Japan: Japanese Bars

Wine Casks at Meiji Shrine

OK, so I lied. But this is really my last 'Japan' post.

As you might imagine, many Japanese bars are a little different than what we might be accustomed to. When I saw this sign, I was drawn like a moth to a flame...

The sign reminded me of my dear friend who I refer to on occasion as "Bar". His name references the night that we met about twenty years ago. As a totally good excuse for a party, combined with an easy way out of decorating my Christmas tree, I invited a few people over for drinks and free labor. "Bar" was dating someone who eventually became one of my closest friends and his future wife. Somehow, the party moved on to a seedy little bar in downtown Dallas that had apparently lost it's neon "The". It was now simply known as "Bar". That night, we forged the basis for a great friendship. Thanks, "Bar".

Anywho... back to Japan...

Mr. Something and I looked high and low for a bar in Tokyo. We couldn't find one.

Let me warn you that this is like the dullest report on Japanese bars ever as we ended up visiting only one.

We stumbled upon The Hibaya Bar. Their slogan? "We stand on our shared hopes, dreams and a desire for happiness." What's not to like about a place with a slogan like this?

As we walk inside, the doorman points to our shoes and then to a locker. Check. Take off shoes, place in locker. We are escorted to our table. I must say that it was a little strange walking into a bar sock-footed.

The Hibaya was a lot like any other bar we had ever visited in the west except for its shoeless patrons. A little more upscale than "Bar", however.

Japan: Shrines & Temples

The Shrines and Temples of  Japan are revered and well preserved. Kyoto (about 2.5 hrs away from Tokyo by train) is the shrine and temple mecca of Japan as unfortunately World War II bombing destroyed much of Tokyo's architecture and art. So if you're in Japan, try to make it to Kyoto.

One question we did have was.... What's up with this?

We saw what we knew as the offensive Nazi Swastika included in various works of art and outside many religious buildings. Knowing that the symbol had to have pre-dated Nazi Germany, I left it to my 'go-to-guy', "Mr. Something". It just so happens that the symbol meant Life and Good Luck for 3000 years before the Third Reich adopted it as their brand.

Back to Kyoto... The autumn leaves were at the height of their color change and we were happy to be in the middle of it all. Most of Kyoto's Temples and Shrines are located along Tetsugaku-No-Michi aka "The Path of Philosphy" the walk is about 2 miles. At first, I was intent on remembering the names of all the beautiful places we visited but then it wasn't long before I canned that idea and decided just to enjoy them. Very Zen.

These are just a taste of the places we visited...

Rokuon-ji Temple/The Golden Pavilion

The Ginka-Ju Temple/Silver Pavilion

Nanzen-ji (I think)

Chion-In Shrine

 

Higashimayu? No idea.

No clue

I know it's Shinto

Tokyo

Senso-Ji

The smoke is incense used prior to entering the temple for cleansing mind and spirit

Marketplace at the entrance to Senso-Ji

Japan: The Food

Restaurant-Hunting in Tokyo

 We found a quote in one of our travel books... "The Japanese eat with their eyes, not with their stomachs" - or something like that. In Japan it's all about food presentation.

The windows of many Japanese restaurants are filled with their menu items displayed in plastic. I had heard that creating fake food is quite an art-form in Japan and that the top plastic food artists are sought after.

In the mood for fish? Checking out the plastic food display is one option. We had no idea if what we had decided on was beef, chicken, pork, duck, seal, octopus or eel,  but if it looked good, we were sold.

Other restaurants presented menus with color photos.

And then there were the vending machines...

Restaurant vending machines are all the rage in Japan. First, select your menu item from the vending machine. Then, put your yen in the machine and out pops a ticket. Take a seat in the restaurant and give your ticket to the server who passes your ticket to the cooks. Before you know it, your hot food is in front of you, you eat and you're out of there. Lingering during a meal is just not the Japanese way.

The vending machine market is huge in Tokyo. Not only can you get your basic drinks and snacks but you can also find everyday household items such as vacuum cleaner bags, batteries, subway passes and greeting cards in the plethora of vending machines located around Tokyo.

Typo?

 

 

 

Sushi bars were popular but many were 'stand-up' sushi bars. By the time it came to eat, this 'lingerer' needed to sit. We eventually did find a 'sit-down' sushi restaurant and although my Texan husband was averse to the thought of eating "raw fish"... I loved it.

Early on in our Japan trip we became keenly aware that as 'Westerners', we stood out like sore thumbs and were watched closely by the servers and cooks in restaurants. I'm thinking they were checking out our facial expressions as we were served the food they had prepared.

This particular dish required a 'poker face'.

...and he will not eat Sushi

Japan: Mass Transit

As far as we know, there are three separate underground train systems in Tokyo (there could be more). The Metro line, The Toei line and The JR line.

We got lost. A lot.

Fortunately the train line signs were color-coded, numbered and most were in both Japanese and English.

A word of caution from one traveler to another... if you ever find yourself in Tokyo and having to navigate the subway system, you can choose the 'hard way' (the trial and error method) or take the 'easy way'. Choosing your station 'number' and not trying to remember its name is 'easy'. Remembering the number of where you exited the station is another key point consideration in taking the 'easy way'.

The difference between exiting the Asakusa Station ( G19) vs. Akasaka Station (C06) and leaving the station at exit A5 vs. exit B4 could make a serious impact on marital harmony.

We learned the hard way.

I doubt seriously there was ever an argument against mass transit in Japan. The population of Japan is 127.5 million people and it is approximately the size of California. Now, imagine squeezing in 1/2 of the entire population of the USA into California. I don't think they'd fit, especially if they insisted on bringing their SUV's and/or Ford F150  pick-up trucks along.

The Japanese train system is incredibly precise, efficient and civilized.

Once you get to the train platform, everyone stands in line on areas that are clearly defined on the floor that tell you where the doors of the train will open. Sure enough, that's exactly where the train doors open! Then as passengers get out of the train, all embarking passengers stand aside. Nice.

A few of my own personal observation while riding the trains...

• Cellphones were used to read books or newspapers while commuting. Very little texting going on and I only saw one guy actually talking on his cell phone. There are frequent announcements asking that cell phones are silenced while on the train.
• Generally, Japanese women and men dress very well. The current trends for young women are false eyelashes, short-shorts or mini-skirts with boots. Most men are in fashionable dark suits and ties with  hip hairstyles. 

• The trains and stations are very clean and well-lit.
• Soothing music is played as the subway doors open and close. 
• We didn't see any hired "pushers".In fact, there didn't seem to be a need for them.

There is something intrinsically wrong with this picture.

Japan: Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo

It's the bright lights, big city perspective of Shibuya Crossing in downtown Tokyo that draws people from all over the world...

I've heard the best place to view Shibuya Crossing is from Starbucks' 2nd floor.

You would think that crowd control would be an issue in Tokyo and I'm sure it is... but the Japanese are all over it.

An example of their ingenuity is demonstrated by Shibuya Crossing. At the distinctive sound of an electronic bird chirping, all traffic stops and everybody walks.Wherever direction they want to and it works. About one minute later, the bird chirps again and pedestrians would be best off of the street as the traffic resumes with a vengeance.