日本へようこそ (Welcome to Japan) !

We are on a new continent! We just arrived in Tokyo, the world's most populated city with its population of 36 million. Here, everything is written in a weird language and even customs officials are polite.

Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo

Tokyo seen from the metropolitan government building

We land in Tokyo with a 4-hour delay. Bad news: Martin's bags didn't arrive. Even worse, they will never get here. Martin therefore has to gather a new set of gear in a hurry before starting again.

 In the background, the Tokyo Skytree tower (634m, thus the world's second highest construction)

Asakusa ward, Tokyo

Since we can't find a youth hostel that accepts to keep our bicycles, we leave them in their cardboard boxes and bring them in our room. We finally reach to an interesting agreement: our bikes will be exposed in the hostel entrance hall, with a small display explaining the key facts of our journey.

The team of the Khaosan Tokyo Lab and his VIP guests

We are invited for lunch by Hitoshi, Akira's uncle. We also get to know Daisuke and Kimiko, his cousins, around an excellent tonkatsu (breaded, deep-fried pork, traditional Japanese dish).

With Daisuke, Kimiko and Hitoshi

A few days later, we eat in a sushi-bar with Masaya, an other cousin of Akira. From the outside, the place looks austere. All customers are seated at the bar and the small room is packed. But from the first dish, we realize that we are in a hot spot for Japanese gastronomy. Every dish is a spectacular delicacy.

With Masaya in a fantastic sushi-bar

Sashimi and sake

When one tries to express himself in the local language, here's what happens. After working on my pronunciation with Akira and Masaya, I ask the waiter: "すみません、山葵おかわり下さい" (pronounce "sumimasen, wasabi okawari kudasai"). He then brings me a small bowl of wasabi and I think that I have achieved a master stroke. But the table neighbor on my left, who is very impressed, starts talking to me: "ああ、日本語話すのですか？日本には長いのですか？すごいですね！発音もね〜。". Well, I am forced to confess my duplicity. I can't even explain that "I do not speak Japanese"... FYI, you can say "日本語解りません".

Finally, some pictures of our Tokyo experiences.

Japanese toilets with a Dual Core BX 6000 processor

A 100-buck melon! (10'500 yens, on the upper left), Tokyo

Rush hour,  Shibuya area, Tokyo

Extravagant clothing, Akihabara area, Tokyo

Sake containers, sponsored by the numerous patrons of a temple, Tokyo

Baseball is extremely popular in Japan

Here, one finds very useful gadgets, like these sushi-like USB sticks

Outer gate of the residence of the Japanese Emperor, worshipped by a whole nation

Traditional menu of a sushi-bar

We now jump again on our bicycles, aiming for Osaka. Our first Asian challenge will consist of riding out of the world's biggest city. Stay tuned for the next post, coming soon!