Japan might just be the most interesting country i've ever visited. Upon my arrival i instantly noticed how the Japanese culture is vastly different from other Asian countries that i had previously visited. As a country that was isolated from the rest of the world for nearly 200 years it is a place of cultural peculiarity and exhilarating magnificence.
I stayed in Tokyo for ten days before continuing my travels to Kyoto. From a European stand point Tokyo is a gigalopolis. Cities such as London, Paris or Berlin are definitely huge, however they pale in comparison to the most populous city in the world, Tokyo.
During my second night, i was sitting on the rooftop of my hotel where i met a guy from Phoenix who apparently managed to smuggle a piece of BHO(butane hash oil) by stuffing it into his GoPro. He offered, i obliged, and waltzed through the streets of Shinjuku higher than girrafe genitalia.
While in Shinjuku, i wandered into the Golden Gai district. The Golden Gai district is a network of narrow alleyways where you can find hundreds of tiny, shanty style bars. Some of which only fit five to ten people. I went in to one of these bars to have a drink and while sitting at the bar i saw a cockroach inconspicuously passing by. There was a screen displaying rather questionable cinematography and to my left i saw a wooden penis the size of a totem pole.
It had previously occurred to me that the Tokyo subway system is one of the most complex public transportation systems in the world. While trying to make sense of these maps i first thought i was looking at a different representation of the same system. I soon found out that i was looking at two different transit systems namely the Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, both of which are intertwined.
I've always been intrigued by the Japanese' intricate relationship with robotics. I wanted to explore this relationship further so i decided to visit two places. Akihabara, which is Tokyo's otaku (geek) district. And Miraikan, the national museum of emerging science and technology. In Akihabara i went into a shopping complex that had rows upon rows of Gundam robots.
While visiting Miraikan, it instantly became clear to me how the Japanese people are less reluctant to interact with robotics in a humane way as opposed to westerners. I saw a woman holding and caressing a robotic baby while another woman was encouraging her child to interact with a humanoid. There was a rather peculiar installation explaining sewage mechanism. Visitors could feel like shit by wearing poo hats and sliding down a ginormous toilet.
Capsule hotels are far less claustrophobic than one might initially presume. The truth is they come in all shapes, sizes and most of all classes. I decided to spend the night in one so i opted for the Nine Hours Capsule hotel which is in fact a modern interpretation of the concept. The interior and functionality of the building and amenities sparked similarities to iOS 7. Designed with efficiency and functionality in mind.
All in all Japan was a trip, a super interesting interaction with a nation and population who's history reeds like a JR Tolkien novel. If you haven(t visited the land of the rising sun i highly suggest you do. It's an experience you won't easily forget.
Next stop, the heart of the Amazon!