Titillating Tokyo

I have not written much about Tokyo yet. The last piece was pretty much a digression from it's title. But I do love this city despite it's hurried nature. It can be a cold and claustrophobic place, after all it is a city. Bu it's compactness does afford us with plenty of things to do, especially on a fine day. The weather can make or break your day. Unlike tropical rains which ends after a heavy downpour, rain can trickle all day in Japan. It is a torture without good working shoes. I wore my canvas flats that would seep up all the rain water. It was terrible each time it rain. Moreover, Japan is not exactly big on covered walkways. Nearly everyone carries an umbrella. The most ubiquitous type of umbrella would be a transparent kind. How cute! (Kawaii ne!)

The streets of Ginza dazzles! Flagship stores of luxury brands line the strip. Huge deparmental stores rise up to 10 stories. People flood the streets It is such a vibrant and lively city. While Singapore has only one shopping district, that is, the all so crummy Orchard Road. Tokyo has multiple! And each has its unique characteristic. For example:

Harajuku: It's a teenage heaven! All the cute, weird, goth and kitsch exist here. On Sundays, teenagers dressed up as gothic lolitas hang around here hoping for a photo oppurtunity. Yep, they want to be photograph! Freaky! Upmarket stores line at the other side of this street. It's all so diverese

Ueno: I love this place! There is fantastic flea market (Ameya Cho Ko) here. A big pack of Herseys chocolate go for $7 here. I was really tempted to invest in a pack, but the packaging looked so crumpled. Its origin and shelve life had room for doubt. Octopus tentacles for sale at the fishmonger! R & B wear for sale. More than 500 shops pack this lane!

Shinjuku: The floodgates of people are released here. Even on a weeknight, this place is like Chinatown on New Year Eve. My father loves this place. Older Japanese call this a crazy place! Here, you can buy the company of the male species. Yep, gigolos line the streets seeking business. No sex involved for those high class establishments. Mind you, top gigolos easily earn up to $80 million yen a night. Young adults populate this area. It was the first place I visted upon my arrival in Japan. It had one of the most profound impact on us.

Asakusa: The famous Sensoji temple sits at this place. Tourisy shops line the streets here. But the back streets are worht a visit, it's pretty rustic. Best of all - the Kappa-Bashi Street, it is a stretch of stores that sell everything related to kitchenware. Japan's famous plastic models of food come from here too. Cooking uniforms, fridges, pancake makers, lanterns to hang by your store. Everything is thought of here!

Ginza: Ah, the all famous Ginza. Need I say more? This is the place where all the classy and refinement exist.