(Day 5) Met _ _ _

Even after all these years of coming to Tokyo, 99 percent of the neighbourhoods in the city have yet to be explored. Of course they aren’t all interesting, but I’d been hearing about a cool little laid-back place among them for a while – Shimokitazawa – and I decided that today, my last lonely day, would be the day I make the journey on to the this little place along the Inokashira line. You know what? They were right…the place is hip but quiet. I think I’m going to like it here.





I just kind of wandered for a while down the road, checking out the branch of one of my favourite shops that had taken up residency in the area, Raw Vintage. Eventually I decided that I should try to rustle up some grub (lunch) and set about trying to find some ramen or something. I was going to stop in Shibuya on the way down to eat at Ichiran, but I didn’t want to actually walk around in Shibuya…but then Ichiran found me here, on one of the side streets in this little place.


It was like a mirage in the desert.




I’d never seen such an empty Ichiran. Best lunch of the day!


Rad sink. Ichiran has cool bathrooms on lock.

After wandering around for a while longer, through the Daiso and some forsaken second-hand shops, I decided to take the plunge and attempt a karaoke hour by myself. It was mostly a success, save for the poor girl at the front counter who had to deal with me. Sorry!



After singing until I was hoarse and a round of purikura, I was back on the train to Shibuya.




Notice my new Limi Feu jacket? I love it!





Wandering around Shibuya was harmless enough…until some guy decided that he was going to try and follow me around until I gave in and…actually, beyond getting a drink with him or meeting up with again in future days to come, I’m not sure exactly what he was hoping for. I was walking along, minding my own business, when I hear a “Hi.” I turn and see some 40-ish guy walking beside me. He proceeds to ask me the basic orientation questions about myself and then tells me about himself and then invites himself along with me as I shop. Ugh. I’m wayyy too nice so I told him he could come, but I guess I figured he’d actually have something of his own to attend to shortly? Wrong. I quickly tell him I’m shopping for my husband, but this doesn’t phase him – he tells me how lucky my husband to have such a nice/thoughtful/fashionable/beautiful wife and just doesn’t get the hint. I go through one department store in fairly short order and then give him his walking papers. I tell him I have to go meet my sister for dinner (lie) and asks in a sad voice if I don’t’ have time to go for a drink at all. I say no time (lie). He then asks about tomorrow. I say I’m busy (true). And then he asks about the whole rest of the days in my trip. I say completely busy (kind of true). I say bye and bolt. Unfortunately, being the blondest girl in sight doesn’t provide me with any advantage in this situation. I hide the back corner of a Family Mart until I figure I can sneak safely to the subway to make my getaway. I’m not sure if it worked, but if he saw me, he didn’t give pursuit. Although some may think it’s flattering, I just think ew. It’s only flattering if they are good-looking, isn’t it?



Janelle came over after 9 that evening and finally moved in for the duration of the trip. We headed over to Lex that night for Shawnda’s goodbye party and it was kind of a blur in hindsight.

Some boy told me that his 20-year-old buddy thought I was hot and was “interested” in me and I should go say hi. I did, but was dragged away and he kind of looked crushed. Sweet! Does this make me a cougar? Also, some boy with a Moët balloon around his neck tried to kiss me and told me his balloon was “cute”. Some guy with an LV necklace was so thrilled by me and my pitiful Japanese that he kept introducing me to different people as a novelty. We met Eiji who works at Mitsubishi who lied about his age so I wouldn’t think he was too old for my sister and who kept buying us drinks all night. We partied with Haylie who showed me the most reliable way into VIP. I met/stared at/touched Ryo. We said goodbye to Shawnda. And Taka was good to us, as usual. Maybe I should just move here. Can I sleep in the corner of the club or something?