Tokyo, Kamakura, Germany…

Tokyo, Kamakura, Germany…

Hi there! This week was yet another great one in Japan. I do love exploring Japan. This week I have been in Tokyo and Kamakura. But since two days I am back in Germany. Still dealing with Jetlag and hopefully soon I can get to my normal sleeping rhythm.

Tokyo has been great. Eating lots and visiting neighborhoods like Ueno, Asakusa, Ginza, Odaiba, Shimokitazawa, Nakameguro, Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shimbashi, Kanda area, Akihabara, so my feet definitely need a rest but the joy of being here is so much bigger that I do not really care how tired I feel hehe. Thankfully I keep really active in my normal daily life so when I do long walks and exploring I make sure I am up to the challenge.

 Of course I cannot leave out the coffee shops, like Blue Bottle coffee, Glitch Coffee, Bear Pond Espresso, Bongen Coffee, Meji Café at Tsukiji fish market, Little Nap Coffee, among others. Not to forget as well Kissaten (coffee shops), very retro and nostalgic places, where in a lot of them you can still smoke, in Osaka you find a lot but also in Tokyo, one of them that I really like and I tried for the second time is at Ueno Station, the place is called Cafe Galant, or the one also closeby called Lapin. If you are ever around in Tokyo do not miss the incredible experience of the coffee scene in this gigantic city.

I took a day trip to Kamakura, which is a little over an hour from Tokyo. I left very early in the morning so I could visit the Temples and Shrines before it gets too crowded and it payed off because I had several places almost all to myself. Kamakura is an amazing town by the sea. The train line is very nostalgic and retro, running along the sea, you can see all the surfers enjoying the waves and I believe this particular day, waves were good because along the coast there were surfers everywhere. By chance I found out that in one of the stations in Kamakura called Kamakurakoko- mae, there is a special cross where the train passes and the background is the beautiful Japanese sea. This street scene was in “Slam Dunk” a very beloved Anime by thousands and myself included, so I had to go there and take a photo, it was a very special moment. Then I had amazing street food back in Komachi Street and went further to explore the town. All a great experience and for sure there are more places in Kamakura that I want to visit so I will come back next time to continue exploring the area.

One of the great things of Japan is that food is very affordable, and you have almost the certainty that you wont get any stomach issues. The sanitary measures are really strict and high, so I can say that you can eat almost anywhere without having to worry about your belly. I really enjoy that side of Japan, because even fast chain restaurants are very affordable and delicious, just the quality is always and constantly good. I tried this trip several times these local chain foods and you can get a very complete meal for less than 7 euros and tasty, which in Germany is impossible to get.

I had also the chance to get to know new people, to talk to several baristas about coffee which I always find interesting. Coffee culture in Japan is massive and really deep so I enjoy it so much.

I bought souvenirs, and finally got to buy a Japanese Cooking Knife which I got with my name engraved on the blade, which I find pretty cool, plus is not in normal writing, it is in Katakana.

I enjoy Japan so much and I am so grateful I got to visit Akiho’s family and for the concert I did with Sakichan, Dichterliebe is really special for me and making it possible in Japan with good musicians and friends was even more rewarding. I am already planning my next visit to Japan although I just left the country. Japan is a country full of wonders and surprises, it is a very unique country in the most amazing possible way.

I kept reading daily and doing my exercise routines and writing my morning pages. It has been really challenging doing it while travelling but I am glad I did not gave up. It is part of my discipline training and I will keep it up.

I hope you are well, see you next week here, take care.