Big in Japan - Arrivals in Tokyo
10.01.2023 - Tuesday
I arrive at Tokyo's Haneda Airport with heavy luggage: All my personal belongings + souvenirs from my semester abroad in Korea over the last 4 months will now accompany me through Japan for the next 2 weeks. This luggage will test my patience and nerves for the next few days.
First official act: I buy a so-called "IC" card and load a few Japanese yen (¥) onto it at one of the machines at the airport train station. You can use this card to travel by subway, similar to Korea. Cash is required for the bus system.
For some buses & train lines of the JR-Lines and especially the "Shikanzen" - express trains, I also bought the "Japan Railpass" together with my fellow travelers, that were Samuel, my sister Lena and her friend Anna, for a proud 52960¥ / 376€. But with all the traveling over the next 2 weeks, it pays off.
At the airport, I quickly pick up the SIM card I've already ordered from Korea for the next 14 days and, together with Samuel, with whom I flew here from Seoul, we take the subway to our hotel in Asakusa.
We realize that public transport is much more complicated again: more lines & fares. However, the trains are still well color-coded and signposted, so you can get around relatively quickly. There are also no delays.
In terms of language, after learning Korean for ½ year, I am unfortunately back to square one. Unfortunately, the Japanese don't speak much English, albeit a little more.
After Samuel and I have already beaten our way through the rush hours of the Japanese subways to the hotel in the afternoon and eaten Tonkatsu for dinner, Lena and Anna also arrive in the evening. Once we've all arrived at the hotel, we recover from the arrivals for tomorrow.
The exchange rate from yen (¥) to euro is approximately 1€ = 140¥.
The price calculation is then similar to Korea according to the principle: 2000¥ = > 20 = > 14€
11.01.2023 - Tuesday
Samuel & I meet up with an acquaintance from my time studying in Korea, the good Takeru.
Together with him, we first take a look at the hard-to-miss Tokyo Skytree in Asakusa at 634m, which towers into the sky right next to our hotel near Asakusa Station.
Maidcafé
In the evening, the three of us travel to "Akihabara" and meet another well-known person from the Korea-KNU era, the good Eri. In our group we walk through the district to visit Tokyo's anime & comic stores and eat at a @home Maidcafe in the evening.
Definitely worth the experience.
Shrines, Shibuya and tuna market
12.01.2023 – Thursday
In the morning, I go with Lena and Anna to "Shibuya" to the famous crosswalk and the statue of the famous dog "Hachikō". Afterwards, we visit the "Meiji Jingu" shrine nearby and drive over to the Koyoto tuna market at the harbor of "Koto".
In the evening, I meet up again with Samuel, Takeru and a friend from Darmstadt from the KNU days, Cedric, with 2 more of his friends in tow. We wander through the nightlife in the "Shinjuku" district of Tokyo and end up in an all-you-can-drink bar with a cool beer dispenser and KBBQ.
