Tokyo

Tokyo! Largest city in the world according to population density. 36 million people in the city and surrounding area, about the same as in Canada. My tour ends with one night here, but I have an extra two nights. Our hotel is close Ueno Park, a massive green space with a zoo and museums.

Lunch was a tiny restaurant where you ordered from a vending machine outside. Our last night as a group was dinner in a restaurant just big enough for our group, then drinks in another tiny place that we shared with a group of business people getting loud and smoking weed.

That night there was a massive earthquake off the coast of Japan, and I felt the aftershock when my bed shook.

The next day some friends and I found the only Kabuki theatre in the world in the flash Ginza district. We got standing tickets to one curtain of the all day play with fantastic costumes, sets and makeup. A translating reader to follow the drama kept us riveted to our standing spots for two hours!

The kabuki theatre was right across the street from a pod hotel where Wesley is now staying. You have your own little tunnel with tv, for $50 or less a night.

Check out “prime pod” on one of the top floors.

We were close to the Tsukiji fish market, the largest in the world. If you’re going to try sashimi, this would be the place.

On to the busiest street crossing in the world

at the Shibuya station, where there is a statue of Hachiko, a dog who met his owner at the station every day and continued for 10 years after his master’s death.

It’s a popular meeting and photo spot.

In the evening we went to the Akihabara district, famed for its electronics shops.

There are many girls on the streets advertising maid cafes, where apparently you are treated as the master and they are your servant,

but we went for the cat cafe, where you pay about $2 for 10 minutes with some spoiled fluffy unfriendly cats.

There are also owl cafes that were advertised on the street.