Last Tango in Tokyo: June 29-July 2

June 29 - started at Kohikan Coffee – these people are crazy serious about their coffee! Bunsen burners and pyrex beakers and individual percolators. That type of insanity produces quite tasty coffee, though. Then I walked all the way from Asakusa to Shibuya (clear across central Tokyo). First I went to Akihabara again, thinking maybe I could find something to buy for people back home. Then I realized I’ll just get stuff months from now in a cheaper country. Then on to the imperial gardens, very nice, but somewhat unimpressive for Imperial Gardens. unimpressive. This was followed by a trip to the Meiji shrine – quite beautiful, although the walk there was almost better than the shrine itself. Spent a little time just walking around here, trying to avoid the crowds. Finally, a walk to Shibuya, and a coffee at the Starbucks overlooking Hachiko square,

the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world. Met a teacher named Will there, we talked for a while. He’s in Japan with a class full of high-schoolers – seems that he got started teaching (in the U.S.) by teaching English in Japan years back.

June 30th. Got up and reprehensibly got some McD’s breakfast. Then back to the hostel for a few hours of relaxing and pic uploading. Once I finally left, I walked to Ueno, through Ueno park, then all the way to Ikebukuro (stopping along the way at the Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster at the Tokyo Dome – great coaster right in the middle of Tokyo!). Had some crappy revolving sushi in Ikebukuro. Walked around, Ikebukuro is pretty much like the rest of the shopping districts here. Grabbed the Yamanote back again, then a shower at the hostel. For dinner, went back to the good Kaitensushi place to make up for the crappy one in Ikebukuro.

July 1. Last day in Tokyo. Woke up, went walking around the hostel area. Passed by the Edo Tokyo museum and the Sumo stadium (Ryogoku). Unfortunately, I missed the most recent Sumo tournament! Had a couple pastries for breakfast in Ryogoku. Then it started raining. Hid from the rain in the food area in one of the big department stores and got a couple sticks of yakitori (one chicken and broccoli, one chicken with some sweet sauce), and a toro maki. Ate the yakitori right away, saved the maki till I got back to the hostel. Waited out the rain in the hostel, and later went out for dinner with some guys from the hostel – Kokoichiban Curry for my last dinner in Japan.