I spent three days and four nights, from June 18 to 21, 2006 in other prefectures of Japan: Osaka; Nara; and Kyoto, which were and still are the one of most important city of Nippon. For this reason, I would like to narrate what I have seen to you. In my opinion, culture might the most important factor for all Japaneses to be good person, gentle man, and honest person. They are very proud of human dignity and cannot be blamed by other persons in communties!
On Sunday 18, waking up in early morning as usual, I caught the fastest train, namely Shingunzen, from Tokyo station to Shin Osaka, which let me arrive there in only 2 and a half hours more or less. You might acknowledge how fast is it if you remember how far and how long if you have to take a normal train from Bangkok to the zenith province of Thailand in merely a few hours.
I had been going to Osaka prefecture under an auspice of my Japanese friend, who is a prosecutor in Osaka Prosecutor Office. She is extremely generous enough to informally invite me to see her office and introduce me to meet her bosses, who are very high position in the Japanese Public Prosecutor Office.
Additionally, with the warm utmost hearted reception, I also have a chance to know the functions and the management system of this office. We, her bosses, co-workers, and I, had a wonderful lunch together in the 25th floor of this office building. You might know that Japanese is very strict in the class system or senior and junior system; they, however, treat me as one of their good friends. I found that all of prosecutors will be very careful about their life stlye; they will very be aware of contacting with other persons particularly the defendant's relatives. Their life style is very easy because they focus merely on their job. Working hard is not an extraordinory for them; most of Japanese public prosecutors will work from 09:00 hrs untill might night! They are extremly honorable; there is only one case of curruption since the Public Prosecutor office has been established. Maybe, the culture factor is the most important to instruct their life in this way.
After I have talked with those public prosecutor, I also have an opportunity to talk with senior police officer about the Japanese police system. It is very curious how to implant the brand new of police officer to be very honorable. The same as prosecutor, in Osaka, only one case of curruption committed by police officer appears in a-10- year period. They are relentlessly implanted about the self-esteem and strict on duties! Under this system, the police instructures will occupy the duty to teach their students in police school all over their lifes! To be honest is the most important that the police office have to enshrine. The salary system of Japanese police is very good! The police will get normal salary and the additonal money to compensate for its danger role of law enforcement officer. They also get good bonus if their performance is excellent! Every step of higher promotion in their duties, they will obtain traing both on job training and in college program.
Let talk about some interesting place in those three cities. During staying in Osaka, where Ms. Mika provided me a -6,000 yen - room per nigh as an accommodation, I spent a few days to visit the old capital cities of Japan like Nara and Kyoto as well as the modern city like OSAKA.
The first one, NARA, used to be the capital city during Nara period. Even a short time, around 75 years, Nara occupied numerous crucial places which saved from being destroyed during WWII based on the rich of culture and heritage of mankind, which thereby presently become the World heritage.
Unlike the latter one, the last one - OSAKA city - used to and still is the most important place for commercial activity and international affair of Japan. If you like the modern life such as "Universal city" as in the U.S.A, and the like, you might fine with this city. The same as in Shinjuku area which is one of the most popular sightseeing in Tokyo, you might find "Cabugi jo" or the place for sexual service in this city as well but the price is utterly prohipitted, around 50,000 yens or more for one night stand! If you really want to unfold Japanese girl's kimono, you might easily to obtain and satisfy with the fake sound of "I-TAI, I-TAI", which means "it is very painful but enjoyable, during your lustcious activity. Finally, you might subject to several problems because you cannot speak Japanese; consequently, you might be required to pay more and more for such affair! In short, I will not recommend you to get such service!
I have been the first place, NARA, by Japan Railway or JR train, around 650 yens from Osaka to Nara, which frankly I can say the train system is very confusing for all foreigners including me. It, nevertheless, is worth going there to see the the biggest Buddha statue in Japan which is located in this province. One day of wonderful walking around the old city which adopted the grid system, like the new city in the U.S.A., from Tang dynasty of ancient China to set this city is very great experience. I recommend you to come here and see those places by yourselves.
Before coming back to Tokyo, I intentionally stopped by Kyoto station, where I can easily travell around Kyoto city which is the longest and oldest capital city of Japan over 1000 years. Kyoto has occupied and boasted of innumberously stupendous crucial places for Japan history since in the ancient period until now. Over 1,400 temples and shrines are located in this privotal city. Those vital places are recognized as the World heritage which were not detroyed in the WWII due to its vitality. In that critical time, if the U.S.A. decided to destroy this city, where the Emperior occupied, the WWII would suddendly ended at the first automic bomb. However, the U.S.A. made the right call by saving this important place.
When you arrive for Kyoto, I suggest, you might find the information center in front of Kyoto station, and buy a one day ticket, approximately 500 yens, to take a bus in the loop of sightseeing place around this city. This service is very confortable for you to plan and use it by looking into the number of the bus and time schedule as well as the places intriguing to you. The buses are really on time. Kyoto city provides 20 bus lines for its own citizens and everyday innumerous tourists.
Unlike Tokyo, in this city, it might be much better to travell around by taking bus service, rather than taking subway or other type of transpotation service. One of several interesting places is the temple which “Ikkyo-san” , the most intelligent little monk, belonged to when he was yong and spent his life in the religious service. You might not know that the term of "Ikkyo-san" or “ อิคคิว ซัง,” means “let’s me take a rest for a while even though you might get used to such term during an interlude song demonstrating in such cartoon.
In this temple, one of several buildings, at the center of the pond, is covered by “gold,” which is very brilliant. Please do not ask me if it is real gold because I have no idea about it. Umm, I maybe cannot tell you everything I have seen for one day trip in this wonderful city; you should come to discover those yourselves.
Lastly, I would like to say that Shingunzen is also good experience for you to try. It sounds that the price is somewhat high, or "Takai" in Japanese, but very convenient, and I am positive that it is much more comfortable than taking an airplane. You have to pay two kinds of fee; (1) ticket fee and (2) service fee. For example, I have to pay around 7,500 yens from the ticket fee and around 5,500 yens for service fee in order to get Shingunzen. That means I have to spend around 27,000 yens for round trip between Tokyo and Osaka.
Comparatively, it is is cheaper than taking an airplane and much more convenient to boot. During on train, you can walk around the train and you get food service as well as other facilities on such train. However, you have to be very careful about the Japanese habit; please be quiet and turn your cell phone to the silent mode.
Try it whenever you have a chance to come to Japan.
