Long Live Culture, Long Live Traditions- Debashree’s Family Trip Review of Japan
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“Go!”
And they ran towards the great Mount Fuji at full speed!
It was a father-daughter race, and Debashree was the race marshall.
Although the father had to carry the daughter back in his arms because she was unwilling to walk as much as she had run, it was perhaps one of the best moments of their Japan family trip!
It was a fine morning in September, and the Mount Fuji was clearly visible. They had come on a day trip to Hakone to spend a nice day exploring the onsen baths and to explore the town. The best part of this experience was the constant background of Mt.Fuji which only changed its angles.
After the thrilling yet short rendezvous, they all headed to the famous Hakone no Mori Ashiyu- an onsen resort known for its healing hot baths. It was a timeless experience, bathing in the comfortable waters of the spring overlooking the sight of the snow-capped Fuji peak. It was then that they realised, that Japan is much beyond its cities, the true beauty of this destination lay in its natural surroundings and the traditional countryside villages.
Such one place was Kyoto
It was a paradise.
The small town was filled with cherry blossom trees which were not abud yet, but clearly, the place would have looked even more glamorous with the blooms in March. Debashree kept ignoring the bombing thought in her mind that said, “We need to come here again in the springtime”. But when she went to the Arashiyama Bamboo forest, she could not hold it back anymore, and she blurted her thoughts aloud. Thank god only her husband had heard it, thereafter promising her a sweet second honeymoon trip.
The rails of bamboo trees lay ahead, paving the forest trail with a touch of magic and a charming ambience. It was truly surreal to witness such places in Asia, that too in such a clean and well-kept manner.
Coming from Kolkata, it was a shock to the whole family when they saw that the Japanese people kept each street, road, attraction, and spotless clean. Not just that, they were so humble and friendly that none of them came across any form of road rash or unnecessary honking on the road while travelling.
It was not just surprising, but a lesson to learn. They kept on talking about it throughout the trip, ultimately showing a keen willingness to learn more about Japanese culture.
And the best way to do it? They all thought… and kept on thinking
Until the little girl came up with it-
FOOD! (...and more)
The culinary heritage of Japan is something that is highly regarded and appreciated throughout the world. With their multiple forms of sushi, ramen, and desserts, the burst of authentic Asian flavours that they treat your tastebuds with is unparalleled.
So the whole family went for a street food tour first through Tokyo and then headed to a traditional Japanese eatery to try out the more sophisticated delicacies.
Starting from Yakitori and Yakisoba to Udon, Gyoza, and Karaage, the street food spree almost made them all full.
But then they went for a nice city tour of Tokyo, exploring the several cultural and historical sites there like the Meiji Jingu Shrine and the Tokyo-Daijingu Shrine. Then moving on to Senso-Ji and Tokyo Tower, they finally wrapped up their day tour with panoramic views of Tokyo’s cityscapes during nighttime from the famous Tokyo Skytree.
There were so many things to cover in Japan that they were at a loss of words. The rich heritage and historical setting of this country were beyond imagination. The museums spoke of times that went by thousands of years ago; the memorials brought back the trauma of the dark times of the World War.
Eventually, when the night was getting older, they went for a nice long dinner at Chanko & Wanko Restaurant. It was in Asakusa Sumo Club, and although they did not brace themselves for it, they did opt to watch a sumo wrestling performance before the dinner.
To their awe- it was a fantastic sport. The cartoons of Pogo had perhaps made them look funnier, but in real life, they had real power…like, REAL POWER.
Shaking off the jitters, they went inside the restaurant where they saw three things written as guidelines on a parchment hung on the wall-
(A) Always open your shoes, and sit at the table with your knees folded.
(B) Be polite, be helpful, and serve the community, especially if it means sharing food and kindness.
(C) Slurp your noodles as loudly as possible, we feel happy hearing that.
And everybody was maintaining that. It was a very awakening feeling to watch the people of Japan still have some the basic of human rights- maintaining social harmony and thinking about others! The grandparents of Debshree’s daughter were particularly glad, seeing that their morals were not entirely outdated for the modern world and that it was still possible to achieve a fully functional economy/nation by staying true to yourself and your roots.
To traditions, and to preserve them
Going modern does not necessarily mean giving up on your history. It means embracing the flaws made before, correcting them, and learning from them to move ahead. This was one very important thing Japan had shown the family- the cities and villages had only one thing different- the architecture and the buildings. Rest, everything was more or less the same.
This portrayed how much they valued being Japanese, and how much they respected their own culture and traditions.
Even while exploring the island of Miyajima, the streets of Osaka, and the neighbourhoods and museums of Hiroshima, they found no trace of junk- be it on the roads or in the crowd. They all were very disciplined, punctual, and extremely polite, which was kind of new to the family and all its members.
It was not just a trip for them, it was a call to widen their horizons and to see the world for what it is- diverse and colourful, offering something new to learn at each step.
Read More: Thrillophilia Japan Reviews