First Impressions in Tokyo

by brokenrecordbaby

First chance really to blog as our CouchSurfing host didn’t have wireless.

Soooo, we arrived Monday morning to snow (and snowball flavoured Fanta which I still haven’t tried) we got the Limousine (the name of a very standard bus) to a super posh hotel close to where we had to meet our host. We were so out of it not having slept since Friday night and Friday night hardly counted as we stumbled drunkenly into bed at about 8am and got up at 12. We had 5 hours to kill so we ordered some drinks and food from the hotel restaurant and fell asleep at the restaurant until it was time to meet our host Kenta – a super sweet Japanese banker.

We had Italian dinner – a very random choice for our first Japanese meal but Kenta suggested it and it was cheap – and Japanese Italian food is nowhere the same as European Italian food. For e.g. there was spaghetti with pink fish egg sauce and lasagna made with rice instead of pasta sheets. We got to his place and all bunked up in the same room. Charlie and I annoyingly slept ’til 6pm the next day but we did have 3 nights to catch up on. So, what else to do but go out when you wake up at such hour?

We got directions to Roppongi (famous for its night life) off some American dude who just happened to stroll right into our arms. We headed for the first Irish Pub we saw and met two Australian (of course) brothers Todd and Gerard. Todd had lived in London (of course) and helped build the Tate Modern or something and his last name is Tate. Oh wow. They were two very hilarious guys so we let them hang out with us. We went to Geromino’s Shot bar and had a….shot. Oh, and Roppongi is full of African men handing out flyers. I didn’t know that Tokyo had such a big African community. Anywhoooo then we went to Motown. And yes, it was as bad as it sounds but you know how sometimes the worse a place, the better a place? That’s what the night was all about.

 

 

 

Gerard, Charlie, Todd and Flyer-Hand-Out-Dude

 

 

Tokyo has gingers and kebabs. If it weren’t for those Jap. symbols in the back the pic might as well have been taken in Shoreditch. (except Gerard would have to be wearing a Barbour jacket)

 

 

These 2 Jap. business men were brothers and were dancing like no other. They were the life of Motown. My favourites of the night. (Notice the slice of lemon – not lime –  in my gin and tonic. A subtle cultural difference I yet have to get used to)

 

 

The dude kept making an “O” shape with his mouth. I think he was imitating a fish or something. In rhythm to the music of course.

 

 

Now looking back I am not sure who this fella is but according to photographic evidence we were dancing it up together quite profusely.

 

 

This is Sai – an antiques dealer. He was very persistent and I think he mouth raped me at some point. Don’t worry – I got away unharmed.

We then went to another bar where I met this really cute Japanese girl and told her she was cute. Then she told me I was cute and I was like “Nooooo, you are cute!” and she went “Nooooo, you are!” And then she got her friend who was also very cute and I told her that and then her friend told me I was cute. Getting friendly vibes off the ladies. Then Charlie and I walked home and got lost. It took us 3 hours to finally find Kenta’s crib. Tokyo has no street names so not even Japanese people could tell us the way. Now we are very careful to memorize landmarks as to not let such an unfortunate kafuffle happen again.

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