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This weekend started with the rushed finish at work after my final class at 7pm, heading back to my place to pick up Jackies luggage to take into Tokyo. Jackie - my co-NET is finishing work at Amity in 3 weeks and will be moving into Tokyo so we need to move her gear into Shinjuku to leave it with a family friend then she will move to Ikebukero. So laden down with her luggage, we trekked to the JR Station and on to the train to Ueno. Knowing that I hate to waste an opportunity to see Tokyo for the weekend, I had packed enough stuff to last me the full weekend, with no plans on what to do and where to go other then seeing the Christmas Lights in Shinjuku and Shibuya. Now for a country that doesn't celebrate Christmas, it was remarkable the lights and effort the metropolis of Tokyo goes to make everything look festive --- its so true and I am coming to realise the fact that anything American is popular in Japan - Including mass overuse of electricity on Christmas - but who cares its so pretty!!!
We met up with Jackies friends and then I was ready to leave when she decided to join me for the night of exploration. I was kinda glad though cause wondering the streets of Shinjuku on a Saturday night - especially in its famous red light districts seedy to say the least… We started off on our lights walk and took heaps of photos of the beautifully decorated trees and statues before heading to Kabuki-cho (the red light district) to see how many hosts and hostesses could approach us and want to invite us into their establishment.. and Im sad and glad to say that none - we safely walked through Shinjuku without an approach from anyone.
After wandering for a while we caught the train to Harajuku and went to have dinner at Saizeria --- a yummy cheap Italian restaurant and from where we wandered into Shibuya to enjoy the night and maybe have a bit of karaoke etc before staying at my favourite haunt, the internet café… But Jackie and I were both exhausted by this stage and you can only book the internet café for slots of 7 hours at a time… so we decided to call it a night and head into our little cubicles for the night… Now thanks to the fact it was a Saturday night in Tokyo.. the amount of times I was woken up was ridiculous and I don't think I slept more then 2 hours the entire night… Bring on when Jackie lives in Tokyo and I can stay with her - at least I could have a decent nights sleep!!!
Up bright and early to check out of the little capsule with no sleep, where we headed to the best located starbucks in the world - right on Shibuya crosswalk and grabbed a coffee and window watched for a while. Since we were the first customers of the day, we had access to seats right over the crosswalk with an amazing view and just sat there for a while and chatted… Jackie then headed back to Tsuchiura and I wandered over the Harajuku to see the Meiji Shrine and Temple Complex and meet up with Krysta and Joel. The Meiji Shrine was really impressive and there was a wedding going on at the same time so I felt a little uncomfortable wandering around and taking photos but the fall colours were still on the trees and the major photos of the kegs with the different paintings of different cities and prefectures in Japan were pretty cool! And there weren't many people around - I put it down to the fact it was a Monday.
I then met up with Krysta and Joel at midday and we wandered around the shops for a while then headed to the Oriental Bazaar, where they had to do some last minute Christmas shopping --- this place was amazing!!! The biggest tourist shop in Japan that I have been into and temptation got the better of me.. ended up buying a gorgeous bottle green and gold yukata - like a kimono and a geisha wall hanging to put in my room --- I said when I moved here that I would try and make my apartment as Japanese as possible. That hasn't really happened cause Mickey Mouse has kinda taken over .. but still pretty good!
The day was working out well and was about to get better when we caught the driverless monorail out to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. This place is amazing!!! We timed our trip beautifully with the sunset and wandered on the beach --- shoeless and freezing but we didn't care! Watched the sunset over the multicoloured rainbow bridge and the Statue of Liberty - that's right you read correctly..!!! The sunset was gorgeous and the photos were amazing if I do say so myself… After watching the sunset over the Tokyo skyline, we went and had Hawaiian burgers for dinner and then took Purikura.. Goodbyes were next and I was sad to see them go, but I would see them again in a couple of weeks at Disneyland.. But what a huge day!!! And weekend for that matter!
- comments
Susie I would definitely check Yuzawa, and Tokyu Hands in Shibuya is awmosee for craft things! As for the books do you want them in Japanese or English? English books are harder to find, you'll have to go to Quest or Kinokuniya.