Blogs from Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, Asia - page 19

ｊｕｓｔ　ｂａｃｋ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａｎ　ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ　ｏｕｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｊｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｔｗｏ　ｏｆ　ｈｉｓ　ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ．　ｗｅ　ｓｔａｒｔｅｄ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｐａｒｋ　ｈｙａｔｔ　ｈｏｔｅｌ　ｉｎ　ｓｈｉｂｕｙａ．ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　３０ｔｈ　ｆｌｏｏｒ　or　ｗｈｉｃｈｅｖｅｒ　ｆｌｏｏｒ　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｈａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｆａｍｏｕｓ　ｖｉｅｗ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｔｏｋｙｏ．　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｗａｙ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｃａｂ　ｊｏｎ　ｗａｓ　wondering　ｗｈａｔ　ｋｉｎｄ　ｏｆ　ａ　ｖｉｅｗ　ｗｅ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｈａｖｅ　ａｓ　ｉｔ　ｌｏｏｋｅｄ　ａ　ｂｉｔ　ｃｌｏｕｄｙ．　ｂｕｔ　ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｕｐ，　ｇｏｔ　ｓｅａｔｅｄ　ｒｉｇｈｔ　ａｗａｙ，　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉ　ｗａｓ，　ｓｕｄｄｅｎｌｙ，　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｓａｍｅ　ｂａｒ　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｓｃａｒｌｅｔｔ　ａｎｄ　ｂｉｌｌ　ｍｅｅｔ　ｉｎ　ｌｏｓｔ　ｉｎ　ｔｒａｎｓｌａｔｉｏｎ，　ｌｏｏｋｉｎｇ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｋｙｏ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｈｏｒｉｚｏｎ．ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｔｏ　ｓａｙ　ｔｈａｔ　ｉｔ　was　ｇｅｎｕｉｎｅｌｙ　ｂｒｅａｔｈｔａｋｉｎｇ，ａｓ　ｉｎ，　ｗｈｅｎ　ｉ　ｃａｍｅ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　lift　ａｎｄ　ｗａｓ　ｆａｃｅｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｎｃｒｅｄｉｂｌｅ　ｅｎｄｌｅｓｓ　ｖｉｅｗ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｄａｒｋｎｅｓｓ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｗｈａｔ　ｌｏｏｋｅｄ　ｌｉｋｅ　ａｌｌ　ｏｆ　ａｓｉａ，　ｉ　ｆｏｒｇｏｔ　ｔｏ　ｂｒｅａｔｈｅ　ｆｏｒ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　few　ｓｅｃｏｎｄｓ．　ｔｈｅ　ｖｉｅｗ　ｉｓ　ｈｕｇｅ，　ｌｉｋｅ　ｌｏｏｋｉｎｇ　ｉｎｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｅａ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｐｌａｎｅ　ｗｉｎｄｏｗ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｙｏｕ　ａｒｅ　ｍｉｌｅｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｌａｎｄ　ａｎｄ　ｙｏｕ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｔｈｅ　ｗａｖｅｓ　ａｒｅ　ｍｏｖｉｎｇ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｂｕｔ　ｉｔ　ｌｏｏｋｓ　ｌｉｋｅ　ａ　ｓｏｒｔ　ｏｆ　ｒｕｇｇｅｄ　ｒｏｃｋ　ｌａｎｄｓｃａｐｅ．ｙｏｕ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｓｅｅ　ｏｖｅｒ　ｔ... read more

First of all, thank you all so much for your kind comments on my blog. They really mean a lot to me. I hope that I can keep you all interested, rather than bored, over the long haul! Well…… WE ARE IN TOKYO!! We are settled into the Tokyo Hilton for the next few weeks until we find an apartment. This location is working well for us as it is near Shinjuku station, which is a major subway and train station. This location is great as it is easy to get all around Tokyo from here (maybe even to some places we didn’t intend to go, if you know what I mean!!) The room we have here is working out great, also, as there is a long built in shelf / table along one wall ... read more

We arrived in Tokyo on the 1st August, with a quick transfer in Hong Kong on the way. We had already booked a hotel on line, opting for a one in the area known as Shinjuku, the heart of modern Tokyo, where the nightlife, red light district, and shopping is centred. It cost a bit more than the less central hotels, but was obviously better situated for checking out the city at night. On the first night however we just went to sleep as we didn’t make it to the hotel till after midnight. The next day was a bit of an organisation mission, deciding on an itinerary for our travels, so reading the guide, checking out dates for festivals and travel time etc we came up with a plan. Then it was off to brave ... read more

We landed in Tokyo Friday night after 15 hours in transit and very little sleep. We were ushered off the planes and guided through the airport by a fence of people holding JET Programme signs. Just to make sure none of us strayed from the herd we were all labeled with blue stickers also saying that we were part of the JET Programme. The ride from the airport at Chibu into Shinjuku was just as impressive as I imagined it would be. Through the darkness Tokyo was one twinkling city with giant buildings, sculptures and one ferris wheel lighting up the horizon. There is some English here, which was reassuring. In an emergency, I would at least be able to locate the nearest shoe outlet. I also liked the billboard of a white guy pressed up ... read more

Some more pictures here for another blog lost to my little archive of photo CDs. Shinjuku is the part of Tokyo famous for all the neon signs, bright lights and high rise buildings. Paying a visit to Shinjuku on a sunny afternoon, obviously the neons weren't on yet, hence the trip to Shinjuku Park!... read more