I'm heading over to the Dubai International Airport as I type this much delayed photoblog on my trip thus far. After Shanghai, I flew to Tokyo where I got to go a lot of places for work and for pleasure. Meeting Japanese clients and business partners was definitely a great experience. I'm appreciative of how hospital and catering they are to my needs and requests. I also got a kick out of meeting people for the first time as the first questions asked were generally "How OLD are you?"- true, you don't really have 20 somethings on the younger side of the scale at my level, but this fascination essentially turned into a compliments as I frequently (thankfully) closed meetings to comments such as "You are an ace! Now we see why they sent you! (The Asians love that word)".
Tokyo and Shanghai are very similar in some respects: modern cities, very populated, active night life, technology/fashion oriented. In Tokyo, I was especially pleased at the dining options. To be honest, I mostly dined at the nicer places where snapping a picture probably would not have been a good idea nor would it have impressed my dinner companions- however that didn't stop me from going to local markets.
Tokyo and Shanghai are very similar in some respects: modern cities, very populated, active night life, technology/fashion oriented. In Tokyo, I was especially pleased at the dining options. To be honest, I mostly dined at the nicer places where snapping a picture probably would not have been a good idea nor would it have impressed my dinner companions- however that didn't stop me from going to local markets.
This was taken at a local night market where lots of locals (I presume) went after work to pick up dinner. I loved the atmosphere between the colorful varieties of fresh foods and the busy yet calm foot traffic in front of store windows.
The food there was clean, neatly presented, and fresh! Offerings ranged from sushi/sashimi, to egg nog, to seafood soups, to fried exotic fish, to soba, etc. I had a hard time not picking up a sushi plate to take back to my hotel- though I did take a couple "sample" bites when offered.
I also took a train ride to a temple where people go to reflect and meditate. It was such a calming place and I enjoyed plowing through the zen sand dunes- though I'm not sure "plowing" qualifies as a 'zen'-like verb. My business investor and I ironically were able to achieve a lot during that trip on the train so not only was it relaxing- but I also got a lot done: two birds with one stone.
I absolutely enjoyed the breathtaking views and felt fortunate to learn about the historical significance of the place. I also loved going to the koi pond- there were lots of fish and they eargerly approached visitors.
After that calming excursion out of the city, I ventured back into the heart of the country. One thing I've noticed about Tokyo is the dichotomy between the fast-paced flow of the city, and the zen like calm- and nothing was more clear than walking off the train to the crowded train station and then walking a few blocks out to see men and women reading their newspapers calmly in the street.
After that calming excursion out of the city, I ventured back into the heart of the country. One thing I've noticed about Tokyo is the dichotomy between the fast-paced flow of the city, and the zen like calm- and nothing was more clear than walking off the train to the crowded train station and then walking a few blocks out to see men and women reading their newspapers calmly in the street.
Another aspect about the East that endeared me greatly was how social the environment was. Whether it was day or night, crowds could gather, conversations was had, and everything just felt lively no matter what hour it was. The picture on the left was actually taken after I left a meeting that ended at 11PM on a week night!
Something else I observed was the focus to architectural development. I'm so impressed by the modern cityscape and how advertising plays a part in it. As you can see, space is limited in this town but there are lots of people, so billboard advertising is used regularly, similar to Manhattan advertising. I appreciate when the ads themselves become a cultural icon so this was definitely a welcomed observation.
I was also pleased with my hotel. When I first heard from a coworker to expect Tokyo hotels to be smaller and more cramped (followed by awful youtubed videos of the notorious Japanese vessel-rooms)- I got concerned. Little did I know then that I would end up with a room that was nicely furnished, and ample sized, with spectacular views of the city.
My time in Japan was entirely grand. I think it's a fascinating culture and that Tokyo is a bustling, entertaining city. Parts of it feel like a dream, for example the backdrop of the massive skyscraper by the pool, or the many LED monitors around the shopping areas. I feel enriched for having been able to experience this city even with the jam-packed schedule I had and I definitely look forward to my next visit.
My time in Japan was entirely grand. I think it's a fascinating culture and that Tokyo is a bustling, entertaining city. Parts of it feel like a dream, for example the backdrop of the massive skyscraper by the pool, or the many LED monitors around the shopping areas. I feel enriched for having been able to experience this city even with the jam-packed schedule I had and I definitely look forward to my next visit.
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