In the Land Of The Rising Sun - Kyoto - 28 April 2026

Some are born to obey; some are cursed to see. With much wisdom comes much suffering.

I couldn't sleep till the fatigue wore off. The reasons were two-fold - one, the excitement of travelling by a Shinkansen train for the first time and two, the fear of being late for the famously on time departure of Japanese public transport. I was happy to see that the day dawned bright and clear, so that the transit to Tokyo station with luggage would be faster and non-messy.

I left the hostel early and got to the Asakusabashi station, only to be told that the train I was planning to take from there is actually a bus! Anyway, in the end, I took two trains and got to Tokyo station, with more than 75 minutes to spare. I was, at last, on the verge of realising a dream. The station, which is on so many levels, has information counters and staff posted at many places to guide passengers. I had to take directions to reach the designated Shinkansen departure gate.

With nearly an hour to kill I used the waiting room, that was so neat and clean that I yearned for the same in my country too. Before joining the queue to take the reserved seat in the appointed coach, I picked up a couple of sandwiches from a convenience store. Sandwiches have become my go to food in Japan. I love the texture of the bread and the variety of fillings they offer.

The train pulled into the Tokyo station 15 minutes ahead of time. Therefore, I had enough time to find my seat and position my luggage in the overhead rack. The English voice of the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) is that of Donna Burke, an Australian singer, voice actress, and entrepreneur based in Japan.

She has been providing the calm, iconic announcements for JR Central since 2003, welcoming millions of passengers. She announces stops, transfers, and safety warnings (including earthquake alerts) on the Tokaido line, which connects Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. I remember seeing an interview of hers in which she jokingly said that 'in all probability, it would be her voice one would hear before one's death'!

At 8 am the doors closed and the train started. The ride was a dream all along the way. No noise, very few jerks, if none at all, and most importantly, the passengers were quiet and well mannered. The 450 km route would be covered in 135 minutes, which by road is done in nearly 6 hours.

The Shinkansen fare is about INR 9000, but then the comfort and saving of time compensated more than adequately. The train conductor and security personnel walked around in the coaches, but I was never asked for my ticket, though. The train pulled into Kyoto station a minute ahead of time and I got off the Hiroshima bound Nozomi 61, which is the fastest Shinkansen service. I had realised a long-cherished dream.

I had instructions from the hotel on how to get to the property. The cheapest option was the bus. Since I had planned to visit the sites in the city using public transport, I decided to 'experience' the bus transport in Kyoto. The route to the bus station was exceptionally well signposted in the railway terminal and I reached there without too much ado.

I had to take bus number 9 and didn't know here that would start from. I need not have worried for there are booths at the bus station where staff give directions regarding the bus routes and the enclosure one could board from. Was fortunate that one of them was boarding and I took it to reach the hotel in just a few minutes. The surprise was in seeing how close the drop off point was to the hotel. It was hardly 50 meters away.

Ghosh, from Bangladesh, checked me in. Even though the room tariff was prepaid I had to pay the city tax. The check-in time is 3 pm, but fortunately, my room was ready. A couple of others had stored their luggage and left for their day's program.

After freshening up in the room, I charged the mobiles and got on a bus to the Arashiyama bamboo forest. Google maps indicated that I had to ride the bus for 21 stops. When I got close to the designated drop off point, I could see thousands of people, all milling around the narrow streets. The driver helped me to get off at the right bus stop.

The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove is famous for its immersive atmosphere, featuring soaring, dense bamboo stalks that create a "natural tunnel" effect, a serene landscape. Its unique, tranquil beauty and the soothing sound of wind passing through stalks make it a must see landmark in Kyoto. It was swarming with people of every shape, size and nationalities. People hire hand drawn carriages to tour the sights in Arashiyama.

The other site to visit in Arashiyama is the Tenryujo Zen temple, which is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, founded in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Buddha. Construction was completed in 1345. The temple is ranked number one among Kyoto's so-called Five Mountains. In 1994, it was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto". There are entrance fees for the main attractions within, such as the Dharma Hall, Main Hall and the Rhododendron gardens.

The Togetsu Bridge is known for the beautiful scenery accented by the cherry blossoms and autumn foliage. Both were not on view during my visit. The bridge and its surrounding areas were filled with countless visitors. The Togetsu Bridge has been a has been in existence for over four hundred years. The wooden bridge spans the Katsura River in front of Arashiyama Mountain, and has often been used in historical films.

It is also the site of an important initiation for local children. Young boys and girls (the latter clad in kimono) first receive a blessing from a local temple and then make their way across the bridge under orders to do so without looking back. If one ignores this instruction, it is said to bring bad luck as a result, so the stakes are high!

The Monkey Park in Arashiyama offers a unique experience with over 120 Japanese macaques, stunning panoramic views of Kyoto, and a fun reversal where humans are "caged" while feeding the monkeys.  One has to climb a steep flight of steps to reach there. Instead, I whose to spend some time solemnly beside the Katsura River, watching tourists enjoying the wooden boat ride on the river and children hankering after parents for various types of ice cream. The Arashiyama area is full of restaurants, cafes, good kiosks and drink spots. The variety of food and drink in offer was massive. So were the prices. It was to be expected in a touristy place such as this.

From Arashiyama I took a bus to see the Nidec Kyoto Tower (formerly Kyoto Tower). I had a ride of 26 stops ahead of me. Most of the time I didn't have a seat and my legs ached from the hectic walks of the past few days. However, it gave me a tremendous opportunity to observe human behaviour. What surprised me most was how the bus driver went about his 'service'. He has a whole range of 'duties' to perform. He is responsible for the safe conduct of the bus, warning passengers when the bus stops and starts at signals and intersections and collect the fare.

At a particular stop, he got down from the bus, laid a platform for a wheelchair assisted person to board and then resumed the service. It was indeed remarkable. No muttering under the breath or annoyance for the extra work. All part of the humane trigger. I firmly believe that we much teach parents to be exemplary teachers and teachers to be exemplary parents. Erosion of these two functions is a sure shot disaster and a plunge into societal degeneration.

The 131-meter tall, iconic observation Kyoto Tower is located directly opposite the Kyoto Station. Completed in 1964, its 100-meter-high observation deck offers 360-degree views of the city, including temples, the Higashiyama Mountains, and Osaka on clear days. The tower features a hotel, souvenir shops, and Kyoto Tower Sando with restaurants. Despite it being a transport hub, it was so refreshingly efficient and quiet.

The last destination for the day was the famous Nishiki Market, which is a narrow, five block long shopping street lined by more than one hundred shops and restaurants, milling with people. Known as "Kyoto's Kitchen", this lively retail market is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties, such as Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood and sushi.

Nishiki Market is busy, but a center one must explore to get a feel of the culinary delights of the city. It is a one-stop shop for food lovers and shopaholics. The food stalls are basically stand and eat places. Most specialize in a particular type of food, and almost everything sold at the market is locally produced and procured.

The market has a history of several centuries, and many stores have been operated by the same families for generations. It started out as a fish wholesale district, with the first shop opening around 1310 AD. A larger variety of shops moved in later, and the area changed from a wholesale market to retail. After going over the mouthwatering foods on offer I settled for some delicious Gyoza, a dumpling with a variety of fillings and soy sauce.

Once the stomach was full the legs refused to go on any further. So selfish the body parts are! I got back to the hotel by bus and charted out the program for the next day, before hitting the sack, with muscle aches and blisters.

In the Land Of The Rising Sun - Tokyo - 27 April 2026

It was raining quite a bit when I came down for a cup of coffee and wondered if I would be able to even go out for the day because the forecast for the day wasn't too great either. People were up and about early with the start of the working week. The transparent umbrellas were everywhere. These ensure that the sight is never obstructed. By the time I came down after a bath the rain had become heavier. Not one to give up easily, I borrowed the ubiquitous transparent umbrellas from the hostel and set out for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) building.

The TMG towers and the surrounding buildings contain offices and the assembly hall of the metropolitan government of Tokyo. It is a favourite haunt of visitors for its free observation decks which provide good panoramic views of Tokyo and beyond. The 243-meter-tall building has two towers, and each houses an observatory at a height of 202 meters. Each observatory has a cafe and a souvenir shop. It had been the tallest building in Tokyo until it was overtaken by the Midtown Tower in 2007.

I was subjected to a baggage check before entering the elevator to the 45th floor. With the rain and wind, I did not expect any great views, which are said to include famous landmarks such as Mount Fuji, the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine and the Tokyo Dome. The spacious 360-degree observation deck is set out to wow visitors. At the centre of the deck is a souvenir shop serviced by staff. Polite hosts and hostesses are there to direct the visitor into and out of the lifts. A decorated Omoide Piano is another attraction of the deck. It had been graciously donated by a citizen and visitors are encouraged to try their hand with the piano.

I was among the first to be there, as the deck opens at 9.30 am. It was hazy and still raining, preventing any serious views even of the buildings in close vicinity. However, in about a half hour the weather cleared substantially, and I was able to pick out the major city landmarks signposted in the deck. Of course, views of Mt Fuji and such like were too far-fetched to expect on such a day. Even Tokyo Skytree, the tallest building in Tokyo at 634 meters, was hidden from sight. The Skytree building is the third tallest tower in the world after the Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur and Burj Khalifa in Dubai.

As I was straining to make out the various landmarks an English volunteer guide happened along. While making conversation with her she told me that the Tokyo Tower is hidden behind a newer tower that had come up lately. She pointed out a few other landmarks such as the Dome and a Museum near the Meiji Shrine. Thank heavens for the let up in the weather, for I did enjoy the time I spent in the observation deck.

After spending a while in the tourism promotion and souvenir shop on the second floor of the TMG I took the metro and walked to the base of the Tokyo Tower. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, the Tokyo Tower had been the tallest tower in Japan till the Skytree building was constructed. The tower is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations. It has an observation deck and many other attractions. There are many food and drink options at the ground level. I picked up and assorted sandwich from Lawson and enjoyed a few moments of rest and reflection.

Due to the unpredictable weather I decided to forgo the planned visits to Ginza, Rainbow bridge and Odaiba for the Statue of Liberty. Instead, I went to Akihabara and spend almost two hours there picking up some stuff for kids and friends. The place is so full of electronics, food and anime that it has to be seen to be believed. People were everywhere with hardly a senior in sight. My age stared me in the face. Besides, I am so out of touch with these new age 'heroes' and stories that it all looked weird and crazy to me. But the electric energy is unmatched.

For a sushi experience I walked into a standing sushi restaurant in Arte 1 building. Almost the entire first floor was full of eating joints. It took me some time to decide if I wanted to have Udon noodles or sushi. The standing sushi restaurant had just 10 places, each marked with a place number and a touchscreen with the menu, using which one can place the order.

I took a set of three Sushis with wasabi. Two flat leaves were placed before me with thinly sliced Japanese ginger. Soon the three pieces of sushi were placed on the leaf. I poured a few drops of soy sauce into a small saucer kept at the table for the purpose. I asked the hostess for a spoon, not wanting to make a fool of myself with the chopsticks. I took one of the pieces, dipped in the soy sauce and enjoyed the heavenly taste, wasaba included. Then I chewed on a couple of pieces of ginger. That elevated the taste further. An amazing experience, I must admit.

From a KitKat store I picked up Matcha and Strawberry KitKat, which can only be found in Japan. One of the stores had used Apple devices and Windows products at jaw dropping prices. Did see many Indians in the store. Another store that was filled with tourists is Matsumoto Kiyoshi, the popular cosmetics store. It is displayed prominently in most stores that visitors can avail tax free purchase if the purchase exceeds 5500 JPY. The customer is advised not to use such products before leaving Japan.

The weather turned when I was in Akihabara. I decided to walk back to the hostel in the light rain. By the time I got back my feet were in bad shape. Blisters had formed and burst. The hostel reception gave me some antiseptic and bandage to keep the wound protected. I used the coin laundry to get the used clothes washed and dried. A few large pegs of Shochu put me in the right frame of mind to turn in for the night.

In the Land Of The Rising Sun - Tokyo - 26 April 2026

I had booked a day tour to Hakone with GetYourGuide online in India. They regularly kept in touch and as the day neared for the excursion, the tour guide contacted me via WhatsApp and gave clear directions on where to meet and the do's and don'ts. I left early from the hostel, after grabbing a couple of sandwiches from a convenience store - a SOP by now - wanting to keep the 7.45 am deadline to meet near Tokyo station.

Even though I reached the station in time, I was unable to find the meeting place immediately. The GPS also played truant. Anyway, after a short run around i reached the appointed place. Many tour operators were already aggregating their guests at the place, each guide holding a different flag. I reported to Jack, the tour guide, who allotted me a seat number and directed me to the bus. By 8 am the bus was full, except for maybe a couple of seats, one of them was beside me. I dropped my backpack in that.

Sitting in the vehicle I observed that one doesn't come across any unwashed or beaten-up vehicles. Most of them shimmer in the sun and the drivers are quite careful on the roads too. Lane driving is key and speed limits are maintained. Zebra crossings are sacrosanct.

In a short while we were off, more than 25 people. Jack started with his opening remarks on the do's and don'ts and warned the guests that it would be better if they stuck to time and followed his instructions at the sites clearly. He detailed the day's itinerary and the main objective, which was to get a good sighting of Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan at 3776 meters.

Nevertheless, he also mentioned that Mt. Fuji is also known as shy mountain because it is mostly covered in clouds and blanketed by mist. It's visible only for 20 to 30 percent of the year. He hoped that we would be part of that exclusive 'club'. Jack and the driver belonged to a company called Gogoday Travels, whose services were aggregated by GetYourGuide.

Along the route to Hakone shrine, Jack explained the difference between a temple and a shrine. A temple is where a Buddha would be the chief deity, where as a shrine would have Shinto God in them. The distinction upfront is the religion, one is imported from Asia, while Shintoism is home bred. Shrines are marked by a torii gate and komainu dog statues, while temples often have a sanmon gate, pagodas, and cemeteries.

Jack gave a brief glimpse into the history of how capitals changed from Nara to Kyoto and later to Tokyo. Interestingly, he told us that Nara is linked to the famous farewell word 'sayonara'. Apparently, this is what the King who shifted the capital to Kyoto mentioned as he rode out of Nara, Sayo Nara, which was meant to be a short farewell, which later turned out to be an Adieu. Therefore, he said the term must be used with care, especially if you hope to meet the person again sometime. Jack said that the primary foods of Japan tourists must experience are Sushi, Ramen, wagyu and Odon noodles. He said that could give recommendations of restaurants that would not break the wallet!

Going back to the itinerary he said Hakone shrine, the lucky tree and the floating torii are first on the list, followed by a tour of the Ashi lake in a pirate ship (for those who would pay specially for that experience), the Hakone cable car, the Owakudani active volcano with its hot springs and black eggs. It is said that each blag egg can add 7 years to your life. However, it changes colour after two days as the sulphur wears off!

There would be a short break for lunch thereafter, people ordered in advance for that with the guide. I chose to depend on my sandwiches. After lunch would be the Mt. Fuji north side view from Oshinohakkai. The Mt Fuji water is so fresh that it is called the long life water. He said that people in Oshinohakkai and Oshino village people have the highest longevity, possibly due to the pure water and air. One can also experience Mt Fuji ice cream. The Mt Fuji coca cola is white and the sakura cola is pink. The final stop would be at the Yamanaka lake, which is also called the swan lake due to a large number of swans there.

During the lunch break in Oshino I walked to the Lawson store and came across a couple of sakura trees, waiting as if to show off its bright blossom. I also used the time to experience the use of a vending machine for a peach nectar fruit drink. F om the Lawson store I also picked up a bottle of shochu. The Daiyame is a critically acclaimed authentic Japanese sweet potato shochu produced by Hamada Syuzou in Kagoshima, renowned for its distinct, intense aroma of fresh lychee. It is "aroma rich" with 25% ABV and is best enjoyed with strong soda.

The tour happened exactly as described by Jack. Being a weekend tourists were everywhere. At the Hakone shrine I could not get anywhere near the floating torii as it was swamped by tourists who took forever to get the right pose, the right pout and individual and group photos. Since ancient times, the shrine's deity is believed to be a god of luck and good fortune. People pray for good luck and removal of bad luck removal, fulfilment of one's desire (protection of victory), and traffic safety.

The Ashi Lake is a crater lake situated along the wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano that last erupted in 1170 CE at Owakudani. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historic sites, and traditional ryokan.

The boat ride on the 'pirate ship' offered lovely views of the scenery along the caldera. Multiple tour groups were on the same ship and there is an exclusive enclosure for first class tourists at the bow of the boat. Couples could be seen trying to capture the Titanic magic. The boat ride lasted about half hour and then we took the cable car to Owakudani.

Each gondola could accommodate about 12 passengers. The ride is about a half hour. One can get panoramic views of the lake, the sulphur springs as well as Mt Fuji views. At Owakudani one can get a feel of the numerous hot springs from where plenty of gas could be seen spiralling up. Landslides are common in this area due to the fragile rock. However, the government has put in place many measures to mitigate and minimise the impacts. The big attraction here is the souvenir shop which sells the black eggs, Japanese curry, souvenirs and a whole lot of other stuff to take back with you.

The Oshinohakkai visit was really interesting. Oshino Hakkai literally means “eight seas of Oshino” and refers to the eight freshwater ponds formed by the meltwater of Mount Fuji. The ponds are renowned for their stunning clarity and tranquil beauty, each offering a mirror-like reflection of the surrounding landscapes. One can see the bottom of an 8-meter pond and that how clear the water is.  There are founts from where we can drink the pure water and full up your water bottles. The views of the Mt Fuji were awesome.

In fact, even from the Yamamoto lake we had super views of the mountain. Thus, it was a lucky day for the tour group with such bright and lovely weather. The drive back to Tokyo took nearly two and half hours, thanks to the Sunday evening traffic.

Even though the return trip to Tokyo took longer due to the weekend traffic it was, indeed, a thoroughly enjoyable day, more so because it was so well organised and the guide kept supplying the group with interesting titbits of history, culture and culinary advice. All along the return trip my mind was looking forward to a decent swig of the shochu. I must admit that its lychee punch made it taste like a cocktail, an enjoyable one.