Reg & Haris' Visit - Part IV

This is finally the fourth and final segment of Reg and Haris' Visit to Japan. We continued on our busy agenda with a visit to Shinagawa Aquarium on Monday, February 25.

A beautiful rock garden outside of the aquarium

Thrilled by the sharks

Observing through the giant 500-ton Tunnel Water Tank, which is 22 metres long. Many species of fish and sea creatures co-habitate in this space.

Markus thought this crab was funny looking!

Dolphins are such charasmatic and intelligent mammals. We've been to several aquariums while in Japan, and it's such a joy for Markus to watch them perform tricks in sync.

Honda World Headquarters

The next day, we trained it to Aoyama to visit the Honda World Headquarters' main office, which is located in central Tokyo. The office space is for the business related facets of Honda, including marketing and sales. On the lower level, the showroom houses the latest models of several kinds of vehicles and motorcycles. The motorheads, including Markus, enjoyed getting the feel of the bikes. For lunch, we met with Rodney's friend Travis who works at the HQ's, then headed back to the showroom to watch an ASIMO demonstration, the world's most advanced humanoid robot. The demo was very entertaining, especially for Markus. Following the show, ASIMO posed with us for some photos.

Markus enjoyed sitting on the Ape bike

Reg getting a feel for the new CBR 600RR

Silly Haris lounging on the Silverwing Scooter. The lady behind the counter got a laugh out his pose.

Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility

Key specifications of the new ASIMO:

Height: 130cm

Width: 45cm

Weight: 54kg

Running speed: 6km/hour

Normal walking speed: 2.7km/hour

Speed of running in a circular pattern: 5km/hour

Walking speed while carrying objects: 1.6km/hour

Check out this short video of ASIMO performing some of his latest dance moves.

TOKYO NATIONAL MUSEUM

Later that day, we went to our final touring spot, the Tokyo National Museum. As I've mentioned in previous posts, there are hundreds and hundreds of museums in Tokyo. Many have become favourites of mine. At the TNM, we appreciated exhibits conveying images of historical and modern Japan culture.

In addition, there were special exhibitions displaying artifacts from China, which included this piece, the Head of Botthisattva (left), made of 6th century limestone.

We were fascinated by many interesting items identified as National Treasure, which included swords and other Japanese weaponry.

Japanese armor

Several works of art such as Japanese screens, scrolls and antique kimonos, dolls, enameled porcelain, and so on, graced the floors of the museum.

As always, we really enjoy having visitors come to Tokyo. The 10 days went by like a breeze and together we enjoyed exploring the many sites of Tokyo, albeit visiting certain hot spots multiple times. There's always something new to explore, and having the company of family and friends with us makes our experience most memorable.

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Reg's thoughts on Japan:

"I have heard many wonderful things about Japan from my sister's Rodelyn and Reliza, my brother-in-law, Rodney, as well as others who have been to the awesome country. Visiting a foreign country, I was impressed by how organized the airport procedures were upon arrival. The airport employees directed Haris and I to each of the stations in an orderly manner. Directly after checking out of customs, I found people to be very polite as they bowed, welcomed, excused themselves and thanked us for our business. As Haris mentioned, compared to Windsor with a population of less than 300,000, we have a hard time keeping the city streets as clean as they do in Tokyo where millions of people reside. Everywhere, people are cleaning even sidewalks and infront of shops. Recycling stations are every where. My sister's condominium had a very efficient and clean refuse room, where crates are lined up to separate recycleables. You can see that they care a great deal for their environment.

The whole transportation network was quite an experience. Coming from a small city where cars are the primary source of transporation, trains and subways were very efficient and convenient. They were situated within walking distance from everywhere we went.

I enjoyed the many sights of Japan, especially with the infamous Mount Fuji standing tall in the horizon. The breath taking scenery in Hakone and snowy Nikko were spectacular. You can't help but take hundreds of photos. Other spectacles were the ancient temples and historic displays in the museums.

While in Harajuku, we were fortunate to have met "Hok" from the Fox show, ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. While doing public interviews for a local show, he was kind enough to break for some photos with us and busted out some breakdancing moves for us on the sidewalk. I was pretty thrilled about this since I have to admit I was a b-boy back in the day.

We were able to accomplish a lot of sightseeing during our visit. Thank goodness the spring-like weather was beautiful the whole time, a great change from the sub-zero temperatures of Windosr. Honda World Headquarters was cool, including the show from the world famous robot, Asimo. Technology is ubiquitous in Japan, and very apparent at Honda HQ's. The nightlife and club scene in Roppongi was very entertaining. Shopping was abundent, and I'm sure one of my sister's favourite pastimes. She was an expert at showing us where to find the best souvenirs, bargains and unique shops.

Lastly, I wanted to thank Rodelyn (our tour guide and cook), Rodney (for taking time off work and being our driver) and Markus (he kept us entertained; he is such a smart kid!), for their hospitality. This Japan experience was one of the most memorable vacations ever and I hope to travel back there again."

Reg & Haris' Visit - Part III

The following Sunday, we drove up north about an 1.5 hours to Nikko, one of the great escapes from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. As we expected, there was snow - a lot of it. What a big difference in atmosphere from our last visit in the autumn of 2006, which is the most popular time of year to visit Nikko for the beautiful foliage that encompasses the city.

This time around, the streets were bare, with very little traffic. Most shops appeared to be closed for the season. Other people around seemed to be tourists, like us, catching views of the famous falls in the area. Most people probably would care less to be out in the snowy cold to see the sights, however, we were still very happy to take our guests to the popular spot for some winter views. First we headed to the Ryuzu Falls, which weren't the most appealing of sights. Most of the grounds were frozen, which seemed to slow the rate of the falls. However, our second stop at the Yudaki Falls were amazing! The most picturesque winter sights my eyes have ever seen.

Yudaki Falls

The white scene was most gorgeous everywhere you turned. When we arrived in the area, the parking lot was snowed in. We plowed our stepwagon over mounds of snow to find a parking spot. A few people equipped with snowshoes were hiking the area. We were amazed by the falls running rapidly into the river below. Amidst the bustling of falling water, you can hear the crackling of ice crystals. Simply nature showing off it's beauty!

It's so funny, when I look at these photos, the background appears so unreal...like a backdrop from a portrait studio. The cold didn't seem to bother Markus, he really enjoyed watching the falls.

If you look closely in the center of the picture, you can see Markus and Rodney amidst all the snow.

Stopping for a bowl of hot soup at the local Japanese diner. Markus took over the camera and snapped these two shots.

Toshogu Shrine

The Toshogu Shrine is knowns as the main attraction of Nikko. The Shinto Shrine is dedicated to the kami (spirit) of Ieyasu, who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, a military dynasty that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. This would be my second visit to the shrine; Rodney's third. I find part of the beauty of this shine is it's remote location set deep in the forest of tall cedar trees. There are about a dozen Shinto and Buddhist buildings located within the enclosure of the shrine.


Kaziridaru are sake barrels used as decoration at Shinto shrines.

The statue of Ieyasu

Quite possibly the most lavishly ornate shrines you'll see in all Japan. Even in the gloomiest of days, the spectrum of colours appear radiant.

You could spend hours just admiring the carvings. In fact, the infamous adage "Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil" originated with the three wise monkey carvings in this very shrine, in the 17th century.

Taking a nature walk and admiring the views of the tall cedar trees

As the sun was setting, Rodney captured this amazing photo of the Shinkyo Bridge (Sacred Bridge). The red lacquer spans beautifully over the Daiyo River. Legend has it that the hermit who settled Nikko was carried across the river here by two serpents. In feudal times, the sacred bridge could be used only by the emperor.

Reg & Haris' Visit - Part II

...sorry for the delay in posting.

Moving right along. On Day 4 of their visit (Friday, February 22), we toured Asakusa, home of the famed Sensoji Temple. Built in the 7th century, it is known as the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. For February, the weather was at its best so we took advantage and did a lot of walking and taking in sites around the town. You'll see many similar images of Asakusa from our previous guests' visits, however with each visit, we seem to learn and see something new. As it states in most tourist guidebooks, this area is a 'must-see' for all who visit Tokyo.

Kaminarimon Gate, entrance to Nakamise Dori

The newly restored Nio gate is the entrance to Sensoji Temple

Haris worshipping with a hug

Omikuji

100 yen will buy you an omikuji (fortune written on a small piece of paper). You place the money in an honor box and shake a small cylinder containing sticks with characters written on them. Shake the cylinder until one of the sticks falls out and pull your fortune from a drawer with the corresponding character. If your fortune is bad, tie the paper onto a nearby string so that the wind can disperse the bad luck. I think I may have mistakenly tied my good fortune on the string...oops!

Markus with his Tito Reg at the purifying station. Every Buddhist temple is equipped with a similar water cleansing station

Nisonbutsu (A Pair of Buddha)

The figure on the right is said to bring mercy to the worshippers. The right is said to bring wisdom.

Reg met some two very colourful personalities while souvenir shopping in Nakamise Dori

Kanpai!

That Friday evening, Reg, Haris and Rodney went to Roppongi to celebrate Travis' birthday. Rodney showed them to common bars we've been to previously such as the Train Bar (which is literally the size of one train car), GasPanic and Wall Street Club. Later, they met up with Travis at Geronimo.

Roppongi is an area in Tokyo synonomous for its nightlife scene, and popular amoung foreigners. If you cavort to Roppongi, expect to stay out all night. Trains stop running shortly after midnight, so you're likely stuck until the trains start up again until 4:30AM, unless of course you want to take an expensive taxi ride back to your home.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TRAVIS!

Toasting to Travis at Geronimo Bar

Oh dear...some high fashion statements, found only in Roppongi

That evening, the guys ended up taking a taxi back to our home in Kamiitabashi. The ride costed a steep 7,000 yen (US$70). Perhaps these guys are getting too old to pull an all-nighter (ha, ha). They arrived home just before sunrise and managed to catch a few hours of z's before we headed out to Harajuku-Yoyogi Park-Omotesando area, early afternoon on Saturday.

A typical dog-walking site is Yoyogi Park. We counted about 16 dachshunds strolling along with this man. It's hard to tell, but he was also carrying 3 dogs in the pouch around his neck. Some dogs weren't even leashed, they were just obediently tagging along with the bunch. Very cute indeed!

You're guaranteed to get a glimpse of some very peculiar looking people around Harajuku Station. Many foreigners like to visit this area to people-watch. Some of the costumes are indescribeable and you can't help but wonder what these people think of while they dress in the morning. To say the least, people express themselves in so many ways! As we moved through the crowds, Rodney first saw "Hawk", a famous dancer from the Fox TV hit show "So You Think You Can Dance", which was aired in the US/Canada last year. Since we don't acquire many of the American channels on our satelite, I had no clue who he was. Reg and Haris, on the other hand, are fans and were rather excited to meet the celebrity in person. At the time, Hok Konishi, known as "Hawk" was in Harajuku filming a documentary. He had a television crew following him as he interviewed some people in the area. Reg managed to get close enough to request a quick demonstration of his moves, which he humbly agreed. Right there on the middle of the cold pavement, he gave us a quick show of his cool breakdancing skills. He seemed like a pretty easy-going guy.

What a coincidence that over breakfast, Rodney happen to see a photo and read an article about Hok Konishi that same morning in the Metropolis magazine. Otherwise, he would've overlooked the signature hairsytle and skinny braids.

Reg with the "Hawk"

Taking a stroll down Omotesando Street. Here, you can find just about every top designer brand boutique from Ralph Lauren and D&G to Bvlgari and Chanel.

Markus admiring the mist from the humidifier that helps preserve the wooden furniture and artifacts at the Oriental Bazaar souvenir shop

Our next stop was Shibuya - about a 10-minute walk from Harajuku Station. Shibuya is a very populated shopping and entertainment district in Tokyo. You can find several high-rise department stores such as Seibu, Parco, Marui and Tokyu.

One of Reg's most anticipated places to see was the famous Shibuya crossing at the Hachiko Exit of Shibuya Station. It is known to be the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world. Every three minutes, when the light turns green, the masses cross the street becoming one incredible sea of people. The backdrop of neon lights illuminates the sky. It fascinates me every time.

After a long day of site-seeing and sauntering the streets of Tokyo, we headed back toward Ikebukuro to Gyubei, one of our favourite yakiniku (Korean BBQ) restaurants. Reg and Haris enjoyed the interactive experience of the "do-it-yourself" Japanese dinners.

...to be continued.