Day two - Champange and cupcake breakfast.
We took an early morning train to a metro stop which has an eating area containing a cupcake shop and a bar. There is also a salad place and a french bakery. But this morning was about cupcakes.
Japan has amazing cupcakes. They are smaller than the standard NZ counterparts, which means you can order more in different flavours. The range is extensive and varied. Black vanila came highly recommended and lived up to the hype. Part of the decoration on top consisted of a baby macaroon. We also had earl grey tea with peach (it was breakfast after all), coconut and lime and red velvet. To wash it down, a glass of sparkling rose was called for and obtained.
After breakfast, full of sugar and slightly tiddly, we wandered around the harajuku district. Turns out, there is a store where you can take in prescription glasses, they scan the lenses to obtain the power, you pick a frame from a vast range and 30 minutes later, new glasses. Grey/steel blue and half rimless. And at a cost of NZ$110. I think that was how much one lense alone cost me in NZ. I now have a rather nice pair of spare glasses. Very very handy. Also doesnt count as shopping to be taken off the budget as it is something I needed to get when I got back home anyway.
We wandered down a market lane where the cos play girls (girls who dress up like anime-japanese comic-characters...think sailor moon etc (actually thats the only one I can think of right now)) get their clothes. The market street was busy and full of the craziest, laciest, most studded, frilly clothes I have seen. We are going to see the cos play/harajuku girls today. It was good to see the market and street before it gets really busy today.
At this point, I must mention the humidity. I know this is mean of me given that Auckland is about 14 degrees and raining. Its about 32 degrees with humidity off the radar. At 6.00am, it is already 28. Upon review, given that the low is 26 I shouldnt be surprised. Air con and cold showers are the best thing around.
Kristen and I met up with a friend of hers for lunch. She was also going to help us put on yukata later. We also quickly went to the imperial palace to see the outer gates and full size bonsai trees. Question, are they still called bonsai trees if they are actual size. The trees were groomed in a specific, what I would consider, bonsai style.
As tonight was Tokyo Bay fireworks, being one of the many firework displays going on over the summer, it is apparantly quite traditional for the girls to dress in yukata (summer kimono). Kristen picked me up a purple one with pink embellishments (and bow). Getting into one is complicated, without the invaluable help from Shiho we would probably still be trying to figure out how to put it on. There is also a lot of custom involved in how its worn. You have to make sure is crosses at the front correctly because if you do it the wrong way you are wearing it 'funeral style' -the way the dead is dressed in yukata is slightly different. Also, the reason why girls who wear it have a characteristic shuffle is because the style does not allow big steps to be taken. The obi gives you fantastic posture as its impossible to slump in it and you cant lean back due to the bow. I highly recommend you take a fan with you. These can be stored easily with the assistance of the obi. And its farking hot in the yukata too so a fan is needed lest you wish to pass out on the street.
Overall though, it was really fun putting on a yukata and going out in it. I am realky glad I had the opportunity to do so.
We watched the Tokyo Bay fireworks from the Tokyo tower. This also meant I could visit the Tokyo tower, see a view of the city during the day and again when the sun went down. I think Tokyo at night is much prettier and different points of focus stand out in a sea of blinkin lights. A large ferris wheel across the bay with lights ever changing, rainbow bridge awash in a sea of colour and the ubiquitous miles of bumper to bumper traffic providing a ribbon of yellow winding its way through the city.
Tokyo tour itself is like a red eiffel tour about 330m high. You can take a lift to a deck about 150m up which provides amazing 360 views of the city.
The fireworks were spectacular. They started at 7.00 and were scheduled to last till 8.20. Approx 12000 fireworks were used. They certainly lit up the sky.
We left early to meet up with some friends of Kristens at an izakaya. Think cheap drinking place where beer is ¥200 (about $3) and you order little plates of food to share like spicy deep fried octopus, wasabi, tuna and avacado salad and soba noodles. All really tasty and cheap!
Absolutely exhausted, probably a bit dehydrated and overwhelmed by the crowds as well as a bit jet lagged (I always think its worse the second night) I gratefully went to bed.
Mmmm sleep.