Breakfast at Matsokushi and dinner with friends

I'm just back from an exquisite meal with the Tanaka family at Tokyo Breeze on the 36th floor of the Maranouchi Building. The food was like a work of art on a plate and tasty too... and the view out across the Tokyo skyline at night simply breathtaking. It was so lovely to see the family again too. When I last saw Kaori, she was nine years old. She's now a rather charming twenty-six year old and I enjoyed her company and that of her parents very much.

I'm a very lucky woman because I also had the pleasure of spending last night in the company of friends - this time the Hara family. We ate a special meal together in a traditional Japanese restaurant looking over the beautiful west facade of Tokyo station and recalled the time they spent living next door to Mum and Dad. 

I have been touched by both families hospitality and kindness.

Today was another good day. I set out first thing on foot for the Ginza district of Tokyo, which I guess is the equivalent of London's Oxford Street, yet somehow grander. I'd been advised to be at Matsokushi, the famous department store, for opening, and I now know why. The process of getting the store ready to welcome customers is a ritual in its own right. Beautifully uniformed sales assistants opened the doors five minutes beforehand and read out some kind of speech before the chimes signalled that it was time to enter. The rest of the store staff were then waiting on every corner and at the end of each escalator to personally welcome every customer and thank them for their visit. 

The store itself gave off that vibe that Holly Golightly describes so appealingly in Breakfast at Tiffany's and it would have been easy to spend several hours exploring but I reluctantly tore myself away for a brief visit to the slightly more realistically priced Uniqlo - which in Ginza is 12 stories high! 

Having satisfied my shopping urge, I decided it was time for some Tokyo culture and headed by subway to the district of Yanaka, where I spent a wonderful couple of hours exploring little back streets with their numerous temples, craft stores and art studios. 

Sitting on a bench in the sunshine outside one temple, I decided to take the plunge and make a beeline for the Tokyo Skytree, apparently the world's tallest free-standing communication tower at 634m. Viewing it from the ground is impressive enough, so in the end I willingly coughed up the Y2000 that it costs to take the lift to the viewing deck at 350m. I'm glad I did. I don't think I'd really grasped until that moment quite how immense Tokyo is ... but the fact that it didn't end in any direction I looked made that point rather well I thought! 

Back on terra firma, I decided to ignore my tired legs and push on to one final location for the day - Asakusa. Crossing over the river provided a great photo opportunity back to the Skytree and I then found myself amidst the throngs making their way towards Senso-ji through the Kaminari-mon gate. This is Tokyo's most visited temple and the whole area surrounding it is alive with worshippers and tourists all trying to get close. The energy given off by the crowd was electric.

Exhausted at last, I then wended my way back to the hotel to pack and get ready for dinner. 

Talking of being exhausted, one thing I keep forgetting to mention here is the remarkable Japanese ability to snatch a few moments sleep seemingly on demand. I was probably more aware of it today having had little sleep last night myself but I am sure that at least 75% of the occupants of any given subway carriage are having forty winks and I've seen at least three people asleep standing up... which you have to admit is quite a skill to have. I wonder if they are more tired than us Brits for some reason or whether its just another example of their startling efficiency - recharging the batteries at any available opportunity.

So, the time has sadly come for me to say goodbye to Japan. Hopefully I'll be back again some day as I still have a long list of 'must-sees' that I haven't seen! I think it a wonderful country with a rich culture, strong heritage, stunning landscapes (of both the natural and man-made variety) and kind people. Oh, and accordingly to the television, some rather splendid ice dancers at Sochi! 

Hopefully, I'll be back with another blog soon... watch this space...

Gold!

This is my view of Kinkaku-ji temple this morning. Thought it too good to keep to myself.

I'm now back in Tokyo following a much more pleasurable bullet train ride in my nice comfortable reserved seat... which also delivered some rather spectacular views of Mount Fuji. I had one of those moments when it popped into view when I excitedly looked around at my fellow passengers expecting them to be as awe-inspired as me only to find them either asleep, reading or tapping away on their tablets and smartphones. So, I thought I'd share the moment with you instead!

My new hotel is very nice but my room unfortunately has a 'view' of the metal side of the next door building about a metre from my window, which is causing me mild claustrophobia! Glad that I will soon be meeting Mr and Mrs Hara... and hopefully their daughter Tomoko... for dinner nearby.

Right, off now to pick up my airport limousine bus ticket. They tried to scare me with stories of heavy snowfall when I'm trying to leave on Wednesday morning but I'm choosing not to panic... yet!

When you've seen one temple, you haven't seen them all!

I've got a lot to fill you in on since my last post and only half an hour before I have to check out and head off to catch my train back to Tokyo.

Yesterday I awoke to blue skies and sunshine which made a delightful change. My first port of call was the district of Arashiyama, west of the city, where I had been promised the 'romantic side of Kyoto'. It didn't disappoint...

I started at the temple of Tenryu-ji, which boasts a beautiful 14th century Zen garden with a glass-like pond at its centre. I then climbed up the hillside through a towering bamboo grove with trees reaching for the skies which creaked and rustled like it was alive. This was made even more special by the sunshine fighting its way through to the forest floor.

At the top of the path I was greeted by the magnificent villa and garden of Okochi-Sanso, originally built by a famous samurai film actor. The rather steep entrance fee here meant that I had the place almost to myself and could spend time reflecting in true zen style at various meditation points around the gardens whilst looking down over Kyoto from this tremendous vantage point. I finished up in the little tea room where I was brought a cake and a cup of matcha-style green tea, which I swallowed as politely as I could!

Back in town, I made my way to Southern Higashiyama, the area of Kyoto that is home to some of its most famous sights. There was a suggested walk in my guide book, which I ended up doing backwards due to transport connections... I thought I was being clever until I realised I appeared to be walking uphill the entire way!

Leaving my poor knees aside, the walk was quite something. My first stop was Shoren-in, a small Tendai sect temple and a contender for my favourite place in Japan so far. It's not so well known as other temples in the area so was much quieter and seemed to contain more people who had come to pray and meditate rather than sight-see. This is where I encountered my first group of women in traditional dress. They were breathtakingly beautiful ... I only wish I had found the courage to ask if I could take their photograph.

Reluctantly moving on from Shoren-in, I found myself at Chion-in, which was something of a contrast. My book describes it as 'an immense Pure Land Buddhist Temple' and 'grand in every way', which I think is a very fair summary. Impressive though it was, it didn't have quite the same appeal.

I then wandered through the pretty Maruyama-koen park to the open air shire of Yasaka-jinja where I spent a few moments observing the shrine caretakers at work in their traditional clothing. They keep very busy making sure everything is kept spic and span. 

After a couple of brief detours to Kodai-ji temple and then Ishibei-koji, a pretty residential lane off the main trail, I started my ascent (poor knees) to Kiyomizu-dera temple, one of Kyoto's must-see sights. One of its main draws is the spectacular view it affords over the city and I spent quite a long time at the top breathing in the incense and looking out towards the haze. It's quite something to observe the number of people who had the same idea and the temple throbs with hoards of people who have come from all over Japan and beyond to pay their respects. 

Having roused myself, I made a slow descent back down the hillside and began my search for a bus that would take me back to Kyoto station. 

I'm not sure whether I'm more impressed with the Kyoto public transport system or my ability to navigate it to be honest. Knowing me, you'll know that I like a good puzzle and I secretly relish the challenge of working out how to get somewhere using the subway, train and bus network. So far, so good... but perhaps I shouldn't speak too soon!

This morning I was up early again to make sure I could squeeze in two further temples Kinkaku-ji and Ryoan-ji which both featured in Mr Tanaka's Kyoto Top 3 tips. Not wishing to miss them, I set off on the number 205 bus to North-West Tokyo first thing with the added bonus that I was there for Kinkaku-ji opening at 9am and could be one of the very first to gasp as I rounded the corner and took in the shining gold pavilion from the other side of the water. I can see why this temple is so popular with visitors and I'm just glad that I was able to soak up the atmosphere with little interruption. 

I then hot-footed it down the road to Ryoan-ji, a very different temple again, which is famous for its zen garden made from just 15 rocks. Although I could get a sense of the calming nature of this garden, I actually found the rest of the gardens here very beautiful and spent quite a while sitting by the Kyoyo-chi pond in the winter sunshine.

I have to dash now... but will blog again soon and share some more of my impressions of Japan so far!

Konichiwa Kyoto

Sorry for missing yesterday's blog installment but I could quite muster the energy after an exhausting day.

Not wishing to dwell on work but the event went really well. The presentations ran to time, all the technology worked, the venue looked great and everyone seemed to find it interesting and enjoyable. And I've made a new friend for life in my colleague Takako who was a joy to work with throughout.

Joyce and I escaped at the end of the drinks reception to make a dash for the shops, so she could buy her daughters some presents before flying home today. I intended to just go along for the ride and to get a glimpse of Tokyo in the snow but, once in the toy shop, couldn't quite resist buying Penny and Ava a little something (sshh.. don't tell them, it's a surprise!).

So, about the snow. Well, it's been a bit British if I'm totally honest. Enough to be annoying but not enough to create a proper winter wonderland... with the exception of the beautiful garden which lies in the centre of the Sheraton Mikayo where I was staying. It has, however, made even more conspicuous the Japanese people's innate sense of style. Everyone I encountered before it snowed was beautifully turned out in stylish clothes and without a hair out of place. Now I know that they can also effortlessly carry off 'alpine chic'! I feel permanently scruffy...

Having returned from the shops, Joyce and I had dinner with Steve, our CTO, and we were just about to call it a night when another colleague - Tom, a British guy based in Shanghai - ventured into the lounge alone. It seemed unfriendly not to stay back and keep him company whilst he ate his dinner but it meant that when I finally crawled into bed I was struggling to keep my eyes open.

So, I'm going to blame Tom for the fact that when I did open them again it was 10.10 in the morning! A minor panic ensued as I realised that not only was I lot later getting going than I wanted to be but that I also had to check out by 11am! A second slightly larger panic followed when I realised that I couldn't find my extensively annotated guide books. 

By noon, the panicking was over (the guide books had been handed into reception) and I was at Shinagawa station waiting for the Shinkansen to Kyoto having been delivered there safely by a woman taxi driver who chatted to me happily the whole way in Japanese without me understanding a single word! The comeuppance for my tardiness was having to stand for nearly 2 hours of the journey but I made the most of the opportunity to watch my fellow passengers... who behaved impeccably throughout! The best bit was when we arrived at Kyoto station and people were queuing up for the bins so they could throw away the rubbish they'd brought with them off the train. I hate to think what they must think when they come to London.

My hotel in Kyoto is just perfect for my needs. Really central and very modern with everything I could need including a little kitchen area where I've just made myself a cup of green tea after my bath. I was rather proud of finding it to be honest as Kyoto Station was a little bit puzzling in places.

This afternoon I have been out exploring. My late start means that I will have to have a busy day tomorrow but I did make it to  Fushimi Inari-taisha with its thousands of Shinto shrine gates this afternoon, where I spent a wonderful couple of hours wandering around in the pouring rain. It was very peaceful and the sound of the water dripping off the trees in the surrounding woodland only added to the atmosphere.

For a complete change of pace, I then headed back into downtown Tokyo and explored the streets around Shijo Dori. I even ventured into one of the beautiful department stores but became quickly confused by how many things I wanted to buy and decided it was best to leave empty handed (for now).

Now back at my hotel and looking forward to a good night's sleep. But not so good that I miss tomorrow morning... I've got a lot to squeeze in!

Something a bit fishy...

I've mentioned before in my blogs that I appear to be missing the gastronomic gene. I knew this had the potential to cause me problems here when every guide book or article I read told me that the food was reason enough to visit Japan and that it has more Michelin starred restaurants than any other country in the world.

Sure enough, tonight I faced my equivalent of a bushtucker trial ... sashimi, followed by spare ribs, followed by eel omelette, followed by foie gras, followed by prawn tempura, followed by cold noodles with something slimy added for good measure. Frankly, I think I deserve a medal  although I think Steve, our CTO, might have caught me in the act of gamely swallowing one bit of raw fish and washing it down quickly with a large gulp of water. He certainly looked amused!

However, the evening as a whole was certainly not wasted on me. From the moment, I removed my shoes and climbed into our little private dining den, I knew that the food need only be part of the experience. I savoured the rituals, the beautiful presentation, the charm of the waiting staff and, most of all, the company of my colleagues. Rather oddly, the arrival of dessert also meant that I finished the evening with a pleasant taste in my mouth after all. I don't know what the ice cream was... but it was a dark greeny-blue moss colour and utterly delicious!

Can't wait to have scrambled eggs for breakfast though...

Note to the 99% of people who love Japanese food - the restaurant is called Konomu and it's in the Shirokane district. I recommend the ice cream!

Flushed with success

So, as I could have probably guessed, my neatly compartmentalised flight schedule didn't exactly work out. I didn't sleep a wink, the film selection was poor (and on a loop rather than on demand) and the lack of lighting for about 3/4 of the time made working or reading pretty tough. Ah well, the glamour of international travel...

Things looked up though on landing at Tokyo Narita airport and on first impressions Japan is living up to the high expectations I had for it. It is spotlessly clean, incredibly ordered and efficient and the people are gentle and very hospitable.

I managed to find my way from the hotel to the office on the subway without getting (too) lost... and on the way back to the hotel - this time in a car with one of my colleagues - I was able to get a glimpse of what downtown Tokyo might have in store for me when I finally get a chance to explore next Monday.

My current focus, however, is on staying awake for another two hours in order to try and get back on an even keel. I've been awake for 28 hours so far... but I reckon trying to figure out how the toilet in my room works could be just what I need to fill another two... it's already taken me 15 minutes to find the flush button!

Tomorrow is a day of meetings and rehearsals but I'm sure there will still be a tale to tell. 'Til then!

It's been a while...

It's been a while since I last blogged. But a trip to Japan felt like too exciting an opportunity to go unrecorded.The first three days may be work but even that's going to be an adventure as I navigate the ins and outs of a completely different culture in order to put on an event for 120 people.

After that, it's four days of 'me' time. I'm hoping to get the bullet train out to Kyoto on Saturday morning but I guess that might be a little weather dependent. Apparently Tokyo has just had its biggest snowfall since 1994... which was to be expected given my track record with flights in January and February. Fortunately, I have slightly more faith in the Japanese than most other countries to keep things going...

I'll be off to the airport shortly for my 11hr 55 min flight. Current plan is roughly 3 hours work, 3 hours film and/or book and 6 hours sleep.  I'll let you know how that goes for me on the other side!

It's good to be back...