Shangi-La and my last day in Japan

Words cannot adequately describe the beautiful Shangri-La in, Japan. It evokes memories of the legend of Shangri La, written by British writer James Hilton in 1933 when he told a story full of romance in his masterpiece Lost Horizon. The story was set in a place called Shangri-La, in an unknown glacier canyon somewhere in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. It was an earthly paradise and a refuge for the soul. Ever since, the word "Shangri-La" has represented a land of idyllic beauty. In my heart, it represents not only the beauty of the property, but the beauty of the people who work and serve there.

You see, in my heart of hearts, I have been touched by an overall experience from these lovely people who live to serve. I cannot begin to name each of them for fear of leaving just one person out. I can honestly say that the general manager, Wolfgang, believes in empowering his people in a way that delivers an extraordinary service and unique encounter time and time again. What a leader and a what a gift to all who work with him! Stanley, director of Sales and Marketing, with his joyful spirit and kindness, was always with us, attending to our every need and explaining so much of what we were experiencing.

My final day in Japan began with a workout in the gym. The attendant and Yuko, her manager, discovered I enjoyed reading my kindle while pedaling the bike, or training on the elliptical. During my stay, they went out and purchased a special reading light that clamps to the machine to ensure I would have the best lighting possible! In many companies, this idea might be listed on next week (or month's) meeting agenda as a suggestion. But not at the Shangri-La.

Keiko (one of our angels and the person responsible for all our arrangements) organized personal shoppers to accompany us during our stay. With only two hours to shop before leaving for the airport, shopping with a personal shopper was a wonderful indulgence. Tomoko expertly guided me through the streets and stores and provided translation when needed.

As I was leaving the hotel for the airport, the hotel staff staged their "waving ceremony". I imagine this was for the benefit of us Americans. It was special and so adorable to see them all lined up waving goodbye.

With too much luggage and a luxurious ride in a brand new Rolls Royce, I was headed to Narita for the one hour plus transfer. Upon arrival, my door opened and I received a surprise greeting by Koji, the Concierge at the Shangri-La! This personal service was beyond my comprehension as I was greeted by a welcomed friend to help me with my luggage and navigate the terminal.

Another Japanese custom when you say your goodbyes is for the person to watch you leave before they leave. Koji and one of the hotel's bellmen patiently waited while I went through security and disappeared to the gate area. It reminded me of my mom because she will do the same thing each and every time we leave her home. How respectful and caring.

My fourteen hour flight was relaxing in my "flat-bed" on Delta, direct to Atlanta. It's hard to believe I am home now negotiating time and sleep on central time.

Arigato, thank you, for following my journal and living this unique journey with me.

I shall cherish these memories to Japan for a lifetime.

Sayonara (Good-bye)

Mata aimashou (See you again!)

Cruising in Tokyo Bay

Tonight is our last night in Tokyo and we were treated to a dinner cruise in Tokyo Bay. There were wonderful views all around us of the skyline of Tokyo. Because Japan has so many earthquakes, you will not find as many tall skyscrapers as you would find in another major city due to the building restrictions.

Wolfgang Krueger, the general manager of the Shangri La and Peter Bates, Strategic Vision, and I are on deck with the group soaking in the view.

The skyline tonight is beautiful and the weather balmy and enjoyable on deck.

Sumo Training

We visited a Sumo wrestling "heya" (Japanese for room). This translates into English as "stable" - an organization of sumo wrestlers where they train and live. Sort of like the Geisha house for young ladies. This is the "heya" for young recruits, typically 15-16, straight from junior high school. They will live and train at the stable until they decide to retire. They have a disciplined regimen that begins early morning and includes hours of training, stretching (they can do a full center split and are quite flexible), eating an unlimited amount of chicken stock soup and vegetables and rice, twice a day, and sleeping.

Sumo wrestlers training is intense! We watched part of their morning session and they did more squats than most people do at the gym in a month. Attached is a photo of their squats and then leg lifts parallel to the ground at a side angle. My thighs hurt for them. They are developing "soft" muscles vs the hard muscles with their daily regiment. Underneath all that skin is a strong body. Why they would train that hard to be big and fat is beyond my comprehension!

After their morning training, they invited us to eat their daily soup of chicken, broth, and vegetables. It was delicious! This is a rare treat and not often offered to visitors. The Shangri La Hotel is our host for this trip and they have arranged more exclusive experiences than you could possibly imagine. We have been privileged to so much!

Enjoy the photos....the wrestlers were very amenable to the pictures.

Ikebana

Ikebana is the art of Japanese flower arrangements. "Ike" (pronounced "icca-baa-na") means "to give life to". "Bana" is flower.

Several of us selected this as our optional tour this afternoon to learn the art of Japanese Ikebana. Balance, harmony, simplicity, and beauty. You then give your arrangement a name or title. Mine is called "Cool Breeze"

Tokyo

We have arrived in Tokyo via the Bullet Train. Over two million people take the train a day, and over 4000 trains leave and depart through Tokyo station! And on time! We sat in the "Green" section, similar to First class with spacious and reserved seating.

We have travelled to Japan with too much luggage, and received the most incredible service from the General Manager, Ken, and his bellman, Campbell in Kyoto. They made our reservations, changed them when our schedule was delayed, and personally transferred us and our luggage to the station in Kyoto. They also purchased special passes that allowed them to actually board the train with our luggage and help us get settled for our first Bullet Train experience. This kind of service is priceless and is so indicative of the extraordinary service at the Kyoto Hyatt.

Upon arrival in Tokyo 2 1/2 hours later, the doors of our train car opened and we were immediately greeted by two Shangri La escorts who took our luggage and walked us to their hotel adjacent to the Tokyo Station. The attached picture is the best I could capture in the middle of "rush hour" at the Tokyo station. This station is the 2nd largest and has over 80 exits! I'm not sure how we would navigate such on our own. The Shangri La is our address in Tokyo and part of their service to their guests is meet and greet services for all those arriving by train. Phenomenal!

The Shangri La is one of the most stunning hotels I have ever experienced. The location is in the prime real estate section of Tokyo and on the most expensive parcel of land. It is conveniently located next door to the train station which is the gateway to virtually any destination in Japan, and across the street from the Imperial Palace and park.

The hotel lobby is on level 28 and the rooms extend to the 37th floor. The views are spectacular and the skyline stretches for miles. My first impression of Tokyo is very positive. The city is very clean, the streets as wide as those in London, the lights of the city stimulating and colorful throughout, and more trees throughout the landscape than expected.

The people at Shangri La are so gracious and lovely. They anticipate your every need and if they remotely overhear a wish of any kind, the magic begins. The 90 minute spa treatment became a three hour journey to peace and tranquility. You cannot imagine a place so beautifully designed and appointed. You have never experienced service like this of the Asian culture, and especially the Japanese. I am without words.

What an extraordinary place.

This is a country of perfection, quality vs price, and graciousness. They love to serve and it is an innate part of who they are. It is a "tip-less" society. They believe it their job to serve you and to do it well. Tipping is not expected, nor is it readily accepted.

Oliver the Executive Chef at the new Shangri La Hotel in Tokyo says that the Japanese expect quality and do not generally discuss price. They want and expect the best and are willing to pay for it.

On service, they expect the finest service as a "given". So in Japan, to be truly successful, you have to get it right the first time and be consistent each and every time. Perfection. The best of the best is expected. In order to truly impress the Japanese, you have to have the "unexpected" as part of your service. For example, Shangri La Hotels has numerous hotels in their portfolio throughout Asia and they are expanding to Paris France this year as well as 8 additional locations by the year 2012. The Tokyo Shangri La is the only hotel in their collection that maintains a supply of and provides the complimentary use of workout clothes, gym shoes, and a swimsuit for the indoor pool for all their guests. This is an "unexpected" service that demonstrates just one area where Shangri La's is committed to their guests.

wow

Kyoto Geiko

While in Kyoto, we were treated to a rare and private audience with a geiko as mentioned in my previous post. Here is a picture of the beautiful geiko who was as charming as she is well known. We are standing in her geiko district in Kyoto. There are five geiko districts total. You will know a geisha house by the lanterns that hang outside the buildings.

Training with Sushi Chef from the Market to the Kitchen to Dining

If you love Sushi in America, you need to include Japan on your bucket list where Sushi was born. The sushi is amazing, and the wasabi is nothing like the manufactured paste you have tried. We began our day in the Nishiki Market where we met Chef Konagaya, one of Kyoto's top young chefs. Chef Konagaya led us through this famous market to learn more about the various products. We were enthralled with the variety of fish, produce, fruit, and tea. Our chef inquired from one of the local providers to purchase a wasabi root. The root grows in the fresh water river and is stored in water. After our selection, we walked to Chef's beautiful restaurant located in Miyagawa-cho where he taught us the skills required to prepare traditional Japanese cuisine. This cooking class was extremely special since the chef closed his restaurant for lunch just to teach us the secrets of his highly regarded creations.

This small intimate restaurant is 2 years old and was designed and built by the chef. It is one of the nicest sushi bars with lacquered tables and the perfect kitchen arrangement. I am travelling with four of my colleagues from the Travel & Leisure's Travel Agent Advisory Board, our local guide, and our contact who made all these customized arrangements for us. Two of us were thrilled to have the opportunity to prepare our lunch with the chef under his tutelage. What an experience!

We made a Japanese omelet, prepared fresh fish for tempura, made fresh wasabi by grating it from the root on a shark board, and then learned the art of cutting the fish for sushi! The sushi knives are extremely sharp and we were given the 2nd sharpest knife (for fear we may injure ourselves). We actually cut the fish beginning with the tail and slicing through the fish with a final cut at the end. We prepared the majority of the sushi and were left unattended to prepare, place, roll, and slice. The presentation looked amazing. We were so proud of our accomplishment and the delicious sushi. We accidentally discovered how tasty the rice vinegar flavored sticky rice was and giggled our way through a few stolen bites along the way.

Following lunch, we had time for some very exclusive entertainment. A geiko (Kyoto geisha) joined us to perform several traditional dances. She was accompanied by a jikata, a geiko who specializes in playing the japanese shamisen. We had the rare chance to meet the geiko and ask her questions about her life and costume. She was charming and beautiful! Geikos in Kyoto are well trained, more refined, and highly regarded in their skills. Young ladies may enter the schools for geiko's at the age of 15 and will be in training for 6 years. While in training, they are referred to as "maiko" or "geiko apprentice". At the age of 21, they will become a geiko. Getting to know one of the most sought after geiko's in Kyoto, was an extraordinary experience. We then walked to the Gion geiko/maiko district made famous in "Memoirs of a Geisha".

We finished the day visiting two very popular temples, my favorite of which was the "Sanjusangendo" located next door to the Hyatt.

Tonight we enjoyed a private seven course authentic Japanese dinner at the Hyatt Kyoto in one of the five private dining rooms. The presentation, meal, and sushi were exquisite. My son Joseph will be amazed when he learns how much Sushi I have enjoyed today. I only wish he were here to have experienced all this with me.

The people at the Hyatt Kyoto are some of the finest professionals. Campbell our bellman has been more of a concierge and guest services attendant. He is everywhere and knows us by name. He is from Australia and absolutely charming.

The General Manager Ken Yokoyama is the most gracious host and has made our stay at the Hyatt memorable.

Tomorrow we are set for a private tour in the morning to Azien Kobo which produces beautiful indigo dye clothing and accessories. We then enjoy a private lunch on the river before we board the bullet train for Tokyo. More to come tomorrow.

Thank you for sharing this authentic experience with me through this journal. Because people crave authentic life experiences with loved ones, and because of the phenomena and interest for Sushi in America, Japan is a perfect destination to appreciate the fine art of sushi and to experience the genuine hospitality of these lovely people.

Konnichiwa (Good Day)

Kyoto Hyatt Pictures of Room

Arrived in Japan comfortably and in Style!

Konnichiwa (Good Day!)

Greetings from Kyoto Japan! I arrived feeling a little tired and yet, now energized after 24-28 total hours of travel. Business Elite (Delta's First Class) is an amazing experince. The Delta flight from Atlanta to Tokyo was the new AirBus B777-200 with 48 "spacious cubicles" in First Class. It almost looked like an office with four seats across (one on the window, two in the middle, and one on the other window. Each "cubicle" had a video screen larger than the new netbooks, your choice of over 50 plus movies. The best part is that the seat fully reclines to a FLAT bed and you are given a comforter and fluffy full size pillow. There is a foot bench and a place for items underneath. The seat had multiple controls and a massage back roller. Each area is very private and creatively designed! I hope to attach a picture to give you the visual.

A delicious meal with a choice of four entrees was served, along with the "dessert cart" complete with ice cream sundaes, brownies, fruit, cheeses and more. The non-stop flight from Atlanta to

Tokyo is approximately 14 hours and we arrived early! After a short layover in the Delta Crown Room, I slept on the short flight to Kyoto.

By the way, if you travel on a business elite ticket, the Delta Club Lounge is normally complimentary. If you are an AX Platinum card holder, you can enjoy the Lounge complimentary when flying a variety of airlines in coach, business, or first class.

I am staying at the Hyatt Kyoto Hotel. The people are very gracious, and the hotel is modern, contemporary complemented with striking architectural elements throughout. My room is very spacious and is not the traditional rectangular hotel room. The main wall is at a 30 degree angle and divides the bedroom area from the spacious bathroom. It has a minimilistic and yet contemporary feel.

Kyoto is home to 1.5 million people. I am meeting three (3) of my colleagues from the Travel & Leisure Advisory Board in about 7 hours for a full day private and customized tour of Kyoto. We will have the opportunity to go to market with a talented chef from a fine local restaurant. He will show us how he makes his selections and then we return to his restaurant where he will show us the art of Japanese cooking. The chef has closed the restaurant for lunch so we can have this private experience! After what promises to be a delicious and savory dining experience, we will then continue our journey to the Dion District, home to the Geishas. After reading the "Memoirs of a Geisha" and seeing the movie (one of my favorites), this will be an exceptional treat! I won't spoil it now, so be sure to read about my day in Kyoto.

We are 14 hours ahead of Central Time. Simply take the time of day it is now, and change it to "am" or "pm" and then add 2 hours. That will then represent the current time here in Japan.

Enjoy an outstanding day and weekend ahead. I look forward to journaling this authentic travel experience and sharing it with each of you.

Oyasumi nasia (Good night) - It's 1233am here!

Liz

On my way to Japan!

My office colleagues will be eagerly awaiting my return from Japan! You are invited on this journey with me! I hope you enjoy the journal. Please feel free to post your comments. Liz