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Land of the Rising Sun

Writer's picture: G. RhodesG. Rhodes

The three-story Pagoda in the hotel gardens is one of only three ancient Buddhist towers of its kind in Tokyo.

I had the good fortune to visit the Japanese capital city of Tokyo on an annual basis for a number of years. My usual route was aboard United Airlines flight #881 from Chicago O’Hare to Tokyo Narita as the close-in Haneda Airport was then utilized primarily for domestic flights. Narita is approximately 50 miles from the downtown area and most visitors (including me) would travel by bus for the 90-minute ride into the city as taxis were then and are still prohibitively expensive (about $178 each way). I always experienced a great sense of anticipation when the bus finally arrived at the Four Seasons Tokyo at Chinzan-so since this property remained an oasis of calm in an otherwise bustling metropolis. Known for its stunning 16-acre Japanese botanical garden, Chinzanso means “villa on a mountain of camellias.” The hotel boasted 267 rooms and suites, 38 function rooms, six wedding chapels and shrines, and nine restaurants, as well as one of the largest spas in Tokyo. I normally stayed on the concierge level and reveled in the warm welcome and efficient service afforded me during those annual visits. The hotel was rebranded as the Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo several years ago, but remains one of the city’s coveted five-star hotels to this day.


Bowing is commonly used in social situations in Japan as a sign of salutation, reverence, apology or even gratitude.

Tokyo is generally considered to be a welcoming destination for American travelers and the nation has a well-deserved reputation for being a friendly and hospitable place to visit for those coming from all corners of the globe. One of the first things I noticed during my initial time in the city is how incredibly hospitable the Japanese people were towards those of us from other cultures. I envied them for their politeness and respected them for their deep-rooted traditions and the fact that they do not expect travelers from elsewhere to know all their social customs, particularly those that involve bowing The act of bowing I soon discovered shows respect and politeness and is common throughout the country. In Japanese, the term for politeness is called, “reigi tadashii” (れいぎただしい). Bowing is often preferred by the Japanese rather than a handshake to show their admiration for you, which clearly demonstrates how polite and respectful they are by nature.


No business can begin until cards are exchanged as the exchange itself indicates the beginning of a relationship.

One word of advice for business travelers. Be sure to carry plenty of business cards otherwise you will be a faceless ghost. I found there was a distinct etiquette involved with their exchange. The ritual of presenting cards, like every ceremony in Japan, is based on respect for order and rank, which means there is a hierarchal order to follow that governs business card exchange. Knowing this order can keep you from finding yourself in an embarrassing situation. Remember to bow and when you receive the other person's card, accept it with both hands, and hold it at a low position, no higher than your chest. Be sure to thank them for the card. Generally, it is considered impolite to put business cards away during a meeting. Do not write on a business card that you just received. Any information that the presenter wants you to have should already be printed on the card. Adding notes or scribbling on the back of a business card is considered extremely rude. Also, do not place business cards you just received into your wallet or pocket. As stated before, it gives the impression of disrespect or that the other person’s card is unimportant to you.


Rivaling Times Square in brilliance and activity, the Ginza is a luxury brand shopping haven with throngs of visitors.

After surviving the rigors of Japanese business protocol, I normally had several hours' free time in the afternoons. One area I recommend not be missed is the Ginza (銀座), Tokyo’s most famous upmarket shopping, dining and entertainment district featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, ritzy night clubs and trendy cafés. A single square meter of land in the district's center is worth over ten million yen (more than $68,000 US), making it one of the most expensive real estate areas in Japan and the world. It’s where I found infamous $10 cups of coffee and where virtually every leading brand name in fashion and cosmetics has a presence. For a bit of history, from 1612 to 1800, today's Ginza district was the site of a silver coin mint (Ginza means "silver mint" in Japanese), after which the district was eventually named. The Ginza evolved over the decades as an upmarket shopping district following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Ginza's main street becomes a pedestrian paradise on weekends and national holidays as the bumper-to-bumper weekday traffic is banned from the main thoroughfare. Traffic-free window shopping and people watching from tables under parasols in the street is an ideal way to spend the weekend hours (from Noon until 6:00 PM from April through September, and from Noon until 5:00 PM from October through March).


The Sensoji Buddhist Temple, known for its colorful and traditional artistic features, is a "must-see" when in Tokyo. .

During one of my trips to Japan, I visited Sensoji, perhaps the most famous and photographed of Tokyo's temples. It’s the oldest Buddhist temple in the capital and the five-story pagoda, trails of incense and vast eaves took me back to what I imagined Tokyo to be like in bygone days. Sensoji draws visitors from around the world to admire its lavish main hall and imposing gates. The temple dates back to the year 645 and was built to celebrate Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Legend has it that two brothers found a statue of Kannon when they were fishing in a nearby river. No matter how many times they threw it back, the statue would continue to entangle itself in their net. Eventually, they brought it to their village and a small temple was constructed to worship the idol. Several colorful illustrations located on the temple grounds depict this legend. The outer gate of the temple is the Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate. It leads to the Tokyo shopping street known as Nakamise-dori, with shops featuring vividly-painted fans, rice crackers and other treats. The street itself has its own varied history, being rebuilt several times following its destruction from the Great Kanto Earthquake and, later, World War II. A number of festivities are held here, including the Sanja Shinto Festival each May, and even a Samba Carnival in August!


The ubiquitous "subway sandwich" in Tokyo results from "pushers" who ensure that every car is as full as possible.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the Tokyo taxis. They’re easy to find because they are literally everywhere. The drivers are honest and polite and can normally be found at bus terminals, outside train stations, in front of hotels and other major attractions. It’s rare to see an unlicensed taxi in Tokyo, and you can easily identify licensed taxis from their green license plates. You can also check whether the taxi is vacant or not. While it might seem counterintuitive to Westerners, vacant taxis have a red sign on their windscreen, while the occupied taxis have a green sign on display. Although they are more expensive compared with other cities, you’d be hard pressed to find any cleaner. I never saw one needing a car wash and the insides of every cab I rode in were always spotless. All drivers wore white gloves and white cotton doilies were placed over every headrest. (Compare that with the sorry state of our taxis in Manhattan.) The subways are another cultural phenomenon. The Tokyo Metro is a privately-owned subway system that operates nine lines within the central part of the city. Ticket machines are available at each station. They have multilingual interfaces, including English, and I found them to be relatively user-friendly. Surprisingly to us, station staff and part-time workers act as “pushers” during rush hours on many lines. Their purpose is to ensure that as many people as possible can board the trains, as Japanese subways are often extremely crowded during the rush hour. Although adequate personal space is an important concept in both the US and Japan, metro riders accept these "pushers" and the resultant overcrowding as a necessary cost of using the subways.


The Emperor's Crown style architecture is evident in the Main Japanese Gallery at the Tokyo National Museum.

As any reader of this post knows, I’m a history buff and so, when a colleague recommended I visit the Tokyo National Museum to learn about Japan’s history, I took the first opportunity to do so during some free time after a morning of business commitments during one of my trips. This museum featured one of the largest and best collections of art and archeological artifacts in Japan, consisting of over 115,000 individual items, including nearly a hundred national treasures. At any one time, about 4,000 different items from the permanent museum collection were on display. In addition, visiting temporary exhibitions were also held regularly. I was fortunate that good English information and audio guides were available. The museum complex comprised six galleries, including the Japanese Gallery (Honkan), and each was large enough to be a museum in its own right. Although I didn’t have time to enter each gallery, what I saw on exhibit was most impressive and gave me a further appreciation for Japan’s extensive history and rich culture.


The Tokyo Metropolitan Area is home to one quarter of Japan’s population, and it serves as the country’s political, financial, and cultural center. Having an opportunity to visit this world-class city frequently enriched my understanding of and appreciation for this important Pacific nation and its people.

Until next time…safe travels.










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Peter Rees
Peter Rees
13 oct. 2023

You have brought back memories of visiting the Ginza with a colleague and managing to feed ourselves by visiting a German Brauhaus and an Italian restaurant and being able to order only by pointing at items in their picture menus! But, what an incredible place to visit ... 😁

J'aime

bjrhodes001
07 oct. 2023

Thank you for this post. You have made me see Tokyo through your eyes and your visits.

J'aime
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