Set the alarm to 4:45a.m. Saturday morning in order to make it to the sight of a mass fish massacre (Tsukiji Fishmarket), where I watched giant tuna being auctioned off, and tried some fresh sashimi.
To be honest, I was so excited about the big sightseeing excursion that I didn't give much consideration to how much the sight of all that blood and all those piles of freshly killed fish would make me feel. Needless to say, the combined experience-walk through the market, fresh sashimi and all-has put me off fish for awhile. Full-fledged vegetarianism beckons.
After our early morning my roomie Chelsey and I were in desperate need of a midday siesta, but after a few hours rest we were back out on Takeshita street taking in the Harajuku sights, which included throngs of people as usual, but also:
some interesting paper lanterns, and:
a lineup of people waiting to get into the new Harajuku/Omotesando H&M, which we stumbled across before the store itself was even in sight.
Sunday is usually a 'Holiday' (day off work) here in Tokyo, but not for me! I spent my morning/early afternoon
looking happy
to be japanese-catalogue-lady-posing
in an extensive selection of heinous fur coats.
O.k., so I wouldn't identify the fur as the root source of my happiness, but I managed to be happy in spite of all the animal fluff. A significant portion of the credit is likely due to my new reading material, David Crystal's
The English Language; a guided tour of the language, which sounds dull but in reality is remarkably interesting-to me.
the legendary Shibuya shopping mecca Shibuya 109,
Shibuya crossing (as seen from the 2nd floor of THE Shibuya Starbucks),
cute shops (ahem, 3-floor Disney store) in which to strike imitation japanese-schoolgirl poses/behave like a walking tourist cliche,
and miscellaneous smile-inducing sights...
Not to mention, as I explored last weekend, 'traditional' and 'cultural' sights aplenty (kabuki theatre, temples, anyone?):
simple:
THE VIEW! Oh, and the free stuff (bag, bracelet, booze (donated to Chelsey the Insomniac's cause of attempting to drink herself asleep), courtesy of Zadig&Voltaire) arigato gozaimasu!
To be honest, I was so excited about the big sightseeing excursion that I didn't give much consideration to how much the sight of all that blood and all those piles of freshly killed fish would make me feel. Needless to say, the combined experience-walk through the market, fresh sashimi and all-has put me off fish for awhile. Full-fledged vegetarianism beckons.
some interesting paper lanterns, and:
a lineup of people waiting to get into the new Harajuku/Omotesando H&M, which we stumbled across before the store itself was even in sight.
looking happy
to be japanese-catalogue-lady-posing
in an extensive selection of heinous fur coats. 
Just look at that child. Is it asian, or is it white? If you ask me, it looks a little bit like both. And I think that's the point. I'm not surprised, considering the tendency of clients to photoshop 100% caucasian models into eurasian-ressembling crossbreeds. Just look at this cookie package! It's a raceless advertising baby-ploy!
Exhibit B:
Exhibit C:
Question: What do exhibits A, B, and C have in common?
where the daibatsu is located
Not quite as big as the giant buddha in Hong Kong, but no less interesting or beautiful.
to get here:
meet Harajuku. Nothing compares. No video or photographs or measly little blog post could even come close to communicating everything there is to see in Harajuku. From the shops to the people to the tourists to performers to a wedding party (the lucky couple got carried through the crowded street like royalty, though in a much more chaotic fervour) to the traffic-crossing guards to the cafes and restaurants and meiji park/shrine, I was fascinated by everything I saw today. No disappointments, 100% hype-worthy.
