Tokyo Part 1

They say travel broadens the mind... But I (like to) think that my mind is already fairly broad, I have always been lucky in life to end up with the right people. I have an intelligent family (but there's always a black sheep), radical friends and thought provoking workmates. So it may come as a surprise to many that Tokyo, for me, was just a little underwhelming...



Sunday 22nd


It is highly possible that I set my sights too high. I had this vision that it would be hyper modern almost to the point of futuristic, maybe too many sci fi movies have taken their toll. But what I found was essentially an extra large city version of some of the local towns I have already visited. Same kind of buildings, wires everywhere and a general feeling of familiarity. The only thing that set it apart was scale. Buildings were bigger, parks were bigger and people were more numerous.



However this was just taking it in at face value, something I was forced to do due to Otosan giving us (Me, Kim and Drury) a whistle stop tour at break neck speeds. A city cannot be judged on aesthetics alone. With this in mind I decided to stay on for a few more days, even though I didn't actually know where I would stay... but thats where the magic comes....



JAPANESE PEOPLE ARE GREAT!!!!

....


OK I am going to stop copying the Okinawa post now.




Luckily I was able to meet up with Noritaka. He is a graphic designer for exhibitions in Tokyo and was kind enough to take me out to Isesaki for a night out when I first arrived here. He took me to Shibuya the young, crazy, hip and happening part of town and it was cool. There was a lot of style and atmosphere to the place. However it was a Sunday night so after an enjoyable few hours we headed off to his friends apartment where I would be staying due to an antisocial room mate of Noritakas.




The guys at the apartment were a very interesting bunch. They had all spent 6 years studying at University in San Francisco. Within minutes we were watching youtube videos and listening to a song they had made, much like what I may be doing with my own friends back home, it felt very natural and easy going. They spoke the best English I have heard come out of a Japanese persons mouth. Hiro the main man actually had a really good American accent, so much so that if I met him out of context I could easily consider him to be American. They were also a lot more savvy to the western ways and therefore weren't as taken aback or amazed by some of my statements about English life and my own views on Japan. However they were still incredibly accommodating and generous... almost too much.

I stayed one more night there but arranged to spend the next 3 nights in a hostel so as to not outstay my welcome. That was something of a mistake...