My final day in Tokyo was a bit of a mish-mash, zig-zagging across the city to visit the final few places on my metaphorical checklist. I headed for The Imperial Palace, at Nijubashimae, first, and when I arrived the place was swarming with police, which at first I thought was just usual security measures for the residence of Japan's imperial family. As I got closer to the palace, however, there was also a press area and a number of locals standing and waiting be...

Did the earth move for you? - The Shibuya, Harajuku, Omotesando, Roppongi chapter I woke up Friday morning and headed straight for Roppongi (via Yoyogi for no other reason than its funny name). Roppongi is famed for its night life here in Japan, but it is also worth a visit in the day. Starting out at the purpose built complex Roppongi hills, featuring TV Asahi's headquarters, a Virgin cinema and an array of expensive designer shops and restaurants, I made my wa...

So I am here in Japan, after a somewhat turbulent flight (both in terms of the air flow and my emotions - switching from laughter reading 'Return of the Timewaster Letters' to floods of tears thanks to the film 'My Sister's Keeper'). After getting my hands on a Japan rail pas, negotiating the subway and lugging my bag half way across Tokyo I arrived at the Ace Inn, a wooden capsule hostel, in the Shinjuku area of the city. The place is clean, tidy and a great lo...