Last picture of my lovely relatives at the airport.
My HERO who got me an insane upgrade to businessclass...
... and even kept me company all the way into the plane. Thanks so much Eveline!
Yes ladies and gentlemen, this is what dinner looks like in businessclass. Holy crap indeed.
Oh wait those were just the starters, tee hee!
Sunrise above the Aldan mountains in Russia.
It looks absolutely deserted, weird to skip all this wilderness and just jump from one highly developed place to another.
Arriving at the Japanese sea.
Crossing the Japanese sea.
Breakfast! Is that... Salmon? Well yes it is.
You can listen to a wide range of music while you eat this, using the noice-reducing excellent headphones, while sitting in massaging kingsize chairs.
Or you can look at this view while you eat your yoghurt.
If you really squint your eyes, you can see the white top of Mt. Fuji in the distance. The captain told us we were very lucky.
I have arrived! Hanazono shrine in Shinjuku. In the back you see a filmcrew shooting a documentary.
Lots of people making a short prayer on their way to work or school.
And right in the middle of the city.
Look closely! It's my cat!
A buddhist shrine with modern extra building, and graveyard.
Shinjuku at night.
There is some sort of election coming up, and these people are campaigning Japan style: on top of a van with megaphone and distributing flyers.
Is it a giant tree trunk? Or... a giant ventilation shaft in the middle of traffic?
My lovely host Su Young, and homemde stuffed tomatoes.
The couch! On the left some traditional sliding doors to her room, and in the left bottom a very nice cozy heater.
Very convenient Japanese style bathroom. The shower can be used as a tub as well. Not suitable for long and stiff Dutch folk.
The view from the balcony. She lives next to a shrine and cemetary, near Waseda University.
Here you can see how many exits one subway station has (the yellow tags) Genius!
Nice circular pattern of Tokyo subway network. The central big park is the Imperial palace and gardens, which are mostly off limits to the public. I kinda like the symbolism of it, how the entire city respects it and adjusts to it, however there is very little interaction. It's a mysterious and sacred centre.
Birds near the Imperial gardens, with Tokyo Tower in the background.
They reconstructed all these historical walls, it gives a really well maintained look and good impression of the past function of this place.
Passionate photographers and one of the chrysantemum trees.
Another type of Chrysanthemum, the flower of the Emperor.
The grass was a bit brown, but other than that the gardens were in beautiful shape in February. This guard kept biking around in circles.
My god, early Sakura!!
The plum blossoms were great too.
I absolutely love the Japanese enthusiasm for nature.
Also, I think this is perhaps the most beautiful garden I've ever been to. These pictures do it no justice.
I call this guy the Gardener Ninja. He was wearing tight socks, wide knee pants, a belt with sharp objects (like saws and screws) a helmet. and socks with a seperate toe which he used to climb in trees. Oh and a goatee.
Behold the epic struggle betwee giant Koi and exotic Ducks for food.
Ravens are of impressive size and shout a constant 'JAAAAAA' to each other.
In Ikebukuro I visited the most amazing department store ever: TOKYO HANDS. (Yes I found it! some of you dear readers know what I'm talking about) Not only do they have an gigantic amount of gadgets and usefull inventions for everyday use, but there is also a petting zoo on the top floor, with only cats. It is designed especially for tokyoites who cant afford one at home and want to do some petting.
Screw Dolphin trainer, I want to be a Cat caretaker when I grow up.
Small children: just 1. Fashionable young couples: 9.
I coudn't resist taking some pictures of the most bizarre items they have for sale. For starters: everything you need for your very own antfarm!! (this is on the Gadgets floor, not the Pets & Animals floor.)
Fake Rottweiler sound alarm for the savety of your family.
Everything you'd ever need to build a house, including the materials. Also in the same section: anti radiation suits.
Some rough towels. I don't know who Masato and Hideki are, but they must be BRUTAL. Oh and btw the exact same towel is called a 'gentle scrub massage towel' in the ladies section. In pink and yellow.
SUPER MASCARA! Create your own giant manga eyes!!
Anti Snore equipment. (just the tip of the iceberg of crazy personal hygine products.)
Decorate your own breathing mask!! 10% of the people here walk around with the plain version btw, they think it saves them from catching a cold.
I think the costume and party section was my absolute favourite.
If I had a party here, I would find it very difficult to choose.
As a final touch: tissues with money print. For that extra snobbish effect.
Dinner with Su Young in a very lively traditonal Japanese restaurant.
These are just the starters. Sweet plum sake with.. a pickled plum in it.
The most delicious sashimi I have ever tasted.
It's hard to tell because it was an action shot, but here you can see that the chef delivers your plate with a giant oar, unless its hot.
Spring vegtables and flowers tempura, Grilled pork with mustard, Chicken meatball with egg.
Miso soup with crab and 'Rice soup' with pickle, vegetable and a very special ingredient that I forgot the name of.
Chef and crew at work. I have never before seen such service. When a new customer enters the restaurant, the ENTIRE staff shouts 'Welcome!!'. They refill your glass before you notice it's empty. They know when you want to order before you know it yourself.
Happy customers.
Rainy Shibuya crossing.
I didn't expect it, but all the 'foreign' foods like this French bakery are very good. They also have sooo much more choice than in the Netherlands.
The famous crossing from ground level.
A really nice CD store, with a Starbucks inside. And how awesome: a cupholder for when you want to listen to samples. Also, there were handwritten recommendations and notes from the staff, which I always really like in a store like this.
Akihabara, electric town!
Though biking is quite popular in Tokyo, people tend bike on the sidewalk, sometimes quite faste as well!. This is the first man I've seen using the specially designed cycle path. Most of the time they seem to deliberately use the pedestrian part.
Otakus seem to like their entertainment pink. This was just one of many many floors of tiny cramped filled alleys. Connecting these floors are tiny narrow escalators, decorated so brightly and flashy that it hurts your eyes.
Or tiny little elevators, in this case hand decorated.
It's really weird to see tangible books by artists who I've known a long time through the internet.
In contrast to all the modern gadgets and flashy neon, Akihabara station is a bit outdated.
Crossing the river to east side.
Near the Sumo station, this man sells weird cookies and memorabila... in an eyeball??
On my way to the Edo Tokyo Museum, a detailed and funny wallpainting with some students passing.
And equally funny graffiti.
Another genius idea: locker for umbrellas. Even some big restaurants have these.
Platform in the middle of the museum.
Too bad the picture is a bit dark, but they had fantastic reconstruction of an Edo era bridge and Kabuki theater.
Plus highly detailed miniatures with loads of unique little figures. It was so big that they provided binoculars to visitors.
" Dutch Ship "
A lot of information on Kabuki theater, and life size dolls with costumes.
In the area a lot of Sumo statues, because it is near the stadion. Sadly, the season ended in January, so wont be able to see a match myself.
Even inside the subway station!
They look so fierce and hot, I'm sure they're placed here to inspire us mortals.
A motorbike repair shop. The sign had real sparkle.
Hidden between cheap restaurants and fastfood, this shop sells traditional Japanese sweets and cakes. Every tiny thing about this place was elegant and pleasing to the eye. The saleswoman wears kimono.
A display of their special Sakura cakes. It's like walking in a small museum, but it still feels spacious and not cramped.
Notice the little carriage on the left. I bought the green striped box as a present for Su Young.
Every piece of furniture and decoration, every item in the windows was carefully placed and in balance with each other. I think it is the most beautiful shop I've ever seen.
I have no idea what this is about but it looks INTENSE.
Spending the night in Shibuya. What new adventures will tomorrow bring? Tune in next time for more!
