Japan……….Spreading my wings

Sometimes I think we need that little push out of the nest or to be thrown into the fire to see what we are really capable of. I know I do, and I think most people tend stick to what they know or where they feel safe. I think this keeps a lot of people from traveling because its outside their comfort zone, but if they just took that leap of faith the sky’s the limit and that’s what this story is about.

After the argument we went our separate ways and now I was officially on my own in a foreign country. I was definitely scared and pretty nervous. In Japan not many people speak English, some do and some speak very little. However the Japanese are the most respectful, polite and helping people I have ever come across. They will bend over backwards and go out of their way to help you in every way they can, even if they don’t speak English. On top of that I had never felt so safe in a country, you could literally leave your wallet full of cash somewhere, come back and it would still be there as you left it. So at least I had that going for me.

I got up early the next morning, packed my bags and went to the front desk of the hotel. I was determined to do the trip as I originally planned, (Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto and back to Tokyo to come home). I checked out and asked about the bullet train and
where I could go to book my tickets. The staff basically gave me a step by step guidebook of how to get there, what train to take and even some tips for Hiroshima when I got there. The metros in Tokyo are pretty amazing, super clean and not to difficult to figure out. There just isn’t a lot of English, so look for the running green man sign, which is the exit sign. When I arrived at the station where the Shinkansen (bullet trains) departed there was a tourist info booth there and they helped and showed which me the proper ticket and platform I needed.

First Flight

When I boarded that train headed to Hiroshima it was just an amazing feeling. I was flying, spreading my wings for the first time and I felt like the king of the world. I felt so free and alive, it was like being and author of my own book, in my own story, literally writing it as I went. I will remember that feeling for the rest of my life.

I pulled my phone out and got on Booking.com and immediately found an amazing deal on a great room. Nothing could stop me now. I sat back and enjoyed the ride. Pretty amazing the speeds those trains reach I think I saw a speed of 190mph at one point, but it didn’t feel like it. I was due in late into Hiroshima so when I arrived I just checked in and basically passed out so I could be fresh for the following day.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima was so beautiful and so very different from Tokyo. It was surrounded by big rolling green hills and a large bay full of oyster beds. I was already impressed and I hadn’t even left my hotel yet. I was told that Miyajima Island and its floating Itksukushima Shrine were a must see while in Hiroshima. The second part I wanted to see was the Peace Memorial Park/A-bomb dome.

That morning I got up early as usaul to start exploring this amazing area. I asked the front desk how I could get to Miyajima Island and they directed me to the ferry that actually had pickup/dropoff site at the hotel. I boarded the next ferry and made my way to the majestic island.

Miyajima Island – This is known to be one of the top scenic locations in Japan and I can tell you first hand it was one of my favorite places I went while there. This should be an all day place you visit, possibly even stay a night on island, I did not but it would have been cool to. There is plenty to see here from temples, pagodas, nature hikes and of course the famous floating tori gate. Did I mention there are cute deer everywhere? Yes deer all over and they will let you pet them. Be careful  though, they are sneaky and I saw one creep up behind a family holding a bag of food and the deer ripped the bag away and ferociously rip the bag apart eating all the food. Lol it was actually pretty funny to watch. On a serious note this island was so so beautiful and serene. If you go you will more than likely see a traditional Japanese wedding while you are there which is interesting to watch. Also if you see a little stand selling these little curry oyster ball things, get one! I can still taste how amazing that little ball of heaven was! unfortunately it started raining and I wasn’t able to do the hiking part of the island.

The next day I planned out to go see the Peace Memorial Park and A-Bomb Dome. Many people back home questioned why I would want to go to this area due to its destructive and deadly past. But I have found that places like this should almost be embraced to serve as a reminder of just how destructive we as people can be and hopefully avoid at all costs.

• Peace Memorial Park/A-Bomb Dome – This is the area where the atomic bomb was dropped and the park is dedicated as the memorial for all the lives lost. You feel a lot of raw emotion when you visit a place like this. Me personally I felt a lot of sadness, anger, compassion and peace. How did we as people, mankind, get to a point where the entire world was fighting itself and dropping bombs on each other? Going to this memorial is really an eye-opening experience. Seeing the A-bomb Dome, which is very close to the hypocenter of where the bomb exploded in the air, and pictures of the destruction it did is almost unfathomable. What is left of that building is one the only remnants of what was there all those years ago, everything else was destroyed in seconds. With all the thought of destruction that happened, at the same time they did an amazing job with the park. You really feel a sense of peace and calmness there.

 

A plot change

Remember when  I said I was the author of my own book now and that I was writing it as I went? Well it was time for a plot change and I could literally do whatever I wanted because I was on my own and calling the shots now. So I had originally planned to go to Osaka from Hiroshima but I decided I really wanted to see a waterfall while I was in Japan. Since I had never really seen a waterfall and  Japan is known for its amazing waterfalls, I figured why not.

I spoke to the guy at the front desk at my hotel the night before my check out in length and he just so happened to be somewhat of a waterfall enthusiast in Japan and recommended that I see “Amagoi no Taki”. He said it would be best to stay in Tokushima City and that I could easily take a bus to Kamiyama which is where the waterfall was. I searched Booking.com found another cheap room, booked it and I was ready for the next chapter. The follwing morning I got on another bullet train and off I went.

Tokushima

When I arrived in Tokushima I realized it was very small and different from Tokyo and Hiroshima. It was definitely not a touristy place people would normally go to visit in Japan which was nice. My main goal was to see the waterfall but didnt know what else there was to do there. I did find a lift up to a pretty nice observation area that overlooks the entire city that was pretty cool.

The next day I got my directions, bus routes and times and headed to Kamiyama where the waterfall Amagoi no Taki was located.

• Amagoi no Taki – After the 30-45 minute bus ride, I had arived in the smaller town of Kamiyama, I was finally ready to make my hike to see my first waterfall. From the bus stop it was a bit of a walk up to essentially what was the beginning of the trail, but I was so pumped I could have hiked up two mountains that day haha. The trail took you through this amazing, beautiful, majestic green forest. The air was so clean and refreshing, unlike anything I had experienced. The trail was a little steep but always rewarded me with little falls here and there as I made my way to the top. It’s about a 20-30 minute walk to the main attraction depending on your stamina or in my case how many times you stop to take a picture with everything you see. Once I reached the main fall, which I learned is actually 2 main falls (a his “Odaki” and hers “Medaki”). The triple tier Medaki was amazing and definitely the show stopper of the 2. I Found a chain rope that allowed me to climb up and all around Medaki, I went up to the second tier but didn’t have proper shoes to continue all around. I honestly don’t remember how long I spent here, I was completely taken away and lost in the moment here. The forrest and the falls were just healing in a way. Calm, peaceful, and beautiful, far away from the hustle and bustle of society. It was a great change of pace from everything else i had experienced up to that point.

Kyoto

I had really high expectations for Kyoto due to the bamboo forest and my favorite whiskey in the world, Yamazak, is distilled not to far from there. As soon as I arrived in Kyoto I knew my expectations would be met, Kyoto had a really cool vibe to it.

First on my agenda was of course……

•  Yamazaki distillery –  What can I say I’m a whiskey fanatic and this happens to be my favorite. It was about a 30-40 min train ride to the distillery, but what I didn’t know was that tours book out months in advance. When I arrived to the distillery and inquired about doing a tour they were fully booked for the next month and a half. I seriously about cried, however they said if anyone cancels for any of the tours for the day,  I could fill the spot. Well…….. everyone showed and there were no empty spots. However the manager saw how into their whiskey I was and saw me come check in over the course of  3 hours for each of the tours. He called me over and said he was going to make a special exception for me and that it would be on the house, free of charge. I gave that guy the biggest hug and did a little dance of excitement. Lol, I don’t think the Japanese are huggers because he kinda laughed and didn’t know what to do. I have done many distillery tours in the U.S. but this by far has been my favorite. The most amazing smell came from the mash and distilling rooms, I wanted to stay in that room all day and just breathe nothing but that aroma. No other distilleries have ever come close. Plus my new friend, the manager guy, did the tour with me and answered all my questions throughout the tour. It was like I had my own personal tour guide and he actually said he was quite impressed with my knowledge on their whiskey. If you enjoy whiskey this is a must, plus they have a world whiskey library with every whiskey you could ever imagine that you can purchase pours of. Some are only available there at the distillery.  A truly amazing experience for me.

The following day I planed on seeing the Bamboo forest in kyoto.

• Bamboo forest – This was only a 15 min train ride from Kyoto station was is nice. It was a really amazing experience, so beautiful and peaceful. With the rays of light shining through all the beautiful shades of green branches. My favorite part was when the wind would blow through the stalks of bamboo it sounded like whispers from God talking to you. When I closed my eyes, felt the wind and heard the whispers dance through the forest, it felt like I was 1 with nature. My only gripe was that I wish you could get closer to the bamboo. You are restricted to the fenced paths that only allow you to get so close. Other than that, it is a great place to visit.

When I left Kyoto and headed back to Tokyo to go home, I had this amazing feeling of accomplishment and so much confidence. I had such an amazing trip, saw so many beautiful and amazing things and I did it entirely on my own. I thought to myself how the fear of being on my own could have robbed me of this life changing experience and how many others let this fear get in their way of traveling. But I had conquered this fear now and I knew from this point on the world was truly my oyster and nothing could stop me from exploring it.

Freeing experience

So in closing I had gone to Japan needing someone to basically hold my hand and left there with so much and experience that I might not have ever had if it wasn’t for literally   being pushed into a situation that showed me what I was really capable of. It wasnt that I couldn’t have done all the things on my own, it was that I was just afraid that I wouldn’t be able to. Don’t let your fear get in the way of what you really want to do.

So for all of you out there who are afraid to travel alone, I hope this story helps push you out of the nest so that you too can spread your wings and fly. This was one of the most freeing experiences I have ever had and it really changed and shaped who I am today as a traveler. To grow we have to step out of our comfort zone to see what we are really capable of. If I can do it, believe me so can you!