Japan: Disneyland, Ikura, Smoking Rooms, and the Kindest Humans
When I flew to Tokyo, I was preparing myself to experience jolts from time to time. Many have said that they’re a widespread natural occurrence there. True enough, at a Starbucks at Narita Airport, I felt little tremors. The people around me were not mindful of it. So I acted naturally as if it did not bother me at all. I just stared at my cup of hot chocolate with mini-waves moving with vibrations. Anyway, I came to Tokyo to attend a training on “visual diplomacy” with topics on editing techniques and content creation. Another goal while in Japan was to visit my cousin and her family. Her husband has been living as an expat in Japan for more than a decade. After a week of training, I traveled alone for an hour by train (shinkansen) to Gunma prefecture to see them. What’s interesting in Japan is that there are hardly any English signs! The language barrier is a real problem. To ask for directions, I conversed with the locals using my improvised sign language and the signature bow to ex...