Mad Tokyo, Day 1

9 Dec '07, Sun

To summarise, this is 1 crazy trip for 5 people! Imagine only 1 regular meal coupled with non-stop leg exercises for the entire day?? I won't say it's an entirely a wasted trip, but a lesson learnt. I'll definitely go back there and visit the outskirts more as a leisure trip than a mad rush like Amazing Race!

This is the 1st train map we saw upon alighting Tokyo. We were blur but we still managed to purchase the train tix to our hotel at Hatagaya.

After spending that many hours on SQ airline, my friend Orange was tired out... And he could sleep everywhere. You'll soon notice that in the other posts.

On board the train from Narita Airport toward Shinjuku Station. We realised that the cabin and seats were warmed, as compared to the cold weather outside. Uuuuhhh... heater seaters! So cool!

We alighted at Hatagaya Station and dragged our luggages to Sakura "Hotel". Well... it's not really a hotel if you ask me. More like a hostel but with built-in toilet. Imagine 3 girls stuck in a really cramp-like-capsule room? But it was cozy and we had no regrets.

Sakura Hotel - http://www.sakura-hotel.co.jp/

It provides a good accomodation if you are on a budgeted free-n-easy trip. They have Sakura hotels and Sakura hostels in the prime areas. For a triple room per night, it's Yen 14,700. That's about SGD 191.10 and SGD 63.70 per pax (based on rate Yen 100: SGD1.30 at that time)! You make payment on a daily basis and via a vending machine! It provides you a numeric code that you need to enter before you unlock to your room. Coooool....

After we'd checked in and left our luggages at our hotel, we headed off to our 1st stop without wasting a minute. Since its the winter season, the day is shorter and shops usually close around 8pm. Back on the train to Harajuku, we spotted this cute mini Mac poster of their new burger - McPork! Kakaka...

I'll let the pictures continue the rest for me =)

Yes, cosmoplay at Harajuku is a norm. The sun might be bright but the air was cooling. The maple leaves had turned yellow and covered the entire walk way.

Snoopy Town

Taxi

More cosmoplay... before we moved on to Meiji Shrine.

They are very friendly to pose and take pic with us.

The long walk through Yoyogi park.

Before entering the shrine, have some fresh water?

A chance meeting with cute little girl in kimono.

You need to buy a small wooden plate to write your wishes on before hanging it up.I'm so sad because I took a pic of the one I wrote but accidentally deleted away

Instructions in Japanese, Korean & English.

Sunday is a great day to visit Meiji Shrine, as you have a better chance to see wedding couples taking wedding photos and undergoing traditional rites.

The wedding helper was conscientious to every detail.

Finally, time to take a good shot!

So lucky to be able to see a traditional wedding parade at the shrine.

You can see guests dressed up in kimono for the important occasion.

Another couple. This time is a caucasian groom!

Harajuku is full of malls and more malls...

I wondered if this is Takeshita Dori as I've forgotten what this place is called already. It's pretty near Harajuku station. You'll see long stretches of boutiques, cafes and fast food.

We're hungry and our stomachs rambled more when we saw this crepe house.

Ever wonder how many staff can occupy the crepe house?

This is by far the best and most special crepe I had in Tokyo -Crepe with strawberry ice-cream, strawberry slices and cheesecake!

We were stunned by the number slimmming products on display at one pharmarcy. Took a pic to show to our colleague, Pig Head.

Orange was still not satisfied with the crepe after some walking and decided that we should have a proper sit-down lunch. We spotted a cheap 'fast food' and decided to try it out. Looong queue but was fast moving.

While waiting in the line, we were figuring out the menu on the wall and deciding which to choose.

I ordered a small plain udon bowl and picked 2 tempuras as side dishes. This was a very simple udon meal, but still enjoyable enough.

By 4/5 pm, the sky was dark but still crowded by young punks.

As we ventured off to another area of Harajuku, a beautiful Christian Dior building stood before us. I was actually looking for Prada and LV stores. Nearby, you can look towards LaForet Harajuku (a fashion mall for ladies) and Oriental Bazaar (souvenir shop).

After having shopped for goodies at Snoopy Town, 100Yen shop and bought our boots, we moved on to our next destination - Ikebukuro. We're heading to Ikebukuro Sunshine City Complex. There is a Sushine Namja Town, which is an indoor theme park, a Gyoza Stadium & ice-cream city that I planned as our dinner.

Gyoza feast as dinner suggested by me. I saw the place on an SCV program by a Taiwanese host once and it was also recommended somewhere.... Unfortunately, seemed that not everyone was pleased about the meal since we had walked > an hour or so searching for the entrance to the building. Not including the number of people we had sought help from for the directions. Well, I won't say that they are fantastic enough for you to walk all the way there for just gyozas!

There are a few ice-cream counters further down from the gyozas'. Great as after dinner dessert.