🇯🇵 A Culture Like No Other
15 days and 10 places to call home, temporarily. Started in Kyoto and then spent the last few days in Tokyo, with some only in Japan experiences and a lot of walking (10-12 miles a day).
Moments of the Week (Apr 10-16)
No wasted days meant eating through Kyoto’s Nishiki market before catching the bullet train to Tokyo.
Our “Under Railway Hotel" for two days was literally under the train tracks, where a train passed every few minutes from 430am to just before 1am. They make you sign a waiver and provide free earplugs. Kids thought it was the best because it was located at Akhibara station, the center for all things anime, video games, and toys.
Had lunch at the Kill Bill restaurant and I guess we will watch it sooner than later. Ironically, we've been holding back on many gruesome movies, but just this week, gave Alice in Borderland the green light and already finished episode 5.
We took two walking tours (Flagship & Shinjuku at Night) and I tripled my knowledge about Japanese history and culture; Japan's imperial class system, isolation period, American Occupation, Cute Culture, Love Hotels, Sex Trade and Gambling workarounds, Host and Hostesses, and Otaku (a person who has obsessive interests). Our tour guide prefaced Japanese culture saying anywhere outside of Japan and South Korea, you'll think this is strange...
In Japan, there are cafes for everything - owls, dogs, cats, ferrets, and reptiles. Maricar took Lea and Feris to a micro pig cafe where the animals aggressively snuggle. Jero and I went shopping for Gundam and gaming, specifically Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs. 2 OverBoost. To clarify, he played, I watched. As a teen, I was a fan, but that faded in high school.
We used our last full day checking off Jero and Maricar’s boxes -
Jero Dream Of Gundam in Yokohama - Engineers built a life-size moving Gundam and we paid admission to see it move and strike epic poses. Nerd culture at its finest.
Maricar Takes us Down Memory Lane at Yokosuka's US Naval Base - This was her home from the ages of 4 to 13. I've heard the stories but I didn't think I'd ever see the place. We ate the legendary bowling alley fried chicken, took pictures in front of her tower, paid our respects at the burial site of her hamster, and walked passed all the landmarks: The Exchange, McDonald’s, School, Hospital, and the Front Gate.
On The Move
Run With Me on Strava - 65.56 mi, 3,904 ft Elevation
A run in Kyoto, a few in Tokyo's Chiyoda and Arakawa Wards, and then Discovery Bay.
Running routes were dependent on our hotel and since most runs this week were in Tokyo - there was a lot of city streets.
The most interesting runs this week were when I was with other runners. I found quite a few going around Tokyo's Imperial Palace and along the river in Kyoto. People-watching and drafting behind others entertain me.
Coming back and running in Hong Kong's humidity and elevation was an adjustment. Imagine a lot of sweat and feeling uncomfortable. The worst isn't here yet and with a breeze, it was comparable to a Hawaii run. Spring is here.