Finsatsea: January 12 - Coming of Age Day in Japan

Yes, that is the holiday being celebrated here today. Each year on the second Monday in January Japan honors people turning 20 years old marking their transition from childhood to adulthood. Who knew there was such a holiday?

So what have I been up to the last couple of days? Not as much as I would have liked to or planned to do. I have learned, or at least realized, some things about me now. I must start by saying that while I’ve had this before, I’ve never had it as acutely as I’m having it these past few days. I’m suffering from really bad “land seasickness;” that is, I constantly feel like everything is rocking and rolling here in Tokyo and it’s not because they are having earthquakes. I’ve experienced this sensation before, but this time it’s much worse and makes me move cautiously. I hope it will be gone soon; fingers crossed.

On my drive into downtown Tokyo from the cruise terminal I got a glimpse of Mt. Fuji but I couldn't get a picture. A friend on the Encore sent me this one so that I could include it here.

Next I have come to the realization that while I may be adventurous in places where I have some possibility of communicating with the people and, just as important, being able to read the signs around me, here I feel totally lost! In the past when I came to Japan it was either with the Sister Cities group or on tours where I was always accompanied with Japanese guides. Not so this time and I have found it very stressful and intimidating. Finally, when I ventured out to the most historic area of Tokyo (Asakusa) yesterday, the crowds of people jostling and pushing were overwhelming. While it is true that Japanese people are extremely polite, when you’re trying to move around on the sidewalks packed with people, none of whom speak your language, it is stressful. So, I confess I’ve become a wimp.

Just a few people on the streets

My first day here after I finally was able to check in (it took longer than expected – I don’t know why), I was dissuaded by the concierge from my plan to ride the bullet train. I wanted to ride it at its top speed and she explained that if I got on here, unless I planned to stay on to go someplace far away like Osaka or Kyoto, the train wouldn’t get up to speed so I wouldn’t be experiencing what I wanted to and I didn’t feel like spending a day going someplace and just turning around and coming back. I’ve ridden on trains before in Europe and I know what that’s like. So I scratched that plan.

I also had in mind that I would like to go to a Kabuki show. I figured that it’s January and not big tourist season so I didn’t try to make a reservation before I got here. That plan fell through when I learned that the performances at the Kabukiza Theater, the place to go for kabuki, were sold out, maybe because it’s a holiday weekend. Anyway, that’s my fault for not planning ahead. I did drive by the theater in a hop-on-hop-off bus. If I want to see kabuki I’ll have to come back and I’m not sure that will ever happen.

I did walk in the east garden area of the Imperial Palace which is right across the street from my hotel. It’s obviously winter so it’s kind of barren but the trees are beautifully pruned. I took the ho-ho as I said but only got off once and got back on shortly thereafter because of the crowds. I took a taxi to the Ginza area which is the upscale shopping area here. There were lots of people there too and also lots of designer outlets. I’m not in the market for Gucci, Cartier and all those designers so I found little of interest there. I was going to a specific shop in Ginza which I’ll say more about in a moment and aside from the streets with those fancy places, a lot of other things looked closed. I guess because of the holiday. I have noticed as I traveled around these last couple of days that it’s spotlessly clean. There’s no litter around and I’ve seen hardly any graffiti painted on anything. It’s a lot like Singapore was last year. We could take a lesson from this city.

Street in Ginza

I went to a pearl shop that I’d read about and the hotel recommended. I’m not a huge lover of pearls, but when in Tokyo it seemed like the thing to do. I selected a very pretty, and I thought well-priced, strand which I then watched being restrung and hand-knotted between each pearl. That was a very interesting thing to watch. Before today I never realized that there could be such differences in the luster and colors one can see in creamy colored pearls. It was an education looking at the various pearls I was shown. It’s a nice souvenir of my visit to Tokyo.