Rambling in Japan and Cruising Across the Pacific 2005: What puts Japan into my top 5?

Monday, May 09, 2005

The food - sushi, sashimi, noodles, Hiroshimayaki and the plastic food replicas outside the restaurants or in the windows
The people - gentile, friendly, punctual, efficient, smiling, bowing, gracious manners, their love of beauty and how they go out of their way to help you
Cleanliness - city streets, pristine stations, shops and restaurants have the highest standards
Adherence to tradition - the tea ceremony, geishas, etc
Scenery - blossoms, rolling terrain, very green
The serene beauty of the ancient shrines, temples and gardens
Tokyo - the archictecture, the masses of neon, the department stores, the fish market etc etc etc etc etc - I really love Tokyo!
The trains, especially the Shinkansen - a spiderweb network that runs so punctually, so often and is so comfortable and clean
Hotel rooms - so tiny but so comfortable and lots of amenities
No tipping - they won't even accept tips when offered

The only negative points I can think of are the smog and it can be quite expensive if you don't watch out.