Last week spent in Japan (in Korea now but been super busy). Had an excellent time- best trip for a long time. I guess in part it was delivering a talk that was already prepared (unlike the usual where I'd be writing the slides on the flight over) and also got a chance to have good dinner most evenings and walk around for a change. Spent some time with great people, made me realise even ore that I miss going to Japan (as I don't get the opportunity as much as I used to).
Food Inventory
I love the way food is cooked in Japan, attention to detail is of course key (and ingredients are very good quality). The negative thing for me (but positive of course for everyone else) is that I don't eat seafood of any more- in short if it lives in water I don't eat it - if it comes from the land I eat it (probably too much ).
Lots of beef consumed, including excellent dinner in Yokohama at famous 'port' restaurant, shabu-shabu, and best of all excellent steak on Saturday. Also tried raw liver for the first time- it tastes much better than cooked liver !
Travel
What can I say - a total dream traveling. What I love about Japan is that it's the little things that they pay attention to that makes me smile given the attention to detail.
Some examples...
In the UK on a train your luggage would be sliding all over the place. In Japan, the luggage racks have barriers and also locks- such a simple concept but makes such a difference ! Here's my 'case nicely tucked away.
Proper lines for walkways catching the train - no messing around trying to figure out where the train is going to alight:
I think this user guide at the back of seats really typifies the level of detail people go to- look at the baby room !
Now onto the actual train itself. I'm sure the barrier sliding along is perfectly in synch with the training arriving. Even the train arrival is ultra slick:
Contrast this to a train I recently was on going to Sheffield in the UK (where the only suits on that train were 'shell suits').
Actually I remember the first time I ever had to travel on one of these single carriage trains form Ipswich to Cambridge. I asked one of the staff at the platform when the other part of the train was going to come, only to be told "this is it sir" !
Of course I find maps and the train stations totally bewildering:
What's your reason for not eating seafood any more?
Never really have, comes from having to eat poorly prepared fish as a child. I can eat deep fried fish with chips as it doesn't really taste of fish ! (and yes that is crazy I know). I've tried lots of different types over the years and never really been able to handle it. Purely psychological...