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Rachel Khoo

The Khoo Times

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A few things I liked and learnt in Japan

This post is sponsored by Inside Japan and ANA, but all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Shinkansen “Bullet Train”

I was blown away as most foreign visitors are when I hopped on the Shinkansen out of Tokyo to Kyoto. One of the iconic features of the Japanese experience is this epic high-speed train service - nicknamed the bullet train for its unique form and speediness. It has been a fixture of the Japanese way of life for over 50 years, transporting salarymen from the outskirts of Tokyo to the city centre in unrivalled times. It clocks up 320kph on the speedometer and dazzles with its punctuality and hyper efficiency. It’s a definite must for any visitor.

My latest YouTube video shows just how fast the bullet train goes - you can also see the beautiful and delicious Kaiseki meal we had in Kyoto.

http://youtu.be/1a1865PxRYE

Interesting further reading on 50 years of the Skinkansen on the Guardian and Japan Rail passes are easily purchased through Experience Japan.

Business Cards

If there’s one thing I wish I had been told before I left, it would have been to take business cards...stacks of them. Each meeting and introduction in Japan is initiated with the exchange of a business card rather than a handshake. The polite way of doing this is to accept the card with both hands, bow your head to read the information on the card in its entirety, turn it over to see the underside, stow it away and then offer your own in the same ritualistic manner. I also learnt later on in the visit that the lower you bow your head the greater the show of respect.

A little low down on general business etiquette in Japan.

Park Hyatt Tokyo

Most Japanophiles will be well acquainted with Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, an excellent depiction of the bewilderment the language barrier can provoke in any foreigner in Tokyo.

The film’s setting is the Park Hyatt hotel (and arguably one of the protagonists), where I was lucky enough to spend my last evening in Tokyo. When it opened its doors 20 years ago, the hotel was one of the first to occupy the summit of a skyscraper in the city, setting the trend for many more to follow. If the rooms are out of the budget, be sure to check out the New York Grill bar for the breath-taking views and sultry live music every night.

Ramen

Anyone who follows my Instagram or Twitter might have noticed my trip to Japan was somewhat ramen-centric. From 7.30am breakfast bowls in Kyoto, to a visit to Osaka’s only Ramen School and a diet of three bowls a day, you might say I had my fair share of Japan’s soul food. And for all those out there who claim you need to spend a fortune to eat well in Japan, just 800 yen will get you a bowl of this hearty and delicious dish.

Check out the Ramen Adventures' website, an excellent resource for ramen eating in Japan.

Hot springs in Hakone

The inhabitants of Tokyo have long been escaping to the Hakone National Park for a spot of R&R, which is exactly what was on the agenda for my second to last day in Japan. With natural hot springs and beautiful mountain views, it’s hardly a wonder the area has become a hot spot for both foreign and local tourism. There’s a quirky old-fashioned train, which hurtles you through the lush landscape to your destination; in my case the luxurious boutique hotel Kai Hakone.

My room was set on the river with a secluded balcony to take in the outdoor surround sound, and even the wearing of dressing gowns was permitted at the kaiseki supper at dinnertime. And if that wasn’t relaxing enough, sessions in the steaming hot springs with the landscape framed by the open wall were as idyllic as they sound.

Matcha with a Maiko

A traditional tea ceremony visit in Kyoto is top of most tourists’ agenda. Inside Japan arranged a low-key visit to Ochaya Tomikiku, a traditional tea house in the Gion Geisha district for me to get a taste of this essential feature of Kyoto - famed as being Japan's culture capital.

A traditional dance from the impeccably clad and coiffed Maiko (an apprentice Geiko) ensued, along with the all-important tea ceremony. Far from brewing a builder’s cuppa, the matcha tea made by the Maiko is done with the utmost care and consideration using the timeless whisking method, making for a bowl of matcha with a beautiful frothy top.

With big thanks to Experience Japan,  Inside Japan and ANA, without whom this trip wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to Kai Hakone for a wonderful stay in their elegant hotel, and to the Park Hyatt Tokyo for making my last night in Tokyo so special.

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