Tokyo Zoo

Flashy blinding neon lights, the sound of blaring music and sales people screaming out of their megaphones, people people people... and more people. Being in Tokyo for less then two days was enough for me to realize that I have been stuck in my small town of Fukushima for waaayyy too long. My ears were still ringing as I was getting off the 90 minute shinkansen ride. Why did I wait so long? And when is my next invitation?

At first, I was going to go to Tokyo by bus, because it was much cheaper. I have been trying very hard to save money for when my family comes to visit. However, I was too late to reserve my bus tickets and every bus was sold out. But after much persuasion from my friend Donna, I gave in and decided to leave on Saturday morning with her sister and her boyfriend who were visiting from Australia.

After spending $160 on a 2 day trip to Tokyo, this had to be worth it! The train ride was somewhat of a drag, since both Donna's sister, Becky, and her boyrfiend, Ben, were not the most exciting couple. I was also very surprised and dissapointed by the way they reacted when they initially stepped into the streets of Tokyo. They didn't seem impressed or interested one bit! Meanwhile, I didn't know where to look, I didn't know what to say, I was totally speechless and taken back by all the movement. I was utterly overwhelmed by everything that was happening around me.

Firstly, we had to find their hostel in Shinjuku from the Tokyo metro station. The over usage of arrows in Tokyo train stations would even give Magellan a hard time. I dont know how many times we had to walk in circles before finding the proper metro line. Finally on the subway, I was suprised by how empty the trains were. I always had this image of being shoved in and stuck in between people's smelly armpits. We all had an available seat and once we arrived to our metro destination I think we walked 1/4 accross the Tokyo undergroung system before getting to the proper exit. If people tell you Tokyo is big, please dont be stupid and tell them otherwise. It's like Toronto times eight!

So after dropping off their luggage we walked throughout Shinjuku and decided to go to Yoyogi park for a stroll. My travel book told me that it was an interesting young people hang-out place, but much to my dismay all we could see were old Japanese people taking their afternoon walks and tourists.

Although I was surprised by the serene and calm atmosphere of the park, I think it was a nice breather before diving back into the madness of Tokyo. At our exit, we had to cross this bridge towards Harajuku best known as the goth hang out place where you can find the famous Harajuku girls.

They are accustumed to pose for tourists. so here you are Heidi, your Harajuku girls. Usually there are appearantly more of them and more excentric looking ones, but I guess there was another gothic party elsewhere.

At this point we were headed towards Shibuya crossing, the most crossed intersection in the world! I was amazed to see so many foreigners and hear so much English. Even Japanese people were speaking English between each other. As we were getting closer and closer to Shibuya crossing, the intersections were getting bigger and bigger and more crowded. I was scared to lose Ben and Becky among the crowd. I felt like I was going to a Rolling Stones concert, but this was typical Tokyo. And then there it was, Shibuya crossing... the famous intersection that basically defines Japan in all its glory. It was there, right in front of me and I knew right then and there that I was in Japan. We decided to get a latte at the Starbucks facing the crossing and to go to the second floor to have a better view. It said we were not allowed to take pictures, but I took some anyway. Here are just a few I took incognito.

People waiting to cross...

People starting to cross...

Half-way there...

Largest human obstacle course...

I made it! Ouff!

After shopping in a few stores at Shibuya station it was time to make it back to the hostel and get ready for my big night out on Roppongi Hills.

We left for dinner after watching an hour of olympic curling between Canada and Japan, and some extreme Dodgeball without Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn. I had to meet Donna in Roppongi so we had dinner in that area, which is probably the most westernized location in Japan. It was so bizarre. It wasn't Japan, it wasn't America, it was like an international neutral ground where all countries united and partied together. I didnt know what to think, but I felt like I was on another planet away from everything I had ever known!

We went to this chinese restaurant with a promising atmosphere but with shitty food and shitty service. After dinner, we were pressured by these jamaican bouncers to have a cheap drink at a dodgy underground bar. We had time to have a drink there before meeting Donna and her Tokyo friends.

I kinda felt like the fifth wheel during that dinner, but I prefered being single rather then being stuck with someone as lame as these 2 guys. Anyway, Donna and her friends decided to go to the Hard Rock Cafe for some good old American dining. I didn't eat since I had dinner already, but thank god for that, because the small italien salad was nearly $18. Soon after their dinner it was time to hit the sleazy Roppongi bars.

We stayed out the whole evening and the whole night until the sun came up. We had a Turkish Kabob before taking the first morning train to Chiba to crash at one of Donna's friends. At 3pm, we woke up and dreamt of a western breakfast that was impossible to find anywhere on our way back to downtown Tokyo. I had a massive hungover which resulted from mixing way too many alcoholic drinks. I felt like I was runover by a tank, but I was happy not to be the only feeling out of it. We finally hit an Irish Pub for dinner before getting on the Shinkansen back to rural Fukushima.

All that time bar-hopping through Roppongi, I felt like one of these girls on Girls Gone Wild. I am still waiting for this picture of this one bartender shooting out flames from his mouth accross the bar. Unbelievable... Did this all really happen?

I hope this is just one Tokyo experience of many more to come. I am nonetheless very grateful to live in a smaller town away from such madness. It is so quiet here. Before visiting Tokyo I was already criticizing Japan for its unbearable noise pollution and sensory overload, and Fukushima was just a sample of what I experienced this last week-end.

e.