August 24, 2007 - Shibuya

Today we hung around Shibuya and explore the area more. We intended on shopping, but didn’t make it too far. It was very hot, and neither of us felt 100%. We did hang out in a Starbucks that overlooked the main intersection for a few minutes. It is strange to see so many American companies in Japan. McDonalds pop out of every corner, 7-11 does as well, and I have even seen Denny’s, Tully’s, and Outback Steakhouse!

I had been excited to take Dan out to “shabu shabu” since I had eaten there during the conference (for details check out my previous blogs). We headed to Shinjuku, an even busier spot several train stops down from Shibuya. After strolling through the masses for a while, we settled on a restaurant overlooking all the lights on the 8^th floor of a big building. When we arrived the place was empty, and we sat in a corner overlooking everything. Not only was this place all you can eat, they also had an all you can drink package for only 1500 yen (about 12 or 13 bucks). We wanted to try lots of different sake and shochu (a strange Japanese liquor that is very similar to vodka), so we went ahead with it. The food was, of course, delicious, as were the drinks.

After filling our bellies, I took Dan to Harajuku on the way back, an area known for its wild fashion. We came too late and the stores were all closing, but Dan was very amused at the funny shop names I have been raving about for a month now.

On the way back to the hotel, I really had to use the ladies room, so we stopped at a tiny bar for a nightcap and a restroom. When I say small bar here, I mean very small. Many restaurants and bars literally hold no more than 5 or 10 people. They are very quaint and cute! This bar, called “Kimidori” served lots of organic coffees, juices, and liquors. The inviting bartender set us up right away. The word “Kimidori” means “light green” referring to a certain level of environmental awareness and earth friendly consciousness. Unsurprisingly, I started up a conversation with the bartender, and was amazed to learn that he loved the exact same bands as us! String Cheese Incident, Phish, Grateful Dead, you name it! I really couldn’t believe we stumbled upon such a cool place.

We ended up staying at the bar till it closed at 11. Though we were initially the sole customers, businessmen and other people slowly trickled in. Most of them were friends of the bartender, Yuhei. Everyone seemed delighted that there were tall foreigners in the bar, and it was fun to chat and get to know some more people. Even Dan enjoyed it. Most people spoke a little bit of English even.