26 October 2026
Roof garden in the rain
Shibuya for ramen
With the precipitatious (word I made up) situation, the subway map was called into action to find out the closest subway station to my hotel, and then to find out where it goes. As luck would have it, Shibuya, so off to Shibuya I went.
This is where I very bravely risked permanent eye damage by pushing past Hachiko (dog statue covered for halloween) to risk 'the crossing' and it's many, many umbrellas. I did not cross, I just observed and decided I was not getting wet enough to limit my activities to the dank perpetually under construction labyrinthine underground, so instead, I hung out on the roof garden, on my own.
I like to mix really long sentences with short ones.
Anyway, good wet street photos ensued.
The crossing, with nothing but umbrellas. My socks are still dry, great achievement!
Proof that Shibuya is still a major constuction site, as it has been for 20 years. Japanese efficiency vs bureaucracy, bureaucracy is winning. I am willing to bet under the Shinjuku station is still mainly white plastic construction walls as well.
Time to head up to the roof garden. The bottom level is highly touristed tourist trap restaurants.
I am quite happy with this photo.
I had the climbing wall to myself.
Overpasses in the rain are always appreciated.
Superfluous vertical shot.
First ramen of the trip. Pretty good. 900 yen, but I added bean shoots and bamboo shoots to make it just over 1000 yen. Order at the table by QR code only, pay at a machine which took android pay after scanning a bar code. Never spoke to a soul. Perfect.
Last photo before heading back to the subway, an overpass, with an overpass above me to provide shelter from the rain.
Tomorrow, rain, hail or shine is a hiking day. I have bought a pass so I must get maximum value.