Bus Tour in Tokyo

On Thursday my parents and I took the shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo and went on an English-speaking bus tour of the city.

The toughest part was just finding the exit in Tokyo Station!  The ticket wicket kept beeping at us, and there was lots of construction, so I was confused about where to go.  Finally, we made it outside and here I am in the taxi talking to the driver.

See how fancy taxis are in Japan... The seats are all covered in white doilies, and each one is very clean and equipped with a GPS.  The GPS is so that you can provide a phone number of your destination to the driver and directions will pop up.  Streets are often unlabelled and even more curious, occassionally unnamed in Japan!  Better bring a Japanese map with you unless it's a super common place!

We made it to the bus station, and here is our tour guide, Mori-san.  Mom had problems understanding his English, and it was like he ran out of things to say because he repeated everything 3 times so I kinda wanted to punch him.  But a guided tour bus is still better than Kerri, Vance, and Pam wandering around Tokyo on our own and arguing about which direction to head in...

Dad and Mom on the tour bus.

First stop was the World Trade Center Observatory: Seaside Top on the 40th Floor.  Here is a view of Tokyo Bay.

A park whose name I do not know.

Tokyo Tower and Zjyoji Temple right in front of it.

All I could think was: "I get my lunch... out of a VAN... down by the RIVER!!"  LOL.  So classy and the van was so tiny, about a third of the size of Dad's van back home!

Mom and Kerri in front of the Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace.  This is the entrance to the emperor's house, and is only open to the public two days per year.  (Jan 2nd and the emperor's birthday Dec 23rd; both are also national holidays.)

Dad and the infamous "Poo Building".  We thought it was quite appropriate, and he must have too. 

Don't you love his peace sign :)

The skinny building on the left is the still-under-construction Tokyo Sky Tree.  Planned to be complete in Decemeber 2011.  When completed, it will surpass the Tokyo Tower and be the highest structure in Tokyo.

The original tour included a boat ride on the Sumida River, but it was too busy, so we went sakura (cherry blossom) viewing in the Sumida Park instead.

Dad and Mom stand by the giant red lantern at Asakusa.

Shopping on the busy Nakamise Street, which is the main approach to Senso-ji Temple.

Beautiful spring weather!

The Senso-ji Temple is being renovated, so it was completed covered up!

My parents in front of the 5-story pagoda. 

I think my peace sign addiction is starting to rub off on them!!

Washing up to go into the temple.

Breathing in the incense with healing powers.  (Dad needs a lot of healing!)

Kabuki-za Theater in Ginza built in 1603. 

The pic just doesn't do it justice!  It was so detailed and awesome and over 400 years old!

Kerri & Mom in front of the Hachiko statue outside of Shibuya Station. 

(I recommend the recent Richard Gere movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale if you are unfamiliar with the story.  It's about a dog who follows his master to the train station every day and then waits outside for him.  One day the master dies, never returning to the train station, but Hachiko is devoted and goes there every day and waits for him anyway.)

Shibuya Crossing: the busiest intersection in the world!!

Another pic at night time!!  Pure craziness.  The crosswalks go every which way and diagonal.  People just pour out onto the street. 

We found a Disney Store in Tokyo and had to check it out for Aunt Martha!

Kerri is running out of time for this blog, just like the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland!