Our last day in Japan and we both wake with heavy heads from last nights shochu and heavy hearts because this is the end of an amazing experience.
We spent most of the day wandering listlessly around the very hip Shimokitozawa area. The last time we were here in 2019 it was wall to wall vintage stores and just a few cafes and bars. It has been gentrified and transformed in the period since. Still lots of vintage stores but so many more hipster experiences can now be had here. More craft breweries, more ice cream places, more bookstores, more vegan cafes – so naturally we loved it and fitted right in.
From there it was a mad dash to the airport. That fricken Shinjuku station nearly waylaid us again but we made it with time to spare. Shinjuku station can suck it.
Anyway I’m waiting to board a plane back to Melbourne so I thought I’d wrap this up with a few pictures and observations of a general Japanese nature. I’m bored so give me a break.
Japanese toilets are ace. Warmed seats, a myriad of sprays for your bits, automatic opening and closing lids. Some even play music. This beautiful backlit deluxe model from our stay at Tommy’s Inn in Koyasan was my personal favourite.
The Japanese love the Beatles. Which obviously is one of the reasons why I love this place. We heard the Beatles everywhere from Fukuoka to Shimokitazawa. This is Japanese George and Paul in a Beatles cover band playing outdoors at Shimokitizawa today. They actually weren’t that bad.
Crossing the road in Japan is a whole other thing. It doesn’t matter if there’s no traffic for miles, or if it’s 6 am or midnight, no one – and I mean no one – in Japan crosses the road against the lights. Everyone waits until the row of little red cubes (see pic above) slowly and progressively disappears and the walk signal appears, before walking calmly across the road. This often takes a very long time (at least compared to Australia).
The power line set up in Japan is chaotic and ugly. This photo was from the balcony of our AirBnB in Tokyo. In contrast to the order everywhere else, the average Japanese street has power cables running everywhere – it looks dangerous and it’s certainly visual pollution but somehow it all still works.
I’ve said it before. I’ll say it again. Shinjuku station is a nightmare. This is a lazy Saturday afternoon underground at Shinjuku. Avoid.
flyeelookee 