Japan Day 4: The Sights of Yokohama

After yesterday’s smei-restful nature I set out today to get to know the area of Yokohama. Something I feel i should clear up for my friends and family from the United States is that Yokohama is actually not a city, it’s more like a state with many different cities and areas to it. One of the most famous ones is a place called Minatomirai. It’s a business center with many famous places like Yokohama’s Ferris Wheel and the Cup Noodles Musuem (yes those Cup Noodles). Sadly we didn’t go to either today because the crosses were crazy. Schools are currently on break so many people are out with their kids which is great but not when you try and hit some of the big places to visit. So we improvised and explored a local park were the Sakura Blooms were and had a great time enjoying them and taking pictures. We then stubbles into a mall (that we didn’t know was a mall at first) and explored it all over. The food had a garden and mini golf, the fifth floor had an arcade that robbed me blind, and I find some cute clothes on some of the other floors. The clothes here are lot different from back home in some ways. I feel like I’ll never live up to the Japanese style but hey I enjoy my own style a bit too much. After the mall we ventured across town to the Ramen museum which was significantly less busy. They had s great exhibit of the history of ramen and how it came to be, what exactly was in ramen, and so much more. The other floors were a recreation of Post War Japan with ramen stalls from all over the country. It was amazing. They had so much detail to nailing the feel of the time period with small details to offering some amazing ramen. Jordan and I (my travel partner) both had the oldest variant of ramen and it was delicious. I also bought a 100 yen fortune that was apparently very good (I had to ask some very nice Japanese girls to help translate). After the museum we did some more shopping (I was mainly looking for a wallet for my Suica card with no luck) and then went back to our hotels. It was at my hotel that I learned two new things. One that stackable washers in Japan make terrifying noises as they run, and Two that even if you book a non-smoking hotel people can still smoke in them in special “smoking rooms”. The one on my floor didn’t do a very good and I’ve been smelling cigarettes for the better part of the hour. I just find the dichotomy of Jap see values very interesting. As I forgeiner I will be glared at for sneezing into my elbow and for not wearing a face mask if I am sneezing, but people can for the most part smoke where ever they want. We always think as Japanese as very clean and health conscious people so this kind of throws me for a loop. After all that though my fourth day in Japan has come to the end. Tomorrow I meet my Buddy’s from MGU and get to know them. Until next time!