Tokyo

Going into this trip, I knew that Tokyo was going to be crazy.  It's the most massive metropolitan area in the world.  There are 12 million people in central Tokyo, and 35 million in the greater Tokyo area.  That's basically the combined populations of Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland...5 European countries, compressed into one Asian city.  It's absolutely mental to think about.  Of course this also meant that my love of the personal bubble was no longer in existence.  If you can go more than 20 seconds without touching someone in Tokyo, you're either tiny, a hobo gypsy, or a master ninja.  Anytime you exit/enter a subway, walk through a shopping district, or visit a famous attraction, you'll be surrounded by people that can't wait to burst your bubble.  You honestly have to experience it to believe it.

I was so exhausted upon arriving that I only toured the main district I was staying in, Taito.  Each district has subsections, the most popular near me being Ueno.  I visited the main park and then ended up finding a lost Chinese kid, Do Ming, on the way back to my capsule hotel.  I had similar issues finding the hostel, so combining that knowledge with his deer in headlights look, it was clear I should help him out.   After I showed him how to get there, we grabbed some dinner and strolled through the shopping streets, but since I hate my siblings, most notably Bryn, I didn't feel the need to purchase them anything.  

The next day I headed to Asakusa to check out the Sensoji Temple and it's corresponding market.  It's probably 500 meters from the subway exit to the temple entrance, but it takes ten minutes to get there.  Seriously, there are that many vendors and visitors.  My next destination for the day was the Imperial Palace, which is famous for having some of the best gardens in Japan.  I got a little unlucky on my timing, however, as the gardens were shut down for maintenance.  There are about eight access bridges that run across a massive moat into the main palace area, but none were open.

Sardines in a can

Sensoji Temple

This is the only way I travel

Look at the pervy look in his eye, it's like looking into a mirror

That evening, I was invited to a mini University of Northern Iowa reunion led by one of my old classmates, Hiroko.  She gathered a few of her friends that had ties to UNI and made a reservation at a place that served traditional Japanese cuisine.  It can be a little daunting to stare at a giant platter of raw fish, but I love sushi, so I tried to concentrate on that.  I thought that platter was our complete dinner, but out of nowhere several other plates started coming out!  Japanese meals seem to come in waves, almost endlessly.  In addition to the food we also shared some beers, shochu, and sake.  When the bill came, I wasn't allowed to pay for anything.  Everyone just waved me off and told me that's not how it's done in Japan.  Everyone that knows me, knows that I cannot be in debt to people, it drives me mad.  So we all better meet again so I can buy them some American BBQ!!! 

Bring it on

The Dinner Crew:  Marina, Yuri, Takao, Hiroko, Hitomi

I apparently couldn't get enough raw fish in my life, so the next morning I headed to the Tsukiji Market, which is the most famous fish market in Tokyo.  After walking around for a little while, I felt a sudden hunger and decided to eat from one of the random stands.  Two stands appeared to be exceedingly popular, one serving ramen and the other offering a mystery rice dish.  I was intrigued by the mystery, thinking it was a fish curry of some kind.  When my turn finally came to order, I was informed that the main dish was actually cow stomach.  The lady taking orders told me I could get normal beef instead, but I was already committed to trying the local dish and my stubbornness dictated I follow through.  Perhaps the most daunting thing about the meal was the fact that stomach isn't just one texture - there's four distinct parts to a cow's stomach, which means four different flavors, colors, and textures.  It was absolutely terrible in every way imaginable.  A few times I had to take a bite of plain white rice just to get the flavor out of my mouth, but in the end, I vanquished the entire bowl, because that's what a man does.

After throwing down instead of up, I went to one last shrine, the Meiji Shrine.  It was located in it's own little park area, so I ended up just chilling out and reading after getting my fill of ancient temple life.  That night I met up with Hiroko and two more of her friends for dinner at a fancy French restaurant.  I was at least allowed to pay this time, after explaining that the vastness of my wealth is directly correlated with my ability to convert Celsius temperatures to Fahrenheit. 

This girl was definitely into me, but she was also holding a giant tray of squid jerky...

What the heck is this thing and why is it in a fish market?

So disgusting, just look at all the different sizes, shapes, and colors.

Like a true Asian, I finished

And as I gently sip this drink, I think about my lack of future and all the places I could learn to fall in love....

There was only one final activity that I had to do in Japan before I could leave, something that I promised a friend I would do.  That's right folks, it was time for Japants Off, Dance Off Round Three:  Sean vs. The Onsen.  If you don't already know the term onsen, then perhaps you know this one:  Bath house.  That's right, I subjected myself to a Japanese bath house, a place where a bunch of dudes sit together in hot springs/hot tubs...Completely naked.  Luckily for you, I didn't take any pictures.

My first real question with the idea of an Onsen is:  Why do people enjoy this?  I mean why isn't there a co-mingling of genders?  I'd much rather be clothed and have women around then be stuck in a hot pool full of naked old dudes. Can you imagine all the pubes floating around in there?  It's completely unsanitary.  Do you really want to sit down on some rock that a bunch of other dudes bums have touched?  I mean what's the level of cleanliness here.  I stay in shape so I can use my body to impress women, not to flaunt it around for a bunch of dudes.  This onsen system needs some serious reevaluating.  You need men and women together, we're puzzle pieces, complimentary.  

Though I didn't enjoy the onsen experience on the whole, I will say that being completely naked in a hot spring feels pretty damn good.  The Japanese also start going to onsens as children, so it's not weird for them like it is for a Westerner.  No one looks at you or anything, but when someone next to you stands up and there's water splashing around, it just freaks you out.  I don't some sort of ball splash water touching me, it's a lot to bear (...and bare).

Freshly garmented, I made my way towards Shibuya and Shinjuku, which are two of the more futuristic looking districts in Tokyo.  I started with Shibuya, which immediately made me think of Times Square, though I've never been there.  As soon as you exit the metro station you're greeted with giant screens flashing all around you.  The crosswalks have hundreds of people on them, I've never seen anything so hectic.  I was also on a side quest to dine at the main Japanese fast food chains, so I ate at Mos Burger and Freshness Burger for my first and second lunches.  Both were legit, more along the lines of premium fast food burgers.  

When I arrived in Shinjuku, I came out on the government side of the station instead of the shopping side, and spotted a massive skyscraper, so I walked towards it.  It ended up being a government building that offered free service to a 45th floor observatory with 360 views of Tokyo!  Not a bad random find :).  After getting my fill of the view, I walked back to the station and headed towards the city side.  I grabbed dinner at CoCo Cury House to complete my day of Japanese fast food before heading to Tokyo Tower.

This is how I stay up to date on my World Cup scores

I am a bird that's in need of grounding.  I'm built to fly away, I never learned how to stay

Such a cool city

Not too shabby for a free view

It's crazy too look at, almost looks like it spreads infinitely...it probably will someday

There are a lot of places in Tokyo to see the night skyline, but Tokyo Tower is the original spot, so I decided to check it out.  It's design is based on the Eiffel Tower, so it is already pretty spectacular in itself.  Tokyo Tower had the same problem as Seoul Tower, in terms of the glass being ultra reflective, but the glare wasn't quite as bad since they keep the inside as dim as possible.  It also has a bunch of signage telling you which district you are staring at and how far away it is, which is kind of cool.  After seeing the city lights from afar, I decided to go check them out in Shinjuku one last time before heading back to my awesome capsule.

I spent my entire last day purchasing souvenirs, as I was on a mission to get some cool Asian stuff for my family members back home.  I even dumped my sleeping bag to make room for their gifts.  Ungrateful bastards, they'd never do the same for me.  

Tokyo Tower

This thing was built in 1958...It's crazy to think about how old some of these structures are and yet they still blow your mind.

I love how the main roads converge to make a massive, running starfish

Shinjuku at night

Won't you kiss me on this midnight street, sweep me off my feet.  Singin, "Ain't this life so sweet?" 

My next and final stop outside of the states was Fiji.  I wanted to find a place that I could just chill out for a month instead of backpacking across another country.  I thought getting in would be a breeze due to the laid back, island culture...Oh how I was wrong.  But that's a story for another blog...


Random GoPros

Still refusing to cut my hair :)

Tsukiji Market

Meiji Shrine

My life encapsulated...literally

Mos Burger!! I have no idea what that drink is, I just pointed

Shibuya

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building #1

You know you lead a spoiled life when being on the 45th floor doesn't seem that high to you....

Goodbye bubble

I haven't played video games in years...I feel a longing

With my final caption of Asia, I have no choice.  Asia - Heat of the Moment

The Samurai...On the Mountain...With the Noodles

When I was in college, my roommate had a dog named Niko, so when I found out there was a city in Japan with said name, I had to go.  Heck, I even booked two nights in advance simply because I had a good feeling about it. Spelled Nikko, it's a pretty famous spot for day trips from Tokyo.  I had no plans for when I arrived, so I got a map and headed off into the main touristy section, which is on the fringes of a national park.  The temples were pretty pricey, and I'd already seen a ton, so I decided to just wander around the woods.  There are paths all over the place, connecting different temples and hardly any tourists use them, because they aren't on the main temple lines or the maps.  

I'm relatively comfortable with being lost at this point, so I don't even pay attention to where I'm going anymore.  Whilst walking around the woods was fun, I started to tire of the rain and headed back to my guest house for the evening.  I ended up meeting two Japanese girls in the common area who shared their food and sake with me, allowing me to dine on caviar, squid jerky, and something that most definitely was not a potato! 

Look at how well I match, I even have ankle bracelets to really tie the whole look together... Wow, I'm really not manly at all, am I?

This is a "lucky" gate.  You throw three pebbles through the hole and the more you make, the luckier you are...I only made one :'(

Feeding and inebriating me.  If things with Tatiana Maslany fall through, I'm definitely marrying a Japanese girl!

My second day in town was full of options.  I could climb a nearby mountain, check out some hidden waterfalls, or take a bus to a giant lake.  Since I was planning on going to Lake Kawaguchi, which is at the base of Mt. Fuji, I figured I might as well go waterfalls.  I was warned to wear pants since there are leeches in the woods, but I was daydreaming at the time and didn't process the information until I was halfway there...still wearing shorts.  I should probably be on Ritalin.  

It took me about 20 minutes of hiking before I realized that I had leeches crawling all over my legs, with a few already hooked in.  It's amazing, you don't even feel them.  Peeling them off is kind of cool, they wither up like a snail or worm does, and then condense into a short, plump mound.  Blood kind of runs down from where they were attached, but the bite marks aren't really that pronounced and they don't itch.  I'd take it over a mossy bite any day.  

The first waterfall was really cool, it pops out of the middle of the forest.  You can't even begin to see a source for the water, it almost looks like magic.  From the first waterfall there is a trail that is supposed to lead to two more hidden waterfalls, but the bridge leading across the river was floating in various parts of the rapids, so I was forced to turn back.

Look at those hills, all that color

The Sneako led me here.  RIP old friend

Kirifuri Falls...One of three hidden waterfalls

YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!! GANDALF THE GREY!!!

Upon heading back into town, I grabbed some dinner items from the grocery store so I could replenish whatever mudblood (and seriously blogger.com, mudblood wasn't part of your vernacular?  The only spelling/grammar correction you should be offering me on that is to capitalize the M.  Have you even read Harry Potter bros?)  the leeches drained from me.  The owner of the guest house decided to give me some free chicken and a fresh tomato while I was dining...Why are people being so nice to me?  It's disconcerting.  

Earlier in the morning, before I'd gone to see the waterfalls, I went for a morning run.  Now, I think we all know that when a man runs, he should be wearing as little clothes as possible.  I for one, prefer running in the nude, but after a brief stint in a Thai prison, I've learned that's not generally accepted in Asia.  Thus I simply ran without a shirt on.  I cleared this with one of the girls from the previous night, Moe,  and was assured this was no problem, I wouldn't offend anyone, and all would be right with the world.  It turns out, no one runs with their shirts off in Japan and I was being some weirdo foreigner.

However, the hostel owner was quite impressed with my level of physical perfection, which is rarely seen on a god-like level and never seen on the level of a mere human.  Bwahahaha, puny humans.  Thus she told her friend, who runs a kimono shop about seeing me shirtless.  My Japanese is a little fuzzy, but I believe the direct translation was, "When this man, nay this God-like creature, removes his shirt, it will remove the breath from your chest".  True story.  So the kimono lady immediately started pressing me to dress up in a traditional kimono and dance.  

That's right folks, this is Japants Off, Dance Off round two:  Sean vs. the viral dance video.  This is apparently a big thing in Japan, where each city creates their own video in imitation of Pharrell's video for Happy.  In my old life, I would have said no to this, because I find it to be embarrassing, but one of the things I've learned on the road is to not be so quick to say no.  Sometimes making an ass out of yourself makes for a great story, besides that's the stuff you'll remember.  If I hadn't danced the night away, a month from now I probably wouldn't remember that night at all.

Me and my kimono lady....Yeah, I have a kimono lady

My heart is so yours for the taking, it's so yours for the taking!  

My dance moves aren't exactly street legal (most involve a stripper pole and Tabasco sauce), so I had to flee Nikko with haste the following morning.  The route to Fuji required a bunch of transfers, so I figured I would break up the journey with a side-trip to Matsumoto Castle.  This was the first castle I visited that wasn't under construction, so I could actually visit the main keep!  It's also supposed to be one of the top places in Japan to see the cherry blossoms when they are in bloom, but alas I was there out of season.  However it was still a cool spot to break up to the journey to Fuji San.

My arch nemesis, Kojima Yoshimitsu.  He's been hunting me down ever since I killed his master, the Samurai of the Setting Sun.  

Sometimes I look at my photos and think...Is this real? 

That was you up on the mountain, all alone and all surrounded.  Walking on the ground you're breaking, laughing at the life you're wasting...

I know less about geography than the average six year old, but I still recognized Fuji instantly.  Unfortunately, Fuji is covered in snow for the majority of the year, so climbers are only allowed to climb during July and August.  That being said, there are still buses that run to the 5th station starting points of the main trails year round.  During climbing season, most people hike halfway up the mountain on the first day, sleep at a shelter until about two in the morning, and then climb the final leg to the summit for sunrise.  They do this, because the morning is the only time of day you can see anything.  If you go any later, you'll most likely just be staring at a thick sheet of fog.  Since none of the stations are open outside of climbing season and I don't have a tent or hiking shoes or any of that nonsense, I decided to just day trip it. 

The way the bus system works in the off season is that the first bus drops you off at 10:15 AM and the last bus going back into town leaves at at 3:30 PM, giving you a little over 5 hours on the mountain.  Everyone I talked to along the way said it took at least 5.5 hours to get to the top, and you couldn't see anything because it was so foggy.  My basic plan was to hike as high as I could for about 2 hours and then if the view was good, I'd keep climbing to the top and try to hitchhike my way back home.  If the view was crappy I would head back and catch the afternoon bus.  The views of the mountain itself were pretty cool, but you couldn't see any landscape views of the city through the shroud of fog.  There was also a ton of snow and I didn't want to be stuck sleeping in a public bathroom overnight with wet clothes, after I would have inevitably been refused hitchhike rides for looking too creepy.  As a consolation prize for not reaching the summit, I got to watch people skiing down the mountainside, which was all kinds of awesome!

Fuji baby!

These people are awesome.  If only I knew how to ski, would have been epic!

Let this be our little secret, no one needs to know were climbing higher and higher and higher. Higher and higher and higher

It's a little steep...

I love being high enough to watch the clouds' shadows drift across the land

After my Fuji visit, I spent a day relaxing and soaking up the views of Lake Kawaguchi before making my way to the cities surrounding Tokyo.  My first stop was Kamakura, which is a coastal city with a few beaches.  I decided to check out one of said beaches when I arrived, only to have my sandwich ripped out of my hands by a flock of ravens!  Seriously, what the hell is going on in Japan?  One bird attack has to be rare, but two in as many weeks?  This is bush league!

Once I arrived at back at the hostel, I was surprised to see that my roommate was a German named Manuel that I'd previously met in Nikko.  Such a small world!  The next morning I scoped out a few places in Kamakura before heading to another city close by, Yokohama.  Yokohama is the largest suburb of Tokyo with a population of 3.7 million.  To put that in perspective, the population of Norway is 5 million. 

Lake Kawaguchi

Wishing upon the tear of a lily pad...

Hey there.  I just wanted to let you know that I've been watching you.   For a while actually, from a distance.  Not creepily, like from bushes and stuff, but through this window...  Hey, why are you running away, was it something I said?

Our youth is fleeting, old age is just around the bend and I can't wait to go grey.  I'll sit and wonder of every love that could have been, if only I'd thought of something charming to say...

I had no idea where I was supposed to go upon leaving the Yokohama train station, but I ended up seeing a street with port in the name, so I figured that would be a good start...Foolish.  I ended up wandering into the outskirts of a US Army Base.  As soon as I arrived within 100 meters some dudes came out and started waving me off.  I'm not there to infiltrate your base, I'm just a dude that happened to walk across a public bridge that led to the far corner of your base, which was not even visible from the other side of the road.  Oh America, if you only realized everyone else thinks you're the pretentious douche in the room...

As I was making my way back to town so I could find the correct pier, I got dive bombed by yet another raven.  I didn't even have food in my hand this time, he just attacked my hair.  Why is this my thing?  Some people are athletic, others are smart, yet I'm the dude that gets attacked by angry birds.  I mean seriously, why does this keep happening to me? It's like I'm caught in an Alfred Hitchcock movie, this world is rubbish!  I did at least find the correct pier after getting free from those monsters.

And here I was thinking the Navy had all the boats

Yokohama Skyline

Read the title of this statue...In what world are those shoes red? 

On way back to the train station I randomly spotted a Cup Noodle museum!!  Who is going to say no to that?  I've wasted 5 dollars many times in my life, and this was another one of those times.  For an additional 5 bucks you could make your own cup of noodles and seal it in an airtight pouch, but I have nowhere to store a gigantic cup of noodles, so I was forced to pass.  I did however partake in the noodle bazaar, which features noodle dishes from around the world.  I went with China, since it's the Asian country I've given the least amount of love to on this trip.

Can you just throw an "of" in there?  Cup of Noodles sounds much better than Cup Noodle... Just sayin

Never, ever give up.  Especially on yourself.  You can do anything in this world.  You just need to believe.

Cup of Noodles, you never fail to impress me.  Chinese Lanzhou Beef Ramen

Finally, a piece of art that suits my tastes (pun intended)

I used the very last day of my Japan Rail Pass to get to Tokyo, my final destination in Japan.  Would I, someone who is obsessed with the personal bubble, survive the most densely populated city in the world?  I'm afraid that's a story for another blog....


Random GoPros

I call this look "Seduction" by Calvin Klein

This statue validates my alien torso theory.  Every torso looks like an alien's face, seriously zero in on that thing.

Don't get me wrong, this is way more bad ass than any water fountain I've ever seen.  But I don't want to use the same rusty spoon that everyone else uses to to drink it with.  Have you seen People of Walmart?  What if one of them used that spoon? I'm not taking that risk.  I spread love not germs, you could learn something from me Japan.

If I stand too close I might fall in, but if I'm too far gone I'll never win.  If you believe in me, I might just wanna spend some time with you again.  I'm afraid I tend to disappear into an anxious state when you draw near.  There is no reasoning, it's quite a silly thing, but it's the way I've been for years.

I love this world, never fails to amaze me.

Can you imagine being a warlord back in the day?  You'd own all of this...plus you'd get to walk around in full Samurai gear whenever you wanted.  That's the dream.

When I was younger, my sister used to stick her fingers out of a tiny grate in our house and tell me she was caught by an evil witch and I was the only who could rescue her.  She would stay hidden until I started bawling my eyes out over having failed to save her.  Then she'd finally pop out to tell me she'd escaped.  My early twenties were a very emotional time for me...

Awww quit being such a  Grumpapatamus!!!

Why the hell did humans stop building castles?  I'm officially bringing castles back.  Get to work minions.

Usually the best view from the mountain is at the top, but this beats staring at fog :)

Lost in the fog

Sometimes pebbles will find their way through the hole in a man's shoe.  And sometimes that man carries band-aids.  Crisis averted!

Damn you band-aid, why can't you be waterproof?  Crisis reinstated!

Stupid snow

In all of Japan, not once have I seen a vending machine with candy bars, chips or other snacks.  Out of nowhere I find a vending machine that serves hot dogs, french fries, and fried rice.  Next to it is an ice cream treat machine...This place is out of control

Hard-wood floors on a train...what?!!?!?

My Canon 7D is my baby.

Yokohama Station Mural

If you couldn't tell from all these selfies, I'm really photogenic

If you have two, give one to your friend.  If you have three, give one to your friend and me.  It's always more fun to share with everyone, oh it's always more fun to share with everyone.