This Ain't It, Chief

I woke up really groggy. This night (Friday to Saturday) was way worse—lots of coughing from my bunk mates and barely any sleep. Two bad nights in a row, and the lack of ‘personal space’ was more of a burden than I expected. I hadn’t taken a shower yet here in Tokyo and was feeling really stinky. The only option was the communal bath. The paper I got when checking in had very clear instructions on how to use it. So I put on, and subsequently took off, my big boy pants and headed to the basement floor.

The bathhouse was fully stocked with soaps, hair products, deodorant, and towels. Instead of a standing shower, I had to sit on a small plastic stool and maneuver the shower nozzle around me. I was there with five other men, all locals, taking showers. Afterward, I got into an artificial hot spring and recovered some of my bad sleep. I cleaned up, used some complimentary hair gel, and headed back up.

The whole experience was fine—pretty cool, actually—and I felt really clean afterward. But stripping down in the locker room to change into my tourist clothes, while trying to move out of the way for guests passing by, was so awkward that I decided I couldn’t do this for three more nights.

This 'capsule' concept works great if you’re a drunk salaryman who missed the last train home. All the free amenities like single-use toothbrushes (with toothpaste), the fully stocked bathhouse, and the free drinks are perfect for a single night when you’re drunk enough to sleep through all the noise. But for tourists—well, for me in this case—it just doesn’t work that well.

I need a hotel room where I can wind down after a long day of sightseeing. A place where I can scroll on my phone, take a shower, and eat some snacks. This capsule hotel wasn’t giving me that.

So I booked a hotel for two nights (meaning I still had to endure one more night here, since adding a third was double the price). I did the thing: I stayed there, I tried the lounge and the bath, but I value my sanity (and sleep) more than my wallet.

Hokusai Museum

I grabbed some food at a 24-hour izakaya on the street (which was actually pretty good) and headed to the Hokusai Museum. I really wanted to see some famous woodblock prints while I was here, and the internet said this was the place—a museum dedicated to the man himself.

I got a ticket for the special exhibition, which focused on pictures of beautiful women (don’t mind if I do!). The information next to the artworks was a bit dull, but it was interesting to see the progression in style and symbolism.

After that, I visited the ‘Information Center,’ which gave some backstory about the artist and showed some of his early etchings. He worked well into his nineties (super old for that time) and kept creating art. At the end of the exhibition, I finally saw it—The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Or at least a replica. I learned that the original prints from the 18th century used natural pigments that are very sensitive to light and moisture. Because of that, they only display them for one month a year to preserve them for future generations (which I can live with).

I must have spent fifteen minutes staring at the replica, going over all the little details. I noticed the people in the boats for the first time, the way Mount Fuji shares the same color as the waves, the energy of the sea contrasted with the stillness of the mountain. The natural forces about to crash down on those boats, and yet that distant mountain—born from an even greater natural force—remains calm and eternal.

National Museum of Modern Art

The next stop was the National Museum of Modern Art. It was on the way to the Meiji Shrine, so it was worth a visit. The museum was excellent—some really cool pieces, and especially engaging art descriptions. I spent more time here than I expected, just ogling all the different projects.

Imperial Gardens

The Imperial Gardens were right next door, so I decided to give them a quick visit. They’re located on an island with a massive moat and thick walls. It was cool walking into what felt like a giant castle, but once inside, it was a bit disappointing. I was hoping to see some more historic architecture or buildings visible from the outside, but alas.

Meiji Shrine

Then it was off to what I had planned as the main attraction of the day—the Meiji Shrine. By that point, I had spent so much time elsewhere that I only had an hour left before closing. I kind of rushed it, which was too bad, because the sights were amazing. The temple, where Emperor Meiji is enshrined, is located inside a large forest. I felt transported to another world, no longer in the vast metropolis. Giant gates marked the entrance, lanterns lined the roads, and lush greenery surrounded everything.

The shrine itself was a marvel: expert woodworking, peaceful composition, and a strong spiritual energy. When I arrived, there was a wedding ceremony—what I believe was a Korean-Japanese couple.

I also spent some time in the garden there, but it wasn’t as magical as the photos had made it seem (maybe because of the time of year).

Harajuku

As the park was closing, I had just enough time to explore the area before being ushered to the nearest exit—which led straight into Harajuku, my next stop. It was so busy that I had to wait through three green lights before I could cross the street. I walked straight to Takeshita Street and immediately lost all the spiritual energy I’d just gained at the shrine. The street was packed with people, shops, and ads. I walked down it without any real intention of buying anything. Most of the shops weren’t that interesting to me anyway—mostly crepe stands, clothing stores, and gacha machines.

There were also a ton of animal cafés (cats, dogs, capybaras, otters, pigs, and more). I don’t really like those, because—just like the maid cafés—I feel bad for the animals in them.

Shibuya

I decided to walk to my next stop to decompress a bit. The stroll was nice—the weather has been great so far, around 20 degrees with warm sunshine and hardly any rain. There were a few things I wanted to see in Shibuya, starting with the Shibuya Scramble.

Shibuya Scramble

The Shibuya Scramble has to be the most overrated ‘tourist attraction’ I’ve ever visited. You’ve probably seen it before—it’s one of the most famous crosswalks in the world. Once the light turns green, it’s instantly swallowed by a sea of pedestrians. But that’s just it—it’s an incredibly busy, functional intersection, a piece of civil infrastructure, not a tourist attraction.

But it got so famous that tourists (myself included) now flock to see it in action, robbing it of all its charm. Right before the light turns green, people rush to the center of the intersection with selfie sticks and cameras, recording themselves getting swept into the crowd. When I got there, it was so busy I had to wait three cycles before I could even cross. Imagine being a local and needing this to commute to work every day.

And that’s what used to make it special—the fact that so many locals were using it. Now it’s just tourists treating it as a photo op instead of a crosswalk. Some even run out before the light turns green or linger after it turns red, blocking cars and making drivers honk.

To me, it was a sad sight. Such an iconic cultural landmark, now overwhelmed by tourism—losing not only its meaning, but also its simple, practical usefulness.

“My house shall be called a house of prayer,” but you have made it a “den of thieves.” — Matthew 21:13

Tenkazushi

The main reason I came here was to visit my dad’s favorite sushi place. He used to go there often when he worked in Tokyo—not only for the quality, but also the unbeatable prices. I gorged myself on some amazing sushi, making up for what I’d missed the day before. I had to make it an even twenty pieces; that way it was easier to convert the price into euros 😉.

I ate:

Unagi (My bias)
Anago (The bias wrecker)
Crab salad (For my inner child)
Tamago (To play into their margins)
Salmon (The classic)
Bintoro (My dad’s favorite)

I even ordered some in Japanese!

Ginza Rooftop Garden

My last stop was a rooftop garden in Ginza, a pretty upscale shopping district in Tokyo. I had planned to call my parents that night, but since I only had a bunk bed—not a hotel room—I needed to find a quiet place. After some searching, I found a rooftop garden atop a luxury emporium. It had nice city views and a calming atmosphere. I had a long chat with my parents about my trip so far and my remaining plans.

This was an amazing day of adventuring. I saw so many sights and had some fantastic food. When walking out of the sushi place, I realized I’d already done most of the big things I wanted to do in Tokyo. The next two days would be a bit slower in pace—which was perfect, since I could feel the lack of sleep catching up to me.