My Tokyo Trip in A Few Pictures

Hi everyone, I’m back from my trip to Tokyo, Japan. Had a great time there! Here are some pictures from the trip.

Tokyo Tower is the tallest self-supporting steel structure in the world and apparently, de facto icon for Tokyo and Japan. Here’s an embarrasing fact — before my first trip to Japan, I’ve never heard of Tokyo Tower. Back then, when I thought of Japan, Mount Fuji was the only thing that came to mind. Oh, that and Hello Kitty.

The design of the tower was inspired by a world famous icon — you guessed it — the Eiffel Tower in Paris. When I gave my mum a little Tokyo Tower souvenir replica, she asked me why I got her an Eiffel Tower thingy instead of something with Mount Fuji or geishas on it. LOL.

On a beautiful sunny day, we went to Meiji Jingu — a Shinto shrine near Harajuku and Yoyogi Park. There were a lot of boys and girls in traditional dresses at the shrine. So so cute, or should I say kawaii!

Wishes on votive tablets at the shrine. Shawn Yap from Singapore, you made me LOL. :D

We went to the Studio Ghibli Museum at Mitaka City (1000 yen). Was a little underwhelmed by the whole experience. I always imagined the place to be more magical and whimsical, the kind of feeling I get when watching Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle.

We stayed near Akihabara Electric Town which is the place to get the latest electronics gadgets. Huge neon signs all over the place and a very noisy place too. Sales people stand in front of their stores shouting words of welcome and the latest deals. Pachinko parlours. UFO catchers machines.

There are a number of “maid cafes” in this area too, where the waitresses are dressed up in French maid costumes and addresses you as “Master”.

Akiba is also the centre for otaku culture. In fact, we saw The Otaku/Stormtrooper man himself, Danny Choo, in the midst of a book signing.

About 5 months ago, I reintroduced seafood into my diet. I got a little sick with having soya beans as a my main source of protein (is it normal to feel nauseous each time you drink half cup of soy milk?).

I ate mostly kake soba (hot soba), inarizushi, onigiri, mitarashi dango (rice dumplings with sweet and savory sauce) and tempura with rice. Here’s my ebi tempura don (prawn and vegetables tempura on rice) and miso soup which cost 500 yen. I didn’t eat any traditional Japanese sweets because I don’t really fancy adzuki beans (and they really love their red bean paste here).

I put on 2 kgs despite eating only 2 main meals/day and walking at least 6 hours per day. Hmm… I wonder why. Oh wait, I did eat a ridiculous amount of junk food there. I bought the chewing gum on the right (square boxes) because I remember eating loads of them as a kid. :) Not seen in the picture: a whole stack of Meiji chocolate bars.

And I still have a couple more bars with me right now. *Happy*