Just got back. Whew. I spent the ENTIRE day at the Tokyo Motor Show. Took some pictures. Show report and more pictures soon.
Greetings from the Tokyo Motor Show!
Useful! For Tokyo travellers
At last there’s another option for getting into Tokyo cheaply without a JR Pass!
Before, the two cheapest options for getting into Tokyo was taking the Keisei Skyliner (Y1920, 62 min) or the Keisei Tokkyu, (Y1000, 74 min). Both trains drop you off at either Keisei Ueno or Nippori Station on the Yamanote Line.
Now as of 28 March, JR East is introducing a combo Suica bundle for Y3500 that has a one way journey on the N’Ex (Narita Express) for Y1500 and also has a Y1500 Suica credit that can be used on all the other trains and buses in the Tokyo area. Y500 is the card deposit. The Suica card can be used in stores and some fast food places and can be recharged and reused like an ordinary Suica. It’s a good deal since you’ll be spending money in Tokyo ANYWAY on things like snacks and transport. With this deal, taking the N’Ex into Tokyo, Shinjuku or even Yokohama is Y1500! Now that’s a good deal, and good deals in Tokyo are hard to come by. So now there’s one less excuse not to go for Hanami!
Think of this as being JR East’s answer to the Hong Kong MTR Tourist Octopus.
(hat tip: Mari’s Diary)
Lost in Translation’s Tokyo
I received my DVD right before my recent trip over there. I watched it on the way to Tokyo (on a 12″ Al Powerbook and noise cancelling headphones) and again (on a big screen and proper Dolby Digital sound) when I returned home.
The movie does a good job portraying the sensory overload of Tokyo and the various islands of calm that can be found in that big big city. It connects at many levels and I’d gander that most foreigners who visit Tokyo on a regular basis can relate to many things in the flick.
Anyhoo, here’s a rundown of some of the places that Bob and Charlotte visit in the movie. And if you’ve not seen it yet, go do so. Tonight.
Then book your trip.
Big Pink Dot
Kenzo Tange is a Japanese architect that has designed many buildings including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Complex in Shinjuku.
He also designed the Yoyogi Stadium and Metropolitan Gym in Shibuya next door to NHK’s studios.
What he DIDN’T design was that big pink dot that’s the mascot of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup tournament that was being hosted there.
Dun get that dot confused with this pink dot…
Ghibli Museum
The first time I went to Japan, I wanted to visit the Ghibli Museum but didn’t have the time or tickets. You need to buy them in advance from JTB travel agencies in the states before you arrive in Japan.
Ghibli is a museum devoted to the works of Miyazaki Hayao. They don’t allow photos inside but they do allow pictures outside. This is the outside of the building. What’s that on the roof?
It even has its own buses to bring you there from the Mitaka JR Station. かわいい
.
Yamanote
The last train of the night arrives at Shinagawa station and I’m there to start my journey back to Minami-Senju and sleep.
Funny thing though, all the other lines that start from a Yamanote stop will wait for the last Yamanote to arrive before it leaves.
It’s funny only because I live in San Francisco and MUNI never does this, ever.
“Fuji-San”!
I’m on the Shinkansen heading back to Tokyo. Yea!
And to the New Koyo. No comment.
The train is about two hours into the journey. Suddenly around the bend looking out the left side of the train,
“Fuji-San! Fuji-San desu“!
Fuji is a notoriously shy mountain; it’s usually hidden behind cloud cover. But not today. Everyone in my car rushed to the windows, whipped open their phones and started taking pictures.
I felt absolutely ancient taking pictures with my camera…
Otaku outed at Bandai Museum
Today marks 7 days until I gotta go back to SF so I decided to do something absolutely silly.
I went to the Bandai Museum in Matsudo where I saw stuff like this:
This is the Bandai Museum and there are features on every show and franchise Bandai holds.
The Gundam part of the museum is upstairs.
Here you are immersed in the world of Universal Century (UC) Gundam.
Zakus usually fall to this guy
These cosplayers are here for an event. Nice!
And of course, you’ve got the Gift Shop at the end where there are silly things to see and buy
Food and Drink
Under the weather
As documented earlier, I’m dealing with the aftermath of food poisoning from KL. I’m convinced it’s the roadfood that did me in because I had oysters last night and didn’t get worse.
I met up with Yumi last night and she took me to her hangout bar where we met up with some of her other friends.
We drank a lot.
- 1 Bottle: Nouveau Beaujoulais
1 Bottle: some unidentified French White wine
1 Bottle: Sake from Kyoto, the 2 liter size.
We ate a lot. A lot of sashimi and soup.
And then a nightcap in Roppongi. Another glass of a different Nouveau.
Not a bad way to end the short evening…
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