Paul Potts

JAPAN

Posted 13th May 2008

We arrived on an overnight flight from Perth to the very busy city of Tokyo.  This was our first visit to Tokyo and indeed to Japan.  When I arrived, I had a press conference.  I always find these quite nerve-wracking as you never know what people are going to ask you.  I think it went pretty well, and from the room I could see Shibuya station, Tokyo’s busiest railway station.  I have never seen so many people cross a road at one time.  Once I had finished at the press conference, I had the rest of the day free, so I took a walk around the city for a while, and crossed that very street. 

There were electrical shops all over the place, and having a fascination for mobile phones Julz would say that I was in my element!  There would have been little point buying one, however as they wouldn’t work in Europe, but it was nice to have a look around. 

Later in the evening we went to a traditional sushi bar for dinner.  Julz was very apprehensive about this part as she was concerned that she wouldn’t like it.  Julz was very brave, and will try anything at least once, it’s just that she can’t disguise her face when she doesn’t like something!  She enjoyed the tuna, and tried as much as she could.  I enjoyed my sushi and shaashimi, particularly the tuna, and the raw white fish with rice and wasabi.  I quite like horseradish and wasabi tastes quite similar (in that if you eat a little too much, it makes your eyes water!). 

The first performance in Tokyo, was something of a learning experience as I was working with an interpreter.  She was very good and picked up what I was saying very quickly.  The audiences were again very responsive. Ater the show, we went around to a tipenyake restaurant where the chef cooks on the table in front of you.  I had been to one of these in Ottawa some years before with my Canadian friends, and there was here a huge range of different foods.  Eating in Japan is very social and Julz and I really enjoyed ourselves. 

The next morning I took a walk around the city and walked arounf the main park in the city centre of Tokyo:  Yoyogi Park.  It was very warm outside, and it was wonderful to find such a lovely park in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city.  Tokyo has left me the impression of a city that has many contrasts.  You have the very busy centre around Shibuya station, yet less than 2 miles away, there is the peace and quiet of a park. Julz and I would dearly like to return to Japan again and see more.