Tokyo Part 3: Tokyo!

Not going to lie.  By day 3 we were pretty pooped.  Our feet were sore and we all had at least one blister on our toes or other ailments.  :-)
*grin*

However, we all put our best foot forward and it was off to the subway we went.

Exploring Tokyo is a bit overwhelming unless you have been there before or have lived there.  Brian fits both categories!  Yay Brian!


Brian said we would follow the Yamanote Line on the subway.  It circles the center of the city and goes to most of the places we were going to.  Brian also said it was a popular line where people threw themselves in front of the subway trains.


First, we went to visit the Emperor's Gardens.  It was steamy hot and humid but we walked around for about an hour or so.  Joseph took some amazing photos of the gardens.  There was an actual *huge* moat surrounding the gardens as well.  Really pretty with Koi and turtles swimming around inside of it.

After our trip to the gardens we got in a taxi and went to the neighborhood that housed the famous department store, Mitsukoshi.  We wandered around inside this large department store and bought souvenirs and good things to eat.

Next, we wandered around and shopped at another store then headed back to the subway to go another neighborhood that houses the largest intersection in the world: Shibuya.  When you come up from the subway it is right there.  You cannot miss it.  So big and wide.  Thousands of people crossing the streets each time it is their turn.

It is in this neighborhood where we ate sushi, went shopping in a Claire's (!), and played in a arcade.  So much fun!

 

Tiffany doesn't do sushi so she and Brian went next door for tempura.  Yummy!  The sushi was a real treat.  It was slightly different than expected, but we didn't expect it to be the same as home.  It was really delicious. 

how we ordered

After our meal, Tiffany and I got Starbucks and noticed it was cheaper in Japan in the middle of the largest pedestrian intersection in the world, than in Korea.  Hmm...
Next, we wandered down a few streets.  Found a Claire's!  Brian and Joseph went into the largest comic store in Japan: Mandrake.  It was amazing.  Very large and had whatever you may be interested in about comics and things like that.

We ran across a arcade and went in to see what it was all about.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Just check out the photos.  Not much to say.

Tiffany, Brian and I got sucked into this pig game. It was the best.

Finally, we went to the Harajuku neighborhood by taxi.  Brian said we needed to see the Harajuku girls (and boys) while we were there.  When asked what exactly these girls were, we were told that these girls are girls (and boys) who have been bad in school so some go to schools in the country or schools for bad children and they come here to Harajuku to be themselves.  They dress in extreme styles and are beautiful.  We didn't see many while we were there perhaps because it wasn't the weekend but we saw plenty of punk rocker styles and other similar styles.  It was cool.

an example of the girls (not our photo)

the bridge where you see most of the Harajuku people

yes, this store is exactly what you think it is

Japanese ramen. Yummy!

 

They let us take a picture with them! Love the 4 inch high gator shoes!

Joseph tried all of these except the plum

On our way home to bed!

After an amazing time in Japan and after contributing extensively to the economy it was time to board the plane back to Korea. 

We will be back Japan!