Tokyo, Day 1

So on our first day, we left Numazu about 10am and headed for Shibuya.  We heard that some of the crazy, young Japanese kids hang out here, all dressed up in some of the craiziest anime outfits and goth costumes you've seen.  Well, I guess we wandered around the wrong parts of Shibuya, because we didn't see anyone! We did see a TON of young people, though, which proved to me that Shibuya is the "stomping ground of the youth" in Japan.  It was crazy.

After some lunch we headed to the Tokyo Metropolitan Buildings, which you see on the right.  It is free to go to the observation deck and the view was beautiful (better than that from Tokyo Tower, I hear).  To be honest, I had forgotten my camera this day, so these pictures are all from Tuesday... heh heh.  We went back so I could get some.

TOKYO AT DUSK, from the Metro Building's South Observation Deck

In this last picture, near the horizon, to the left, you can see the Tokyo Tower--a redish blurry tower. (:  The large group of trees is the Shinjuku Park.

I can't remember what a lot of these skyscrapers are... but that doesn't make the view any less amazing. (: We tried to get up here for the sunset, but we JUST missed it!  Oh well.  It was still really beautiful.

After visiting the Metro Buildings, we headed to Ueno, where our hotel was.  Well, we got a little lost.  Some guy on the street asked if we were okay, and I showed him my map, and where we were trying to go, and he pointed us along.  It didn't help.  We went to a 7-11.  They were no help either, but said their was a small police station down the street.  When we left the store, a woman came out, calling us back in English. (:  She helped us out by taking us to a nearby Domino's Pizza Delivery place.  (What a great idea!  They MUST know the area really well!)  And soon after that, she was leading us to our hotel's front door.  What a nice woman!  Thank you so much, wherever you are! We decided to stay in a hotel this time, having enough with sleeping on the floor.  But after checking in, we found our bed was almost as hard as our floor. :P  Oh well.  We went back to that Domino's and got dinner and called it a night. (:

Tokyo, Day 2

First, let me appologize of my depressing lack of pictures from Tokyo.  I guess it just didn't impress me so much.  And really, it's just a big city!  We saw lots of stuff, but it was just city... you know?  That said... on to day 2.

I called Mayu from our hotel last night, and we arranged to meet at the Ueno station, then go to Asakusa.  So, Jeremy and I met her the next morning.  It was so good to see her again!  She had just gotten back from visiting her boyfriend, Dan, in Arizona and had a lot of pictures to show us, on our way to Asakusa!

The first thing we saw, coming out of the Asakusa Station was the famous "Asahi Golden Turd"!  I guess it's supposed to be beer froth, really...

We visited Asakusa Shrine next, and saw the famous "Thunder Gate" with its HUGE lantern.  After that, we had a delicious lunch at an okonomiyaki restaruant, which is like an omelette with veggies and/or meat in it.  Yum!

After that, we did some shopping in Shinjuku, then parted ways.  Mayu to a friend's, and us to the GHIBLI MUSEUM!