Japan is a warm and friendly bow

As Japan's main island Honshu, nudges into view a strange sensation tickles into me: This feels right. Even from 2000ft up, the sight of Japanese land brushes into the soul and calms the heart. Perhaps its the faint ring of England about it: the healthy greens; lazy farmland; the bend of track and road. That and the easter egg surprises of difference speckled and splattered over the lip of land. Even from here it welcomes me. Fellow passengers are mostly Japanese it seems, and the gaijin seems to court shy smiles, furtive glances and the occasional suspicious squint.

Narita international airport is efficient, relaxed and polite. The Japanese are fun, a whole huddle of passengers queue jumping when the officious and austere woman in charge turns her back, a sporting game of What's The Time Mr. Wolf. They giggle whilst running, hand over mouth, ever face conscious.

English cuddles up to Japanese practically everywhere so there is no possibility of confusion. Fussless and unhurried I'm buying a ticket to Ueno Station, Tokyo in two shakes of a lambs back bits. It's an easy walk to the platform which is spotlessly clean.

A young woman (Karen Lee) I recognise from the plane strikes up conversation and we exchange meishi before retiring to our allocated seats on the steel snake which whooshes in, spot on time and gobbles up all the people. (although it is given a quick tidy before we climb into it's guts)

The snake gathers speed and punches us into open countryside and bright, clear skies. As the farmlands scroll by in whips and humms, it seems to me as if some strange spirit of design inhabits everything Japanese. I try to pin down how this manifests, but it's difficult to convey. There is a pleasant order to everything on a large scale and a magical touch of design on a small scale. The buildings and woods and roads are laid out with a peculiarly playful pragmatism; The finishings on pots and roofs and gardens are jolly and thoughtful and slightly obsessive. Perhaps the latter grows from the former? (makes sense kinda)

My travel companion enjoys the ride anyway.