Starbucks above Shibuya

DAY 11

(Reading time: 3 minutes)

Transfer from Kyoto to Tokyo was also our last ride by shinkansen. On the way, we observed Mt. Fuji from the window, the highest mountain and iconic symbol of Japan. It rises to a height of 3776m, often shrouded in clouds, but if the weather is favorable, you definitely won’t mistake it. This is it, Mark and I will climb it someday.

So, we’re back in Tokyo, in the same hotel, with three nights left ahead of us.

I feel the need to go shopping…

… preferably in Harajuku district…

… and absolutely most on Takeshita Street and its surroundings.

Harajuku is a bustling shopping district known for its extravagant clothing stores, especially popular among cosplayers. Want a Pikachu costume? Sexy hostess lingerie? Samurai clothing? You’ll find everything here and probably even bigger bizarre items from furry tails to tentacles. We don’t indulge in this fashion yet, but we didn’t leave empty-handed either.

Everything in Harajuku is kawaii, including popular pancake shops offering various flavors, colors, and combinations. We simply couldn’t leave without tasting them.

Then we moved from bustling Harajuku to even busier Shibuya district. You’ll find the most famous Japanese intersection there, boasting two diagonal pedestrian crossings.

It’s supposedly the busiest intersection in the world. At one point, traffic stops in all directions, and the time of pedestrian anarchy begins.

Get ready…

Steady…

Go!

In addition, a special dog story. In front of the main exit of Shibuya subway stands a statue of Hachiko, a dog of the Akita Inu breed. Hachiko’s story is one of Japan’s beloved urban legends; it combines love, loyalty and a cute dog. Hachiko’s owner was a professor at Tokyo University. Hachiko accompanied him to work every day and waited for his return at Shibuya station. In 1925, the man died, and Hachiko was first taken care of by the professor’s relatives and then by his gardener. However, Hachiko kept running away from home and went to wait for his master at Shibuya. And he did so for another 9 years.

The bronze statue of Hachiko in Shibuya is not the only one. You can find the second one, this time with his owner, in front of the building of Tokyo University. And for the third time, it’s also possible to visit the National Science Museum in Ueno district, where you’ll see Hachiko in a stuffed form.

-endy-

DONKEY’S SPECIAL:

• Despite years and years of immersion to Japanese culture, Andy and I are still not into the fashion with tentacles, I don’t know, maybe it’s just not for us…
• Kawaii means cute or adorable, but we’re talking about cuteness level “pink unicorn hugging a white fluffy heart-shaped cloud” or something similarly honey-sweet cuddly.
• Hachiko is the name of the dog, Akita Inu breed. It’s rare for people to have them in our country (although we occasionally meet their smaller version, the Shiba Inu, in our home town). However, there was a gazillion of “Akis and Shibas” in Taiwan; there we almost felt like people were allowed only these and/or black poodles.

-mj-