Japan Day 20: Akihabara and Izakaya Night

Today was such a packed day! I went to visit Shibuya, Akihabara, and Roppongi, saw a lot of landmarks, and met new people! My first destination was Shibuya (the famous shopping district of Tokyo). It was a Sunday afternoon, so there were a ton of people on their day off. I got a picture of the Shibuya 109 building, a well-known department store for Japanese youth fashion. In a window display, there was also a curious food sample of Japanese honey toast, which is basically just a huge chunk of caramelized bread with ice cream on top (which seems artery-clogging). 

The streets of Shibuya also had a Disney store, which was a very fantastical experience. Walking into the store was like walking into another world. The attention to detail in the decor really made me fell like I was in a Disney movie!

It took about a thirty minute subway ride from Shibuya to get to Akihabara, a district of Tokyo famous for its electronics and anime atmosphere. There was certainly a lot of anime there– on buildings, advertisements, and products. I was able to see a Gundam (giant robot) cafe, the AKB48 (a famous Japanese girl group) cafe, and several maid cafes. 

I spent the majority of my time in Yodobashi-Akiba, a nine-story electronics store. There was a lot to see (the floors ranged in products from massage chairs to video games to tablets), and I was surprised by the fact that the announcements in the store were also made in Chinese. (It may be because many Chinese people come here to buy cheap, high-quality electronics to bring home.) Outside the store, there was a giant Pikachu too! So cute! After that, I went to Roppongi, an area in Tokyo known for its nightlife, for a Harvard organized event at an izakaya (a Japanese restaurant/bar). I also saw Tokyo Tower for the first time! (I had to confirm later with a person at the meetup if it was truly the Tokyo Tower. He asked me if I saw something like the "ghetto version of the Eiffel Tower," and then told me that it was indeed the Tower.)

The food and drinks at the izakaya were absolutely amazing! Four courses of just straight on exotic deliciousness. It was also great to see some familiar faces and to meet new friends! There will be more organized events in the future, and I hope they will be as fun as this one!