Japan: Expected Wonder

 

I was reluctant to write about Japan. Many reasons. I wrote about South Korea with lots of enthu because it’s still an unconquered frontier for the Indians. I met hardly any. While in Tokyo, in the suburb, Nishi Kasai where I was staying, I met dime a dozen. Every fourth person was Indian.

So much so that when I climbed down the Metro station of Nishi Kasai balancing my bag on escalator the first couple I met, appeared to be Indian. On asking them they turned out to be Marathi, right ho, from Pune! They asked their Japanese friend to assist me in finding my hotel; as Google maps play gimmicks many times! The lady accompanied me till she made sure with the front desk that I have come at the right place. Kudos to her. For right reasons Nishi Kasai is Mini India of Tokyo.

Second, there is hardly anything about Japan that’s unknown to Indians. And that’s why the title, Japan: Expected wonder. Wonder, no doubt but nothing makes you shake from within! You remain fairly rooted. As if, if it’s Japan it has to be such!

Third and most important, taking in to consideration that Japan was nothing but dust, rubble and ashes in 1945-46 and what it is today, one feels lost as an Indian! Major cities like Tokyo, along with of course Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a big hip of debris and wreckage. In 1947 India was quite well off, American dollar was on par with Indian Rupee. There was no aftermath of the big war that was fought on the shores far away! And now…..And this is where I hate it…. In the end while writing about countries like Germany, Japan and South Korea, you start bad mouthing India in one way or the other, at times indirectly! And what would I achieve …nothing! It was like this, it’s going to be like this. I do not want to go into the details of where we lost the bus! But it hurts and I do not want to get hurt, so I was reluctant to pen down the memories of my Japan Journey!!

But after fighting with myself for many days and moved by many friends’ requests along with literally pushes of my wife I gave up the charade, and now when I am at it, let’s see, how much justice I do to the topic, Japan: Expected wonder!

I had chosen Nikko for its nature, Kyoto for its culture, Hiroshima and Tokyo; of course you cannot omit them when you visit Japan. Tokyo as the last stop because it’s always better to be nearest to the airport from where you are flying back home and plus, shopping! Tokyo stands predominantly on world map of shopping! I was not going to buy Rolls Royce or Bentley but whatever tiny bits…. Tokyo was the best choice!

The ANA, All Nippon Airways flight from Mumbai to Narita, one of the busier airports of Tokyo, other one is Haneda was the best of the flights I had taken so far. Flawless take off, turbulence free in-flight and absolutely smooth landing. Narita Airport- When you expect more, crash landing is more often. Narita only is a work savvy airport like Japanese themselves. No flashy duty frees, nor decorated interiors. Though not absolutely drab, nothing special to write home about!

On agenda there were few important chores to be completed. Exchanging JR pass voucher for the actual JR pass. It’s like a Eu-rail pass, unlimited travel for a fixed amount for stipulated days. I had taken 14 days’ pass. Though the queue was not short, the girls on the counter were efficient and I got my pass within 15 to 20 minutes .Another task was to get Japanese SIM card for the mobile. It turned out that the SIM card available on the kiosk was only for data and you neither could  call nor send the messages. So it was useless. I had to turn on ‘International Roaming’, on my Vodafone. I had read about delivery of your baggage at your door-step, here hotel. I was so exasperated with my bag in Korea; this seemed like god sent opportunity. You could move freely without any “Baggage!” [Pun intended!] Nikko is hardly two hours travel from Tokyo. But I was told, for two hours of passage they would take a full day to deliver, it would be only next day. I was to live in Nikko less than that: so this again was futile.

JR pass is valid for travel on Narita Express to Tokyo. Narita Express is an ultra modern train that crosses the distance of 65 kms within one hour. When I landed on the platform a train was already waiting so I got on the board. And it was not Narita express. Within minutes, on the platform adjacent, the real Narita express arrived. As I was about to alight, the attendant practically forced me back again because the train was about to start. And I missed a chance to travel by ‘The’ Narita Express. My train turned out to be ‘Dombiwali Slow stopping at all the stations’!    

Tokyo, why Tokyo alone, all the railway stations of major cities in Japan are big ‘Bhulbhulaiyya’! Trains are privatized in Japan so stations cater to multiple types of trains. Usual trains, Shinkansen, aka bullet trains, local trains and metros. All the Shinkansen platforms are on the upper deck, ground level platforms cater to the local trains [usual passenger trains in India], while metros are underground. I was practically lost in that maize, as my local train from Narita arrived on the underground platform and I was to catch bullet train [on the upper deck] to Utsunomiya from where the third train of the day, the train to Nikko was leaving. The Electronic notice boards are there, but within a fleeting moment English version disappears and Japanese versions at least in two scripts keep on flashing. Japanese language has three sets of alphabets and they do not have any resemblance to each other. I for few minutes did not know what to do, whom to ask and which platform to go. Common Japanese hardly knows any English, and for any query if they don’t want to reply, which is common, they coolly turn their heads away. And I saw Utsunomiya being flashed for absolutely a second or so, on the notice board of platform number 23. Japanese railway stations have more than enough escalators so bag did not pose a problem. Every Shinkansen has few compartments un-reserved. And it’s boldly displayed. I stood in a queue for such a compartment. To ascertain, whether I am standing in the correct queue or not, I asked the gentleman ahead about the train and whether it goes to Utsunomiya or not. And I was as if taking to the wall! Fortunately another gentleman heard it and said, ‘You are in the correct queue!’ I was just short of leaving a deep sigh!

Shinkansen is an airplane on the ground. Similar tube like aerodynamic design. Shorter in height than the usual trains. Locomotive has a long beak like snout, the pantograph and the overhead electrical traction system too is different than the normal trains. During the entire course, the train runs on the upper deck, so no ground level grazing cattle halting the train! No comparisons! It hardly has jerks and it’s said that water in a glass does not shake even a bit! I did not try, as I drank it directly from the bottle! Utsunomiya to Nikko train was like Matheran’s mini train, a bit bigger, meter gauge.

When I got down on Nikko JR station, climate was absolutely wonderful. Air was so crisp, might have heard the crackling sound on twisting the fingers. My hotel Classic was bang opposite station and I just walked in! After changing three trains without losing a minute anywhere I was on the clean white bed for my first stop in Japan. Nikko!