Week 7: Tokyo Trip!

What do you think of when you hear "Tokyo"? For me, the capital of Japan has always been a sort of final destination, so to speak. It was the center of this mysterious and alluring country I'd always wanted to visit, and the two terms were basically synonymous with each other in my mind. Yet if my stay here has taught me anything, it's that Japan is far more varied than I'd ever imagined, no matter how much the idea of Tokyo may have penetrated into my consciousness. Nevertheless, the trip was fantastic, and although not everything went perfectly, it was one of the best weekends I've had here in Japan. I'm surprised it took me 7 weeks to make it there, and I already can't wait to return someday!

The station I arrived at!

Also, as another quick preface, the reason I went this specific weekend (the 27-29th) was that my uncle Joe was in Tokyo then for business, and I can't overstate how much of a difference that made. More on this in a bit, but I was able to experience Tokyo in a way that wouldn't have been possible without his help, and I'm both extremely grateful and very glad that timing worked out the way it did.

After class on Thursday, I hurried to the bus station and made my way to the now-familiar Kanazawa Station, where I purchased my 新幹線 (shinkansen) ticket and prepared to board. Now, this was the first time I'd be riding the bullet train (and also the last time, considering that a one-way ticket cost me $130), and I was a bit skeptical of the hype it gets. Well, that dissipated the second we departed for Tokyo, because wow was it fast. In just over two hours, after the most comfortable train I've ever ridden on, we pulled into Tokyo. Just for comparison, my return trip by bus took eight hours. As I departed from the train, my wallet was hurting, but what an experience; I would do it all again even considering the price point.

Tokyo at night is beautiful 

Regardless, I hurried over to the hotel I'd be staying at with Uncle Joe, and was able to sit in on a broadcast his company was helping to sponsor. I met a few of his co-workers (including two other Johns, which we found pretty humorous), and then we went to grab a bite to eat at a nearby restaruant before calling it quits for the evening. At this point I was pretty tired, although one of the other Johns fell asleep at the table so the honor of most exhausted goes to him!

We're a good time

After a night of sleep we headed off the next day to do some sightseeing. The Hotel Okura, where I was able to stay courtesy of Uncle Joe, is located near the station. It's also near the heart of Tokyo, which made navigating a breeze. Although, I was definitely surprised by the scenery as we walked through the city; Tokyo is home to many rooftop and regular gardens, and there were way more plants than I originally expected. The city had a pseudo-rural feel, and it was a very nice surprise considering I'd been expecting a concrete and stone jungle.

These gardens were common throughout the city

Our first major stop for the day was the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest building in Tokyo and one of the tallest in the world! Near the top, if the weather is right, you're able to see all the way to Mt. Fuji, with Tokyo spread out all around the Skytree like a grey ocean. However, while we could see the buildings just fine, unfortunately the weather was too hazy and the mountains (including Mt. Fuji) were hidden by a curtain of clouds. Still, what we could see was absolutely magnificent.

So tall!

The city spreads out like this in every direction

After the Skytree, it was off to do some sightseeing near a local temple, complete with stops throughout the market sprawled out in front of it. The amount of things available to purchase was staggering, ranging from cheap plastic kids toys to expensive clothes to real ivory decorations. I was even lucky enough to receive a present from Uncle Joe; called 招き猫 (maneki-neko), these cat figurines are thought to bring good luck, especially to businesses and students. Considering midterms are coming up, it is currently sitting above my desk in my desperate attempt to inject some extra luck into my study routine. Stay tuned for whether that works or not!

Just one small section of the market 

Then, I made a quick stop at 秋葉原 (Akihabara), a section of Japan famous for its multitude of electronic gadgets. And I mean multitude; the market, already big in itself, was dwarfed by this massive district, and it was the first time I truly experienced my perception of Tokyo as a city flooded with people.

However, the highlight of the night came next, at a little restaurant back towards the hotel. Named 田舎家 (Inakaya), this was perhaps my favorite night in Japan. After entering, we sat around a rectangular bench, each person facing inside the rectangle where two chefs, along with all of their ingredients, were located. Instead of serving us in the normal fashion, when food or drinks were ordered, the two chefs would prepare them and then put them on a long wooden paddle before extending it for us to take for ourselves. The staff was lively and friendly, and the food was extremely succulent and astonishingly delicious. The meat was expertly seared (and was also kobe beef so that didn't hurt the taste), the vegetables were perfectly seasoned, and the seafood was not only fresh but bursting with flavor. And of course, considering that the chefs were cooking all of this right in front of us, everything was steaming hot and ready to eat immediately. And the sake! Not only was it really delicious sake, everyone kept on ordering, and ordering, and ordering, so before long we'd lost count of just how many bottles had come. Even the beer was good, and by the end of the meal, we were all thanking the staff and, I think, more than a little tipsy after such an experience. In the end, ff I were to recommend just one place to eat in Tokyo or even in Japan, this place is it! Also, I'll be honest, I never could have afforded this restaurant on my own, but thanks to a certain uncle I had the best night out of all my nights in Japan. In fact, most of this trip would have been too expensive on my own, and additionally because he knows Tokyo so well, Uncle Joe was able to both show me around and direct me towards popular tourist destinations. I can't thank him enough for such an amazing experience!

This was the view to my right...

...and this guy was pretty much right in front of me!

The drinks were really good here 

Even this fish tasted delicious (in spite of how it looks!)

The next day brought my uncle's departure home, and after saying farewells to both him and the people he came with, I departed for a day in some of the busier sections of Tokyo: 渋谷 (Shibuya) and 原宿 (Harajuku). While I had a great time, as I'll get into shortly, the fact that I was alone for most of the day really took its toll on me. Although I couldn't do anything about it, being alone in masses of people is far lonelier than one might imagine, and my advice to anyone visiting these sections of Tokyo is to come with your friends/family/significant other. That way, you have someone familiar nearby in the never-ending flood of face after face. In spite of this, I had an enjoyable time exploring the city on my own terms!

The farewell (minus a few)!

Before I made my way to Shibuya, I stopped at the Imperial Palace. However, you can't go in on your own unless you take a THREE-HOUR LONG guided tour first, and if the caps didn't make it clear, I had less than zero desire to do that. So I walked around the outside for a bit before hopping on a train to Shibuya.

Just in case you thought you could get in, two sets of gates means it's the tour or busy

I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves, because there isn't really a way to describe the scope of this district. It was raining when I arrived, but that didn't stop the throngs of people from traversing on foot, and I even got a chance to cross what is commonly called the busiest intersection of the world! Oh, and pro tip: if you stay among the gigantic buildings, most places to eat and drink are really expensive. By venturing down an alley, I was able to eat some delicious とんかつ (tonkatsu, fried meat) for a dirt-cheap price!

People everywhere

Ditto

So many ad's, too

After spending some time marveling at the center of Shibuya, I decided to venture out to a local park and then a famous shrine before hitting up Harajuku. The park was peaceful and even had some sort of bird sanctuary, but the shrine was much more interesting, in my opinion. Called 明治神宮 (Meiji Jingu), it is dedicated to the defied spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken (thanks Wikipedia). Emperor Meiji presided over the Meiji Restoration in Japan, a period in the late 1800's that saw explosive internal growth and modernization within the country. Nowadays, Emperor Meiji is regarded as one of the country's most influential and important leaders, and is still revered throughout Japan. Thus, the shrine dedicated to him was both immaculate and somber, and I could feel the weight of his importance throughout the shrine. It also features the biggest 鳥居 (torii, wooden gates) in all of Japan, along with barrels of sake and food dedicated to the Emperor's spirit.

This gate is really really tall

Just a fraction of the sake dedicated to the Emperor

The interior of the shrine (part of it, anyway)

My final stop for the day was Harajuku, located just outside of Shibuya and regarded as one of the trendiest districts in the city. There are plenty of bigger stores, but here I found a plethora of smaller, upscale bars, coffee shops, and boutiques. I promise it isn't as pretentious as it sounds. Harajuku is much more walk-able than Shibuya proper, and I wish I'd had a bit more time to explore some of the shops because their smaller size, along with Harajuku's stylish vibe make them much more inviting than the gigantic department stores I'd seen earlier in the day. Although, the price points were much higher here, so maybe it was best I didn't do too much shopping. I was at least able to enjoy a much-needed coffee and a pastry before starting the trek to the night bus I'd be taking  back to Kanazawa.

It was pouring so alas this is the best picture of Harajuku I have, but it was much cooler in person

While it may have been cheap, the experience I had on said bus was actually pretty decent. For around $40, I got a seat on the bus, a blanket, and free wi-fi for the ride. While I preferred the bullet train, it was also more than three times as expensive. By taking the bus overnight, it felt almost as fast as the train since I dozed off most of the ride, and for travelling on a budget it is definitely the superior option, as long as you don't mind being slightly cramped and a bit on the warm side the entire ride.

I slept most of the next day away, exhausted from travelling, and before I knew it I was back to the daily grind of classes/homework. But this was a trip I won't ever forget. It may have only been three days, but I got to experience the Japan I'd always envisioned in my mind, and in most ways it far exceeded my expectations.

Thanks again for reading this week's post! Although, it's not really this week, is it. I'm still behind on my posts and hopefully this weekend I can get mostly caught up. With midterms approaching and only one more trip on my horizon, the last few posts will be less description about my travels and more of me rambling about my own thoughts and feelings regarding this whole experience, so look out for that. Eventally, haha. And as always, until next time, さよなら！

I've already posted this but it's a good picture so here it is again. Thanks for the trip Uncle Joe!