Romanticized

I stepped into a future stuck in the past Simultaneously first but also placing in last Restaurant across the street still only accepting cash Businesses and offices communicating with fax Such a jarring contrast seeing ceremonies and arts Culture is traditional while being inventive and smart Blending fragments of the past and present in their daily lives Melting pot of 2020s also 2005 Architecture full of ancient temples dazzle the sights Towering commercial skyscrapers erected with might Historic gardens and beauty coexist with the concrete Rural places show an older soul in these back streets Why are people here so forward thinking yet outdated Deep-seated respect for tradition and the collective Harmony is number one your feelings are not Even if it means to be somebody that you are not If you got a credit card don't rely on it much Carrying some cash is still a thing and comes in clutch Smaller joints will see digital usage like it's cynical Cash payments are their main economy its pivotal Experience of staying in ryokans are quaint Rejection of modernity, amenities that you're used to Sleep on a tatami or a futon not accustomed to That's another tug of war between the old and new And the many quality of life facets looking dope Locals probably don't even think that they're advancements See it everyday so they're immersed in their convenience But they stay resistant to change, keeping it lenient Reflect on if you really think you're in the tech capital Nothing is what it really seems, you see the practical Reflect on if you really think you're in the tech capital Nothing is what it really seems, you see the magical You see fancy toilets and bidets and think it's hot It is but also glamorizing something that it's not You see they have sneaker washing machines so it's hot It is but also glamorizing something that it's not First you feel jealousy, then you feel envy Then you come back home and get a dose of that reality Nippon is a sci-fi tech utopia with aliens Bow down to their species superior to homo sapiens Country as a whole is wonderful but that's the curse Heavy weight of expectations sit on its shoulders People come and visit like their journey is a poem Get conflicted and start feeling something like a Paris syndrome Now Japan syndrome, sad when they go home They get expectations shattered so now they don't know And they don't show, the disillusioned look on their face Maybe Japan is not as perfect in the first place But don't get it twisted I'm not a doomsayer I'm just a myth slayer I just think that tourists should be more realistic Keep it tempered if your views are kinda idealistic Understand the country from a view that's more holistic Judge it on its own terms Don't compare the country to another, yeah it's tempting Maybe it's a little bit unfair to put Japan on higher pedestals Yeah it's still incredible the trip is unforgettable Shoutout Luis Shoutout Milton Shoutout Shashi Shoutout Chriskid Shoutout Nhat It's the Shinnichi Six, it's been an honor to travel with you Maybe we'll link up again, we never know Hoping your life is filled with new adventures Never stop travelling, never be idle, keep your wanderlust and see the world Learn about yourself and live experiences to share with your loved ones Take care