Ahmedabad to the Land Of The Rising Sun, Japan - 24 April 2026

It is summertime again, a time to vacation. This time, the 68th country, would be Japan. There are over 14,000 islands in the Japanese archipelago. But the four main islands of Japan, running from north to south, Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, house the majority of its population.

The currency of Japan is the Yen and is the third most traded currency, after the USD and Euro. The notes are denominated in 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10,000 yen. The coins are available as 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen. Coins are widely used and people carry specially made coin boxes with separate pockets for various denominations.

Japan is called the "Land of the Rising Sun" because of its geographical location east of China, making it appear as the place where the sun rises, causing it to be one of the first countries to see the sunrise. The Japanese name for the country, "Nihon" or "Nippon," translates directly to "origin of the sun". This nickname and Hiroshima and Nagasaki, unfortunately, were the first pieces about Japan that I picked up in primary school. However, the urge to travel to Japan was stimulated by the exemplary behaviour of the Japanese fans after their World Cup matches. Discipline, hard work, pride in the culture and ethics of the nation and being ambassadors of their country.

I made a 9 day tour program of Japan with visits to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima. The visa, as usual, was obtained through Network Tours and Travels. Rajiv Shah, its proprietor, helped me obtain the visa in about a week. He also booked VietJet flights to Tokyo and back from Hiroshima through Hanoi. He also got me an Overseas Medical Insurance. There was a time when the OMI was examined at the time of check-in. Now, no one seems to be bothered about it.

When I checked in the baggage in Ahmedabad international airport the girl at the counter wondered how one could travel with a total of just 10 kgs between the check-in and cabin baggage. I was deliberately travelling light with the intention of reusing clothes. All the accommodation I had booked has washing machine and dryer. Once the check-in formalities were done, I asked if the flight would be in time. With a bored look and a mechanical attitude, she confirmed a right time departure for the VietJet flights from Ahmedabad to Hanoi.

Later a 40-minute delay was announced, the flight taxied out at least 50 minutes late. This, I anticipated, could cut into the changeover time I would have in Hanoi. The flight that should have landed at 5.55 am local time finally 'freed' the passengers at 7 am. Boarding for Tokyo had begun at 7.05 am. I didn't have the patience to snake along with the forbidding numbers for the security check. Instead, I dodged the queue taking the excuse of a boarding flight. I must say that I didn't either see a frown or opprobrium among other guests. The sea of humanity parted and soon I found myself at the head of the queue for security check.

I barely got 10 minutes to use the Men's room and freshen up a bit. Boarding was going on smoothly. Flight took off in time from Hanoi, and I settled in the seat for the 5 plus hours to Tokyo. On the first and second legs of the flights I was served a 'Vegetarian Hindu Meal' with a 20-gm packet of freeze-dried cashews, a bottle of water and a serviette. I tried my best to catch up on lost sleep. But the arthritic neck and shoulder joints made the rest fitful.

At the Narita airport the walk to immigration was fairly long, but the wait at the counter was nominal, as I had already downloaded the QR Code for Immigration and Customs clearance. I had entered the 68th country. I did not even glance around the duty free. My mind was on retrieving the checked in bag, obtaining a Suica card and taking the train to the accommodation.

I sought the help of a warden at the airport to obtain a free Suica card from a kiosk and load it. Another one helped me to reach the right metro station platform. They were all so helpful and gave me the first taste of the hospitality in the country. After a long 80-minute ride I reached the Asakusabashi station. The A16 Hostel is barely 6 minutes’ walk from the station. It is indeed a challenge staying in such an accommodation (a bunk bed) after a certain age - generation gap is unavoidable. However, the property is neat and clean and extremely well maintained.

Later I took the short walk from the hostel to the Sumida waterfront. The Sumida River is a 27-kilometer waterway in central Tokyo that flows from the Arakawa River to Tokyo Bay, passing through seven wards including Sumida, Taito, and Chuo. As a vital historic river, it is famous for its 37 unique bridges, annual summer fireworks, cherry blossom viewing, and scenic water bus cruises.

The Cultural Significance of the river features prominently in Japanese arts, including Ukiyo-e paintings by Hokusai and Hiroshige, and is a premier location for the annual Tokyo Summer Fireworks Display. Popular tourist cruises and water taxis operate between Asakusa, Odaiba, and other points. Sumida Park, renowned for its cherry blossoms, is located on both banks. The Sumida River Walk is a popular pedestrian bridge along the Tobu Skytree Line allows for walking from Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree.

After a refreshing 2 km amble along the Sumida River walkway, admiring the various bridges, that came alive with lights after 6.30 pm, the various river tour boats, offering sights and meal courses, the striking Tokyo Skytree often changing colours, I reached the central part of Asakusa. From there I set sights for the Senso-ji Temple, which is famous as Tokyo's oldest and most iconic Buddhist temple, founded in 645 AD, and for being the heart of traditional culture in the Asakusa district.

It is best known for its massive red Kaminarimon Gate (guarded by the Thunder and Wind deities), the first of the gates to the Senso-ji. One of the showpieces there is the 3.9-meter-tall red lantern. From there I walked along the street studded by shops, that were already closed, which ended up at the Hozomon Gate. The massive wooden figures at the gate carved out of a single piece of cypress trees is indeed stupefying.

Past that on the left-hand side is the five-tiered pagoda, a 53.32-meter tall, vermilion-lacquered, steel-framed reconstruction built in 1973. Originally established in 942 A.D., this iconic landmark was rebuilt after the 1945 Tokyo air raids and houses Buddha’s ashes on its top floor and thousands of memorial tablets on the ground floor. The main hall as well as the pagoda and fortune telling stalls were closed for worship. However, the night atmosphere is at a different level. The massive grounds of the Sensoji hosts the major Sanja Matsuri festival.

To the side of the Sensoji is the Asakusa shrine. Also known as Sanja-sama (Shrine of the Three gods), it is one of the most famous Shinto shrines in the city. The shrine honours the three men who founded the neighbouring Sensoji. One of the only two buildings in the area to survive World War II bombings, it is designated an Important Cultural Property due to its long history.

From the Sensoji grounds I retraced my steps to the Nakamise street, to look for some food. The Nakamise Shopping Street is a 250-meter approach to the temple lined with over 100 stalls selling traditional snacks, souvenirs, kimonos, and crafts, dating back centuries. The main shops close between 5 and 7 pm, but the eateries are mostly open, as well as Konbinis, the convenience stores. I went to a 7 Eleven store and looked around for something to eat. There were plenty of options to drink and eat. I picked up a scotch highball, a crispy fried chicken, a curry bread, a tiramisu pudding and a packet of vanilla ice-cream puffs.

In the store I got schooled about the billing queues and how to handle money at the time of payment. In Japan, it is considered inappropriate to walk and eat. So, I stood at the store corner and polished off the curry bread and crispy fried chicken. On the opposite side of the street was a shop selling Taiyaki, which is a popular Japanese fish-shaped cake, traditionally filled with sweet red bean paste and baked in a mould until the batter is crispy on the outside and soft inside.

Originating over 100 years ago in Tokyo, this staple street food now features modern fillings like custard, chocolate, and cheese, often found at festivals or specialized shops. Unable to resist, I chose one with creamy peanut filling, which was heavenly. After that, to burn the ingested calories I walked back along the Sumida River and got back to the hostel. It had been a long day and the time came to rest.