TOKYO: Day 1

FIRST DAY IN TOKYO: SUIDOBASHI, SHINJUKU AND SHIBUYA

After a couple of extra hours on the tarmac in Detroit we ended up sitting on the plane for 15 hours. I got to watch two enjoyable movies: “Birdman,” and “The Imitation Game.” We arrived in Tokyo and crawled into our waiting nest. I don’t know why the phone rang at 3 a.m. - a phantom call from LA even though my cellular network is turned off, leaving me jet lagged and jazzed at 3am on a cloud of a bed in a boutique hotel in Tokyo feeling devastatingly happy to be here.

Our first views of Tokyo were taken on a leisurely stroll in our local Suidobashi neighborhood for coffee and other basic orientation needs. This was my first sight of a surprisingly impressive Japanese phenomenon of displaying specific restaurant foods rendered in perfect plastic likenesses.

We then braved the metro system finding our way to downtown to Shinjuku. Shinjuku is at the heart of this thriving metropolis. Tokyo is the most populous city in the world at 35 million and Shinjuku boasts the busiest station in the world, a central hub for the vast and intricate network of immaculate and efficient trains that run throughout the city. From the station we followed the signs along underground pathways to the Metropolitan Government Buildings. From the top of the two towers of the building there are areas from which to view the city.

View from The Metropolitan Government Building

At the Metropolitan Government Building

The neighborhoods surrounding Shinjuku station provide a variety of visual and cultural highlights.

It took quite a while to find our way to the correct train line within the bustling maze of a station. I had told myself in advance to expect to get lost here and patiently endured my self-fulfilling prophecy. Eventually we boarded for Shibuya and headed to what is known as the busiest walkway crossing in the world. This is an example of the sense of order that allows this city to run: people politely waiting until the lights change at a series of connected crossings before trundling en masse toward each other and somehow finding their way across the wide streets without crashing into each other.

Shibuya Crossing

Shibuya Station

We had lunch in one of the back streets of Shibuya. As expected it was difficult to find a place that we could feel comfortable with amongst the multitude of bars, bistros, ethnic, and local restaurants dotted within the colorful shops and streets. We were very fortunate to find a great establishment that took very good care of us and served us beautiful, tasty food.

Tuna served as a rose on rice and seaweed with wasabi and ginger

Also, next to Shibuya station there is a statue to a remarkable dog, named Hachiko. This Akita is famous throughout Japan for his loyalty to his owner Professor Ueno, whom the dog faithfully met at Shibuya station every day. When the professor died Hachiko continued to wait for him at the station. Nowadays the statue of Hachiko is an appropriately common designated meeting place for people.