Peter's Japan blog

Because I went to sleep early, I woke up at 6h, and watched the rest of my new Ayumi concert dvd ;p, and it was great! :) I took some breakfast downstairs, and after that I got going to the Shinjuku skyscraper district. There are many very big skyscrapers there. So after a lot of pictures, I went to Shibuya for a more detailed look at some of the deparment stores. Having arrived there, I first went to the main deparment store: Shibuya 109. When I got up on every rolling staircase, I saw nothing but 'ladies fashion' on the name plates... Seven stories of nothing but ladies fashion, mostly oriented at young people. So I went to another store, also with seven stories, and got to the same conclusion: seven stories full of ladies fashion. This time, more oriented to a little older young people. Then I came across Shibuya 109-2, which to my surprise, had 2 floors of mens fashion, with the other 5 floors being ladies fashion of course. I didn't bother to get a look so I walked around for a bit and got on the Yamanote to Akihabara to look for some gifts and ask if those cool japanese cell phone also worked in Europe. After going through all the anime shops (I already know my way in almost all of them ;p) I found something. So after that, I went to ask for those cell phones, but to not much surprise, they only worked in Japan... So I'm gonna have to look for other cell phones that look like them when I get home...
I am still amazed at how many people on the sidewalk are handing flyers here. And even on very busy cross walks (which tend to be quite wide), they stand on the cross walk on the street itself. Desperatly to get that little paper (or a pack of tissues) into your hands. I must say that half them, don't give anything to foreigner, as they probably already know you're not going to come to their shop as you don't even understand what's on the flyer. And no need for cell phone, as you can't use them anyway outside Japan ;p.
At Akihabara station there were the usual girls dressed as maids handing out flyers as well. This really is something that can only happen in Japan. In other countries, I'm almost certain they would be harassed, but here that's out of the question. When people are interested, they just talk to them. But still, it's an unusual but pretty sight ;).
So I took the Yamanote again to Shinjuku, but this time I got in at rush hour it seems. Which meant the train was full, and I mean full and compressed together ;p. But when we got to Ueno, all those people got out again. It seems that the peak hours are also localized to some sections of the line. Like between Shibuya & Shinjuku, Ikebukuro & Ueno. All the big stations.
After this experience I got back at the hotel, through busy Kabukicho.
Well, it was a very nice vacation & experience. Being in Japan for the first time, staying at a traditional ryokan & the busy street of Tokyo. But my feet & legs hurt from all the walking. You have the very complex subway system, but then you don't see anything, therefore you also have to walk a bit. Also a tip: in almost every shop building there are either rolling staircases or an elevator, use them! Stairs can kill your legs ;p
Now that I have an internet connection to my laptop, I will put some photos up (it's a bit late, but it's easier this way), and then take a bath. And then go to sleep, because I have to get up at 6h, for my (long) flight at 11h.
Sayonara!