As much as we are excited about our next destination and the warm days ahead we are sad to move on. Japan will hold a special place in our hearts as the first place we visited and I have no doubts that we will be back one day. The short time here was just enough to wet our appetite for more.
We arrived in Japan not having any defined expectations. We were excited and open to receiving whatever was in store for us. Well, receive we did. Japan bestowed upon us the gifts of its amazing people. I have never encountered a nation so gentle, sweet and caring. Their sunny disposition is reflected in every aspect of life. We immediately felt safe here, welcomed and most of all happy, as I believe that happiness is contagious. I have shared moments of pure joy with my family that can happen only when I am fully present and to be fully present all my guards have to be down. Japan, you managed to strip all my protective layers off. We slept like babies on the road in the middle of nowhere. We let the kids bicycle in Kyoto all by themselves. We didn’t lock our front door. We left bicycles unattented. We walked in scary dark places feeling safe. We ordered food from a Japanese menu at a place where no English was spoken and got along perfectly.
All these revelations made me think that the people we encounter on our travels will be more important then the cultural sites we visit, the food or the quality of the accommodations.
As for the rest: The temples, castles, gardens and shrines are breathtaking
The food is amazing, simple and always good
The only issue we had was that we had a problem finding vegetarian options. There is fish in almost everything! What took me by surprise though was the amount of ‘holes in the wall’ – our name for little places that are family owned and sometimes operated by grandmas that are over 80. Most of those little restaurants specialize in ONE dish only that is usually a specialty for the region or for that establishment. Those who know me well know that I have a soft spot for grandmas and grandpas. Being in a tiny place that will not even pass the building code in USA and slurping soup made by a super cute бабче or дядо is on top of my list as far as having a good time goes.
The next thing that took me by surprise:
Japanese society feels like Bulgaria that I remember in my fondest memories: kids walking to school holding hands, grandmas out and about, public transport that can take you anywhere (Japanese one is very punctual unlike the Bulgarian one), public baths, social gathering places.
Japan has everything that I have been craving for while living in USA. I rebelled against the lack of decent public transport in my adopted country by postponing getting a driver’s license for as long as I could. I made our kids walk to school by themselves, kicked them out of the house in hopes that they will go find other kids to play with outside as I did when I was their age. Well, no wonder our kids say without a moment of hesitation that they would rather live here than in Asheville. Both of them feel intuitively that this is a society that will give them freedoms they can only dream of back home.
We spent our 5 days in Kyoto getting around on bikes. Our kids felt like the city was theirs to explore as they wish. This exhilarating revelation made their faces glow with happiness. They biked in the freezing cold, under and over dirty overpass roads, in shady industrial zones and along busy railroads but given the choice to bike or not to bike both headed for the bikes. Freedom is intoxicating and they couldn’t have enough of it!
Before I forget: everything here is cute
We are seduced by the children’s faces, so cute you want to cry, by the candy, by the cars, by the manholes, by the construction posts: by pretty much everything.
As far as modern architecture goes: we didn’t see much of it
We didn’t make any effort to look for it thinking that it will be in our faces all the time, similar to what I experienced in the Netherlands. Well, surprise. We saw ugly buildings left and right BUT we are fully taken by the urban density and the grid of tight alleyways dominated by people of all ages on bikes. I hope Japan does not destroy this healthy urban environment similar to China, where the small houses are being replaced by bigger living complexes lacking the appeal of the small scale, diverse neighborhoods.
The kids update: They are doing great!
Both of them are up for any adventure and … surprise: they keep up with their school work on their own, write in their journals, research whatever interests them and learn so much by cause and effect:) Before the trip I had a lot of anxiety about pulling them out of school. Not any more.
Got to go and make our last dinner in our tiny little small cute kitchen. If you have time drop us a line to say hi:) It will make us happy to hear from you! We miss you!!!!!
Sayonara Japan…
Till we meet again!
Very entertaining to read Maria – I like your writing style too – zdolna dziewczyna – anebo, chytra holka! And the kid’s response to a walking society – how about that! I’m still a bit in car shock back here, missing all the walking around of my little medieval town… The only thing I’ve been able to do here that involves movement is play ultimate (league games on Wed. nights) – and I should try to get up to the Wolf soon (as soon as the wool pants I ordered come in the mail…) – Keep up the travelogue – Great Stuff!
Dalton, so good to hear from you. I bet you miss your little medieval town;) I liked its scale and how easy was to get around there. As much as I love Asheville one is bound to a car based existence there. But on a positive note, seems like Sophie is flourishing and the skiing should be good this year. Sad we will miss a season. Merry Xmas to you!!! Love!