Tokyo back to SF!

Tokyo, Japan Day 95 (May 5)

Asia

Our three month counter clockwise tour of Southeast Asia: Singapore > Bali > Vietnam > Laos > Cambodia > Thailand > Hong Kong > Philippines > Japan

It’s been 3 months, 9 countries, and finally time to go home. Aside from a sore throat that picked up in the Philippines, we are feeling pretty good, and are ready for another three months. But, the pull of home is strong, and we are anxious to spread out, and clean through our funky stuff.

Unfortunately, Northwest Airlines determined that we changed our flight itinerary by not using the Beijing to Tokyo leg we originally purchased. As a result, they charged us $800 per person to reissue tickets for our flight home (with the Beijing leg removed). At least the nice lady at the airport waived the addition $250 per person fee for “changing” our tickets. Of all the places we’ve visited in the world, there is nothing more inconvenient or expensive than dealing with an airline, when you “change” something.

Arriving at home, we have a brief moment celebration, euphoric from our amazing trip; followed by a rather strange thought:

What are we going to do now?

We said Goodbye to GeGe & JeiJei at Tokyo Station.

After few movies on the plane

...and some snoring...

We arrive in NorCal, picked up by our Jewish parents, Frank and Harriet. Vana realizes masks are not yet in fashion... Maybe same for the socks?

first thing's first - Mexican food!

Japan - Tokyo, Day 2

Tokyo, Japan Day 94 (May 4)

Today we take the first subway into town at 4:45AM, and head to the largest fish market in the world; the famous Tsukiji fish market. When we arrive at 6AM, the line is already around the block for the sushi restaurants which open at 7AM. As tempting as sushi is for breakfast, we decide to spend a few hours walking around the massive seafood market.

Early train for us, late train for others

long line for the Sushi restaurant at 6AM

Apparently, the fish arrive at 3AM, the wholesale auction is at 5:30AM, and the seafood market is open between 6AM and 8AM. There is tons of cool stuff to see. We especially enjoy watching the workers fillet huge fresh tuna, using 5 foot long samurai sword looking knives. There is also massive flash frozen tuna, which are cut into smaller pieces using a band saw.

flash frozen tuna quality control

cutting frozen tuna with band saw

cutting fresh tuna with a long samurai sword

need a hand?

moving to another cutting board

some fresh tuna for breakfast?

Yep, taste good!

Taking orders

packaged fresh sea urchin. Maybe they imported from Santa Barbara

Fins still moving, yikes!

Is that the most beautiful Tuna cut you've ever seen?

Lock and Load, ship to rest of the world

After the market, we pass by the Sumo stadium, and visit a nearby sumo training stable where they are nice enough to let us watch them practice. The Sumo stable is so quiet during practice; you can hear every breath and grunt of the wrestlers, interrupted only by a massive smack when they collide at the beginning of a practice bout.

Somo stadium, flags up for the up coming tournament

KR has no chance in an eating contest

The practice is very ritualistic, with a detailed routine that ends at 10:30AM sharp. Based on the different wrestlers in the stable, it seems they first get very strong and fit, and then start a massive weight gain program; eating two massive meals a day (lunch and dinner) which are both followed by sleeping. We are very surprised at the end of the workout to see 300 pound wrestlers stretching in perfect splits; legs apart, and body face down on the floor.

Entrance to the Stable

Wrestler stance

Collision!

Vana's new bodyguards

In the evening. JieJie dressed Vana up in a summer Kimono. We did some last minute shopping, then head out for Indian food.

New sandals match the Kimono

All tied up behind

shop for cute Japanese socks

After several days walking all around Japan, my feet are done. I’ve been wearing socks and cheap beach sandals (bought in Bali) everywhere in Japan, since the infected blisters on the heels of my feet still haven’t healed since diving in Thailand. Every day when we get back to Dongli’s place, my complaint is the same; Tokyo is too big!

Thanks so much to Dong Li and Jia Yunjian for letting us stay and showing us around.

Japan - Tokyo Day 1

Tokyo, Japan Day 93 (May 3)


Tokyo is a massive crazy place; although everything runs in a controlled orderly fashion. Imagine using the New York subway system to cover the central metropolis, and then multiply by ten for another rail system connecting the inner metropolis to the outer megapolis. I guess this is how they cram 40 million people inside an area just a bit smaller than the New York metropolitan, with its 19 million. To top it off, the bullet train connects Tokyo with other mega-cities, leaving Tokyo station every 10 minutes.

subway map for Central Tokyo

Tokyo is also a very trendy and fashionable place. Today, while we are sightseeing, Gege and Jiejie visit a new downtown coffee shop where people are lined up for several hours to sit down and have coffee. The idea of waiting so long for coffee is so crazy, people just can’t resist the buzz. According to their report; it was worth a 30 minute wait, but not 2 hours. Afterwards, they visit a new Forever 21 women’s clothing store which just opened, but the line is a kilometer long; wrapped around a large city block.

zzz..huh...line, what line?

Vana and I head to Jingu-bashi to have pictures taken with the “costume play” vampy goth kids, who pose for tourists. They don’t want pictures taken unless you ask for permission, so they can do their special poses.

GeiGei & JeiJei dropped us off at Jingu-bashi, then headed to the coffee shop

vampy goth kid

posing for pic

Jingu-bashi is not only for gothic kids to hangout. It's also a place for young people to express themselves. Need a free hug?

And...kids who've been bullied in school

We visit the nearby temple; which turned out to be a waste after already visiting Kyoto. On the way out, the subway is packed like a rock concert.

temple entrance

colorful lamps

Looks too clean to be a temple

taking a rest before heading to the subway rush

which is packed like a rock concert

Next, we take subway to the bustling youth-oriented shopping district of Shibuya, and visit the famous 109 building. The teens and twenty-something’s in this mall are decked out in $1,000 dollars worth of product and looking for more; hair, nails, make-up, shoes, bags, and clothes. I was thinking the US Federal Reserve should pass out free tickets to America in this mall, since these Japanese women look like they could pull the US out of recession in no time!

109 building is a department store for youth fashion. One for women, another one across the street for men.

fancy crystal nails

Vana trying some high heels

Say what?

Sweet looking rags

Loving the knee high socks

Men line up outside the shop for women's un-mentionables

Like my space goggles?

Stylin hats

for cool cats

Aside from cheeky comments, the young women look really good, and are wearing the best looking clothes I’ve seen anywhere in the world. There is amazing variety of fashion; cartoon doll, goth, funky hippie, punk rocker, etc. We now see why they are the fashion trend setters for all of Asia, which by population makes them the fashion world’s leaders. It’s really amazing to see the incredible variety of outfits. But, after several hours walking around without a subway nap, the high heels, knee high socks, and short skirts all start to look the same.

Same Same, But Different?

We top the day off with a quick visit to Ginza, which is like the Park Ave of Tokyo. With its sparkling buildings and squeaky clean windows, you’d think they mix diamond powder in the city water.

arriving Ginza

kids playing video game while mom shopping in the expensive name brand store

Stand in line for some famous mini waffle in the neighborhood

Yum! the best waffle ever...definitely worth the 10 min wait!

We visit the Sony building to see their latest wares; but left un-impressed. Seems Sony is yesterday’s news with the Koreans at Samsung and LG cleaning their clock these days.

Sony building

We take the elevator to the top floor of the Imperial Hotel for the view, but balk at the $300 dollar dinner buffet. Instead, we met GeiGei and JieJie for dinner at a sushi restaurant.

Tokyo at night

Sushi boat style restaurant

Around they go, where they stop, nobody knows...

Ahi dreamin!

CLICK HERE to see rest of the pictures from this day.