While I admit Tokoyo didn’t rope me in or make me love it, there were some completely odd, random and quirky things I noticed when I was there. I thought I’d share my 5 random sights with you.
1. The Dog Statue, Shibuya
This dog statue has a crazy story behind it. The dog waited for its owner to get home from work every day apparently at Shibuya station. The owner always came home. One night, the dog was standing there and the owner never appeared. The dog waited, and waited, and waited. The owner never came home. A bit sad. The dog died in this spot.
2. Love Hotel Street Hill, Shibuya
Also in Shibuya, this bizarre hilly street features a load of “love hotels”. Local Japanese girls and guys get together for one night stands by booking a bed or a room for a few hours. They are all squeaky clean.
One of many “love hotels” on Love Hotel Street Hill in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
3. Sumo Wrestling Museum, Ryokoku
I admit that on this trip we were a bit disorganised, as we missed out on the chance to attend the actual Sumo Wrestling Championships. We didn’t get in early enough for tickets and so it sold out. Crazy crazy busy time, consolation prize came in the form of a museum, which was too busy to let us in.
At the Sumo Wrestling Museum in Tokyo.
4. Tokyo Metro
I had an absolute laugh to myself getting lost on the Tokyo Metro. It’s a great beast to negotiate! This was one time in life when I was the obvious tourist!! How is the Tokyo train system a random sight? It just is, trust me.
Drinks on a night out in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan with Suzuki and Neil.
On the metro even if you get lost and get off at the wrong stop, you explore completely off the wall parts of Tokyo, which is how we ended up in Roppongi and some outer suburb I can’t recall! I even bumped into a follower of my blog and got “spotted” in Tokyo. I love this recent video from the Tokyo Metro – it only lasts a minute and shows the experience of being on the Metro in one of the world’s busiest and craziest cities.
There’s more on the official site: http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/
5. Cooked Food from a Machine
What? Yes – what? Cooked food from a machine? Even the likes of Hong Kong, Taipei, London and Sydney haven’t grasped the concept of a machine that cooks food for you. Is it for real? Yes – Japan and Tokyo are so futuristic that Marty McFly even looks out of place here on a hoverboard. Indulge yourself in the type of “fast food service” McDonalds wish they had invented.
Random street vendor in Tokyo Japan. Instant pizza!
Jonny Blair is a self confessed traveling nomad who founded and blogs at Don’t Stop Living. He sees every day as an adventure. Since leaving behind his home town of Bangor in Northern Ireland ten years ago he has traveled to all seven continents, working his way through various jobs and funding it all with hard work and an appetite for travel. Don’t Stop Living, a lifestyle of travel’ contains over 1,000 stories and tips from his journeys round the globe. He wants to show others how easy it is to travel the world, give them some ideas and encourage them to do the same but most of all he aims to constantly live a lifestyle of travel. He is currently based in Hong Kong and on Twitter @jonnyblair.
