Off to the East!

Another travel aspiration is the topic of this week's random thought session. This time, I would like to go far to the east, well, maybe not too far. One of the countries I want to visit most on this side of the world is Japan. By the way, yes, the reason behind this is totally anime-driven, but can you honestly blame me? There's just way too much for a devoted fan such as myself to

enjoy!

Let me just start off by saying anime has been a huge part of my life. DragonBall and Sailor Moon were a couple of the shows I was first introduced to in my childhood years. Growing up, more and more shows have been added to the pile of favorites and it's still expanding! I've no doubt I'll still be a fan even when I'm well into my 80s and the thought of this brings me a lot of joy. Hey, we like what we like, don't judge. Anyway, it's always been a dream of mine to visit the place where these shows originated from and get the full experience. I have a constantly developing list of things I want to check out.

The absolute first stop when visiting Japan would be to see the museums, particularly the Ghibli Museum. I'll take a brief pause to say if you haven't seen any of Hayao Miyazaki's films then shame on you! Don't worry, I'm only half-joking. Back to the main point! The reason this museum is first on the agenda is because, one, the creators at Studio Ghibli used the natural landscape to their advantage to design the museum themselves. In addition, not only are there exhibitions for sketch work and food made in the movies, but there is also a special short film that you can only see in the museum. What fan would pass that up?!

Next up on the roster for must-see attractions is the pride and joy of all anime lovers---- Akihabara. It's often referred to as "Anime Heaven" and truthfully, I can understand why. This place hosts the largest hub of just about everything a fan loves. You've got manga stores, clothing, video games, and even several stories of arcades! To top it off, you can eat at cafés featuring anime themes as well as maid cafés. Personally, I think I would go to the maid café just for the purpose of being able to say I've been there.

Photo Attribution: z tanuki

Last but not least, though not entirely unrelated to anime, it's undeniable that Japan boasts gorgeous scenery. Something I respect and admire about anime show illustrators is their ability to capture the landscape so well in what they create. From the plethora of sakura trees to the majestic mountains, the sights are worth gazing at until you lose track of time. Your reasons for seeing Japan may be different from mine, but I'm hoping it's an unforgettable experience regardless. I know it'll be that way for me!