Dear Friends,

Japan is a fascinating country, an amazing blend of traditional culture and some of the most advanced technology in the world. Getting there was definitely a long haul—it was a 9-hour flight from Hong Kong to Taiwan and then Taiwan to Nagoya. When I arrived, I was surprised to see my welcoming party--the Japanese press and Jamaican natives living in Japan who had heard about my arrival. I must admit that I stayed in the hotel and slept for the first two days--I was exhausted and my body no longer knew what time it was.

After my rest, I ventured out to and rode the bullet train from Nagoya to Tokyo. It was my first time riding a train that fast--it makes you feel like you’re flying across the ground at almost 200 mph.  In Tokyo I met with Mr. Paul Robotham, the Ambassador to Japan for the Embassy of Jamaica.  He was very welcoming and provided me a tour of the Imperial Palace and other local attractions. Then he took me to dinner at a Jamaican restaurant that made me feel as if I were in Montego Bay or Miami. It is a small world indeed!  

Tokyo is a bustling city and world financial center—like New York, it’s an expensive place to live. The Japanese are proud of their country and work hard to protect their environment with recycling and other programs. I was impressed by their cultural traditions, like bowing, that are so different from our own tradition of shaking hands with someone when you meet them. In Japan, people bow when they greet one another, and they bow more deeply when the person they’re greeting is older or has a higher social status. They also sit on pillows on the floor in traditional Japanese restaurants, where tipping is considered an insult rather than a compliment.

It may surprise some of my readers to hear that hip hop has certainly made its mark here—both hip hop and rap culture have a tremendous influence on Japanese youth. I saw young people doing music video dances and businessmen watching rap videos on their laptops. I’ll be leaving tomorrow but hope to return to Japan to explore the rich cultural history behind this country made up of more than 3000 islands.