On Sunday fourth January, I went to Yokohama to meet my friend after my Imperial Palace tour. The train ride takes about forty minutes from Tokyo to Yokohama. And it is a direct service, I do not need to change at any other station. I was a little early, so I did a bit of exploring. The train station is underground, so I saw a number of nice shops in Yokohama station itself, namely Queen’s Isetan, and Takashimaya!
I went to a little café for coffee while waiting for my friend. Then around half past one, I called her and she told me to meet her in Takashimaya. I went to the eighth floor, where there was a big kimono sale going on. I wanted to see if I could get a kimono but the prices are too high, even at a sale! I already have a yukata which I wore to sleep throughout this trip, but a yukata can never be compared to a kimono in terms of beauty and design.
Then there was a section selling children’s clothes. The prices there are rather reasonable, so I bought a cute T-shirt for my cousin’s son who just turned two. Then I sat outside the row of dining places to wait for my friend, and she recognized me when she arrived. She gave me a gift. I felt so bad because I did not prepare anything for her!
Honestly, the things that can be found where I live is nothing compared to the nice things available in Japan! So I thought to just buy her a meal, then she told me she came with her parents and her son. Her son is so cute! I was so surprised!
Her parents then brought me to eat very delicious soba! I learnt a bit more about their customs. The cold noodles come in a dish, together with two sauce bottles and an empty cup. One of the sauce bottles contains sweet sauce, the other one contains salty sauce. Taste the sauce to determine which one I like, then empty the whole bottle into the empty cup.
After that, scoop up a bit of the noodles and dip them into the cup filled with the sauce I have chosen. Then we take the chopsticks and eat the noodles dipped in the sauce direct from the cup. A slurping sound while eating the noodles may turn many people off, but it is the Japanese way of indicating they are enjoying the food.
I showed them my photos, played with her son and took photos of them and with them. She even paid for my meal, which made me feel even worse, but to them, because I am a guest and I came all the way to see them, it is only right for them to be hospitable. Well, true in a way. I would have done exactly the same if she comes here!
After that, we explored Yokohama, which is a lot like Tokyo actually. Full of shopping malls and tall buildings and narrow alleys of shopping streets. But then, we did not go out of the central area, mainly around the vicinity of Yokohama station, so I did not get to explore the entire place that thoroughly.
She apologized that she could not bring me around because her son is still young, but the next time I go over, she would show me around. We spent almost the whole afternoon together, then she had to go as her son needed to rest. For that, we bade farewell and promised to keep in touch. For sure I will send her all the photos I took together with her and hopefully to see her again some time soon!
Honestly, the things that can be found where I live is nothing compared to the nice things available in Japan! So I thought to just buy her a meal, then she told me she came with her parents and her son. Her son is so cute! I was so surprised!
Her parents then brought me to eat very delicious soba! I learnt a bit more about their customs. The cold noodles come in a dish, together with two sauce bottles and an empty cup. One of the sauce bottles contains sweet sauce, the other one contains salty sauce. Taste the sauce to determine which one I like, then empty the whole bottle into the empty cup.
After that, scoop up a bit of the noodles and dip them into the cup filled with the sauce I have chosen. Then we take the chopsticks and eat the noodles dipped in the sauce direct from the cup. A slurping sound while eating the noodles may turn many people off, but it is the Japanese way of indicating they are enjoying the food.
I showed them my photos, played with her son and took photos of them and with them. She even paid for my meal, which made me feel even worse, but to them, because I am a guest and I came all the way to see them, it is only right for them to be hospitable. Well, true in a way. I would have done exactly the same if she comes here!
After that, we explored Yokohama, which is a lot like Tokyo actually. Full of shopping malls and tall buildings and narrow alleys of shopping streets. But then, we did not go out of the central area, mainly around the vicinity of Yokohama station, so I did not get to explore the entire place that thoroughly.
She apologized that she could not bring me around because her son is still young, but the next time I go over, she would show me around. We spent almost the whole afternoon together, then she had to go as her son needed to rest. For that, we bade farewell and promised to keep in touch. For sure I will send her all the photos I took together with her and hopefully to see her again some time soon!
In front of a department store in Yokohama
In front of Yokohama Station
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