After the first day, we quickly learned that utilising the extremely efficient metro system was far better than attempting to walk through this massive metropolis. The Japanese rail system makes Australian public transport seem obsolete. I think the longest wait we have had for a train is between 3 and 5 minutes.
This meant we were able to visit an array of different places in Tokyo, and different parts of the city almost felt like a different city altogether. It rained all day yesterday but we still managed to see some great sights. The rain seemed to add to the allure of the city. We visited a shrine located within a massive forest right in the middle of the city. There was meant to be 200,000 trees planted in that forest in memoriam of a past emperoror. We were also lucky enough to see a ceremony of sorts but were unable to take photos as it was disrespectful.
We also went to a part of the city called Shibuya. It is synonomous with Japan as it seems to be the most concentrated area of bright lights in the world. It was a little bit overwhelming. If anyone has seen 'Lost in Translation', the opening scene with Bill Murray in the taxi takes place in this area. Another part of Shibuya you may recognise is the famous crossing. Every 3 minutes people cross this road at all angles. Add to the mix thousands of umbrellas and Dave and I had our work cut out for us. Being immature as we are, we decided to zig zag around trying to dodge people and that seemed to entertain us for a while.
I think i am yet to mention the quality of the food. We have been eating noodles for breakfast lunch and dinner coupled with plenty of oinauri. We have attempted to become regulars (after 3 days...) at a place that seems to be fast food, yet so healthy. You put your money into a ticketing machine, receive your ticket and take it to the counter. Usually we are eating about 2 minutes later. Dave seems to be able to eat 5 or 6 oinauri rolls in about 2 minutes. We have also both managed to spill noodle broth all over our jeans. Dave did it first, and of course i laughed. Karma took its course and sure enough this morning I had noodles all over my jeans too. Don't worry mum, they dried out pretty quickly. Here is a photo of a typical Tokyo breakfast for us. It consists of noodles with deep fried vegetables on top, with a side of oinauri rolls. Costs us 300 yen (approx $3.50-$4)
Today we visited the Imperial Palace which is also smack bang in the middle of the city. It is surrounded by a moat and to enter you must pass through a huge gate. At least 6 metre high rock walls surround the perimeter. It is almost surreal to cross the moat to the palace, exiting the hustle and bustle of the financial centre of Tokyo and entering this serene environment. Once inside you could look out on the city skyscrapers coupled with beautiful Japanese gardens in the foreground. It really was in its own little bubble of sorts. Also, we finally saw some cherry blossoms, after not seeing any for the first few days. Apparently it is something you have to see in Tokyo, so I can tick that of the to-do list. Below are a few photos of the imperial palace:
Both Dave and I have noticed calling the Khaosan hostel our 'home' and labelling the place we eat regularly as 'our' restaurant. We have lulled into a sense of being at home after only a few days. It will be interesting to see if this continues throughout our travels...
I can certainly say that I have enjoyed my time in Tokyo, and it feels weird to be leaving here already. We leave Tokyo tomorrow. A two hour train ride takes us to Kyoto. I have heard an array of opnions on Kyoto, but all reinforce the fact that it was among their favourite places in Japan. I am eager to experience all Kyoto has to offer. I'll conclude with a photo of a street in the Ueno area of Tokyo, in which I attempted to convey (unsuccessfully) the volume advertising in an ordinary street. Take note, this does not even slightly compare to the advertising and lights of Shibuya.
