Alright, I know this is three weeks late, but here is the final blog about our time in Japan. John has already posted some of the pictures, but I guess that's what I get for procrastinating.
So, one night John and I went out to Odiba, hoping to get another suit for him, and although we didn't succeed at that, there are some great views of the Tokyo skyline, so we enjoyed the train ride out there, and then John got to take lots of pictures.
The Rainbow Bridge In Front of Tokyo's Skyline
A Replica of The Statue of Liberty That Was Built in Odiba
Another day we went up to the top of the Mori Tower, which is the 52 story building that John worked in, to see Tokyo at night. I wasn't really convinced that it would be worth paying to go to the top of a building to see the view, but it really was impressive from the top.
Tokyo Tower During the Day from the Base of Mori Tower
Tokyo Tower at Night from the Top of Mori Tower
Wendy
One weekend John and I made the questionable decision to go to the fish market in Tskiji for the 5:00 AM fish auction. I wasn't totally convinced that sushi for breakfast was a very good idea, but it seemed like an experience we shouldn't miss. We decided that rather than having to drag ourselves up at 4:00 in the morning to get to the fish market we would just stay out all night. It started out fine, but by 3:00 we would have given up if the trains were still running and we could get home. We started out at a bar where we watched Japan play the Netherlands, sadly Japan lost. After the game we milled around outside with all the other people who were staying out for the night (this is apparently a common thing to do). Japanese people are much more willing to come up and talk to us when they are drunk, so we had some very interesting conversations. Two guys came up and asked where we were from. We told them America, but they wanted to know which state (no one ever knows where North Carolina is) but as soon as we said North Carolina they said "Oh yes! Michael Jordan!" It was hilarious! Then a group of people parading around with a drum came up and asked us where we were from. When we told them, they surrounded us and started chanting U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! It was totally surreal, but makes a pretty good story. From there we went to an internet cafe mainly so we would have somewhere to sit down. After our time was up there we went to an Izakaya which is a traditional Japanese restaurant/bar. We got some edamame (soy beans) and drinks that we were too tired to drink, and stayed until it was time to catch the train to Tskiji. Unfortunately there was a fatal flaw in our plan that Saturday night turns into Sunday morning, and the fish market isn't open on Sunday. It was incredibly weird to be walking down totally empty streets in Tokyo which are normally so crowded, and John got a picture of a fish painted on the closed door of a fish shop (in the last blog) but it was pretty much a letdown. We ended up going to McDonald's for breakfast and then going home to sleep. John said it was the best McDonald's breakfast he's ever had, but I certainly didn't feel that way.
Our last week in Tokyo seemed to fly by, and before we knew it TMI was having a goodbye party for John. We went to another Izakaya (but a very nice one) where we had drinks and food, and told stories about law firms, law schools, and North Carolina. Everyone was really nice, and I was so glad I got to meet all the people John worked with. Hayashida-san, the secretary who took care of John said she was surprised at how good I was with chopsticks, which was awesome! I was on my very best behavior with them, trying not to embarrass John, so I'm glad it worked. Here in Hong Kong we eat with them every day, so I'm even better now, but it was pretty ugly in the beginning.
And that pretty much concludes our time in Japan. I think John still has some pictures that need to come off his camera, and then be uploaded. So those will be coming soon, along with our adventures in Hong Kong.
Wendy
