(Day 16) Second Metropolis

Another bright, gleaming day in the land of the rising sun…can I stay right here forever? No? Boo.

This morning Maya and I ventured off down the Kehin-Tohoku train line to the wilds of Yokohama. The ride was just over an hour with me, researching various kanji I saw in my translator and Maya sleeping - like most other Japanese on board. We arrived around lunch time and headed towards Yokohama’s Chinatown – Japan’s largest. We knew we were getting closer when Chinese gates showed up every few hundred feet and we dutifully filed through.






We’ve arrived.

Since it was a holiday Monday, the streets and stores were quite crowded with shoppers. We meandered about, half looking for lunch and half just taking in the sights and smells.


I love plastic food.





We eventually decided on (what else?) a Chinese restaurant. The staff was authentically Chinese as we found out when I had a question that I needed Maya to translate to the server in Japanese who needed another server to translate the Japanese into Chinese. We ended up getting our food though, and it was very delicious.




My chow-mein-style meal.

After lunch, we picked up some dumplings from a very famous shop for dinner and Maya wanted bubble tea.



Do you remember my delicious dinner last night of linguini with baby clams? Well, I now realize that I am fully allergic to shellfish and I don’t think I’ll be forgetting the hives that bothered me for an entire week. Wanna see? Ewww!


It’s not pretty, ne?



Following Maya, our legs soon brought us to Yamashita Koen (Park) on Yokohama Bay.






People out enjoying the gorgeous holiday weather.

I also (yet again) attempted a panoramic shot. CLICK! for a larger version.



Continuing on, we eventually made our way to Yokohama’s Red Brick Warehouses.




Here are the good people of Japan – celebrating Oktoberfest!! Naturlich ja! We did not partake in said festivities.


The heat outdoors had reached a fever pitch and it was time to escape indoors and do more shopping since it had been about an hour since we last set foot into a store.

Yokohama’s Red Brick Warehouses were used by American Forces before they became Customs buildings. Now, they contain a shopping mall and banquet hall.


Inside the mall.

We then walked a bit further to Yokohama World Porters and more shopping ensued!


Yeehaw! I’m surprised at the rusty nails jammed inside the heel. Obviously not as water-tight as one would have expected from the flawless Japanese. Actually, I think these shoes were made in China. It’s all becoming clear now.

By the time we re-emerged outdoors, the sun had set and the city took it upon itself to sparkle in the evening glow.






I see a Ferris wheel! Let’s go.





We decided no trip to Yokohama would be complete without a ride on the giant Ferris wheel (sound familiar Odaiba?) Hooray! I love Japan and their mammoth Ferris wheels in every city. So we will wait patiently in the line with all the couples.



Finally it was our turn to board. We were in line behind this couple who just chatted like friends and didn’t hold hands or anything…but when they boarded their little car and thought no one was looking, It was paws-on. Ha ha ha. I kept moving to wherever I had to in our little car to try and peep in on them – of course they didn’t expect it and were making out. When we reached the top and they knew people in other cars could see them, they sat apart and looked completely uninterested. As soon as they thought they were out of view, wham. I know because I was still looking. I’m not a peeping Tom…just a voracious social observer.

The views were certainly majestic.






A roller coaster that goes underground! Cool!


What is this? Two points if you guess right.

Whee! Next up is the arcade. These colourful places of contained chaos will never have an equal in anything created outside of Japan. The one in Yokohama was quite subdued compared to some of the crazies in Shinjuku.


She didn’t win…that sucks. But it looked so close to falling, so I can’t blame her for trying.


The shamisen game…of death!! Or something similar.


”Our ride now has a fully-retractable snake head coming out of the wall.” It seriously moved in and out and around and stuff.

I actually also convinced Maya that some purikura was in order to commemorate our successful trip to Yokohama. I love this stuff.



After an even longer train ride on the Kehin-Tohoku (and Utsunomiya), we were finally home. Maya’s Mother prepared the tasty dumplings we brought back and dinner was served (with many, many other dishes not listed here). I didn’t take a picture of my food that night…I think I was much too hungry to care.

Tonight I also got around to taking pictures of my humble (yet entirely luxurious) abode at the Suzuki’s.


This is my bed (now four futons high!!)


The rest of my bedroom.


The hallway from my apartment door to my bedroom door.


Toilet room.


Kitchen/dining room.


Shower room/clothes dryer room (pictured: Burberry towel. No big deal.)


Sink room/washing machine area.

Their hospitality for letting me stay here goes unmeasured. I can’t possibly begin to think of how I could show my full appreciation – but hopefully lots of gifts will help.

Another day down, I prepare to leave Tokyo once again, heading west to central Japan’s Shizuoka prefecture. Tomorrow I set sail (or rail, as it were) for another adventure with a new friend.