LITTLE AND LARGE

IMPRESSIONS OF JAPAN

Recently we were able to visit our daughter who teaches English in the GEOS Language School at Ibaraki, Osaka. "The Japanese can only make things in one of two ways", said a friend, "tiny or immense." He should have added "and efficiently".

In the huge arrivals hall of Kansai International Airport we felt his second category at least was true. The impression was strengthened by the drive into Osaka past a seemingly endless array of vast factories and docks. More weight was added when, from the observation lounge of the Sky Building, 500 feet above the ground, we saw the tightly packed city stretching away in every direction as far as the eye could see.

It was only when we looked more closely that we observed the tiny features such as delicately painted porcelain jewellery smaller than the nail of a little finger or sweet peas being carefully cultivated in a two foot square garden.

At Nagahama, where we were taken by two of our daughter's students, we saw plum bonsai trees that had been lovingly tended for 400 years, partook in part of the ancient tea ceremony and enjoyed a meal sitting on cushions around a low table in a traditional old inn.

Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, was a surprise - it is a modern commercial city, with high grade shops packed with an enormous range of goods, but its fascinating temples, shrines and gardens are hidden jewels well worth the effort of finding them.

At Kobe, now showing no signs of the devastation caused by the earthquake a few years ago, accompanied by another student we joined an immense throng to witness the dragon dance celebrating the Chinese New Year, visited the spectacular Harbour Circus complex and had a meal prepared by one of the most famous Chinese chefs in Japan. When eating out we favoured seafood, but an extremely wide range of interesting dishes was on offer. Outside most restaurants showcases contain realistic plastic models of the meals they serve. When all other means of communication with the waitress have failed one can always lead her outside and point to the required dishes!

People are generally polite, friendly and helpful but, with few Westerners about, one has to become used to being an object of curiosity. We were approached several times by people who wished to try out their English.

In the narrow cluttered suburban streets, cars generally do not travel fast and when obstructed by pedestrians slow to a crawl until the road is clear - drivers rarely sound their horns. Cyclists swarm everywhere and seem not to be regulated by any rules of the road.

The railways are clean, fast, reliable and not too expensive. Using the Shinkansen travelling smoothly and quietly at speeds up to 175 mph, allowed us to fit a 300 mile round trip into an afternoon, with ample time for sightseeing.

In February, the middle of the dry season, temperatures were generally similar to Britain. Later in the year it becomes very hot and rainy. Whilst we were there it was cold with snow squalls, yet camellias were in bloom in the streets and even a large orchid was observed flowering in a sheltered spot.

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stephen.poyzer@which.net or jemeny@globalnet.co.uk