I went to Japan!

In March, I went to Japan to see my son, who moved there at the end of July 2023. We do video calls all the time, but nothing can compare to getting to actually hug him in person. He’s not really a social media person, so the pictures I share of him usually have his face obscured, including the one I’m sharing here. He caught some kind of cold on the Shinkansen (bullet train) from where he lives to Tokyo where I was meeting him, so he was wearing a mask most of the time. We affectionately call him “The Boy” when referring to him online.

I timed my trip to coincide with the start of the MLB season, and the games between the LA Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs that took place in Tokyo on March 18 and 19. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend either game, or the exhibition games they played against two Japanese National teams. I did, however, go to Tokyo Dome City, and got some cool memorabilia to bring home with me.

I wanted to be there when the cherry blossoms bloomed, but figured that the dates I picked would likely not make that something that would happen. Fortunately, though, there were a few blooming in the greater Tokyo area, so I did get to see some. This picture was taken near the Tokyo Sky Tree, but there were several throughout. Ueno Park is where the festival usually takes place, and there was plenty of preparation for the upcoming events in the two weeks after my visit.

My first full day in Tokyo, my son took me to the Cup Noodles Musem, which was fascinating. They had an animated video that talked about the creator, Momofuku Ando, and where his idea came from. It talked about the noodle wars (didn’t know that was a thing), and how the manufacturing companies came together to settle their disputes, leading to the spread of Cup Noodles across the world, and beyond. He designed noodles to be sent to space when he was 85 years old. The thing I really loved about the museum was the way they showed that you can think outside the box and come up with an amazing invention.

If you’re familiar with Japan, you are likely aware of what is known as the Shibuya Scramble. If not, let me tell you, it’s wild. Think about an intersection where you have three lanes going in each direction, all crossing each other at that particular intersection. Now, add in pedestrians who need to get from one point to another, whether it’s crossing one set of lanes, or all of them. Think you’ve got it? Well, you might be just about there. Most of the intersections in the area are scramble crossings, so if you’re not sure you want to try to use this one, you can start out on the smaller ones.

Another cool thing in the Shibuya area is a statue of Hachiko, the loyal dog of Shibuya. In the 1920s, the Akita dog would go to Shibuya Station to wait for his owner to arrive back from his daily commute. One day, the owner, Professor Hidesaburo Ueno, didn’t return, as he had suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage. The professor’s former gardener cared for the dog after his death, but Hachiko went back to the same spot every day to wait for his owner to return, for the next nine years. That is a very loyal dog.

This was my first international trip, aside from the occasional drive up to Canada from my home just south of Seattle. That being said, I was well aware that the rest of the world does not always have the same kind of toilet facilities that I am used to. Honestly, they spanned the entire spectrum of bathroom options in Japan, from the squatty potty, where there’s a bar you hold onto as you squat down, to the fully functional bidet type, which included an option for privacy. I can’t even tell you how wild it was. The bathroom in our hotel room was tiny, too, but still had the fully functional bidet, so that was nice.

The number of shrines and temples in and around the greater Tokyo area is insane, and I barely scratched the surface for which ones I went to. Fortunately, The Boy has spent plenty of time in the area, even though it’s not where he lives, and took me to some of the ones he loves best. He also taught me the rituals needed when entering them.

Hasedera Temple

This particular temple had several smaller buildings you could look/go into to worship. The craftsmanship with these items was remarkable, and I wish I could have taken pictures of all of them.

Higashi Hongan-Ji

This is a temple I went to on my own. When we were in the area earlier, we were walking along the sidewalk on the other side, and I happened to see a cemetery and wanted to come back and get pictures and video for a friend. When I went there, though, it was the start of the school year, and there were many children around, so I was cautious as to what I took photos of.

Meiji Jingu Shrine

This shrine was built in honor and dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. We went there in the early morning hours, shortly after sunrise, and it was a peaceful place. We did see a few worshippers who were there to pay their respects, but it was mostly empty. That could have also been because of the rain we experienced that day, too.

Meoto Kuso (Husband and Wife)

These trees were called the Meoto Kuso or Husband and Wife, and are trees that have become a symbol of happy marriage and harmonious life within a family. They were planted in 1920 when Meiji Jingu was enshrined. I took a picture of the description so I’d remember, because I saw so many things, I knew I would likely forget several of them if I didn’t have a picture to remind me.

Senso-Ji

This temple was in the Asakusa region of Japan. Most of the places we went were not in the downtown area, and this was definitely one of them. We had to take a train quite a ways to get here, but there was a small market set up behind it where I found some souvenirs to bring home with me, including my coin purse, which was something I didn’t know I’d need.

Shitaya Shrine

I stumbled upon this shrine when I was coming back from the Imperial Palace. The Torri gate made it clear there was a shrine nearby. The Torii gates are a symbol used at the entrance of most Shinto shrines. One of the things I learned is that you always go through a gate like this near the edges. The center section is meant to be used by the gods. It was a fun thing to come across as I walked back to the train station.

The Human Body

Japan has a pretty healthy respect for the human body, and all the things that our bodies are used for, including sex. I’ve censored this picture I took, just in case someone might be sensitive to a naked man, but wanted to show how unbothered most of the people in Japan are with the human body.

Sex

In that same vein, this is just one of MANY sex shops in and around the greater Tokyo area. This one is in Shibuya, but they were all around. There is a seven story one in Akihabara, and even the Don Quijote stores have sections that sell anything you might need for a fun night staying in. There were bookstores that had the average manga on the first floor, but go up the stairs, and you’ll find books of another kind, as well as videos. My son, of course, discouraged me from going into any of those areas.

The number of statues in and around Tokyo were amazing. They ranged from religious figures to honoring the past leaders to small cherubs in the Shibuya area, and everything you might imagine. It was a truly beautiful place.

Daibutsu in Kamakura -

Also known as the Great Buddha

We have a picture of my husband in front of this statue when he was stationed in Japan before we met, one of myself (now), and one from when my son was here for his study abroad in 2019, as well as this year when we stopped in to check it out. As we walked to this statue from the train station, we stopped in at a shop that had jams for sale. I bought 4 jars, including one that is yuzu flavored. Yuzu is similar to lemon, and it is absolutely delicious.

My trip was just one week, and while I stuffed it full of so many things, I didn’t get nearly enough time to see everything I wanted to. I will be returning to Japan at some point, but until then, I’ll have to make due with video calls and memories.