29 October 2025
Neonification
Shinjuku to Shibuya
Due to hotel prices and my notorious cheapness, I always stay on the east side of Tokyo, which is cheaper than Shinjuku or Shibuya. It is only 15 minutes by train to get from one side to the other, but still I do not seem to go to the two main tourist neon areas as much as I go to Ueno, Kanda, Shimbashi, Akihabara, Ginza and Tokyo itself. That is because I prefer walking a lot, and have usually been on a long train ride to a hike, and prefer no more trains at night. OK geography lesson over.
Tonight I went on the train to Shinjuku, walked a lap there, then walked down to Shibuya past Harajuku, then walked a lap around there observing the Halloween warning signs, then took the subway back to Jimbocho and ate curry.
So more dull facts and geography with no stories or colourful anecdotes, I need to get to bed soon, early start tomorrow.
Great sunset tonight. This is right near Ochanomizu station.
I tried another shot of the sunset looking up guitar street, not as good as the above.
Shinjuku has quite a lot of new street signs and furniture and paving, despite the station still being a permanent construction site.
These little trucks advertising 'Nights' are everywhere. I do not know what nights is, it is impossible to google, and there's no way I am scanning a QR code on a truck to find out. Statistically, given the location, there is a 9/10 chance it is for an underage sex doll/robot.
Neon road crossing.
Time to briefly head into Kabukicho. I got propositioned for massage 3 times by Africans.
There was not a lot of Halloween stuff going on, but this busty mummy with fake boobs was getting filmed wobbling up the street.
Time to wave goodbye to Kabukicho.
The Fender shop was on my journey, which means I was at Harajuku.
Here is the new bit of Shibuya. I have not been in there.
Ikea is more my style. I could have gone there for a meatball dinner.
Shibuya is not all closed off yet for Halloween, although the sad dog statue is already boarded up. There are signs everywhere asking people not to engage in bad Halloween behaviour, and an advertising cartoon playing on buildings reminding everyone that Halloween is banned and that the cool kids don't do Halloween in Shibuya.
Time to wave goodbye to Shibuya, it is always too busy to eat dinner in these places, I prefer some elbow room.
Instead I fled back across town to Jimbocho and had Hinoya curry, vegetarian, cheap. Now to go to bed so I can get up at 5:30.