We were able to check into the hostel upon our return. We got our first peak at our capsule beds. They were amazing, a spacious wooden box with a little light, shelf, and a curtain at the end. I really want a capsule in my house! They were so dark when the curtain was drawn that it was perfect for daytime napping. We napped for a couple of hours, got ready, and headed out to Odaiba. Odaiba is an island made of reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay. It is an entertainment area and where the giant Gundam robot was located. We got a great view of the Rainbow Bridge on our way over. It is a beautiful bridge that lights up with rainbow colors at night. Unfortunately, I didn't get any successful pictures of it through the train window. Once we arrived on the island, Wali asked someone where Gundam was. We were told the worst news, Gundam was gone! Gundam was only up for two months even though it was an amazing 60 ft robot that should stay up forever. We missed it by two weeks. We were very sad. We made the most of our night by eating a delicious and cheap Italian meal and taking a ride on the Hello Kitty ferris wheel. The ferris wheel had great views of the city. I didn't realize how afraid of heights I was until we were almost at the top, but my fear was amusing to everyone else. We took the train to the Tsukiji where the famous fish market was. We were very early for the fish market which starts hopping around 4:30AM so we wondered the streets looking for karaoke. We stopped in a few places, but they were so expensive we decided to just go drinking at an izakaya. We stayed for a few hours and slowly made our way back to the Tsukiji Fish Market. On our way there we stopped in a McDonald's for some coffee. We went to the upstairs seating area and saw several businessmen passed out sleeping on the tables. It is common for people do do that when they miss the last train. It was pretty funny to see in person. I didn't know much about the fish market, other than it was a must see and they had auctions for enormous tuna. I was so excited. We found the main entrance and wandered in. There were trucks, forklifts, and small barrel-looking trucks zipping in every direction. Margaux went to ask an employee where the large fish were. He pointed deeper into the market and as Margaux stepped back a barrel truck drove inches behind her almost running over her leg. This was our first realization of how dangerous this place was. We walked further in, but stayed together in close formation. Further in the market was even more crazy. The moving vehicle numbers had quadrupled and we were stuck in the middle of it. We didn't see any other tourists. We went into a building where we could see men setting up booths with all sorts of different seafood. We made our way to a large hall where there were hundreds of styrofoam boxes that they were unloading fish from. It was intense and to say we were in the way would be an understatement. I took a few pictures and then we all decided it is best that we leave. Now, getting out of there was the problem. I couldn't even count how many times one of us almost stepped right in front of a moving vehicle. We tried to make sense of the pathways and find a safe way out of market, but there was no sense to be made. It only made sense to the hundreds of employees who were zipping about. We got closer to the entrance and saw an elderly employee walking the same way we were. We lined up single file behind him and followed him to the entrance like little ducklings. I think he was onto us as we approached the entrance and seemed a little paranoid that a line of foreigners was following him so closely. We made it out safely and were alive with adrenaline by the end of it. When it was all said and done, all we could do was laugh and tell stories of our recent bonding experience. The trains started up again so we slowly walked to the station and headed back to the hostel alongside all the tired Japanese commuters who had been up all night also.
Shinkjuku
Garlic filled pasta topped with a par boiled egg. Yum!
This is me freaking out on the ferris wheel.
The sleepy train ride home.
The next day, or I guess the same day since we got home at 6AM, we slept in a little. We woke up and went to Akihabara, the big electronics district in Tokyo. It was awesome. After walking around for a little bit, the girls decided to go to Shibuya and the boys stayed in Akihabara. We went to Shibuya and participated in "the scramble." The scramble is a massive intersection where hundreds of people cross with every light change. It was incredible. We walked around Shibuya until later when we made plans to meet the boys at Tokyo Tower. We got a little lost looking for Tokyo Tower, but eventually found it and it was beautiful lit up in shades of red and blue. We grabbed a cheap bite to eat at the Tokyo Tower and went down the road to the Zojo-ji Temple. It was really awesome to see the shrine with the electric glow of the Tokyo Tower in the background. We made plans to go out that night, but all decided to head home and get some sleep.
The last day we were there we decided to split up again after breakfast. We ate breakfast at a pastry shop in Shinjuku Station. It was stupendous. The boys went to Akihabara and the girls went Asakusa to see the Senso-ji Temple. Around the temple are cute shops and booths set up selling delicious food. The temple is known for its giant chochin, lantern. Asakusa was very charming so we spent a lot of time there. We decided to go to Ginza next. We arrived right at dusk and it was magical. Ginza is home to several department stores and upscale shops. The main drag was shut down due to it being a holiday so everyone was leisurely strolling through the street. We went to an antique mall in Ginza. It was expensive, but full of awesome stuff. There was a little coffee shop in the basement that offered tea, coffee, and beer. We decided to have an afternoon coffee and were so glad we did. The most adorable barista served us. She had a permanent smile and watching her make coffee was amazing. She was so detailed and patient. The result was an exceptional cup of coffee. She offered to take our picture as she could see how entertained we were with the place. She also brought us out tiny wafer-like cookies in the shape of delicate flowers and hot tea. The cookies had a light citrus taste and melted in the mouth. It was such a nice little place. We headed out, hit up Muji, and started back towards Shinjuku to meet up with the boys. After meeting up with the boys, we decided to go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Building one more time to get the awesome view at night. It was breathtaking and a great way to end our trip. Tokyo, you have a piece of my heart now.
Ginza
