In Tokyo, I have a friend called Shintaro and he is kind enough to give me the place to share in his tiny flat.
Takada, my friend is living in Akihabara and the day I arrived he picked me up and he took me into his flat and gave me some space to stay in between his bed and wall. It was about 1.5m wide and enough to stretch my whole body. And his room is about 3 x 5 s/m around that cost him $900 about just for the month rent. What a surprise. Tokyo sure is crazy. The night he took me to BBQ of beef tongue. We had a bit expensive dinner. That was great.
Next day, I went out to get Indian tourism visa. It seemed that the embassy was close from my flat on a map so I walked there with my hand drawing map but I got lost many times and took me five hours about to get there. I got the visa without any trouble and walked back. On the way back, I found Yasukuni shrine and Empire's palace. The Empire's palace was quite huge and had a nice atmosphere with river around and huge glass but it should be spring to visit. There were many cherry blossom trees but they weren't on seasons yet. The night has fall and Takada was at work. I had rest for tomorrow.
I went out to find climbing gym with hand drawing map, and again I have lost. This time was in Ebisu town. It was rainy day. I just wasted hours around the train station and another day has passed. Again Tokyo is massive.
I went out to around the Ueno station with a map that I got from western tourist. Also on foot from Akihabara though. The day was sunny and I had a idea where I am going that day. Walked around the street called Ameyoko. There were so many Japanese entertaining stuff like Pachinko and kid's game station. Funny souvenir shops, silly looking dolls and ridiculous clothe filled the street with living atmosphere. Then I found the Ueno park then I regret again that I should've come a month later. There were only lonely cherry blossom without bloom. Well, I kept up my mind to go on and went to visit Asakusa shrine after. There was the street with big lantern that (probably the most of the tourist have seem the picture of it) one of the Japanese famous tourist spot the “raimon”??? I forgot the name at the moment... and walked around the area. It was not exciting as I expected...
Well, if I had some people with to travel, it would have been totally different.
I met an old friend Tamaru at Ochanomizu. He hasn't changed at all but it was great to catch up. We went out to drink at place called Izakaya the Japanese style pub and talked over the night about all around me and him, and about friends what they are and were doing. We ended up in a club called Atom and listened music and danced until morning. One of the reason is that there is no public transport after 12pm in Tokyo. Considering the population and night entertainment in Tokyo, it is weird that the transport finishes by then. So we had to stay arrive until 5 in the morning. We got so smashed. I went to his house and stay the day. His house was bigger than Takada's but was really far away. Train and another train, walked for half an hour with screwed head. We got smashed and walked up in the afternoon. Had some lunch and talked about music. What surprised me was that he started to be bit nerd. He had some anime figure and weird comics. Made me lough.
Couple days of being lazy. Watching one piece and facebooking
I caught up a friend of friend. I met her in Malaysia and she messaged me that her friend is visiting in Japan. Merel from Holland, we caught up in Harajyuku and we walked around the town. My friend Yoshi also joined us during the afternoon but the weather was rain there wasn't much choice. We visited a massive building and looked down the city from the observation deck. Yoshi was driving so only Merel and I went out for drink. Had some yakiniku but she couldn't handle some of the japanese weird food like soft borns, livers and chicken's kidney.
Next day, we caught up in Shibuya. Took some photos of the busiest junction in Japan and visit Bunkamura. There were some photo gallery. It was also rainy day thatI feel bad that I couldn't show Japan much. Then she had a flight to catch and I saw her off at the train station. And I caught up with Yoshi in the afternoon. He got me a ticket to circus de soreil. The show was magnificent. You will be amazed what human body can do. Bending, balancing and flying so on. But also the great thing about the Kuuza is the choreography and well constructed performance including jokes and pranks with audiences. It is just hard to describe how amazing it is.
Here comes the binge drinking, the day after the all night drinking also without going back to Takada's house, I caught up friends from high school. We had a band together. The drummer Suguru and the guitar Araya. I had lots of drinks with them and their friends at an Izakaya in Sibuya. It was really fun but I felt their effort of living in Tokyo with jobs. We kept on drinking and went to Karaoke:) As you know, we had stay up till morning. We sang and yelled till we all gone madness. There is a train line called Yamanotesen and it goes around and around the big Tokyo town. I took that train to go home at 5am and I closed my eyes. Everytime when I opened my eyes I was at Ikebukuro. I was like what a fu... But I was sleeping on the train. It takes about 50min about to go all around and when I finally got to Akihabara it was 8:30am. I guess I took the train about 3~4 round trip. But the seat was warm and comfortable.
After couple days of watching Japanese animation the One piece episodes, Yoshi and I went to climbing gym together. I did couple of hours of hard core climbing. It was fun. Then I had sore in my arm muscle then I become lazy again for next couple of days.
Friday 11th March 2011, it was about 2:30. I just had a fried noodle for lunch. It started. The biggest earthquake in history of Japan. When I felt the shake at first, I thought “Fuck, it is BIG”, but then couple of minutes later, with the heavy sound of colapse, the bigger one has came. Magnitude over 9, it was nothing but one of the scariest thing I ever experienced. The cup board fell, books are coming down like a rain and all I can see were moving like toy. I was holding book shelf and TV not to fall, I don't know how long it went, but I felt forever. I was in the building of 11th floor and I prepare myself a death. Here comes the silence, it came just like a sunday morning. Nothing was moving but Takada's room was mess. I needed some noise to disturb my fear. Hit the TV on, the TV studio was in panic, and also in a messed up situation. The confused information was broadcasted by the news caster but my brain was not taking any mumbling of the fear of the earthquake. But come to think it now, I was just really amazed of the speed of the information in Japan. Just after the hit, it has been in the news. According the news there will more of the earthquake is coming so I went outside of the room. Sure there was more after shake were came, I managed to walk with the shake, used the stairs down to the ground. There were heaps of people in fear walking around the street. My sister was in Miyagi where the center of the earthquake so I called her but the reception was of course out of service. So I called my family instead and told my dad about the shake and make him call my sister. Then the third one has came. All people around in the road were looking up the shaking building with fear in their face. I never expect that the building can move that much. Then I went back to the room picked up my important stuff and got out side again. Couple of hours later of trying to call everyone I know in the area of earthquake but there was no luck. It has been a hell of day but I was really relief that I am alive.
News... There has been a serious damage in Japan. I saw the Tunami in the news and report of the victims.
Fucked...
My phone has rang and dad called up said that little sis is alright.
Takada has come back from his job and we talked about the earthquake.
Night... There were still more after shakes has been happening. So many times... Nightmare...
The day after the earthquake, the death toll has been increased to 2000, missing people over 10000.
Takada goes to work as usual.
There were still after shakes sometimes.
One day more for me to leave from Tokyo to India.
Staying home.
The day of flight.
My friend, Toshi came to give me a lift to airport with his Mercedes. We both glad that we were safe. He saw me off till the gate. And my India journey has started.
