Tokyo 2
Okay, if I continue writing at this rate, I might actually be finished by end of summer.. ;)
And I guess I don't really stick to the post-by-topic rather than post-by-day.
Anyway. Here comes the second Tokyo post!
Shinjuku
We get up early because we have a lot planned. It's a very cold day, just over 0°C. We arrive at East Shinjuku around 9 - and learn our lesson: don't go to shopping districts too early!
However, as we walk through the streets of Shinjuku (a city on its own), the pachinko open, so we are witness to some early bird game otakus who queue to get in ;) There are poster, screen and speaker ads everywhere, making the streets colourful and loud as I imagines - just less busy (oops). The travel guide book guides us to the Golden Alley, an array of tiny streets full of tiny bars (in the morning, the Golden Alley isn't very golden - maybe we should have come in the evening?). One of the doors displays a sign saying If you have a problem Ask me!! "I Love English! and You" NO CHARGE - isn't that cute? We reckon it's too early in the morning for a chat so we leave it at taking a photo.
A few metres onwards, we arrive at the Hanazono shrine. It's an oasis of tranquillity, just a few dozen metres from the (to-be-)busy(-in-a-few-hours) centre of Shinjuku. The only people are a group of Japanese tourists. Their guide talks about the shrine while we walk around taking a zillion of photos (you have to adapt, right? And it's our first shrine). We're just about finished taking a general look at our surroundings when he explains to the group how to pray. Even though I don't understand very much of what he says (mind you, it's only our second day in this country), what we do grasp is his gestures - that's enough to do it right ;)
1. Ring the bells
2. Put money in the box
3. Bow
4. Clap twice (with stretched arms - it looks a bit funny)
5. Bow
6. Pray (no idea what for since we didn't understand the deity bit, so I stick to what will be my standard prayer - two friends' exams (they passed!))
7. Bow
Easy, isn't it?
Now we go on to Isetan, a big depaato, where we relax a little on the top floor (it even has a small garden). Then we tackle the groceries floor. It's about as busy as Tsukiji fish market. There are all kinds of foods, all very pretty (almost too pretty to eat) - but we cannot find any drinks!? (Except red wine, but that's not quite what we'd like to drink. Fortunately, there are drink vending machines waiting for us outside ;)
Then we're off for West Shinjuku. You wouldn't believe it's in the same district. While the average East Shinjuku building had about 5 floors or so, the West Shinjuku ones are closer to 50.
Walking by a Louvre style glass pyramid, we admire the prettier of the skyscrapers. We want to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office towers. We first think it's closed but following the signs and the advice of an officer at the wrong tower, we find our way towards the North Observatory. It's a free, open-to-the-public observatory on the 45th floor of the building (the public elevator only has three buttons: 1st, 2nd and 45th floor - but of course, we don't have to push the buttons ourselves for there's an pretty elevator attendant in a nice uniform). The view from the top is a great one (better than from the lower Tokyo Tower observatory anyway) - but unfortunately, it's still too hazy to see Fuji-san. What we do see, however, are the first Hanami celebrations.
There's also a big shop up there, with lots of anime (Totoro ♥ I can hardly resist - I definitely need compensation for the canceled Ghibli Museum trip!) merchandise and souvenirs. After an hour of looking at the city (and the shop) we take the elevator down again. We're let out on the second floor where we find a very nicely decorated tourist information office - the first place to actually sell postcards. They're really expensive compared to Europe (we'll have to realise that the prices are about average). There's another German in queue in front of us. He wants to buy 10 postcards as well as 10 stamps.
"10 stamps?" the shop attendant exclaims. And asks her colleague to get the stamp book from the storage.
Wow. It seems to be very uncommon to send postcards over here. I guess that's what the omiyage are for, right?
I tell her to keep the book at the front desk, count the addresses in my book - and buy even more that that guy. Hah. ;)
Before we leave, we're asked to fill out a questionnaire - of course! They want to know which places we've been to/want to go, which tourist attractions we found nicest/most impressive etc. As a thank you - totally unexpected - we get a small towel each. I choose one with little tigers (kawaii!).
On the way back to the station, we look for Yodobashi Camera - wow that's difficult to find!! We have to ask several people for help before we finally arrive (we would never have found it without help!) - only to realise that Nose-sensei must have meant the Akihabara shop because this one clearly doesn't sell noodle soup. We buy a bento instead.
Golden Alley, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
Harajuku
Then we go to Yoyogi park to eat our lunch and visit Meiji shrine.
At the shrine, we witness a wedding as well as another two seemingly important events with lots of nicely dressed-up people, priests and shrine maidens. The shrine itself is nice but not very special.
We learn not to eat behind any torii (oops - there was an awful lot of park between the first one and the shrine) and not to take photos in the innermost parts of the shrine (at least we didn't break that rule ;)).
Then we continue to Harajuku station to go watch cosplayers. There aren't as many as I thought (I blame the anime convention on Odaiba island) but those we find are nice, too. There's a group of people giving free hugs (hugs are always good, right?) who are very cheery :D
Festivities, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
Shibuya
On we go to Shibuya. And wow, this is busy!!! It's already late afternoon and the huge square next to the station is absolutely crowded!
After a quick photo shoot with Hachiko (we have to queue) we walk right into the centre of buzzing, colourful, loud and fascinating streets. There's a shop called LOTTERIA (guess what it sells! Of course, it's... burgers!?) on our way along the walking tour. We walk on and on and on and then we suddenly realise it's an all but busy place we're in. We try locating it on the map. Any map (we have a few of that area). But when asking a homeless man we're told we're not on a street near the map any more. He can't speak any English and we don't understand him well enough to understand an elaborate description of the shortest path to the centre - so we go back the (long) way we came from, not having seen much of what we were supposed to see. It's already dark when we arrive in the more interesting areas.
My coping strategy (both to relieve our feet and getting over the fact that I actually managed to get lost!) is to go to Starbucks and have my first ever Maccha (green tea) Latte. It's very very green and very very yummy. We manage to get a seat at the window and thus, an absolutely amazing view over one what is probably one of the busiest crossings in Tokyo (/Japan/the world). I take a few photos before a woman next to me is told that photos are not permitted (oops? I couldn't find any signs though). One car is not quick enough to get off the crossing before pedestrians and bikers are allowed to walk so it's stuck. Quite funny to watch ;)
After finishing our drinks, we decide to walk just a little more to see the rocket building. Quite cool - though the Disney store (not in the travel guide) next to it is even better. Its facade is castle-shaped and the inside looks pretty much perfectly like a fairytale castle. There are figurines of a lot of Disney heroes inside. Minnie Mouse and Marie (the small white cat from Aristocats) seem to be particularly popular. Shame there are only very few Cheshire Cat merchandise items. (There's a huge stuffed animal one though - I wanted to take it home but it was too bug - and expensive) There were also some rooms (and parts of rooms), e.g. of Peter Pan and Toy Story - they looked perfect, like a scene from the movie.
Now we go to our original destination of the walking tour: the Oriental Bazaar (huge souvenir shop) - only to discover it's already closed. However, there's a Kiddy Land nearby so we go there instead for an hour. Every floor has its own theme. On one, there's a massive Totoro (1.50m or so). It costs about 1000€ though (damn! XD). However, even with the remaining items, I could easily spend a few thousand Yen in there. (I didn't.) I can't resist the Totoro bento box though (hey, at least it's useful, right?)
When the shop closes, we head home, hungry, tired, and with aching feet.
Shibuya, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
As usual, more pics over here.
And I guess I don't really stick to the post-by-topic rather than post-by-day.
Anyway. Here comes the second Tokyo post!
Shinjuku
We get up early because we have a lot planned. It's a very cold day, just over 0°C. We arrive at East Shinjuku around 9 - and learn our lesson: don't go to shopping districts too early!
However, as we walk through the streets of Shinjuku (a city on its own), the pachinko open, so we are witness to some early bird game otakus who queue to get in ;) There are poster, screen and speaker ads everywhere, making the streets colourful and loud as I imagines - just less busy (oops). The travel guide book guides us to the Golden Alley, an array of tiny streets full of tiny bars (in the morning, the Golden Alley isn't very golden - maybe we should have come in the evening?). One of the doors displays a sign saying If you have a problem Ask me!! "I Love English! and You" NO CHARGE - isn't that cute? We reckon it's too early in the morning for a chat so we leave it at taking a photo.
A few metres onwards, we arrive at the Hanazono shrine. It's an oasis of tranquillity, just a few dozen metres from the (to-be-)busy(-in-a-few-hours) centre of Shinjuku. The only people are a group of Japanese tourists. Their guide talks about the shrine while we walk around taking a zillion of photos (you have to adapt, right? And it's our first shrine). We're just about finished taking a general look at our surroundings when he explains to the group how to pray. Even though I don't understand very much of what he says (mind you, it's only our second day in this country), what we do grasp is his gestures - that's enough to do it right ;)
1. Ring the bells
2. Put money in the box
3. Bow
4. Clap twice (with stretched arms - it looks a bit funny)
5. Bow
6. Pray (no idea what for since we didn't understand the deity bit, so I stick to what will be my standard prayer - two friends' exams (they passed!))
7. Bow
Easy, isn't it?
Now we go on to Isetan, a big depaato, where we relax a little on the top floor (it even has a small garden). Then we tackle the groceries floor. It's about as busy as Tsukiji fish market. There are all kinds of foods, all very pretty (almost too pretty to eat) - but we cannot find any drinks!? (Except red wine, but that's not quite what we'd like to drink. Fortunately, there are drink vending machines waiting for us outside ;)
Then we're off for West Shinjuku. You wouldn't believe it's in the same district. While the average East Shinjuku building had about 5 floors or so, the West Shinjuku ones are closer to 50.
Walking by a Louvre style glass pyramid, we admire the prettier of the skyscrapers. We want to visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office towers. We first think it's closed but following the signs and the advice of an officer at the wrong tower, we find our way towards the North Observatory. It's a free, open-to-the-public observatory on the 45th floor of the building (the public elevator only has three buttons: 1st, 2nd and 45th floor - but of course, we don't have to push the buttons ourselves for there's an pretty elevator attendant in a nice uniform). The view from the top is a great one (better than from the lower Tokyo Tower observatory anyway) - but unfortunately, it's still too hazy to see Fuji-san. What we do see, however, are the first Hanami celebrations.
There's also a big shop up there, with lots of anime (Totoro ♥ I can hardly resist - I definitely need compensation for the canceled Ghibli Museum trip!) merchandise and souvenirs. After an hour of looking at the city (and the shop) we take the elevator down again. We're let out on the second floor where we find a very nicely decorated tourist information office - the first place to actually sell postcards. They're really expensive compared to Europe (we'll have to realise that the prices are about average). There's another German in queue in front of us. He wants to buy 10 postcards as well as 10 stamps.
"10 stamps?" the shop attendant exclaims. And asks her colleague to get the stamp book from the storage.
Wow. It seems to be very uncommon to send postcards over here. I guess that's what the omiyage are for, right?
I tell her to keep the book at the front desk, count the addresses in my book - and buy even more that that guy. Hah. ;)
Before we leave, we're asked to fill out a questionnaire - of course! They want to know which places we've been to/want to go, which tourist attractions we found nicest/most impressive etc. As a thank you - totally unexpected - we get a small towel each. I choose one with little tigers (kawaii!).
On the way back to the station, we look for Yodobashi Camera - wow that's difficult to find!! We have to ask several people for help before we finally arrive (we would never have found it without help!) - only to realise that Nose-sensei must have meant the Akihabara shop because this one clearly doesn't sell noodle soup. We buy a bento instead.
Golden Alley, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
Harajuku
Then we go to Yoyogi park to eat our lunch and visit Meiji shrine.
At the shrine, we witness a wedding as well as another two seemingly important events with lots of nicely dressed-up people, priests and shrine maidens. The shrine itself is nice but not very special.
We learn not to eat behind any torii (oops - there was an awful lot of park between the first one and the shrine) and not to take photos in the innermost parts of the shrine (at least we didn't break that rule ;)).
Then we continue to Harajuku station to go watch cosplayers. There aren't as many as I thought (I blame the anime convention on Odaiba island) but those we find are nice, too. There's a group of people giving free hugs (hugs are always good, right?) who are very cheery :D
Festivities, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
Shibuya
On we go to Shibuya. And wow, this is busy!!! It's already late afternoon and the huge square next to the station is absolutely crowded!
After a quick photo shoot with Hachiko (we have to queue) we walk right into the centre of buzzing, colourful, loud and fascinating streets. There's a shop called LOTTERIA (guess what it sells! Of course, it's... burgers!?) on our way along the walking tour. We walk on and on and on and then we suddenly realise it's an all but busy place we're in. We try locating it on the map. Any map (we have a few of that area). But when asking a homeless man we're told we're not on a street near the map any more. He can't speak any English and we don't understand him well enough to understand an elaborate description of the shortest path to the centre - so we go back the (long) way we came from, not having seen much of what we were supposed to see. It's already dark when we arrive in the more interesting areas.
My coping strategy (both to relieve our feet and getting over the fact that I actually managed to get lost!) is to go to Starbucks and have my first ever Maccha (green tea) Latte. It's very very green and very very yummy. We manage to get a seat at the window and thus, an absolutely amazing view over one what is probably one of the busiest crossings in Tokyo (/Japan/the world). I take a few photos before a woman next to me is told that photos are not permitted (oops? I couldn't find any signs though). One car is not quick enough to get off the crossing before pedestrians and bikers are allowed to walk so it's stuck. Quite funny to watch ;)
After finishing our drinks, we decide to walk just a little more to see the rocket building. Quite cool - though the Disney store (not in the travel guide) next to it is even better. Its facade is castle-shaped and the inside looks pretty much perfectly like a fairytale castle. There are figurines of a lot of Disney heroes inside. Minnie Mouse and Marie (the small white cat from Aristocats) seem to be particularly popular. Shame there are only very few Cheshire Cat merchandise items. (There's a huge stuffed animal one though - I wanted to take it home but it was too bug - and expensive) There were also some rooms (and parts of rooms), e.g. of Peter Pan and Toy Story - they looked perfect, like a scene from the movie.
Now we go to our original destination of the walking tour: the Oriental Bazaar (huge souvenir shop) - only to discover it's already closed. However, there's a Kiddy Land nearby so we go there instead for an hour. Every floor has its own theme. On one, there's a massive Totoro (1.50m or so). It costs about 1000€ though (damn! XD). However, even with the remaining items, I could easily spend a few thousand Yen in there. (I didn't.) I can't resist the Totoro bento box though (hey, at least it's useful, right?)
When the shop closes, we head home, hungry, tired, and with aching feet.
Shibuya, originally uploaded by q-rai.
temporary, don't comment here!
As usual, more pics over here.