Japan tour 2025: Day 13 Off to Tokyo

 

By the numbers

22,646 steps

17.82kms

 

Level of Chaos: Busy train stations

 

The day started off with a donut and a pastry that included shrimp, and I was kinda happy that I had coffee even if it would be the only one that I would be drinking that day. After having something to eat, I took a walk out of the building to see a street that was a shopping street to see what was down it. It happened to be selling fish hence the sign with fish so that had my curiosity quenched, I went back to get ready to leave as I didn’t want to be late for the train. What I did not realise was just how busy it was at the station, I had a half hour to wait, but people were everywhere and the constant flow of trains did think them out, but they were still flowing into the station. The time came for the train to come and go. I was on it with my bag at the back of my seat as I thought it was over sized and no one asked about the bag at all. An hour and half later we were in Tokyo with the train running on time. The driver had said as much when he passed a certain station.

 

Once we arrived in Tokyo I was off and running until one of the ticket gates had issues that the station guys were trying to fix, so I had to find another one. It was pretty easy as there was another set that you could only go one way through. It was also busy in Tokyo station and I wasn’t sure which direction I should be walking in until I seen a sign for JR lines and I seen the line I was after, which was the Yamanote line as that takes me to where I am staying. Within 15 mins of leaving Tokyo station I was at the station I needed to be as I didn’t need to wait very long at all. I found where I was staying pretty quickly and sorted out my bags before leaving the main bags at the desk. I decided to head towards Ueno park where some of the museums are located. I ended up following a shopping street that was full of people and that wasn’t what I really call fun. The temperature had apparently hit something like 32 during the day. I was going to visit a museum, but decided not to as I would likely take longer and I had other places to be. I wandered to at least two stations for stamps, although they didn’t always stamp properly as the ink had mostly dried. Wandering towards one of the stations just past Ueno station and the museums. I found a cemetery that had graves for those who had committed ritual suicide in the 1600s and were considered to be a cultural heritage asset. Around this time enough time had passed that I could make my way back so get my gear in my room.

 

I was just on time to check in at 2pm and once that was done I had a brief rest in my room before heading out to Shinjuku an area with a very busy train station and known for the alcohol type places especially Golden Gai. I was going to see a show called Samurai Restaurant, which was the old robot restaurant thing. The whole area was full of host clubs and maid type cafes with a police announcement telling people not to go with touts as they would fleece them. I did get to see Godzilla at the top of one building that is a hotel. I went to the building where they were performing the show and I couldn’t believe the stairs and the walls were full of colour. I had ordered a meal when I booked the show and that was my early dinner, pretty easy. When that finished I went for a wander to have a closer look at Godzilla, but found the cinema didn’t have anything, but the hotel I could view it. The hotel didn’t like people who were not guests up there and I had to take a quick photo before leaving as I didn’t want to get into trouble. I did find a Godzilla manhole cover. A little wandering around I found a bookstore that had 8 floors and even had an English section. I didn’t stay there for long as there was a building that showed movies on the side. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government building was showing Godzilla and Gundam shows on the side. I just made it, but didn’t know where I could watch the show properly. I could see the show pretty well so stayed for a bit. Then I made my way down towards it to catch the train back to the hotel. That was then I found all the people camped waiting for the next show to start. I waited with them and the show had sound, which was something I hadn’t expected. I left for the hotel after the show finished.

 

I am amazed so far how easy Tokyo seems to be to get around as I had walked a fair bit of Shinjuku even if some of it was in the dark. Not sure if it would always be that easy, but I might have jinxed myself. I didn’t get to see Fuji as I think it was behind the clouds so missed it. I doubt I was at the wrong side of the train.