2018 JAPAN - Finding Myself in Tokyo: Stories from 2018 -1

When the news starts, there is a constant talk about Korea-Japan relations, but honestly, we don't pay much attention to politics in our daily lives.

There was a time, especially a few years ago, when the "No Japan" movement had a big impact on the whole society. Back then, it was very sensitive not only to travel to Japan, but also to buy products from Japan. (It was over.)

However, as the younger generation tends to think separately about historical and political issues, personal consumption, and travel, Japan has become the most visited country by Koreans so far. And there seems to be a similar change in Japan. As a result, Korea has become the most visited country in Japan.

My first trip to Tokyo began in November 2017, when the company suddenly went bankrupt. I usually have to go to work, but I was hanging out with a colleague who lives near Hongdae and asked me if we should have lunch or tea, and we talked about this and that at the cafe. How to live in the future? Then, he said she was leaving to go to school.

It was a small turning point in my life that I decided to just go to Japan. After that, it takes only two hours by plane from Seoul to Tokyo. I think I went there every three to six months. Even after the pandemic, I usually go to Tokyo.

Actually, I'm new to Tokyo, not Japan. Japan also has many resorts, but when asked if Tokyo is a "recreation area," it could actually be a distance from traditional resorts -- beaches, resorts, and relaxations. For me, Tokyo is like a "rest area" where you can relax and feel the "attractiveness of the city" that gives you great energy and novelty.

New stimuli, unfamiliar pleasures in familiar streets, and delicious food and endless exploration were the real charms of Tokyo. I can just walk without thinking. And there are many things to see and delicious things, and I am interested in animation, music, and Japanese culture, so it is good to go to play in a short period of time. (In fact, there seem to be more people going on a weekend trip than I thought, for one night and two days, or for a day trip.)

On the first day of my full-fledged Tokyo expedition, I met a friend who works locally in the evening as soon as I unpacked my luggage at the hotel. The meeting with a friend I hadn't met in a long time began for a while, and the next day I started traveling through Tokyo in earnest. I was amazed at the grandeur of Tokyo Station and fascinated by Akihabara's unique energy once again.

In fact, it wasn't my first visit to Japan. It was a very young memory, so I don't have a single photo or a proper record. This is why my first trip to Japan, which clearly stuck in my memory and record, was to Tokyo. Everyone I have encountered since the immigration process was amazingly kind, and I have melted away my worries about whether I could travel this big city alone. I was nervous about other transportation systems and unfamiliar environments, but the Korean language guidance was much better than I thought, so I didn't have much trouble.

It was a time when no one could even imagine a pandemic. In Tokyo, where the Olympics were about to be held, the whole city was excited for some reason, and the lively atmosphere added to the joy of traveling. Of course, the delicious food that captivates your taste, the interesting and interesting attractions that make your eyes wide open, needless to say.

Thinking of the excitement at that time, I think I should go back to Tokyo in 2025. I am already thinking happily about when it would be good.

In the future, I will continue to share my more colorful and honest Tokyo moments through the series ['2018 JAPAN - Finding Myself in Tokyo: Stories from 2018']. Don't miss the next story, too!