A tale of two cities...

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... well... actually it was just the best of times but we have just had two very different days... both in cities. We did the first of our vocational visits yesterday, Ifer and I went to the Nikko National Park, a beautiful area one and a half hours drive from Saitama. Within the National Park there is an area classed as a world heritage site, Nikko City (city number 1). It gets this prestigious accolade for the famous shrines and temples situated there. Relics, monuments and amazing traditional places of worship exist in such proximity (the site is only 30 hectares) that it feels as though someone has taken a core through Japan`s spiritual and cultural past and planted it there to grow. Nikko has another worldly feel, which is further amplified by the flame red leaves of the Japanese maple that burn with cold intensity against the autumn sky. We spent the day being whisked around the many Shinto shrines ("whisked" being the operative word as everything is done fast and efficiently here) stopping only to pray. It was a very interesting experience and I begun to get a real feel for Japan`s spiritual links with their environment. Every action of human intervention is considered and carried out with measured sympathy to the aesthetic character of the natural surroundings.

In stark contrast, we have just visited "Akihabara" Tokyo`s "Electric City". This vast and sprawling metropolis is the heartland of the Manga and Anime tradition. It buzzes with the fevered imagination of a generation of Japanese illustrators, hell bent on turning the world into a strobing effigy to pixel queens and sword wielding robots. It was amazing... fast, inconsistent, colorful and fun. We had tea served by Japanese maids, their bright costumes in perfect harmony with the themed cafe in which they served, and then walked down row upon row of neatly stacked, neatly vacuum packed comics. It was the very juxtaposition of the quiet reflection of the Shinto shrine. A truly bizarre experience but one that is fast becoming Japan`s newest cultural tradition. In a hundred years, it will probably be Alihabara that is the ancient shrine, having been superseded by the next step in this counties cultural evolution.

Even though both experiences felt so different, they both felt very Japanese. There is a certain grace and honor amongst the people of Japan that is evident in every part of their lives. It is a truly amazing, place and one that I feel so privileged to be welcomed into. I have felt so welcomed by my host family. Although my grasp of the Japanese language is not that great (sorry Angela!) they have made every effort to show me the way of life here. I`ve learnt so much in 3 days... I`ll probably be a walking encyclopedia of Japanese life and history by the time i leave. Maybe i could make an appearance on mastermind????

Specialist subject... Japanese food.

Your starter for 10... What new things have you eaten in the last day

Answer... many things, but the ones that stick out in my mind have to be: raw stake, BBQ`d tongue and diaphragm and stewed jellyfish

Did you enjoy it... yes please, more please