After touring Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, and Tokyo, this was our last night all together before Kevin had to depart back home to Los Angeles. We made some great memories here in Tokyo. Here’s what we did while we still had Kevin along with us in Tokyo.
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Cat Street is this pedestrianized alley in Tokyo that runs between Harajuku and Shibuya. Cat Street is a Japanese version of weird that you’d see in Portland Oregon. This is where you will find all the hip youth fashion. Cat Street was created on the bed of a stream that was diverted underground in 1964, as part of the preparations for the Tokyo Olympics. (Part of the Olympic village from that time can be seen at the top of Omotesando Boulevard, a stylishly designed apartment block called “Co-op Olympia.”) One of the must do things in Tokyo is visiting the Robot restaurant. The food is not very good here but you don’t come here for that. The show is one not to be missed because there’s nothing like it anywhere else. Thankfully, we had our friend Kevin along in Tokyo who insisted we all see this together.
The sign reads One bowl per person. We are sorry but it’s for other waiting customers. Increasing noodles is available. Side menus are not limited. Thank you for understanding.
Ginza was less like an Oriental city than like the outskirts of Chicago or Melbourne. One famous tour guide compared it to Broadway, not in a positive sense.
Shinjuku is Japan’s answer to Time’s Square new York. Shinjuku is a major commercial and administrative centre, housing the northern half of the busiest railway station in the world (Shinjuku Station) and connects to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and the administration centre for the government of Tokyo.
Shibuya (渋谷 Shibuya-ku) is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. A major commercial and finance center, it houses the two busiest railway stations in the world, Shinjuku Station (southern half) and Shibuya Station.
The name “Shibuya” is also used to refer to the shopping district which surrounds Shibuya Station. This area is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
One of the best-known stories concerning Shibuya is the story of Hachikō, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, eventually becoming a national celebrity for his loyalty. A statue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now the most popular meeting point in the area.
During the late 1990s, Shibuya also became known as the center of the IT industry in Japan. It was often called “Bit Valley” in English, a pun on both “Bitter Valley”, the literal translation of “Shibuya”, as well as bit, the computer term for binary digits.
Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing, called Shibuya Crossing.[12] It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachikō exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Shibuya Crossing is the “world’s busiest pedestrian crossing”, with upwards 3,000 people at a time.
On the southwest side of Shibuya station, there is another popular meeting place with a statue called “Moyai”. The statue resembles a Moai statue, and it was given to Shibuya by the people of Niijima Island in 1980.
This is the final area Michael and I visited shortly after Kevin departed back home. We only had a few minutes here late at night so most things were already closed. Shimo-Kitazawa and its low houses hold some nice surprises, especially those wishing to get off the beaten path or the best-known itineraries in Tokyo. The quintessential lively district, Shimo-Kitazawa hosts art exhibitions and concerts. Bars and colorful shops of independent designers set the tone
Here in Shimo-Kitazawa, Tokyoites are more welcoming, the theaters are friendlier and the stores less touristy, giving it the image of a trendy area popular with young people. Not to be missed if you get the urge to discover new things.
Music: [Mountain Walk] by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
Alo Japan.