It’s been an exhausting first full day here. Of course we woke up at about 7am and thought we’d get up and around and not waste the morning – only to realise that we’re staying in an area that doesn’t wake up before noon. I’m psyching myself up to try the Japanese version of breakfast at our hotel: this morning I chickened out with toast, while at the table next to us a man ate rice with raw egg and fermented soy beans. And orange juice; I guess some things are universal.
Shinsaibashi is a huge shopping area, essentially a pastiche of Western culture, mixed with what Westerners imagine Japanese culture to be. There are a lot of American fast food chains around, but also dozens of pachinko parlours (a cross between poker machines and pinball), shrines down hidden laneways, and paper lanterns glowing down the road from huge walls of neon. Outside a Wendy’s hamburger bar we saw a man playing with a monkey. We also found a pet store and discovered that puppies are about the most expensive thing you can buy here, possibly why we’ve seen so few of them around the city (quite a change after Summer Hill). We ventured down to Den-Den town, the electronics district, where Sim was disappointed (but only, I suspect, because he went looking for something specific) and I was largely ambivalent.
For dinner, we wandered aimlessly for a while before randomly selecting a place once hunger and tiredness caught up with us. As we entered, we worried we’d let ourselves in for a more expensive meal than we’d planned, as what seemed from the outside like a small (though traditional-looking) eatery turned out to be an underground labyrinth of dining areas and private dining rooms, decorated with screens, dark wood furnishings and bamboo. (Sim also asks me to note the water features.) Iona and Tanja, I hope I can remember enough detail when we get back to fill you both in. Not only was the room spectacular, the food was good, and as it turned out, was not at all overpriced.
Sounds like you’re enjoying it all! You both write write and do well to be frequent – well so far anyway –though I must say I am disappointed there are no updates of your bag contents!
As a Japanese connoisseur I believe that I may be of some assistance in your trip around the beloved mecca of White Powder (Snow – the frozen type). Firstly with your mobile issue you need a minimum of 3G with international roaming (you are in the land of the useless invention which not only uses 4G mobile but invents umbrellas that can be worn as hats). Secondly the Coffee issue this was an issue especially with 8 males who drank to much yet needed to be on the first lifts at 8am – we found a version of coffee available in a can and in a vending machine “mountain blend” or “rainbow blend” although suspicious of anything in a can (except alcohol as this is sterile and safe) it is actually very refreshing (may not be rain forest alliance although with the amount of recycling in Japan your fine on the hippie side of lie). Ok now onto food and travel – which one – travel is awesome especially on the trains where the home of sushi packs came from as they sell them on the station and are fantastic. Make sure you pick your carriage correctly and don’t listen to JR east as they sent us west. Food is amazing the best fresh fish! The best burgers (MOS BURGER – a chain much like Oporto but have amazing burgers at the best price but you need a few as they are mini burgers).
There is a random fill of information – after 3 years visiting, lessons I have learn include eat where older people are as this is best. Visit MaxValu as it was the funniest supermarket I ever went, The toilet seats are meant to be warm… and sake is not all its cut out to be. PS Tokyo station is 45 minutes walk across and 1 hour 10 minutes around, and you can not get sushi rolls which confused me (they are triangular)
Whoops that was a bit of a silly message – clearly I don’t write as well as you two… What i meant to say was you both write well and do a good job at writing frequently – even if it has only been three days
Hi Andrew! Thanks for the tips. I’ve been meaning to try out some of the many mysterious drinks available in the vending machines (Sim is keen to try something that has Godzilla on it, I’m not sure whether I support that or not…). I’ll take your word for it and start with the mountain blend. We did survive our first journey on the Shinkansen, and luckily Sim found us a non-smoking carriage (there’s a silent carriage! hee!). Some Western men we saw on the subway in Osaka accidentally went into the women’s carriage and came out shamefaced. So far we’ve only travelled west, but I’ll keep an eye on JR east when we head back in that direction.
As for toilets – the hotels we’ve been in so far have both had toilets with built-in bidets, which even if you don’t turn them on start making gurgling noises as soon as you sit down. It’s unsettling to say the least…