Carrying my backpack, I walk to a new hotel, bracing myself to join a tour group. It feels a bit like handing over my freedom at the front desk. For two glorious days, I’ve wandered at will— strolling gardens, decoding menus and train signs, and chasing Godzilla.
Now, I’ll swap independence for a local guide arranging logistics and doing headcounts. Don’t get me wrong, I’m ready for the fun, but I can’t help wondering if I’ll be the lone Godzilla nerd in a sea of temple and teacup enthusiasts
I can’t believe that Godzilla was the last of his species. If nuclear testing continues, then someday, somewhere in the world, another Godzilla may appear.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters
Unfortunately, Dr. Yamane’s quote from the 1954 epic Godzilla concerns me less about the return of giant atomic monsters than about the current political world of the USA. With my morning coffee and Tokyo Tower view, I plan my day.
I’ve read that there are no fewer than eighteen ways to say “hello” in Japanese, which means I’m visiting Japan eighteen steps behind. When I learned the Russian alphabet, at least I could puzzle out the words on a sign—even if I couldn’t pronounce a single one correctly. Japanese, however, covers a whole different universe. Then, add the usage of Chinese characters alongside Japanese characters. Q
I don’t have the faintest clue what the characters mean, let alone how to say them. So for now, my linguistic arsenal in Tokyo consists of a polite bow, “konnichiwa,” and smile—which, I hope, is one of those eighteen greetings.
The last time I visited Tokyo, I never actually made it past Narita Airport and a nearby luxury hotel—an unplanned overnight courtesy of United Airlines. My grand cultural immersion consisted mostly of jet lag, a soft robe, and the gleaming marvel of Japanese engineering: the smart toilet. With more buttons than a cockpit and a heated seat that felt like a first-class upgrade, it left a lasting impression. So, this time, flying back to Tokyo for real, I’m venturing beyond an airport and hotel bathroom, ready to discover the city that invented such everyday genius.
Travel is a destroyer of narrow, individual views of self-importance and of your culture.
How much time must I spend in a country to justify putting a pin in my world map: a week, days, hours, overnight? I’m not counting Singapore because I slept on the plane during its stopover. I am counting Japan’s overnight stop. Here’s why.
Sure I didn’t see a museum, monument or garden. But one can learn a lot about a country by spending a few hours in its airport and sleeping over in a hotel.
Travel creates a connection and a sense of belonging to the world. TOKYO, 8:30 pm, 25 Sept: This past plane connection, or lack thereof, added an unexpected 62nd country to my list and checked off my wish to fly on a Hello Kitty Jet. My United flight was late leaving Read more
