From 13 to 21 March 2008, I vacationed in Tokyo , Japan to visit my friend Steven and tour the area. Each day of this adventure is documented along with photographs and select Japanese translations. Select a day below to get started and then enjoy the photographs in the Gallery.

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Mount Sutro presents

The Japan Trip Series

[ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six ]

Photograph Gallery

Original Photo Credit: David July

There was no time to snooze, roll over or generally be slow to rise today. Even my unconscious brain registered this fact. When the alarm sounded early this morning, Tuesday, 18 March 2008, I proceeded to prepare for my day though a daze of sorts, but as quickly and quietly as possible. Showered, dressed and with my backpack ready, I grabbed my shoes from the pile of footwear at the door and moved outside. Sitting on the staircase in darkness, I put on my shoes while an unusual quietness fills the air, accompanied only by a cool breeze.

The walk from the apartment to the subway station was equally calm and quiet. There are few people on the streets of Sagamigaoka , some walking and others biking. An occasional vehicle passes and while others can be heard in the nearby distance. We move quickly and quietly, motivated by our strict timetable and the cool 50° F (10° C) temperatures, but are well ahead of schedule as we round the corner from the alley, approach the station and ascend the south entrance escalator.

It is 0434 JST when I take my first picture of the day—the deserted Odakyu-Sagamihara Station . Waiting on the westbound platform, I think about the mission we are about to embark upon. The first leg from here to Machida Station connecting to Shin-Yokohama Station is a familiar one, using the Odakyu and JR East systems. The second short leg will connect us to Odawara Station to begin leg three, a 494-mile (796-kilometre) journey west to the city of waters, Hiroshima , Japan .

The Hiroshima trip was something I thought about from the very beginning, during the initial decision-making and throughout the hastened planning stages thereafter. I felt it was something important to do, to visit the historic site of such horror and devastation. However, by the time airline tickets were purchased and I made the 27 January 2008 announcement, I had accepted Hiroshima as unattainable due to the raw travel time required ("a sixteen hour roundtrip commute").

It did not take much further consideration, thinking about how I have no idea when I may return and how close I would be this time around, before I decided to do whatever was necessary to make it happen. The key to everything was the Japan Rail Pass by JR, available for tourists and purchasable outside of Japan only. We did not fully appreciate it at the time we acquired them, but the Japan Rail Pass was one of the best investments we could have made.

At ¥28,300 JPY (~$283 USD) each, the Japan Rail Pass granted us unlimited use of just about every JR train and bus service for seven days, with the notable exception of the Nozomi Shinkansen . While originally selected as the most cost-effective and speedy method of visiting Hiroshima in one day, the free use of the JR system proved invaluable during the entire course of the vacation. While using other train systems that did require additional payment was necessary on a daily basis, we were in many cases able to find alternate JR routes, furthering the value of the pass.

Before I knew it, I was aboard the 0615 JST Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari 393 bound for Hiroshima. From seat 13-A aboard Car 6, I watched the sunrise over the Japanese countryside and got my first glimpse at living outside the megalopolis. We are on board an N700 Series Shinkansen, only added to the Hikari service days before our arrival in Japan. While still slower than the Nozomi, the new Hikari service is a significant improvement over other options, stopping briefly at only nine of twenty-five stations between Odawara and Hiroshima. Moving at speeds up to 168 MPH (270 KPH), the four-hour trip seemed to pass quickly as I gazed out the window and enjoyed the quiet, smooth and extremely comfortable ride.

Our arrival was scheduled for 1001 JST and as is custom, we actually arrived a few minutes early. Navigating Hiroshima Station , we found ourselves at an information desk where the staff recommended transit via the Hiroden streetcar system, Main Line , Route 6 to Station M10 . Moving toward the streetcars, we find no customary fare machines and watch as scores of people get on without paying. The Route 6 streetcar departing at any moment, I decided we were smart enough to wing it and hopped aboard.

The older-looking streetcar is fairly crowded as it moves along the busy and modern city streets of downtown Hiroshima. Using the handle overhead to keep my balance standing, I try to inch gradually closer to the front of the car to try to figure out how exactly we pay the fare. After a few stops, I am finally able to see people paying at a device next to the driver similar to those found on city busses. I knew from the information booth that our ride would cost ¥150 but we had only larger bills and needed change. Despite our every effort to be quick as not to delay the passengers, it took us a minute to understand how the machine makes change. Quickly detecting our ignorance, the driver assisted by inserting the money into the correct slot, collecting the fare and handing back the change. Mom maintains he flashed us a look as to say "stupid tourist." If true, this was a rare example in a country filled with extremely polite and helpful people. After exiting the streetcar, we made our way from the small platform in the middle of the street to the Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) .

Also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and commonly called the A-Bomb Dome, the 1915 structure was one of the few not completely destroyed by the bomb. Originally the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall , the building was renamed to the Hiroshima Prefectural Products Exhibition Hall in 1921. During this time, the structure was used to display and sell prefectural products, house market research and small business consultation offices and serve as venue for art exhibitions, fairs and various cultural events. Later becoming the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall in 1933, the building would soon serve new purposes as promotional activities dwindled during the war. By April 1944, the building was home to the Interior Ministry Chugoku-Shikoku Public Works Office , the Hiroshima District Lumber Control Corporation and other government offices.

After the detonation of the Little Boy uranium bomb at 0815 JST, Monday, 06 August 1945, approximately 1,969 feet (600 metres) above and 525 feet (160 metres) to the southeast of the Dome, the building's occupants were instantly killed, the structure itself gutted by fire. Due to the direction of the blast and the physics at work, the walls and still-recognizable dome remained standing. In 1960, sixteen-year-old Hiroko Kajiyama died of leukemia, exposed to the bomb 0.75 miles (1,250 metres) from the hypocentre at age one. After reading an excerpt from her diary which basically said, "I think only that ravaged Industrial Promotion Hall (A-bomb Dome) will be there to tell the world how fearsome atomic bombs are," the children of the Hiroshima Paper Crane Club, compelled to act on her behalf, started what became the Dome preservation movement. Their 1960 flyer containing Hiroko's quote helped the growing campaign and by 1966, the Hiroshima City Council passed a resolution declaring the A-Bomb Dome would be "preserved in perpetuity." Thirty years later in 1996, the Dome was designated a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO as a "stark and powerful symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind" and "the hope for world peace and the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons."

Walking south toward the Dome, the lush green and metropolitan surroundings are a strange contrast to the gutted structure, looking still as it did that Monday morning not so long ago. I silently walk around, photographing and taking it all in, as they say. Moving from the Dome and surrounding monuments, I come to the Mobilized Students Memorial Tower , completed 15 July 1967 to recognize the children forced by law to perform labor service who subsequently died in the bombing. Of the 8,400 middle school aged and older students in Hiroshima, 6,300 or 75% of them perished.

Crossing the Motoyasu Bridge , we move into the main portion of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park , encompassing 1.3 million square feet (122,100 square metres) of green parkland between the Honkawa and Motoyasu Rivers. After walking north to take pictures of the Dome from across the Motoyasu River, I moved south through the large collection of monuments and other remembrances starting with the Peace Clock Tower . Completed 28 October 1967, this unusually designed clock tower of 66 feet (20 metres) chimes daily at 0815 as a "prayer for perpetual peace and appeal to the peoples of the world that the wish be answered promptly."

Next, I came to the Peace Bell , dedicated 20 September 1964 "as a symbol of Hiroshima aspiration: let all nuclear arms and wars be gone and the nations live in true peace." Since all with the desire for peace are invited to chime the bell, I walked up, grabbed the hanging mallet and tolled. The muted but resonant sound was not very loud, but I was striking softly as instructed. In fact, my first attempt failed when the mallet had insufficient momentum to make contact with the bell's surface. I pulled back a little further on the second try and succeeded. While researching this article, I had occasion to watch many videos of Hiroshima visitors, all of whom had to try twice to ring the bell. I wonder if the mallet's rope is wound tight on purpose to help prevent excessive wear.

Continuing through the park, I next arrived at the Children's Peace Monument . Unveiled on 05 May 1958 as a monument to the children, the memorial itself was inspired by the death of twelve-year-old Sadako Sasaki whose classmates began the call for such a monument. Paper cranes are continuously made and donated for display in the cases surrounding the three-legged monument pedestal, atop which stands the bronze figure of a girl holding a crane.

Backtracking a bit to catch the rest of the monuments on the northern side of the park, I reach the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound . After taking a few pictures, I find the sign and learn that this monument was the original site where deceased victims were gathered and cremated. The Hiroshima Memorial Service Association built the original cinerarium here in January 1946, which was later replaced by the City of Hiroshima in July 1955 by the current cinerarium and monument.

The next remembrance I came upon is the Figure of the Merciful Goddess of Peace (06 August 1956), recognizing the former Nakajima neighborhood, the present-day site of the Peace Park and preserved only in memory and detailed maps reconstructed by survivors. After the Korean Victims Memorial (10 April 1970), I moved toward the open, central part of the park and approached the Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims (Memorial Monument for Hiroshima, City of Peace) .

Built on 06 August 1952 with the desire to reconstruct Hiroshima as an enduring city of peace, the Cenotaph is constructed such that through it to the north can be seen the Flame of Peace (01 August 1964) and Atomic Bomb Dome. The stone chest inside contains the official registry of all those who died as a result of the bombing, a figure of 221,893 as of 06 August 2001.

While observing the memorial, a man dressed in an all-white robe and Geta wooden sandals took position immediately in front of the Cenotaph and did what looked like Shinto prayers due to their similarity to the rituals I observed a few days earlier at the Zojo-ji and Meiji Shrines. After a moment, he assumed a military-style salute position and stood tall for a few minutes before gathering his belongings and leaving. We meanwhile explored the rest of the grounds nearby including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (August 1955) which we would later enter, the Statue of Mother and Child in the Storm (05 September 1960) and the recently added Gates of Peace (30 July 2005).

Before heading back and visiting the museum, we frankly needed a break from the memorial and decided to see more of modern Hiroshima. Walking through the nearby neighborhoods, I found Hiroshima indistinguishable from any other Japanese city, crowded and bustling with life. No exception was the Hondori shopping arcade , which provided the opportunity to try some non-Japanese Japanese food.

I had seen the signs for Lotteria earlier on Takeshita Street and elsewhere, but it was not until I saw the huge banner of a cheesy burger at the Hondori location did I understand what they sold. A Japanese burger, now how could I resist? I ordered the Cheese Straight Burger Set with French Fried Potato and a fountain drink. It was a tasty burger, too, similar but somehow different from a typical American fast food burger. And the fries, much like those I sampled the day before are distinctly different. I am not sure if it is the oil they are fried in or some other factor, but I really came to enjoy the crispier, slightly thicker-shelled and definitely less greasy version.

After lunch and some more walking around, it was time to return to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and tour the inside. The museum is comprehensive and contains many exhibits and artifacts, including a wristwatch stopped at 0815 by the force of the blast, a child's tricycle and metal helmet and a section of warped Aioi Bridge girder. While obviously discussing a serious and somber event, the material was presented in an informative and unbiased way I felt represented all sides and kept to the facts.

Some two hours later, we exited the museum and made our way to the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims (2002), containing the Hall of Remembrance and resources like the victim name and photograph database and a vast library of memoirs and stories from the time and reflections thereafter.

It was now after 1700 JST, so we made a final pass through the park and stopped at the Aioi Bridge. I earlier learned in the museum that this unique T-shaped bridge was the designated target of the atomic bomb, though it missed by 984 feet (300 metres) and exploded over Shima Hospital instead. This bridge, replacing the repaired original in 1983, stands as a kind of crow's nest from which you can look out in all directions and see the results of the past, the monuments to the lost and the progress forward already made in rebuilding Hiroshima into a vibrant, pleasant city.

We walk to the same Hiroden streetcar stop we arrived at seven hours ago and get on the next Hiroshima Station-bound car that comes by, this time with a full understanding of how this unique transportation system works and exact change in hand. Waiting at Track 14 for the Tokaido Shinkansen Hikari 478 Rail Star to Shin-Osaka Station , the first leg in our long journey back to the apartment, we have been up for over fifteen hours. Although exhausted from the days of walking, I am surprised not to be as tired as expected.

As the 700 Series Shinkansen left the station promptly at 1851 JST, I was still filled with energy and exhilaration over all we managed to accomplish with the day. I took some mostly blurry night pictures out the train window and talked with Mom about the day and the trip so far. By now, we were feeling more comfortable than ever in our surroundings, with how to conduct business transactions and navigate the city. But the day still had one last adventure for us, one that would test if our comfort was justified.

The especially helpful JR ticket clerk who booked our reserved Shinkansen tickets days earlier understood our requirements to leave and return on the same day. What this meant for us was catching the first and last trains of the day. The getting there portion of this worked flawlessly with time to spare, but included no train changes. The return trip, however, included one such change—giving us only six minutes to make our connection aboard the Hikari 434. We understood both trains would be near each other, but took no chances with the margin of error and were very prepared to depart the train when it pulled into Shin-Osaka Station.

We made the connection without issue and the rest of our trip back was uneventful, except for my sleepy mistaken impression we should exit the Odakyu train one station too early. We were close to home, but I was still very relieved to discover there was one last train that would take us from here to Odakyu-Sagamihara. Twenty-one hours and 210 pictures after starting this day, we were once again walking the darkened, mostly deserted streets of Sagamigaoka eagerly heading toward bed. Steven and Emma were anxious to hear about the day, but after a few quick highlights, I was on the floor mat drifting off to sleep, thinking about the hours past and days yet to come.

Mount Sutro presents

The Japan Trip Series

[ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six ]

Photograph Gallery

Original Photo Credit: David July
Original Photo Credit: Carol Nichelson

It was overcast and cool on the third day of my adventure, Monday, 17 March 2008. Walking down the street toward Odakyu-Sagamihara Station , we decided to take a slightly different route to enjoy the local neighborhood. The streets were bustling with life and energy as people went about their business. After browsing some of the shops and markets, it was time to catch the train and proceed to the day's first destination, the Tokyo Imperial Palace .

Making our way to Shin-Yokohama Station , we transferred to the JR East Shinkansen Hikari 412 bound for Tokyo Station . By now, the trains were becoming less of a mystery and more of a tool, though there were some exceptions. While large and complex, the various interconnecting public transportation systems are relatively easy to navigate once you have an idea of how things work and where places are in relation to one another. Not to mention, signage in English and Japanese helps.

Not quite thirty minutes after boarding the Shinkansen, we were navigating the enormous Tokyo Station to the Marunouchi south exit. Unfortunately, the Marunouchi Gate was undergoing renovations so scaffolding masked the brick structure built as the station's entrance in 1914. Continuing west from the station toward the Tokyo Imperial Palace on Gyoukou-dori Avenue , the Marunouchi skyscrapers loomed ominously as we passed over the grids of crosswalks. Nearby structures of note include the Marunouchi Building , the Mitsubishi Group Headquarters Building, the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Nikkei (Nihon Keizai Shimbun ) Headquarters.

Crossing Hibiya-dori Avenue , we leave the city behind and enter the Tokyo Imperial Palace grounds. The grounds exist as an oasis of sorts in the city, a large open green space surrounded on the perimeter by a moat and the skyscrapers beyond. After taking pictures around Babasaki-bori Moat and continuing through the plaza, we pass the Sakashita-mon Gate on our way to the Nijubashi Bridge , formerly a wooden structure known as Seimon-tetsubashi .

While walking through Tokyo Imperial Palace Square , a large unpaved street filled with rocks except for one small paved sidewalk, a police-escorted motorcade of vehicles emerged from the Main Gate at Nijubashi Bridge. The cars were too far away to tell at the time, but a close inspection of my pictures shows the flag of Canada on the second of eight motorcade vehicles.

The next hour was spent walking the vast grounds, capturing images and enjoying the green space and architecture. Although it seemed large while walking around, considering we only saw a small portion of the land, the property once spanned the Marunouchi commercial district, including Tokyo Station and the surrounding landmarks within the outermost boundary (then the old moat).

For over 550 years, this land has played an important part in Japanese government and military history. Around 1185, the transition from the Heian period to the Kamakura period , Edo warriors established a base in the area. In 1457, Ota Dokan built the Edo Castle . After rising to power, Tokugawa Ieyasu established a government and took the Edo Castle as his own. The Tokugawa shogunate would hold power from the castle for the duration of the Edo period , 1603–1868, until the Meiji Restoration .

After an accidental fire destroyed the last remaining structures of Edo Castle in 1873, a new Imperial Palace Kyujo was constructed for Emperor Meiji . This facility was ultimately destroyed in World War II and rebuilt in 1948 as Kokyo . The eastern garden and park was established as Higashi-Gyoen in 1986 and remains open to the public today. We did not make it over to Higashi-Gyoen, but we did visit the Sakuradamon Gate and the Statue of Kusunoki Masashige before descending into Hibiya·Yurakucho Station .

A short subway ride later, we passed the gate into the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market commonly known as the Tsukiji Fish Market , the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. The Tsukiji Market opened in 1935 after the former Nihonbashi fish market was destroyed in the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923.

Since it was 1530 JST, the inner market was deserted and quiet. Our original plan was to visit during peak hours (0700–1000) but with limited time available and a daylong trip to the other side of the country scheduled for the next day, this venture was sacrificed. Although it was empty, you could get a feel for how it must be when busy. Building after building contained long rows with numbered stalls for the "middlemen" to display and sell the products not sold at the earlier auction (0530–0700). Even though there were no fish visible, the smell of piscine permeated the air.

Moving into the outer market, it was still quiet but evidence of life was just an alley away. Most of the seafood and cooking/restaurant supply shops were closed due to the time, but many sushi restaurants were open and doing business. I was not yet hungry, so I did not eat at the restaurant with horse flesh on the menu or at the eatery a few doors down with a sushi conveyor belt. Passing more shops, numerous small shrines—which are scattered everywhere in Japan as far as I can tell—and a Tsukiji kitty cat, no doubt well fed given his or her home, we made our way past the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple to Tsukiji Station where the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line would take us directly to our next destination, Ginza .

Located in the Chuo Ward , Ginza is an upscale shopping district with many large department stores, restaurants and expensive Western boutiques. After exiting the train at Ginza Station , we navigated the underground maze of tunnels, themselves an extensive shopping and dining area. Just as I was about to commit our route (in the wrong direction), Mom saw the sign for which we were looking. The lift doors opened and we walked out into the lobby of the Sony Building .

The Sony Showroom is filled with fully functional telephones, cameras, computers and other gadgets. Walking up and around the spiral showroom looking at the neat hardware, some of which is not available in the United States, I stopped to use a VAIO notebook to e-mail friends at home. The operating system was Windows XP but the language Japanese, so it is a good thing I know my way around a computer. It was all for not though as the Sony firewall blocked my access to webmail.

Before exiting the Sony Building to explore Ginza, I noticed a sign indicating all Sony Showroom facilities are powered exclusively by wind energy. In fact, there was a certificate from the Green Power Certification Authority and the Japan Natural Energy Company Limited attesting to the generation of 145,000 kWh at the Choshi Byoubugaura Wind Power Station for use at the Ginza Sony Showroom.

Upon leaving the Sony Building, the skyscrapers of Ginza tower overhead while the vast crosswalk grid of the Sukiyabashi Intersection sprawls in front of you. Huge lit signs advertising Sapporo Breweries , Toshiba , Nissan , Shiseido and more flash and glow from high above. There is a palatable energy in the air as scores of people move in and between buildings, cars whiz past but obey pedestrian road rules and trains rumble by on overhead tracks. The area is slightly reminiscent of New York City's ritzy Fifth Avenue shopping district, but completely distinctive itself and uniquely Japanese.

Although we were walking around, stopping as we pleased to look inside stores and taking a short break in a little park with fountains, we were in fact looking for the Mitsukoshi department store. Mom had read about this and other Japanese department stores and wanted to look inside one. We eventually found Mitsukoshi and went inside. Floor after floor was filled with merchandise, lots of customers and attentive hosts and clerks standing by to assist. We made our way through the store to the food market levels, reportedly modeled after similar markets in Harrods department store in London . Although I have been to Harrods, the experience also reminded me of visting The Broadway Market in Buffalo in the 1980s.

By now, it was around 1800 JST and I was ready to eat. We proceeded to the basement, where restaurants are known to be located in Japanese department stores. After inspecting the plastic food models in the window display, we entered the Shiki San Sai restaurant for dinner. Mom had eaten earlier so she had a drink and dessert—one of the best tasting vanilla ice creams she has tasted—and I ordered cold Sake and the Nigiri Sushi (Hana) platter. Like many other locals we interacted with, the waiter knew some English and was pleased to use it with us. The food and drink were delicious, but I particularly enjoyed the wasabi that seemed much hotter than any I have had before.

After dinner, it was time to head back to the apartment. I grabbed a few last pictures on the train platform, bringing the day's count to 262. We needed to get to sleep despite the early time of 1900, for the next day's journey would require getting up and leaving by 0400 in order to make all the necessary train connections.

The destination is Hiroshima , 796 kilometres (495 miles) from Shin-Yokohama Station via the Hikari Shinkansen. Usually getting to sleep this early would pose a problem for me, but the miles of walking are exhausting and I am not in spectacular shape. I quickly drift off—even the characters in my dreams speak Japanese—anxious for the big cross-country trip west.

Mount Sutro presents

The Japan Trip Series

[ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six ]

Photograph Gallery

Original Photo Credit: David July

Waking up on Sunday, 16 March, I was excited to get out and exploring. Steven managed to get this day off from work, so he suggested some key places to visit and we were our way. Our destination was Harajuku Station on the JR East Yamanote Line , the circle connecting most of the major stations in Tokyo . Our schedule would give us a sampling of both old and new Tokyo, plus a few surprises along the way.

Located in the Shibuya special ward of Tokyo, known for its large shopping and entertainment areas, the station was definitely busy. Emerging into the daylight at the Omotesando exit, we proceeded across the bridge over the rail lines south of the station toward Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine . Dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852–1912) and Empress Shoken (1849–1914), the Shinto shrine was established in 1920 to honor their role in the Meiji Restoration .

Walking under and past the Torii gate at the entrance to the complex into the wooded park area, the city fades behind you leaving a breeze of fresh, oxygenated air and the sights and sounds of nature. There are many visitors here but the spaciousness of the stone walkway allows uncrowded movement. After passing a display of wine* donated for consecration and artfully decorated sake barrels* whose full history remain locked in the Japanese-only sign*, we approached the main buildings.  * links to images coming soon

As I took pictures waiting for Mom to purchase an omamori , I noticed a professional photographer setting up and taking portraits. The formally dressed subjects were an older man and woman seated in front with two young girls and a man in uniform standing behind. By now several other visitors had stopped to watch and take pictures, so it was quite a treat for everyone when suddenly a woman dressed in an all white, traditional wedding kimono walks by escorted by two individuals. I would later see her in another part of the shrine having photographs taken.

We next approached the Chozuya pavilion and Steven explained the purification ceremony for which it is used. Ablution complete, we proceeded to the main yard and shrine. Although destroyed by fire in 1945 from air raids, the present structures built in 1958 retain the feel of the original Nagerezukuri architecture. I particularly enjoyed the design and spent some time walking around and looking at things like shide , omikuji and ema .

Slowly we made our way back to the entrance for the second part of our visit in Harajuku . Steven said the area by the shrine entrance and station was a weekly meeting place of people whom kids in US high schools would pejoratively term "freaks." As we approached, you could see things had picked up even more since we arrived earlier. There were artists and street performers painting, singing and dancing. I stopped and watched a group of teenagers with signs advertising "free hugs" that were happy to hug any who approached. Quite a number of kids were wearing all sorts of crazy clothes and jewelry, some emulating the Lolita gothic and takenoko-zoku styles. By far the most interesting person there was a man wearing a pink apron, pink stuffed animal and a pink tiara with bunny ears. He wanted nothing more than to wish us well and pose for a photo (that is his akomeogi I am holding).

Continuing on north, we stopped at Snoopy Town , an officially licensed Peanuts gift shop across the street from Harajuku Station. Peanuts, known as Snoopy in Japan, and the cartoon gang are apparently popular so this store had everything you could want with a character on it, like the World of Disney store in Orlando but not quite as large.

Mom purchased a gift for a friend and we proceeded to the pedestrian-only shop-lined Takeshita Street , followed by a stroll down the Omotesando avenue. While these areas normally attract many locals and visitors alike for the wide variety of shopping available, it was particularly busy this day for a reason that quickly became apparent. Green beer. Green T-shirts. Flags of Japan and Ireland side-by-side. No shit, we stumbled into the beginnings of the 17th St. Patrick's Day Parade Tokyo .

Since all I had consumed thus far was a bottle of water and a large can of Kirin Sparkling Hop , we decided to stop and grab a bite at Shakey's Pizza , the Californian pizza chain that now has more locations in Asia than in the US. After waiting for a table in the stairs leading up to the restaurant, we somehow managed to be seated at one of only four window booths. Were tipping a custom here, I would have slipped the host a bill for sure.

From this perfect location, I had the truly unique experience of eating Japanese pizza at Shakey's while watching a St. Patrick's Day parade go by on the street below. The restaurant was buffet-style, yet another detail I did not expect, but it worked out well for trying the various selections. They included tuna and onion, octopus, corn, shrimp mayonnaise, mayonnaise corn, potato bacon, beef and onion, cuttlefish and olive, anchovy and tomato, Japanese curry and of course, good ‘ole pepperoni. I really liked the corn, Japanese curry and octopus pizzas, but did not care for those with mayonnaise.

Fortunately, the parade ended during our meal so we were able to walk a less-crazy Omotesando, stopping in various stores like Oriental Bazaar and Kiddy Land to browse and pick-up a few items. We finished around 1600 local and decided to head to our next destination before we lost daylight. Steven and I grabbed a beer at the Harajuku Station convenience store and we all got back onto the Yamanote Line, destination: Shinjuku Station .

Before continuing, it seems like a good time to mention a few social behaviors that we observed. For example, eating and smoking on trains or while walking around is frowned upon and in many cases prohibited, but drinking including alcoholic beverages is acceptable. I took advantage of this frequently because, hey, I was on vacation and you can get delicious Japanese beer and canned cocktails everywhere.

Talking is rare but does occur on trains and lifts, but cellular telephone use, while seemingly more popular than in the US (i.e. everyone has and uses one constantly), is for the most part kept to SMS text messages while in public places. Signs inside subway cars state no telephone talking should take place and ringers are to be switched to vibrate or silent mode. Thinking back, I can recall only a few isolated instances where I heard ring tones at all during the trip. That was nice.

Smoking, as popular as it remains in Tokyo, is relegated to designated smoking areas that are clearly marked and always provide an ashtray. I noticed people adhere to the regulation and do not light up unless near one, despite their sometimes-infrequent locations. Most restaurants offer smoking and non-smoking sections, sometimes separated by floor, room or partition. Trains do not allow smoking, except in designated cars on the Shinkansen , and stations have smoking areas during certain hours only (one sign indicated a smoking prohibition during the morning commute rush hours).

As I mentioned before, the Yamanote Line is one of the busiest in Tokyo. While waiting on the platform for our train to Shinjuku , I opened my beer and it foamed and spat a little. Steven laughed and mentioned a time where he saw that happen to someone while on a busy train. Talk about embarrassing. Needless to say, I was additionally cautious during the standing room-only ride to the busiest train station in the world (3.52 million people per day in 2006).

After navigating Shinjuku Station to the exit, we walked down the street beneath the many skyscrapers, some of which I saw the evening prior when Mom and I stopped to look around on our way back to the apartment. Looking up at the towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building , I learned Steven's plan was to take us inside where you can ride up to a free observation deck on 48F (floors of buildings are labeled as such: B3F, B2F, B1F, 1F, 2F, 3F and so on). After a brief security sweep, we were on our way to the northern tower atop Building One.

Although part of the view was obscured by a restaurant, the windows available offered an excellent look at the Shinjuku skyscrapers and the city as a whole. Helpfully mounted at each window was a labeled picture identifying the major structures visible, an excellent tool for labeling my own pictures. As was the case the day prior, there was some haziness but you could still see buildings in more distant parts of the city. There were quite a few people up here taking pictures, so you had to wait or squeeze in to get vistas and photographs. Unfortunately, I had a difficult time preventing reflections but some images came out well.

After watching a rather lackluster sunset from the observatory, we headed back downstairs and proceeded to walk to one of the buildings I just saw and photographed—although I did not realize it at the time. It was our next and final destination for our evening with Steven, the Shinjuku Park Tower , home to retail stores (1F–7F), office space (8F–37F) and the Park Hyatt Tokyo (39F–52F).

It was 1900 local and dark when we entered the 1F lobby from the south side of the building. Walking through, we passed the banks of lifts designated for groups of floors eventually making our way, with the help of a building attendant, to the north entrance and the lifts to the hotel. As the lift doors closed in front of me, I anticipated and heard the ding-dong and swish audible in the 2003 film Lost In Translation . I love that sort of thing. I have previously stated I felt coming here was a cliché American thing to do, but my reason to do so was simple. If you have not guessed by now, I have a thing for tall buildings and the lights on them. The view offered by this building and the overall ambiance of enjoying a little luxury at 235 metres (771 feet) were all too compelling to pass up.

The doors opened at 41F dramatically revealing the Peaks Lounge atrium overlooking the city. We continued past the Girandole restaurant, through the library and into the reception area that is more like a stylish bank branch with desks and chairs for guests to sit and check-in. From here, we took one last lift to 52F. What I said before about the doors opening dramatically is multiplied by ten when you arrive at 52F, the elevator ding-dong, door swish and all. You are greeted by a dimly lit reception area that consists of one small room, one large window, a friendly hostess and her podium. The view was incredible here but enjoying it more would have to wait, as the hostess was quickly ready to whisk us away to our table in the New York Bar .

We were not important enough to get a window table, but we were next to one and it sat empty for the first half of our visit. The saxophone and piano male duet played some great jazz tunes while we looked over the unexpectedly large menu, ordered and clanked our glasses with kanpai . I ordered a Suntory Whisky on the rocks a la Bill Murray , which was met with some confusion by the waiter because they apparently had several choices. Since I had not seen them, the waiter turned the pages in my menu and pointed to a section where the only English word in the title was "Japanese." I guess their whiskey is really popular. I selected the one in the middle, costing around ¥2,000 JPY ($20 USD). We sat and enjoyed ourselves for an hour, making trips to an unoccupied seating area behind and below us from where we could take pictures at the window, and to the restroom, featuring the most technologically featured toilet I have ever seen.

After paying our tab which included a 10% service charge and ¥2,000 JPY ($20 USD) per person cover charge, we started our trip back to the apartment, stopping in the building throughout to look around and take pictures. As we walked back toward Shinjuku Station, I thought that it was nice after three whiskeys not to have to worry about leaving my car somewhere and fetching an expensive taxi ride home. Once back, Steven and I ventured out again, stopping at various Three-F stores for food and drink while walking the neighborhood to chat and pick-up a package from the post office, offering a 24-hour counter. It was hard to believe another whole day (305 pictures) had passed, but I went to sleep well with anticipatory thoughts of the next.

Mount Sutro presents

The Japan Trip Series

[ Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Day Five | Day Six ]

Photograph Gallery

Original Photo Credit: David July
Original Photo Credit: Steven Patten