The Shinkansen (Bullet Train)

The Shinkansen is another thing that Japan is famous for, along with Geishas, Sushi and Origami (they were the first three things I could think of)... So when there was an opportunity to take one, we booked it straight away!

At the end of our journey we took a Bus for a few hours from Mt. Aso, to get to the place we could take a Shinkansen... some might say we were silly, as there were cheaper options... but I really wanted to experience the Bullet Train and was concerned Shota might not let me have another chance! (They are expensive, especially when we didn't have JR passes, buses and local trains are definitely more economical)...

So we boarded our first Bullet train were I was impressed with the large seats... but that was about it. Yes the train goes super fast... but that’s it. We have "all the time in the world"... to get to destination after destination.. so there wasn't really a need for the Bullet Train. Although I am happy to say I have been on one!

So I wasn't that excited about the Bullet Train Experience... but I was excited about the arrivals hall at the airport!
We flew back from Kyushu (Island right down in the South of Japan) to Tokyo, as the flights Shota found were cheap!

However there was nothing open at 10 at night when we arrived at the airport :( So we, like everyone else, headed to 7-11, which happened to be in front of the arrival hall.

I knew that Japanese weren't into hugging, handshakes anything involving "touching" another person... but I hadn't really experienced it.. That was until now. I watched a tiny little girl, wait with her Grandmother for half an hour, she was standing in front of the arrival sliding glass doors... she had curls in her hair (obviously grandma had curled it for her) had her hands and face pressed against the glass and was dressed a pretty little pink dress, she was adorable!

Her Mother finally walked through the glass doors..... and what happened? Umm nothing!! Her Mother stood there, wearing her "face mask", looking down at her gorgeous little girl and did nothing. I wanted to run over and pick her up, she was so young and was so excited to see her Mumma, but her Mother didn't even hug her :( I was sad. I know Japanese don't do "affection" but towards their own two year old children? It made me sad....

The rest of the time spent in the Arrivals Hall was filled with more similar scenes... Fathers picking up their adult daughters, Boyfriends picking up their girlfriends... it was all the same, no affection, nothing.

This is one thing I do love about being Australian and I know many other Countries do the same thing. We hug and kiss our family members, we hug and kiss our friends, we even hug and kiss people we have just met and we shake hands politely with  Business associates or awkward people. I love this! Although I am not looking forward to saying goodbye to Shota's family :( I will be SO tempted to hug them... Hmmm we'll see lol!