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Tadaima! (I'm back!)
Tokyo is FANTASTIC! I did have doubts about going (especially going
alone), but I was SO glad I did, for it's a fantastic place. Anyway,
here's a nice run-down of what I got up to...
DAY 1 - FRIDAY
The flight out. As the plane flew across Japan, I was lucky enough see Mt.
Fuji (known as "Fujisan" in Japan). It really is huge and impressive - and
since there's no other mountains nearby, it looks amazing.
Landed, navigated to Ueno using the JR line and subways, and checked into
the hotel (New Koyo Hotel - the cheapest in Japan!). Hotel was actually
pretty nice, considering how cheap it was!
First impressions of Tokyo - it is in fact incredibly like London, with a
mix of the ultra-modern and the ultra-seedy. I suppose capital cities
world over are quite similar.
Then Yuuki (my ex-boyfriend) emailed my phone to arrange to meet up. We
met up in Ueno and went out to an izakaya (Japanese eatery/drinking
place). It was so strange conversing with him in Japanese - when we were
going out in England, we spoke only English! At first, I thought Yuuki was
much quieter and reserved than he was back in England - but a few drinks
followed by karaoke showed that he was still the same old Yuuki! He walked
me all the home, which proved difficult as I was drunk and had forgotten
where the hotel was. That was the only time I got to meet up with him, as
he has important Uni exams, which was a shame but it was great to see him
again that night!
DAY 2 - SATURDAY
Despite the pouring rain, I did the number one thing I wanted to in Japan
- go to Harajuku. Harajuku is famous for two things; one is Meiji-jingu
Shrine, and the other is the high concentration of people from Japan's
subcultures; goths, punks and lolitas. In particular are the "kozupuree-zoku"
(cosplay gang) who hang out on Meiji-jingu Bridge and the nearby Yoyogi
park every Sunday. Cosplayers are basically youngsters who dress up in
costume, often as anime characters.
As it was a Saturday, and as it was raining, there weren't any cosplayers
on the bridge, but I did see PLENTY of goths, lolitas and other
elaborately-dressed Japanese around Takeshita-doori - the main street
where these people hang out, and where you can buy all of the subcultural
fashion. It is, basically, very much a Japanese equivalent of Camden; in
fact, the layout and atmosphere is eerily similar.
Needless to say, I was in Heaven. If you find the right places in
Takeshita, it is in fact slightly cheaper than Camden. One thing I was
determined to buy was my own Gothic Lolita outfit - which I did, at a
bargain price. It was purchased at a very classy shop called Bodyline (
www.bodyline.co.jp
, if you're interested). The place is incredibly smart, with classical
music playing and with red plush sofas, gilded full-length mirrors and
enormous, luxurious dressing rooms with red velvet curtains. The girls who
work in the shop are all dressed in Lolita outfits, and will assist you
with the more complex parts of lacing up the outfit. Most Lolita outfits
cost from about £60-£100+, but I got mine in the sale items for £30. They
wouldn't let me try it on because it was on sale, so I simply found one
that looked like it was an identical size and tried on that instead.
The rest of Takeshita was great too, and I did spend quite a lot of money,
especially on a gorgeous, huge skirt. One thing about Takeshita is how
very...eclectic all the fashion is; Goth mixes very comfortably with "bling"
and there are several shops specialising in these bizarre "gothic bling"
outfits.
The trip was only slightly marred by having to buy a new umbrella - twice.
Don't listen to what anyone says to you about the Japanese never stealing
anything; if Harajuku is anything to go by, some of them can be thieving
little bastards when they want to. You see, you have to leave your
umbrella outside shops when you go in them (the owners kick up a fuss if
you don't), which leaves them at the mercy of passing umbrella-less
pedestrians who snap them up. This happened to me TWICE - first with my
original umbrella, and again with the replacement I bought! Grrr....
I did also go to Meiji-jingu Shrine while I was there, as it's supposedly
one of the most impressive shrines in Japan. Well, to me, it just looked
like a slightly larger version of every other shrine I've ever been to,
but I suppose it would be impressive to first-time visitors to Japan. And
there were some very cool ice sculptures displayed on the path towards the
shrine.
The enormous Torii (sacred gate) leading up to Meiji-jingu
Shrine, Harajuku.
Gorgeous ice sculpture of a dragon, one of many ice
sculptures placed along the path towards Meiji-jingu.
Angel ice sculpture, with fantastic wings. Edward
Scissorhands, anyone?!
DAY 3 - SUNDAY
The Lonely Planet Guide to Japan recommends Shinjuku as the place to go to
get fully immersed in the chaotic world of modern Japan. So, Shinjuku was
next on my itinery. However, when I reached there, I have to admit I was
disappointed. Shinjuku is packed mainly with tacky amusement arcades and
strip clubs and the like - my thought was, My God, I've arrived in a
Japanese Blackpool! Moreover, it was raining, which didn't improve my
mood. And it was so windy, my umbrella was completely ripped apart, much
to the surprise and amusement of the old Japanese lady watching. So I had
to shell out 500 yen for yet another umbrella - my fourth.
The scene from the exit of Shinjuku station.
I finally managed to escape the rain temporarily in West Shinjuku, where I
visited the Metropolis Government Office - one of the highest buildings in
Tokyo. For free, you can take a lift up to the observatory on the top
floor and get a view of the whole of Tokyo. That was pretty interesting,
especially considering it was free!
View from the Metropolitan Government Office
observatory (on the 45th floor!), showing Tokyo's tall buildings. On a
very rainy day.
The incredibly swanky bar inside the observatory (which
I got chased out of because I was taking photos without ordering
anything!)
After this, I went to Asakusa. Now this was a very different side of
Tokyo, and one I greatly preferred to Shinjuku. Asakusa is home to
Sensou-ji, a major Buddhist temple. The root towards the temple is packed
with fascinating little stalls selling every kind of traditional Japanese
item imaginable. You could literally get lost for an hour or two there
(which I almost did).
The temple itself was also worth the visit. In Japan, Buddhist temples are
normally quite sombre places - Shinto shrines are the normal places for
celebration and fun. But Sensou-ji is an exception; even in the pouring
rain, the place was packed with visitors, many of them rubbing the sacred
incense into their clothes and giving offerings to the statue of Kannon
(the Buddhist goddess of mercy). It really was a lot of fun.
Very fresh Fugu, a.k.a Globefish/Blowfish/Pufferfish,
swimming around in a tank outside a Fugu restaurant, Asakusa.
The street leading towards Sensouji Temple, Asakusa.
The temple entrance.
DAY 4 - MONDAY - MY BIRTHDAY!
I got up especially early (6.00am!) to travel to Tsukiji fish market,
which had been recommended by the Lonely Planet. Since I was travelling on
the subway at peak-time, the trains were packed with people like cans of
sardines, in the true Tokyo fashion. Nevertheless, I survived the crush
and arrived at Tsukiji.
I was not disappointed. The market really is interesting, but it's not for
the very squeamish. It's where all of the seafood arrives before it's sold
to the Tokyo restaurants. And the seafood is extremely fresh - if it isn't
actually live, it's very nearly live; there were plenty of twitching,
gaping, half-gutted fish lying around, as well as many swimming around in
tanks. And there's every kind of marine species imaginable - I saw huge
tuna, live squid, octopi of all sizes, spider crabs, the infamous fugu
(puffer fish), sea cucumbers, and, yes, whale meat. The one side of
Japanese culture I really detest. But, when you live somewhere, you gotta
accept its good points and its dark sides. And overall, the trip was
really enlightening - I think it's good to remember exactly where all that
sushi came from and what it looked like before it was sliced and rolled
into rice balls. Not to mention appreciating the considerable suffering
the poor fish go through - many don't die for a long time after being
hacked with a knife. But, that's the way it is. It hasn't put me off sushi
at all - in fact, I was actually feeling really hungry when I emerged from
the market!
Stall holder holds up a live Tai (Red Bream) for
the customers to inspect in Tsukiji Fish Market.
More very fresh fish, Tsukiji.
Octopi of all different sizes.
Live squid. I think they're rather cute.
Enormous tuna, de-finned.
Whale meat store. The store owner was very proud to
announce it was whale, although I could tell from the picture of the happy
smiling cartoon whale above the bits of whale that certainly wasn't happy
when it was killed. Ah well, shou ga nai (it can't be helped).
Absolutely gigantic tuna outside a sushi restaurant
right next to the fish market.
After that, I went back to Ueno, hoping to visit some of the museums in
Ueno park. However, when I got there, to my disappointment I found they
were all closed. I hadn't consulted the Lonely Planet carefully enough -
ALL the attractions close on Mondays! No matter.
Life-sized blue whale model outside the Tokyo Science
Museum. The model has a plaque next to it, saying how important it is to
look after blue whales. After visiting the fish market, it gives rather
conflicting messages...
Instead, I went back to Harajuku, which I was planning on doing anyway on the last day. It was
nice being able to shop on a warm, dry day, and I discovered several new
shops that I hadn't spotted before; like Camden, Takeshita is full of
little side-streets and tucked-away shops.
As it was my birthday, I arranged to meet with fellow Durham students
studying in Tokyo - Ollie, Richard and Claire - in Shibuya, the wealthiest
and trendiest area in Tokyo. And it really was just how people imagine
Tokyo - full of neon lights, sounds and bustling life. It was great.
It was also great to meet up with my Durham mates again - none of us have
really changed! And even though we had to end the night early because we
had to catch the last trains home, it was still a great night. First, we
went to an izakaya and got through a load of delicious food and drink (Oreo
cookie cocktail!) Next, we spent an hour at a karaoke - getting to sing
Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" was the highlight for me! And after that, we
went to The Hubb - the "English Bar." It's not quite as authentically
British as the Irish bar in Kumamoto (you actually form a formal queue at
the bar!), but it was nice enough. By the end of the evening, we were
plastered. I was so drunk that, on the last train home I fell asleep and
missed my stop, to be woken by a Japanese lady telling me that the train
had reached its terminus. Still, I managed to get home ok eventually.
The square outside Shibuya station at night.
Absolutely buzzing with life!
Giant neon condom cartoon character advertising
Shibuya's condom shop. Only in Japan!
My mates Ollie, Richard and Claire, out in Shibuya for
my birthday.
DAY 5 - TUESDAY
After a little bit of a lie-in (it was a late night last night, after
all!) I visited Ueno Park again to get to those museums.
Ueno Park isn't exactly a park as the British would see it. In Britain, a
"park" is a large, wide area of greenery, perhaps with trees and birds and
squirrels. Tokyo "parks," however, consist of long, grey concrete paths
lined with trees, with not a blade of grass to be seen, let alone
squirrels. A little disappointing; still, it's peaceful enough.
I first visited the Tokyo National Museum, as recommended by Lonely
Planet. And it was certainly worth it - it's full of Japanese items from
all eras of Japanese history, and despite the shortage of English
explanations, it's fascinating. There's displays of prehistoric Japanese
crafts (something you rarely get to see), right up to all the things
normally associated with Japan - samurai swords and armour, kimono,
Buddhist statues etc. Half way though, a volunteer guide gave me, an
American and an Australian a tour in English, which was great considering
my Japanese isn't really good enough yet to read the Japanese explanations
on the exhibits.
It took about two hours to view everything in the museum, after which I
was tired (still slightly hungover) and hungry. Outside the museum, I
spied a small stall where you could sit and drink tea. I also spied they
were selling the meal of my dreams - a soup made from anko (bean paste),
with dango (dumplings made from mochi - pounded rice) floating around. It
was a little pricy, but seeing as anko and mochi are my two favourite
Japanese food stuffs, I had to give it a try. And it really was delicious.
The only thing that annoyed me was how the waitress treated me. The soup
came with both a spoon and chopsticks, and I thought, "Ha! I can eat this
with chopsticks!" So I started digging in, and immediately the waitress
scuttled up and told me, "please use the spoon." I complied, but I saw
that other Japanese people were eating the same dish with chopsticks. In
my opinion, not only was it the waitress's place to tell me how to eat (I
payed for it, I can eat it however I damn well want!), but patronizing me
just for being a gaijin who might find chopsticks too difficult
was...well, really insulting!
Anyway, after this, I decided to go to the Metropolitan Art Museum, one of
the only free exhibits. However, when I got there, I found a sign saying,
"closed on the 18th." Grrrrrr...... So, instead, I went to the nearby Ueno
Zoo.
The zoo was pretty fun, and really massive - I didn't actually get to see
all of it before it closed. Most of the animals were kept in adequate
conditions and seemed pretty happy, apart from the tigers (who were pacing
up and down), the polar bears (who were kept in a really small, bare
enclosure and were not only pacing neurotically, but one of them looked
distinctly emaciated and mangey), and the sea lions (which were kept in a
rather small tank, about the same size as the penguin pool!). The
highlight of the zoo for me was the Vivarium, as not only do I love
reptiles and amphibians, but it also had some Japanese Giant Salamanders
living there. Theses salamanders, which are completely unique to Japan,
are indeed enormous, and look extremely primeval - they reminded me of
something out of the Permian period (the period way before the Mesozoic
era, when the dinosaurs were around), when giant amphibians ruled supreme.
I've actually always wanted to see a Japanese Giant Salamander since I
read about them, so that was a real treat.
Giant panda at Ueno Zoo, the zoo's most popular animal.
One of the rather unhappy tigers.
The ever-adorable penguins
Giant anteater, another adorable creature. It often
poked its long nose through the bars of the cage, and you could hear it
sniffing you!
Japanese Giant Salamander, probably my favourite
creature at the zoo. It isn't a very good photo - the four little white
spots are its toes, and above that is the head (the white line is the
mouth). It's probably over a metre in length!
The "tropical vivarium" really is something, looking
like a miniature Eden project. However, the animals are still kept in
separate tanks - the plant life is for aesthetics only!
DAY 6 - WEDNESDAY (Today!)
The long haul back home. Took the subway from Minowa (the part of Ueno
where I was staying) to the central Ueno station, then took the train to
Shinagawa, then finally to Haneda airport. Got to see Fujisan again - this
time we actually flew right over it, giving a view of the crater.
So, that was my holiday. It was worth all the expenses, as I can finally
say I've done Tokyo!
Oh yes, and I had to give my 500 yen umbrella away, as it wouldn't fit in
my suitcase. So the next umbrella I buy as a replacement will be my fifth
within less than a week.
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