Tokyo Trip - Final

Last night, after visiting the Senso-ji Temple, I headed back to Matt's place. We decided to go to dinner in Shinjuku at a traditional Japanese restaurant with Andrew and Kentaro. I don't recall the restaurant's name, but it was authentic as you could get. They had the low tables where you sat on the ground (although they seated us at a regular table), Japanese sliding doors, all of the staff were in kimonos and required you to remove your shoes upon entry. My favorite were the slippers that you wear while in the bathroom (and must stay in the bathroom when you leave). 


For the meal, I once again let Matt and the group order for me. We ordered so much food, most of which was seafood. I don't think I've ever eaten so many different kinds of raw and cooked fish. I was a bit hesitant because I'm really picky about fish, but I did try all the different kinds. Some of the it was quite good, like the fried stingray fin. Others weren't quite as good, like the cold. We also tried two different kinds of Sake and you could really notice a difference in taste between the two. After eating and drinking our fill, we went to a few bars and then to a karaoke bar. They even got me to sing, which is not easy to do. Overall, it was a fun and memorable. Below are a few pics.   

The boys at dinner  (From Left to Right: LD, Andrew, Kentaro, Matt)

LD and Matt

Me and a Fine "Lady"

Today is my last day in Tokyo. I have a few spare hours this afternoon before I have to leave for the airport back to HK. I decided to spend them exploring the area around Matt's house. The weather was absolutely perfect...sunny and around 70 degrees F. I began by heading East and looped around through Akasaka and Midtown Tokyo. There were tons of people out, running, biking and roller-blading because of the great weather. One of the most memorable places I got to see was the Aoyama Cemetary. I know it sounds odd, but I'm really interesting to see how other cultures honor their deceased. It gives you a lot of insight into their culture. Plus, it is quiet and peaceful. Pics of my day and the cemetary are posted below.  

Akasaka Palace

A neighborhood shrine/cemetary in Akasaka

Tokyo Midtown Center

Tokyo Midtown Center Garden

Aoyama Cemetary

Aoyama Cemetary (The Christian Section)

After my afternoon of exploration, I set off for the airport. Matt and LD were gracious enough to drop me off at Tokyo station so I could catch the Narita Express out to Narita. I got there in plenty of time for my flight, which gave me some time to buy a few more souvenirs. The flight was fine, although there was quite a bit of turbulence. The seats had TVs in the back of them so I watched the movie Hugo and learned some Cantonese. I arrived in Hong Kong around 11:30 pm, just in time to catch the last train back to Central.


While I was sad to leave Tokyo, I was also excited to get back to Hong Kong, which was starting to feel like home. Tokyo was such a unique city and I would love to visit again. Next time, I'd like to see a bit more of Tokyo, but more importantly see more of Japan. If I did visit again, I would consider doing a guided tour or have a local to show me around (like Matt and LD did). Lost in Translation isn't far off when navigating Japan- having a local guide makes a huge difference. 


I'll leave you with a couple more pics my exit from Tokyo. 

Tokyo Rice Paddies

Tokyo (from above)

Justin