Stories From Me To You

Raindrops chased each other down the windowpane. The weather outside the train worsening, working itself up into an angry frenzy, almost like a wild animal trapped, throwing all its energy into getting out. The train slid through the countryside, turbulent ocean on one side with a flock of birds flying haphazardly in the wind and groaning trees on the other.

Inside the warm compartments, people took little notice of the rising chaos outside, but for me it was a strange sight to see, going from warm sunshine and flowering trees everywhere to this harsh storm, which had come upon us so swiftly I was stunned. Suddenly on our left, a jagged coastline loomed up out of the growing mist. Into the protective safety of the north island, Hokkaido, our train trundled into the mountain valleys. The remnants of snowfall, not sakura petals, began to litter the brown ground. Momentarily the train was plunged into the darkness of a tunnel before the compartment lights came on.

Once out the other side of the mountains, the grey light had somehow peeled away. The land around us had transformed and onto steep green hill faces, golden sunshine highlighted the grass in a shimmer, the raindrops sparkling to us in greeting. The swell of the ocean was below us now. Waves rising, breaking and falling to a tempo only nature can conduct. Such is the countryside of Japan.

Japan; Land of the Rising Sun, birthplace of sumo wrestling and sushi, kabuki and the samurai. With a population of 127,078,679 people, Japan is the home of geisha, sakura blossoms, Mt Fuji and for two months in the early spring of 2010, me.

The only tip I'd give to first time travellers in this Incredible country is; when travelling in Japan, follow the trail of blooming sakura. And don’t put your chopsticks straight up in a bowl of rice..!

It’s important to understand that Japan is both a ultra modern and yet historical treasure; both tradition and modernity run side by side in this country. Shrines and pagodas break up the office-building skyline of its cities. Honestly, it was the most jarring sight; seeing a fully made up Geisha with all her folding gowns, face painted white and traditional obi fastened around her waist, walking next to a salary man in the new Armani three-piece.

This beautiful country of worship, history, architecture and cultural pleasure, was to me the perfect blend, as though the modern culture was honouring and also preserving their past. A place both memorising and unique.