I often have Japan on my mind. Not only for the beauty, but also for the amazingly kind and helpful people. My children had told me about it, but I still was overwhelmed.

I loved the streets in our area in Tokyo and Nara. Empty or crowded, morning or evening, the special light and people hurrying by on bicycles. It made me remember our first visits to China – thousands of bicycles in those days (1989)!

The Japanese are very disciplined, queueing patiently for their turn. If you look lost, within a minute, someone is there to help you. Smiling and good humoured. We were very grateful, because it was impossible to find the way with no street names… Our first day here, a truck driver even parked his car and accompanied us all the way to our hotel.

That first day, we went to Tokyo Sky Tree, as we wanted to see Tokyo by night from above. I have posted on it earlier – an experience to be recommended.

But, when we tried to find our way back through the darkening streets (they still had no visible names ), we realised we were lost.

And there was noone out in the street to ask. The shops were closed, so no chance there either. My husband is usually good at walking in the most probable direction…but not this time.

We kept walking, rather tired now, when I saw this shop – a must have photo. Strangely enough it cheered us up!

That is just another wonder with Japan – you don’t have to be afraid of empty streets or dark places. Not at all. A taxi would not have been wrong though, for tired legs.

We finally came across a biking man who could direct us towards Asakusa, where we lived. We realised we were kilometers away from our hotel. And hungry. It was one of those sooo good moments to be back in our own street!

Lost again? No, the bamboo forest is like an uplit highway through the grass – for it is a grass – that is fast-growing and very versatile. From bowls to knickers! I guess all of us have got something made of bamboo in our homes. And it is such a beautiful plant too with its marked stems and thin leaves. I hope not all of these were planted the same year, because bamboo dies when it has flowered. And it only flowers once.

More of Japan will pop up over time – it is one of the most special places I have ever visited.