After four times of saying “Ohayou, Tokyo!” out loud, I had to say “Mata ne, Tokyo!” on morning of November 28 as I took the first shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Osaka. I left Tokyo with the knowledge that, someday soon, I will come back and check out the places I wasn’t able to. Tokyo Disneyland, perhaps. Maybe have a HanaDan moment at Ebisu, or go around Ropponggi. Darn, I haven’t even gone around Shinjuku! And, most importantly, I have to climb Mt. Fuji. THAT is an absolute must. So never a “Sayonara~”, just “See You Again~”.Before bidding Tokyo farewell in this series of posts, however, I have to give it a proper wrap up. So I’m sharing snaps in and around Tokyo.
Remember what I said about there being street performers all over Yoyogi Park? This tap dancer caught my eye and, before I knew it, I stood there, watching her 8-minute performance. (Yes, I unconsciously timed it.)
I love it when I experience seemingly normal things, but with a twist that is unlike the ones back home.
Like in fitting rooms in stores that sell clothes, for example. There are these transparent wraps that you have to put over your head so makeup won’t get all over the clothes you are fitting. Then there is also how you have to leave your shoes outside the fitting room/cubicle.
On more than one occasion I’ve been told that fruits are expensive in Japan. Still, it didn’t keep me from going WHUT when I saw them firsthand. You gotta give them a lot of propz for presentation, though.
I just feel like I have to put this out there: I am definitely impressed with how the Japanese put a high regard on their traditional wear (kimono, yukata) even to this day. Not that the Filipinos don’t give equally high regard for their own baro’t saya, but you rarely, if ever, see Filipinos wear them on special occasions. Well, except for when they are required by protocol. But walk around Tokyo, and even other parts of Japan, and seeing someone wearing kimono (yes, even in the subways) is just normal.
And do parents even encourage their children to wear baro (for males) and saya (for females) anymore? Rarely. Mostly only when it’s time to celebrate the Philippine Independence Day or the United Nations Celebration. Or when the kids have to perform traditional Philippine dances. Sad, just sad.
This is the key card to my hotel room at Sakura Hotel Ikebukuro. It was a thin piece of cardboard, and guests get to take it as a souvenir when they check out.
Two guesses as to what about this sign caught my eye.
Yes, it’s the male and female pricing. I wonder if it’s because they have differently-sized servings? This is in one of the dining places at the end of Takeshita Dori.
Breakfasts were comprised of these onigiris, or rice molded into triangles and wrapped in nori. They can be bought at any kombini or convenience store. Love them to bits~
At the time, Tokyo Station was on a momentous time in its century-long history.
I’m not really a fan of HSJ (Hey Say Jump), but BOY OH BOY HAVE THEY GROWN. Is Chinen still an Ohno fanboy?
I was initially captivated by the sight of these police cars outside the Marunouchi Police Station, but then I saw what the posters beside it are, and short-attention-span struck again. That’s the poster of the live-action TV drama Hell Teacher Nube right there.
On the way to Akiba, we spotted this long queue, and I noticed how they were mostly middle-aged to the elderly. Haruko-san explained that the queue was for the lottery kiosk. Apparently, that time, the pot money is very high, and this lottery outlet happens to be famous for being the “winningest” outlet in all of Japan. According to Haruko-san, people from other prefectures even travel all the way to Tokyo to place their bets/get their tickets in this particular outlet.
Maaa~aaan. You gotta give props for faith. And perseverance.
Tokyo street fashion is something else. You would think that they’d be toned down because it’s close to winter and everyone would prefer getting all wrapped up. But no, that’s clearly unheard of.
One thing I realized about Tokyo…. it’s hard to get lost in this place. My apprehension prior to the trip was going round in circles and losing my way. Surprisingly, it was not a problem. Maybe it helped that I did some research beforehand on how to get to places, and that I was constantly checking stuff up at Hyperdia. But even without those, I’d have gotten by relatively well. It might have taken a longer time than usual, but I still would have gotten by.
So, mata ne, Tokyo~! For the memories, the mishaps, the lessons and the experiences, doumo arigatou gozaimashita. Mata, aimashou~!