So, my plans for  A.O. (after Osaka) time were changing from day to day. Since you always have to make reservation for almost everything in Japan that was not such a good idea but with the great help from the fastest train in Japan-shinkansen I managed to solve the jigsaw called the trip. It lasted for a week and the destination was Tokyo.

I went to see Kyoto again-totally worth it since you can go to Kyoto every day in year and still don’t see everything,  hiked through a tunnel made of only the shrine doors, went to see some zen gardens (there is possibility that you spend the night in temple but of course you have to make reservation at least few days ahead-and you know me…) and met lots of foreigners. I kind of felt lost with them.

my tatami room

Continued at Atami, a touristic spa resorts place, got to know onsen better (Japanese hot spring baths), this time public ones. In every house there is shower and a bathtub located in the bathroom. You take the shower first and then enter the bathtub. While taking a shower you are sitting on a small chair and wipe your body with a small towel dipped in water and shampoo from the water basin. And when you’re clean you can relax in a bathtub, filled with hot water (40°C) and some herbs and forget all the worries and the world around you. They do it every day, everybody uses the same water from the bathtub, change it once per day. And in public spa resorts it’s the same, you have outside/inside bath and you share the experience with many women at the same time (yep, it’s separated). Spent the night in tatami room, so I got the full Japanese experience.

It continued in Yokohama, wonderful city with a big port and Chinatown. The port is 150 years old this year and they had a lot of celebration. There is even EXPO which was at first the main reason why I went there but I started liking this city

Yokohama

more and more every minute.  I saw enormous mechanic spider, made by one French company that makes huge mechanic dolls, and of course some really cool Japanese high tech inventions as cars and high resolution tv screen… It was nice! The best or the worst part as you wish about Chinatowns all around the world is that they’re all the same, colourful, with impossible-to-count-number of restaurants and shops.and only 30 minutes away…

…only 30 minutes of train ride…and there was TOKYO, THE TOKYO, one and only, home to 12!!! million people, its billion lights glowing in the dark inviting the people from all around the world as the sign “follow me” to land in its  embrace and be undoubtly satisfied with this immensive capability of packing these small creatures onto its playground.

From jaw-dropping no-room-for-chaos chaotic crossroad where during one red light for cars, thousands people cross the road to perfect movie-scene view from the Tokyo tower (Japanese version of Tour d’ Eiffel), to Gotham city city hall;

now count!

from the Electric city where you get all kind of electronic devices,  gadgets and anime costumes or dolls to splendid architecture beautifully-abused  by fashion boutiques;

from best restaurants to homeless people calmly waiting in line for their free meal in the park to early fish market bombed by fresh fish and juicy sea fruits sadly waiting for the revelation of their purpose of life;

Tokyo's circulation with veins and arteries

from the third highest Statue of Liberty in the world to the spotless pieces of peace and silence in the middle of the city where the mute temples forbid you to interrupt all that is holy… From to from to from to…

Tokyo is a place you just have to meet to have your own from to. A place that leaves a post it with a note: COME BACK ANYTIME on you. I can’t wait to get lost in it again… and plans:

there are  many for the next time, I just need a ticketo;)

smoking area on the street, outside!

fish market at 6 a.m.-it’s already late