GO CLIMB A VOLCANO

Tokyo, Jan 10, 2007

Tokyo has everything one always imagined of the city -- urgent rhythms of consumer life, shoe-box residential flats and punctuality freaks. Japanese professor Masaru Narisawa, a Tohoku University Professor of Korean Ethno Cultural System, took me on day one to a Sushi Bar. Raw fish, rice soaked in soyabeen sauce, horse radish. He places order for Sake, Japanese wine. There are two types of wines -- hot and cold. He threatens to blow me hot and cold. He asks me about India "Devis" and "Devas". I give him chartbusters from Hindu Pantheon of Gods. After an hour he is poorer by 8746 Yen. Our combined effort adds to Japans 3 trillion dollar eating-out industry.

My hotel has friendly staff as they promised in the brochure. It has a huge bath tub. An urban chlorine bouquet. I step in and spills water on carpet and prove Pythagorus again at Koraku Garden hotel.

Even though winter is in, cherry blossoms linger on. Public announcements follow you everywhere you go – in trains, shopping malls. Metro trains has announcements in Japanese with a peculiar tone – as if MS Subhalakshmi singing through a electric shaver.

I visited Tokyo Tower. Over 300 meter high. A tourist trap. A neon assault. Moon hits eye like a pizza pie.My trip to Kyoto was nice. I bought a 5-day travel pass for 11500 yen. It offers five day unlimited travel.I arrived at Kyoto after traveling in a night train. Winter fog is blotting its morning stars. Kyoto, the imperial capital between 794 and 1868, has all the old world charms. 1500 budhist shrines, 1000 Shinto shrines and a wayward Muslim.

Himmeji castle, built by Norimura Akamatsu in 1933 A relic from feudal era. Harakiri rooms and all. Kurosova shot The Magnificient Seven here. Rie Ito, an English teacher who moonlights as a tourist guide tells me. "Now people read comics. Nobody watches Kurosova," she laments. One could spot Geishas and apprentice geishas in streets of Kyoto. Vibrant restaurant scenes here. I stroll through famous path of Philosophy, a 6km walk in numeric terms. Plenty of chill down the bones and loads of chlorophyll.

Nijo-jo castle nearby has 'nightingale floors,' floors that are designed to creak and squeak when you walk on them. They were designed to trap enemies. During my stay in Osaka, near Kyoto, my friend Abhilash takes me to a popular Malayali dining spot, run by Job from Alappuzha. Japanese Rajani fans meet here regularly. Nara was the best spot I visited. The ancient capital, Nara Heijokyo, established in 710 A.D. and modeled on Changan, Capital of Tang Dynasty China. People, and even cats, seem to be on Valium and walks in slow motion. I managed to see a full-length village festival.

No matter how much rice and fish you eat, my friends say it is difficult to fit in Japan. Always sets of eyes burn on you when travel in train. Foreigners are seen as a freak, not one among by them by Japanese. I couldn't get a perspective of my own on these things. People look friendly in a distant way. But I also share some of my friend's doubts. So I follow the cardinal principal of journalism. When you are in doubt, take the risk and climb a volcano. I will visit Mount Fuji, a scenic volcano tomorrow. Bye for now.