May 8, 2010

• Tokyo Trip 2010: Scavenger Hunt

  The next day, I had no formal plans. Andy and I decided to go to the park and just wander around, maybe do some shopping in shinjuku, harajuku area and see what came up.

  

  This babies around the world statue is probably one of my favorite for absolutely no good reason. And The above intersection at shinjuku station is another one of my places to enjoy some quality people watching.

  

  After a classy breakfast, we made our way to yoyogi park, where what did we find but a dog carnival

  

  Ever stroller you see in this picture, and even more you dont had a small dog dressed up inside. It was both adorable and eerie. I purchased some sweet potato cakes and kangaroo jerky as a souvenir for my puppy and then continued onward, stopping briefly to admire the unique graffiti only seen in the harajuku area

  

  Not only is the graffiti awesome but if you look on the far right you will see 2 people in the corner. It was here that I saw something I had only dreamed about actually witnessing. A dance battle. A real life dance battle.

  A group of similarly dressed youth approached another teenager, seemingly at random. They started shouting at him, and then began to dance in tandem. This kid, not to take things likely, threw off his jacket. From nowhere three of his friends appeared. They too were in matching clothes. They were not going to just take this affront, no. They danced back. The battle raged on for ten minutes before one group left, admonished, and beaten. A real life dance battle, with battlers battling in their own natural habitat. Maybe not as good as abdc, but live and uncensored. It was epic.

  Carrying on, Andy and I noticed a group of japanese people holding up a sign that andy translated for me as “international treasure hunt” As we walked closer to explore, the japanese became very excited at two internationals and told us they were doing a cultural exchange with university students being sent around tokyo in teams to find things and take pictures. In other words, a scavenger hunt!

  

  Well you all know my policy; what the hell is ALWAYS the right decision, doubly so on vacation. So andy and I were quickly drafted into a team

  

  Clockwise from the top, Tom, Azu, Me, Andy, Rumi, and Yuka

  

  The Statue of Hachiko at shinjuku station, a famous dog that waited for his master every day there for years. 

  

  

  Did I mention the hunt was 5 hours and had things to track down over the entire city of tokyo? All the while speaking in japanglish with our new friends, all university students.  Of course, I began dragging them down to my level eventually

  

  On the right, you will note the superman S hand sign, best done by Andy, but with valuable attempts and more enthusiasm by yuka and azu

  

  And of course, what trip would be complete without me teaching someone to be metal and learn journey and bon jovi. I have changed their lives for the better

  

  A brief lunch stop for some monjayaki

  

  And with our new friends the cultural exchange continued late into the night as I suggested we all grab some food and karaoke (of course) and one of the other students from a different team volunteered his family’s restaurant. Private dining room, vip style with free drinks and an all you can eat chinese homemade buffet for only 20 bucks. And none of this would have happened if i hadnt decided to go for a walk in the park. Let that be a lesson to you kids…sometime the best vacations are the ones where you just go walking around, looking around, and smile and talk to people for NO GOOD REASON.

   

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