Most Inspirational Moment
Different things at different times, from wandering ancient streets , going into shrines and seeing acts of devotion , the food , the perfect presentation of everything in department stores , the level of service on transport / shops , friendliness of locals.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Tatsuro was very laid back but carried out his duties , ensuring all travel ( train / subway / bus / tram ) was completed on time and without losing anyone ( from a group of 18 at busy times on transport network ) .
Advice for Potential Travellers
Number one would be to carry a small cloth i.e. face flannel size to dry your hands after washing them ( toilets) . All Japanese seem to carry them and hot air dryers or paper towels are in the minority
Tokyo metro map initially looks confusing but it makes sense very quickly as the train carriages have direction of travel and time to next station displayed on screens . Combining that info with line colour and also station number and name and it starts to make sense .
There are hardly any rubbish bins on the street - but practically no litter either - as apparently Japanese take their rubbish home with them . Most food purchases include a plastic bag to put the rubbish in .
In addition , its unusual to walk and eat , even purchasing food from a street vendor and there is likely to be a small bench that you sit on to eat your purchase before moving onwards.
In Tokyo visit the Sun City shopping plaza Observatory ( 60th floor ) for amazing views. Cost was 1200 yen ( April 2018 ) but easily worth it.
You can also go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building near Shinjuku , both towers have an observatory ( 45 floors) and there is no charge . Stays open in the evening for night time views .
