Day 8
?? Tokyo, Japan
I feel both incredibly blessed and grateful for the chance to travel through Japan even if it was ever so briefly. Eight days is not nearly enough time to absorb and cherish the sites and culture of this rich and vibrant country. This trip is very much like a dream, reaching a land I have always found to be exotic and wonderful I was finally be able to reach out and touch it, smell it, taste it and experience it all for myself. Yet with all the sites and experiences that I was able to take part in, I hope you have enjoyed this little window into my vacation, I look forward to sharing even more of what i experienced on my brief stay. I know that I have barely begun to scratch the surface of Japan, with its rich culture, wonderful people and breathtaking sights I have a feeling that I won’t be able to stay away for long.
Today was the last day of my trip and it was a bitter sweet one for me. In no way shape or form is eight days nearly long enough to spend in any one of the places I visited let alone the whole country of Japan. Yet for the short amount of time I did spend there I feel blessed and somehow changed by those eight short days. No where else in the world can you find a more friendly group of people who will go out of their way to accommodate you. No where else in the world can you find Japans juxtaposition of ancient traditions and progressive change. Temples older than the country I live in sit right next to buildings constructed a year ago. No amount of reading or research could have prepared me for seeing this land and its people face to face. I love this country and its people and I will never forget this brief time spent in a far off land known as Japan.
Since I am spending this day traveling back home I decided to look back at the places I was able to visit and take on the impossible task of choosing my top five sites. Keep in mind I absolutely loved every part of this trip so this is a very difficult task indeed. The sites that didn’t make this short list are still great places to visit but these top five are the ones that impacted me the most.
5. Tokyo Tower - It really didn’t click that I had finally landed in Japan untll I saw my first glimpse of Tokyo Tower. Lit beautifully in neon as the sun was setting Tokyo’s iconic broadcasting tower finally made this trip real. I had finally done it, reached out and accomplished my goals and my dreams. I knew I would be in for something special the next day when I would be able to finally travel up to its observation decks and view a full 360 degree panorama of the city. The haze of the morning blocked some of the view but it was spectacular none the less. Tokyo’s skyline might not be as grand as New Yorks but it is still an amazing sight and one that should not be missed. 
4. Nijo Palace - I wish you could see the fabulous grandeur of Nijo’s inner walls. Photography was strictly forbidden so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Nijo may not be as impressive on the outside as the castle towers in Inuyama and Nagoya but don’t let that fool you, it what’s inside that counts. Nijo’s beautiful wall paintings and ornate woodcarvings speak of both the quality of Japan’s artistry but also of the opulence and power of those that once resided with in it’s walls. As I tread upon the fabled Nightingale Floors I found my mouth constantly agape and my imagination transported back to the Edo period. I was floored by Nijo’s craftsmanship, its quality and beauty as every element complimented each other perfectly in typical Japanese style.
3. Yasaka Shrine - My happiest accident, Yasaka Shrine was one of the first times I was able to experience the stillness of a Japanese shrine when it’s not thronged by tour groups. I know next to nothing about this shrine and didn’t even know of its existance until I stumbled upon it. It was night when I visited and it’s lamps were dimly lit leading me down a path littered with Shinto shrines to the main temple. Rounding the corner I found myself confronted by hundreds of brilliantly lit paper lanterns and a large wooden shrine. As I walked the gravel paths I felt as I were intruding on holy ground the grating sound of the gravel echoing in the calm silent air around me. I stopped for once and put my cameras down and just let the calm and stillness sweep over me.
2. Mount Fuji - To be honest when I first heard I would be visiting Mt. Fuji I wasn’t to excited. Sure it would be a very cool trip, but it would be taking a day out of a busy schedule and I’ve seen plenty of mountains in my life. As we wound our way slowly up the cloud covered slopes my anticipation grew and Fuji-san did not disappoint when she finally revealed herself. As I stood at it’s foot and looked up at its majestic peak with my own eyes I knew why it has endured as an icon for Japan its culture. The mountains austere beauty is not to be missed and the sea of clouds was just mind blowing. It’s no wonder that countless songs, poems and stories were inspired by this wondrous mountain. To stand upon its ground, to breathe in its air and to gave out upon the sea of clouds were all experiences I will take with me for the rest of my life.
1. Asakusa Kannon - I could have easily spent my entire trip here. This temple is a massive complex with so much to do and see that I had barely enough time to scratch at it’s surface. I had looked into Asakusa before I left and this temple was one of the sites I was looking forward to the most on my trip. Dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon, the goddess of mercy this temple complex is one of the largest and oldest in Tokyo. It offers several other smaller temples and shrines as well as shopping along Nakamise-dori. It’s size was breathtaking. Its architecture exquisite. Its throngs of people exhilarating. It was here that for the first time I felt as if I could reach out and touch Japans history.
Well there you have it my top five. I’ve already changed this list about sixty times in my head but for now it will have to do. How do you compare the enormous Todaiji Temple to the regal Imperial Palace? Or the timeless lanterns at Kasuga Shrine to the towering castle at Nagoya? Or the venerable tower at Inuyama to the calm of Rokkaku-do? It is simply impossible.
So what’s next? Just because my trip is over doesn’t mean that I’ll stop adding to this website. For starters I have about 60 hours of video to comb through for useful material and I have scores more information on things I did aside from sight seeing. Look for that material to start showing up sometime in the next month! Oh course now that I have been to Japan once I immediately want to return again. Further down the road I will definitely be looking into more adventures in the land of the rising sun hopefully sooner rather than later.
Before I sign off I would like to thank Sunrise tours for their assistance on this trip. Their staff was insightful and friendly and their tours ran like a well oiled machine. Without their assistance I wouldn’t of been able to experience half the sites that I did and it was an excellent introduction to this fabulous country. I also want to thank the Scobie’s, the Wilkins’ and Gaeila for accompanying me on my trip. A journey is more than the places you see and sites you visit its also about the people you meet along the way and you guys definitely made this trip even more enjoyable than it already was. Thank you all, my readers, my tour mates and guides from the very bottom of my heart. This trip wouldn’t have possible without you! Sayonara!
