Hi everyone!
So it's been a few days since my last post (I always seem to start the blog like that!), so I figured I would catch you up. Right now I'm sitting in my tiny, tiny room at my hotel in Tokyo, Japan - taking advantage of about the only place in this city where I can have free wifi...
Transit to Tokyo
The flight from LAX to Tokyo's Narita went off without a hitch, as to be expected on one of the world's premier airlines, Singapore Airlines.I got to fly on one of their new Airbus A380-800 planes, which is the currently the largest passenger jet in the world, with 2 full decks of passengers. In their configuration, the entire top deck was business class, while 70% of the bottom deck was Economy (where I was) and the remaining portion dedicated to a class of service for 'Suites'. Basically it's almost like a mini bedroom, with a full, lie flat bed, good service, etc. Of course, it also costs upwards of $10k for a single ticket, unless you somehow get upgraded. Thus, back in Economy I went - which actually I had no problem with. My seat had not only a giant touchscreen LCD (larger than most other airlines) and the full range of entertainment options that go with it, but also a USB port (with software that lets you modify office documents and view photos / play mp3s), an electrical outlet, and amazing ergonomic design. The food was good, the service was good - Singapore Airlines rocks!
Once we landed in Narita airport, it was a long walk down many corridors to immigration / customs for Japan, which also went off without a hitch. Then, I retrieved my luggage, and bought a train ticket on the KEISEI Skyliner, going from the airport all the way to Ueno station (a major transit hub in Northern Tokyo). I was pretty exhausted by the time I sat down, and I was really thirsty. They had vending machines on the train where you could buy water, soft drinks, etc. - but they didn't take credit cards, only smaller denominations of cash. I had some Japanese Yen, but the bill size was a bit too large, so I had to wait...
Though it was difficult to see out of the window due to glare from the cabin lighting, I could see some of the landscape as we made our way down the track. It was raining, and was a little cold too. One of the things I saw were many McDonald's, a few 7-Elevens and KFC's... and other Japanese shops / stores identified by the Japanese writing (which I have no idea how to read - more on this later)...
Mind you, I had all my luggage with me - which consisted of a really heavy suitcase (just under 50 lbs), my yoga mat, and a jammed packed backpack that was my carry-on. Once we got to Ueno Station, I took all of that on my person and managed, for the next 20 minutes, to lug it around all the way until getting to the hotel, which (accordingly to the research I had done previously) was located about a 5 minute walk from the Minowa station on the Tokyo Metro's Hibya Line. Also realize it was the tail end of rush hour, and you can imagine the craziness that a Tokyo subway station undergoes during rush hour, especially in a major transit center like Ueno.
So there I was, hauling all that luggage up and down stairs, having people bump into me, almost falling down on the stairs from the weight of the luggage... It was pretty intense. I finally found the platform for my train to Minowa, and when it pulled up... you guessed it.... P-A-C-K-E-D to the brim. Shit. This isn't gonna be fun, here goes. I squeeze all my stuff into that subway car, the door closes, and everyone is pressed up into one another. All I can think about is planning an exit strategy once the doors to my station open, so that I can actually leave the car and not have the doors close prematurely. Somehow I make it through all this, though I was admittedly frazzled...
Ok, back up the stairs, lug lug lug.... Finally outside... Ok.... NOW where do I go? The signs are all in Japanese. What's the street I need again? Lemme pull out my map... It's cold outside, it was raining too and the ground is wet... The directions to my hotel said for me to come out of a particular exit from the subway station (they are all numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Is that where I exited? How do I find out? Maybe I should go back inside and see if there are markings to identify which number the exit was... That means I have to lug all my luggage once again back into the station.... Ok I see it, that was not the correct exit... I need exit 3. Where IS exit 3? I don't know...
Ok go back up this exit, and outside, I'll try to figure it out. Oh there's a map right next to the bus stop. Excellent I'll just compare my notes with it.... Well, that map is in Japanese, can I make out the orientation anyway? What street is the one I'm currently facing? Is that Meji-Dori? I can't tell - it's in Japanese...
Ok ok ok - don't panic (I'm starting to sweat and freak out a little bit). Look just go down this road here, it looks just like your map, and it seems to have a similar orientation... though you're not sure, you've got nothing else to go on right now, so just try it... But it's later in the evening, there aren't a lot of people around... what if I get lost? How will I even know where to go? Do I have enough money on me? Didn't I experience something JUST like this in India???
JEFF!!!! Get a hold of yourself - just keep walking... Ok look the street is splitting like the directions said it would... awesome! Ok stick to the right.... Where do I cross, because I think I need to cross... Why not here? Ok...
Walking walking walking.... Turn left into the maze... There isn't an apparent ordering to the layout (later in the trip, I found out that Tokyo is VERY organized, you just have to understand the system of Wards, Chromes and Blocks)... Walking down tiny little avenues with no one around... I still don't see the hotel... It's been 20 minutes and I'm still walking.... Ok Ok Ok Ok.... I'll find it, don't worry... Oh look there's a woman walking down the street, I bet she can help.... I ask her where this address is, and she points - I was standing 100 feet from it!!! Ohhhhhh it's on the south side of the street, not the north... That helps.... Finally!!
I get in the hotel, complete my checkin, and proceed to my room.... WOW... This is the smallest room I've ever seen! There is a fold out tatami mattress and very Ikea-like efficiency for the use of space. So I guess it won't be too bad...
Need a shower... Need to go to the bathroom... Need to CRASH... And I do!
Tokyo Day 1
I wake up around 7am, and decide to do a yoga practice in my room. I re-fold the tatami mattress (which is actually VERY comfortable!!) to create space (otherwise there would be NONE). I had an ok practice, really any movement just felt good after last night. I get ready and go to the front lobby for their breakfast - which actually was pretty good! The standard eggs, toast, etc. - only JPY 500, which is like $5. Food, I'm finding, isn't all that expensive in Tokyo - you don't have to spend tons and tons to eat... But lodging and other items... that's another story!
One of the front desk girls gave me a ton of brochures that give you a subway map, descriptions (in English) of some popular sites, etc. So I perused through those items at breakfast and built a list of things I'd like to see. First item that came up was the Asakusa Temple and Shrine . Apparently this area is an relic from the Japanese Edo Period and erected in 1649. It appears kind of religious to me, because I see people praying in front of the shrine, whiffing the smoke from the incense pot over their heads, etc. (Wikipedia confirms that, and tells more details - click the link above). Part of the complex includes a HUGE shopping district with a lot of different food as well. It's pretty crazy, with just the sheer amount of people everywhere...
Later, I decide to go to the Tokyo Skytree - which, as of this writing, is the tallest tower i the world (after the tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). Actually it's not just the tower but an entire shopping complex - a HUGE one at that. It seems to be a common theme that Tokyo has shopping plaza after shopping plaza, each one more massive than the last. This particular one seems upscale - complete with entire food supermarkets (just like I saw in Shinsegae in Seoul). But where is the ticket office where you can buy a ticket to go to the top of the tower? Ah it's in the center of the complex, outside as well. I find it, but realize that since I did not have a reservation, I have to get a stand-by pass that, once my time is called, will allow me to stand in line in order to purchase a ticket. And I can see why they make you do that - there were so many people!! Amazing crowd control - Disney has nothing on Tokyo...
So my time slot was 3pm, and it was 2pm. So I decided to get something to eat from the food court. I want Ramen - I love Ramen. I find a little place where, after seeing that I'm white and clearly not Japanese, the staff (who spoke no English) handed me an English menu, and I pointed to the variant that I wanted. Also just like in Seoul - some people speak English, but many, MANY more do not in Tokyo (or are afraid to, for fear that you might judge their grammar mistakes). And yes - that Ramen was Gooooood!!!
Next, my slot for the Skytree was ready, and me (along with 10,000 school children, eldery people, disabled, everyone - all went into an elevator that whisks you 350 meters into the sky at a REALLY fast pace, with a cool light show along the way, and a video monitor that tells you the rate of ascent (which got as high as 60-65 meters per second at its peak - that's FAST!!!)...
Once it opens, everyone in the elevator went "Ahhhhhh" and "ooooh" - LOL it was funny :-) Then we all get out, and boom - there is the Megapolis Tokyo, in all its splendor. The city is GIGANTIC - you really have no idea just how big until you see it from that level - and I still don't think I saw the whole city, as there was some fog and clouds out. Also, because of the clouds, I did not clearly see Mt. Fuji, though I'm told on a clear day you can easily see it...
I spent about 45 minutes - 1 hour on the observation deck, before being whisked back down to the 5th floor of the complex, where I eventually left back for the Subway to head over to Shinjuku. I wanted to see where the Hilton Hotel was in that ward (as I was originally going to stay there but changed my mind, because of expense mainly, but also because I wanted an experience of a traditional Japanese Inn, with something a little more personable. I did find the hotel, and it is REALLY nice - nicer and larger than I expected actually. Most patrons and guests were white Europeans / Americans, many more in business attire no doubt conducting critical business (as the metropolitan government buildings are right next door within Shinjuku)...
Side note - 99% of the males here wear a suit and tie. It could be that I'm traveling during the week and I happen to see them while they are walking around outside and in the subway - but seriously, almost every single man I see is in a suit. Women are a little more dynamic in their dress - but still nothing too flamboyant for the older folks anyway. The younger ones are all obsessed over the latest Korean pop star...
So I walked around Shinjuku some more, looking at all the tall office buildings, before deciding to head back to my hotel. Mind you, Shinjuku is on the west side of town, I'm in the very north east, so there was some traveling to do (~45 min on 2 subway lines)...
Once I got back to my hotel, I scrambled for a little bit trying to find it! Oh no this isn't a pattern hopefully (it's not :-) ). Finally I found it again - now i think I can repeatedly run back and forth between the Metro stop and the hotel, I've figured that part out anyway...
Then I just came back to my room, showered and then crashed. I slept pretty deep too, it had been a long day...
Tokyo Day 2
Today's experiences were not quite as fun as yesterday's. I woke up around 4:45am, and deicded I would get ready and try to go to Tarik's Mysore class. So I head out to the subway, make my way ALL the way down to Shibuya Station (towards the south end of town, while I'm coming from the north). And here's where I get lost - I can't seem to make out which ward (ku) I'm in, which block (Chrome), or even numbered buildings within that block. Nothing is making sense - I keep going in circles over and over again - until finally I had enough, and I just made my way back to the subway and went home. I was kind of upset because I made a concerted effort to go and see this studio, practice at it, but the Universe had other plans in mind, mostly in an effort to make me practice patience and acceptance (that I will not be finding it today)...
So all the way back to the hotel, and I get the same breakfast I had yesterday. I go back in the room, work on the computer some, and then head out once more towards the Imperial Palace. Once I exit the station, I realize I'm next to the quaint Hibya Park, that itself is across from the massive Palace complex. The park was so peaceful and serene - birds chirpin, squirrels running around, water sounds, trees rustling... and in the background the car engines and noise, but it seemed subdued...
Once I made it into the Palace grounds, the traffic noise was substantially reduced because of the high walls flanking the grounds, which made the experience much better. There were a lot of tourists in the Palace Grounds, many of whom are European / American. This one woman from Chicago came to me asking if I would take a picture with her and her boyfriend (fiancee?) I could hear from her accent that she was from the midwest, and I realized that after talking with her - that was the most English I've spoken in 2-3 days, not feeling like I have to use broken English or make hand gestures all over the place lol :-)
All the crowds were trying to enter the complex via this famous brdige (famous for what I don't know). But the entrances were guarded, so I'm not sure what was going on, but alas - did not get to see very much inside the grounds...
After I've had my fill of the Palace, I decided to give Shinjuku one more try - to see if I could understand things better. For example, all the guidebooks and internet reviews I read tell me that Shinjuku's 2nd ward (Shinjuku Ni-Chome) has a direct connection to the most densely populated gay bars in the world. However, I STILL couldn't navigate around that underground maze that is Shinjuku station. Basically the transfer points are many, and the station is huge, therefore a lot of people running around everywhere. I'm determined to find Ni-Chome and check this place out - not that I'm huge in drugs or anything, I just think the name is fun :-)
Long story short - I don't find anything - so I head back to the hotel, and now where I sit and type my blog for you lovely people to read :-) You ARE reading all of it, aren't you??!!
See you Soon!
- Jeff :-)
So it's been a few days since my last post (I always seem to start the blog like that!), so I figured I would catch you up. Right now I'm sitting in my tiny, tiny room at my hotel in Tokyo, Japan - taking advantage of about the only place in this city where I can have free wifi...
Transit to Tokyo
The flight from LAX to Tokyo's Narita went off without a hitch, as to be expected on one of the world's premier airlines, Singapore Airlines.I got to fly on one of their new Airbus A380-800 planes, which is the currently the largest passenger jet in the world, with 2 full decks of passengers. In their configuration, the entire top deck was business class, while 70% of the bottom deck was Economy (where I was) and the remaining portion dedicated to a class of service for 'Suites'. Basically it's almost like a mini bedroom, with a full, lie flat bed, good service, etc. Of course, it also costs upwards of $10k for a single ticket, unless you somehow get upgraded. Thus, back in Economy I went - which actually I had no problem with. My seat had not only a giant touchscreen LCD (larger than most other airlines) and the full range of entertainment options that go with it, but also a USB port (with software that lets you modify office documents and view photos / play mp3s), an electrical outlet, and amazing ergonomic design. The food was good, the service was good - Singapore Airlines rocks!
Once we landed in Narita airport, it was a long walk down many corridors to immigration / customs for Japan, which also went off without a hitch. Then, I retrieved my luggage, and bought a train ticket on the KEISEI Skyliner, going from the airport all the way to Ueno station (a major transit hub in Northern Tokyo). I was pretty exhausted by the time I sat down, and I was really thirsty. They had vending machines on the train where you could buy water, soft drinks, etc. - but they didn't take credit cards, only smaller denominations of cash. I had some Japanese Yen, but the bill size was a bit too large, so I had to wait...
Though it was difficult to see out of the window due to glare from the cabin lighting, I could see some of the landscape as we made our way down the track. It was raining, and was a little cold too. One of the things I saw were many McDonald's, a few 7-Elevens and KFC's... and other Japanese shops / stores identified by the Japanese writing (which I have no idea how to read - more on this later)...
Mind you, I had all my luggage with me - which consisted of a really heavy suitcase (just under 50 lbs), my yoga mat, and a jammed packed backpack that was my carry-on. Once we got to Ueno Station, I took all of that on my person and managed, for the next 20 minutes, to lug it around all the way until getting to the hotel, which (accordingly to the research I had done previously) was located about a 5 minute walk from the Minowa station on the Tokyo Metro's Hibya Line. Also realize it was the tail end of rush hour, and you can imagine the craziness that a Tokyo subway station undergoes during rush hour, especially in a major transit center like Ueno.
So there I was, hauling all that luggage up and down stairs, having people bump into me, almost falling down on the stairs from the weight of the luggage... It was pretty intense. I finally found the platform for my train to Minowa, and when it pulled up... you guessed it.... P-A-C-K-E-D to the brim. Shit. This isn't gonna be fun, here goes. I squeeze all my stuff into that subway car, the door closes, and everyone is pressed up into one another. All I can think about is planning an exit strategy once the doors to my station open, so that I can actually leave the car and not have the doors close prematurely. Somehow I make it through all this, though I was admittedly frazzled...
Ok, back up the stairs, lug lug lug.... Finally outside... Ok.... NOW where do I go? The signs are all in Japanese. What's the street I need again? Lemme pull out my map... It's cold outside, it was raining too and the ground is wet... The directions to my hotel said for me to come out of a particular exit from the subway station (they are all numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.). Is that where I exited? How do I find out? Maybe I should go back inside and see if there are markings to identify which number the exit was... That means I have to lug all my luggage once again back into the station.... Ok I see it, that was not the correct exit... I need exit 3. Where IS exit 3? I don't know...
Ok go back up this exit, and outside, I'll try to figure it out. Oh there's a map right next to the bus stop. Excellent I'll just compare my notes with it.... Well, that map is in Japanese, can I make out the orientation anyway? What street is the one I'm currently facing? Is that Meji-Dori? I can't tell - it's in Japanese...
Ok ok ok - don't panic (I'm starting to sweat and freak out a little bit). Look just go down this road here, it looks just like your map, and it seems to have a similar orientation... though you're not sure, you've got nothing else to go on right now, so just try it... But it's later in the evening, there aren't a lot of people around... what if I get lost? How will I even know where to go? Do I have enough money on me? Didn't I experience something JUST like this in India???
JEFF!!!! Get a hold of yourself - just keep walking... Ok look the street is splitting like the directions said it would... awesome! Ok stick to the right.... Where do I cross, because I think I need to cross... Why not here? Ok...
Walking walking walking.... Turn left into the maze... There isn't an apparent ordering to the layout (later in the trip, I found out that Tokyo is VERY organized, you just have to understand the system of Wards, Chromes and Blocks)... Walking down tiny little avenues with no one around... I still don't see the hotel... It's been 20 minutes and I'm still walking.... Ok Ok Ok Ok.... I'll find it, don't worry... Oh look there's a woman walking down the street, I bet she can help.... I ask her where this address is, and she points - I was standing 100 feet from it!!! Ohhhhhh it's on the south side of the street, not the north... That helps.... Finally!!
I get in the hotel, complete my checkin, and proceed to my room.... WOW... This is the smallest room I've ever seen! There is a fold out tatami mattress and very Ikea-like efficiency for the use of space. So I guess it won't be too bad...
Need a shower... Need to go to the bathroom... Need to CRASH... And I do!
Tokyo Day 1
I wake up around 7am, and decide to do a yoga practice in my room. I re-fold the tatami mattress (which is actually VERY comfortable!!) to create space (otherwise there would be NONE). I had an ok practice, really any movement just felt good after last night. I get ready and go to the front lobby for their breakfast - which actually was pretty good! The standard eggs, toast, etc. - only JPY 500, which is like $5. Food, I'm finding, isn't all that expensive in Tokyo - you don't have to spend tons and tons to eat... But lodging and other items... that's another story!
One of the front desk girls gave me a ton of brochures that give you a subway map, descriptions (in English) of some popular sites, etc. So I perused through those items at breakfast and built a list of things I'd like to see. First item that came up was the Asakusa Temple and Shrine . Apparently this area is an relic from the Japanese Edo Period and erected in 1649. It appears kind of religious to me, because I see people praying in front of the shrine, whiffing the smoke from the incense pot over their heads, etc. (Wikipedia confirms that, and tells more details - click the link above). Part of the complex includes a HUGE shopping district with a lot of different food as well. It's pretty crazy, with just the sheer amount of people everywhere...
Later, I decide to go to the Tokyo Skytree - which, as of this writing, is the tallest tower i the world (after the tallest structure in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). Actually it's not just the tower but an entire shopping complex - a HUGE one at that. It seems to be a common theme that Tokyo has shopping plaza after shopping plaza, each one more massive than the last. This particular one seems upscale - complete with entire food supermarkets (just like I saw in Shinsegae in Seoul). But where is the ticket office where you can buy a ticket to go to the top of the tower? Ah it's in the center of the complex, outside as well. I find it, but realize that since I did not have a reservation, I have to get a stand-by pass that, once my time is called, will allow me to stand in line in order to purchase a ticket. And I can see why they make you do that - there were so many people!! Amazing crowd control - Disney has nothing on Tokyo...
So my time slot was 3pm, and it was 2pm. So I decided to get something to eat from the food court. I want Ramen - I love Ramen. I find a little place where, after seeing that I'm white and clearly not Japanese, the staff (who spoke no English) handed me an English menu, and I pointed to the variant that I wanted. Also just like in Seoul - some people speak English, but many, MANY more do not in Tokyo (or are afraid to, for fear that you might judge their grammar mistakes). And yes - that Ramen was Gooooood!!!
Next, my slot for the Skytree was ready, and me (along with 10,000 school children, eldery people, disabled, everyone - all went into an elevator that whisks you 350 meters into the sky at a REALLY fast pace, with a cool light show along the way, and a video monitor that tells you the rate of ascent (which got as high as 60-65 meters per second at its peak - that's FAST!!!)...
Once it opens, everyone in the elevator went "Ahhhhhh" and "ooooh" - LOL it was funny :-) Then we all get out, and boom - there is the Megapolis Tokyo, in all its splendor. The city is GIGANTIC - you really have no idea just how big until you see it from that level - and I still don't think I saw the whole city, as there was some fog and clouds out. Also, because of the clouds, I did not clearly see Mt. Fuji, though I'm told on a clear day you can easily see it...
I spent about 45 minutes - 1 hour on the observation deck, before being whisked back down to the 5th floor of the complex, where I eventually left back for the Subway to head over to Shinjuku. I wanted to see where the Hilton Hotel was in that ward (as I was originally going to stay there but changed my mind, because of expense mainly, but also because I wanted an experience of a traditional Japanese Inn, with something a little more personable. I did find the hotel, and it is REALLY nice - nicer and larger than I expected actually. Most patrons and guests were white Europeans / Americans, many more in business attire no doubt conducting critical business (as the metropolitan government buildings are right next door within Shinjuku)...
Side note - 99% of the males here wear a suit and tie. It could be that I'm traveling during the week and I happen to see them while they are walking around outside and in the subway - but seriously, almost every single man I see is in a suit. Women are a little more dynamic in their dress - but still nothing too flamboyant for the older folks anyway. The younger ones are all obsessed over the latest Korean pop star...
So I walked around Shinjuku some more, looking at all the tall office buildings, before deciding to head back to my hotel. Mind you, Shinjuku is on the west side of town, I'm in the very north east, so there was some traveling to do (~45 min on 2 subway lines)...
Once I got back to my hotel, I scrambled for a little bit trying to find it! Oh no this isn't a pattern hopefully (it's not :-) ). Finally I found it again - now i think I can repeatedly run back and forth between the Metro stop and the hotel, I've figured that part out anyway...
Then I just came back to my room, showered and then crashed. I slept pretty deep too, it had been a long day...
Tokyo Day 2
Today's experiences were not quite as fun as yesterday's. I woke up around 4:45am, and deicded I would get ready and try to go to Tarik's Mysore class. So I head out to the subway, make my way ALL the way down to Shibuya Station (towards the south end of town, while I'm coming from the north). And here's where I get lost - I can't seem to make out which ward (ku) I'm in, which block (Chrome), or even numbered buildings within that block. Nothing is making sense - I keep going in circles over and over again - until finally I had enough, and I just made my way back to the subway and went home. I was kind of upset because I made a concerted effort to go and see this studio, practice at it, but the Universe had other plans in mind, mostly in an effort to make me practice patience and acceptance (that I will not be finding it today)...
So all the way back to the hotel, and I get the same breakfast I had yesterday. I go back in the room, work on the computer some, and then head out once more towards the Imperial Palace. Once I exit the station, I realize I'm next to the quaint Hibya Park, that itself is across from the massive Palace complex. The park was so peaceful and serene - birds chirpin, squirrels running around, water sounds, trees rustling... and in the background the car engines and noise, but it seemed subdued...
Once I made it into the Palace grounds, the traffic noise was substantially reduced because of the high walls flanking the grounds, which made the experience much better. There were a lot of tourists in the Palace Grounds, many of whom are European / American. This one woman from Chicago came to me asking if I would take a picture with her and her boyfriend (fiancee?) I could hear from her accent that she was from the midwest, and I realized that after talking with her - that was the most English I've spoken in 2-3 days, not feeling like I have to use broken English or make hand gestures all over the place lol :-)
All the crowds were trying to enter the complex via this famous brdige (famous for what I don't know). But the entrances were guarded, so I'm not sure what was going on, but alas - did not get to see very much inside the grounds...
After I've had my fill of the Palace, I decided to give Shinjuku one more try - to see if I could understand things better. For example, all the guidebooks and internet reviews I read tell me that Shinjuku's 2nd ward (Shinjuku Ni-Chome) has a direct connection to the most densely populated gay bars in the world. However, I STILL couldn't navigate around that underground maze that is Shinjuku station. Basically the transfer points are many, and the station is huge, therefore a lot of people running around everywhere. I'm determined to find Ni-Chome and check this place out - not that I'm huge in drugs or anything, I just think the name is fun :-)
Long story short - I don't find anything - so I head back to the hotel, and now where I sit and type my blog for you lovely people to read :-) You ARE reading all of it, aren't you??!!
See you Soon!
- Jeff :-)
