We have been in Tokyo for 4 nights now, and its been hectic. After Takayama with its quite one-lane roads, it was definitely a culture shock! It is so huge, and all the buildings are massive too, lots of flashing lights, people, cars etc - but people are still really friendly. If you are looking slightly lost (this has been quite often) people go out of their way to help　you.

So, a recap...

First night we just wandered round trying to acclimatise. We ended up going to a supermarket and buying food to make spaghetti bolognese - after our Japanese breakfast in the ryokan I was missing food that wasn't raw fish and pickled veg! Bit expensive but I enjoyed cooking.

The first day (Thurs) we met Alan for lunch in a huge skyscraper and had some pizza (joy!). The view was AMAZING - again its hard to get over how big Tokyo is, and how crowded. Yet it works so well (I even saw a lost handbag the other day, put in a nice pile with other lost stuff rather than ransacked and thrown into a bin which you would expect coming from Nottingham). The restaurant was posh but reasonable (plus Alan was paying!) - a welcome luxury already. Lawrence had to change his traveller sandals into some big black leather shows they lent him. We got there successfully - maybe this lulled us into a false sense of security, as we spent the rest of the day screwing up! The maps here aren't orientated north, which we realised after walking 40 minutes in the wrong direction...

But we made it to Akihabara - electric town - in the end and spent hours buying camera, I-pod and various electrical things. Loz got some headphones that apparently are amazing. Lots of neon and flashing lights. We also visited a Taito games place - 5 or 6 floors of pure computer games - but Bust-a-move must be too old-fashioned unfortunately. Not just teenagers, lots of men in suits too. We also saw the basment full of manga porn which was interesting. We wandered round a bit then went to Ueno to go and shop some more. I needed to get some heels to go out in tomorrow. Don't ask about our budget.

But shopping here is brilliant - I got some lovely shoes for under a tenner and they fit beautifully. All shows here appear to be the same size - my size. There were lots of market stalls all jumbled up selling all kinds of things like fish, clothes, shoes, toys and just tat!

Then we checked the map and thought 'lets take a nice walk home instead of taking the subway'. Error, we realised about 2 or 3 hours later when we got home after having to go to a subway anyway as we were horrendously lost and not even on any map. Hmm, China's going to be fun...

But perhaps because we bought so much cool stuff and had a great day it was all hilarious anyway.

Friday 29th - more shopping for nice stuff to go out in. Went to Shibuya then wlaked to Harajuku. Great shopping, bought a cheap dress (maybe it was cheap because its actually a nightie?) and we both got loads more stuff. I also got a brilliant badly translated T-shirt (they are everywhere) "AGREEABLE - the time spent with you of dear is our whereabouts". Saw lots of crazy fashion victims too.

Then off to a drum shop which wasn't very interesting and then to an onsen to relax some more. All separate sex and friendly. At first one of the baths was unbearably hot, but after sitting in a lovely rock pool which was bath temperature I could stand the hot one with massge jets. The water was clear but brown because of the mineral. Then I got so hot I even enjoyed the freezing cold one! I love onsen. Then out...

Met Alan in the biggest ever downpour I have seen and went to 'Bar 57'. Very swish, very strong mojitos! Miss Japan was there along with some other models, and lots of ex-pat bankers. Err can you tell that our budget is slipping a bit? Then we got a taxi to Womb in Shibuya - a good club with 3 or 4 floors. Main room was techno, good but a bit hardcore for me at this point in the night so we went upstairs where it was more intimate and with more space for me to dance. We grooved with some Japanese people and saw some bodypopping. By 4am we were getting tired and the trains don't start 'til 5 so we walked in the rain through Shibuya which had lots of 'love hotels' and bars to a noodle place. Had some great spicy noodles then went to the station to wait. Did a bit of people watching, lots of casualties, including me.

Saturday 30th was spent recovering then we met Alan for dinner in a Mexican restaurant (aargh, the budget!). It was lovely though I forgot the tuna and avocado starter would be raw! Then Alan kindly drove us round in the rain so we could see the city by night from the bridge across the bay which was amazing.

Sunday 31st (today) we went to Harjuku again for more shopping (though not actually buying anything) and to see crazy dressed up people (see photos). Saw some bands in the park and lots of joggers before we got the train to the Animation Museum. Again it was great (and free) and we traced some Atom boy (or something) and played about with computers. Then back to the hostel for more packet noodles and apple yoghurt. Today we spent no money!!! At last, hooray! But actually thats because we have none left anyway...