Harajuku

Harajuku is an excellent section of town in Tokyo. It is most famous for being a great shopping district and also for the ridiculously dressed young girls it attracts. 

Harajuku girls have become a worldwide phenomenon, and many have difficulty speculating why these young girls engage is such flamboyant behavior. I have my own little theory if anyone cares to hear it.

I explain it quite simply as a rebellious tendency formed to escape the overwhelming social pressure put on uniformity in Japan. To put it simply uniformity and team work are at the core of Japanese thought. I'll go more into this in another blog, it sounds great in Theory but in Practice it is actually quite limiting. But anyway I believe that these girls are just looking for a way to become individuals, I could be wrong but hey, who really knows for sure!

Check out the pics of Harajuku Girls!

Possibly one of the most famous streets in Tokyo is Takeshita St. If you say this ten times fast it might start to sound like something vulgar. But just go with it and have fun with it. lol Anyways, this street is crammed with little shops and stores and can get heavily crowded on weekends and days off. It is definitely a must see but seriously be prepared to have you personal space bubble popped when you enter this area during a peak time.  Here are some pics below of what I'm talking about:

Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu is a great little reprieve from the city life. It's convenient location makes it one of the top places to see in Tokyo. I definitely give it the thumbs up. 

The thing that makes this place so cool is that it can be reached directly by getting  off at the Harajuku stop, which I'm saving for another blog in itself. 

Meiji Jingu can get a bit touristy but not to worry there is plenty of space to wonder and see many different things. My top two recommendations are the Meiji Jingu Gardens, which 

will be incredible in the Spring time especially during the Cherry Blossoms, and Meiji Jingu Shrine. 

Below is a shot of the Gardens during the dead of winter.

           Meiji Jingu shrine is a massively complex shrine which almost looks like Asakusa just way scaled down without the whole mile long shopping district. In fact I really can't even make a comparison between the two. 

The only thing I can say in Meiji Jingu Shrine is like a small traditional city once inside - check out this clip! 

Video Of Meiji Jingu Shrine!

Oh! Be careful with which angle you take pictures of the main structure at. It is considered rude to take a shot of the Shrine head on, not to mention it it prohibited.  You can take pictures of it but it must be on an angle! 

The Shrine at Meiji Jingu

Here is the Shrine City-like area above!

Asahi SUPER 'DRY'

Asahi super dry, is a friendly Japanese brew, goes down quite smooth and is very popular with the masses of Japan. Asahi super dry is to Japan as Miller Lt. is to the United States. 

Asahi Brewing Co. sponsors many sport events here in Japan and when you ask a Japanese person what their favorite beer is many will reply "Asahi Super Dry" more often than not. 

To be honest it is a great default beer when the pub your at doesn't have what your looking for. 

I am not a beer connosoire or anything but I'll attempt to describe  the taste because Ironically, I just so happen to be sipping on one right now.

.... its got a light, carbonated taste initially....  followed by a crispy bite, not to hoppy but not to bitter either. Hm,  yea its definitely a light beer. 

You should try one for yourself!

Public Drinking is Entirely Legal!

Me Poundin' a brew dog on the streets of Shinjuku!

Drinking in Japan

Drinking in Japan is a very strange topic to approach. Cultural etiquette and reputation would have most believe that Alcohol use here is quite mild and pretty well controlled. This train of thought could not be anymore off the mark from reality than it is. Drinking in Japan is a monstrous disaster, and that's putting it lightly. 

First of all, the laws surrounding alcohol are entirely opposite of those in most western nations. THERE IS NO LAST CALL or DRINKING CURFEW - I repeat there is no last call with the bars out here. Secondly, THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST DRINKING ON THE STREET IN PUBLIC! Please see my scientific documentary on putting this decree to the test. 

Drinking on the Street is Entirely Legal!

These laws only contribute to the mess of factors that make Alcohol use in Japan such a sloppy and treacherous endeavor. I am not trying to belittle the race or people of Asia but I have noticed that Asian people react funny to alcohol consumption. For example: you can tell when someone of Asian decent has been drinking, their faces light up pink and their eyes kind of swell. Its kind of a similar but way more severe reaction to marijuana use. 

Also, Alcohol use seems to offer some kind of escape from the daily stresses and is often times used as an excuse for bad behavior. Japanese people feel they can not be held accountable for things they do when they're drunk, this mentality is slowly fading. 

The allergic reaction teamed with excessive drinking laws and abuse leads to a disgusting mess. Shinjuku station at 5 am is like a graveyard of Japanese people covered in Vomit and sometimes their own feces. (I'm not kidding) It's totally a disaster however, its also one that I enjoy taking part in every once in a while. 

Akihabara

Please check out the video clip before reading! It totally sets the stage for the following post!

    There are 

so many shops in Akihabara that in order to stand out Japanese go to unique and drastic measures. Like this young aspiring rapper above!

Akihabara - A.K.A. Electric town. When people think of Tokyo and its tightly crammed streets with bright lights and loud solicitors with microphones, Akihabara is actually the section of town they're thinking about. This area is one of the most highly trafficked places in Tokyo, packed with tourists, Manga geeks, and solicitors. Akihabara serves several functions. Firstly, you can buy electronics here dirt cheap. PC, Audio, Visual, and any other types of equipment you may need are sold here. Including L.E.D. lights and Digital cameras. The Amazing thing about Akihabara is that like the black market, you can buy and sell used appliances. It's Great!

I had to sell my MP3 player recently and made out like a bandit with the sale. It was so much easier just to hop on the Yamanote line and sell it here in person for cash on the spot than going though the whole listing process online. One of the best things is that even though you may be unfamiliar with the area and in's and out's of buying/purchasing here, almost everyone is willing to help you get things done. 

Buying used software and products is actually quite a trustworthy enterprise and its not uncommon to see used and completely functional lab tops in the lows hundreds price range. 

This place is perfect for its functionality(its an electronics trading market) but the cool thing is that it definately facilitates the tourist and gives you something to look at. The bright lights and hustle and bustle of sales is the epitomy of Japan!

Another cool feature and unique bit about Akihabara are the Akihabara Maids! It's and interesting marketing technique but check out the pic above to see these ladies in action.