Why Japan, and My Love for All Things Anime/Manga

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been interested in Japanese culture.  The name of this blog: Sakura Memories goes along with my feelings for the country.   Sakuras/Cherry Blossoms are very ionic in Japan, but they have a very important meaning to me as well.  Due to all of the Sakura Blossoms in the Japanese related interests I have, it has become a symbol of how my love for Japanese culture began.  Therefore, these memories are the reasons I want to Travel to Japan. 

How I was introduced to Japan Culture:
When I was around 5 years old, I started watching a child based tv show called Hello Kitty (which a very famous Japanese figure).  During this time, a lot of Japanese shows started to appear on TV (at the time, I was too young to understand that they were Japanese).  Anime shows like Dragon Ball, Sailor moon and Card Captor Sakura were the anime (Japanese cartoon shows) that started by fixation with all things Japanese. 

After these shows ended, I started to watch more anime shows such as Pokemon, Digimon, Inuyasha, etc.  All of these shows were English dubbed, and it wasn't until High School that I started to watch the orginal Japenese episodes with English subtitles (much better!!).  It was also around this time I was introduced to my current number one anime/manga: Naruto.  Manga is the word used to designate any Japanese comics.  It was only a couple months later, that I was reading weekly manga updates on Naruto and others series. 

I was usually drawn to Shonen mangas, which is usually a ‘boy’ focused genre due to the amount of violence and action.  The most popular mangas internationally are Shonen (ex. Dragon Ball, Naruto, Bleach), and the subject matter varies widely going from super heroes to high school student adventures.  These types of action stories were always interesting to me since, in manga, heroes are usually naive and pure at heart.  Enemies, on the other hand, are evil but due to the hero’s influence they end ip revealing their good side.  In comparison, Western superhero comics, the good stays good and the bad stays and dies a bad! (I would know since I also read a lot of Marvel comics when I was younger...yes, I’m a nerd) 

Although manga started to become very popular, and sold in every bookstore, I never found anyone with the same interest as me (This could also be due to living in an area with no minorities...).  When I came to University, this all changed.  I met my roommate Alex, and it was awkward at first, since she was alittle hard to approach.  It wasn’t until I was reading my weekly naruto update (and trying in vain to hide it from her), that she snatched the computer and turned to me with a squeeled; “You read this too?!”  We then had an OMG moment, and became fast best friends. 

With another manga/anime fan, I had no need to hide it, and soon enough other anime lovers on my floor started to approach us.  Mansi and Lisa, were the next girls that I related to and made my love for Japanese culture grow more.  Mansi introduced me to my other favourite shonen manga: Bleach, and she soon started to introduce me to other shonen anime/manga.  Alex, on the other hand, only likes one or two shonen but loves her shojo mangas.  Shojo manga are directed to teenage girls and are best described as Japanese love focused soap operas in comic book form.  Before Alex, the only shojo genera I loved were Card captor Sakura and Sailor moon (although these have alot of action in them, more so then regular shojo manga).  Lisa was a little bit different in broadening my interest in Japanese culture.  She introduced me to Jpop (Japanese pop) and Jdoramas.  Japanese dramas, Jdoramas, are the interconnection of manga, anime, movies and music.  Most famous dramas are based on a manga, but many have original storylines.  These dramas are usually 10 episodes long, and can be best described as a mini-series or sitcom. 

After becoming friends with these girls, we had a dream to go to Japan together.  Before all of us turn 30, we would go to Japan, since it’s been a place that has been influencing us in so many ways since childhood.  It would be my final childhood dream, before I officially become an adult. 

Left to Right: Sakura blossoms, Bleach, Inyuasha, Card Captor Sakura, Naruto, 
Death Note, Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Dragon ball, Vampire Knight, Hello Kitty 

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Trip Logistics and How Much This All Will Cost

As I already said, I’ll be taking this trip with my three other best friends.  Since I can’t speak for them, much of the things I’ll discuss in this blog are going to be reasons why I’m going to certain areas, or seeing particular places.  There are some attractions that I know my friends would love to see in Japan, so I’ll add that, but mostly it will just be my own point of view.  Anyways, one thing we all agreed upon is where to go.  Since we are anime lovers and shopping fanatics, good chunk of our time will be spent in Tokyo.  Although if we want to learn all about Japan, only going to Tokyo isn't the best.  Instead we need to soak in the richness of Japan's culture through its temples and shrines, foods and customs.  All in all, the perfect amount of time we picked is 15 days in Japan.  Here is our plan for these 15 days:

Itinerary

Day 1=Toronto to Narita Airport to Shinjuku, Tokyo
Day 2 + 3 +4= 3 full days of sightseeing in Tokyo
Day 5= Side trip to Nikko from Tokyo
Day 6= Tokyo to Hakone
Day 7= Hakone to Kyoto
Day 8 + 9= 2 full days of sightseeing in Kyoto
Day 10= Side trip to Nara from Kyoto
Day 11= Kyoto to Osaka
Day 12= Osaka to Hiroshima to Miyajima
Day 13= Miyajima to Shibuya, Tokyo
Day 14= Full day in Shibuya, Tokyo
Day 15= depart Tokyo for Toronto

So Tokyo is a large amount of our trip, and due to this, our budget has to increase a bit.  Tokyo is one of the most expensive places to rent a hotel, so a large amount of the budget will go towards that.  The rest will be for transportation, and entry fees for certain attractions.  The budget, which includes the flight ticket, should be around 3500-4000 CAD.  The ticket is currently around 1900 CAD on delta air (the cheapest flight to Japan from America).  This flight actually departs from Toronto, stops in New York; and then its non-stop from New York to Tokyo, making it a 17 hours and 30 minutes flight!  Wow!! I better bring an ereader/ipad to kill some time.  Although with my girls, we’ll just talk half of the trip and/or sleep. 

Along with the 4000 CAD budget, I’ll be taking 300 to 400 CAD equivalent to Tokyo’s yen which is around 25 500- to 34 000 Yen.  The current exchange rate is 1 CAD = 85 Japanese yen, but I have to take into account, that this will probably change by the time I go to Japan. 

When am I planning for this trip?  I want to go when school is completely done and I have a good job, which I believe would be 5- 7 years from now.  This is the same thoughts my friends have, where we all believe this will be our last big hurrah before going into the ‘real world.’  Having a job will help with saving for such a large budget, but thankfully my parents will be paying for the trip.  Depending on when I’ll go, it will either be a graduation present or ‘Congrats on Your First Job’ present.  I don’t ask for much for my parents, but this is something they know I have wanted to do since I was a child.   Me waiting until after I finish University and get a job, showed them how responsible and sensible I was.  Therefore, they believe this is a trip I deserve, especially after all the work I’m doing in school/work (And I couldn't agree more!).

So thanks Mom and Dad! I’ll be putting this present to good use for sure!!
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Preparing for the Big Trip!

There are a couple things I have to prepare for, before I go to Japan.  First I will need to take a couple months, before the trip, to indulge myself in as many Japanese speaking shows, animes and films.  Even though I know a couple words here and there, it’s not enough for a country uses next to no English.  Through the large amounts of Japanese dramas I’ve watched, Japanese people are extremely polite and respectful in everyday interactions.  To be able to blend in with crowd, I need to at least know arigato (thank you), sumimasen (excuse me), konnichiwa (hello), and onegai shimasu (please).  These are very much the basic need to know Japanese words that can get you by in many situations.  Another way to be prepared for the language barrier is to download a translator on my ipad.  These things are speedy and convient (since it’s so light), so we can take it with us where we are.  It’s a great way to translate what others are telling you, but also to translate what you’re saying to someone else who may not understand English very well. 

Some Japanese phrases every Travellor needs to know,
from A Geek in Japan (Hector Garcia)

In the post before I touched on the fact that I’ll need to bring a good amount of cash on me.  The smartest thing for me to do is to exchange the Canadian amount at Narita airport, since the exchange is far better in Japan then outside of the country.  Another reason to bring cash, is that fact that not a lot of places will take my debit or credit card.  And while there are some places, like convenience stores in Tokyo that do, I rather be save then sorry.  Although I will bring a card with me in case my money runs out (hopefully that doesn’t happen!)

The other part of the budget is coupled with accomdation, airfaire and transportation in the country.  It’s best to buy a ticket between two to three months before the travel date, and same goes for making reservations for hotels.  Thankfully, I know when I would like to go to Japan, making it easier reserve sports and book plane tickets.  The time we would be going is early April, and this coincides with Cherry Blossom season.  This time is the perfect time to see all the trees all abloom with pink flowers, and its one of the only times in the year that isn’t coinciding with a Japenese holiday season or a rainy season.  Cherry blossoms and good weather makes early April a perfect time to travel around Japan.

The other part of the budget is transportation, which is one of the most expensive things in Japan.   A good deal instead is to buy a 14 day Japan Rail Pass (45 100 Yen/534 CAD), which is really beneficial to us due to the long distances we’ll be covering.  The pass covers all Japanese Railway trains (JR trains), the shinkansen/bullet train, ferries and local JR buses.  The railways are everywhere, and it’s one of the easiest mode of transportation to get around, so the pass will absolutely be worth it.  The Pass will be apart of the 4000 budget, and (*a reminder to myself*) JR passes can’t be bought in Japan.  Rather it would be better to get the pass when paying for my plane ticket. 

In terms of what to pack, it would be better to pack light.  This is because of the numerous times we will be hopping on train to another to get to another city.  We will have to take our luggage with us each time, and it won’t be fun to lug around a 50 pound suitcase.  Another thing is cell phones, which before visitors were only able to use a rented Japanese cell phone from the airport, but now phones with 3G can be used in Japan!  Hopefully in five years, more cell phones can work there.  Due to the fact that many hotels offer wi-fi, I’ll be taking my laptop (or just the Ipad) and with other electronics, we’ll need to bring a universal plug.

Basically to get by in Japan, or any country for that matter, we need to learn about its customs and culture to be able to get the most from that country when we actually visit it.  With all of the Japanese themed things we watch, we 4 girls feel like we already know a lot of the culture.  However there is a difference, from virtually going there through the television then actually going there.  No matter how prepared I’ll try to be, there will still be that culture shock; but at least this preparation will lessen the shock, and not keep me from floundering. 

Next we’ll get into the virtual trip days!! These days will be as detailed as possible, so that one day I'll look back and actually take this trip!

Source: A Geek in Japan by Hector Garcia Buy Here
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Shonichi/ Day One- Cherry Blossoms on the First Day

After a couple hours in immigration, we should be out of Narita Airport by 11 AM. The time to check into our hotel is 2pm, so we’ll have some time to spare.  Taking our luggage, we will take the JR Yamanote line to Shinjuku where we’ll be staying during the first couple days in Tokyo.

If I were to compare New York to Tokyo, Shinjuku would be like Manhattan.  It’s filled with the skyscrapers and neon signs.  One of the main reasons we want to stay in Shinjuku, is that it appeared in a lot of movies, manga and anime we’ve read and watched like Death note (One of our all time favourite!)

Once reaching Shinjuku, we’ll get off the North South exit at Sinjuku Station, and take a short walk to Sinjuku Gyoen.  Since its around late March to mid April, it’s Cherry Blossom season, and the Sinjuku Gyoen is one of the most popular and pleasant hanami spots to view the blossoms in Tokyo.  At the beginning of April, the blooming of sakura blossoms is quite an event for tourists, as well as for locals.  The word hanami, is translated to ‘to see flowers,’ so a hanami spot is a spot to allow individuals to sit and gaze at the cherry blossom trees. 

At the station, before heading to Shinjuku Gyoen, we’ll pick up a bento.  When settled in our hanami spot, we’ll dig this Japanese take-out meal.  Bento is a ready-made lunch box sold at almost every convience store and train station In Japan.  A typical bento conists of rice, fish or meat and vegetables. 

After finishing our lunch, we’ll leave the park for our Hotel: the Best Western Sinjuku Astina Hotel.   One 2 twin bedroom is 127.54 dollars per night (this is one of the most affordable hotels!), and it’s a 5 minute walk from the west entrance of Shinjuku station.  This will make it much easier to get along in the city. 


Top Section: Traditional Bento, Odaiba Ferris Wheel, Shinjuku Gyoen and examples of hanami spots
Bottom Section: Rainbow bridge at night, Venus fort shopping center, Fuji TV building


After settling into our hotel, we’ll take a trip to Odaiba which is known for its futuristic entertainment.  The JR Saikyo line, will take use directly to Odiaba from Shinjuku.  To get in and out of the area, we’ll need to go over the rainbow bridge, which is a really beautiful site at night.  Another attraction we’ll head to is Odaiba’s ferris wheel, the largest in the country, standing at 115 metres tall.  All four us will be able to ride together, since one cart holds 6 passengers.


Odaiba Jump Shop


The next place is Fuji TV Building and the Dragon Ball and One Piece Museum.  This will be our first anime/manga experience in Japan, and what place better to go to then the building that broadcast Dragon Ball Z and now One Piece (the current longest running manga series).  In the building is a museum where we can buy merchandising from both series as well as other series Fuji TV broadcasts. Close to the Fuji TV building is the jump store.  For people who may not know, Jump is the current most popular manga magazine that contains the most popular Shonen manga series (i.e Naruto, Bleach, One Piece).  We all are jump fans, since our favourite series are distributed by it, and it’s a great place to buy some items from these shonen jump series. 

Hello Kitty Amusement Park in Odaiba: I know I'll be almost 30 if I go to Japan as planned.....but it's a Hello Kitty Amusement Park!  

Another reason why we want to go see the Fuji building, is that it was the area in which Digimon (a popular anime), used as a setting place in Seasons 1 and 2.  Knowing what Odaiba looks like with the help of one of my favourite childhood anime, gives a greater meaning to the city.  


Anime series Digimon, and its various scenes with the Fuji TV building:  Oh the childhood memories are already coming back!! 
Odaiba Source
Images: Google Images
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