When I came to Tokyo last December for a year end family trip, I thought it would be the last time I was going to come to Tokyo for a long time. So I did as much shopping and saw as many things as I could when I was here. Ate a lot too so that probably explains my cholesterol and how I put on some weight.
Funny enough, less than a year after I was in Tokyo I find myself coming back again. Not for another holiday but for work. I’m here in Tokyo now with Ming and some of the JPB team to attend a trade show here. Supposedly a really big one that starts on Tuesday till Friday. We decided to come right before the weekend starts though so we had the weekend to spend in Tokyo so right after work on Friday night, I went straight to the airport then caught a flight to Tokyo. Slept on the flight and I woke up the next morning in Tokyo. I don’t sleep well on the plane usually… because I’m not used to sleeping at such vertical angles but fortunately I actually slept quite well that night.
To add in to a little bit of the fun, hearing that we were going to Tokyo some friends decided to follow us too. Xiaxue, Cheesie and a few other friends timed their trips to coincide with us so we spent the weekend hanging out with them.
Here’s what we did on our first day in pictures.
Arrived and then started walking to lunch. Walked pass one of Kitteh’s favourite streets in Harajuku.
Went for lunch at this Japanese Pasta place. Was this really really quaint and small restaurant that didn’t have many tables so we had to wait to get a table.
This is what I had.
I love how the Japanese always know how to make their pasta al dente. Heck I’ve been to a lot of Italian restaurants in Rome that don’t even make their pasta al dente. You know when it’s not too soft and a little chewy.
After lunch we walked around Shibuya and we walked past the dreaded Shibuya 109.
I was hoping the girls had no idea what the place was about but Kitteh had told them about it. Shibuya 109 is like Sungai Wang X 1,000 except that all they have inside are clothes only for women. Nothing for men. NOTHING. I went in there with Kitteh on my last trip and spent a looong time there just watching her shop. She paid me back with the time though by following me to a technology store in Akihabara later on.
We walked past Shibuya 109 but came across this place where they had a lot of sticker photo booths. The girls insisted on doing one so we all went ahead and took a picture.
Man these photo booths have features that purposely make your eyes look even bigger!
Then the girls started putting flowers or pink bows or all sorts of girly stuff on our picture.
I was afraid to see the end result. So this is what I last saw of it.
After that we all went for dinner at this place for Yakiniku.
And after dinner we took a long walk home in the city. Tokyo is so brightly lit at night it’s crazy! I was telling Pinky that London or New York at night is brightly lit but not too brightly lit. Kind of like a nice restaurant kind of lighting. Tokyo on the other hand is like a HUGE FLUORESCENT LIGHT.
So bright that the sky above the city even looks bright.
Oh well that’s it for Day 1 guys. Blog about the rest later on. See you. Have a good week ahead.
Ok gotta go for the trade show now.
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space