June 2010
9 posts
Japan Day Eight
Today I had to wake up early to go to the embassy to get my new passport. By this point I was kind of a pro at the whole process, so it wasn’t too bad. This time I realized I could access the US Citizen line and probably avoided what looked like a two hour wait. I was in an out in probably ten minutes, now with two passports (though one has four giant holes through it and the word...
Japan Day Seven
Day Seven was a solo day and I went exploring in Ebisu/Daikanyama. I was on a mission to find the bracelet I had bought two years ago and lost in LA. It meant a lot to me when I got it — one of the only physical object reminders of my trip in 2008. I found the shop I bought it at instantly, like a bird on a long 2 year migration. They didn’t remember me but I knew exactly where the...
Japan Day Six
Day Six had us back in Tokyo, ready to walk some more and open up the second phase of our adventures. We started at the Imperial Gardens sometime around 11am. I really can’t overstate the importance of blackout curtains. I’m not used to getting more than 5-6 hours of sleep. We explored the gardens and were continually amazed at how frequently the other people exploring with us were...
Osaka Day Five
Ahh I’m trying to catch up! We are on Day 8 now technically, but my writing is a few days behind. Osaka. OK this in one ugly city. If Tokyo and Osaka grew up together as siblings, Osaka is the one that joined a gang and ran away from home. I have almost nothing positive to say about the appearance of this place. That said, I had a great time here. Today was a solo day, so I resumed my...
A Few Tokyo Travel Tips
1.) If you need a bank in Tokyo, find a 7/11. For some reason 7/11’s have the only international ATMs. 2.) If you need a trashcan, find a Starbucks. Apparently, Japanese people don’t generate trash on the go. It’s entirely possible to go your entire stay in Tokyo without seeing a public trashcan. 3.) If you need an internet cafe, find an Apple store. Free internet as long as you...
Japan Day Four
Today we took the train to Kyoto. I did this last time, but made the mistake of not buying a JR Rail Pass before leaving the US. The pass is an incredible deal; it allows you to travel on any JR line for 7 days for $300. Considering this is almost the price of one round trip ticket to Kyoto, it pays for itself almost instantly. You just have to remember to grab it before you head out.
The train...
