Of all the countries I've visited, my favourite is the USA. Even without those aspects which I love but which might be less attractive to others - shared language and cultural heritage, blues music, craft beer, cheap gasoline, Taco Bell - I think it's undeniable that no other single country has such a range and depth of unspoilt and accessible natural beauty. That's why I'll always keep going back Stateside for as long as my legs and air miles permit.
But, as of this week, a shiny gleaming silver medal goes permanently to Japan. Japan is just awesome. Most of you won't have visited Japan, but you should do so, as soon as you can. It's everything you'd expect, and much more. The people don't speak English, but they're friendly and helpful and you always get what you need eventually. It's the cleanest and safest place on Earth. Everything works and runs on time. The food is marvellous. And the Japan Rail Pass (see last blog) is a gift from God.
Best of all, frankly, Japan is cheap. A couple of decades ago, it was rightly known for being expensive, but that impression has persisted long after it ceased to be true. In almost all respects it's now a cheaper place to be than the UK. For instance, when a minor flight schedule blip left me needing a hotel near Narita airport, a decent room at the Radisson cost me only £35. And a can of Asahi beer to sip on the bullet train was less than £2, from the kiosk on the platform. And a draft beer in a plush central Tokyo bar was only just over £2. And bottles of soft drinks are generally under £1. And you can eat like kings downtown in the big cities for £15-£20 a head including drinks. I could go on, but you get the point.
(The one negative blip on the scanner is Tokyo's district of Roppongi, which sells itself for 'nightlife' but is in fact a sleazy hell-hole where dead-eyed whores offer you 'happy massage' and greasy Nigerian pimps don't even bother to be as subtle as that. If you're ever in Tokyo, give Roppongi a miss.)
One day I'm going to come back here and spend a couple of months seeing this country properly. I might even learn to read some of the squiggles.
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| Shibuya crossing |
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| Ishibashi Greatest. Guitar. Shop. Ever. In the top right is a full wall of genuine vintage Les Paul Standards. |
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| This confirms what I've always thought about people who bury themselves in their smartphones: they deserve to be cold-shouldered by hot women. And killed by trains. |
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| Surely this too is a cause behind which all right-thinking people can rally. Every time I see a selfie stick, I want to grab it and beat its owner to death with it. |
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| Interactive Japanese toilet/bidet. It washes both back and front bottoms. Note the helpful colour-coded diagrams... ...to clarify where front bottoms are to be found. |
