My Trip to Tokyo

Finally I stole got an evening to myself, so here's the result of that.
I went to Tokyo for 3 days and surprisingly actually got to see some of Tokyo and I can't wait to go back!


Tokyo is beautiful.
It is like no other place in the world that I have seen (in pictures or in person).
It is colorful, clean, busy, crazy and serene all at the same time.
The following is a really long post with 64 lots of photos (because I <3 my new camera!)
Remember, you can click on the photos to make them larger.
Enjoy!

From the plane, approaching Vancouver.

Rice Fields right as we entered Japan
Kaori, the girl sitting next to me on the plane was very nice to
tell me what those were.

More rice fields - pretty much the biggest staple they grow in Japan.



On my first day, I asked Lisa, ben's sister(Ben's my friend...Hi Ben!)
about shrines. She recomended I go to Harajuku, and Alex
(my interpreter) was kind enough to offer to join me.

Gateway to Harajuku Shrine.
Biggest shrine in Tokyo.
The park surrounding it is the
backyard / Garden
of the Royal Family.

This is where the Royal Family goes for strolls.
Therefore, the garden was closed.

Barrels of Saki.
It's used for ceremonies in the shrine.

Entrance.
The ladies in Orange are the virgins of the shrine,
They are polishing the wood (get your head out of the gutter).
I asked Alex (my poor interpreter),
he was not sure if 'Virgins' is a formal title, or a physical fact.
And so it remains a mystery.

These are Ema tablets.
For ¥500 you can buy one, write a wish and hang it on the tree.

I was quite excited to find one in Hebrew.

This is me "Pissing off the gods" (As Alex gently put it)
Apparently no one is allowed to sit anywhere in the shrine.
Alex did not realize I planned to sit down right when he took the photo.
Day 1 in Tokyo: Piss off gods....CHECK!

Not sure why, but I really liked this tree.
So here it is.

Read Japanese from up to down.
To read English (while driving) tilt head to right.

Alex (my interpreter). We stopped for lunch, and I was showing off playing
with camera features.
In real life, Alex has color.

This is Kaori (mentioned before).
She was very kind to take me out to dinner with her husband.
I had a wonderful time, and so much fun trying new food, and laughing.
One of the many reasons I had such a wonderful impression of Tokyo :)

On my last day in Tokyo, Lisa was great to agree to drag along join me at
Tokyo's famous Fish Market: Tsukiji at 7am.

Tsukiji Fish Market

Knives

Those drivers were CRAZY, and they got priority,
Lisa must have saved my life from being run over about 100 times.

Look....HUGE Fish!!

Squids

Some sort of a shell

I am not sure of the name of these guys.
I do know I ate one (that was brutally grilled to death)
he was very yummy... RIP little dude.

More shells

Tiger fish (I think)

These were the size of my head

Vewy Vewy Big Octopus...

The market

Lisa said these are Lobster's cousin.

Yup..you guessed right..
These are skewered fish guts...yummy...

Yellow Tail sashimi Fish
I am pretty sure I got to eat this a few minutes later.

Reminder, we went to this market at 7am!!!

Line-up to have sushi

They were VERY small restaurants, but SOOOO worth it!

This at my hotel made me think of my mom who always
gets zapped by static electricity.
They think of EVERYTHING in Japan!!

Biggest Lantern in Japan in Sensoji shrine in Asakusa

It was raining that day.....

Under the lantern is this wood carving of a dragon.
It is said to be protecting the light of the lantern.

The shrine

This kid was so cute!
This is a very common pose in Japan for photos
I like it!

More lanterns

And the beautifully carved bottom.

In Tokyo, every block has a vending machine (or 3).
They have anything from cold pop, water, juice, to hot canned coffee.

Many restaurants around the city have the food they
serve in wax models outside so you know what you
can get inside. I had the bottom right one.

Asakusa Subway station.
Those gates open up once the train arrives.

Yes, I had Pocari sweat.
Kaori and I laughed about this drink for a while.
It did not taste like sweat. 

On my way back to the airport, interesting building.

I love this building. It's the Fuji Fuji TV station building.

Approaching Narita Airport.

Goodbye Tokyo, see you soon.

I Love flying :)

Thank you again Koby, Lisa, Alex, and Kaori for making my very short trip so great.

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