We arrive in Harajuku. First task, battle through the dense crowd. Once we achieved that one we immediately notice all the crazy dressed up kids that make Harajuku on a Sunday. Flea markets, Elvis obsessed old Japanese men dancing the King’s hits, with the outfit to match (from the leather jacket to slicked back hair), and all the guys that make it their week’s duty to rock up in the most elaborate outfit they can possibly get together. Truly overwhelming and over the top. The flea market was filled with stores each devoted to one and only obsession. A Beatles-mania store, punk-rock clothing store, Disney jargon store, it goes on. Really anything you can imagine.
Later that night we rocked our hearts to ‘Build me up Buttercup’ before mellowing out to ‘Something Stupid’. That’s right we have officially been infected by the Karaoke bug. Emily was slightly shy to the idea at first, but by the end of the night she was singing like no one was watching, which wasn’t really hard cause we were in a private booth. With Alex’s unsurmountable energy he managed to knock over two drinks. The staff took pity (must have thought he was a bit silly) and gave us new drinks on the house…we think.
“What that’s Alex?” Says Em half asleep. “It’s only the entire building rocking back and fourth, go back to sleep dear.” It took us a few seconds, but we did figure out it was an Earthquake. It was a gentle earthquake, nothing fell over or smashed, but it was enough to scare the shit out of us, our building must be on rockers. Later that day Em was greeted with a second earthquake, which is not so cool when one is by themselves.
Japan smells. Maybe its something to do with the food, and the concentration of Japanese bottoms. Nah, but you do get wafts of rather unpleasant smells throughout a Tokyo day.
Tonight was challenging but very entertaining. We decided to check out some local cuisine. We are in a very suburban (for Japan) area with heaps of tiny little restaurants. Until now we weren’t brave enough to eat somewhere without little plastic models to point too. It took a long time to establish what we were ordering and what they were actually making. The lady called a lifeline who instructed us in English that we were in a restaurant that specialised in fish…only. After a struggle with words and drawings they did manage to make us some beautiful Nasu Dengaku (eggplant with miso paste). After that it was an evening filled with trying to chat with three people that spoke no English. The cook, his wife and their regular. Most Japanese people know a tiny bit of English, our cook could say “this is a pen”, “that it a pen”, that’s all. We did manage to communicate where we lived, and what we did back home in Australia, among other small things and a lot of laughter. We took a great Polaroid of Emily and the cook, but he really really wanted it so we took another for ourselves. We will post a very dodgy copy taken with our digital camera.
Well that’s us up to date. Alex starts his first day at his branch tomorrow and is very nervous. Hopefully we will get some more photos back tomorrow, so we should (fingers crossed) post them then. Until then… Michi-ni mayotta.
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