. angloadventure says

    February 14, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    I would love to go! One day…looks awesome

    Reply
    • K.C. says

      February 21, 2013 at 11:40 am

      I definitely recommend it!

      Reply

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I'm Katie, an expat Scot in the States, and the journalist behind Stories My Suitcase Could Tell, the travel blog which inspires you to explore the world. Read More…

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