Tokyo

Finally got up the nerve to use bidet, directions in Japanese. Problem was couldn’t figure out how to stop the flow of warm water until I used Google translate! Again, train travel more daunting than Seoul. I downloaded Suica payment card but still so many trains, lines, exits. English translation is fleeting on boards. 

70% of Japan mountainous, 68% forests (1 Finland, 2 Sweden). History & symbolism at ancient Asakusa pagodas coupled with modern architecture of Tokyo merging old & new. For instance only small niche, older generation, still interested in bonsai & sumo wrestling.

Accessibility

Compared to the US with far few people, Tokyo is well maintained and accessible. On either side of stairways there is a narrow ramp for bike and strollers. Every street has a raised yellow tactile/auditory signal & braille at intersection for the blind. More than 1 million/day use train station for travel & commute but they stand in single file line to enter. Every public bathroom is well maintained: has a bidet, toilet paper & hand hygiene. Some even have music of water! City hotels are small, but well appointed, often self check-in. And many restaurants are cashless, Apple Pay everywhere. Walking across a city intersection is orderly and enter single file on trains. On the street bicycles replace motorbikes. Although both countries export EV vehicles, they have not arrived in South Korea or Japan but you see some E bikes. The shopping in Seoul, South Korea is on the street markets, underground & malls, whereas in Tokyo, there are malls for electronics, clothes, foods, restaurants. Each mall has a smoking, nursing room and always a food court. You can seriously get lost or do some damage shopping. 

Tour

Once again, I don’t like the OAT tour excursions  I didn’t care to meet a sumo wrestler behind a laptop and a Taiko drummer playing like a 5 year old. Bonsai was of no interest. But I still appreciate the tour & find some element interesting. I like the fellow tourists & when I’m on my own, I walk 8 miles & have a great time!

Hakone

The mountainous town of Hakone is a day trip from Tokyo. Hakone is famous for its volcano that erupted 10 yrs ago and warm springs. From Tokyo we took bullet train, funicular, gondola to reach the town. The volcano is surrounded by black dead trees from gases & famous for hard boiled black shelled egg, boiled for 1 hour in hot springs. Local belief eating egg adds 7 years to life. I ate one.