Having blown it off the previous two days, I decided to check out Shinjuku and Harajuku. Akin to Shibuya but with everything from futuristic Orwellian skyscrapers to Tokyo's most infamous red light district, Shinjuku was something I absolutely had to experience, if only during the daytime. I had managed to dip my toes in the massive sands the night before but only with enough time to take a few snapshots after having finally found my way out of the station. When you read something is the largest and busiest train station in the world, it still doesn't quite prepare you for the reality of it all.
(INSIDE SHIBUYA STATION. SWAG ARTWORK.)
(FUTURISTIC BLADE RUNNER SKYSCRAPER / SHINJUKU AT NIGHT)
As I've mentioned before, to take in all that I wanted to experience in Tokyo was simply impossible, and I'm more than a little disappointed that I didn't get to spend a night out in Shinjuku, in the ramshackle bars of Golden Gai or the cramped, winding passageways of a spot the locals (lovingly?) refer to as "Piss Alley". Something to do next time I'm in Tokyo, for sure. As it was, I was happy to poke around Shinjuku during the day. The first order was to find some nourishing eats and I had one specific goal in mind: yakitori. But not just any kind of yakitori. There is a specific instance in Anthony's Bourdain's book, Medium Raw, where he discusses the finer points of yakitori in Shinjuku. The most sought after and delicious item on any yakitori menu is apparently the chicken ass. Yes, you read that right. Such is my trust in Mr. Bourdain's taste and eating philosophy, I was willing...no, EAGER, to track down this delicacy. I found it at an underground yakitori specialty spot, and, needless to say, it did not let me down. Lightly dusted with salt by the chef, hit with a slight twist of lemon, and eaten fresh off the grill, it was a luscious treat. Words really fail you when you try to sell someone on grilled chicken ass on a stick. Thus, I will only say, "You've just gotta try it."
(GRILLED CHICKEN ASS. A REAL TREAT.)
This particular yakitori spot was underground and located only a block or two from the entrance to Kabukicho, Tokyo's (in)famous red light district. Such is the amazing duality of this city that its down 'n' dirty, yakuza-hustlin' area is only a skip away from the massive metropolitan government complex. Anyway, during the day at least, Kabukicho's sleaze was only apparent thanks to signs for places like "Girls Club Nom Nom" or slightly less than discrete "menus" posted on the outside of doors, showing (theoretically) the particular girls on offer. But, only having so much time left in this great city, I booked it over to Harajuku for some free wanderings, with my only goal being just to see what I could find.
Right out of Harajuku Station is the famous Meiji Shrine. In a consistently thick haze from three days of hardly sleeping, this peaceful oasis in the middle of one of the world's largest cities transported me, mind and body, into a zen-like state. Aside from the fair amount of people present, while inside Meiji it is impossible to tell you are actually still in the heart of a megalopolis. Also, while in Harajuku, after an hour or so floating along in the wrong direction and thinking all the hype of Harajuku was horribly inflated, I stumbled upon Takeshita-dori, a narrow shopping street stretching for several blocks, a walking only area where one has no choice but to be carried along by the incredible crush of people. Swimming upstream is not really an option. Across the street from the end of Takeshita-dori, I was broadsided by yet another urban wonder. Round a corner and there it is. An eye-watering blast of vibrant color and whimsical design. Turns out this building is called the Design Festa Gallery and it houses tiny artist studios and a cafe, whose proceeds no doubt help to fund the project.
(THE VIVIDLY-COLORED, WONKA-ESQUE DESIGN FESTA GALLERY)
As you might imagine, all this trekking about can impress upon a man a deep hunger. Its a small experience in the grander narrative of my trip, but a brief pause for takoyaki at a street vendor proved to be one of the more magical moments of my adventure. The weather in Tokyo was grand for my entire visit, and this evening in particular felt like a late fall day, reminiscent of my favorite time of year. Takoyaki is a staple street food of Japan, basically balls of fried dough filled with chunks of octopus and covered in a combination of sweet, almost teriyaki sauce, a sort of creamy mayonnaise, and savory bonito flakes. I washed it all down with a Coke as I watched the Saturday crowds shuffle by, everyone destined for somewhere. At this point, my trajectory would take me back to Shinagawa to catch a train to Fukuoka. That was the plan, anyway. As it turned out, I was in for one of the most stressful yet unforgettable experiences of my life, the best and worst possible thing that could have possibly happened to me. While stopping short of being locked up abroad, it was a situation that every traveler should fear, if it would ever even cross their mind that it could befall them. Stay tuned for the fourth and final installment of this three part series!
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