THE TOKYO TRILOGY (Episode I): LOST IN TRANSLATION

Welcome to Japan, hai!

Narita Airport. This is just a bit of Japan. To speak conclusively on first impression about this great country is like cramming your whole house in a 5 mm capsule. I haven't seen anything like this - the organization of things, the cleanliness, the culture of the people whose courteousness is so innate you will wonder how on earth is that possible.

For days, I had that lost in translation moment. 'What happened to me those few days- the sights, the smells, the sounds- have tatooed themselves into my soul'. I would never forget. Fortunately my Japanese tutorial for the past weeks have helped in so many ways- not just when conversing with people nor mirroring the same treatment the Japanese gave me, but to get into the 'group soul' by speaking the same language and now breathing the same air.

Foodhuntress on the streets at six a.m. Just looking around. :)

I came to Japan in the first place to study cooking and tea brewing. To go to 'school', I had to take the train everyday. What I observed is that the Japanese are so polite with each other they had to line themselves up and wait until the people getting out the train have disembarked. No pushing. No headache.

Shimbashi station. From Jimbocho where we are staying, I have been observing (and in the process got so amazed as well) how Tokyo could have so many train lines like spider webs. I am only used to the three lines here in our country.

Black. Everybody was wearing black and other winter neutrals. The Tokyo Japanese are so sophisticated and intellectual- looking.

All the small things we see- are in fact a great part of the bigger whole.

- the flowers on the roadside. Which, I was thinking, were they in fact, cabbages engineered to bloom?

- the house/ restaurant across the street.

- the bicycles. No wonder Japan isn't as polluted like Manila. They use bikes. How do they care about the oil crisis?

- the sakura blossoms. Nope, too early for the cherry blossoms. They're not real.

- Hai, this is Ginza.

- what I could have wanted for myself. But when my boss heard that I wanted at least a copy, he told me not to buy. He had about a truck- ful of them, ha said he'd just give me one.


To be continued...