My Birthday in Tokyo Part 1

Chapter One

The journey South

Friday – the day I had been anxiously anticipating for over a week now. The past week, I had felt like a child does on Christmas Eve. Do you remember that feeling when the next day was going to provide you with everything your little heart dreamed of? Barbie, hot wheels, care bears, the coolest new toy, it didn't matter because the surprise of it all is what mattered and how you just couldn't wait any longer. That is how I had been feeling about going to Tokyo and meeting Tim there. I packed really late Thursday night – wasn't completely finished – so I had to continue that when I woke up in the morning. I packed up, hopped in my car and drove into the Ish bright and early. Things were going smoothly and I got into Ishinomaki really early. I have all these tickets from a travel agent to get me to Tokyo. I wasn't really sure which one got me to Sendai – since I can't read.

I went to the ticket booth and said:

watashi wa sendai ni ikimasu demo kore wa wakarimasen.

I go to Sendai but I don't understand this (while pointing to my numerous tickets).

He points to the one I need and tells me the time of the next train. I get on and sit next to two young men. The entire way to Sendai – I studied my Japanese. I was scrunched between my two young men and two older women. Sitting across from me was a couple clearly in love. The young men were chatting away and laughing, the older women were helping each other out, and the young couple was holding hands and smiling at each other. I missed normal social interaction at that point. I reached Sendai really early since I made it to Ishinomaki so quickly. I exited the densha and decided since I had two hours before my scheduled Shinkansen ride; I might as well go reflect in a Sendai Starbucks.

I ordered myself a caramel machiatto and a blueberry scone and sat down. I wrote in my journal, i “people-watched”, listened to my iPod and looked like the typical young backpacker.

I realized that I love traveling – I loved that feeling in Starbuck's. I realized I missed coffee shops. I realized I miss a lot of my friends. At this point – I don't think that I even knew it was my birthday. It was for sure the most bazaar birthday I've had to this age.

The time came when I had to figure out what to do with the rest of those tickets I received from a travel agent. I asked a man how do I get to the Shinkansen? He told me go to the next floor up – I was lazy and took the escalator. It was pretty busy at this point – I was traveling on the national holiday of “Culture Day”. It was like a bumper car game. At all points, I am dodging being knocked out by a busy person. I had to watch all sides of me because it was like pinball – people were flying every which way.

I went to the ticket office upstairs, stood in line. I reached the lady who helps you. I said to her the same thing as I said earlier. I held out my remaining tickets, and said “I am going to Tokyo, but I don't understand these.” She pointed to the correct ticket to use for this train and told me where to go stand. “sweet” I thought, “I'm getting somewhere here.”

I go to platform 13 and randomly choose my next victim to try to understand my Japanese. I choose a woman all dressed up and with a hair updo. I asked her - “here, train goes to Tokyo” I am giving you my literal translation - what I am literally saying to people are these horrible translations demo but enough to get my point across. She thinks about it, confirms with the woman standing behind her and tells me hai, yes. I go stand behind a man. I'm standing, wishing the train would get there sooner because my bags are heavy. I notice the man in front of me is eyeing my ticket that I have in my hand.

He keeps looking, compares it to his ticket, looks at the sign hanging over us, walks around a bit and comes back. The suited up man tells me that I need to stand in this other line – which is literally just standing next to them. I was confused, but thanked him. My train was scheduled to arrive at exactly 1:26pm. A train arrived at 1:20 – I thought it was mine. Everyone boards, including me. However, the suited man that helped me earlier was trying to tell me something. His hand gestures made me think that he was telling me I needed to get off. Yet, it was 1:20 – only 6 minutes early. I thought to myself, “could there possibly be another train only 6 minutes after this one?” My question was answered when the woman next to him said one word to me “next” - where I realized, “ahh, I guess there will be another train only 6 minutes after this one.” I get off and stand back where I was, hoping I am right and they are right. Their train pulls away and I do the standard Japanese bow to the man to thank him for helping me.

1:26pm on the dot and my train arrives. Hmm, no room for error in this country. I board, I lift my overweight bag over my head – just barely knocking out the passengers sitting near me to place it into the storage. I say a few gomen nasai's and sumimasens. ( I'm sorry and excuse me). I plop down in my seat to get comfortable as I have another one hour and fifty minutes before I arrive to Tokyo. I'm sitting next to a man – who ate his bento (lunch box), read the free Shinkansen magazine, and then napped.

I spent my time admiring the landscape, writing in my journal and studying my Japanese. It felt like no time and here the PA system was announcing next stop – Tokyo station. I quickly put away all my mind occupying books and prepare for departure of the train. I get off, realize the beautiful temperature change and that I have no idea what I need to do at this point. I stop, gather myself, take off some layers and get out the directions I printed from the hostel web page and my Lonely Planet guide. Ahh, I need the Yamanote line – okay great. There are like 5 platforms for that line. Hmm. I choose one – get up there and see that it is headed the opposite way I thought I needed to go. This train eki (station) is much more crowded than Sendai. If I thought I was avoiding pinballs in Sendai, I was dodging bullets in Tokyo. I took off my cumbersome bag to re-evaluate my Lonely Planet's map of Tokyo's vast subway system. Here I am crouched in the middle of the platform, sweating bullets, trying to figure out where to go. Suddenly, I hear the heavenly words of “Can I help you?” I look up and there is a young man wanting to help me. I let out a sigh of relief. I tell him I need to get to Asakusa but need to get to Akihabara to get there. He says “okay” - whips out his ketai (cell), does a quick search to tell me that the next train is leaving in two minutes – in the platform straight across from where we are. Two minutes. I thank him a million times over and run. I made it! I hopped onto the train and hoped I really grabbed the right one.

I don't remember how long it took me to get to Akihabara – but I made it. Next, I needed to find the Tsukuba Express train. Hmmm. Followed the signs but they lead me outside. I asked someone where to go – got it worked out. Hopped onto this nice train and bam – into Asakusa!

Next challenge – find the hostel. I look at a map of this city and think I know where I need to head to. There was a festival going on to commemorate the Culture Day holiday. It was certainly crowded – and wow, other foreigners. I was a bit out of my element – other foreigners, weird. I walk around and find my hostel. A hostel!!!! I haven't been to one since last December – when I went to Quebec City. I love hostels. I check in and explain to them that my cousin will be calling if he gets lost – so I'll be hanging around and please find me if he calls.

I go up to our room – drop off the bags, grab my Japanese studying materials and head back down. I realize the time – and that Tim won't be landing for another hour or two. That means I don't need to sit around in case he calls. I venture into Asakusa – extremely excited to be here. Asakusa isn't as crazy as the heart of Tokyo – but very touristy nonetheless. I really couldn't get over the amount of diversity I was encountering. I knew there was a famous temple here – so I went to find it. It didn't take too long to find this holy ground. The temple's name is Senso – ji. While this temple had been standing for a very long time – it was destroyed during the bombings of WW2 and rebuilt in 1950. It was absolutely gorgeous from the outside, but the tourist crowd on the inside seemed to take away from the holy effect. Standing in front of the temple and facing away from it – your eyes can rest upon a red five- story Pagoda. I really liked the pagoda – as it was the first one I've actually seen in Japan. Also looking away from the temple, you see a large incense cauldron. According to my Lonely Planet, the smoke is said to bestow health. I headed away from the temple, towards the entrance. I apparently entered from the side and not the official entrance. I pushed my way through the crowds and reached a street full of vendors. This street is called Nakamise -dori. It is filled of vendors selling souvenirs, food, all sorts of stuff. I was turned off immediately as I couldn't even move. It is always crowded to begin with since this is a tourist spot. However, it was tenfold due to the festival. I pushed myself out of this mobbed street to find a combini (convenient store). I found one, grabbed some dinner and found my way back to the hostel.

I ate dinner and studied at the hostel,

also observing those around me. I talked to some folks. The one that stuck out the most at this point was a Korean boy. He was 24 years old and just came back from Australia. He went there for 6 months to learn English. I was talking to him how I talk to all people who have

English as their second language. I talk not naturally fast, but not really slow. He asked why I was speaking to him so slowly – so then I said okay and talked naturally fast and he couldn't understand me. He was kind of awkward to be around. You could sense he was really nervous but did want the conversation with me . The hostel was holding a traditional Japanese night and I had signed up to participate in the tea ceremony. Thankfully, it was time for that – allowing me to escape the awkward conversation I had started with this guy. There were 7 of us – watching one of the hostel staff demonstrate tea ceremony. She made the first cup and asked the Korean boy to try it first. He continued to be awkward about it – but did it. The next cup went to a European woman –

who was much better at being the taste tester. From there, we were asked to go up to the tatami to make our own tea. I went up there first with Mr. Korea, Miss Europe, and another European man. We were handed our cups and the mixer. We were instructed to whip the tea until it had many small bubbles. From there – we were to taste. Shockingly, the tea was much tastier than any of the other green tea that I had tried to this point.

The second group went up – and I came into conversation with the web designer for the hostel. He was taking our pictures for advertising for the hostel. So, yes, I am now on the hostel web page. To see me on the web page go here

The web designer man whose name is Ryuhei had wonderful English capabilities but allowed me to practice my Japanese with him. We chatted for quite some time and exchanged e-mail addresses. He was a great resource, informing me of random tidbits of information regarding Asakusa – including the correct way to pronounce how to say the name. He had spent time in Hawaii, New Orleans, and Harvard ( I think that was the University he said). Very open – minded and understanding. I certainly enjoyed my conversation with him.

Following the tea ceremony, a girl who worked at the hostel and her sister performed some Noh Drama for us. They were phenomenal! I had seen Noh last week at the talent show I had gone to – not realizing I was viewing Noh. This time – I had a sheet in English explaining it to me. Noh drama usually has a drummer, flutist and a singer/dancer. The singer/dancer reflects a particular person – usually a demon or ghost. Since the

re were only two actors for the hostel – they did different sections representing how the drama would be shown if you saw the real thing. I was so impressed with these girl's voices. The one section where they were demonstrating the drums to us – was great. The one girl was singing, the other girl singing and playing the drum in sync to the whole rhythm. Great job!

After the traditional displays – I was just sitting around and studying. I turned around and there was Tim! I got up and gave him a huge

hug. Finally, the moment I had been waiting for – Tokyo with Tim. We went upstairs and put down his bags, talked a bit and decided that he wanted to eat. All the street vendors had closed at this point and so I took him to the combini that I had gone to earlier to pick out some food. We went back to the hostel, ate his dinner and cracked some beers. We chatted until the rest of the host

el came back from their pub night out in the city. That evening, I chatted away with them Japanese girls in Japanese (to practice of course). It felt good because this trip was starting to reveal just how much I have learned since being in Japan. The other Westerners sitting at the table with us asked me how long I have been studying Japanese – I said 2.5 months. They were shocked that I could say as much as I could – and understand what was being said

to me in such a short amount of time. In reality – it is true – but at the same time – what we were discussing in Japanese was simple and very incorrect and I substituted some words with English. It felt good though – I needed it very much in my life.

Friday night ended, ending my 23^rd birthday in Tokyo.

Chapter Two

Welcome toooo Tokyoooooo.

8am. We're awake. Check out isn't until 11am at this hostel and check in isn't until 1pm at the next hotel. We decide to go walk around Asakusa and see the sites. First, we wanted breakfast. We went to McDonald's for breakfast.

Why? Well, I never eat a Japanese breakfast anyways. To be honest

, I wouldn't know where to go or where to take Tim to get a Japanese breakfast. I wanted pancakes badly, and McDonald's offered just that. Following that, we walked around Asakusa - saw the temple again, went down the overflowing Nakamise -dori again. Took some photos, saw Asakusa. We went back to the hostel – got directions to where our next hotel would be – located in the heart of Tokyo – Shinjuku. I navigated us there – and bam we're spit out in yet another station chock-full of rushing humans. We check into the Century Hyatt – because Tim can't travel cheaply. Held a small conversation with the man checking us in and we headed to our room. Now, I must mention we had a really cool key because it was. It was a skeleton key – sweeeeet. I also noticed how happy people are when I try to speak Japanese to them. It seems that as long as I try – they are happy. It's nice when people appreciate it even though what I am saying is very horrible Japanese. It's encouraging to keep trying.

We got into our room, unpacked, and decided shit, it's already lunch time. We walked around Shinjuku – allowing Tim to take in Japan and at the same time allowing myself to be shocked at being in such a large, diverse city for the first time in 3 months.

Diversity. Wow. So many foreigners.

I was just as overwhelmed as I am sure Tim was. I took him to Mos Burger – which is a Japanese fast food type place. Laughed at the music being played, while at the same time wishing I knew who was singing cause I liked it. After lunch, we walked around a bit more. We came across a street festival – with all sorts of interesting food. I was a bit bummed that we hadn't come across that first – because it would have been a better Japanese experience for Tim to eat festival food over Mos Burger. It was right around this shrine – the shrine we had found my first three days in Japan. Unfortunately, Tim did not get to see the shrine in the same way I had as it was overflowing with people from the street festival. Nonetheless, the festival was also good for him to see. He particularly like the fishes on a stick. Soon, it started raining – so we ducked for cover since Tim only sees rain like once a year in LA and wasn't a fan of walking in it. Tim noticed a few Japanese things today:

1. Toilet paper is handed out in the streets or you have to buy it at a toilet paper machine dispenser since public restrooms don't have it

2. There are no garbage cans in the city (to prevent terrorism)

3. Women's fashion is skirts and knee high boots (and he loves it)

We went back to the hotel to take a nap cause we had been up early and were both tired. We had big plans to head into Roppongi – the night life district. It was like turning a Republican to believe in Democratic views getting Tim out of bed. He was a bit jetlagged to say the least. Finally – success! I dragged him out and got directions to Roppongi and off we went. We got into this section of the city, walked around. We saw Tokyo tower – which is a spitting image of the Eiffel Tower. It was lit up red and read 2006 across it. Which is interesting since Japanese don't go by Western years but rather the time period of what family is in power. That means right now their year is 19 in the Heisei era. I wanted to take Tim somewhere Japanese to eat for dinner. We decided on this one restaurant which ended up being really interesting. I don't know what they were trying to get at – the waiter came to us and said in English, “I speak Spanish.” Ok, but I don't. They were playing rap music and had a mix of a menu. I wanted to order some stuff “without” the meat. Yet, it couldn't be done so I ended up with pizza. After leaving this restaurant, we wanted to choose our watering hole. We walked around Roppongi – not really sure where to go. To this point, we had been very unprepared with maps, things to do, and places to eat. This not changing in Roppongi.

We finally decided on a place called Motown. We walked in and immediately were surrounded by tourists – not my ideal place to drink – but it was better than nothing. We squeeze our way in to order ourselves Asahi beeru. Eventually, we make our way to the back of the bar and sit at a table with an old man with large glasses and who doesn't stop laughing. He was just this jolly man, laughing and cheering on all the drunkards dancing. He soon left – and we were eventually joined by a Japanese man and woman. The woman knew enough English & I knew enough Japanese that we could talk. I was translating for Tim and she was translating for the man she was there with. The man really wanted Tim to learn some Japanese. He was teaching Tim the word kampai which translates to Cheers! We were kampaiing incessantly – then they called over two University girls to kampai with the one Japanese word that Tim now knows. I don't remember too much after this. According to Tim, I was just singing, drinking & dancing the night away with the University girls.

Some of the original friends we made – had their friend meet us as well. The accountant. Tim got his business card and was experiencing the fun language barrier of trying to meet people. I had a blast at Motown – they played awesome music(including Shakira's – hips don't lie) – and even though it was touristy- we ended up only hanging out with Japanese folks – giving the Japanese experience I wanted Tim to have. I don't remember leaving, but according to Tim, we took a taxi ride home where I constantly told him I was going to throw up, and was basically carried into the hotel. We had a successful night in Roppongi.

Chapter Three

The after – effects of Roppongi

If, successful in Roppongi, then, waste the next day. We never saw Sunday morning – we slept straight through it. We woke up past noon. Oops. Tim had wanted to see Tokyo Bay – but we certainly overslept. I broke out my Lonely Planet – found Tokyo Bay and got directions. We navigated ourselves through the Tokyo subway system maze. We ended up on the monorail – which was pretty cool. It kind of brought us up level wit

h some of the higher buildings, allowing us to see down into the cities. We got off at Odaiba – which according to the Lonely Planet is the place to see the bay. It was crowded there – but we walked around, didn't see much of anything except apartment buildings. I'm not really sure exactly what Lonely Planet was talking about – but they were wrong. We saw some groups dancing on the street and entered into a huge building full of cars. There was a ferris wheel and that was about it. Certainly, not what either of us had expected. Bummer. We were losing daylight at this point.

We decided to go to Shibuya – which is the shopping district in Tokyo. The first thing we saw – straight from the train station – was quite possibly one of the busiest intersections in the world. (that's in our opinion, of course). We taped it – and hopefully I will get it up here for you all to see. Imagine hundreds of people, crossing the street all at the same time. After laughing and recovering from the initial shock of that many people – we decided it was our turn to go be a part of the craziness. We walked around the streets of Shibuya – blending in with the hundreds upon hundreds of people walking amongst screaming TVS, blinding neon lights, enormous buildings, overpriced material goods, and numerous eating places. We took it all in, commenting on how Shibuya is even more crazy than Shinjuku. Sat down, on the side walk and just people watched.

After Shibuya – we headed back to Shinjuku to rest a bit before finding a place to eat. I took Tim to a Japanese style restaurant – we ordered many small dishes – including gizzard – which thankfully, never came. Tim was intrigued with the Japanese room – with all the folks having a nomihodaia aka – all you can drink for two hours with lots of food. We made it an early night because we didn't want to waste the next day as we had today.

to be continued...