The adventure started off at 9:30pm at Singapore’s Changi Airport. I meet up with the producer, script writer, camera crew, sound technician, and my co-host. Everyone was energized and ready to go. We all checked in together – and after watching in shock at the insane level of scrutiny with which the airport staff went through the equipment bags - I understood why we were asked to be there so many hours before the actual departure time. I tell you man, Singapore airport security is no joke . . . NO JOKE!
ANA, which is a sponsor of the show, upgraded me and Mark to business class which was a pretty rock-star way to kick off the trip. Now, personally, my favorite part of the business class experience is the pre-flight experience: the business class lounge . . . sigh . . . that place is like heaven for a 23 year-old with tired feet and a big appetite. Dim lighting, smooth jazz, a selection of armchairs, art deco fish tanks, free gourmet buffet, and more lots-of-pulp orange juice than I can possibly consume in one lifetime. It is pretty much what I envision the garden of Eden to be like. Minus a serpent and some nudity . . .
As I boarded the flight the producer passed me a paper mask and reminded me about the numerous cases of swine flu that Japan is currently experiencing. I smiled graciously and took it from her, knowing full well I had no intention of wearing the mask . . . Whatever, bring it on, oink oink . . . Seriously though, if I’m sitting next to a passenger with swine flu, a piece of paper with some rubber bands will be of little protective benefit. Plus I had a feeling I’d forget to take it off when I took the first sip of my OJ and end up with a mess on my lap. And NOBODY wants to be “that sloppy kid” in Business class. You hear me? Nobody! As Beyonce once said – that’s not a good look. Anyway, I don’t know what company manufactures these silly masks, but at least SOMEBODY is making a healthy profit in this horrible economy.
Anyway, I digress, (I’ve always wanted to use that saying). Ehhhemmmm . . . The flight was quick and painless I fell asleep within 30 minutes of take off and slept the whole night through. Something that a six-foot-two American can ONLY do with Business class leg-room. Airplane sleep is never “quality rest” but this time was okay lah!
Once at Tokyo Narita International Airport the script writer gave us a run-down of the day’s itinerary. She told me I had better change into my outfit for the first day of filming before the bus came, so she helped me rummage through my suitcase for something that was weather appropriate and would look good on camera. Being color blind I usually require a lot of fashion guidance. So this was great! I wish I had a personal stylist EVERYDAY!
When I came out from changing in the bathroom our party seemed to have grown in number. “Michael … this is the fixer” said the producer as she introduced me to this new face among us. “Fixer?” I said curiously as I extended my hand toward a tall slim Japanese girl. “Hi Mike, I’m Jane, and I’m a fixer.” Hmmmm
ANA, which is a sponsor of the show, upgraded me and Mark to business class which was a pretty rock-star way to kick off the trip. Now, personally, my favorite part of the business class experience is the pre-flight experience: the business class lounge . . . sigh . . . that place is like heaven for a 23 year-old with tired feet and a big appetite. Dim lighting, smooth jazz, a selection of armchairs, art deco fish tanks, free gourmet buffet, and more lots-of-pulp orange juice than I can possibly consume in one lifetime. It is pretty much what I envision the garden of Eden to be like. Minus a serpent and some nudity . . .
As I boarded the flight the producer passed me a paper mask and reminded me about the numerous cases of swine flu that Japan is currently experiencing. I smiled graciously and took it from her, knowing full well I had no intention of wearing the mask . . . Whatever, bring it on, oink oink . . . Seriously though, if I’m sitting next to a passenger with swine flu, a piece of paper with some rubber bands will be of little protective benefit. Plus I had a feeling I’d forget to take it off when I took the first sip of my OJ and end up with a mess on my lap. And NOBODY wants to be “that sloppy kid” in Business class. You hear me? Nobody! As Beyonce once said – that’s not a good look. Anyway, I don’t know what company manufactures these silly masks, but at least SOMEBODY is making a healthy profit in this horrible economy.
Anyway, I digress, (I’ve always wanted to use that saying). Ehhhemmmm . . . The flight was quick and painless I fell asleep within 30 minutes of take off and slept the whole night through. Something that a six-foot-two American can ONLY do with Business class leg-room. Airplane sleep is never “quality rest” but this time was okay lah!
Once at Tokyo Narita International Airport the script writer gave us a run-down of the day’s itinerary. She told me I had better change into my outfit for the first day of filming before the bus came, so she helped me rummage through my suitcase for something that was weather appropriate and would look good on camera. Being color blind I usually require a lot of fashion guidance. So this was great! I wish I had a personal stylist EVERYDAY!
When I came out from changing in the bathroom our party seemed to have grown in number. “Michael … this is the fixer” said the producer as she introduced me to this new face among us. “Fixer?” I said curiously as I extended my hand toward a tall slim Japanese girl. “Hi Mike, I’m Jane, and I’m a fixer.” Hmmmm
– PRESS PAUSE -
So after much discussion I uncovered that this girl’s sole job is to fix things. To solve problems. That is her job. That is what she does. It doesn’t matter what KIND of problem: big or small, international or domestic. In this case the TV station has employed her to be our translator/tour guide/travel planner. Do not call her a consultant, because apparently that is TOTALLY different and mildly offensive to any professional “Fixer.”
– PRESS PLAY -
So the whole gang of us piled into a van and headed for our first location shoot of the day: An old Kendo Dojo.
Kendo is an ancient Japanese Martial Art – with history imbedded in Samurai traditions. And a Dojo is a school where teachers instruct students in Kendo and other such traditional martial arts. Got it? The building was gorgeous; big traditional wooden columns with tile roof, well manicured rock gardens and a massive carved sign hanging over the main entrance door. We were told that we must bow and take off our shoes before entering so of course we obliged. The Japanese ALWAYS remove their shoes before entering a home, temple, dojo, or even a department store dressing room. Crazy right? We explored for a while as the cameramen took some general shots of the premises.Eventually we found the room we were looking for: Kendo Class. Imagine this – twenty women, all in their mid-to-late-fifties dressed in navy blue traditional outfits, wearing fencing masks, welding three-foot-long bamboo swards and screaming at the top of their lungs while they attack each other. Un-be-freaking-lievable. It was like watching stolen cable TV in the ghetto where the channels blur together the higher you click and somehow The Ninja Turtles met The Golden Girls somewhere on channel 274. WOW
I was in shock for the first 15 minutes just sitting there wide-eyed on the hardwood floor taking it all in. Then I realized that the camera man was filming my reaction from the opposite end of the room. So I quickly put on “the cool face.” Shut up, you know you have one too. The face you use when you are pretending not to know that you really DO know that someonw who matters is looking at you. Hold that pose. Yes, that's the one. One of the women there was a Singaporean Chinese lady named Wendy who has been living in Japan for 20+ years with her family. We spent a few minutes interviewing her and the Sense about the Dojo and the art form. Turns out that these crazy ladies become normal demure members of the Japanese female population after the Kendo lesson is over. Mildly hard to believe . . .
After running into half a dozen Japanese ladies with 6-foot long bow-and-arrows we decided that was our cue to leave. So we all went to lunch at the Japanese equivalent of Denny’s. Tasty, Cheap, Family food. mmmMMMm.
Next stop – Wendy’s house for more filming. We got a chance to take a look at how Japanese families live. Very different from anything that I am used to. They eat on the floor, sleep on the floor, even sit on the floor while surfing the net or doing homework. I guess the elderly Japanese must all have strong knees.
Wendy showed us how she packs a bento-box lunch for her daughter everyday before school. Separate compartments for rice, meat, and salad. Super healthy. And eco friendly too! No waste at all! Then after packing the lunch, she wraps it in traditional Japanese fabric called furoshiki. Aparenly the Japanese are obsessed with packaging – everything must look SUPER presentable. Wendy told us that even when she brings bottles of wine to a friend’s place for a dinner party she will wrap it in fabric for the presentation and then bring the fabric home to re-use.
We ended off the day with a home cooked meal at Wendy’s house. She made fresh miso soup, macaroni salad, grilled salmon, AND, she made my favorite food in the world: FRIED CHICKEN! Let the church say AMEN.
Being that we hadn’t slept in proper beds the night before, we were all pretty beat. So we excused ourselves and headed to the hotel where we checked in and called it a night. In my tiny Tokyo hotel room I did the move that we over-worked twenty-something’s know all to well – the “OMG-I’m-so-tired-clothing-peel-off-as-I-crawl-toward-the-don’t-know-if-I-even-have-enough-energy-to-brush-my-ZZzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZZ.” – yah that move.
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