Palos Verdes serves as an excellent travel destination, yet those on the Peninsula also relish the role of tourist ourselves. From the Pokemon cards I collected when I was younger to the matcha lattes adults get at Starbucks, these trends have come from across international waters. Many residents in Palos Verdes, myself included, want to see the origin of these customs. Traveling to Tokyo, the most densely populated city in Japan, I was met with lively bustling crowds filling every street.
Japan’s profound history and traditions has created a widespread attraction and deeply fascinated people globally. Japan is adorned with a myriad of significant temples and shrines that hold profound cultural and historical importance. During our stay, we visited the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to past ruler Emperor Meiji. Seeing the local families come dressed in head-to-toe traditional clothing to honor the emperor was fascinating. In parallel, Japan’s pop culture phenomena, like anime, manga, and J-Pop music, have surpassed geographical boundaries, firmly establishing themselves as global inspirations.
Japan’s unique social dynamics have also captured the community’s curiosity. The emphasis on politeness and etiquette is unlike any other place that I’ve visited before. Hayden Green, a recent graduate of PV High, also traveled with his family to Japan and noted that there was “complete silence on trains”, which proved difficult to those who weren’t accustomed to that type of tradition. He recounted on multiple occasions having to shush his own family.
As the US dollar gains strength against the yen, US citizens can buy more with their money which encourages shopping, especially for luxury items and locally made goods. Local resident in PV Shari Shigenaga who has visited Japan found that the rising power of the dollar makes it “easier for families to afford to take a vacation to Japan.” Shigenaga also made lots of positive remarks on the safety and efficiency of public transportation, saying that she felt completely comfortable letting her children walk around the city by themselves. The combination of the increased power to spend as well as the simplicity of getting around seamlessly blends shopping with exploring the culture.
Japan’s food offerings unquestionably rank as a top draw for visitors, and it’s not hard to see why. My personal food experience exceeded my expectations with the variety of dishes we were met with. Beyond the familiar delights like sushi and ramen, Japan surprises travelers with entirely new dishes and presentations that are a rarity back home. Japan’s food culture promises an exciting journey of taste and tradition and is only one of many reasons that it makes an unforgettable trip to embark on.
I dream of going to Japan, thank you for sharing Aidan 😛