Tokyo Travels - Part 2

The City
I didn't see Tokyo as having a single CBD, but rather multiple CBDs consisting of multiple wards all with their own nuances and towering skyscrapers. I decided against going on any tours, but relied entirely on the Lonely Planet guide. The benefit of this I thought would be that could explore the city at my own pace, while walking around I was able to stumble across museums or galleries tucked away in backstreets and out of the way areas. The beauty of the transportation system is that once you're familiar with it, you're less apprehensive about getting lost in the city. For example, take a wrong turn down the street, eventually you'll come across another subway station where you'll be able to travel back to familiar areas. The first ward I'll blog is Shibuya.

A quiet time on the street
Ground level

Shibuya
Apparently the main train station averages 2.4 million people through their turnstiles on a weekday and on more than one occasion I'd popped out of an exit only to find I'd have to walk 15 minutes to navigate the streets back to my desired area (believe me, although the street is busy, getting out of the subway is a good idea). Most people head towards exit to Shibuya crossing, which was featured in Lost in Translation and epitomizes the neon and pedestrian onslaught that hits many parts of Tokyo. At times overwhelming, but spectacular to experience.

I counted 8 different crossings where waves of pedestrians make their way across the street. On one particular day, rain provided a spectacular scene with umbrellas filling the intersection as sides converged on each other not unlike a scene from Braveheart. Navigating through the throng of people is a skill the vast population has mastered, despite having unbearable high heels, large shopping bags or being engrossed in the latest mobile phone game or text.

Ready?
Here's why transparent umbrellas are great!

The bright lights engulf the senses as soon as you emerge from the subway, and I was quite happy on a number of nights to walk through the maze of streets taking in the sights and sounds of the vibrant night. The most popular spot to meet is outside the main subway entrance where a statue of Hanchiko stands - a dog who's owner died but continued to visit for 10 years in the 1920's. (Remind you of a Futurama episode?)

Tepco Electric Energy Museum
Tepco is an electric company in Japan, so some exhibits and videos are a little bias towards the services they provide, however a 1/3 replica of a nuclear reactor was a highlight as were some of the other hands on experiments. A futurist kitchen and various sources of electricity are also displayed and there is an English handout on each floor. As it was with most of Tokyo, the staff are friendly and courteous and even went to the extent of a mini tour, complete with a competitive mind game which two people pressed their heads against a sensor which controlled the movement of a ball (apparently depending on how relaxed you were). Despite being on holidays I still lost the challenge. There weren't too many other museums or cultural places to see in Shibuya, but there are plenty of other destinations that will fill this need.

Other sights included the Tobacco & Salt Museum (strange combination!), Love Hotels, Tokyu Hands (A one-stop shop for anything, including a plastic shaped banana case. But they're all different shapes and sizes I cried to myself!) and countless other retail stores and restaurants.

Love Hotel...

A good spot to end the day for some food, drinks or some shopping, Shibuya fit the pre-trip view I had of Tokyo...

To be continued...