First Day

I was half-looking forward to and half-dreading the morning rush hour commute. I wanted to experience the craziness of it, but at the same time, I wasn't sure I could handle it. As it turns out, we left Mune's house just after the worst had passed. Actually, it was quite quiet on the train. At first I thought this was only because everyone was busy text messaging or checking the internet on their phones. But Mune explained that Japanese parents teach kids the importance of respecting other people's space and privacy, particularly in public places.

In Shinjuku, I had my first bowl of ramen (we were going to the Park Hyatt Hotel for lunch later, but Mune couldn't resist because he was back home again!). I learned that, generally speaking, women do not eat at ramen shops. After hearing this, I developed the habit of looking into ramen shops while walking around Tokyo to see if I could spot any women eating inside. Interestingly, the only women I saw were adolescents (so perhaps things are changing...?)

The superficial reason for visiting the Park Hyatt was Lost in Translation. The real reason was to eat at an exceptional Japanese restaurant. But, actually, Mune didn't prepare me for a fine dining experience (of course he'd said we were going to a nice place, but that was all). To be honest, I had rather low expectations. This is because in the States, expensive hotels often feature mediocre, overpriced restaurants. Boy, was I in for a surprise! The decor, the service, the presentation, the relaxed pace of the meal, the education I received about how to eat noodles, drink tea, and appreciate sake and, above all, the astonishing array of delicious smells and tastes make this easily one of the best meals I have ever eaten in my life.