We all head out for a final Japanese shopping and lunch experience......
.....and in the afternoon we get ready to leave, all backpacks ready to roar and all travellers ready to soar braced against any gastro or any other bug Japanese style...
2200 - we depart on flight QF 26 from Haneda Airport back to Sydney and conclude our inspiring three weeks of cultural experiences.
Class12 Japan Exploration 2017
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Thursday, 6 April 2017
Day 19 Tsukiji & Akihabara
5:45 am we are having Sushimi breakfast at Tsukiji, the Tokyo fish market, the largest in the world.
Scenes around Tokyo's fish market
In the afternoon we explore Akihabara - electric city and home to department stores covered with Anime and Manga images
....a sub culture of cartoon based life becomes reality in the neighbourhood of Akihabara.....
.....the perfect souvenir from Akihabara....
Our final dinner is 15 minutes walk from our hostel in an area where Korean shops and restaurants dominate the scenery and we enjoy a very meaty DIY BBQ.
Scenes around Tokyo's fish market
In the afternoon we explore Akihabara - electric city and home to department stores covered with Anime and Manga images
....a sub culture of cartoon based life becomes reality in the neighbourhood of Akihabara.....
.....the perfect souvenir from Akihabara....
Our final dinner is 15 minutes walk from our hostel in an area where Korean shops and restaurants dominate the scenery and we enjoy a very meaty DIY BBQ.
On the last
night of the trip, Adrian, Alex and I, the three of us left the
Korean barbecue restaurant as the meals were still being served. As
we were rushing to the station to catch the train that would takes us
to Daikoku Futo, our heart throbbed with the excitement of the world
famous car heaven that we were about to witness (especially Adrian
and Alex, mine just might have been from running since cars are not
particularly the things that gets my adrenalin going). After an
hour of busy train ride, we headed our way to the motorway parking
area which happens to be the Japan’s (possibly world’s) biggest
rendezvous for car lunatics. As we got off the taxi and walked into
the car heaven, Adrian made a squeaky noise of excitement by the
sight of fancy cars. Skyline R34, R35, Mazda RX7 and even Lamborghini
Aventador, there were just about everything. With the loud music and
the excitement in the air, it seemed as though the place was a giant
concert hall. We even were able to hear them drifting around the
motorway that ran its way around the parking lot. Being blinded by
the excitement and joy, Adrian who was in a ecstatic state, suddenly
decided the prolongation of stay in the alien location until the next
morning. After reluctantly cancelling the booking of taxi which was
supposed to take us to the nearest train station, we found out that
the earliest train that was available was only at 5-6 am in the next
morning which meant that the only means of transportation to home was
either catching a taxi or walking for 7 hours and be stuffed the next
day. Our willingness to sleep seemed insignificant next to the
unbelievable amount of money that would vaporise from just one taxi
ride. With that conflict in our mind, Alex and I wondered around the
service area being indecisive about whether to sacrifice our sleep or
money while Adrian explained to his phone how beautiful the cars were
in a way that he would describe a woman.
After
an hour or two, we had finally decided to catch a taxi which was
stopping at the car park. None of us wanted to be dead and ruin the
last day which happened to be the next morning. However, as we got on
the motorway, the numbers read by the machine that calculated the
price for the taxi ride sky rocketed as we drove further and further.
We immediately told the driver to drop us off at wherever the closest
station was. I explained to the driver how we were penniless
teenagers from Australia travelling in Japan as he gave us a look of
confusion. Thankfully the first luck that I had that day manifested
itself as kindness and generosity of the taxi driver. Amazingly he
suggested taking us to the exact location of the hotel, just for
10000 yen ($ 120) which was significantly cheaper than it would had
been initially. It was around 3:30 am when we were finally able to
crush onto our beds.
Sei
Day 18 Harajuku & Shibuja
We stay at Hanabi Hostel in Shinjuku occupying three family rooms with futon and tatami mats set up for six people each. The shoes remain downstairs in the safety box.
....a quick pastrie in between metros......
Prada, Guccie, Channel, Boss ....they are all showing off at Omotesando in the Harajuku area - the Champ Elysee of Tokyo.
Cat Cafes have become very popular in the technological and virtual reality of urban Japan. People can show their affection to a living being in this uncompromising and uncommitted environment and have some form of relationship and a coffe for 30 minutes for under $10 . The next level up on the search for intimate contact are the Cuddle Cafes where you pay to actually cuddle a person.
.........Harajuku's young peoples' shopping mecca..........
Sake packed into rice straw wraps near the Meji Jingu Shinto Shrine
SHIBUJA CROSSING from the theatre lobby of the HAKARIE building
Class 12 crossing the junction which has people walking in six different directions.
This RAMEN noodles ticket machine replaces the waitress and you deal directly with the chef of this small eatery.
Shibuya Crossing, the Time Square of Tokyo, at night.
....a quick pastrie in between metros......
Prada, Guccie, Channel, Boss ....they are all showing off at Omotesando in the Harajuku area - the Champ Elysee of Tokyo.
Cat Cafes have become very popular in the technological and virtual reality of urban Japan. People can show their affection to a living being in this uncompromising and uncommitted environment and have some form of relationship and a coffe for 30 minutes for under $10 . The next level up on the search for intimate contact are the Cuddle Cafes where you pay to actually cuddle a person.
It
was a easy start to the morning, we all got up and got ready to head
to Tokyo city to go shopping and go to a Cat Cafe. No one in my class
has ever been to a Cat Cafe but everyone was interested to see what
it was all about. We got to the Cat Cafe, and as soon as we got there
we where given keys to a small locker to put our shoes in and then we
had to head over to this machine that delivers slippers to you to
wear once you got into the room, we also had to sanitise our hands
before going in. Once we entered the room there was about 15 cats
from short hair to long and fluffy hair and cute squished faces and
floppy ears! Most of the cats would just walk around to people who
would sit down to get pats but if you where to walk over to them they
wouldn't like it that much. Overall the cats where very shy and
didn't liked being touched. It was a very interesting experience
sitting down between 15 or so cats and getting a butt load of cat
hair all over you! Would I do it again? Maybe if I wasn't soo covered
in cat hair! But On the bright side I got to pat a grumpy cat that
look done with its life XD.
Sake packed into rice straw wraps near the Meji Jingu Shinto Shrine
SHIBUJA CROSSING from the theatre lobby of the HAKARIE building
Class 12 crossing the junction which has people walking in six different directions.
This RAMEN noodles ticket machine replaces the waitress and you deal directly with the chef of this small eatery.
Shibuya Crossing, the Time Square of Tokyo, at night.
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