Tokyo has me at a loss for words. This was hands down one of the best places I have ever been to in my entire life. This particular trip was nothing like any of my other trips, which makes sense because Tokyo is not a place that just blends in. If I could describe Tokyo and my trip in one word, it would be absurd. Everything about it was absurd. But I could also use words such as hilarious, amazing and perfect. I made friends from all over the world and had experiences that most people will never have. So what exactly did I do/see/experience in Tokyo...? Here we go:
- Transportation: Tokyo's railway (Subways and Metros) system is known for being the most confusing system in the world. We had a goal to learn how to use the railway system (which is composed of thirteen different lines owned by various private and public companies). It was pretty crazy but we eventually got the hang of it, with a whole lot of guidance from the workers. We had extra incentive to figure out the system because taxis in Japan are outrageously priced and Tokyo is the biggest city in the world. We had no option but taking public transportation if we wanted to explore the city.
- Owl Cafes: Tokyo is famous for its many different cafes-cat cafes, lizard cafes, goat cafes, etc. They are literally what they sound like: little cafes that you can eat in while being surrounded by animals. I am not positive that it is the most sanitary experience but it was definitely an awesome one. We went to an owl cafe in Koenji, a hipster area in Tokyo. It is a tiny cafe but has five owls, a lizard and delicious tea and snacks. The owls are not caged and we got to get up close and personal with them (which is any Kappa's dream).
- Akihabara & Anime: Akihabara is the part of Tokyo described as the "nerd district." Akihabara is street after street of video game shops, anime stores and huge multi-level arcades. I wouldn't have said that any of those things are my thing but Akihabara arcades can turn anyone into an game lover (and burn holes in your pockets). There are hundreds of different games (from video games to this crazy version of air hockey) and a special type of photo booth (Purikura). Purikura is every middle school girl's dream. For four dollars, you go in a photo booth and take about eight pictures. Then they are edited to give you really big "anime eyes" and airbrush your skin. Next, you get to decorate them with fun effects, writing and add makeup. We had way too much fun with Purikura (it was probably best that we discovered it the last day).
- Onsen: Japan is known for its public bath houses so, of course, we had to try one. Onsens are basically a heated bath that is believed to have healing powers to the mind and spirit. We found one near our hostel and wandered over, completely oblivious to what we were getting ourselves into. We paid the fee and entered the women's onsen. We were greeted by a bunch of old, naked Japanese women who saw our doe-eyed expressions of pure confusion. Despite the language barrier, they all sprung into maternal mode and gave us their towels (since we didn't even think to bring them) and walked us around the onsen (still naked) to show us how to shower beforehand. That was an experience, all right. Only in Tokyo...
- Disney: Disney, a universal company, even feels different in Tokyo. We went to Disneysea, the only Disneysea in the entire world. It is a Disneyland geared for an older target market that focuses on Disney's ocean themed movies (such as The Little Mermaid and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). The rides were not as thrilling as I expected, but they had amazing animation. The theme park was already different from the Disney that I had known, which was an interesting opportunity for such a big Disney lover. What was even more interesting to see were the
- Shibuya Crossing: Not only did I get to experience the biggest city in the world, I also got to visit the largest intersection in the world. The Shibuya Crossing has about 2500 pedestrians cross it per light change (there are five different directions to cross), and five million people cross it per day. I am so happy to say that I was one of them.
I have countless memories and stories from Tokyo. I could honestly write all day about this amazing trip. Even though almost no one spoke English and wardrobes were downright insane, Tokyo found a special part of my heart. It took some warming up since for the first time ever in Asia, I had culture shock, but I managed to fall in love with that city in four days and will definitely be back someday (most likely when I am rich, because Tokyo knows how to break a bank). Tokyo is nothing like what I had expected and nothing like I have ever experienced before and I will always love it. So Arigato to Japan for such an incredible journey!