Tokyo

11/12/2012

1 Comment

 
Toe - Key - Ohhhhhhh!!!!!!!! If there is any place you have to visit while you're in Japan, it would have to be Tokyo!  If you're looking to try to change up your fashion, Harajuku is the place to go!  If you're looking to have fun, Shibuya is the place to go!  It has everything, from the weird people to the weirdest things!
My first day in Tokyo was mind blowing!  The first thing that I noticed about the place was the herds of people going in and out of the train station.  It was nothing like Akita.  Within a minute of standing still, I swear that at least 200 people walked passed me.  For the first 3 minutes, my mind went into information overload.  There were just too many people moving, too much chatter, too many shiny signs, too many loud announcements, and not enough brain power to process it all.  It was perfect.  It was a new world, and a new adventure.
I got to see and experience all sorts of things on my first day in Tokyo.  The very first thing I experienced in Tokyo was getting lost.  Haha!  The second thing I experienced was a random person taking a picture of me.  As I was sitting down waiting for my friend at the train station, this lady came out of nowhere and just took a shot of me.  It was a little stalker-ish, but that's alright, it made me feel good about myself.  I felt like a celebrity

After waiting for a little while, my friend and I went to celebrate my arrival at a bar in Shibuya.  The bar was super super small.  It was so small, as soon as you walked in, the walls closed in.  If I stuck out my arm in any direction, I would touch somebody!  Regardless of its size, the place had a nice atmosphere.  It was cozy and the owner was a really nice guy, especially since my friend was a regular.
The next day, we went to Harajuku!  For those of you who don't know what Harajuku is known for, it is known for its unique fashion.  You got all sorts of people dressed in all sorts of styles at this place.  You have girls who look like they're maids, guys who look like they're from some futuristic video game, and everything that a person's imagination can create. The shops here sell all sorts of different brands.  Ever since I first got to Japan, I've wanted to come and shop at this place!
After a couple of days of exploring through Tokyo, I went to Shinagawa to attend the JAIMS Anniversary.  At first, I had no idea what JAIMS was.  At the anniversary, I attended a few leadership workshops, ate a delicious lunch, and went to a banquet for the dinner.  I learned more and more of JAIMS as I attended each session.  JAIMS is a program where Japanese people are sent to Hawaii to get some on the job training.  All the Japanese there spoke English and knew a lot about the island I grew up on.  It was really great to talk with people who've visited Hawaii and got to enjoy its beauty and culture.
At first, I was surprised as to the songs they were playing during the banquet and the workshop breaks.  It was all Hawaiian music.  At the banquet, I got to see all their memories through a slideshow presentation that kept playing over and over.  The banquet was very much Hawaii oriented.  They had people dressed up in Aloha Shirts, Hawaiian chanting, and even some hula performances.  The only thing that was missing was the Hawaiian food.  It was a great night!  Thank you to Mr. Jun Kabigting, I was able to meet with all sorts of executives from different companies.  I even got to meet with some locals!
Tokyo was a great experience!  I'm sure that I'll be going there again sometime soon!  One last thing, that I have to mention about Tokyo.  The train system is crazy.  At first, everything will be confusing.  Actually, until you memorize the trains you need to get on to get to where you need to go, getting around won't be so easy.  Missing one of the main trains is not so bad, as another one will come within the next five minutes of that last one leaving.  The not so mainstream trains are a different story.  If you miss your departure time, you will have to wait for a long time - sometimes up to an hour.  My solution to this is a smart phone.  With a smart phone, you can download several different applications that can calculate your route and what time each train will leave and arrive.  You can even pick from several different routes.

The application that I used to get around Tokyo was Hyperdia (Lite).  It made getting from one place to another much more easier.  It also saved me time.  I didn't have to continuously ask what train I needed to catch and what station I needed to get off on.  Anybody who plans to travel in Tokyo for a little while should download these type of apps to make more use of your time there.
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tomo
11/16/2012 09:51:51 pm

Wow, you had very great time in tokyo. that's good:D
i am looking forward to seeing you in Akita!!!!

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