I made a return to Tokyo 7 days later on Sunday afternoon and checked straight back into the same capsule hotel. Since I enjoyed my stay so much a week ago, I decided to book myself in for another 4 nights until my departure flight. It was good to be back in familiar surroundings after an exhausting week of travel, I was even given the same bed again.. it felt like a home away from home.
Rain had persisted throughout the whole week while I was away from Tokyo, right across Japan and was due to get even worse. Typhoon Lan was approaching that Sunday evening and strict weather warnings were reported across the country. We were told to remain inside the hotel for the evening, maybe Monday too, and to only go out if you absolutely have to.
This Typhoon was supposedly of historic proportions, possibly the worst in their history, and at the time it was the strongest storm on the planet.
I was hungry so I think that counts as "absolutely have to". I thought I'd bob out quickly before the heart of the storm hit later on. Armed with a brolly and donning shorts I got an absolute soaking from nothing more than a 5-minute walk. Stupid move.. lesson learned. Batten down the hatches!
The following morning I woke up wondering how I was going to keep myself occupied for a day indoors. However, I stuck my head out outside.. it was banging sunshine! What's going on?! The typhoon had passed through pretty quickly and supposedly died out shortly after. Happy days.
With clear blue skies all around I headed straight for the Tokyo Skytree. The Skytree is a broadcasting, restaurant and observation tower in the Sumida ward, and is the world's tallest tower at 634m high.
I do love an observation deck and have visited quite a few around the world but the panoramic views on offer weren't the most spectacular I've seen. Tokyo has never been known for having an amazing skyline, however, the viewing deck certainly proved how enormous the city is while locating where all the different wards are situated from a vantage point. I also got my first glimpse of the iconic Mount Fuji.. there was a slight haze in the distance but it was still visible. I actually wanted to hike to the top of Mount Fuji but unfortunately it is forbidden at this time of year due to unpredictable and potentially dangerous weather.
Over the next few days I checked out the Imperial Palace which was pointless because you can't gain access to it, only observe from across a surrounding moat. I also ventured to the Metropolitan Government Building which was cool and looks like something you'd see in Gotham City. I revisited Shibuya, caught a movie at the cinema in Nihonbashi which was thankfully in English, and best of all I headed over to Roppongi Hills.. a great example of a city within a city. Known for its buzzing nightlife, designer boutique shopping, and swanky bars and restaurants.
I took myself to the open-aired rooftop and helipad of the 54-story Roppongi Hills Mori Tower. Nowhere near the height of the Skytree but its central location offered far better views, especially that of Mount Fuji and the city's other icon.. the red Tokyo Tower, which looks like a poor mans copy of the Eiffel Tower. The fact that there was only a dozen other people up there made it that extra bit special.
My time in Japan is now up. It's been an enjoyable and interesting 2 weeks but I'm leaving feeling slightly underwhelmed. I had high expectations, perhaps they were too high, or maybe I've been spoilt by the places I've already visited prior to Japan.. I'm not sure.
It is undoubtedly the easiest country to navigate around.. you'll struggle to find a better transport network anywhere else in the world. And I found the whole country to be a completely stress-free and remarkably safe environment. The fact that I don't ever recall seeing a policeman on the streets is testament to that.
The people are incredibly respectful to one another regardless of gender or race.. I can't think of one single occasion where someone did something that would wind me up or annoy me. No one spoke on their mobile phones on public transport, nor would they eat.. everyone seems to abide by the rules laid out for them.
The streets are clean, there is no litter, even the less desirable areas are too. I didn't see a single homeless person on the streets. Smokers can only smoke in designated public areas, otherwise if caught, they receive a fine. It's all pristine!
Have the Japanese nailed it here and got everything right? Do they have all the ingredients and methods to living a civilised, safe and stress-free life that we all strive for? Maybe they do, they've certainly got a strong case for it.. but personally I found it all a bit dull and lacking in character. If anything, it felt almost too civilised, because throughout my travels the places I've found to be of most interest are those that are of a rawer nature and have less structure to their society.
Nevertheless, Japan was great, just not as good as I was expecting.. and Tokyo is a fantastic city. And there is also no getting away from how good the food is here.. definitely my favourite on my travels so far.
I now have a flight in a few hours time.. I'm heading back to Brisbane, Australia which is a complete change to my original plan. For the next 5 weeks or so I was due to be travelling through the likes of Vietnam and Cambodia, however, I've decided to sacrifice this for something I've wanted to do for a very long time.. watching England play Australia in The Ashes across various cities in Australia!
I don't particularly have a burning desire to visit South-East Asia at the moment, and as I may never get a better opportunity to witness The Ashes in Australia, the lure of the cricket became a priority.. Vietnam and Cambodia will have to wait for another time.
My decision also had a lot to do with the fact that Ria lives in Brisbane, and going there will give me the perfect opportunity to spend an extended amount of time with her. It's a win-win!!
Sayōnara xx