I’m back from the other side of the earth in one piece. My
first time in Asia was spent in Japan with my two best friends. Staying in inner
Tokyo was such an amazing experience. By the end, we knew our way around like
locals.
On our first day we decided to go to the main shopping attraction--
Shibuya. This is the classic “scramble crossing” image most people get when
picturing Tokyo. To say it was crazy would be an understatement.
I’ve never seen so many people in one place at one time. It
was major culture shock being in the largest city in the world and at the
center of over 33 million people.
We aimlessly circled department stores like the famous 109,
where employees stand on a soapbox and shout at the top of their lungs to draw
in customers to the 20-minute time sales. With my petite frame perfect for
Asian brands, I was in heaven.
After shopping, we went to get Ramen at Ichiran were the
noodles are ordered through a kiosk at the entrance and then delivered to you through
a window at your barstool. Ending all interaction with wait staff.
The combination of culture shock and jet lag made the first
day feel like a strange dream. However, as you will see in posts to come, I
began to love the different culture Japan offers.
