It’s my 6th time in Japan in 4 years and this is my first real blog post in two years. It’s hard to start blogging again – how to translate my experience into words in a language that is not my first (thank you Grammarly for constant support).
I arrived on Monday (4th) and just after I settle down in my hostel and went to get food at Fresco (open 24h/7!) I had a meltdown. I stood on the dark street, tears in my eyes, overwhelmed by the silence and feeling of happiness.
I’m scared to write about Japan – I think that I still know so little about this complex, beautiful country that I have no right to do it. So I want to write what is my experience here. No bold statements, no saying Japan is this and that. Only what I see, hear and experience.
Oh, also how I survive as vegetarian here.
Important notes: I don’t speak Japanese, I know several words, can read a couple of the kanji, some hiragana (but I will learn since I’m annoyed now I can’t read it), I no longer read manga and watch anime. I never wore a kimono or yukata.
I love udon, Japanese skincare and green tea. I visit temples and pay my respects to Kami. I complain about the amounts of plastic used here.
My favourite city in Japan is Kyoto and I spend here most of my time. Tokyo is too big and too loud and crowed and Osaka is for shopping.
What I love the most is the life that can’t be found on the Japanese postcards. A life that is so not in that stereotypical image of Japan. A life that can be experienced when there is no rush to see everything during that 7 days vacation.
Let’s start…
Today I went to get my analogue camera film – it was developed in a small store on Kawaramachi-dori. A lovely older lady at the counter was very surprised with the USB drive in shape of a credit card. She gave it to the man who uploaded my photos on it and they spend a moment to discuss the shape of the USB stick. Even tho I don’t speak Japanese and they speak a little English everything went very smoothly. The man asked me if I want to check the files and I said that’s fine to which he responded “Ah! You believe me!”
And I enjoy small episodes like this one… Small moments, small talks… And with those, I can paint a bigger picture of my life here.
I’m aware this post is rough and chaotic… But like I said I haven’t been writing for a very long time.