Oasis
Among the four locations we have visited, Japan has stood out as an island
of calmness in the vast sea of chaos that has marked this trip. While our normal
family bickering has persisted, the sibling warfare in Japan was never waged
as fiercely as in India or South Africa. I’ve on the whole felt more happy
and relaxed here than I often do at home. I think that this relative state of
ease stems from a few key luxuries reminiscent of home that we have been able
to enjoy in Japan.
Most prominently is the tranquil urban environment in Japan (especially Kyoto)
that has allowed us to view the city with ease. No longer do we choke on the
smoggy air as we try not to fry in the searing South American sun. Kyoto is
compact enough so that we don’t have to pack into a VW minibus and cringe
as our dad drives with a left-hand manual gear shift. And, most importantly,
we aren’t forced to fight through crowds of hawkers who harass you into
buying a “gold” trinket made of brass. Japan has one of the world’s
best infrastructures, with the shinkansen bullet trains, which whisked our family
to Hiroshima and back within a day. I’m free to walk where I wish, with
no fear of crime (Japan has one of the developed world’s lowest crime
rates) as we tour secluded, but nevertheless pristine and orderly, backstreet
alleys. The freedom to pace around without care is reminiscent of Mercer Island,
and has eased our experience in Japan hugely.
Japanese cuisine has been popularized in the United States, especially the Pacific
Northwest, through Sushi and Teppanyaki restaurants like Benihana. I was completely
unaware of the dozens of other Japanese food varieties- I enjoyed noodle soups,
Sukiyaki, and Okonomiyaki meals, all within a short walk of our hotel. Not even
in the beef-heavy cuisines of Chile or South Africa was I this happy. Our hotel’s
free (we’ll se how long that lasts) breakfasts offered both Western cereal
and orange juice and meals of rice and miso soup. Being able to gorge myself
was welcome after nearly starving (well, maybe a bit of exaggeration) to death
in India. Thanks to the abundance and quality of the food, hungry children and
their tantrums weren’t a factor in Japan.
The final luxury we enjoyed in Japan was a change in the weather. Our family
had been sweltering in the heat for two months, and the occasional rain or overcast
sky was almost unheard of in Chile, India, and to a lesser extent, South Africa.
In Japan, a cycle of rain, clouds and sun made walking around that much easier.
While my tan may have lightened a couple shades, it was more than worth the
gentle breeze that floated into our hotel room on cool days. The open environment
of our Japanese-style hotel room allowed us to enjoy the weather to its fullest
extent.
Maybe Japan has spoiled me; the on and off plumbing, heat, and chaotic, urban
streets we have seen in our previous three locations will probably be more typical
of future settings than anything in Japan. But seeing the societies with smog,
heavy crime, and ultra-stratified social structures has only allowed me to appreciate
Japan, as well as America more than ever.