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I made a thread about my trip this past summer to different parts of China about a month or so back. I just got back yesterday from a short two week trip to Tokyo and Hong Kong with family and wanted to share some pics. This is my third time in Japan, the last time being five years ago, and I've lost count of how many times I've been to Hong Kong, my favorite city.
A lot of the pictures are going to be about food.
Photos off my Nikon D90 and iPhone.
First, Tokyo.
The first thing I see getting off the 10 hour flight to Narita International Airport. A sign of the bizarre yet to come.
Waiting for the bus to take us to Shinjuku, one of the twenty-three wards in Tokyo and home of the world's busiest train station. The ride from Narita into Tokyo took about two hours.
View from our room at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.
First thing we did after arriving was to go find this famous ramen shop in Ikkebukuro. The place sat about twenty people and the line of people waiting extended down the block. Waiting in line for 45 minutes in brick weather right after getting off a plane is no fun.
All bitter resentment vanished at the sight and smell of this. I've been to Ippudo and Momofuku Noodle Bar in NY, Katana-Ya in SF, and a ton of ramen shops all over Japan and Asia (one of my favorite foods) and this is the best I've ever had. Thick cuts of bbq pork, perfectly-timed eggs, meaty and thick broth, springy noodles... simply perfection.
A karaoke building in Ikkebukuro. The open windows and neon lights reminded me of the karaoke scene in Lost In Translation
On our first full day, we went to an onsen, hot spring, in Odaiba, an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. If you've never been to an onsen, it's a must try. One of the most relaxing things you can do and a great way to spend half a day especially when it's as cold as it was. People uncomfortable with being naked around others might want to skip this.
Right next to the onsen was one for dogs. Is this real life?
Beer in vending machines.
They also have vending machines that have hot canned drinks such as coffee. One observation I made is that soda wasn't that prevalent. Vending machines mostly sold tea, coffee, juice, or energy drinks.
And hot food.
Playing some insane music rhythm game at some kids arcade with a tall can. No one caresssss.
Sashimi
Shabu-shabu
The train system in Japan is one of the most efficient in the world. It's also one of the most confusing ones I've ever seen. It didn't help that we were using the Shinjuku station which is the busiest and largest in Japan.
Entering Harajuku.
Espresso mobile
Bape
Great cafe in Harajuku. It's on the top floor of a spiral building. Get the taco rice and the french toast.
Interior
Taco rice. Like Chipotle's burrito bowl but better in every respect.
French toast
Dinner at a traditional unagi, eel, restaurant.
Charcoal grilled
Hitsumabushi style unadon, grilled eel over rice
Krispy Kreme in Japan. This was cookies-n-cream flavored
Snow crab sashimi
Matcha ice cream
What the hell is going on here?
Snapped this outside a pachinko parlor.
Tonkatsu curry
Hong Kong next.
A lot of the pictures are going to be about food.
First, Tokyo.
The first thing I see getting off the 10 hour flight to Narita International Airport. A sign of the bizarre yet to come.
Waiting for the bus to take us to Shinjuku, one of the twenty-three wards in Tokyo and home of the world's busiest train station. The ride from Narita into Tokyo took about two hours.
View from our room at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.
First thing we did after arriving was to go find this famous ramen shop in Ikkebukuro. The place sat about twenty people and the line of people waiting extended down the block. Waiting in line for 45 minutes in brick weather right after getting off a plane is no fun.
All bitter resentment vanished at the sight and smell of this. I've been to Ippudo and Momofuku Noodle Bar in NY, Katana-Ya in SF, and a ton of ramen shops all over Japan and Asia (one of my favorite foods) and this is the best I've ever had. Thick cuts of bbq pork, perfectly-timed eggs, meaty and thick broth, springy noodles... simply perfection.
A karaoke building in Ikkebukuro. The open windows and neon lights reminded me of the karaoke scene in Lost In Translation
On our first full day, we went to an onsen, hot spring, in Odaiba, an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. If you've never been to an onsen, it's a must try. One of the most relaxing things you can do and a great way to spend half a day especially when it's as cold as it was. People uncomfortable with being naked around others might want to skip this.
Right next to the onsen was one for dogs. Is this real life?
Beer in vending machines.
And hot food.
Playing some insane music rhythm game at some kids arcade with a tall can. No one caresssss.
Sashimi
Shabu-shabu
The train system in Japan is one of the most efficient in the world. It's also one of the most confusing ones I've ever seen. It didn't help that we were using the Shinjuku station which is the busiest and largest in Japan.
Entering Harajuku.
Espresso mobile
Bape
Great cafe in Harajuku. It's on the top floor of a spiral building. Get the taco rice and the french toast.
Interior
Taco rice. Like Chipotle's burrito bowl but better in every respect.
French toast
Dinner at a traditional unagi, eel, restaurant.
Charcoal grilled
Hitsumabushi style unadon, grilled eel over rice
Krispy Kreme in Japan. This was cookies-n-cream flavored
Snow crab sashimi
Matcha ice cream
What the hell is going on here?
Tonkatsu curry
Hong Kong next.
