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Newer Page 1003 of 1336 Older Full Trip Report
Japan Tokyo Shibuya Rain Ramen

28 October 2012

Wedding proposal and a fight

The question is, which of the above 2 things was I a witness to and which was I involved in?
Before all that, as soon as I stepped out the door, it re started raining, after a 3 hour break in the weather whilst I did my washing.
This changed my plan to simply walk east, and instead I walked into the subway. The line by my hotel went to Shibuya, so despite having been there every time I come here, I went there again. I knew that there are many places to eat and large shops to wander around in case it doesnt stop raining.
Once I got there I decided to get saturated instead, and nearly blinded by the millions of umbrellas carried by little people.

Eventually I thought I was damp enough to go and have a matcha tea latte and watch the worlds busiest pedestrian crossing out the window.
Next to me was a rough looking french man, who was busy telling his Japanese 'girlfriend' how much he loves her.
I listened in intently.
They met 4 days ago, and its been the best 4 days of his life. The girl doesnt really seem interested. He keeps telling her how much he loves her and she should come back to France with him when he goes home in a week....
During this pathetic conversation the girl was mainly texting on her phone and not really talking at all. She did say she enjoys chocolate, to which Frenchy declared that France is the home of chocolate, and if you come to France with me you can have all the chocolate in the world! We will have a fantastic wedding, with a chocolate wedding cake!

After a while she said she wanted to go to the bookstore, so off she went and off he followed.

The rain got worse and worse so I headed back to my hotel, once I came out of the subway it seemed to have stopped, so I decided to wander around my local area.
Nearby, as in 100 metres away across the road, is Korea town. I had no idea. Lots of alleyways of restaurants and shops, and one enormous labyrinth fire hazard of a shop that went on and on with no exits I could find and Gangnam style playing full blast.
Once I did find an exit, I came out by a newer looking building, it appeared to belong to Square Enix, the computer game company.

So I am taking a photo, and a guy grabs me hard from behind on the shoulders and yells in my ear!
I spun around startled and elbowed him in the side of the head. Now this was as much out of shock than it was my amazing ninja skills. I thought amazingly in Japan someone wanted to steal my camera. No.
The guy is crouching down on the ground holding his face making a low pitched howling sound. I didnt hit him that hard! Turns out its a little old man security guard!
So I decided to not run away and stand there, waiting for him to finish pretending to have a broken jaw, when another security guard arrives and starts yelling at me!
I was pretty mad by now, the first guy was an idiot, and the second guy is yelling at me regardless. Luckily a young guy comes out of the coffee shop across the street and starts yelling at both of them and tells me in good english that these two rent-a-cops are useless fools whos main job is to make sure no one parks across the driveway.
This seemed to enrage them more (maybe they can understand English?), and they get on the radio.
The coffee store guy told me to leave, they are calling more security from the parking building, they cant do anything so dont worry!

I thanked him and wandered off. Now what happened here then? I suspect racial profiling. Japanese people are racist, the little old guy thought he would make himself feel special by hassling me. It ended badly for him.
And on that note, twice today on the train I was the only person with a spare seat next to me, on either side. No one wanted to sit next to me!

Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - Earlier in the afternoon I had to do my washing. It was cheap, fully automatic (even adds the powder and softener), and secure. The machine locks unti

Earlier in the afternoon I had to do my washing. It was cheap, fully automatic (even adds the powder and softener), and secure. The machine locks until the timer runs out. I am not sure theres any way whilst its drying to open the door and see how dry your clothes are, I tried everything! But by having it lock you can go to your room and come back in 90 minutes when its done. Not that anyone would dare steal your clothes here anyway.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - The Shibuya crossing. I tried to get a vantage point to take a top down shot of 1000 umbrellas but couldnt find a good one. Theres lots of version of

The Shibuya crossing. I tried to get a vantage point to take a top down shot of 1000 umbrellas but couldnt find a good one. Theres lots of version of that photo available all over the internet.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - My restaurant choice was made by the rain. This place has many condiments.

My restaurant choice was made by the rain. This place has many condiments.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - The dangers of picking from the ticket machine. I thought I had ordered pork ramen. It was that, but then it also had cockels/mussels of some kind in

The dangers of picking from the ticket machine. I thought I had ordered pork ramen. It was that, but then it also had cockels/mussels of some kind in the shell. I ate them. They probably come from the sea by Fukushima.
Getting them out of their shells with chopsticks was quite the logistical challenge.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - This is the photo I was taking, from the street, when the security guard grabbed me.

This is the photo I was taking, from the street, when the security guard grabbed me.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - Picture taken for tax purposes.

Picture taken for tax purposes.


Japan-Tokyo-Shibuya-Rain-Ramen - It had stopped raining so I wandered around, this lane is full of Africans that try to shake your hand and tell you all about how much fun you will ha

It had stopped raining so I wandered around, this lane is full of Africans that try to shake your hand and tell you all about how much fun you will have if you follow them into their underground establishment.
Surely a less threatening more succesful marketing ploy would be to have girls doing that instead of guys with gold teeth?


NewerPage 1003 of 1336OlderFull Trip Report