So here we go with 12 good reasons why me and my partner should go to Japan.
1. New Expierience
Well first and foremost and as good a reason as any I think, I nor my girlfriend have never been before. I have travelled a lot around Australia and New Zealand and other parts of Asia but I have never been to Japan. I have met many Japanese people and always found them amazingly entertaining (in the nicest possible way) easy to get along with, unable to drink more than a singular beer without becoming blind drunk and wonderfully caring. However it is not just the people of Japan that fascinate me, its their culture, honesty, pride, peculiarities and achievements. I mean how can you not be interested in a country that has a literacy rate of over 99%, an unemployment rate of only 4%, produces more (and in my opinion better) automobiles than any other nation. Whilst at the same time its capital city can boast that at least 24 people have been killed or received serious fractures to their skulls whilst bowing to each other in traditional Japanese greeting!2. Life Expectancy.
Another thing that fascinates me about Japan is the extremely high life expectancy. With Japan itself boasting one of the highest in the world, the Ryuku Island, of which Okinawa is the largest, arguably the worlds highest. In Japan 21% of the population are considered elderly, which is a higher proportion than anywhere else in the world. This is often put down to their nutrient rich, low calorie diet, especially on the islands, where people reportedly eat up to 300% of the daily intake of green and yellow vegetables of those on the mainlands and as little as 25% of the sugars. The average Japanese person can expect to enjoy a life of at least 4 years longer than that of his North American cousin. I hope the reader finds this piece of trivia as interesting as I do, if not I apologise, I spent two years at college studying sports science followed by eight years as a chef. During my time as a chef I became known as 'cream and butter Simon' due to my belief that you can make just about any food taste good by adding large quantities of rich diary produce! Certainly not the recipe for longevity if the Japanese model is anything to go by!3.The Ring of Fire!
As I am sure everybody is well aware that Japan sits on the most active group of fault lines on the planet. Those horrific images of the catastrophic Tsunami that hit Japan only 18 months ago are probably not too far back in peoples memories for you to be unable to recall them as you read this blog. Its one of those moments, like when you first heard Princess Diana had died in a car crash, where you can remember exactly where you were when you first saw the footage. Well I can remember exactly where I was anyway. I was at a friends parents house in Motueka, New Zealand. We were just about to pack the car before going on a picnic. Two days later I was to drive my friend to Christchurch Airport so he could fly back home to Melbourne.
Christchurch itself was in a bad way after being devastated only the week before by the third major earthquake in two short years to hit the city. I remember the silence in the car as we drove through some of the devastated streets, sights like I had never seen before except on TV. Entire neighbourhoods looked like the gods had tried to do the 'pull the table cloth from under a made up table trick' on them but it had gone horribly wrong.I am not going to rattle on about my experiences with that catastrophe anymore than I have already but I just wanted to give you an insight into how have come to respect mother nature. That day I suddenly saw, understood and was is ultimate awe of how mother nature can create mountains, streams, rivers and valleys and also how easily she can take them away.
With Japans 200 volcanoes, of which Mt Fuji is the biggest and 60 of them are active. It boasts 1500 earthquakes and after shocks a year and with 70% of the countries landmass being mountains its a country with a landscape of constant growth and change and Mother Nature is still firmly in charge!
4. I fear no food - But my girlfriend is a vegetarian!
As I mentioned before I spent a number of years as a chef so of course food is my drug, Japan an addicts dream! With sushi and sushimi available in any city across the world.But what do the Japanese really eat day to day? I mean in my time in India I never found Chicken Tikka Massala or a Lamb Vindaloo, in fact I rarely came across meat at all. I want to see whats under the surface. What is raw horse meat like? Is it served like Steak Tartare? What is it about Chankonable (Sumo Stew) that makes it so fattening? Why is a musk melon so good that it might cost you 31500 yen and why do Fogu (blow fish) chefs training for 7-10 years to learn their trade for fish farms to start breeding Fogu that are not toxic? Surely the risk is what eating the blow fish is all? And if people eat rice for almost every meal, when do they get to slurp at their noodles to let their host know they are enjoying their food? Whats a sea urchin taste like straight out of the water? How extreme are the regional differences?
As you can see from a chefs point of view I have more questions than I do answers about the authentic culinary delights of Japan. Fortunately I know there is plenty of tofu and veggies to keep the girlfriend content as I noisily devour anything that crosses my path that may seem edible! If I should win this trip to Japan I can get the answers I crave, also dear reader, I promise to share them with you!
5. Japanese Engineering.
Well lets face it, it's extremely good isn't it, chances are the device your reading this blog on was made, designed or developed in Japan. If not the actual device then almost certainly some of its parts. Your car might be Japanese, your TV or your stereo. If there is one thing the Japanese love its gadgets and technology. I for one love the things they produce. This month I return to college to study engineering and if there is one country in the world for the budding, would be engineer to become inspired its Japan. With tilting trains that make cars driving within speed limits look like canal barges. Cutting edge earthquake proof building design alongside traditional pointy, concave roof structures Japan is an engineers dream.6.Japanese fashion and makeup.
Now this is not really my forte, but my pre-mentioned vegetarian girlfriend is a professional makeup artist for a top makeup brand. Now when I think of Japanese makeup nand fashion I tend to think of the traditional geisha girl of old Japan. However I am reliably informed that the new trend (well since 1990's) is Ganguro, which directly translates as 'black face'. Apparently Ganguro has evolved a couple of times its invention, from blond hair, big lashes and what looks like gold leaf slapped all over the wearers face, to what is called Manba where neon hair coloured hair is the preference with what appears to be brown face paint with white makeup around the eyes. Please remember that this blog is currently only being written by myself. All thoughts are from a purely male say what you see perspective. Should my blog be chosen to win this trip to Japan the blogging would be shared with my girlfriend who would be able to speak much more authoritatively. Whilst giving the subject the respect that I am sure it deserves.7. Whaling.
The one thing that really seems to give the Japanese a bad name. Saying that it is not too long ago everybody nation in the world was at it. Now I am not saying that makes whaling acceptable, there is not a bone in my body that could agree with such a practise, if I found it agreeable I would no doubt be a single man before I had time to finish my sentence.All I am trying to do is understand it. Commercial whaling in Japan is illegal so any whales slaughtered are for 'research purposes' we are told. Last year the Japanese government supposedly banned research killings in the Antarctic (although only short-term) due to international pressure. So why does the practise still continue? I also read contrary to popular opinion whale is NOT considered a delicacy in Japan. Due to the strong flavour of the meat and many older people dislike it as it reminds them of early post WW11 times. This being when whale was considered a very economical sauce of protein. However for some reason the Japanese continue to be protective of their whaling boats. Therefore should I find myself in Japan this is one subject I would like to educate myself further on. I would try to maintain an open mind. I am sure in two and a half weeks I would not manage to get to the bottom of the issue and I would need to educate myself prior to going. I would need to know whether or not it is a subject Japanese people would be happy to discuss with a foreigner. Maybe the Japanese are slowly working out the famous whale sonar system works?
8 The passing of religion.
As Christianity is the 'offical' religion of Great Britain so Buddhism and Shinto are of Japan. As with the British is the vast majority of Japanese people do not practise any religion at all, many fail to understand the difference between the two major religions and I do not understand these differences either. However if there was one major religion whose principles I try to live my life by, excluding a few such as not eating meat, it it's Buddhism. Karma to me seems as simple as Newton's 'Law Of Motion' for every action there is an opposite reaction and the belief that everything in the universe is connected in spirit I can relate to also, current scientific understanding states that everything came from the 'Big Bang' right?
I guess if somebody was to ask me if I was a spiritual person I would probably hesitate before I replied 'yes'. However 'yes' would still be my answer. I am a strong believer in Darwin's theory of evolution but I still believe that spirituality has its place within the scientific world. In the same way the current incarnation of the Dalai Lama believes that science has a place within spirituality. If I was to go to Japan I would endeavour to understand the difference between Shinto and Buddhism and also try and understand the current spiritual situation of the Japanese people. Sure, many of the population still practise their religion but the ones that don't, have they maintained the core beliefs of their forefathers and just stopped praying? Do they struggle to believe in a superior all powerful being that created or oversees everything amongst a world of strong scientific evidence that says otherwise? I really don't know!9 History.
When I think of old Japan, my initial thought is Samurai, or in ancient Japanese 'Saburau,' meaning those who serve in close attendance to nobility. A gallant warrior class with their own code of conduct by which their lives must be lived by. Strong individuals for whom honour and courage were put above all else. Maybe I am just being romantic but that is my initial thoughts of ancient Japan. Then of course the Geisha, the word directly translating as 'person of the arts'. Apparently the first Geisha were in fact men but this is only something I have read. Being male I prefer to imagine the female Geisha with their elaborate white makeup and perfect hair, waiting on the Nobility hand and foot with food and beverage, before becoming the starlet of entertainment with music and song.Then of course there is the 120+ emperors who have reigned over Japan, serving as absolute rulers to ceremonial figureheads or currently, as constitutional monarchs. Although Japan has gone through times of major political upheaval they have only ever had one ruling dynasty.
This is because according to Japanese legend, their emperor's are direct descendants of Amaterasu or the god of the sun, as such, themselves considered divine. Therefore the imperial line cannot end as the mandate of heaven rests on the imperial dynasty itself. Fascinating!!
10 Islands. Other than the main four, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku. Of which Honshu is Japan's main island, with more than 80% of its population and 60% of its land area. Japan is said to comprise "over 3000" islands. If 'island' is defined as
any body of land with a circumference greater than 100 metres, Japan
has 6,852 islands, a reported 430 of which are inhabited leaving 6422 without human interference to do as nature intended. This is something I would love to see!!11. Mythology
Could it be that the Sun and Moon appear at different times and places in the sky because of a disagreement amongst siblings? Apparently Sun goddess Amaterasu was angered by her brother,
the moon god Tsuki-yomi, because he killed a goddess he felt had insulted him. The sun
goddess Amaterasu told her brother that she would never see him again hence their separation! How about Japan being wrecked by storms each summer be because Susanoo (God of summer storms) is jealous of his sister Amaterasu's favour with their farther. That's why he comes and causes havoc whilst she is at her best?Of course people from every continent on the planet have created folk stories, usually with some under lying moral as to what can happen if you let emotions such as greed or jealousy over run you. Its my belief it is that underlying human nature to try and make sense of what we may not yet truly understand and I think the early Shintos told some exceptional tales. I'd like to know more!
12 Nobu Saki.
My adorable, crazy, pint sized Japanese travelling companion who I met in Byron Bay, Australia. Small in mass yet huge in heart, the man is a legend.With his limited English and my non-existent Japanese we toured the East Coast of Oz. He would drag me out to sea in surf that seemed big enough to sink a cruise liner whilst singing Bob Marley or Jimmy Cliff songs at the top of his lungs. He'd replace the real lyrics with whatever sound he thought he had heard. This all made for me forgetting my fear and more often than not I would wipe out and almost drown from swallowing half a pint of sea water. Not through lack of ability but from not being able to stop laughing before the wave broke!
We're still in occasion contact with short e-mails. He usually writes to remind me of something like 'Hey Siiiaaman, one world, one soul, one Nobu, one Siiaaman, one life - live it. Peace'
I made a promise that one day I would go to his mothers house for dinner in Okinawa. Eat the food of the famous 'Mama Nobu' and meet the 'family crazy like you Siaaman' I truly hope this will be my opportunity!
Thanks for reading!
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