Just got thru customs -- they let me in!
Taxi from the station to my hotel. Note the driver's white gloves and cool GPS gadget. I didn't understand a thing he said, but he sure was polite.
I was greeted by this view upon entering my hotel room. Welcome to Tokyo.
Hotel room
Trying to capture some cool afternoon light.
Ditto
Beer vending machine. Public drinking is a tradition in Japan. They feel strongly about it, kind of like how Germans feel about no speed limit and Americans about no gun control. You can buy beer anywhere.
A popular sports drink, "Pocari Sweat." I bought some. Mmmmm, sweat tastes good.
Night scene in Ginza.
Takeshi, Ichiro and me. They are classmates from Darden.
A scene from the Darden event. "You're not actually taking a pic, are you?"
Day scene in Ginza.
Funny looking building in Ginza.
This not a phone booth -- it's a bar called the "Walk-in Bar". There is about 2 feet of space between the glass and the counter. I guess this is for when you want to get drunk but don't want to waste time sitting down.
Another shot of the walk-in bar.
Park north of Ginza.
Park
Park. Note the palm trees. Apparently it doesn't get very cold in Tokyo.
Park and buildings.
I read that each municipality in Japan has their own manhole designs.
Small park with gargoyle heads.
Tokyo subway stop. Super clean and efficient.
Tokyo subway car. At any given time at least a third of the people on the train are texting or playing games on their phones. No one talks.
Strange building in Asakusa.
Asakusa market street.
Cuttlefish on display in sushi restaurant window.
Steaming hot crabs about to be delivered where I ate dinner.
Entrance to subway. The track on the right is like an escalator for bicycles.
Asakusa shrine. I got there too late to go in.
Asakusa shrine.
Painting on the street.
Funny ad on the subway.
