Shibuya
Of course, I wandered other areas of Tokyo as well. Being so near Meiji Jingu, I walked to the busiest intersection in the world. On the way I passed the beautiful sports national sports complex and had to get some picture. From there I wandered into the busy Shibuya neighborhood. Following the crowds, I eventually found where they all converged at Shibuya Crossing.
This intersection is famous for its hundreds of people crossing from all directions in a mass mob of emergent order. During the allotted sixty seconds, the street goes from empty to bustling to empty again. However, I wonder how many of the people would be there if it weren’t known for this phenomenon.
Also at this intersection is the statue of a dog. His name was Hachiko. He is famous because he waited every day for his owner to come in on his train near there. A movie was made about this dog in America, but I’ll bet there was a Japanese version first.
Ghibli Museum
I really wanted to visit the Studio Ghibli, but I couldn’t. When I looked online the first time to get tickets a couple of months before they were not available. Then, a couple of weeks before, they were all gone! I took a risk and went out to the suburbs anyway to find it. I found Totoro inside a ticket booth, but I also found some ticket takers that sent me away. Unfortunately, there is no standby line or any reserved for walk-ups. Another disappointment, the gift shop and café are only available to those who have tickets. Next time.
Tokyo Station
Near the heart of the city, just down the road from the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Station sits dwarfed in size by the buildings around it. However, this beautiful building still stands out as a spectacular building. During the time of my visit, the station was surrounded by construction. Most likely, they are preparing for the 2020 Summer Games. This didn’t stop me from exploring. It is an extremely active train station. However, like many places in Tokyo, it is a multipurpose place. I had a scrumptious meal and meandered through some shops before catching the subway back to my hotel.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Tokyo. Japan is a lovely place with warm and friendly people. I want to go back and plan to very soon.
