The first three days we spent in Tokyo were for the Sales Conference so we were in an area called Odaiba, which is basically a small, man-made island that is pretty far from anything fun, but is presumably a good area for Sales Conferences as the absence of anything fun would, in theory, prevent poor attendance at the conference. In practice however...
Anyway, the real time we were able to explore and see Tokyo was starting on Friday through Sunday when we left to go to Kyoto. Friday we used Lindsey's Lonely Planet travel guide to pick out a few things that were the highlights we had to see. One of the first things we checked out was the Meiji Jinju Shrine. To get to it, we walked down a long path through what I would essentially describe as a forest. We got to the Shrine and there was a small are to the left with water set up so you could cleanse your hands and mouth before you went to visit the shrine.
Here I am cleansing my hands before my visit to the shrine
When you went up to the shrine (which unfortunately you aren't allowed to take pictures of) you walk past the threshold, walk up to where there are slots and you throw your offering (a coin or two) into them. Then you silently say your prayer, bow, clap twice, and take a step back before turning and exiting. As simple as this whole procedure was, I was a nervous wreck that I was going to screw it up or somehow offend their culture (which us Americans have a tendency to do). The nod of approval I received from the security guard upon my exit let me know that I had done everything A-Okay!
In the main area of the shrine, there was a place where you could write down your prayers and put them in an envelope with a coin and drop the envelope down a slot. If you wanted to pay a little more, you could write your prayer on a wooden tablet and hang it where many other prayers hung. The prayers ranged from the very earnest to the slightly bizarre to completely absurd. Regardless, I felt there was definitely something to be admired in this religion. There was no aspect of it being at all preachy or controlling which I often feel that our more westernized religions are. There was no timetable people had to abide by to come by and worship or say their prayers. They came as they pleased, gave their offering to the shrine, and their prayers were often related to basic desires in life...health and happiness for their family and loved ones, peace, safety, etc. I could really get on board with a religion like that.
The shrine itself was very peaceful, which is ironic because besides that I found Tokyo to be very chaotic. Going to Shinjuku crossing and watching the sheer volume of people that cross the street every time the lights are red is mind blowing.
Shinjuku Crossing
Japanese people, while very friendly and helpful (as much as they can be without many of them speaking English) also don't have the same sense of personal space that I am used to. I also found that it is very common for them to nap on public transportation. A fact I found both peculiar and amusing. Any given train we got onto often had multiple people trying to get a quick snooze in between stops.
This is a shot I took from my phone on some random train.
In the next few days, Lindsey and I met up with a girl who had been in her sorority and works for Google in the U.S., Barrie. Barrie, in turn, introduced us to a girl she knew through a friend, Ikuko, who is a Japanese woman who works for Apple. Having Ikuko as our tour guide changed the way we were able to look at Tokyo completely. She took us to a sake bar that was down an alley and had no signs outside indicating what it was. She took us to some of the best restaurants in Tokyo, along with one where part of Kill Bill was shot. Being with Ikuko gave us a lot of insight into how the Japanese culture works. Ikuko actually works for Apple and she was explaining what a God send it is that she works for an American company because in Japan, once a woman has a child, she becomes practically unemployable to all Japanese customs. It was strange to know that such a developed country still has such archaic views on womens rights. Ikuko poked fun at some of the Japanese traditions she considered absurd such as having to essentially inspect your tea cup in such a way when tea is poured for you. (Also, FYI, in Japan it is considered rude to either stick your chopsticks in your rice and leave them there or to pour your own sake. Someone else always has to pour for you). Ikuko is a pretty remarkable woman in any culture. She surfs and had just done a 1000KM walk for charity on top of being a smart, well educated person. I found it sad that in a way I felt she was trapped and unable to fully realize her potential in this culture, and more upsetting, she was smart enough to know it.
By the time we had gotten to Sunday, I was ready to leave Tokyo. Though I had thoroughly enjoyed my stay, and I enjoyed the quirks that the Japanese culture infused into the city, it was ultimately just another big, chaotic city, and I was looking forward to the next leg of our journey in Hakone.
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