Tokyo Day 1

I have to say it's a strange feeling getting on a flight at 11 AM on Thursday and landing at 2 PM on Friday. An entire day disappearing into the ether is a bizarre experience. We landed in Tokyo and I was immediately struck by how organized everything was. Airport attendants quickly directed us towards the appropriate pathways, though I did feel a bit like cattle being herded. The line for immigration snaked throughout a large concourse, but moved quickly. We had already filled out the information (well, I say we, but really I mean Claysie), and then scanned our passport at a digital kiosk, filled out a few questions and were directed towards "4C" which ended up being one of many small desks with customs officials who efficiently reviewed our documents and waved us on. Well, efficiently for us. The Parental Unit (TPU from hereon) chose to forego the digital kiosk and disappeared for about 20 minutes until we found them again. When I asked them what happened and if they used the kiosk, the response was, "what kiosk?" Go figure.

Regardless, we retrieved our bags (kudos to Claysie for fitting all of our wardrobe for 3 weeks into only 3 bags), and even more for TPU that managed the same with only 2 bags! After we waited for TPU-F (the Father component of TPU) to exchange some Dollars for Yen (the Japanese currency), which he had to do at the airport because the exchange rate was much better (spoilers, it wasn't), we were off! A lovely gentlemen was waiting for us with a sign and efficiently guided us to a large van that took our bags and drove us to the hotel while casually chatting with us in accented but impressive English. As most of you probably know, you drive on the left side of the road in Japan, which takes a little time to get used to. What you may not know, is that not only do you drive on the left side, but you also pass on the right, and queue on the left! So everything is inverted, and we definitely had some awkward moments getting in the way of people walking into us as we clearly were in the wrong spot. Japan is very organized, including people walking in relatively neat lines, and queuing up on the left side of escalators, leaving a neat, empty space for those who want to walk past you on the right to do so. My rule-loving, German senses were tingling with enjoyment. Everything is so clean. It's really unbelievable. But, more on that later.

We were driven to the Imperial Hotel, named so because it is very close to the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor of Japan (presumably) resides. The hotel has been around since 1890, constructed to host foreign dignitaries that began to visit Japan once Emperor Meiji modernized the country and connected it to the rest of the world. More on that later too! The hotel was then renovated around 1919 by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright,  which was sadly demolished in 1968 when the modern building was constructed that we stayed in. The lobby is a grand display of majestic ceilings, tall, wide columns and shining marble floors in front of grand staircases with a gorgeous ball of stunning flowers front and center. And we just happened to see a bride posing in front of it (which TPU sneakily took a picture off). I say sneakily because it's considered rude in Japan. But then again, TPU-F kept taking pictures of children, so...

 

 All joking aside, the hotel was beautiful. The amount of staff was stunning, all greeting you with bows and smiles while directing you to the counter. After we checked in, a bellhop took us to the 12th floor where our rooms was, telling us that the rooms are split into different sections with security doors for each section. I don't know why that's necessary because Japan is incredibly safe. Even later at night, we saw young women securely walking through the subway with no concerns. No tip required, as tipping is considered rude in Japan (and of course people are paid a reasonable wage that allows them to live, unlike some other places). The room was stunning and the toilet was as high-tech as you would expect. The lights and shades are all controlled by a tablet easily accessibly from the bed.

We took to the streets to explore the immediate area around the hotel, which seems to be the bougie part of Tokyo. Familiar brands were hoisted along the buildings near the hotel, including Gucci, Versace, Hermes, Celine and the other usual culprits. But the buildings themselves were the main attractions, with unique and interesting architectural features.

We wandered the streets, hungry, but also clueless on where we should eat, until our savior Claysie used a local app to help us pick a place to eat. I bravely navigated the dense streets and alleys to the building, which did not have a restaurant. However, after some internal consulting, we realized the restaurant was on the top floor of the building. As Tokyo has a relatively small footprint (at least for a city of 14 million people), it is built vertically as much as horizontally. We walked into a narrow hallway that led to an elevator, which we took up to the top floor, but not before it stopped halfway up and the doors opened to reveal a hair salon that was still open at night! A young women entered the elevator with a curling iron in her hand before exiting one floor up. We finally got to the top, now starving, and exited into a moody and sexy ambience and were greeted with shouts of Konichiwa, though once they saw us they swapped to Good Evening, to a disappointed Claysie who had been arduously studying the Japanese language for 6 months! We sat and ate and it was absolutely delicious. The service was lovely, the food tasty and the atmosphere inspiring. I loved everything about it, but was falling asleep at the table as some dessert was ordered. I managed to make it back to the hotel before quickly falling into bed and instantaneously passing out. Did I sleep through the night? You'll have to tune in next time for more glimpses of the east.

Images credit to TPU-M, TPU-F and Claysie!