Travel across stars: The Rising Sun

There is nothing better than watching the beaming red sunset between clouds from above and then seeing it rise again. Travelling east, we were travelling with the sun and never saw night break before dawn: Just when I thought that it was at the brink if disappearance, the clouds suddenly turned from a deep red to a bright orange and slowly the darkness of the night began to fade once more. This marked the start to our journey to the land of the rising sun.

After a long flight and brief train journey we finally made it to our apartment. It was a small and yet comfortable place. Everything about it was typical of Japanese interior design: The Tatamis, the small kitchen, the slide doors, etc. We immediately felt at home. The area we were staying in (Asakusa), is one of the oldest areas in Tokyo. This meant that some of the old Japanese values and traditions were still represented in small alleys filled with tiny shops and restaurants. This however, does not mean that we did not manage to escape the occasional Starbucks or Macdonalds on our way. Along with a few tourists we met on our path, we also crossed many Japanese bikers on pedestrian paths, cycling confidently between us.

Later we met one of our Japanese friends for dinner. We went to one of the many Sushi places around the corner from our apartment and were able to taste a great variety of dishes. When eating with a local, one can learn a lot about Japanese eating habits: It is not mandatory to use chopsticks, as the food is prepared by hand and can therefore also be eaten with fingers. They are placed between index finger and thumb and then dipped (fish first) into the soy sauce. At the end of a meal it is common to order “ryoku-cha” (Green Tea). On that note, we ended the night and went home to sink into our beds.