Last Day in the Mountains

Another early breakfast at the ryokan.  It’s another very formal and  traditional type of meal with many small dishes we do not recognize.  We eat quietly, thinking about today’s trip.  We are a bit nervous.  We have a lot of luggage with us, and somehow we must get back to Kyoto to the shinkansen (bullet train) station and then on the train itself, followed by another city train to our hotel in Tokyo where we will meet our housemate and friend (also traveling in Asia) who has just arrived in Tokyo himself.  We have no idea how this is going to work.  A few days earlier, our cab driver promised to be back to pick us up and take us back to Kyoto Station.  We hope he will be true to his word.  It’s hard to imagine that tonight we will be in Tokyo.

Upon checkout the charming lady at the front of the ryokan gives us a “pray-zen-to” which we eventually understand to mean “present.”  It’s three onsen towels (one for each of us) with some graphics and the name of the onsen printed on each.  We thank her.  Our taxi arrives and we prepare to head back to Kyoto station.  Catastrophe strikes… I realize my wallet is missing just as we are ready to leave.  Teresa had it in her purse… go figure!

Now we are standing in Kyoto station with huge pieces of luggage and hours before our train departs.  We decide to have our one McDonalds meal at this time, since we don’t want to take the gigantic suitcases into a nicer restaurant.  It’s extremely crowded and our luggage barely fits between seats at the counter.  But, we are on our way to Tokyo.  Somehow, this will work.

Departures

The shinkansen tracks are inside Kyoto station so it’s very easy to get to where our train will depart.  We had reserved tickets earlier in the trip, so we knew which car and seats we would be looking for.  Still, we had to ask for help.  It seemed there was a lot of potential for confusion but eventually someone directed us to the proper waiting area.  The train arrives.  It looks similar to an airplane in the front, but the cars are still somewhat rectangular.

Waiting for the Bullet Train

A moment of panic as we try to figure out where to put our luggage.  I had read online that there are places in the front and back of each car for stowage, but in the rush of 100 people getting on the train at once, we didn’t have time to fiddle with it.  We ended up with our luggage with us around our legs.  Luckily, there is plenty of room (unlike an airplane).

The ride is fast and quiet.  Nozomi, the train we are on, is the fastest bullet train type.  Cities, landscapes, temples, mountains rush by.  It makes me sad to think of the state of public transportation in the states.

Tokyo City Trains

After arriving at Shinagawa station in Tokyo, we realize just how different Tokyo is going to be from Kyoto.  The pace is frantic as people move through the station.  We start to see many different fashions, some outrageous, some extremely business-like all around.  We will have to take the Yamanote line to Shibuya station, closer to our hotel.  We drag our huge luggage off the train and enter the Tokyo city train system.  Our shinkansen ticket works for the Yamanote line, we find.  The train arrives quickly and is everything I expect a Japanese train to be.  Clean, orderly.  There are LCD screens indicating which stops are coming up and how long it will take to arrive at each.  The voice announcing the stops is clear and polite.  I dread going back to Washington DC’s metro trains when this trip is over.  Finally we hear it- “Shibuyaaaa…. Shibuyaaaa…” the voice says.  We get off.  We are in Tokyo.

Almost.  We need to get to the hotel Cerulean Tower.  But the station is large, and we don’t know which exit to use.  We decide to try “new south exit” and follow the signs for it.  And we walk.  And walk.  And walk.  After what seems like half an hour, we are standing outside.  The hotel is nowhere in sight.  We hail a taxi and pile in.

Upon checking in, we find, of course, that the hotel is right on the opposite side of the station, the side we had just walked away from.  Our friend Jared is waiting in the Lobby.  He looks relieved to see us.  We finish checking in after a slight misunderstanding about the room and number of beds we need, and head up to the room to get settled before exploring Tokyo.  The accommodations are decent, to say the least.

Not a Bad View

First things first, we need something to eat.  We find a likely restaurant (it says they have katsu donburi, always my standard of excellence) and walk in.  Only it’s not what we expect.  Immediately inside the door is a giant vending machine with buttons for food.  You choose what you want, pay the machine, and a ticket comes out with your order on it.  This is given to the cook behind a small counter and your food is ready in a few minutes with a mug of green tea to wash it down.  I had heard about these places before but we didn’t intend to find one just yet.  The food turns out to be just great and it is certainly fast and easy.

Eating at the Ticket Vendor Restaurant

Exploring Tokyo in the evening is an experience.  As a photographer and traveler, I feel instantly in love with the city.  Every corner, every side street and shop window seems to hold a new mystery.  We walk for quite a while and take it all in.  I feel that I could just explore forever.

Walking in Shibuya

We seek out some game centers.  They are everywhere, so we don’t have to look for long.  These are gigantic.  Each floor houses a certain type of attraction, from prize machines and photo booths for the girls to vintage 2d fighting games and intense robot pilot simulators.  I notice a row of nice looking Street Fighter 4 cabinets and can’t resist a few matches.

We walk some more.  Things are everywhere.  People are everywhere.  Food and music and sounds are all around us.  Arcades, department stores, bars, convenience stores, neon signs, karaoke, restaurants and badly translated English advertisements surround us.  Men dressed in business suits wait to cross the street shoulder to shoulder with girls dressed up like outrageous anime cartoon characters.  People dressed as vampires.  People just trying to get home for the night.  Guys with mohawks and wild colored clothing.  Girls with incredibly fake tans, tons of makeup and micro-mini skirts.  Throngs of people cross the street every 45 seconds- Shibuya boasts the busiest crosswalk in the world.  The sensory stimulation just doesn’t seem to run out.  I honestly believe you could wander Tokyo for your whole life and never get bored.

Exploring Shibuya

After walking around a bit we head back to the hotel for some energy drinks and rest.  I down a bottle of Real Gold.

Jared and I go out for beers (we ended up at a very upscale little place in a dungeon-like basement of a skyscraper by accident- we have no idea what to look for as far as drinking establishments go here in Japan) and to explore a bit more at night, while the girls check out various convenience stores near the hotel for the best deals on snacks and drinks for the room.

Exploring Late Night Shibuya

Jared is headed back to his hotel.  Tomorrow we will see a lot more of Tokyo.  I can’t wait.

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