As this will be my first time visiting the Land of the Rising Sun, I don't have much expectations, except that the streets are cleaner than in the big cities of China, and that the Japanese are very courteous and polite. When I think of Japan, I think of dainty, mouth-watering Japanese dishes presented in such a painstakingly delicate manner that it looks more like a work of art rather than something to be consumed. I also think of geisha with painted white faces and bright red lips contrasting sharply against their jet-black hair, sashaying with an oriental umbrella in a most feminine way.
I think I must have a very limited perspective of Japan as its choice as a holiday destination had been obscured for all these years until now. Japan has never been of much interest to me apart from the assortment of strange-looking food and anime (Doraemon and Dragon Ball). The first time I saw real live Japanese was during my high school's annual student exchange programme with Nukata Junior High School. It was also a homestay programme where selected students were to house our guests from Japan over the weekend. It was usually reciprocal and the host student would become the guest when in Japan. I remember seeing how similar they looked to Chinese, yet so different! We had the same kind of skin tone, black hair and Asian features, yet there was something distinctly different about them. I bet it must be the eyes!
It was only in my early teens that I was exposed to more things Japonica as a large Japanese departmental store opened in the city and brought in a wide selection of Japanese products - from toys to household items. The late 90's also saw an increase in Japanese 'kaiten-belt' chain restaurants in the country serving the usual Japanese fare of sushi, sashimi, noodles and bento meals. As Japanese food seemed to be very popular here, more restaurants opened soon. I also noticed an influx of Japanese anime in video or comic book format being sold in specialty shops. Even the satellite TV had a channel dedicated solely to anime.
The only Japanese themed book and movie I had ever read and watched was Memoirs of a Geisha. Although the movie was not authentically Japanese (the geisha makeup had been tweaked to appeal to Hollywood and the spoken language was English!), it did provide a brief insight into Japanese culture. It was there that I read about geisha, obi, kimono, yukata, tatami mats and Kabuki. The movie offered a visual feast such as Japanese architecture, Japanese gardens with an arched bridge over a body of glassy water, stone lanterns along a pathway planted with bamboo and maple, shrines and traditional Japanese clothing.
Going back to reality, I really do hope to see some geisha in Gion as well as the famed tunnel of Torii Gates in Kyoto and sample really good authentic Japanese fare. If I'm daring enough, I might even strip nude and bath in an onsen (Japanese hot spring). The average temperature in April is 9 to 20 degrees Celcius. I read that there will still be snow at Mount Fuji 5th station so some additional warm clothing will be required. Honestly, I dread packing for cold places because of all the layers and bulk!
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