Tamotsu picked us up and we headed for the subway to Asakusa. This was the first place I stayed in Japan. So, it was great to be able to show this area to my parents. Plus, Senso-ji is the oldest temple in Tokyo, so it is a wonderful area to walk around.
Senso-ji was beautiful (and VERY crowded). It was a gorgeous day out and the cherry blossoms were blooming.
*note to everyone, cherry blossoms are quite the theme on the trip, so I apologize in advance for the many, many, MANY references!
There is a very old, and famous, shopping arcade leading up to the temple itself. And we weren't there longer than 20 minutes, and the shopping had already begun! I'm not joking- I think my Mom & I bought out all of Japan over the next 14 days!!
After walking about and taking pictures, we were off for Ginza. Ginza is the high-end shopping district of Tokyo. All the biggies have boutiques and flagship stores there. Plus, it's just the classic shopping area. It was definitely too expensive for my blood, but it was great window shopping!
We had lunch at this teeny, tiny little tempura restaurant down a side street in Ginza. It's one of those places that you basically just get what the serve you- but I'm mean this in a very classy way. The tempura was awesome!! I'm pretty sure Dad enjoyed his first Japanese meal. Although, both Mom & Dad struggled with the hashi(chopsticks)!! However, by the end of the trip they really got the hang of it.
So, after lunch continued walking around and made our way to shinbashi station (I think). we had to buy our shinkansen tickets to Osaka and dad was getting anxious to get them. we had to let our guide in Osaka know when we would be getting in the next day. We got the tickets and then headed to the monorail and out to Odaiba Bay. The monorail is pretty cool, computerized and it goes all around the outskirts of Tokyo.
We rode over the Rainbow Bridge, which goes over Tokyo Harbor to Odaiba. Odaiba is a series of obstructions, ie. man-made islands, that were built in the 1850s to keep western ships from getting too close to Tokyo proper.
Odaiba has a couple of HUGE shopping/entertainment complexes and the headquarters for Fuji TV. Think "30 Rock" of Japan. Luckily for us, our tour guide Tamotsu was an executive for Fuji TV before retiring. So, we got an amazing behind-the-scenes tour of the station. The building is a relatively new and futuristic looking building, and its immense!! While we were there they were setting up outside for a variety show featuring Hey!Yeah!Say!Jump!, a popular Jpop band. Inside, the bigwigs were all waiting for some french bigwigs to show up. We, also, were there in time for the start of the live newscast- as a matter of fact we were on the live set!! Pretty cool! We had coffee in the commissary and I'm pretty sure that there were some Jdrama stars there, but I would only recognize one- Oguri Shun my Jcrush! And he was no where to be found. It was amazing to get see all the backstage stuff, even when we got lost leaving we still saw the dressing rooms, prop rooms, make-up and wardrobe.
After finally finding our way out, we walked to the metro station that goes into Tokyo. It goes under the bay, which I think made Tamotsu nervous. When we got back to Shinjuku, we headed off for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices. Why would we go there?? Because there is a great observation deck with a panoramic view of Tokyo on the 47th (?) floor. The building was built in 1991 nd is very modern (and apparently earthquake proof). From the deck you can see all the way to Mt. Fuji (on a clear day, which it wasn't) and all the way to Tokyo Bay. The area that the offices is located in, West Shinjuku, is full of all the tallest skyscrapers in Tokyo, so it was cool to see all of those. Plus, you get a true sense of the vastness of Tokyo when you look out over all of the buildings, homes and people. Awe-inspiring!!
After walking around the seedier area of Shinjuku it was time to say goodbye to our generous tour guide. Tamotsu headed home to his family, and we headed back to the hotel. And it wasn't a moment too soon because we were WALKED out!!! Completely exhausted. But so, so grateful to Tamotsu for such a wonderful day. He showed my parents (and myself) such a great cross section of Tokyo, I never would have been able to do it on my own. And, he is just a very generous and gracious man.
Mom & Dad dragged ourselves back to the hotel for a bit of a rest and another cocktail in the hotel lounge. Then, armed with a map and restaurant suggestions from the hotel, we headed out again. This was when the stress level started to rise for me. First of all, I was not feeling well. I'm pretty sure I had strep throat. Second, I was wearing my glasses because I had torn my contacts that morning, and I don't see well with my contacts. And lastly, I was on my own to find us a place to eat. We had three places in mind that were close to the hotel. The first place didn't look all that exciting, so we tried Bon Viveur, a "european cafe". Right when we walked in, the waiters came up to me and said "No English! Only Japanese!". I asked to see a menu and saw that it had pictures, so I gestured that we could just point and they seemed adamant about NO ENGLISH ONLY JAPANESE! So, we left. I couldn't believe that something like this would happen in Tokyo. I was a little peeved!! I mean I know that they probably thought they were being helpful, and saving themselves some trouble, but it was very annoying and a bit degrading! Finally we went to Le Petit Tonneau, french obviously. What a difference! The place was teeny and packed, but the manager was sooo accommodating. We had to wait 30 minutes, but he cleared off the register area so we could have wine and cheese. He was wonderful! The food was amazing, though I don't remember exactly what I had. A onion tart and beef of some sort I beleive. But I do remember that it was great. We, also, had a show!
There was a Japanese couple at a table behind us. They were both passed out! Completely! And the waiters just went ahead and served them their dinner. Finally, the man woke up, tried to wake up his date, then ate his food and drank the rest of her wine. The girl was not moving! He kept trying to get her to wake up but she just mumbled and kept her head on the table. Then she vomited on the table!!! Then the waiters tried to escort her out and she started screaming. Then she sat under the table!!! Finally, the police came to carry her out!! And the thing is....it wasn't really abnormal here in Japan! They are throwing up and passing out all the time, anywhere!! But really, Welcome to Japan, Mom & Dad!
Stuffed and exhausted, we dragged ourselves back to the hotel to rest up for the trip to Osaka.
Oh- and on the way back? We passed the couple from the restaurant....she was throwing up in the bushes! Nice!
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