Second day in Tokyo, I decided to go crazy and visit all the major urban areas of the cityat once: Harajuku shopping district, Shibuya crossing, and Shinjuku by night.
Let's get started.
The Traveller
First I headed to Shibuya crossing, known to be the busiest crossing in the world. It was quite impressive, I wonder how it lookslike during peak hours!
Some of you might remeber the movie Hachiko. It's the one with Richard Gere and the dog. The one with you crying for a week after watching it.
Well, some of you might know that that's a true story, and this is statue celebrating the loyalty of Hachiko the king of all DOGE
Then after wondering arond Shibuya crossing for a while, I moved to Harakuju, strolling around Omote-sando-dori street & Meiji-jingu shrine
This instead, is an endless line of people. I couldn't understand why they were in line, I just think japanese people really enjoy queues.
Now, something I noticed right away is that outside every shop there were black people. You don't see them anywhere else really, but just outside the shops trying to get people in. It's kind of racist. But I guess most Japanese people are too shy to bother people on the streets.
Next to the station, on my way to Nakano Broad way (see the Otaku section below) I saw a temple, so I decided to take a look. Once again I was surprised about the totally different atmosphere of the place compared to Korea and expecially China, despite the temples look pretty much the same.
cuteness level over 9000!
Before coming back to Tokyo center I went visiting thi interesting museum. I would be lying if i say that that's what I was expecting, but it was ok. Sadly it was forbidden to take any pictures.
This is a view of Tokyo from the goverment tower
These instead are lovely alleys around Shinjuku station (borrowing a friend's words, Shinjuku station is where you go after you die if you have been a bad boy. Some others call it Hell)
These alleys has some sort of chinese-like feeling. But without smell of dead bodies, food poisoning or spitters.
It's lights time! Shinjuku by night and the famous Kabukicho ( see the Weird section for details)
Inside the Kabukicho area, there was a labyrinth of little alleys crowded with extremely small bars with no more than 5 seats each. Apparently late at night, this is where business men come for a drink and a chat. It gets so crowded that a fee must be paid in order to have the opportunity and the privilegen to have a seat here for the night. Of the hundreds bars, only 2 accept foreigners. The atmosphere of this place...
Strange enough, next to the bar area there's a nice temple
The Weird
Today's weird section is quite rich.
let's start with Condomania.
Yes. It's exactly how it sounds like. A huge condom store with the strangest condoms on the face of earth!
Then, here is Kabukicho.
Now, probably none of you ever heard this name, so the place would have not said much to you. But this is the location of avery good videogame of which I played 4 chapters. It's hard to explain the feeling. iI've never been to this place, at the same time I could recognize every corner, because I've been there for hours and hours playing the game.
It's like if you are a fan of Harry Potter movies and one day you find yourself visiting the Hogwarts castle.
But with prostitutes instead of witches, and different kind of magic powders.
Definetly one of the best personal experience I had in Tokyo.
I should have put this into the Otaku section, but the weirdness of the place beats the Otakuness.
Forgot to say, Kabuchiko is the red light Tokyo district, as well as the Yakuza mafia HQ. Unfortunately tho, i didn't get to take any picture with a Yakuza :(
...Why showers?
This instead is the hotel district of Kabukicho. Better known as the Love Motel district.
Weirdly enough, I've seen more hostess clubs for girls than clubs for guys.
An hostess club is a bar in which when you enter you choose a guy/girl you like from the picture outside, and if free he is going to keep you company. For free, as far as you keep spending money at the bar.
Not to be confused as prostitutes. Even if in some cases I'm sure that's how it ends
Ah, in Japan is forbidden to smoke in the streets
not sure how to explain this....
The Otaku
On the metro walls, advertising for the new JoJo series coming out!
This is Nakano Broadway. Where any kind of vintage movie-videogame-manga related thing can be found. Also knows as paradise.
...and this is hokuto no ken (Ken il guerriero) condoms!
can't beat this....
The eater
Walking all day, no time to eat again. I only managed to treat myself with this strawberry chocolate crepe', from one of the thousands crepe' stands around Tokyo. Delicious!
The Artist
Too bad for you, today I made quite a few pretentious prick photos! Enjoy!
Hopefully I managed to transmit to you at least a part of what I felt on that day, which is what I try to do in every blog post I write. Japan is amazing, and this is only the beginning
