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Im now in Tokyo and realise that its been quite a while since i updated this site. My time in Japan has gone so quickly - its such a hectic and busy place. Only now have I found the time to sit down and let you know whats been happening.
Japan itself is such a unique country. Ive been travelling by bullet train and visited major cities such as Tokyo and Hiroshima as well as some interesting places in the countryside. Right now Im in Tokyo and having an amazing time. Today I went to a sumo tournament. I had to wake up at 6am to queue for tickets but it was definitely worth it. The guys are huge! I managed to shake hands with one of the yokozuna - grand champion - who probably weighed somewhere around 25 stone. Cool guys though. I also spotted a sumo riding a bike this morning - was such a bizarre sight!
Tomorrow I intend to see some traditional Japanese theatre, visit a famous shrine and stay the night in a capsule hotel which Im looking forward to. Living in a posh cupboard has some strange appeal - I still think itll be better than some of the hostels ive been to!
The food in Japan is pretty special. Tonight I went to a place where you can cook your own food on a hot plate in front of you. Was great if you enjoy playing with your food! Ive also eaten plenty of sushi which is actually pretty good. I went to a really local restaurant the other night where you actually see the fish in front of you before it is prepared. Was interesting! No English was spoken - its just a case of pointing at the fish you want and the chef prepares it for you.
The clash between modern life and tradition is huge in Japan. It has all the gadgets and neon lights etc. but is also very attached to its traditions. In Kyoto I managed to stay in a traditional Japanese questhouse and visit a lot of parks and shrines. It gave me a good idea about Japanese religion and culture (and I also managed to spot some geisha!).
Ive also managed to get my fix of history. Hiroshima was interesting. The peace park and museum was incredibly sad - they hold nothing back in the museum. Some of the photographs of the aftermath of the bomb were terrible. So many people were walking around with their skin just hanging off. Others just burned to death, died of thirst or the radiation got to them. Really a terrible thing. Despite the history Hiroshima is a beautiful city with great nightlife and parks. Its also right by the sea so I took a day trip to an island nearby. It had wild deer and monkeys which was cool and had some beautiful views.
Anyway, I should be going to India later this week. I land in Delhi and will have about a month to get to Bombay. I really want to get into the countryside and see some elephants and tigers. Im also hoping to see some good temples and eat a lot of great food!
Will be in touch x
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