Speed Tokyo

Having only 5 days to explore Tokyo city, there was a lot to be done. The first morning I was woken promptly at 7am to the sound of the guy in the bed above me snoring loudly. This is one of my pet hates of dorm rooms - I am simply unable to sleep if someone's snoring (even with earplugs). Still, it got me up bright and early and I resolved to head to the markets with this bubbly Aussie girl named Kat. After gearing myself up for the Tokyo chill, I set off with this lady however I didn't end up spending the day with her - she had to head to the other side of the city and suggested we meet "somewhere" around Harajuku. This would be basically the same as saying: "ok let's meet somewhere in Piccadilly"; I knew from the off that this day I'd be exploring alone.

Tokyo is easily navigated once you've had a couple of hours to study the underground map, which is slightly mind boggling on first viewing. I bought a day ticket to use on the main service for 750¥. It was a beautiful day, crisp but sunny and perfect for inane wandering and I was in the business for just that. So I started out at Harajuku station near Yoyoki park, observing the spectacle of the various Japanese girls and boys dressed as Pikachu and other wacky things, offering free hugs and seemingly just hanging out to be photographed by tourists. I of course obliged, but did not get a free hug as I had hoped.

I next wandered into the nearby park, along a tree-lined park up to Meiji Jingu Shrine. This was the first Shinto shrine I'd seen, and there were many serene "shrine maidens" delicately pacing the ground with young girls in tow dressed in the most amazing attire. The shrine was intriguing. Around one tree there were a number of small wooden boards with notes written on them, you could buy these for 500¥. There were also large ropes hung between some trees, with what looked like cut out paper lightening bolts hung from them. Also, before you enter the shrine you are supposed to clean your hands and mouth in a small out-building equipped for just that.

After this I was beginning to get a little hungry, and after fashioning myself with a iced green tea from one of the numerous vending machines throughout Tokyo, I resolved to find some food. I stumbled across some street food and bought what looked like an omelet but with seafood, mayo and sweet soy sauce. It was incredibly tasty and cost (a slightly pricey) 600¥.

One thing I almost forgot to mention, after a couple of cans of green tea I felt a call of nature. Quite conveniently, a public toilet was located close by and, on a freezing cold day, you'll never guess the kind of luxury I encountered; heated toilet seats no less. Thank you Tokyo (and possibly the rest of Japan too) for treating my buttocks to some comfort on that cold day.

What happened next was "Kiddy Land" a place I considered to be quintessentially Japanese. Complete with miniature versions of food you could collect, all manner of fluffy stuffed things, all colours, all sorts. I took an hour to appreciate this wonderful place, not to mention make a few choice purchases.

Not having any plan for my day, I decided to stick on the Ginza line which gave me an easy route back to the hostel. So next I headed for Ginza, the Oxford Street of Tokyo with one refreshing difference: no cars. The whole place was shut off to traffic so you could wander nonchalantly down the street without a care in the world. Here I found another thing that pleased me no end; a stationary shop. The reason for this appreciation is simply this: I remember when I was younger we had Japanese students who were studying English living with us and they always had amazing pens. I was initially disappointed upon entering the shop, at the distinct lack of pens; that was until I realised the shop went up 5 stairways and I found the floor dedicated solely to pens. Glorious.

After such a packed day, I returned to Asakusa and got myself some discount sushi (that's right, I was treating myself) at the supermarket and waited for Simon's arrival. I had begun a dusk excursion of the Asakusa area and had wondered up to the nearby shrine, however the biting wind soon got the better of me and I returned to the comfort of the hostel. Upon Simon's 9pm arrival we promptly left the hostel to the local 24 hour sushi restaurant (famed for it's appearance in the directions to the hostel). As I had already eaten, I let Simon doing the ordering and of course the sushi was great.

So as not to waste the evening, Simon and I did a little exploration of the local area including a trip to the late-night gaming arcade where we warmed up playing a drumming game. This involved two large drums attached to a screen, and in the manner of "guitar hero" you drum along to various Japanese songs, my favourite being all the tunes in Mario World 1 (even if that makes me a bit of a geek). Last call of the evening was to an underground bar where I had some warm sake and enjoyed the company of my new friend.

The next 3 days are a blur of activity. We visited the electronic district of Tokyo, Akihabara, where you can buy every electronic thing imaginable and I oogled the hi-tech Japanese phones through which you can watch the television. I should mention, no phone will work in Japan unless it is Japanese - they have a special system that I am at a loss to understand and therefore tri-band or whatever, it simply ain't going to work.

In Akihabara we climbed the numerous floors of the wackiest shopping centre I've ever laid foot in. There were floors dedicated to: arcade games and photo machines; a maid cafe (a cafe were all the girls are dressed in the same costume and serve you coffee and lunch - we went to one of these after); all manner of strange and wonderful costumes and fancy dress options (I was so tempted to buy one); toiletries of course; a lot of fancy tights. Suffice to say it was an eye-opening experience, though not as eye-opening as the 5 story "adult" store. Less said here the better.

After this, and a light lunch in a maid cafe, we were off to the entertainment district of Shibuya, where people are everywhere but everything is somehow ordered. I agreed to go into a Starbucks because it promised a great view and also a warm beverage.

Naturally, a karaoke stint was on the cards. If I wasn't with Simon I'm not sure I could've figured it out on my own; first up you have to get a membership (I can't remember the cost of this, but I don't think it was too much) and then you pay for however many hours you want to sing for. I believe we were in the karaoke place featured in "Lost in Translation"; you're given your floor number and head on up the lift to a corridor of doors with various dulcet tones emitting from them. You get your own little space; a couple of drinks; an inexhaustible book of songs; some disco lights and you're off. Two hours later, grinning from ear-to-ear I'd had a jolly good sing song, and had decided that this kind of karaoke should feature everywhere in the UK. Come on Britain, sort it out.

Next off to Roppongi and Roppongi Hills for a view of the Tokyo tower by night and some darned nice (if expensive - thanks Simon!) Indian food.

Tokyo saw me get probably the most unique souvenir you can get (a tattoo), all thanks to Horizaru for some cool traditional artwork to show the kids. I met him at a station just outside of the centre of Tokyo and after a trip to his house, a quick look over the design and an hour later I was done. All for 15000¥. It was that or a shopping spree, and I thought what the hey.

After skip-hopping it across town, we made it to the Shinjuku's Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Tochô) for a free view of Tokyo at sunset. Unfortunately, the clear skies of earlier in the day had departed, so we didn't have a clear view of Mount Fuji - but at least we knew it was there somewhere behind the clouds. Right?

My last day in Toyko I made it to Ueno park for a stroll before heading to the National Museum of Toyko for a spot of culture. Then to Imperial Palace (Kokyo), is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family, for a wander around the gardens. We'd also popped to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine close to the Imperial Palace. Then back to Asakusa to collect our luggage, chill out in a cafe where an elderly Japanese gentleman nattered away to me in Japanese (the whole conversation was a complete mystery to me but the man was so jolly I just smiled along), and then I headed off back to the airport to make my way to San Jose for the next adventure. Simon certainly sorted me out a whistle stop tour of Tokyo, and it was superb.