This might surprise some people but I’ve never been to Japan in my whole life until now. For some reason that eludes me, quite a number of people assume that I’ve been to Japan since I’m well travelled and I’m so into Kpop and and Seoul is so near to Japan. I’m not sure what kind of logic that is but I’ve certainly heard about how I like Kpop and therefore must have visited Japan before.

Anyway, I went to Tokyo and Tokyo does live up to their reputation for being super expensive and bloody clean. I guess I’m most impressed with their discipline to not litter despite barely seeing any rubbish bins anywhere and their propensity to separate the recyclables. I’m big on recycling and the whole environment protection/climate change she-bang so Japan agrees with me.

Also, I didn’t find Tokyo as technologically advanced as everyone says it would be. Given that I work with technology, I must say that quite a number of Asian cities has already caught up in terms of technology adoption and for some aspects of technology adoption, surpassed Japan. I did notice that there is still a good portion of the Japanese population who are using clam-shell phones and not a smart phone. Availability of free wifi is also only limited to tourist spots.

Neither did I find the Japanese as weird as people have described them to be. Maybe I’m just as weird as them and therefore I find them normal??

Regardless, I did have a nice time in Japan despite not being head over heels in love with the place like most of my friends are. I will share a bit more of what I did and saw in Japan in my next few posts. Watch this space.