From Tokyo to Hakone

My time in Tokyo is over and I've spent the last day in Hakone, which is a small mountain resort town outside of the Tokyo city area.  After the craziness of Tokyo, spending a little time in rural Japan feels wonderful...it's been a much-needed opportunity for my mind and body to recover.  This will be a LONG update, since I need to catch up.

Tokyo album received its final update

Last Hurrah in Tokyo

I finally summoned enough energy to hit the nightclubs in Tokyo.  The jet lag really does a number on you, so there was no way I could go out for drinks within my first two nights.  But I finally adjusted to the time zone change and going out was a blast.  I went to Roppongi, which is the night club district.  Everyone told me this is an area almost specifically set up for foreigners visiting Japan - they were right.  I navigated my way to Roppongi on the subway, which was over a 30 minute ride.  Comparing this to Chicago: if my hotel was in the north side near Wrigley, then Roppongi was all the way down in the south side - it was lot farther than I expected.  That's just how Tokyo is set up...it's very spread out.  No matter where you stay, you will be a 30 minute train ride away from at least one place you want to visit.

I found Gas Panic, which was the club my buddy Mike told me about on the airplane ride.  Before walking inside I was thoroughly harassed by men in the street trying to get me to check out the strip clubs they were working for.  These guys all spoke fluent English and they spotted me from a mile away.  Being an experienced city guy I know the drill, so I easily brushed them off saying "yeah maybe later" and continued on my way.  It actually reminded me of Vegas, since they were snapping little cards and handing them to you.  Walking inside Gas Panic - it was small, filled with cigarette smoke, and they were playing "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore.  I grabbed a beer, and a group of white guys walked in and sat next to me.  They were a group of traveling friends that goes to cities all over the world - I was pretty jealous after hearing some of their stories.  They were made up of an Australian, a British guy, and a French Guy.  I ask "got room for an American guy?" and they were happy to let me join their gang for the night.  We checked out some other bars, danced with the locals, and had an awesome night.  Here is a partial shot of our group - the British guy isn't in this pic.  The girl is a local who the French guy seemed pretty interested in.  We also met a British girl and added her to our crew later in the night.  And go figure, the British guy in our group took a strong liking to her.

The next day I checked into the capsule hotel and did some more exploring.  I checked out a neighborhood called Shibuya, which is the big shopping district.  The famous "Shibuya Crossing" is also here, which is a 5-way intersection that literally hundreds of people cross all at once.  While in Shibuya, I checked out Shibuya 109, a high end women's shopping mall.  This place was other-worldly.  Girls are walking around in bizarre outfits, and despite the cultural gap I can tell these are the rich spoiled "valley girls" of Japan by the way they talk and act.  Ironically, they stared at ME in disbelief when they saw me walking around - an average looking white guy in jeans and a long sleeve shirt.  Context is everything...that's all I can say.  To them, I was the strange curiosity.

I also checked out a Pachinko parlor.  These places are literally everywhere in Tokyo.  You basically just put money into the machine, and then a bunch of metal balls start bouncing around and falling through the machine.  While this is happening, the TV screen in front of you shows these anime-style warriors fighting each other, and loud exciting music begins to play.  I had no clue what was going on, but I do know I lost my 1000 yen bet. (Relax - it's only 10 dollars)

The capsule hotel was surprisingly nice.  You take your shoes off immediately when you walk inside, and put them in a locker by the front door.  Then they provide you with a loose-fitting comfortable outfit and you change into it.  The outfit must be worn at all times inside the hotel.  The hotel was six floors, each containing different things to do.  There were a couple different recliner lounges, a massage area, a restaurant/cafe, a sleeping room, a "Manga Room" (where you can watch anime DVD's), a bathing area/spa, free computer terminals, and of course the capsule area.  With so many amenities, I was surprised they charge only $40/night.  I got my first taste of Japanese style bathing here, where walking around naked is a cultural norm.  The spa was nice...I soaked in a hot tub for a bit.  My photo album contains a bunch of pictures from the hotel, but obviously I did not take any pictures of the spa/bathing area.  Sleeping in the capsule wasn't so bad either...the main drawback is you can hear other people snoring.  

Hakone

After checking out of the capsule hotel, I rode the "Shinkansen" (bullet train) to Hakone.  Thanks to the unlimited one-week Japan Rail pass that I ordered in advance, boarding the trains is a breeze.  If you ever visit Japan and want to see multiple cities, this pass is highly recommended.  It's only available to foreign tourists...it can be ordered online, and they express mail to you in the US before you leave.

Full Hakone photo album - click here

Hakone is a mountain resort area about 45 minutes outside of Tokyo.  This area is famous for its "onsen," or natural hot springs.  I got sort of a late start to my day and didn't arrive until 3 PM.  Finding the hotel was extremely difficult...it was tucked in a small side street, and the front sign was written in Japanese kanji.  For the second time in a row, my hotel tried to put me in a smoking room despite the fact that I reserved non-smoking (at a higher price, no less).  I refused to let them do it.  The Japanese guy called the front desk and I heard the word "gaijin" come out of his mouth, but I got the room I wanted. (Gaijin means "foreigner/outsider," and it carries a negative connotation).

My hotel is near Yumato Station, which is on a street filled with little shops and restaurants.  Very nice...except all of the shops shut down at 5 PM, and the restaurants close no later than 7 PM.   I barely had enough time to grab dinner before it was too late.  While I was eating, a white couple walked in and looked terribly confused.  I offered to help them out with the menu...the guy said "I don't like any of that raw food, ya know."  I would see them again the next day (today) and we talked outside the 7-11 for close to an hour.  They are from Canberra, Australia, and offered to show me around if I ever visit the land down under.    He gave me his business card - very nice folks.  Shane and Glenda:

While here in Hakone, I did the famous circuit which involves exploring the area by train, cable car, rope way, boat and bus.  Great views, and I even got to ride in a pirate ship.  The circuit can be done in a few hours.

I also visited a couple different onsen (hot springs), which was utterly fantastic.  When you walk into an onsen, you must either purchase a small towel or bring your own.  It's small...like a hand towel.  And that is all you bring with you into the hot spring area - no clothing allowed.  At first it's a little uncomfortable walking around totally naked, but when in Rome.  You get used to it quickly.  The onsen has religious meaning for the Japanese, so there are other rules you must follow.  The towel must not be dipped into the water.  You can either wear it on top of your head, or place it on a rock nearby.  No pictures are allowed anywhere inside the building or hot springs either.

The hot springs contain a heavy dose of natural minerals...I'm not sure what's in the water, but it almost put me to sleep when I stepped in.  There is also a sauna, steam room, and a tub filled with icy cold water.  It's exhilarating to go into that tub - the water is so cold, you can feel your heart begin to slow down.  Then you go from that into a hot spring - wow!  You feel like a million bucks when you leave the onsen.

And I feel like a million bucks right now.  This trip is the coolest thing I've ever done in my life.  Thanks for reading this blog and following my adventure.  Please send me an email or Facebook message if you want.  It's really nice having people to talk to back home...it keeps me grounded.  OK time for bed - until next time.