Last year I worked in the Tokyo office of my company. I spent there two weeks. I am a curious person, therefore I didn't waste my time after work on sipping sake. Every evening I would venture into the city. Well, two exceptions. I did sip some sake with my Japanese colleagues. And on my last day I went to bed early. Here is a loose collection of my impressions from Tokyo - part I.

Cultural Shock

I landed at Narita airport, which is quite far from the city. So I took the Narita Express. I had visited most European countries. Therefore I think I am quite experienced with trains. However Narita Express was a utter shock. Above the platform there are displays showing where individual cars will stop. This is not uncommon in Europe. But here is the surprise: the train actually stops exactly where it should with a shocking accuracy. Just look at the gap between the cars. And then look again. The mirror in the upper part of the photo separates the information displays with car numbers.

My car number was 3. All I had to do was to stand on the right spot. When the train arrived, I simply stepped in. Amazing!

History Lesson

Having arrived in my hotel, I checked in, took a quick shower and went for my first stroll. It was Sunday, early afternoon, and a stroll is the best thing to do to fight off jet lag. Never go to bed after a long haul overnight flight. Believe me, I flew 155 times last year alone (I am not a pilot, I work in IT).

My hotel was in the Hanzomon district. The Imperial Gardens are nearby. Therefore for me the choice was obvious. I am a history freak and love everything historical. I had done my homework and knew that the Emperor moved into Tokyo only in XIX century. Earlier Kyoto was the imperial seat. 'Tokyo' looks like a word play on 'Kyoto'. Therefore one of my first questions in the office on Monday was whether there is any connection. There is - 'Tokyo' means 'Eastern Capital City'. Prior to the Emperor moving in, Tokyo had been known as Edo.

The Imperial Palace and Gardens are situated in Central Tokyo. Therefore it shouldn't surprise us the see traditional architecture with contemporary buildings in the background. Speaking of architecture surprises, in 'Impressions of Tokyo - Part II' I am going to show a photo of a building that looks taken from XIX Europe.

I spent the whole afternoon in the gardens (no admission fee!). I have too many photos to place them individually here. I have collected thumbnails of my photos into one picture. Enjoy the views!

Tokyo Metro

My hotel was a walking distance from the office. Not a good idea, though. June in Tokyo while not very hot, was quite humid. Therefore from my second working day on, I would take the metro (underground) to the office and walk back.

To check if I could negotiate the metro whiteout any knowledge of Japanese, I decided to go to Asakusa district on Monday evening. Asakusa is a commercial district. There is also Tokyo's oldest temple - Sensoji. Therefore it is a popular tourist destination.

To get from Hanzomon to Asakusa, I needed to change trains. Apprehensive at first because of the language barrier, I entered the metro station. Buying a ticket proved easy, as the kiosks had English menu. Stripes on the floor and clear signs lead me to the right platform. So far, so good. I entered the train. Displays on the train switch between all Japanese and English. If you know where you going, the system is super easy.

All lines are marked with a Latin letter and a color. Stations are numbered. English signs, colorful lines on the floor make the Tokyo Metro easy to navigate. I got to Asakusa without any mishaps. Later I returned to Hanzomon and gained confidence. During my stay in Tokyo I had to attend meetings in different districts. Moreover, some where in the suburbs. I managed to get everywhere on time and wasn't lost a single time. I think I impressed my Japanese colleagues. But the credit really goes to Tokyo Metro.

Asakusa

It rained a bit, but no rain could stop me from enjoying Asakusa. My plan was to find the Sensoji temple and from there explore the district. Monday evening is not a tourist prime time. Still, there was quite a lot of people.

Sensoji is a Buddhist temple. Next to it we can see a five story Shinto pagoda - the Asakusa shrine. I learnt later that both religions cohabit happily together in Japan. In fact, many Japanese say they profess both Buddhism and Shintoism. There are people who do not follow any religion, but still would occasionally visit a temple or a shrine. Just in case?

Uryu Iwako was a XIX century social worker. She championed education for girls. Ms. Uryu also established a relief center for orphans and the poor.

I will end my first impressions of Tokyo - part I, by placing another mix of photos. Enjoy Asakusa and see you soon to further explore the city.