en.infoglobe.cz »
Japan IV. – First Introduction of Tokyo, Tokyo University Japan IV. – First Introduction of Tokyo, Tokyo University
Published: 30.9.2013
When I got to Japan during my work travel, I haven’t too much time to explore it. I lived in Yokohama but I couldn’t miss near capital, Tokyo.
Tokyo is a huge city. Too much for me. There live more than 9 million people on 2000 square kilometers. You can see high population density everywhere and predominantly at train and subway stations. Traffic is crazy until you get used to it. I got lost three times at Shinjuku station in one day.
If I don’t count a ride from Narita airport to Yokohama, I got to the capital for the first time right on the second day after I had landed. I practice aikido back home in the Czech Republic thus my first steps headed to prestigious Tokyo University for there was an aikido exhibition on that day, the so-called embukai. My Japanese friend Hidejaki I know from Europe, brought me here. We agreed to meet at a subway station. On my way I realized that my SUICA card doesn’t work all over Tokyo so I had to buy another subway ticket for 160 yen. When we entered the university compound, Hidejaki introduced me the university and why it is so prestigious. He said that it is difficult to get there and who does it is a great victory then.
There was some celebration at the time we were there. Live music was playing all around and everywhere were students. Some of them were selling some snacks. Soon we approached beautiful building. It was a dojo where people practiced aikido. In front of the entrance students were giving away shoe sacks because we had to take off our shoes. Inside people were training. First students of various experiences did their moves and than more than 80-years old Hiroshi Tada, a lecturer. It was very beautiful. After it had ended we and Japanese aikido practitioners went for a lunch. We had to chose our food from pictures in front on the entrance first. Then we paid for the food at a vending machine by the doors and than we could sit and wait for our lunch. It was delicious. For a while I was nervous if I was not doing any faux pas. I think I did quite good.
I had arranged some meals in Japan so I didn’t go to restaurants every day. Usually I had a breakfast in a hotel. I am not used to rice, fish and a soup for a breakfast but here it fitted. Having a salmon every day was a convenient luxury. For a lunch and dinner I had been twice in a classic Japanese restaurant. Atmosphere there was sublime. There was a U shape table and inside Japanese cook was serving people sitting around. Food was cheap, but great. Once I ate a ramena (noodle soup), also I had delicious sushi and other delicacies such as meat prepared in different ways and sea food.
When I saw Tokyo University I hadn’t seen anything else on that day. My work required me to go back to Yokohama. However, in the middle of the week I had a vacation that I used for another Tokyo trip. I didn’t manage to see everything (even a week wouldn’t be enough). But what I managed to see was worth it. I will tell you more in the next article.
Text/photo: Kristýna Bartůňková
Related Articles
Published: 10.1.2017
Former Japanese capital of Kyoto has about two thousand shrines. Mostly these are Buddhist, about quarter of them is shinto. Sometimes these are vast compounds, in other cases only small shrines hidden in the streets. Let's see some of them.
Published: 10.10.2012
How the Friday and Saturday night life looks like in Tokyo? Completely different than in the daytime. It could be said that this is a completely different city.The streets are lit up, signs and billboards come to life through colourful neon glow lamps. Girls dress skirts about ten to fifteen numbers shorter than normally, use the strong layer of makeup, glue the false eyelashes and going to clubs.
Published: 23.1.2015
We stay on the other side of our planet this week. We will see another monumental Japanese castle.
Published: 30.1.2015
For the third time, we go visit Japan and one of its largest castles. In Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture, the castle which is called Crow Castle is located. Unusually though, it doesn’t stand on a hill, isn’t surrounded with rivers, instead it is on a flat land. It was built in the middle of the 16th century, the era when Osaka catle was built. Hideoshi Toyotomi also played an important role in its history.
Published: 20.12.2016
The capital of Japan seems endless. And it is sort of true- it is not just one city but it is seamless megalopolis in the Kanto region. Around 40 million people live there. Still, it is very easy to feel there like in a small town.
Published: 5.9.2012
What do you imagine when you hear words - Japanese food? I know of someone who would have imagined raw fish and rice. Many people mistakenly believe that the Japanese were nothing more than these two foods don’t eat. And the idea of spending weeks on raw fish and rice is then often forces to bring on a trip to Japan packaged with salami.
Published: 12.11.2021
Nagoya is the third largest city in Japan. Many forget to visit it, unfortunately. There are many interesting places and should you have enough time, spend there a day and night at least. You won't regret.
Published: 15.10.2021
It was Japanese capital for centuries. Today, it is far from the size of Tokyo yet it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Should we recommend you but one place where to go, Kyoto it would be.
Published: 7.10.2013
When I traveled to Japan, as my work required me to do, I didn’t have enough time to see landmarks. However, I had one day to explore the Japanese capital, Tokyo.
Published: 12.9.2012
Some of us think that the Japanese somehow mask their feelings, they lock them somewhere deep inside. That they just keeps bowing and smiling, they behave artificially. They are "programmed" to well and worked hard for your business, family, and for Japan. And that might not even have any feelings. On it there is only one answer.
Published: 15.8.2012
Tokio. City where are living side by side school children in the old-fashioned uniforms, fashion ladies, who spend the morning by shopping in stores, in the parks and all sorts of corners of the city slacking youth skaters with coloured hair, girls with false eyelashes and twenty centimetres high heels, the dogs wears in mini kimons and of course ubiquitous businessmen.
Published: 15.9.2013
Once I got an opportunity in my work to travel to a dream land, to Japan. Dream land because it has been already eleven years since I started practicing aikido and thus learning about its culture. And it fascinates me.
Published: 16.9.2013
My work brought me to Yokohama, the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture, about 30 kilometers from Tokyo on the west coast of Tokyo Bay. The place of my work duties was located in Red Brick Wirehouse (Yokohama Akarenga Sōko), a beautiful historical building on a shore right next to the harbor.
Published: 23.9.2013
My work has brought me to Yokohama this year, 2013. It is a large harbor city located on Tokyo Bay. In my free time I managed to explore parts of Yokohama on the sea. But from the rest of the city I have seen only nice Yokohama Park.
Published: 22.8.2012
Tokyo metro, intercity trains, Shinkansens. Warren of stops and tunnels, hundreds of stations and thousands of Japanese who were swarming among the turnstiles, platforms and trains. When tourists imagine this, they are not ready for singing.
Published: 19.9.2012
When travelling around Japan, tourist became easily witness of many strange or comical situations. Among the most classic, that everyone known could be - getting lost, of course, waiting for the train on the platform that is cancelled, or disillusionment over public toilets.
Published: 17.10.2012
There are things, for those the Japanese are extremely proud. Because Japan for a long time its history did not maintain almost any contact with the mainland and developed in such seclusion, there also developed, except a specific Japanese culture, customs and language and kind of sense of their own uniqueness.
Published: 26.9.2012
What is the main difference between Japan and the Czech Republic? Surprisingly, this is one of the most common questions that I can hear. As if there wasn’t any answer. As I like to say, in Japan, everything is different. Even the air there is different than the one which we are accustomed. And it's not just a different air, what Japanese nature offers us.
Published: 3.10.2012
Japanese history is not very discussed topic. De facto people don’t talk about it much. If you try to speak about history, most people think of the events of World War II. The rest remember samurais, bold warrior with katana, samurai sword, and geishas, who are still in the subconscious of people subsumed as prostitutes unfortunately.
Published: 29.8.2012
Perhaps every tourist, who in Japan goes into the souvenir shop, must try a lot to don’t buy all goods that shop offers. Tourists are attracted by coloured fans, ceramics, kimonos, traditional Japanese woodcuts reproduction, thousands of objects with cute formulas, and of course the ubiquitous Hello Kitty.
Published: 8.3.2013
How does one of the greatest and most important Japanese cities look?
Related Photogallery
Japan is a monarchy and an island in East Asia . It is home to modern technology as well as old ...
Information and warnings on travelling abroad is to be found HERE.
