03.06.17: Last day in Tokyo and also in Japan: an attempt at a conclusion

Today we visited two parks: Ueno Park and Yoyogi Park, and in between we went to the partially preserved original district in Tokyo: Sendagi, with its narrow streets and old wooden houses and small, sometimes tiny shops, as they existed 200 years ago. And afterwards we were in the Harajuku district. Life is bustling here...

So many impressions and experiences that need to be processed. We are all quite overwhelmed by everything. The pictures published in the blog can only give a small glimpse of what we experienced. Even 900 pictures that I 'shot' in two weeks can only give an idea that Japan is a different world with dimensions that you can't even imagine. The dimensions in this country cannot be compared to Germany in any way. Whether it's the technology, the service mentality, the skylines in their height and width, the size of the shops, the endless selection of goods, especially food, the perfection, the punctuality, etc. There were heartfelt, moving, funny, and amusing moments when we met the people that we will not forget. The superlatives used elsewhere are not just empty words: they are really true and still unimaginable, even though we experienced and saw all of it firsthand. Understanding and processing all of this is not easy.

However, amidst all the fantastic and fascinating things, it is important to critically question at what price all of this is available in Japan:

🍱 the friendly greeting when you enter a shop or pass by a stall 👍👍👍

🍱 the friendly farewell 👍👍👍

🍱 there is staff at every train station that can be approached if you have questions 👍👍👍

🍱 the ticket system for all types of local and long-distance transport 👍👍👍

🍱 the clean streets, sidewalks, and trains 👍👍👍

🍱 people who approached us on their own because we looked lost 😊☺

🍱 the constant apologies from Japanese people, which are already submissive 👎👎👎

🍱 why does the conductor bow to the passengers before leaving the compartment? 😮

🍱 the punctuality of the Shinkansen trains (there are no delays because there can't be any) must be ensured, so the cleaning crews only have eight minutes to clean the respective train after arriving at the final station, so that the Shinkansen train with up to 16 cars per train (and each car is longer and wider and has more seats than an ICE car) can start again after a 15-minute stay. What a pressure to work under for the cleaning staff 😞

🍱 the often robotic and scripted speech of the employees when serving customers makes you think, why is that? 😐

🍱 there is still so much that could be listed here...

In any case, it was a completely successful adventure that will have a lasting impact and remain in our memories.