Meiji-jingu is said to bt Tokyo's most impressive Shinto shrines.It is a reconstruction, since it was bombed in WW II but it is an authentic reconstruction. Almost any list of things to do and see in Tokyo this is in the top 1 or 2. We hadnt seen it yet and the girls wanted to see Yoyogi park right next door. So these were on the agenda today.
I dont know why Meiji-jingu is so highly sought after. It was good to see but I didnt think it was super impressive. Ive seen better in other parts of the world, but they havnt had the **** bombed out of them and been rebuilt as part of the second biggest economy in the world. When we got to Yoyogi park the wind was blowwing soo hard and wipping up mini dust storms. We decided to give it a miss and head to Shibuya.
The girls had a shopping frenzy this afternoon. We had to spend the yen before we go home so we went to Shibuya. Laura was after shoes and so was I. We split up for lunch cos Ash and Laura found a vegan place they wanted to try. After lunch it was pure shopping frenzy. We had heard about the crazy price of some fruit in Tokyo and found a shop selling it. You could get a pair of rockmellons for $270, or add a mango for $450 so Chris bought a strawberry for $17. Thats right one strawberry in its own container for $17. The fruiterer put on a pair of gloves and took it out to show Chris there were no blemishes on it.
We split up again with Chris and Kate heading home and I was heading for Shinjuku cos there is a golf shop there having a sale. While I was walkin around Shinjuku, lost again, someone said "Jorn" I looked around and there was a woman looking at me. It turned out it was Olga who I met in Russia last year. She said she noticed my shirt and then thought it was me. Her son lives here and she is here visiting him. Strange the random places you meet people.
Laura and Ash went to a cat cafe this arvo. I asked if they could cook mine crispy but apparently it is not that kind of cafe. You pay $10 and go and play with the cats for 1/2hr. Beats me why but they had a great time.
We all went out for a last dinner in Japan and we went to a 'traditional japanese' place. They dont speak english but the food was OK.

This is the end of our Japanese holiday. The skiing was brilliant, shame about the weather getting a bit warm towards the end of the week. Tokyo was a little underwelming. It is a very sterile city, a bit like Perth. There are no night markets or street stalls, that we could find and it is just a big modern city. We all had a great time.
It has been a little like christmas...takes forever to get here, then all of a sudden it is here, then just as quick it is over.