Harajuku was so crazy and just what I expected. There were lots of funny shops and we even got to hit up H+M, one of my favorite overseas stores. We also got to eat Shaky's Pizza which is really a Cici's Pizza with exotic toppings as Adam or Jeff put it. There was pizza with white sauce and corn, tuna and onion, olive and cuttlefish, broccoli and blue cheese, and cod pasta. Luckily they made pepperoni and cheese for us too.
The shops in Harajuku are definitely geared to the teenage crowd, and we
saw several teenagers dressed as
anime characters or just punk rock kids, and there is a definite Harajuku style.
The girls went shopping while the guys went to another shrine, one of the most
famous, the Meiji Shrine. And then they waited patiently while we finished up.
We also went to Roppongi today. Bob worked at the Stars and Stripes paper back when they were stationed there in the 70s. We were lucky enough to be given a tour through their building by the head of the paper. We were able to see
the archives, the printing presses, and see the amazing photos and cover stories throughout the years. Apparently back in the day, the paper served as a hot spot for American celebrities to stop in when they were in Japan. It was cool to see it all, including an expose in today's paper about my middle/high school in Japan being terrible, which I would have to agree with, hahaha.
On the way back to the station in Roppongi, we stopped at the National Art Museum. Narci and I were just looking in the front door of the museum while everyone used the restroom, and one of the administrators noticed how interested Narci was in the paintings, and gave us free tickets to go in. I tried to decline, but he insisted saying that he really wanted him to see it. Narci was in
awe of several of the sculptures and paintings, as was Kylie. They didn't
want to leave. There were so many cool pieces, we really lucked out by stopping by.
We wore the kids out at the hotel pool, which Narci got ready for Harajuku style with a mask he picked up there.
Then, Adam, Jeff, and I went back out to Roppongi and to Shibuya. Roppongi at night is not my kind of place. The streets were lined with Nigerians that kept trying to sell us or talk us into their
clubs. Everyone there was either working or being worked, double gross. It was fun to go out without the kids and just relax though.
So that sums up our last full day in Tokyo. It has been an amazing trip!!