Tokyo 東京

First time in Japan, what did we expect?

First of all we had heard that it is very difficult to be a tourist in Japan, since the Japanese don´t speak any English. All signs are on Japanese and the Metro you can forget about. You will get lost. And that the Japanese people do not speak to you or help you if you are lost.

In our three days in Tokyo, we have experienced a different story. First of all we have been talking to a lot of locals in restaurants. They ask us where we are from and how we like Tokyo. Very friendly people. Since we live in an airbnb.com apartment, we did get a lot of guidance in writing  from our host before we came. Detailed information on how to find the apartment (almost like a treasure hunt),   where they accept  foreign credit cards, and  so on. The apartment even have a portable wifi device that we can take with us everywhere. Nice to use with the map function on our iPhones. We did not get lost  once! The apartment is really central in Shibuya area but still in a quiet side street. We even figured out how to use the trains and the metro system. A very proud Lucas are now able to buy tickets on the vending machines on the metro, all by him self. A skill that can come in handy later in life. We figured out that after the metro system in Tokyo, every other city will be a walk in the park.

Bos and Lucas waiting for the JR line.

Originaly the idé to go to Tokyo was Lucas’s . He wanted to go to Tokyo, because of the cartoons and the fashion here. And boy did he love this city! We have been roaming the streets of Harajuku (the hip part of town) for days and to Lucas the dreams came true. Hair chalk, new clothes and new shoes. A whole new style.

New boi in town.

Tokyo feels very safe, (specially when you go to bed before 11pm),  and clean. Since we have been here on a weekend there have been a lot of people in the streets. But since the Japanese is very organized it has just been fun to walk around and watch the many different characters in Harajuku and Shibuya.

 

Nice to have a hand to hold in the crowd.

In Harajuka there is small streets with cute little second hand stores and a lot of cloths that are way to spaced out for the fossils but that is spot on for Lucas .

One of the stores in Hakajuku.

In the food department we have had some amazing meals. Sushi is a no brainer, but we have had breakfast in some of the local restaurants that have been a really nice surprise. We did not know what we ordered but it was very nice and very cheep.

Dinner at a local sushi joint. Lucas talking with one of the nice local people. Everyone we have talked to know a lot about Norway. They mention the salmon, the midnight sun and the fjords.

On Friday we went to the Yoyogi park. There was a Eco fair there. Spot on for some world schooling for Lucas . Here he is trying out how fast he have to rid the bike before the lights come on. He even manage to switch on the TV. Maybe an idea for home? Wanna watch TV? Hop on the bike..

Since we have been mostly in Harajuku and Shibuya, we wanted to get a better overview of the city. Today we jumped on one of the trains going around the city for an hour. Still could not figure out how big Tokyo is. (Saw mostly different train stations). Then we got of the train in Ebisu, south of Shibuya and got up to 39 floor of the Yebisu Garden Place. Then we got a better perspective. The photos shows Tokyo stretching out in one direction, imagine the 360degree surrounding with more city.. Huge city!

In between all the sightseeing there is time for  an ice cream, a coffee and a test on the multiplication table..

All and all, Tokyo have moved up on our “best city” rank and is way up there with New York and Copenhagen.

Now we are getting ready to pack up again and head for Los Angeles. Arigato Tokyo, hope to come back some day!

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