Tokyo 4 days trip - Day 4 (The Vibrant Tokyo)

6th November 2011

First, we planned to go to Tachikawa, a garden. However, since we had seen the red leaves the day before, we decided to tour the city side instead. We took train to Akihabara station 秋葉原駅 and went to a sex toy shop. If I were alone, I would have never enter that shop. However, we reached too early and the shop haven't open yet. We were so "paiseh" to wait outside that shop and went to a cafe opposite that shop to wait. Business must be good for that shop, it had 5 floors. My friend bought a sexy lingerie for a soon to be married colleague as wedding present. There were many weird stuffs, some even with video demonstrations, and we were the only female customers inside that shop! However, my male friends only walked one round and left, they said they were not comfortable to be in that shop with us. Hahahah! We left soon after too.

We went to Gundam Cafe after that. Although tempted to buy the models, but didn't due to money issue, it was not cheap.

Gundam Cafe

Beside Gundam Cafe was AKB48 Cafe, it was horrible, a lot of people (mostly men) were queuing up to enter that shop. Wow, the power of AKB48 was so great! They were in a lot of commercials, in nomikai 飲み会 (drinking party), my colleagues loved to sing their "i love u!" accompanied by really funny moves.  

AKB48 Cafe 

AKB48 Cafe

men waiting outside AKB48 cafe

Then, we went to the electrical items street, it looks like Low Yat Plaza. Most of the shops have mandarin speaking staffs. I did not normally check the price of the items, so I did not know whether the stuffs were cheap or not, but they have almost everything. I bought a Seiko automatic watch for my dad. 

electrical goods street in Akihabara 秋葉原電気街

Donkihote ドンキホーテ (Kumamoto have one too!)

Then, we went to Ueno area, there were a lot of seafood stalls there. My friend brought me to buy dried scallop, it was cheaper in Japan than in Malaysia, I bought one packet for 6000 yen (small size scallop). The owner was very fluent in English, a very rare occurrences in Japan. (brought the dried scallop home during Chinese New Year, my mom said that the size was considered quite big for that price)

We even found out that there were stalls selling indian spices, chinese style cooking ingredients, and they even sell "babas curry powder"! Couldn't believe it, curry powder from Malaysia in a small Japan stall. 

Ueno 上野 - shops under the railway

Then, we went to Harajuku 原宿 to eat Jangara Ramen じゃんがらラメン. Funny though, it was known as Kyushu ramen too, but I had never seen it in Kyushu. There were so many people queuing up to get a taste of Jangara Ramen. There were no tables for a group, all just slipped in whenever someone leave. So, we separated and sat in different places, luckily I sat with Cissy. I asked for a bowl, however, since I really don't like pork slices with a lot of fat, I gave all my pork to Cissy and she gave me something in return, but I forgot what that was. Without that pork, I think that Jangara Ramen was very delicious. However, all my friends said that the best part of the Jangara Ramen was that fatty pork. 

Kyushu Jangara Ramen 九州じゃんがらラメン

After that, we walked around Harajuku. It was very colouful with all the people, we met with a few maid cafe staffs. However, to take their photos, we needed to pay, so we just said "hello!" and left. There were a lot of stores, 2 of my friends decided to bring me shopping for clothes to change my image. While others went to Yokohama 横浜. We went to Forever 21, H&M, Gap, etc. I spent a lot! Kumamoto don't have Forever 21 and H&M. 

Harajuku 原宿

After all the shopping, we went to Yokohama to meet with others in Chinatown to have dinners. It was a long ride with a lot of people inside, I still prefer Kyushu in terms of train, I always had a seat in Kumamoto. We ate Chinese food (红烧肉) in Chinatown. However, we (Malaysians) and Cissy (Chinese) all agreed that it was not so tasty and maintained that our own country version was better!

After dinner, Tee went to Haneda Airport to take flight back Oita. While I back Chu's house. Mine was next morning flight. It was a 7 am something flight, so I had to wake up really early to take train to Haneda Airport. With all the shopping, I had to lug one big backpack and two really huge plastic bags all the way to airport. It was so heavy! I shouldn't buy too much! The worst thing came after I reached airport, I found out that I accidentally took Chu's toothpaste and kept it inside my toiletries bag and I left my cleanser in her bathroom. Both the tubes have the same orange colour! I called Chu to say sorry but I forgot that she was still sleeping, it was not even 7am yet. Ouch!

After reached Kumamoto Airport, I quickly board the airport bus to go back to Kumamoto City because I took half day leave only. I reached office just in time, phew!

Haneda airport 羽田空港

my flight back home