Japan Days 3-4, Tokyo
Set off mid morning Saturday to Ginza. It:s a bit like Oxford St and Bond Street in London merged together and spread over several blocks instead of a straight line. Department stores nexstle next to De Biers and Cartier. A couple of hours milling around, the Sony building being the most interesting to me, before meeting a Norwegian friend who:d been living in Tokyo the last 6 months. We had lunch in a department store - the Italian place being the only one without a queue outside. We did try, but in the end Western was easier!
Then on the tube to Harajuku - the Tokyo equivalent of Camden Town. Lots of independant stores, for all types of fashions. Said goodbye to Kjersti after a few hours and headed back to the hostel. SPent the rest of the evening starting to plan the rest of this trip.
This morning I headed back to Harajuku. Almost bought a shirt, but the sleeves were too short. the sun came out, for the first time and I went and spent a couple of relaxing hours in Yoyogi-koen park. Joined the birdwathers to take pictures of crows, which were abundant, and loud. I:d no idea they were so big! The park was fairly quiet, but a few dance troupes warming up, from hip-hop to teddy boy.
Adjacent to the park is the old Olympic stadium, and next to that was a food (mainly fish) market. Hoards of people trying the delicacies, but I managed to find some veggie noodles. Walked down the main shopping street (totally western high street brands here) and on to Shibuya. Which has the craziest 7-way pedestrian crossing you:ve ever seen. Popped in an electrical department store, but everything seemed to be about 20-50% more expensive than back home.
Tube to the edge of the Imperial Palace park, and walked almost the entire circumference of it. Counter clockwise to the thousands of joggers. Don:t know if this is usual for a Sunday afternoon. Today is the anniversary of the tsunami, so I suspected it might be in remembrance of that. The Park was just closing, but it was a worthwhile walk with the whole thing ringed by a huge moat, and skyscrapers beyond that.
Total dsistance walked today about 8 miles. In New Rocks. That:s the advantage of having prescription painkillers on you.
Then on the tube to Harajuku - the Tokyo equivalent of Camden Town. Lots of independant stores, for all types of fashions. Said goodbye to Kjersti after a few hours and headed back to the hostel. SPent the rest of the evening starting to plan the rest of this trip.
This morning I headed back to Harajuku. Almost bought a shirt, but the sleeves were too short. the sun came out, for the first time and I went and spent a couple of relaxing hours in Yoyogi-koen park. Joined the birdwathers to take pictures of crows, which were abundant, and loud. I:d no idea they were so big! The park was fairly quiet, but a few dance troupes warming up, from hip-hop to teddy boy.
Adjacent to the park is the old Olympic stadium, and next to that was a food (mainly fish) market. Hoards of people trying the delicacies, but I managed to find some veggie noodles. Walked down the main shopping street (totally western high street brands here) and on to Shibuya. Which has the craziest 7-way pedestrian crossing you:ve ever seen. Popped in an electrical department store, but everything seemed to be about 20-50% more expensive than back home.
Tube to the edge of the Imperial Palace park, and walked almost the entire circumference of it. Counter clockwise to the thousands of joggers. Don:t know if this is usual for a Sunday afternoon. Today is the anniversary of the tsunami, so I suspected it might be in remembrance of that. The Park was just closing, but it was a worthwhile walk with the whole thing ringed by a huge moat, and skyscrapers beyond that.
Total dsistance walked today about 8 miles. In New Rocks. That:s the advantage of having prescription painkillers on you.