Odaiba - a man made island

It was a quiet night on Odaiba. What a great feeling it was to be away from the busy streets of Tokyo. I was becoming irate from walking into the big clouds of cigarette smoke, sweaty and smelly people bumping into me, and hearing "irashaimase" (welcome) being yelled out every 10 seconds. Yes, it is a really nice gesture, but does the entire kitchen staff and servers have to scream in my ear while I'm trying to enjoy breakfast, lunch, AND dinner?

Anyway, back to what I was saying...Transportation to the island was an attraction itself. We took an elevated train that zipped through and above the city. It ran on rubber wheels and was completely operated by a computer system. No humans needed on board to navigate. It seemed to me that it was the "Prius" of all trains. It was so quiet, you couldn't hear it pull up in the station and was very eco-friendly. The train literally crossed the Rainbow Bridge, riding next to cars that were headed in the same direction. It circled around Odaiba to reveal its futuristic wonders and made a complete stop at Aquacity, where we had spectacular views of the Tokyo skyline. Much to my surprise, we saw the small replica of The Statue of Liberty.

The rainbow themed Island was apparent. At some moments, the bridge did have rainbow colors reflecting on it...hence "Rainbow Bridge". The little ferries that floated below, glowed in vibrant neon rainbow colors and hosted fancy dinner parties.


I was blown away by the panoramic view of Tokyo.

...more of Tokyo...

The final stretch of our journey in Tokyo consisted of a lot of site seeing. The country itself is a place for worship. Shrines, burial sites, temples, etc...and can be found anywhere between the deep mountain side, or right in the middle of the city, next to Tokyo Tower. We also had time to watch a kabuki act at the Kabuki-za theater in Ginza. A performance of kabuki is known to be one of the most unique theater experiences in the world. If only we were able to understand what was being said.



Anyhoo, we searched for the Imperial Palace for nearly 2 hours and ended up disappointed. The Imperial palace was blocked off and even had standing guards. It was only to be viewed from afar. Regardless, it still looked majestic with the sun and blue sky in the backdrop.


Tokyo Tower was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. We had more fun inside its gift shops than standing outside. The gift shops occupied 3+ floors and had all sorts of cute trinkets that the Japanese are known for.


Sissy was fascinated by these stone figurines. We're guessing that they're used to keep the ashes of the deceased.


This was only a small part of the cemetery, but the whole site was pleasant to be in. It felt like people were celebrating life and it wasn't morbid like the cemeteries in the States.

A few things I've learned

1. Fashion is a way of life... see the masses of people waiting behind red ropes, trying to get into the 6 story Forever 21 store. It's funny...a block down from here, you'll find Harakju St. where young girls stroll the street in the most outrageous costumes ever seen. They are so bold and daring here. I love it.







2. People in Tokyo are always sleeping. When there's time to sit, there's time to sleep!



3. Children go to school 7 days a week and they rock these cute uniforms. Everything on them is presented perfectly...down to their socks.

Day and Night

Sakura Hotel: Our first hotel in Tokyo. What had looked like a nice hotel on the website, turned out to be a cramped hole in the wall hostel. The room + bathroom was the size of my bedroom back home in San Jose.

At the Tokyo Government Building's observation deck, some 45 floors up, we saw a complete 360 degree view of Tokyo. From high above, it looked like any other metropolitan city- high sky scrappers in the center of the city, patches of green parks, and thousands...perhaps millions of stacked apartments crammed in every spot possible. Nyeh...the view was okay.






First night, we went to Shinjuku, where it is claimed to host the busiest train station in the world. I believe it.




Nightlife in Tokyo is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Shops stay open late as well and the abundance of food and night clubs were apparent. Street vendors have their deep fryers and crepe stands out for business until the early hours of the morning, rain or not. Club goers are dressed up in almost costume like attires. People are just everywhere.




We had a Sukiyaki dinner... Since we didn't understand Japanese, we thought it was $36 for two people. We were mistaken. It was $36 per person. But it worked out well because the food was delicious.



By the end of the night, we stumbled into Kabukicho, the red district. I can't quite explain that part...you just had to be there.




p.s. My beloved durian followed me to Japan =)

Arriving in Tokyo

We arrived in Tokyo 4 days ago and it's been quite a journey. I must say, that we were lucky to have missed the typhoon that just came through and we'll be leaving just before the next typhoon hits in a couple of days. Tokyo has the hustle and bustle of NYC, but it's more intense. It's grimy, over populated, and people keep to themselves. I've been spoiled with the kindness and friendliness of Okinawans. Despite that, Tokyo does have its hidden gems. One can see and experience the past, present, and future all in one day, in one city.

I recall stepping out of the airport and seeing the madness of the subway station. What were all these colored lines running to? Why were there so many? And to make matters worse, it was all in Japanese. The subway and metro lines which intertwined throughout Tokyo was the most efficient way to travel, but seemed like a web of confusion. People rushed through the stations and if you couldn't keep up, you'll surely be bumped into and cut off. After a few days of exploring Tokyo with this system, we got it down. It's not too bad after all!

Somebody pinch me

I've always wanted to partake in a traditional Japanese bath house and today, I've accomplished just that. 3 hours, easily spent in amenities such as natural hot spring baths, healing baths, outdoor jacuzzi, and different temperature pools- All on the beachfront. It's not a place for bashful bathers, for complete nudity is the only way to go about the hot springs. It was soothing, calming, relaxing.



Outside in the jacuzzi and pool area, swimsuits were permitted. Thank goodness for that! I'm not that bold. I watched a full sunset while soaking in the jacuzzi. It was PHENOMENAL.



Sticking with the traditional Japanese ways, I proceeded to the showers...which was completely open in the women's corridors. They had these little stations where you'd sit down and soap up and shower. I never felt so comfortable and relaxed in my own skin. One last thing I had to do before I left: Doctor Fish.



These little fish nibbled the dead skin off my feet! Yikes!

When it Rains, it POURS

I've just experienced the first rain storm while being here. It's unbelievable. The thunder was so big and loud I could feel it vibrating the walls. The rain would come down hard in spurts. 5 mins of heavy rain and then it would stop. 5 mins later, it would start up again. The temperature? HOT as hell.

My plans for the day have been ruined...so I'm staying in. Annie took me to rent some movies. It was a few short steps to her car but I was hesitant to go into the rain. I stood there with my hand on the glass door, prepared to run for my life. No matter how fast I ran, I couldn't avoid being drenched. 5 seconds in the severe rainfall was all it took to be soaked head to toe.

Because it's so hot and humid...the rain actually felt good. I want to go back out there and go for a jog or jump in the puddles.

hmmm.. I did rent "The Hannah Montana Movie" and "Bring it on Fight to the Finish," starring Christina Milian and her pathetic acting skills.

Don't judge. I figured it would be a good excuse to watch these since I'm stuck on an island with bipolar weather.

Life is good...

Put to the test

Forest Adventure: An obstacle course through a jungle on top of Onna. This was not a place to be for weak hearts and those fearful of heights. We took a bus up to the mountain top where the Forest Adventure staff gave us a short briefing on how to use our harness and safety ropes. After just 5 minutes of instructions, they sent us off to the jungle. The high altitude made the weather even hotter and stickier.

The obstacle course consisted of zip lines that whisked you over the tree tops. The landings were really rough and I was always landed backward into the pile of tan bark. After doing it a few times, I was able to let go of my hands and it felt like I was flying through the jungle and was able to appreciate the lush, green surrounding. There were points where you had to climb these narrow 90 degree ladders that led up to a standing post. It was SCARY but once I got to the top, I looked around to see the beauty of the island and it was well worth it. The most intense part of the forest adventure was the "Tarzan Swing". You had to climb up this very high post and secure your harness to a rope and then jump off to a free fall. It took me a few minutes to gather enough courage to do it. I almost cried because I was so scared. Everyone was cheering me on and my sister was making fun of me. So I had to prove her wrong! I took a deep breath and leaped off the stand. It was a rush of adrenaline and it felt like a roller coaster ride. I was supposed to grab on to a net on the other side but my hands slipped and I dangled in the air for a little bit =) I was really proud of myself for going through it. Nearly 2 hours of climbing through rope bridges, zooming through zip lines, and swinging tree to tree was the biggest workout of my life. By the end of it, I had about 4 new mosquito bites, my shirt was drenched in sweat, my shoes all brown and dirty, and rope burns on my hands. I would do it all again in a heartbeat.