After 36 years it is was time to go to Japan. We have collected tips from friends and family and took the 10:00 AM flight to Osaka. Our route was direct bus to Kyoto, where we stayed 7 days, Train to Takayama (2 days), Bus to Matsumoto (1 day), and Train to Tokyo (5 days). During our stay in Kyoto we have also visited Nara and Himeji (half day each). Japan is much recommended. The scenery is amazing, the design and architecture and attention to small details, the tendency to make things small, The food, soba soup especially, the clean streets and beautiful gardens, the onsens (hot springs), the difference from China, lack of small children and diapers in the supermarkets. All made it a memorable trip.

Kyoto – Beautiful city. Many temples.  Greatest attractions for us were:

“Pontocho” – A small street with many small Japanese restaurants – great for dinner. We ate in one restaurant that 7 course Japanese meal. We recommend trying this experience. Food is great, and price is about 100 USD per couple.

3 systers inn – Great ryokan (traditional Japanese guest house). This is their email address - kyoto-Three Sisters-Inn-Annex <kyo-3sis-anx@air.ocn.ne.jp>

Himeji – The castle and mainly the garden that is next to it. It was the most beautiful garden we saw in japan, and we saw many beautiful gardens.

Nara – the deer between the parks and temples. The big temple (Todaji).

Takayma – The first onsen I have been to, the hida folk village and the Takayama festival 

Matsumoto – the laid back environment and beautiful city.

Tokyo – Shiboya – the world biggest crossing. You can spend hours there. The metro system, good food, Saporo beer factory.

Kimi Ryokan in Tokyo was a great offer in Ikebukuru district

China VS Japan

Many people asked me which do I prefer China or Japan. The politically correct answers I used many times were I love them both and they are very different! Indeed different is the best word to describe it. There is much more different than similar.

Here are some differences:

Small vs Big – Chinese like things big. Our 70 meters apartment in Beijing is considered small in Chinese standards. In Japan we would have been considered very rich. Japanese adore small things. It is considered kawai – sweet. If someone want to design a product in japan, it better be maid small… The food will always be delicate and small compared to China, where tastes can be very strong and plates are big.

Clean  – Well China has gone a great way improving the public toilets in last few years, but Japan took it to the extreme! The toilets are very clean. You can eat from the floor in the onsens (hot baths) and you think carefully before you throw garbage in the streets…

Design and attention to details – Japan is the land of dreams for designers! Japanese have the same capability to design as Chinese in singing… The women are very well dressed, the architecture is great, product in the shops are delicate, and there is a lot of focus on details. 

Quiet vs noisy – Japanese are very quiet. You can feel it in restaurants, trains, metro, etc… in China they like to talk loud.

Shy vs direct and open – Well this bring yin and yang into play. If you compare Chinese to Israelis, well there is no competition – Israelis are very direct compared to Chinese. But when you compare Chinese to Japanese it is a different ball game. Chinese are much more direct than Japanese. The English capability in Japan surprised me. Because they are very shy and hate to lose face, the Japanese will avoid doing mistakes which is a major barrier in learning languages.