Bay City Rollers
Trip Start
Oct 03, 2008
1
15
18
Trip End
Oct 19, 2008
Matsushima,
Tohoku,
Japan
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Last night we returned to Shinjuku for the third time, but this time we didn't go to Vagabond. Instead we made our way to the tall 'Gotham City' style skyscrapers on the west side to see them at night. We also made the scarily quick trip up to the 75th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building for their observation deck. The view was absolutely stunning looking out over the whole of Tokyo. It really is a beautiful city lit up at night. The gift shop also gave us a chance to do some last minute shopping. There was also the strange addition of a man at a grand piano playing the Napoleon Dynamite classic "Some Say Love" (without the happy hands unfortunately) as we looked out over the city.
I'm definitely going to miss Tokyo - there's so much to do here, we've barely scratched the surface. But then again that's really the case with Japan as a whole so I guess a return trip sometime in the not too distant future is a definite must. By then I can assure you I will not be banking with Natwest.
We had yet another early(ish) start this morning (and the third morning in a row being woken up by Sergi-oy-oy-oy. I don't know what he's dreaming about but I want in) as we headed up to our most northern destination on this trip - Matsushima Bay. The bay is made up of 260 islands, all of varying shape and size, and a couple of temples. It's a really small town in reality but we did a boat trip around the islands and it was amazing - it looked like something out of Neverending Story. Thankfully without the Limahl soundtrack.
The first shrine was also interesting because, although they don't actually open it apart from once every 33 years (next opening: 2039), the bridges over to the island had gaps in them, supposedly to stop women getting over to the shrine as it would be near impossible in their traditional shoes and tight kimonos. In their face. We also managed to sample the local delicacy of freshly farmed oysters (awesome) and the not so local delicacy of edamame (Japanese pea) flavoured ice cream (interesting).
We then got the train up to another part of the bay described by the Lonely Planet guide as stunningly beautiful, or something like that, and then got lost because we couldn't read the Japanese map properly. Still we did get to see the sun setting over the bay from the train, and meet an old Japanese man who kept telling Amit not to worry(?), so it wasn't a complete loss.
As I type thisCthe others have deserted me to go to the Tokyo Tower near Roppongi (although technically, I deserted them) while I came back to pack and nurse my sore feet. Tomorrow I will hopefully report from Mount Fuji!
