Kyoto is the ancient capital of Japan. Tokyo, the new metropolis, is the anagram of Kyoto. In Kyoto you might meet Japan's most exquisite tourist guide: "My name is Kiko, you can call me Kiko". In a country where people pride envy and deride speaking English, Kiko is fluently Americanised. Kyoto is surrounded on three sides, except the south, by hills. It is a masterly blend of the new and old. But how does one get here? It's a seven hour flight to Narita airport near Tokyo which is autumn-best in October. In Nikko, to the north, you can actually see leaves changing colour. It is 22 degrees centigrade in the shade and the yen is at 105 to a dollar in the country which has a current account surplus of 100 billion dollars. Try the Air-India two-in-one package which is one of their high profile heavily booked flights to Japan. A country which will enter the new millennium with the second largest economy in the world after the USA, and the third biggest defence budget after USA and Russia. The gap with the US is gradually closing but Japan's pacifist constitution binds the country militarily to a purely self defence role. But things are fast changing in Japan. It wants to become a 'normal' nation. Japanese are prosperous and appear happy, though in a dilemma over the right mix of traditional Japanese values and modern western mores. Their's is a western lifestyle; jacket and tie, designer clothes are the minimum dress code. The older the Japanese get, the more fashion-conscious they become. Japanese have a fetish for cleanliness, orderliness and punctuality. Litter is a collector's item. The toilet of the nineties is breathtaking -- it resembles the ejection-seat of a fighter plane with a whole array of high-tech gadgetry on either side of the commode for a variety of ablutionary functions. Japan is also the world's most expensive country, Tokyo leading among the cities. To come to Tokyo, you have to inveigle an invitation to a seminar or the prestigious Tokyo Motor Show, a world event also held in turn at Frankfurt and Geneva. The turning point in Japan's post-World War II history was the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. It hasn't looked back since. Day one It is 8.00 am and I sip Japan with Ashahi Super Dry Draft beer. We are whisked through immigration and customs. From the luxury of the Air-India jumbo to the greater luxury of a Japanese bus which races through Tokyo to the coastal city of Hammamatsu, 300 km south-east. Ever heard of hot tea and coffee in cans? That's how it comes from the vending machine. Our hosts offer more Ashahi with sandwiches on the bus. The breakfast package is so attractive that one is reluctant to open it. Japan is famous for its beers and sake wine. Due to shortage of space, homes are small and roads, including expressway narrow, by western standards. Hammamatsu is home to the Suzuki Motor Corporation. Japan is the world leader in small cars. Hammamatsu is perched on gentle hills and is famous for cars, motorcycles and musical instruments. For a city of 80,000 there are a number of eateries including seven Indian restaurants. Except for Sumo wrestlers, there are no fat Japanese. But they are big smokers, huge drinkers and avid eaters. Their preference in meat is beef, pork, fish, chicken and mutton in that order. The evening is spent at the SMC bar at the Grand Hotel. It boasts of stocks of wine, whisky and beer from every part of the world. India is represented by Royal Challenge and Old Monk rum. Drinking across the globe is a heady experience. The food is Indo-Japanese which means Japanese with naan-roti and dal on the sidelines. Day Two We visit Suzuki's motorcycle and car plants and test beds. The Kosai plant is in the suburbs of Hammamatsu. Its slogan is "smaller, fewer, lighter, shorter and neater." Under one roof, 4,800 hands and 1,000 robots produce 2,260 passenger small cars (660 cc to 1000cc) a day. The Toyakawa plant turns out motorcycles from the mini 50 cc to the 1500 cc Hayabusa Easy Rider. Since 1952, when Suzuki produced its first motorcycle, it has manufactured 20 million units so far. Many foreigners including Indians, train in these plants. During the lunch beak, we squat for a typical Japanese working lunch with Kirin beer, clear soup, salad, eel and rice, assortment of pickles and green tea. I felt I hadn't eaten. But just as well. The day is spent wandering through Hammamatsu which is ablaze with sales. But even marked down goodies are beyond my pocket. Window shopping is all I can afford. The highlight of the evening is Teppanyaki, the do-it-yourself meal. Except that the chef does it for you, right in front of you course by course. The piece de resistance of this Japanese treat is succulent beef from Kobe where cows are fed on Kirin beer and Mozart's Horn Concertos. Teppanyaki is priced at Rs 4,000 per head. In two days, it seems I've eaten all sea and river food: fish, eel, prawn, shrimp, clam, lobster, snail, squid, octopus, in various sushi styles. What I missed out was frog's legs and the penis of turtle, the ultimate aphrodisiac. Day Three We travel by Shinkansen, the world famous bullet train, to Tokyo. There are three class of trains: Nozomi, Hikari and Kodama, each distinct by its speed and number of stops. The fastest, Nojomi, zips at 250 km per hour and rarely stops. The railways are spotlessly clean and trains programmed to the minute. The train crew is smart and courteous. On entering and leaving the cabin, they will bow, men once, ladies twice, simultaneously wishing passengers' a happy journey. The most commonly used word in Japan is Haii. It does not mean hello. It means yes. The bowing, the Haii-ing and smiles all appear robotised. Tokyo looks incredibly prosperous like any high-rise American city, and forbiddingly expensive. The New Otani hotel is a city within a city. It was built for the Tokyo games and has retained its laidback charm in the lounge overlooking a lush Japanese garden. You can get lost very easily in the Otani -- in the lift or between floors -- looking for the appropriate exit. In neon-ablaze Tokyo you feel flashbulbs popping all the time. Dinner is at the Furaibo restaurant. There are two Bangladeshi waiters both from Dhaka. The younger, Abdul Haq, is studying Japanese for $ 1,000 a month. His father owns an electronics shop in Dhaka. Imtiaz Husain gives me his card. It reads: director, Hock, Japan Corporation Ltd which he explains, deals "with everything. Import, export… You name it and we do it." There is more from the aquarium for the palate. I prefer Ashahi super dry. Day Four Tokyo has many newspapers. They are expensive. They cost up to 160 yen. The Japan Times (all the news without fear or favour) is the most famous English newspaper. The others are Mainichi Daily News, Daily Yomiuri, and they carry a fair amount of news from South Asia. At the that, Parvez Musharraf was making headlines. Tokyo is overcast. The drizzle changes to steady rain as we arrive at the Nippon Convention Centre for the 33rd Tokyo Motor Show, a world event. The world's motor car makers are assembled, their beauties on the ramp. The motor show is as much about glamour, glitz and sex appeal, as passenger cars. The theme of the show declares the 20th century to be the century of the automobiles because it contributed to the growth of industry life and culture. The aim of TMS is to create the vehicle of the 21st century. 287 companies and six governments from 15 countries are participating. The motor show coincides with 100 years since the automobile made its debut in Japan. The hot news is that the once proud Nissan is in ruins and Renault has picked up 38 per cent stake to bail it out. The Nissan chalet was emblazoned with REN"NISSAN"CE. SMC has showcased its latest Wagon R, the first tallboy mini car that has overtaken Toyota Corolla as the largest selling car in Japan. Maruti's new Zen Classic, is on display, vying for honours with the accompanying Maruti's export division executive, Bhavna. There was a minor stir when Mr John B Smith ('call me 'Jack") president of General Motors with a 10 per cent share in SMC, strode in while the SMC-GM developed YGM1 is unveiled. Adding fizz to the motor show were free champagne and French, German, Hungarian, Italian wines inside the convention hall, together with an assortment of food and snacks. Dinner was at the Taj Mahal, for some a happy reunion with indigenous food. Day 5 One more day at Tokyo. Japan was a colonial power. After the Meiji Restoration in 1986, it elected to modernise. It has reached the economic summit through hard work. The Liberal Democrats have, for the most part, ruled it since the war. Unemployment which used to be zero, is nearing 4.9 per cent. The internal conflict is over westernisation: how much and how fast. And there is also the English language which few Japanese can speak effectively. There are other incongruities in society which are manifest in the young taking to the most bizarre sartorial expression. I see young girls totter around in platform shoes in cork heels, all of 20 cm. Suicide rates, I was told, have shot up. Unlike in the West, where it is stigmatised, in Japan it is an honourable act. Author Yukio Mishima who cut himself up before television cameras, immortalised himself. There were 35,000 suicides last year. I met Tatsuo Kusatao formerly of the Japanese Defence Agency, now running the canteen and logistic services for the self defence forces. He said the nuclear issue was a very emotional one in Japan. According to him, Japan had lost two wars, one in 1945 and the other during the economic meltdown in 1990. The economy is turning around now. Osamu Suzuki, hereditary president of the $ 12 billion Suzuki empire, met us briefly in the hotel. He's jovial, quickwitted and at times known to be a terror. He explained SMC's strategic alliance with General Motors but would give no details though he offered to introduce the YGM in India. His motto is "Small Fun Car". He says only one third of the human population enjoys the benefits of a car. "My wish is a car for all." He admitted both Suzuki and Maruti have made mistakes in the Indian market. Whereas every five to six years there ought to be a new model, there was none for 18 years in India. This was due to the monopoly mentality. His dream car is one which runs on air. But in the meantime, he would strive for quality improvement and a cut in the prices of small cars. He would also concentrate on modernising Maruti in India. Later in the day, we leave for Osaka by Nozomi bullet train, 500 km in two hours and 33 minutes. Mount Fujiyama, now more famous a favourite destination for suicides, appears like a shooting star. The other impressions from the train are picture-perfect. Osaka, like Bombay, is the commercial and trading capital of Japan. Hotel New Hankyu is a short walk from the station and Osaka's biggest Hankyu departmental store. Not far away is a curry house, a Japanese dhaba. For 350 yen, beef curry and rice, along with cold green tea is the favourite menu. It is a fast-food joint where everyone picks up a comic before settling down to eat. Day Six Another train, the Hikari to Kyoto. Remember Kiko? She's the multilingual Sunrise Tours guide and in command this morning. Surprisingly, most of the guides are women in a country where they hold only 9 per cent of the professional jobs. Kiko warns that one has to follow the rules during the tour otherwise the police would get angry and that would be bad. Not surprising at all for a rule-based society which adheres to group mentality and never breaks rules. The tour starts with a round of the sprawling Nijo castle, the Kyoto residence of the Yokogawa Shogun, built in 1603. Shoguns were the feudal lords of Japan, the emperor's emperor. Like the Rana prime ministers ruled over the Shah kings in Nepal for almost 100 years, it was the 15th Shogun who returned sovereignty to the emperor in 1867. Pakistan has a new Shogun in Parvez Musharraf, I whisper to my neighbour. Kiko fills up her listeners with more Japanese history while moving from the castle to the Kinkaku-ji temple, also called the Golden Pavilion. October 22 is a national holiday in Japan. There are many women in kimonos preparing for the festival. The castle, temple and palace are crowded with schoolchildren. Education till Class IX is free in Japan and a trip to historical sites compulsory. Every child has a camera, every adult a cellphone and almost every foreigner, a disposable camera. The most authentic and exquisite Japanese style garden nestles around the temple, a villa in 1220. The Kyoto imperial palace is a central landmark. It shows Japanese taste for purity, simplicity and calmness. The three- and-a-half hour tour costs yen 5,300. There are Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples and churches representing the three religions in Japan. Kyoto is a tourist paradise, says Kiko and adds for general knowledge that half a million Koreans have lived in Japan since the war. Though they have been assimilated they are not yet accepted. Japan is very strict on labour immigration. Only foreigners of Japanese decent, notably from America and Europe, get a work permit. Others working here do so illegally. My Nepalese friends rough it out for about a year on a tourist visa, working clandestinely, sleeping under road bridges and flyovers. They take hefty yens back to Kathmandu. We returns to Osaka. It is a Chinese meal, our last in Japan. It is memorable for the ambience, garrulity and all-round inebriation. From the 26th floor of Hankyu, Osaka's signature is in loud neon. Later we try out the bars in Osaka. They are male dominated and surprisingly very quiet. Japanese have to be disciplined even while getting drunk. Day Seven The airport limousine departs from the hotel. In 30 minutes we are at Osaka airport. The morning flight to Narita aboard Japan Airlines is 50 minutes, comfortable but inexplicably minus breakfast. There are hundreds of Japanese, Koreans and Chinese inside for weekend travel. In a sense Japanese are very self centered. Despite the nuclear accident last month at a uranium reprocessing plant, disclosures of nuclear weapons based in Japan during the Cold War -- their vice defence minister advocating possession of nuclear weapons which he compares with retribution for rape and enjoying the security of US nuclear umbrella -- Japan continues to give India sermons on nuclear chastity. Privately some Japanese wish they would go nuclear. They have the capability to do so. But the thought uppermost in O Suzuki's mind is the motorcar business. For him, India's nuclear tests are India's business. For other Japanese, the question is whether and when will Japan overtake America. With these sage thoughts embedded in my mind, I enter the duty-free. All I can afford is a six-pack of Asahi Superdry. The Air-India flight is packed, especially First Class. Wing Commander Anil Gadgil, the captain, is the non-stop Kiko of the flight. His latitudes and longitudes are superlative and his concern for the safety and comfort of his passengers foremost. The military training is visible on both decks of the aircraft. Once he learns a general is on board, he comes personally to invite me to the cockpit. The effect of the captain's call is not lost on the hospitality staff. I am returned to Indian soil. For a change, on time, without any hassles anywhere. My 18-year old Maruti Suzuki which takes me to Noida looks shrivelled compared to the YGM I saw at the Tokyo Motor Show. Major General Ashok Mehta (retd) is a spirited traveller.
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