RHS'69
Lunch
Tomodachi Tour IV - 2019
This is the last full day in Japan and it's a free one for everyone to do as they please. Last chance for omiyagi. There's the Ginza, Shinjiku, Shibuya Harajuku for shopping and river cruises to take a break. Adventurous ones can check out the Tokyo Sky Tree for more shopping. The "aloha" buffet dinner is tonight.
Off to the big city...Tokyo. Stops today include Outer Market, Asakusa, the Sensoji Temple and shops in the area. A busy day leaving time for a quick lunch before getting back on the bus for Ameyokocho and more shopping. Then to the hotel to check the loot.
Tomadachi IV - the fourth tour to Japan is two weeks in length. We have three reporters covering the trip: Lani Harrington, Vincent Yim (RHS'69) and Bobby Imoto (Kalani'69).
This is a "rolling blog" so each day's events are posted as they come in. Check back often for the latest.
Friday/Saturday, March 8-9, 2019
Events added daily through Monday, March 11th
Tokyo Weather for today
43 F (Japan 1:00 AM)
Predicted:
11:00 AM 56 F
7:00 PM 51 F
Precipitation 0%
Expected:
2:00 PM 0%
Humidity 35%
Wind 9 mph
Tomodachi IV is close to its end. The last two days will be spent in Tokyo with a lot of shopping and sightseeing planned. This is the final push for omiyagi. No more long bus rides, just a lot of walking and taxis.
Their return to Hawaii is Monday so the tour group is shifting into high mode to sample everything Tokyo has to offer.
Breakfast after which they board the bus for Tokyo.
Happiness is realizing this is the last long bus ride.
They're in Tokyo. Tsukiji Outer Market consists of a few blocks of wholesale and retail shops, as well as restaurants crowded along narrow lanes. Here people can find fresh and processed seafood and produce alongside food-related goods such as knives.
It is the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. It is also one of the largest wholesale food markets of any kind.
Shopping tip: Lani Harrington bought one of these on the last Tomodchi 2 years ago.
It's a rice scoop or paddle that's weighted at the bottom so it stands upright on your counter. Best rice scoop ever. Maybe you can find it in Hawaii.
Lunch
Asakusa is the center of Tokyo's shitamachi (literally "low city"), one of Tokyo's districts, where an atmosphere of the Tokyo of past decades survives.
Asakusa's main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century.
Ameyoko Shopping Street. The name "Ameyoko" is a short form for "Ameya Yokocho" or "candy store alley".
More than 400 stores line this busy market street that sits under the rail line between JR Ueno and Okachimachi stations. Shops sell seafood, clothing, dried food, candy, and a range of other items.
One thing everyone can agree on...
it's crowded.
We're not sure if everyone is out of money or energy but they are headed to the hotel to play with the stuff they bought.
One wonders if anyone has yet considered the baggage weight limit on the plane back to Hawaii.
A couple of people need to leave the tour a day early so the Aloha dinner was moved up a day to this evening.
The end is in sight.
Tokyo Weather for today
52 F (Japan 1:00 AM)
Predicted:
11:00 AM 54 F
7:00 PM 53 F
Precipitation 40%
Expected:
2:00 PM 40%
Humidity 45%
Wind 9 mph
Occasional light passing showers
It's the last full day in Japan. Last chance to sightsee and shop. They certainly are in the right place for that.
It's Sunday in Japan and we'll be getting into that International Date Line craziness soon enough. Just believe us when we say they leave for Hawaii tomorrow, which is Japan's Monday, that flips to Hawaii's Sunday midway and then they land on Hawaii's Monday.
Now Imagine us trying to keep all these event dates and pictures straight when they arrive in scatter shot with little to no information. We should have been a teacher.
Craziness.
As he did two years ago, Jesse Takamiyama joined the group for dinner.
The former Sumu champion will always be a rock star in Hawaii.
Moving on to the second day in Tokyo and the last full day in Japan.
We love a puzzle and this is today's:
This is some recent purchases of one person. She is trying to figure out how to get it in her luggage.
We'd say the odds are not good.
What's in here?
It's the ladies room.
And what's in here?
It's food.
Everyone outta my way.
Waiting for the monorail to Shibuya.
On the monorail for shibuya.
Shibuya is a major commercial and business center and it houses the two busiest railway stations in the world.
Did they go there for the trains? Of course not.
Shibuya is also used to refer to the shopping district known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
Tsujki Fish Market.
We're still hoping for some yummy pictures of cone or inari sushi.
Breakfast.
We don't know who took this picture so we could publicly embarrass him or her for the utter lack of composition.
Taking to train to Nippori for textile (fabric).
Many stores in Japan are closed on Sunday but enough are open to find some good buys.
Tsuki knives
This is a free day for everyone so there are no organized group tours anywhere.
Folks are pairing up or going off on their own to wherever they want.
We'll be getting pictures from many people while at many different places.
Enjoy the scattershot and somewhat disorganized collection of pictures.
Tour director Bobby Chinen (RHS'69) has been herding his classmates for two weeks in Japan, and it shows. He's pooped.
In fact, everybody is ready to come home.
This is it - bags better be packed because everyone shifts to the airport for the flight home late tomorrow afternoon.
It is said to be the busiest intersection in the world. Shibuya Crossing is fun to watch - sending people in all directions with every pulsing light change. Perhaps nowhere else says "Welcome to Tokyo" better than this. Hundreds of people - and at peak times upwards of 3000 people - cross at once, coming from all directions at the same time yet managing not to knock each other over.
At about :27 you can see the two tourists under the sign in the center, absolutely amazed.
At :52 the lights change.
Photos/video by:
Bobby Imoto Kalani'69
Lani Harrington RHS'69
Cheryl Osumi RHS'69
Vincent/Wendy Yim RHS'69