Monday, December 08, 2008

day 13

...was probably one of the best days that we had on this holidaythumbs up

started off with us heading to Harajuku station on the Yamanote line, which was the best way to access the Meiji Jingu shrine, Omotesando Hills and Harajuku...

we headed straight into the Meiji Jingu shrine first as we were fairly early and wanted to avoid the usual tourist crush into this place which is one of the most popular sights in Tokyo...the sense of calmness as you walk into this shrine is palpable and we had fantastically blue skies...perfect for photo-taking...

after that, we ran across the road into Omotesando Hills. now this is a fairly new shopping district with wide boulevards that reminded me somewhat of Champ Elyssee in Paris...no surprises since the Japanese have been admirers of things French for a long while already...upmarket shops on the main boulevards were complemented by fascinating small shops selling cult labels and esoteric stuff in the back alleys...

then off to Harajuku...little that i say about this place hasn't been said before...it's a complete mess of "crazy" people...chock-a-block with teenagers and youths in all forms and sizes...and some in strange outfits to boot...you could literally sense the buzz and energy that emanated from the whole area...very cool!

that night, we had our most expensive meal in Japan...a quality table BBQ with loadsa Matsuzaka beef (many different cuts - ribeye, filet mignon, short rib, tongue etc) plus tontoro pork, king crab, scallops, squid, chicken, prawns....the list goes on...

and yes, i had to waddle home...blushinglaughing


  1. couldn't this actually be a scene from a railway station in france??
  2. big wooden torii guarding the entrance to the Meiji Jingu shrine
  3. i was soooo into the photo-taking that i didn't care about dirt...
  4. a gardener going about his business
  5. floral offerings
  6. lil
  7. gorgeous blue skies
  8. caught again
  9. amongst flowers
  10. managed to catch a closeup of this fella
  11. eaves
  12. the hovering blue over meiji
  13. enjoying the day
  14. perspective
  15. artist
  16. stopping for a spot of lunch
  17. into the omotesando back lanes
  18. nice and quiet
  19. spots of colour
  20. what's she looking at?
  21. automotive freedom
  22. the perennial girl's favourite
  23. beeline for burberry
  24. couldn't this be a scene from the champ elysee?
  25. a picture says a thousand worlds
  26. fashion police?
  27. colour play
  28. geek culture very much alive
  29. youth
  30. colour play
  31. harajuku crowds
  32. psychedelic building
  33. the strange ones out at play
  34. cute couple
  35. ginza lights
  36. ah, rub a dub dub here comes the grub

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