Two Plus Two Newer Archives - Tokyo: Trip Report

Got on a plane in the afternoon in Toronto, flying straight to Tokyo. Got a last minute free-boost to first class. I always make it a goal to chat up the person on the plane next to me really well, especially for those 10+ hour flights. This time the victim was a multi-gazillionaire business man originally from HongKong.

We talked about culture, politics and business mostly and since he's been to every country in Europe ,Asia and the Americas many times he had a lot to say. After about 6 glasses of wine (he's a lead weight) he got kinda rowdy but still held up a good conversation. He gave me some pointers about what to see/do in Japan before passing out.

I've long heard about bowing as the most common greeting gesture in Japan

After I got off the airplane, I saw two women getting into a long bowing contest and they each get off easily 20 bows before disengaging.

I talked to the travel agency and they told me there was a direct bus-limousine (same as a bus) to my hotel in Tokyo Bay, and it was leaving in 20 minutes at bus slot S10.

At S10 the bus girl told me that there was gonna be 3 more buses before mine came. I did not know how 4 buses were gona stop and load full loads of ppl with tons of luggage and take off in the next 16 minutes but I believed her.

Turning back into the airport the only venue open in the near area was a juice shop. It consisted of many different kinds of blenders and a see-through fridge with tons of real fruits/vegetables inside. I ordered the only fruit on the menu which I coudnl't identify: casis and black vinegar juice. She put some purple grape-black olive-blue berry looking fruit into the blender and it was delicious.

Got back to the bus stop 3 minutes before my bus was supposed to depart and the girl said there was still one more bus to come before mine. And we took off only 1.5 minutes late.

Got to the hotel, the receptionist told me the cheapest room to extend(I only booked here for one day but I need to stay for 4 nights) was over 200$, I got upstairs and booked this same hotel room for 3 more nights at a popular travel site for half the price she quoted.

The first regret I had after getting inside was my decision to not bring weed on my travel this one time (I usually do for far journeys), because my hotel was hovering over this sick bay right over the waters on the 23rd floor and it would've made a prime session place.

Even though I slept for 7 hours in the past 48. I coudnl't help myself but to venture around town a little. Every corner in this part of Tokyo is beautifully landscaped, the 7-11(7-11 is orignally from Japan)had nothing similar to the stores in North America, typical snacks included fresh fish sushi from that day and dried squid snacks. I got lost as soon as I turned the first corner, ventured back into the hotel and slept soundly after a meal.

Second morning I got up and went to the biggest fresh fish market in the country. The scene was so overwhemlming I can not describe it by words, everything from huge fish bigger than me and huge shops dedicated to eel was there, fish gut was flowing everywhere.(I will upload the pictures as soon as I figure out how so you get a better idea) Every so often I'd see a white guy looking much more confused and lost than I do so I feel much more comfortable.

Got to a sushi shop and had a glass of sake and 20 different kinds of fish + one dish of roast horse for breakfast, I ventured around the area, got lost for 2 hours switching between monorail to subway to go-train and came back to the hotel to make the room switch. And that is right now.

A few questions OOT, anyone upload pictures frequently? I need a website to host them. I took some nice pictures and would like to upload them for the visually inclined OOTer but I dont know how.

Also, every one of the 30 conversations I tried to start (I got lost a lot) were very tedious and difficult, the rumors of the common Japanese speaking fluent(or any) ENglish is greatly exaggerated. Anyone got a link for some quick Japanese phrases would be greatly appreciated.- edit: found this

So far I still have a Frommer's Guide to Tokyo to lead me on, but I lack a map of Tokyo and a pamphlet of simple Japanese words.

I'm here for 2 more days and gotta maximize the experience, give me your advice, OOT!