AM20: The Japan Journals

Day 23

April 23rd

With my first Tokyo night in the books, I strangely find myself awake at 3:30 in the morning. Whether it's the adrenaline or slow absorbing shots I downed earlier in the evening, my bladder serves as my go-to alarm clock.

As I'm taking care of my hygienic duties, I find this overwhelming glimmer coming from the windows. This dull aura is starting to radiate through the glass panes and gives me a 2nd reminder to wake up. For a moment, I'm dumbfounded by the sudden shine grazing my presence. No hangover or inebriated state could mistake the time, so am I dreaming of this refreshing scenario?

After seemingly pondering this for minutes, I finally put it together (mid-stream). It appears that my blonde roots have gone to the forefront of my mind as Japan has some of the earliest sunrises of anywhere in the world, hence the nickname. In a moment of slightly drunken stupor, I wander back to my pod and begin to strategize my day.

The plan for today is to get a bird's eye view of the city from two of its tallest structures (Tokyo Tower and Skytree). They're in different wards, so I'll take the opportunity to use the metro for the first time. I purchased this rechargeable card as a pass for all metro/rail-related needs, which is often referred to as an "IC Card".

As for the night ride, the plan is to double up on the route I'll take today and ride around the different towers to get a dark view of the landscape. Before I head for the closest subway station, I fuel up with some items from a nearby vending machine.

The nearby vendor has the right brand of iced coffee that I fell in love with up in Hokkaido. I paired that brew with a banana and onigiri (triangular-shaped rice snack) from a nearby convenience store.

The onigiri was grilled, which gives the rice a crunchy, snap-type texture. I don't know if I'd eat this every day, but it's easy carbs to consume.

A few hours pass and I make my way towards the nearby subway station. When you first enter, you are prompted by a machine to show your IC card. The machine reads your card and allows you entrance into the station. One thing I'll have to keep in mind is to make sure my card has enough money on it.

When you first purchase an IC, there's so much money charged on the card. When you don't have enough money, the scanner at the entrance will deny you. Fortunately, every station has booths at the entrance with machines that allow you to "load up" the cards with new cash.

The city's metro system is divided into 9 different lines (all color-coded and numbered). Each line has many stopping points, which allows the flexibility to switch to another line or leave whenever.

As for the route today, it appears that I'm going to transfer between two lines to make it to Tokyo Tower. This first route has me going from the 10th station to the 15th on the Marunouchi Line. From there, I'll get off and transfer to the Hibiya Line for a couple of stops. A new subway comes into the station every few minutes, so the wait time isn't long.

Within seconds of making my way down to the stop, a new one pulls in. Like a scene from a movie, a sharp influx of people permeate from the subway. The rail cars resemble an anthill at this moment as countless people vacate the subway and go about their day in the urban bustle.

When it's time to get in, I feel a sudden push behind my back. An endless supply of bodies piles up in the nearby car, leaving nothing but inches of standing room. Before we can depart the station, a worker comes by each car and gives the corral of people one final push. Again, stuff like this is something I thought I'd only see in the movies, but moments like this give you a real welcome to a large metropolis like Tokyo.

After a few minutes and a handful of stops, I hop off of the first car and find my connection on the Hibiya line. Despite the sheer density of human activity, it was quite easy to navigate between stops and find my connection. The transition was pretty seamless and within 20 minutes, I found myself within walking distance of Tokyo Tower.

The tower is one of the tallest and iconic structures in the country. Built-in 1958, the tower initially served as an antenna for various companies, eventually carving out a 2nd purpose as a popular tourist hub. The tower has two observation decks, both from different altitudes. I decided to get a centered view from the Main Observatory, which is the lower deck.

Getting a panoramic view of this city is more than just an opportunity to snap photos. I found it to be a nice philosophical experience. Gazing upon the countless metal structures, it's hard not to think about the magnitude of movement that goes on in this city every day.

Like my anthill reference at the subway stop, the controlled chaos of this city is so unique. I've never seen a city be so lively, yet respectful. It's such a great example of how cultural norms can shape an entire society differently from another. I don't think I'll find another city molded this way anywhere else in the world.

I eventually make my way from the orange and white tower and retrieve lunch before heading over to Tokyo Skytree. This route will be a bit longer, as I have a 10 minute walk to transfer between stations.

The leftover taste of Onigiri is washed away by my pork cutlet sandwich of a lunch. Whoever makes these sandwiches are very clever, as the front of the packages make the sandwich look generous with its serving of pork. The front of the cutlet looks like it's the width of a frisbee, but as you turn the sandwich around, there's literally nothing on the back half. It's like a bodybuilder that never does leg day.

Despite the inconsistency of the sandwich, it was a nice grab and go lunch on the way to the Skytree. The only thing I don't like about this city (so far) is the lack of trash cans in the public eye. With the exception of recyclables, normal trash is considered to be an individuals problem to care care of in Japan and therefore, you hang onto your wrappers until you can dispose of them properly. The sentiment is nice, but it's not ideal for messy eaters.

I spent the afternoon at the Skytree, getting more photos from both of their viewing decks. This tower replaced Tokyo Tower as the broadcasting hub for the region, serving as the prime view over the city. As a matter of fact, you can see shades of Mt. Fuji from the distance (assuming the weather permits). I've seen plenty of contrasts in scenery from views like this, but the contrast of the territory is a piece of art that doesn't lose its luster.

As dusk begins to gather, I made my way back to the capsule hotel and got the DZed ready for my first night ride. The plan is to ride around Shinjuku and Minato, which is where Tokyo Tower is located. The night sky appears to be crisp and bright, so this looks like a prime night for a ride. I grab all of my necessary gear and fire up the bike for its first taste of the city.

I was aware of this before I got into Tokyo, but it's a little different to see the stoplights here use a different color for go. Unlike most places in the west, blue lights are displayed here as a sign to move. It's not a big deal, but just a re-curring observation during my ride.

Another noticeable fact about riding here is the width (or lack, thereof) of the side streets. The main roads have a fair amount of girth to them, but some of these side streets feel like glorified side walks. I'm glad I don't have to drive a truck through any of them.

I buzz the bike around the inner workings of Shinjuku, criss crossing between its biggest attractions. One spot that caught my eye was Kabukicho. This district in the ward is notorious for its nightlife and vibrant colors. This neighborhood alone is worth driving through every night. The warm, glowing hues. The vibrant, uncontained nightlife. This neighborhood is like an obnoxious party that won't end (in a good way).

Following the neon tinged vibes of Shinjuku, I found my way back to the Tokyo Tower and closed my night with an epic selfie in front of the landmark. Something about that photo reminds me of a valuable lesson. No matter how far I think I've come, there's plenty of bigger obstacles to climb and overcome. On a day like this, two different towers gave me the 1000 foot view of the city, the region and most importantly, renewed my thirst for adventure.

The monotonous, sometimes mundane life on the road can be tiring and overwhelming. After today, a new point of view gives my trip new legs that I will put to use tomorrow. Speaking of which, I'll be wrapping up my time in Shinjuku tomorrow and get more personal look at Kabukicho.

Thanks again and I'll see you soon!

-Ayden