Tokyo
The sublime, the bizarre, and the mysterious.
All at the same time.
Two quick tips to travel in Japan.
First, never touch the door handles of a taxi. They open and close automatically. Certainly don’t try to slam it closed because you are in a hurry and the traffic is bad. You are not in NYC!
Second, business cards are a really big deal. You must never run out. That’s it. Just don’t run out. One trip immediately followed a major trade show where I had handed out almost all of my cards and literally, on the last meeting of the last day of the Tokyo trip, I gave away my last business card. I had been given the death stare by my Japanese colleague and translator as I finally fished it out of a hidden pocket.
When someone hands you their business card in Japan you take it with both hands, study it (maybe one side is in English), they will say their name and job title in their best English, then you bow slightly and say “domo arigato”. Move on to the next person and repeat for everyone in the room that you are meeting. You really need to do this for everyone in the meeting — that is why you can run out of cards so quickly after only a couple of meetings. Do not write on their cards or fold them or put them away too quickly.
When you sit, place the cards on the table in the order of the people sitting in front of you. Then, when one of them starts to complain (politely) about something you may or may not have done, you can see that this guy is junior or a consultant and, although he may be listened to by his elders, he is not making the decisions. Direct your most important remarks to the highest ranking member of the group and reserve your deepest bow for them as you leave.
Some of the most stunning images on the Tokyo section come from Robot Restaurant. Yes, it is cheesy and touristy and unbelievably great — a fine antidote to too much Zen and a great illustration of complex and fascinating Japanese culture. You take the big, crowded elevator down many floors to find a seat at one of the tight chairs and tables on either side of a long stage that goes down the center of the room. When the show begins, you will be overwhelmed with the most colorful, bizarre and loud giant robot performances you have ever seen (OK they are really elaborate puppets, but still!). Kids get noise cancelling headphones so if you have sensitive ears you might want to bring your own ear plugs. The food is nothing to write home about, but you are not there for the food! Unforgettable.
I loved going to the baseball game under the inflatable roof of the Tokyo Dome. Each team brought their own music bands with them and, when something good happened for one team, they would play a little fight song from right inside the stands. If you had a scarf or logo t-shirt for the other team, you just were not allowed to walk through the part of the stadium where the other team’s band was playing. Swords were definitely not allowed either.
Shibuya is a warren of old alleys filled with life and food. Its not fancy, but you are getting the real Tokyo. You might be forced to sit upstairs with the extra supplies if you show up late with too many gaijin (foreigners). The food is the same even although the English menu is somewhat mysterious.