First day in Tokyo

After a few interruptions by my dorm room mates, I finally really woke up at 11am. Everyone else had left and checked out, so I took my time to wake up and get ready. I decided that going to Shibuya would be my thing for today, cause the big crossing, which is like the Times Square of Tokyo, had been the first thing that came to my mind when thinking about visiting Tokyo. I also wanted to check out Ginza later.

On the way to Asakusa Metro Station I passed by a coffee house to get a giant coffee to get me started. No matter where I am, I need my caffeine... feel free to call me addicted... :P
I passed a big gate with a lampoon in it and stopped to take some pictures. Around me were many Japanese taking pictures as well. So it's not like they just take millions of pictures when abroad, they do it at home too...

I took the Ginza line all the way to Shibuya and after only a couple of minutes search I found one of the 17 exits at Shibuya station. One that led me to the Hachiko statue... Hachiko is a little dog that used to pick up his owner at the station everyday after work, and kept doing so even after his owner died. Cute story. I think it already made its way to Hollywood and Mr. Gere... Either way, I was at Shibuya. The giant crossing wasn't as filled as you might know it from pictures but it was still pretty full. I took a long walk through the shopping areas and was amazed by the style of the young Japanese women. You think our Hipsters are being all individualistic (and yet all looking the same), you should see the girls here. They all like to wear really short shorts or skirts, and overknee socks, with highheels (mostly ankle boots). They all look different, and many of them look really really pretty. I really wanted to take pictures of some of them. It was like a giant street-style runway.

When I had enough of the crowds at Shibuya, I went one station further to Harajuku to see the Meiji Junku Shrine and the gardens. Unfortunately the Iris and Azaleas weren't blooming, but it was still nice． And the shrine was so simple and beautiful! I especially remember the smell of wood. Smells a lot better than cold stone churches...
Around one of the trees, people from all over the world have written their wishes on little wooden plates and hung them on a wall for their prayers to be heard. Its a beautiful picture with all those plates hanging there with Japanese signs on them. The few that are written in English, German, French, and Spanish that I saw all said the same thing, and I assume the Japanese, Chinese, and Arab ones essentially also wish for the same thing. They wish for happyness and peace for their families. One of them however wished for "Children to dance". I found that very sweet． It went on, but I don't remember it now. I took a picture of it though.

On the way back to the metro I took a little detour to Takeshita street to see some of the Harajuku girls (you might know them from Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl"　music video) dressed up in Gothic Lolita, Visual Kei, and other crazy styles. I sat down with an icecream and just watched people for a while. I didnt get to see too many crazy dressed people. Maybe I need to go back on a Saturday. But I saw a few and it definitely is a close choice for next Carnival season!

As it was getting dark and I was just one station away from Shibuya, I decided to get off there again and see the crossing at dusk / night. I took what felt like 100.000 pictures of the Shibuya crossing when the lights turn green and out of a sudden hundreds of people start walking. Mateusz had asked me Friday night to please shoot a "cool series" from it, and it was harder than I thought. In the end I went into Starbucks, cause it has a second floor with window front. The Japanese guy next to me seemed to wonder at my persistence to take another shot and another shot just to get it right. Once I decided I was done, I went back downstairs and it was finally really dark, so I took some more pictures. Kaoru, my Japanese photography guru, taught me well... ;)

I had dinner at a tiny place in Shibuya. It was fast but good, and eating rice with chop sticks is not so hard when the rice is so sticky! Also, in Japan one is not bound to stick to European etiquette, so bringing the bowl close to your mouth is not a problem... :D

I am now back in the hostel and pretty tired after the 7 hours I have spent walking holes into the streets of Tokyo. Soon it's time for bed, cause tomorrow is a big day: I want to see more from Aksakusa, see Ginza, and wait for Amber to fly in from LA. She'll arrive late but we will have drinks with Kaoru (Karaoke?) and the day after its already time for our day trip to Nikko. Can't wait! :)