Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Day 20 Our last day in Tokyo

 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.

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.





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.







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.

                    .........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.