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Published: September 16th 2007
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We survived the Typhoon!! In actual fact when we went to bed that night we were expecting to be in for a rough night as apparently the eye of the Typhoon was passing directly over Tokyo, however I think the only thing that may have woken me up that night was Kevin’s snoring. The next morning we woke up early to see what damage had been done but the only things that we saw were a couple of pot plants and bikes overturned, all in all a bit of a let down….
Sarah and I went to visit a park called Ueno Park which has lots of shrines and museums as well as homeless people (though we did not go to see them..) It really makes you appreciate how great the London parks really are as grass is not high on the agenda in Tokyo. The parks are 90% concrete and asphalt which does not really give you that relaxing feeling that you normally go to a park to look for. Anyhow it was a really nice day out and in the evening we met up with Kevin as we were going to go on the famous rollercoaster which races
in between buildings etc apparently it is amazing but unfortunately we were not able to go due to the high winds from the after effects of the Typhoon. We decided to do what we do best and head on out to find a restaurant for some food and drinks in an area called Shinjuku. This place is unbelievable it is a hive of entertainment wit thousands and thousands of neon lights and sounds systems and the nightlife is absolutely crazy, there were people everywhere. Just to put things in perspective every time the traffic lights change on the main street in Shinjuku 3,000 people cross the street…makes you think that Oxford Street on a Saturday is like taking a walk in the park. After dinner Kevin took us to an area called Golden Guy which is one of his favourite places to have a few drinks, this area contains lots of houses that have been converted into tiny pubs that seat roughly 4 people at a time. We struggled to find one that could house us as we were 4 in a group and they don’t allow more than the maximum seating capacity. However we did eventually find one with
a very friendly bar lady who wanted to make small talk with us about South Africa as well as Canada which we were not to interest in talking about. We caught that last metro home and this was an adventure in its on right as everyone else had the same idea. We squeezed on and when you thought that nobody else would fit the station masters push more people into the metro (can’t imagine that ever happening in the UK, with health and safety and all..) However even though you are struggling to breath as you have a Japanese person’s head pushing into your lung they still find the space to pull out there mobile and send emails to their friends, I have never in my whole life seen a city where people are glued to their mobiles more than this one. Not one single second goes by where you do not see someone using their mobiles it is absolutely mind blowing. Being a Friday night and all we decided that we had not had enough yet (even though it was now 12:30) we decide to go and meet 2 of Kevin’s other friends back in Ueno for a few
more drinks and a second dinner. Eating out here is a very sociable thing and they eat a couple of dinners a night (albeit they are quite small portions) so we decided to stick with the norm and do as they do (as you know Sarah and I are not ones to shy away from a food offer...). One thing you do notice is that when the Japanese people relax on a Friday night they really do relax and drink heavily…to the point where they pass out anywhere that they fall. It is really bazaar to see these high power business people all dressed up in suits just lying in the middle of the streets / metro station sprawled out across the street with their laptop bag lying open and their wallets hanging out.
On the Saturday afternoon we headed up to an area called Roppongi, where we went up a building to the 53rd floor which gives you an amazing perspective of just how large this city really is. We spent a lot of the day there marvelling at the spectacular view as well as a museum on the 54th floor. Kevin had arranged for all of us
to meet in Shibuya for dinner with a couple of friends at a secret restaurant…This restaurant was so cheesy but it was great. It was called the Lock Up it was made up of cells in a dungeon and all the waiters and waitresses were dressed as per the theme. On the way down to the restaurant through the maze of dungeons they had various triggers that went off when you stepped on them and gave you the fight of your life (see the picture of the man in chains, not real of course) They also have a desert which translated into English means Russian roulette, basically they are cream cakes (well all the insides are cream except for one which is filled with wasabi). You take turns in eating your cake to see who has the cream one and who has one filled with Wasabi. As luck would have it I ended up having the one with Wasbai, it was absolutely vile but being in Japan and not wanting to cause a scene I took my medicine and ate it. They thought that it was so funny that I got the doctored one that they decided to order another
round but this time it was not cream cakes but a squid ball in batter with the exception that one was filled with something that tasted worse than chilli / Tabasco mixed together (apparently it is the hottest thing that anyone has ever tasted). Again as luck would have it Sarah ended up getting this one which she promptly spat out and Kevin being the gentleman that he is finished it off for her as he thought that she was making a mountain out of a mole hill with regards how hot it was. I have never seen someone regret their decision so much as he ended up downing his beer my beer and anyone else’s that was in reach and sweating profusely, it was hilarious.
The following day we headed off to see the Hirajuku girls, they are sort of similar to the types of people that you see hanging around Camden Town (punk rockers) however they have taken this idea to the next level. They love the shock value that they give you and what a treat it was. All you have to do is ask them if you can take their picture and they will pose
for hours for you, bazaar way to spend your weekend but they love it. Whilst looking at them we also so a group of guys who are Elvis Presley / Danny from Grease Lightning wannabes, again they just hang around in the park playing loud music and dancing in the street. Truly a sight for sore eyes….There is also a park that we went to called Yoyogi Park with a shine near that back of it and we were lucky enough to come across 3 weddings taking place, they were unbelievable to see, so very very formal but so traditional at the same time.
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Japan sounds coooooool!