Tag Archives: Shinjuku

Kampai Tokyo!

This is my last post about Japan. I think I’ve made it abundantly clear that the trip was phenomenal and I can’t wait to go back. So, in an effort to bring this adventure to a close, here are some essential last notes.

This idea popped into my head 3 weeks ago. It all started while reading Sasha Issenberg’s “The Sushi Economy” over Christmas break. The book outlines the impact of Tuna (specifically prized Boston Bluefin) on the global marketplace in meticulous detail. What I was most fascinated with were the descriptions of the Tsukiji fish market and learning stories of some of it’s major players. I was hooked and I decided quickly, almost hastily, that I needed to go to Japan and see for myself.

I bought a travel guide and began to plot my course. (side note: A good agenda should be like connecting the dots, with lots of room in the middle for randomness and exploration.) A lot of things changed from start to finish, but at the end of the trip I was able to hit every landmark I wanted and then some. Here is my final itinerary, courtesy of TripIt.

I’ve posted all of my photos here and below is a final mashup of all the video. It’s a little messy, but I think it does the job.

[Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/9028958]

I wanted to make sure to include two of my favorite posters. The copy alone makes these both memorable.

Today, January 26, 2010, I was in two different countries at the same exact time. I took the first picture while walking to the train in Shinjuku, Tokyo at 9am. The second picture was taken at 9am in San Francisco off of Powell & Market. Maybe I’m a huge nerd, but I couldn’t be more excited about my time travel.

And lastly, my favorite meal from the trip. A curry pork cutlet with rice and a bowl of udon. Tasty and extremely filling.

Japan Trip x Shibuya Crossing

I’m still working on videos of Shinjuku, Tsukiji, Roppongi & Yoyogi, but the internet is too slow to really get cranking on things. This trip has been an amazing experience and I definitely want to come back again. I could actually see myself living here. Just not right now. I’ve explored just about every area on my checklist, with only Ueno Park and Asakusa left for tomorrow. There are lots of museums and shrines up there so I’m planning on a busy last day.

As for today, I was slightly let down. I traveled up to Ryogoku to the National Sumo Stadium hoping to grab a ticket for the last day of the tournament. Unfortunately, they were sold out and I had to improvise. After a little ramen therapy I crushed Central Tokyo, absolutely destroying the Bank of Japan and Tokyo Station. After that I was off to see the Sunday freaks in Yoyogi. I topped the day off exploring Shibuya and East Shinjuku, stopping at Takashimaya Times Square for a sushi dinner.

While I am still sorting through most of my videos, I found time to put together another short. This episode features Shibuya crossing at night.

[Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/8946710]

Japan Trip x Narita/Shinjuku

I wish I had taken more video while I was traveling, but this will do for now. I have a ton of stuff from today, including pictures, so more coverage to come.

[Vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/8882854]

Planning on hitting up the Tsukiji fish market (early) tomorrow morning. Should be fresh.