Rambling mindlessly around Tokyo in random directions took me to Ueno Park, where I stumbled upon an interesting-looking brick-faced building. Upon closer inspection, I learned that it was the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum. Despite my novice knowledge of art, I welcomed the serendipitous chance for some artsy-fartsy exploration and hurriedly walked in.
After spending the first couple of days at the mercy of a gloomy sky, the sun finally appeared in all its shining glory on the third day. The bright daylight, coupled with the wind of the autumn season, made for perfect brisk walking conditions—and walk I did—for miles and miles over sidewalks and subway floors. Every thump of my feet became audibly in harmony with the multitude of Japanese commuters’ rickety medley of footsteps, sounding like an orchestral beatbox.
As I stared at the carved maxim of the three wise monkeys pinned on an overhead panel at Tōshō-gū, the proverbial mantra it personifies was made apparent to me almost immediately: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” Recognizing where I stood at that very moment, surrounded by temples—concealed under a canopy of autumn leaves—I could not fathom how any of my senses could conjure a negative energy.
The historic city of Kyoto dishes an incredible opportunity for modern travelers to actively explore and deeply learn more about Japan’s rich history, culture, and ancient traditions. A day or two of systematically exploring Kyoto—riding the city’s highly effective mass transit system, and to some, leisurely pedaling on a bicycle—shall gracefully give you the chance to successfully tick off a vast majority of the city’s 17 World UNESCO Heritage Sites. The Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto collectively encompass a massive wealth of knowledge perfectly representing Japan’s rich history strictly dating back to the 10th century.
‘OH, deer,” I muttered to myself as I sensed how these lovely creatures seem to almost outnumber us two-legged humans, who are all trying to corner them into taking selfies in the park that day. An estimated 1,200 sika deer romp the grounds of Nara Park every day in paramount freedom enjoying an almost rock-star status, brought about by their historical designation as messenger of the Gods for many centuries. According to a story handed down from more than a thousand years ago, Takemikazuchi, a Shinto God from Kasuga Shrine, descended from his world and appeared at Mount Mikasa riding a white deer. In the aftermath of World War II, the deer’s ‘divine’ distinction was replaced by a ‘national treasure’ designation, to ensure their protection while at the same time, tapering down their religious significance.
Holding a pack of ‘deer crackers’ seem to signal an invitation for them to approach me. Typifying the polite nature of this country, the deer appear to imitate the bowing-like gesture widely practiced by the Japanese people. Mere seconds into opening the pack, a trio of deer had already bent their heads beside my hips before raising it to expose their wide open mouths – in a final plea for me to feed them the crackers.
As the lawn covered gardens of Nara Park lead us to narrow pathways surrounded by bamboo and pine trees, we tramped and come across a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites clustered together inside this historic grounds. A total of eight landmarks encompasses the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara – most are within walking distance of each other.
As the morning dew mist over the grass, I smell the fresh leaves from the high rising trees. Rambling gingerly under the canopy of swaying greens, I realized how the current season is a month away from the onset of the autumn. I looked around at the teeming garden around me and wondered at the changes of the colors the impending fall season will bring. Walking further, we passed by a group of park buskers performing a catchy Japanese song that has a few onlookers banging their heads sideways and swinging their hips.
I stood and listened long enough to feel my head pounding up and down in slow unison to the song’s melody. Situated at the foot of Mount Wakakusa and established in the early 1300s, Nara Park is one of the oldest parks in Japan. Designated as one of the “Places of Scenic Beauty” by the country’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a day’s meander over a large part of its 660 hectare property, provides you a combination of visual and historical incursion deep into the rich and fascinating culture of Japan.
Built in the 7th Century, this Buddhist Temple features a ‘five-storied pagoda’ that quickly attract your eyes upon approaching it. We arrived here by foot under gloomy skies and few patches of rain drops. The mood couldn’t be more muted but as I stare at this small marvel of Buddhist Architecture, I can’t help but notice the striking patterns and lines – while almost similar to other of its own kind, I feel a certain sacred vibe emitting from the all corners of its wall. Kimono-clad women passes by me and as a local family took a group portrait in front of the towering Pagoda, I noticed a hint of pride at the faces of the elders, suggesting a sense of opulence as they enjoy their own preserved culture persisting in this park.
At the doorsteps of this Shinto Shrine I briefly chatted with an English speaking Japanese man traveling with his family. I accidentally stepped on his foot and when I apologized, he asked me where I’m from. “I am living in the states but I do come home with my family as much as we can” he told me. “You enjoying your trip here so far?” he asked me. I said “Very much”.
“We have fascinating culture, even myself who is pure Japanese I am still amazed. What more for you from the Philippines?” I nodded in agreement and before I could expound at my own marveling at their rich culture, he excused himself to buy tickets to enter the shrine.
Built in 768 by the powerful regent Fujiwara family, it is highlighted by the many bronze lanterns that surrounds the path leading to the main shrine. While I sat at the one of the corridors and let myself get lost in my thoughts, a lone deer approached me as if trying to relay a message. Being a mile away from being superstitious, I found myself wanting to believe how the deer sensed that something was bothering my mind that moment.
After it sniffed my hands, I figured the female deer was just on a lookout for more crackers. I remember being clouded with uncertainties that morning, but as we walked towards another UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Kasugayama Primeval Forest, a burst of Zen-shot through my mind and in an instant, I just let the environment carry my consciousness and off it went with the flow of our surroundings. It seems like, the beautiful mesh-up of modernity and the olden past that still flourishes in Nara Park worked wonders into clearing my mind that day.
Once a part of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, this Buddhist Temple appear to be the biggest in Nara Park. Housed inside is the world’s biggest bronze statue of the Buddha, the Daibutsu or otherwise known as Vairocana. The vast grounds fronting the main temple are dotted with smaller shrines, belfries, towering gates and a lush garden that surrounds a snaking lake where glass-like waters remains tranquil still.
Inside the temple, I noticed a thick wooden post that has a hole near the bottom. I saw a line of visitors trying to crawl up through the tiny passageway that could barely fit a medium built body. I overheard an English speaking guide telling her guests that “anyone who passes through it shall be enlightened up until their succeeding life”. I thought about lining up and entering the hole myself but decided against it at the last minute.
Immersing at the Overwhelming History and Culture of Nara Park I always associate my traveling to freeing my mind of a bordered mentality. Discovering and learning new philosophies, while on the road has become a life-long journey for myself. A big part of it stems from educating myself of the worlds’ many culture, religion and history. Just by stringing my way from end to end of Nara Park’s significant grounds, I felt like I have covered a lot of grounds into attaining a decent amount of new knowledge.
As our legs starts to show signs of weariness, we persevered with more long walks at casual pace – while ogling at the passing sights and festivity occurring at the park. A couple of train rides afforded us to cover additional places included in the historic monuments list of Nara. Other than ticking off these places, the experience left me with more than a visual banquet.
Seeing with my own set of eyes, these old and sacred structures that stood almost similar to the originals that sprung up many centuries ago, elevates my continuing cultural discovery of the country of Japan into greater heights.
Nara is an hour away from Osaka by train. Travelers can avail of a single ticket day pass for trains and buses to explore Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara for a day or two.
Cebu Pacific, the largest airline in the Philippines, flies between Manila and Osaka five times weekly, with lowest year-round fares starting from PHP 6,399. Cebu Pacific also flies from Manila to Tokyo (Narita), Nagoya and Fukuoka, as well as from Cebu to Tokyo (Narita). Book its trademark lowest fares now through http://bit.ly/CEBOsakaflights or follow its Facebook or Twitter pages for the latest seat sales.
It was almost to the year when I capped my first trip to Japan by spending days walking aimlessly around Tokyo—getting lost while discovering the character of its gigantic city spread over towering skyscrapers and spacious sidewalks filled with hastening crowd. A total of 12 days constituted my first foray into the Land of the Rising Sun, and yet, I still desire for more. Only India had me yearning for a return trip to the same country too soon—and in Japan I felt that same attraction quite hard to resist.
Present day and I found myself again being on the receiving end of the courteous greetings of “ohayou gozaimasu” from, probably, the most polite people on Earth. Whatever I learned from my first trip to Japan barely scratched the surface of the wondrous personality and culture of this country.
Aside from looking forward to downing more bowls of ramen—my curiosity grew threefold and is directed at the number of heritage sites situated in the cities of Osaka, Nara and Kyoto. Several hours of Shinkansen train ride away from Nagoya and Tokyo; two cities I had the chance to familiarize myself last year; these triumvirate of cities appear like a cultural triangle waiting for my curious and wandering soul to explore.
Depending on the pace of your strides, a few minutes of walking could lead you underneath dozens, or even hundreds, of Orange torii gates already. These mother of all shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto God of Rice, Foxes and Sake, spreads to an uphill trail leading to a mountain where pockets of shrines and temples situates.
Caught between trying to weed out the crowd from the frame of my camera, and staring in awe at the women adorned in kimono dresses, my interest was drawn to the messages scribbled in Japanese characters on each of the Torii gates. Setting aside my camera, I walked in a slower pace and just marveled at the lingering air brought upon by the presence of these vibrant Orange torii gates, which appears to stretch endlessly.
Circling my back into the main temple, the Honden near the entrance, where I earlier performed the ritual of washing my hands and rinsing my mouth with the water from the purification fountain, I looked back at the centuries of history glowing beside me. The countless Orange torii gates, which gleams under the small speck of sunlight seeping through the cloudy skies, echoes an understanding to myself; that Japan’s history and its fascinating religious practices are all abundant and waiting for me to unearth.
Sixteen of the 17 places listed under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site categorization of “Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto” are all found within Kyoto and, for my wandering cultural junky self, this fact screams of visual and learning orgasm.
Disregarding the heavy downpour and the threat of typhoon coming within hours, we trudged along the snaking bamboo forest path that leads to the Buddhist temple of Tenryū-ji and the same grounds that once served as the playground of ancient Japan’s noble class. Separating myself from my two friends, I wound up in a spot where the towering branches of bamboos stood, and thick enough to almost shelter me from the rain. In that instant, I felt entering a chasm taking me back to ancient Kyoto.
A glimpse of the centuries-old Kyoto would continue with our bus-hopping incursion into the other Zen-like places of importance within the city. Most of the time, we’d find ourselves walking through the foot of high-rise buildings into a busy stretch of sidewalk lined up with a fusion of modern and old establishments, and into the interior of a vast walled complex that hides lavish gardens and centuries-old temples and shrines.
Immediately after stepping inside, you feel transported back in time. As I amass a list of Kyoto’s other historic monuments under my belt, namely, the Jishō-ji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion), Nijo Castle, Rokuon-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion), Kiyomizu-dera (Pure Water Temple), Kyoto Imperial Palace, my cultural experience in Kyoto left me with longer list of sites to be explored. I felt the days we spent are still lacking to fully engross myself to the rich culture, history and traditions that prevails in the city. Once again, I find myself barely grazing on the cultural wealth this part of Japan has to offer.
During our last night, while I was having dinner with my friend Gael in a small joint fit enough for a dozen diners and a small acoustic setup, a Japanese singer belted a string of haunting melodies. After our meal, I excused myself for a walk around the city that night. As I took medium hops over the pavement, I can still hear the Japanese ballad playing in my ears while the Kyoto city lights flicker with lively signage. As I continue my stroll with the cool air breezes through me, chased by endless thumping of footsteps, I once again feel the atmosphere that pulls me and leaves me emitting strong emotions. A thought came into my mind.
“I’m open to spending a long time here,” I muttered to myself. Teeming with culture, history, food and modernity that are all present in a fast-paced life surrounded by a Zen environment, the contrasts are presented in a myriad of beautiful ways.
I passed by a row of cabs parked on the sidewalk. I peeked inside and saw those seated behind the wheels are men of old age with gray hairs. A couple of them nodded with smiles as their gazed met mine. A life lived well in the Land of the Rising Sun, and even in their advancing age, their own society still finds good use of their skills—much like everything else is put to better use in this country. Much like what the tradition and culture that dates back many centuries ago are continued and preserved up to this day.
This article appeared on the Lifestyle pages of the October 16, 2016 print issue of Business Mirror.
Travel Tip: Kyoto is an hour away from Osaka by train. Travelers can avail themselves of a single-ticket day pass for trains and buses to explore all of Kyoto’s Ancient Heritage Sites for a day or two.
Cebu Pacific, the largest airline in the Philippines, flies between Manila and Osaka five times weekly, with lowest year-round fares starting from PHP6,399. Cebu Pacific also flies from Manila to Tokyo (Narita), Nagoya and Fukuoka, as well as from Cebu to Tokyo (Narita). Book its trademark lowest fares now through Cebu Pacific's website or (+632)7020888, or follow its Facebook or Twitter pages for the latest seat sales.
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| Asari Kamamabushi Gozen Meal |
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| Stratworks' charming Kezia holding her lettuce creation |
The lyrics to an Audioslave song hums in my head “I walk the streets of Japan till I get lost. Cause it doesn't remind me of anything”, as I find myself on a slow stride along the random streets of Tokyo. Fresh visuals regales me everywhere I direct my gaze, regardless of the countless films I watched beforehand set on this bustling city of 13 million souls. Exploring a new city always presents the best feeling in the world – the sensation of not knowing what situates around the bend, only learning about it as I turn and walk closer, gifts me with an ultimate high always reminding me why I love to travel.
A total contrast of the streets of India and other third-world cities like Manila, but equally magnanimous when it comes to sheer street activities, my every observation is quickly followed with another interesting scene. "This is the real Tokyo" I told myself - still finding it hard to believe how luck inserted Japan to my calendar year just before 2015 was about to end. Not even with my multiple viewings of “Lost in Translation” and reading Haruki Murakami’s novels would prepare me for such visual blitz.
Arriving from a sleeper bus from Nagoya into a heavy downpour in Tokyo the first light of a Sunday morning, had me not looking beyond an 8 hour slumber. My first agenda other than running away from the rain taking shelter under numerous sheds of high rise buildings, is to locate Oak Cabin Hostel. Doing so ushered me towards my first encounter with the vaunted complexity of Tokyo’s mass transit system.
Highly efficient but at the same time challenging to most travelers. My first attempt had me taking the wrong train and ending up on another part of the city. Asking for directions, a commuter showed me the station I was supposed to take, on his mobile phone showing an app written in Japanese. I didn’t understand anything he said except one vital information; "download this" while pointing to an app called Tokyo Rail Map on his iPhone.
I booked a $22.00 capsule bed at this place a week prior at Agoda.com mainly because it is located strategically beside a river that would afford me a view of the narrow harbor – which I imagined would be spectacular come sunrise or sunset time. Under a blanket of dark skies and drenched from miniscule raindrops I quickly located my hostel after I finally took the right train – alighting at Kayabacho station, I walked for 10 minutes guided by Google Map.
On my way I passed by a place housing Pachinko machines which evokes a long forgotten childhood memory about a similar toy I had when I was 8 years old. These though, comes in technologically advanced machines used popularly in Japan as a form of recreational video game, but has since became a commonly used gambling device. Inside I saw a diverse group of patrons ranging from students to professionals whiling their time away in deep concentration, making me wonder if they are just playing these video games for leisure or engaged in a bit of wagering. Probing further, I realized it was all fun and games and came into a conclusion that this is one of those wholesome Pachinko game dens popular in Japan – I figured the gambling versions are probably tucked away hidden from sight.
Situated at the Chuo-ku (‘Central Ward’) part of downtown Tokyo, the five-story Oak Cabin Hostel is also a five minute walking distance from the famous Tsukiji fish market. The first floor houses the male dorms while the reception and the living room and kitchen is located at the second floor. I picked the mixed-dorm at the third floor where my capsule bed became my home in Tokyo for the next four nights.
Still reeling from a long night of bus travel and feeling a bit under the weather, I wouldn’t let a chance of meeting an old friend get shelved just because I am starting to feel my age. Summoning my old self of accomplishing a lot in a day each time I travel, we decided to meet at Meiji Shrine.
My friend Ada is also a travel writer and is now based in Yokohama along with her US Navy husband Eric Wilkinson. It has been a few years since I last saw her and what better way to catch up than in the city of Tokyo.
Taking the train with help of my Tokyo Rail Map app, I arrived at Shinjuku station 30 minutes earlier than our agreed time. Instantly, I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people – a balance mix of foreign travelers and locals. I saw a few Japanese ladies dressed in colorful cosplay costumes, hipsters, professionals, students, backpackers and groups of tourists representing many nationalities.
Suddenly, it dawned on me. I am really in the city of Tokyo. The same city my then single mother explored for a couple of weeks in the late 1960s and appears like a distant world on her black and white photographs. The same metropolis I always wanted to see before any cities in the world not located in India.
Already in the company of Ada and Eric, we took a short stroll towards Meiji Shrine – a Shinto monument dedicated to the consecrated spirits of Emperor Meiji and his Empress Shōken. Completed in 1920 and tucked inside a 70 hectare garden in the middle of Tokyo, it is encapsulated by an evergreen forest consisting of more than 120,000 trees comprising 365 variety of species.
Inside, we witnessed a Shinto wedding march featuring a beautiful bride appearing radiantly in her white traditional kimono dress highlighted by a ‘tsuno-kakushi’ (white hat) while closely followed by her maidens. While we lost sight of the wedding entourage as the couple approaches the priest at the altar, I was glad to have observed such happening inside Meiji Shrine.
Feeling lonely as my travel companions at Nagoya all flew back to Manila the previous night – except for Lilliane, who took a bullet train to her sister’s city the same night. I observed the childlike sweetness being exhibited in front of me between the Ada and her husband Eric. I think about my then girlfriend who always dreamed of coming to Japan. Right there and then I promised myself (which appears irrelevant now) to make plans as soon as I get back to Manila to travel back to Tokyo with her in tow.
After walking a few more streets and corners and having late lunch together, I started feeling delving deeper into sick bay. I bid goodbye to Ada and Eric and opted to spend the remains of the day tucked under the sheet of my small capsule bed. That night, I slept soundly for more than 8 hours, recuperating my body just in time for the next few days filled with continuous wanderings in the streets of Tokyo.
Next Part: Japanese Food-trippin, Museum hopping, Shibuya Crossing, Selfie with Hachiko and more Tokyo Walks and trainspotting.
With a couple of mornings already under my belt, my Japan experience continues to defy my expectations. Expecting to be greeted by towering skyscrapers that dots the skylines of Tokyo and other cities in this country of the rising sun, our trip so far, impresses me with endless postcard-like countryside scenery. Directing my gaze outside our bus window, I see the gleaming landscape in the process of changing hues as the lush forests from the distance starts to adapt to the incoming autumn season. As a newbie traveler in Japan, I am also experiencing for the first time the forthcoming fall season.
I enjoy the stunning backdrop so much I would not mind sitting for a few hours on a lengthier bus trip. However, as I listen intently to our tour guide Tomoko-San, our next destination sounded like a humdinger of a visual feast. While she is explaining the cultural and architectural significance of Shirakawa-go Village in the Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture, I smile at the series of good karma that gifted me with an opportunity to visit this country for the first time.
A couple of months prior, I was chosen along with eight other travel writers, by Cebu Pacific Air to partake in their familiarity tour of Nagoya City and its surrounding Prefecture. Every moment that pass by seem like a gift from the travel Gods for me to discover the fascinating culture prevailing in this part of the globe.
There is no better way than visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, a small traditional village known for its centuries-old wooden houses designed in a unique architectural style known as gasshō-zukuri. These houses are characterized by roofs resembling a figure of how a Buddhist monk would merge his two hands in prayer, sloped downward to withstand the heavy downpour of snow come winter season.
As the centerpiece of each Gassho-zukuri houses, the thatched roofing is built in an intricate and laborious manner. The concept of “YUI” -- a labor exchange system almost similar to our local ‘bayanihan’ tradition, participated by volunteer neighbors, is practiced during the construction of the roofs. The meticulous process starts when the workers drew straws from crops. It is then used to thatch the roof during autumn and spring time. After it dries up it can be then used as snow shield surrounding the Gassho-style houses. It is interesting to note that these roofs are constructed without the use of a single nail. Everything were hand sewn together and because of its triangular shape it creates a spacious attic where residents cultivate silkworms.
Since the materials of the more than 100 Glasso-zukuri houses in the village are highly susceptible to fire, neighbors take turns going around to remind residents to make sure their stoves and other fire-based household items are under control.
As our bus rolled into a complete stop and Tomoko-San told us to alight, a bevy of cool wind emanating from the clear afternoon sky embraces my whole body and further introducing the autumn season to me. A few steps later I found myself standing at the edge of Shiroyama Viewpoint, where down below spread a spectacular sight of the entire settlement. Surrounded by rolling hills and lush greenery, the town appear like a setting from a fantasy tale. Highlighted by the slanting thatched roof, the houses forms a series of rows along intertwining patterns of lawn walkways and paved streets.
As surreal as the scene from the viewpoint, the best way to experience Shirakawa-go is to stroll into the village itself which we did afterward. The feeling of striding over the streets where these houses stood and are still inhabited by the descendants of its original residents, brings forth a perception of shifting to a different era.
I would compare the experience to my trip to the small village of Chavayan in the island of Batanes where old stone houses still lord over with the residents, who refuses to surrender to the pull of modernity. There is an undeniable charming vibe that exists all over Shirakawa-Go. All of a sudden the idea of bringing my girlfriend and staying here became an attractive notion (update: no more girlfriend *sad*). Reading my mind, I overheard my friend Kezia asking Tomoko-San if travelers can stay at one of the Glasso-styled houses. “Yes, in fact there are a few inns here inside the village” replies Tomoko-San.
“Awesome, I wanted to stay here for a few days” Kezia countered. “I can live here for weeks” I told her in a toned down voice. Who wouldn’t be? Especially I heard that once winter breaks, the sight of the houses covered in blinding white snow turn into notches more visually captivating.
Enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, Shirakawa-go encompasses an idyllic village setting where a whole community thrived in a sustainable environment without relying on outside interference – which the village has achieved for more than 100 years until the onset of curious travelers yearning a peak into their world started arriving. Today, a few gift shops and tourist inns exist catering to outsiders longing for the tranquil vibe the village has been enjoying for centuries.
Apart from the renowned Glasso-zukuri homes, the village is also popular for its abundance of mulberry trees which is grown in and outside the village. The residents used to strip this tree of its components to create and trade sanchu paper, which was once considered an extremely expensive type of paper in Japan. Today, only a few residents continue to make this kind of paper.
Continuing our walk I catch a glimpse of some gift shops selling dolls with blank faces. I later learned that these are called “Sarubobo dolls” (faceless dolls). These dolls are created in such manner so the owner of the doll could perceive whomever they want to represent the face of the doll. There is a long tradition in the village of grandmothers sewing these dolls from scrap materials as a gift for their grandchildren to bring good luck in marriage and fertility in the future.
Continuing our walk, our group entered one of the Glasso-Zukuri houses, the Kanda house where the amiable 60 or 70-something Patriarch cheerfully motioned us to come inside “Welcome to our home, it is not the biggest but it is the most majestic house in the village” he declared with a smile. The first floor consisted of the living room, dining room, kitchen and an Irori fireplace laid out at the center of the house. We huddled around it while Mr. Kanda narrated the brief history of the house and not soon after, the heat emanating from the fireplace instantly warmed our cold bodies.
A tour of the rest of the Kanda house took us to the second floor and the attic where we saw various apparatuses used for farming and fermenting sake wine displayed as if it’s in a museum. Peeking out the attic window I am again reminded of the sheer beauty of the village’s neighborhood. A mixture of the changing colors of the trees foregrounding the other Glasso-Zukuri homes surrounded by lawn gardens dotted with colorful flowers, meets my eyes. I imagine what mornings would be like to awake in such visual banquet.
Our whole exploration of the village of Shirakawa-go lasted for almost a couple of hours. Too short to fully immerse in the impressiveness of the village’s setting, but more than enough to left an imprint in my mind of a fantasy-like world coming alive in real life.
By Land: Take a train from Nagoya to Takayama (2 hours) then take the shuttle bus from Takayama to Shirakawa-go (50 minutes).
By Air: Cebu Pacific Air flies direct flights from Manila to Nagoya four times a week. To book a ticket and be updated on their seat-sale offerings, please "Like" their Facebook Page and visit their Official Website.
Coinciding with our visit to Gamagōri in the Achi Prefecture is the docking of the pirate ship The Thousand Sunny from the popular Japanese manga series One Piece. As someone who is oblivious to the world of manga, I was fortunate to have gotten a quick recap about the story of the ship from a fellow travel writer Mica, who has previous knowledge about the series. According to her, the Thousand Sunny is the ship acquired by the Straw Hat Pirates—a group of misfits comprising the lead characters of One Piece—that figured prominently in both the manga volumes and the adapted anime series.
Making a port of call at the marine resort and theme park of Laguna Ten Beach, the Thousand Sunny takes visitors on a scenic cruise around the bay surrounded by fancy yachts and towering amusement park rides.
The interior of the ship is as fanciful as its playful exterior design. Bursting with popping colors and visually-arresting corners filled with replicas of items one would see in an anime series such as One Piece, being onboard this pirate ship kind of transports you into the pages of a manga book. As much as I enjoyed being inside the Thousand Sunny, I’m pretty sure kids and hardcore manga/anime fans would be five-folds more delighted boarding the ship.
Staying true to the anime version of the ship, the real-life Thousand Sunny also has various rooms such as: the boys and girls rooms, a kitchen, an aquarium bar, a library, a sickbay, Franky's workshop and Zoro's training room.
The bigger-than-life-sizes statues of the characters can be also seen inside standing on the different parts of the ship. My favorite of course, is Monkey D. Luffy, the leader of the Straw Hat gang.
The cruise took almost an hour and for the most part, we just chilled at the open dock feeling the soothing wind and watching dozens of birds flying-by our ship. The clear sky made up for a beautiful day and in the world of the Straw Hat Pirates, it would be a good day to explore the manga series' four seas composed of the North Blue, East Blue, South Blue and West Blue.
It was a fun experience going out on a brief cruise aboard a peculiar ship patterned after its original design from the anime—a Carrack, type of ship—complete with an observation tower, a slide, swing and a lawn deck.
So, who are your favorite One Piece characters?
Cebu Pacific Air, the leading airline in the Philippines, flies between Manila and Nagoya (Chubu Centrair International Airport) every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Book your flights through the CebuPacificAir.com. For updates and seat sale announcements, check out www.facebook.com/cebupacificair.
