The Kimono experience

Disclaimer: This blog may contain cheesy Kimono clad photos.

One of the major highlights during my stay in Tokyo was dressing up in a traditional Kimono. Kimono in Japanese literally means ‘a thing to wear’. Rena Chan and her ever enthusiastic grandma Obachan accompanied me to a fancy Kimono studio in the heart of Tokyo. Having seen the attire in the Bollywood song ‘Sayonara’ (which according to Rena Chan, was a total disaster!) and in photos of my friends as exchange students to Japan, this definitely was a bucket list item during my trip to Japan.

Two friendly women greeted us with a ‘Konnichiva’ at the studio entrance. The choice of Kimono designs and the wide range of accessories I needed to pick from was overwhelming. The “Everything will look good on you” compliment doesn’t always help but Obachan came to my rescue! After a good 15-minute discussion, we settled on a bright red and turquoise colored Kimono. It was followed by a session of hairdo and make-up.

The Kimono turned out to be an intricate set of clothing ~ with several layers wrapped underneath the red cloak-like attire. Then came the Obi ~ a broad waist-belt to hold the dress. It was the tricky bit since the Obi stiffens you completely, so much so that I had hard time breathing! It got me wondering how women back then pulled it off all so well.

It’s always more fun ‘behind the scenes’

Despite the complexity of this attire, I thoroughly enjoyed all the attention and praises showered by these lovely women all throughout the process of dressing-up and posing for the photos that followed. The Japanese value for ‘perfection’ reflected in the photo shoot as the photographer would make minute adjustments in the clothing or my hairdo after every single click! Thanks to Obachan and Rena Chan for the cheering and smiling that I patiently managed to trot along the studio striking cheesy poses.

(I’ll spare you from the cheesier photos)

The fun photo shoot was followed by a mini tea ceremony wherein we were served Matcha (powdered green tea) in traditional Japanese bowls with a sugary dessert to balance the taste.

 

 

A week in Tokyo

On reading the word Tokyo, one may instantly picture brightly lit commercial streets, neon lights, busy crossroads and maybe bullet trains. Believe me, the city has so much more to offer in terms of its cultural elements – from beautiful bonsai gardens to benchmark-worthy customer service experience. Despite it being my first visit to Tokyo, somehow the streets, the air seemed all too familiar and in no time it grew on me. Moreover, having the warm-hearted Rena Chan around added to the familiarity with the place.

As I always say, it’s all about the people. Especially as a solo traveller, one tends to closely interact with the locals and these interactions can either make you fall in love with a city or detest it. I’ve met the most polite and the friendliest people in Japan, especially during my ‘Lost in Translation’ moments, desperately asking for directions.

A few highlights from my weeklong stay in the capital were ~

The world’s busiest pedestrian crossing at Shibuya – never before have I waited for four signals just to watch the sight of people crossing a street. As per records during rush hours, there could be as many as 2500 people crossing the street at the same time!

The Hachiko statue – The Japanese love their dogs. Don’t be too surprised to find dog-themed cafes, stores exclusively selling clothing and accessories for pet dogs and Kimono studios for dogs in Tokyo. Remember the Richard Gere starer movie ‘Hachi– A Dog’s Tale’? Well there’s a statue of the loyal dog Hachi in Shibuya, the dog who is remembered for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, which continued for more than nine years after his owner’s death.

Cultural insight: The Japanese  value loyalty very highly as evident from the Samurai culture.

Kabuki – Museums and folklore experience are always a part of my itinerary and the Kabuki (Japanese dance-drama) was a total treat to watch. The elaborate make-up and costumes along with the high-pitched narration in Old Japanese are unique to Kabuki. An interesting observation during the performances was a few members from the audience calling out names and clapping after certain dialogues. Rena later told me that certain Kabuki artists have been performing through generations and it is a moment of pride for their representatives to call out their names in order to be acknowledged.

Kabuki-za in Ginza

Tokyo is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and lively cities I’ve visited – a total treat for any curious traveller!

Things distinct to Tokyo include the ubiquitous vending machines, gaming parlors with blasting music, sushi bars, funky stationary stores (selling everything cute), book lounges/cafes, realistic plastic food displays and (super convenient) public transport system among others.

Rena Chan’s favourite sushi bar in Ginza

…I’d go back in a heartbeat!

 

Initial Impressions

Most tourists plan a trip to Japan during the ‘cheery blossom’ season in March/April, instead I planned one in winter. Little did I know that I’d be welcomed with such warmth and taken such good care of during my two-week trip.

Travel tip: Always fly the country airlines, your cultural experience is bound to begin right there!

My first impressions on the Japan Airlines (JAL) were of the flight attendants being very courteous, ever so smiling and extremely polite.

I tasted my first Soba (brown noodles) and noodle soup with fish broth and quite liked it. Also, when I was offered a Haagen Dazs on the plane, I could not help but think to myself “Welcome to the first world”.

As with any solo trip, the best part is having the freedom to explore the innate culture the land you are visiting. This experience is further amplified when you are fortunate enough to be hosted by a local – In my case, this gave me an opportunity to delve into the everyday living and lifestyle of a local Japanese.

I experienced and learned a bit of the social etiquette and protocol (there were too many to learn proficiently all at one go). I’d like to mention a few first hand experiences that were most striking contrast to the Indian household norms.

Structure and décor of the house: there is a place for everything. The house is made up of thick cardboards unlike the bricks and mortar used in the constructions in India. You can literally use bulletin pins to hang frames and artifacts off the walls!

Oneechan’s cozy home in Tokyo

Artsy interiors

Bulletin pins used to hand artifacts off the walls

The bathrooms are separated from the toilets for hygiene factors. One can observe the well-known Japanese technology even on the heated toilet seat. A picture is worth a thousand words, quite literally. In this case, a necessity!

A picture is worth a thousand words, quite literally. In this case, a necessity!

 

Footwear protocol: From day one, I was introduced to these three:

• Winter boots/shoes
• Home slip-ons
• Restroom slippers

Trust me, you don’t want to cross borders in a native Japanese home by mixing these up. This is quite a contrast to the Indian context where we either walk barefoot at home or use the same slippers throughout. A starker contrast to the European and American context, where you could simply keep your outdoor footwear on at home.

Staple food: Eating sticky rice, steamed fish and soya sauce for breakfast was quite a cultural surprise. Oneechan (Rena) was always curious to see if I’d like the staple palette and gave me tasters for boiled veggies (radishes and carrots) with fish broth, Onigiri (rice balls) among others.

A refreshingly new way to consume food items – though a few of them are utilized in India as well, the lack of spices helps appreciate the original flavor in a unique way. Moreover, it was an ideal opportunity to hone my chopstick skills and Rena seemed pretty impressed by the end of my stay.

On a personal note, while it certainly is a pleasant experience, being an Indian, I couldn’t stay away from the tadkaas and masalas for too long and had quite a craving towards the end of two weeks. That’s when I threw in all the spices I could find in her kitchen (that she’d collected over her trips to India) and cooked her the spiciest veg curry she’d ever had!

Notice the adorable ‘Hello Kitty’ pouches

That’s my version of a Veg Curry

Cooking with adorable ‘Hello Kitty’ spice pouches and my version of a Veg Curry.

Travel tip: If you’re a seafood gourmand, Japan is the place for you. If you fall in the ‘I prefer veg’ category, then be prepared to binge on doughnuts and Italian cuisine. If you are a ‘pure vegetarian’ then please pack Theplas for the entire journey.

Next up: My stay in Tokyo and partaking in some Japanese cultural idiosyncrasies and my take on it.