Lost In Japan

When we last left Tokyo I made a big list of the things I wanted to do when we came back and I was pretty desperate to make sure we did. Despite this, and my arse whipping attempts on Ricky, we didn’t get out of the house until 10:30am. We headed down to the station, ate and drunk crap coffee at Vie De France again before taking off to Sakuragicho. We headed over to the Yokohama Museum of Art and checked out their collection there. The building is a bit shit to be honest but they have a pretty good collection, though small. We saw some Dali, Ernst and just after I had explained the whole toilet bowl Duchamp thing to Ricks we find him as the subject matter of a photo. Despite the good collection of modernist works, I think the Japanese artists were still my favourite and also the photographic exhibition. I should have paid more attention to the names of the photographers but the prints were all from early 20c. Crazy shots of ‘Italian midget friends’ or ‘A meeting in Paris’ - a photo of a hall filled up to it’s eye balls from back in the day.

I can tick that one off.

Then we head back over to the World Porters building where we had ended up a few days before. Ricky wants a new jacket because all his clothes stink from the night before and the wind is cutting straight through his jumper. Plus it’s all about camping at the moment because June long weekend is fast approaching and he needs the right attire. I accidentally discover a shrine to the beloved Holga camera on a trip to find the toilet. I am excited because there is so much awesome stuff there and I really wanted to get one of these and take photos in Japan with it. Ricky find his jacket and I find my camera but we need money back in our savings account. First we decide to each lunch before going on a mission and we head to the Shabu Shabu restaurant Jo has recommended for us to eat at called Shabu Yo.

This place is awesome. You get an hour of all you can eat but you cook it yourself from the fresh ingredients provided. We have a big pot that looks like a Yin and Yang symbol, one side with water and the other with curry water. We are not really sure what we are doing so we go and grab lots of fresh veggies, noodles and some chicken and throw it in to the pot. True to Ricky’s character he chooses pretty much only mushrooms to go into his side of the pot. We also have trays of thinly sliced pork and beef and we throw that in the pot too. It’s tasty and awesome and I’m glad I know how to make an easy Japanese soup now. It costs us about 1500 yen each including cold drinks, tea, coffee and soft serve.

Tick.

Off we go back to Sakuragicho station where we find a information kiosk and we pay 100 yen for 10 minutes of internet. Scammers! Then it’s back to World Porters again (this is a 10 minute trip each way) where Ricky buys his Jacket after a long decision making process and I buy my beloved camera finally with lots of nick nacks to go with it. I found Dad a GIANT calculator which I’m sure he would have loved, but I decide I should probably take small things home, not big as we still need to go to Kyoto.

I can tick the camera off now too.

Next we head back to Hurajuku. Jo saw some really awesome leopard print gum boots she wanted the other day when we were there and Ricky and I decide to buy them for her as as thankyou for putting up with us. After we walk up and down the street four times I remember it’s in another and we go and secure the boots before making our way back to the station and onto Roppongi.

Jo’s friend Ash had told us to go here instead of Tokyo Tower but we are not really sure what it is or where. We arrive and discover that Roppongi Hills is a giant building with the Mori Art Museum at the very top. Excitement plus! We pay $15 for a combination ticket to go up and they have a massive viewing area that over looks Tokyo and the Tokyo Tower and as it is night time by now, the view is amazing. The ticket also gets us into the ‘A Retrospective Of The Turner Prize’ exhibition. The first part of the exhibition is a little bland but the rest is quite amazing in parts and I’m really glad we stumbled upon this place.

Another tick off the list.

We end up leaving at 10:30pm and it takes us 6 trains to get home, partly because 2 of them terminate on us. By the time we arrive home it is midnight and we are both knackered but we haven’t had dinner yet so it’s off to the convenience store. For 8 bucks we get 2 sushi rolls, a can of alcohol (for Ricky of course), a packet of bread chips, a box of pumpkin flavoured pringles and a box of noodles! That is so bloody cheap!!!

Soon we are home and after playing with the new camera for a little while, we’re off to sleep.

Highlights:
1. Seeing people being woken up by the train guards then the train terminates.
2. Art gallery and tower view of Tokyo.
3. Seeing Jo excited about our present to her.
4. Playing with toe camera toy thingy (Tara’s words)
5. Lunch and the Shobu Shobu place.
6. Trying snacks and treats after getting home late.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 17th, 2008 at 1:37 am and is filed under Japan.