GIVE US YOUR SUGGESTIONS & FEEDBACK ABOUT THE SITE
We will send you an E-mail every time there is a new article in your favorite section. Sign-Up For ALERTS.

World Photo

Tokyo: Three The Hard Way by Ty Roblin Our globe-trotting pal, Ty Roblin, once again checks in with an update on his adventures, this time from the heart of Tokyo Article rating: 6.41

The train slides into the towering concrete chasm of Japan’s capital city two stories above the frenzied traffic; my nose pressed against the glass with anticipation of immersing myself again in the unfamiliar.  Moments later, stepping onto the platform I'm faced with the sheer intensity of the city’s constant flow of people.

The bad news; it is just after 5pm in Tokyo and I find myself with the daunting task of plotting a course through an alien cityscape, neck deep in a relentless current of purposeful rush hour commuters.  The good news; I can see over virtually everyone in every direction, which makes it easy to see the big colorful signs directing me as to which way to go...regrettably, they’re all in Japanese! Much to my surprise (and disappointment) so is most of the advice I receive wherever I asked for assistance.  English may very well be the country’s second language, but you might have to ask in Japanese if that’s really true.

To say my grasp of the language here is rather limited would be a gross understatement.  ‘Hello’, ‘goodbye’, ‘thank you’ and ‘two beers please’ about sums it up.   Thankfully, the Japanese are known for being a very hospitable lot and are more than happy to rattle off something that sounds very polite and even helpful. I only wish I could thumb thru my English/Japanese pocket book quick enough to determine what exactly it is.  More often than not it comes down to a successful exchange of smiling, pointing and nodding that I get going in the right direction. 

It is my first time in Tokyo.  I have no travel guide, no contact numbers, and a hostel booking on a street with no name in an area I can hardly pronounce.  No problem, I think to myself. I’m only here for three days.  How hard could it be? 

It seems silly now, but I honestly thought once I arrived in the city I could just wing it; after all, I’ve done it before on previous trips.  On reflection however, the $30 it would have cost for a Tokyo travel guide would have certainly been money well spent. 

I waited a long time and traveled a long way to walk these city streets, meander the palatial parks and soak up the charismatic Japanese culture first hand and I wasn’t about to let minor details, like not speaking the language or having the faintest idea of where I was going stop me from having a good time.  However, I would be lying if I said that I didn’t for at least a few brief and fearful moments feel besieged with the thought I had bitten off a little more than I could chew.  

In Tokyo, as in the rest of Japan, finding a place from its address can seem near impossible as very few streets have actual names and addresses work by narrowing down the location of a building to a number within an area of a few blocks. Unlike western addresses, they work from top to bottom. 

In other words, it's a damn miracle I found a hostel at all; to say it was confusing would only be the beginning, so it was with much amusement that I later learned it's a source of confusion for many Japanese as well.

It had been over two hours since I first arrived, my bags were growing heavier by the minute, my patience was wearing thin and my last airplane meal of crackers and juice had long since been absorbed.  A motivated search ensued until at last I rounded the corner of an anonymous well-hidden alleyway exposing the glowing sign of an international youth hostel. It was a dreadfully beige, featureless building with a small modest façade; it looked like a clinic or an insurance office.  It was a truly glorious sight. 

After several uncertain train rides, a succession of half bewildered twists and turns through the oppressive confusion of the urban maze the fact that this was NOT the hostel I had made reservations weeks before was of very little concern.  I happily pushed through the doors, a small Japanese man greeted with me a friendly “Hello, how are you?” 

“Hi” I responded surprised, questioning for a moment whether or not I just understood Japanese. Of course it wasn’t the case, but that sure would have come in handy.  

The reception area smelled like cup o’ noodles and looked a lot like the children’s section in a library; pastel colored walls lined with books, pillow seats and colorful cartoon pictures. I approached the counter under the watchful gaze of an eerie display of robot toys and stuffed animals perched in the corner.  At the center of the room sat two little workstations complete with little desk, little chair, and little keyboard…and in that moment it occurred to me that in my haste to find a shower and a bed I had passed a great deal of little things including little cars, little stores, little bikes, little phone booths, little drinks and a little alleyway from which I had just come from.  My guess is that it’s so they can fit more into the city, but that’s just a theory.  

The friendly Japanese man who stood behind the counter welcomed me in and asked, “What kind of room are you looking for today?” 

“Oh no, just a dorm bed will be fine thanks, the cheapest thing available.  I have a student card as well if that helps?”  It was the most English I had put together in one sentence since getting off the plane.

“Ah, yes, there is a discount for students.”

“Great” I replied.

“May I see your passport and ISIC card please?” A standard practice when booking a spot, I was just glad to be understood and perfectly happy to provide him with this knowing that I was minutes away from dropping my bags and taking a well-needed shower.

He marked a few boxes, asked me to ‘sign here’, looked up through the top of his glasses and said, “That will be 5000Yen please.”

I quickly did the rough calculation in my head and was shocked to discover my budget hostel dorm bed with student discount was going to set me back $47US/night.  I was not pleased, but faced with the other option of setting out on another blind search for shelter I reluctantly forked over the money, removed my shoes and shuffled my way upstairs only to find that it wasn’t a bed I had rented at all, but rather a thin sleeping mat on the floor in a traditional looking room with 11 other mats.  As I walked toward to my mat I swore I heard the pitter patter of little feet on the ceiling panels and instantly imagined the creepy greasy haired women and 'meowing' toddler from last year's horror flick ‘The Grudge’ …..aahhaahhaahhaahhaahhaahhaahhaa.  Needless to say I wasn’t thrilled, but it was a place I could drop my heavy bags, freshen up and that’s really all I needed. Within 30 minutes I was ready and out the door eager to take in the bounty of sights, sounds and scents that make up the endless feverish buzz of the world's largest mega-city.

Modern and sophisticated in every way, Tokyo from first glance is worlds away from the ones I’ve known.  I had come a long way to walk amidst it all and was energized with the prospect of exploring as many sections of this monster city as I possibly could.  With exception to a handful of sprawling green spaces like Shinjuku Gyoen and the picturesque grounds surrounding the Imperial Palace, the Tokyo I experienced first was like an immense garden of concrete, glass and light.  A glittery array of low lying towers, skyscrapers, mega store shopping malls, entertainment centers and restaurants united seamlessly by boundless strips of color-coded train lines, roads, escalators and overhead expressways.  

Virtually every building, large or small, in every direction is emblazoned with some sort eye catching palette of brightly lit neon, polished steel and multi-story billboards advertising the latest anime character, Japanese beer or electronic gadget all vying for a passing glance in this attention hungry metropolis.

The sun had set and Tokyo at night is spectacular, as I walk alongside the elevated train through the various food stalls, corner stores and brightly lit sushi bars, I am flanked by an arresting mix of old and new and get the distinct sensation that I’m in some kind of science fiction movie taking place 20 years from now.  Cars that I’ve never seen before roll by one way as a heavily tattooed punk rocker with platform boots, white make-up and a silver Mohawk stroll past in the other direction.  Walking in Tokyo is essential and invigorating, but you can’t walk everywhere.

Before leaving the U.S. I downloaded a map of the JR Line to help streamline my entrance into the city from the airport, which worked great at first, but I was horrified to discover that this particular map depicted only a very general portion of the twelve JR lines in Tokyo's vast metro transit system.  The reality is that Japan boasts the most complex train/transit network in the world and there are actually three separate municipal subway systems, JR lines, Subway lines and various other private lines.  In addition to this there is an almost inconceivable network of suspended trains, monorails, trams, people movers, and the Tokyo Teleport.  What's more is that every map in sight, located conveniently above the ticket kiosks looked to me like a chaotic 30ft wide platter of multihued noodles, minus the English bits.  It may very well be the world’s greatest public people mover, but it definitely takes some serious getting used to.

It's estimated that Greater Tokyo's overall metropolitan area is home to a staggering 34 million residents (26% of Japan’s total population).  That’s nearly 2 million more people than Canada has overall making it the earth's largest 'mega city' with a population density of over 13,400 averaged over the 23 main city wards (districts).

I was confident that a city with that many inhabitants would absolutely attest to being a worthy starting point for my around the world adventure.  Unfortunately it would also prove to be one of the most expensive, thus making it in retrospect much less desirable for setting out on a three-month, around the world, shoe-string budget journey. 

One thing is certain travel makes you hungry.  Understandably the majority of the food you find in Japan is labeled in Japanese, leaving me to find my way to nourishment via the picture on the package, kind of like a game…easy right? For the record this game is much harder to play than one might think.   I soon learned that what appears on the package may not actually be in the package, which is most disconcerting when it's all you've got to go on.  Corner grocers for example showcase a dizzying assortment of instant noodles, candy packs and savory snack treats bearing flavors such as curry octopus, seaweed and yummy fish.  All of which appeared to be interchangeable and not all together appetizing when you're a hungry traveler.   I fought the mounting temptation to dine at McDonald’s in exchange for curry cup o’ noodle, strawberry yogurt and a mini loaf of bread that tasted more like a donut, which made me wonder...what do the donuts taste like? 

If you have money in Japan you will never go thirsty.  Thanks to the over 6 million glowing vending machines peppered throughout the city, each showcasing 30-40 different beverages of which I recognized a grand total of two, Ice Tea and Coca-Cola.  Excluding those mentioned, I felt I should be adventurous and picked the one I thought 'looked' tastiest. The result was a displeasing marriage of V8 (vegetable juice) and fruit punch.  For the record, it cost me $4, I finished the whole can, but I did not enjoy it.  Fruit and veggies are great, but at the same time in liquid form, c’mon!? 

Following that culinary calamity my belly was full and the evening was mine to explore and discover, but as fate would have it two short days before my departure the AC power supply to my trusty notebook computer had passed its last current and died.  I planned on shooting digital for the duration of my trip so unless I wanted to carry around a 5lb PC shaped paperweight it was up to me to explore and hopefully discover where I could find another one as soon as possible.  Earlier on I had relayed my computer crisis to one of the guys I’d met back at the hostel and he quickly suggested a place called Akihabara.  

“You’ll definitely find whatever you need over there. Guaranteed.” He had said with a wry smile. It didn’t take long for me to realize what he already knew.  Akihabara Denak Gai (Electric Town), referred to by locals as Akiba is an area in central Tokyo famous for its high concentration of high tech shops.  With over 1000 specialized stores in the area it is probably the largest shopping district of its kind on earth.  Dominated by neon, a frenetic rainbow colored buzz surrounds you entirely and every conceivable surface seems to glow, flicker or sparkle creating the distinct impression you’ve just stepped into a consumer-centric video game.  With a mind boggling array of cameras, MP3 players, stereos, plasma screens, home appliances and varied computer gear in addition to an infinite supply of video games, consoles and accessories, it is nothing less than heaven for the gadget and gizmo inclined.  I personally lusted over a hundred different items at least, but settled for the one I actually needed, checked my email at a local internet/comic café and wisely left the scene before my credit card could find its way out of my pocket. 

Early the following day after a hearty breakfast of noodles, yogurt and donut bread I made my way to an area of town called Ueno Park, famous for its shopping and many art museums, namely the Tokyo National Museum (TNM).  After an evening of consumer electronic blur I felt like I needed to infuse a little culture into my stay.  My venue of choice (TNM) was very nice and was it not for the much-appreciated multilingual postings the archeological, sculpture; painting and calligraphy exhibits would have been far less educational.

Since 1882, Ueno Park has also been home to Japan's Zoo. Its main attraction is giant panda bears, the first of which were a gift from China in 1972.  Having never seen a Panda before I was looking forward to visiting the present stars, Shaun Shaun and Ling Ling, but when I actually I stood outside their ‘habitat’ I was a little disappointed.  In much the same way one might lament fast food for its misrepresented appearance on the menu board I was led by the brochure to expect a proud and majestic beast with bright white fur and shimmering black patches.  What I saw was a dirty bear (Shaun Shaun) rolling around on its back, exposing itself and doing what looked a lot like scratching its butt with the same bamboo stick that it would periodically put in its mouth. 

I stood there for ten minutes along side a hundred other onlookers peering through the glass hoping for something more, not knowing quite what that might be.  Whatever it was, it didn’t happen though I have a sneaky suspicion that I might very well have been alone in my discontent as the surrounding crowd seemed enchanted ‘ewwing’ and ‘ahhing’ with even the slightest move, cameras, camcorders and picture phones poised in anticipation of Shaun Shaun’s next move.  Oh, oh, oh…he’s stopped using the bamboo…and has taken over with his paw…. how fabulous! 

It was 11 am and Ling Ling was curled up in the far corner sleeping…sadly this was the same way I would find the gorillas huddled in a gristly mass which on approach looked something like a furry black Volkswagen.  Don’t get me wrong Ueno is home to 2600 animals, 464 different species so there was an abundance of wonderfully interesting creatures to look at and photograph, the majority of which were not sleeping or scratching themselves.

I should also mention that Ueno Park is home to a temple, a shrine, an awesome giant bronze blue whale and many of Tokyo’s homeless who have creatively fashioned blue tarps into tents and lean-tos seen throughout the park particularly around the temple. 

Author and long time Tokyoite Donald Richie once wrote, “Shinjuku at night is New Year’s eve anywhere else.”  If Tokyo is the ‘City of Lights’ then Shinjuku is its core and the closest you’ll probably come to feeling like you’re walking through a scene in the sci-fi movie ‘Blade Runner’, minus the grime. 

Shinjuku is Japan’s busiest station and sees on average over 4 million riders in a single day.  Outside amidst the towering skyscrapers lays a glowing concentration of super sized department stores, mini massage parlors and subterranean malls.  It was here after hours of curious exploration that I realized my life is not unlike a Japanese shopping mall. Packed with different characters on a variety of levels, messages coming from every direction and a bevy of possible routes one might take.  However once it all begins to seem like too much and I feel like my head is going to pop I can’t seem to find my way out...no I`m serious, how do you say..."Where is damn exit?" in Japanese? Thank goodness for that McDonald’s teriyaki burger or I might have succumbed to starvation. 

A late night stroll through neighboring Kabukicho exposes what I would later find out is Japan's largest, wildest red light district and home to a sleazy and amusing profusion of discos, pachinko parlors, sex clubs and ‘love hotels’ that are distinctly Japanese with their columns of neon, flashing signs and x-rated anime billboards. 

By the end of my second day in Tokyo, with the help of a handy English train map and little determination getting around was beginning to make sense and finding my hostel came without too much in the way of blind wandering (though not completely without). 

In today’s modern techno advanced environment the cell phone has become a ubiquitous device and nowhere is this truer than in Japan where much of the population is equipped with mobiles featuring the latest in email, picture and video capabilities.  There are hundreds of cutting edge choices many of which make ours look like pitiful antiques.  It’s truly a shame that they aren’t compatible with western systems.

It goes without saying that there are a LOT of people in Tokyo; everywhere you go (except when you’re shuffling down the alley toward your hostel late at night, then it’s just you…and if you have a lively imagination, that creepy women from ‘The Grudge’...aaahhhhaahhhhhhahahahahahah).  Now imagine every third or fourth person you see is holding up and peering into one of these power packed handsets surfing the web, playing games and writing or sending emails at a never-ending pace.  This activity is so prevalent that it’s referred to as ‘keitei culture’ after the native term used for mobile phones and it’s impossible to miss if you ever make this trip.

During my stay in Tokyo, I do a great deal of people watching and feel compelled to comment on Japan’s unique and diverse fashion sense.  It’s not hard to get caught up in the steady flow of a city that never seems to stop moving so sometimes it’s nice to do just that; stop moving.  In this case it’s outside Shibuya train station on retaining wall beside a faintly disturbing sculpture of at least a half a dozen naked babies.  From here I am free to observe the immense unrelenting currents of people passing in every conceivable direction. 

At first glance everyone looks different, but after only minutes the pattern begins to reveal itself.  What I’m seeing is Japanese ‘street fashion’ first hand from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Everything from dreadfully drab black business suits with black-rimmed glasses to live dynamically distinct versions of Tokyo’s hottest anime characters.  At first it’s hard to make each one out in a churning sea of colors, shades and patterns; electric pink, green and orange, meshed with prints, vinyl, fur and leather.  

One brave young man with large bright pink hair sports a striped red blazer, vivid green pants and shimmering gold colored sneakers; his bag is an unsettling plaid and I’m forced to wonder while he makes his way through the crowd whether or not he looked in the mirror before leaving the house.  A girl passes breaking my line of sight, she’s has bright blue hair, heavy make-up, platform knee high boots, and a frilly gothic French maid outfit on. Is this place for real?  Swirling around me amongst the ‘normally’ dressed is a myriad of wild hair colors and styles, mini skirts, jersey’s, droopy stilettos, Louis Vuitton bags, crazy hats, plaid skirts, kimonos, alligator sneakers, slouchy socks, vintage wear, spikes, Hawaiian prints, feathers, bondage chrome all the way to up to fully fantasy infused regalia …the list goes on and on and the combinations are almost unending.  

It seems that fashion trends in Japan are restricted only by the outwardly limitless creativity of the young and their ability to express and identify themselves via fashion. I regret that I did not make it to legendary Harajuku an area of Tokyo where many of these trendsetters congregate weekly to strut their stuff, socialize and pose for the curious public.

On my way across town on my final morning I spotted a cluster of rides, including several rollercoasters  (of which I’m a huge fan).  I immediately got off the train and made my way back to the scene.  What I had spotted was Tokyo’s Dome City theme park.  Besides that there was a pro baseball stadium, a luxury skyscraper hotel and super spa complex for those in need of pampering.  I wasn’t interested in a manicure and though I could have used a massage I was headed for one thing and one thing only, the ‘Thunder Dolphin’.   3500ft long, 265ft at its highest point and promise of speeds up to 80 miles an hour!!! A 1000Yen later we were rolling back into loading bay, it was all over, but man what a rush! 

The day was pushing on and I felt it was time to balance things out a little and visit something with history, which I would find across town in Asakusa.  As a result of all the people watching, train riding and continuous walking I was beginning to get a bit hungry and noodles and donut bread was just not going to do it.  I ascended from Asakusa station and perused the picture menus outside a few restaurants before venturing down into a quaint Japanese barbeque house.  Where I ordered and inhaled what would become the best meal I would have on my visit. 

Today Asakusa is cheerful and charming. The crowds are drawn by Sensoji Temple, the Five Storied Pagoda and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade. But for visitors between the sixteen and eighteen hundreds, the attraction was somewhat different.  Asakusa contained the notorious "Yoshiwara", the city's licensed pleasure quarter.  Today the grounds surrounding the oldest and most impressive temple in Tokyo is clearly geared more toward the more common tourist with a congested array of fortune tellers, pray stations, food vendors and an endless display of knick-knacks for sale. 

With a 7:45 night flight to Hong Kong looming my time in Tokyo was quickly running out.  I headed back to the hostel to get my things, arriving only to discover that it was closed between the hours of 10am and 5:30pm.  Closed? What kind of accommodation closes in the middle of the day? I was incensed to say the least; I hammered on the door hoping someone might be inside, I yelled through the mail slot, maybe someone would hear.  Nobody did and it soon became clear that there was little else I could do, but wait.  I waited for two hours before anyone even showed up, turns out I hadn’t read the small print and had come and gone in previous days without even noticing.  I hustled up my gear in about 3 minutes flat, ran back to the train and tried my best to get to the airport in the final minutes.  A good attempt too, I arrived twenty minutes before my flight was to leave, but it was too late.  To make matters worse the next flight would not be leaving until 7:45 the following night and to add insult to injury I was required to pay $100US for a date change. 

Unwilling to add a $30 dollar return train ride back into the city or pay for another night on a mat in a hostel that had recently rubbed me the wrong way I surrendered to the idea of sleeping in the airport.  All things considered, it could have worse; I perused the shops, took pictures, ate at a sushi bar with a view, skimmed magazines to my heart’s content and watched sumo wrestlers battle it out on a twenty foot screen.  I made my flight this time for sure and was thrilled to be heading toward my next adventure.  As the lights of Tokyo dissolved beneath the clouds I promised myself that one day soon I would return to Japan with more time, more money and definitely a travel guide. 

^ Back to top

* Your Name:
* Email address:
	(Enter the code shown)
	(Your e-mail address will not show on the site and is used so that we can contact you back if needed)
* Your Comment about this article::
	Include me in the TGP Monthly Newsletter