JET Programme Series: Tokyo Tales - Chantelle Ragoonath
2022/5/26
JET Programme Series: Tokyo Tales - Chantelle Ragoonath
“More than any other city, Tokyo demonstrates that “city” is a verb not a noun.” - Toshiko Mori
Tokyo is almost twice the size of Trinidad and consists of 23 special wards. Living here feels magical. The streets are spotless yet not a garbage bin in site, trains are on time to the second and convenience stores really are, well, convenient. You can find a temple/shrine and vending machine around every corner or a cute purse sized dog or two in a stroller. The standard of living and customer services are always high, and I haven’t had food that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy thus far.
I’ve been to a few wards, and some are very similar at first glance. You can easily walk from one to the other without noticing until you encounter the little quirks that set them apart. I can always tell when I’m in Shibuya based on the classy mostly black or grunge fashion I see or if I’m in Harajuku walking behind a girl in neon colours from her hair to fuzzy leg warmers. I know I’m in Shinagawa when I start to feel remarkably small walking along the streets with towering buildings on either side and when the Mercedes-Benz, Porches and Audi’s start driving by consecutively, I know I’ve reached Minato.
I’ve only been here a few months but my “Trini hot foot” has managed to take me to some pretty interesting places. Alright, quick mini tour time!
Shibuya Ward
“Pepper Parlor” robot café
Before the robots take over, they serve and entertain you at this gorgeous café. “Servi” guides you to your seats and brings you your orders while “Pepper,” the dancing conversationalist keeps you company. The food was also quite tasty; truffle fries and BBQ flavoured chicken. Their beers have nothing on our “Stag” though.
“KitKat Chocolatory”
Japan has over 300 unique KitKat flavours. That’s the most in the world! Many flavours are also only available in Japan. At the “KitKat Chocolatory” you can make your own one-of-a-kind KitKat, purchase some seasonal flavours and listen to a live pianist play on a KitKat themed piano!
Chiyoda Ward
“Akihabara”
Akihabara is an electronics and anime lover’s paradise. There are huge buildings covered in a variety of anime characters, clusters of maids at every corner trying to persuade you to enter their cafés, multi-story buildings filled with games of every kind (the Japanese take their games VERY seriously) and similar buildings filled with the oldest and latest electronics.
“Kanda Myojin Shrine”
I visited this 1300 year old shrine for my New Year’s fortune. Luckily, I got “Good Luck” for this year! It’s a beautiful shrine and was a wonderful experience. There was even an area where you could buy various goods. The help desk persons were extremely kind and took their time to guide me and even assist with reading my fortune’s kanji for me!
Chofu City
“Jindaiji Temple”
This mesmerizing Buddhist temple is Tokyo’s second oldest temple. It’s well known for its surplus of refreshing soba noodle restaurants and souvenir shops. There are daily Buddhist fire rituals that take place, and you can hear the monks chanting peacefully during your time there. You can also make and/or paint pottery here!
Odaiba
This man-made island is an entertainment district! There’s just so much to see and do; the 377-foot tall Daikanransha Ferris Wheel, Venus Fort Shopping Mall where you feel like you’ve been transported to an old Italian town with bright blue skies above (it’s a painted ceiling but you really can’t tell! The lights also change it from daytime to sunset to nighttime), an operational life-sized Gundam and a breathtaking boardwalk. The way to get to Odaiba is also awesome too! The SKY TRAIN! Ok that’s not actually the name but I thought it was more fitting than Monorail (automatically operated).
“Dis gyal does even work?” is what some of you may be asking at this point. I do actually! I’m lucky enough to work at a private Junior and Senior High School with the most amazing coworkers! I was warmly welcomed to the school by both my Japanese and Native English coworkers. We’re a callaloo department mixed up with Japanese, Kiwi’s, Americans, a Canadian, an Englishman and now a Trinidadian! Everyone is so friendly and helpful, and I couldn’t have imagined a more supportive work family.
I’ve begun introducing my coworkers to the wonders of our soca music and teaching them our dialect. Hearing them attempt to repeat our dialect with their various accents has given me indescribable joy and brought me the best side-stitching laughter.
It’s only been a short time, but I already love Japan, its culture and its people. I’ve had warm and friendly interactions, delicious food, and some amazing experiences (I couldn’t even share all here). Here’s to many more adventures and continuous growth!
“You’ll never know how beautiful the world is until you go and see it for yourself.”
JET Series: Tokyo Tales (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
Tokyo is almost twice the size of Trinidad and consists of 23 special wards. Living here feels magical. The streets are spotless yet not a garbage bin in site, trains are on time to the second and convenience stores really are, well, convenient. You can find a temple/shrine and vending machine around every corner or a cute purse sized dog or two in a stroller. The standard of living and customer services are always high, and I haven’t had food that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy thus far.
I’ve been to a few wards, and some are very similar at first glance. You can easily walk from one to the other without noticing until you encounter the little quirks that set them apart. I can always tell when I’m in Shibuya based on the classy mostly black or grunge fashion I see or if I’m in Harajuku walking behind a girl in neon colours from her hair to fuzzy leg warmers. I know I’m in Shinagawa when I start to feel remarkably small walking along the streets with towering buildings on either side and when the Mercedes-Benz, Porches and Audi’s start driving by consecutively, I know I’ve reached Minato.
I’ve only been here a few months but my “Trini hot foot” has managed to take me to some pretty interesting places. Alright, quick mini tour time!
Shibuya Ward
“Pepper Parlor” robot café
Before the robots take over, they serve and entertain you at this gorgeous café. “Servi” guides you to your seats and brings you your orders while “Pepper,” the dancing conversationalist keeps you company. The food was also quite tasty; truffle fries and BBQ flavoured chicken. Their beers have nothing on our “Stag” though.
“KitKat Chocolatory”
Japan has over 300 unique KitKat flavours. That’s the most in the world! Many flavours are also only available in Japan. At the “KitKat Chocolatory” you can make your own one-of-a-kind KitKat, purchase some seasonal flavours and listen to a live pianist play on a KitKat themed piano!
Chiyoda Ward
“Akihabara”
Akihabara is an electronics and anime lover’s paradise. There are huge buildings covered in a variety of anime characters, clusters of maids at every corner trying to persuade you to enter their cafés, multi-story buildings filled with games of every kind (the Japanese take their games VERY seriously) and similar buildings filled with the oldest and latest electronics.
“Kanda Myojin Shrine”
I visited this 1300 year old shrine for my New Year’s fortune. Luckily, I got “Good Luck” for this year! It’s a beautiful shrine and was a wonderful experience. There was even an area where you could buy various goods. The help desk persons were extremely kind and took their time to guide me and even assist with reading my fortune’s kanji for me!
Chofu City
“Jindaiji Temple”
This mesmerizing Buddhist temple is Tokyo’s second oldest temple. It’s well known for its surplus of refreshing soba noodle restaurants and souvenir shops. There are daily Buddhist fire rituals that take place, and you can hear the monks chanting peacefully during your time there. You can also make and/or paint pottery here!
Odaiba
This man-made island is an entertainment district! There’s just so much to see and do; the 377-foot tall Daikanransha Ferris Wheel, Venus Fort Shopping Mall where you feel like you’ve been transported to an old Italian town with bright blue skies above (it’s a painted ceiling but you really can’t tell! The lights also change it from daytime to sunset to nighttime), an operational life-sized Gundam and a breathtaking boardwalk. The way to get to Odaiba is also awesome too! The SKY TRAIN! Ok that’s not actually the name but I thought it was more fitting than Monorail (automatically operated).
“Dis gyal does even work?” is what some of you may be asking at this point. I do actually! I’m lucky enough to work at a private Junior and Senior High School with the most amazing coworkers! I was warmly welcomed to the school by both my Japanese and Native English coworkers. We’re a callaloo department mixed up with Japanese, Kiwi’s, Americans, a Canadian, an Englishman and now a Trinidadian! Everyone is so friendly and helpful, and I couldn’t have imagined a more supportive work family.
I’ve begun introducing my coworkers to the wonders of our soca music and teaching them our dialect. Hearing them attempt to repeat our dialect with their various accents has given me indescribable joy and brought me the best side-stitching laughter.
It’s only been a short time, but I already love Japan, its culture and its people. I’ve had warm and friendly interactions, delicious food, and some amazing experiences (I couldn’t even share all here). Here’s to many more adventures and continuous growth!
“You’ll never know how beautiful the world is until you go and see it for yourself.”
JET Series: Tokyo Tales (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives