A four-legged journey to Japan
If you’ve ever read our World First Weekly Wander feature, you’ll know that we love keeping tabs on the travel blogosphere’s top writers. Toni White is one of them. Her travel blog, Reclaiming My Future, is a great read. But that’s not important right now. Because this guest post is written by Toni’s four-legged travel buddies. Ever wondered what life’s like for a cow and a sheep in Japan? Trot off with Sheepy and Duke and find out.
Being two farmyard animals we thought we would feel like outsiders in Japan. But from the moment we arrived in Tokyo we knew we’d be okay; there were more sub-cultures than chicken lay eggs. Women walked around in Kimonos and those ‘funny looking flip-flops’ with socks on, men wore really tight jeans and fake tan, and girls dressed up to look like their favourite characters from Anime cartoons. We fitted right in!
Their underground system was difficult to negotiate at first. Not because of the language barrier, but the fact that there are so many people using it. At certain stations they hire staff to push you ON to the train. We’re used to feeling like herded cattle but the other passengers didn’t seem to appreciate Duke’s horns!
We found peace (and some bamboo to nibble) walking around the Meiji Shrine in Harajuku, soaking up the atmosphere before taking on the Asakusa Temple. It’s the oldest temple in Tokyo and one of the most populated districts of the city because of it. It also means that it has some great souvenirs and even better food markets. Although, don’t eat anything that looks remotely dried because I guarantee it won’t be ready salted crisps you’re munching but dried shrimp and other things you couldn’t hope to pronounce; Duke’s cow pats vouch for it.
Our favourite day was travelling to Hakone National Park, south of Tokyo, to visit the great Mount Fujiyama. Sat on the coach our guide told us that Mount Fuji hid in the clouds during the winter and that we wouldn’t see much. Then she suddenly jumped up from her seat and screamed down the microphone ‘You can see it! You can see the summit of Fuji,’ which was met with a round of applause, a moo and a baa!
A few minutes later we were at the base of the picturesque mountain. In winter, public transport is only usually allowed to take travellers as high as the 4th station. But because the weather was so good we were told we could go higher up the mountain to the 5th station. They were clearing the road for us as we were driving! Mooooo! Before we knew it, there we were. The closest station to the summit of Fuji and the first ones of the year to do it. Not a bad feat for a couple of grass-eaters from the country hills of England!
We can’t say that we enjoyed the national food of sushi as much as seeing Fuji, not just because it’s raw but, in the words of Dorey from Finding Nemo: ‘fish are friends, not food’. We stuck to Miso (onion) soup. And while we’re talking food, here’s a tip: if you ever have a Bento (boxed meal), stay away from the green splodge. It’s wasabi and it’s hot enough to burn the fur off your butt! Not a good look in such a fashionable nation.
All in all it was a fantastic trip for the two of us. We loved getting out of the country and into the VERY bright lights of the city. Our hooves were really aching by the end of it though, so we jumped on to the Shinkansen (bullet train) and rode off into the sunset!
Sheepy and Duke
www.facebook.com/sheepyandduke
www.reclaimingmyfuture.com
@toniwonitravels
www.flickr.com/toniwoni
www.world-first.co.uk
Related posts:
