Monday 12 October. Travel to Tokyo

 Monday 12 October ... to Nippori Tokyo

A midnight flight and an uncomfortable night had us touching down at Narita at 7.50 am Japan time. After collecting bags clearing immigration and customs, walking the kilometre from terminal 3 to 2, getting money from an ATM, trading in our JR pass vouchers for the real thing and getting tickets for the NEX - the JR express train that connects to Tokyo - we were sitting on the train watching some rural Japan whiz by under an hour later. After a line change and a bit of jet lag induced blundering around we got to Nippori by 10.30. The Japanese systems are impressively efficient.

We spent a bit of time at the station trying to get our phones to show us where the hotel was. Luckily Anne looked up and there was a huge sign for the hotel directly opposite. A lovely Autumn day here, with lots of people enjoying the sun. Last time I was here was in the middle od a blizzard. Lovely to see it green and bright with colour. We had lunch then caught up on some sleep. The room though was incredibly hot and turning on the aircon made no difference. We raised this with the nice lady at reception. With the aid of Google translate she told us that the aircon is not turned on at this time of year so open the window, which we have done, and it is much cooler but noisier.
After a hot afternoon nap we headed off to explore some of Nippori. We wandered down the Nishiguchi shopping street to the North west of the station. A very nice, relaxed vibe, with lots of families out enjoying the early evening. The street is celebrated for its cats, and there are both lots of representations of cats, shops selling cat kitsch, and even a few actual cats, who were like celebrities. Each cat had its own gaggle of people with cameras, paparazzi, which the cats seemed to accept as their due. Lots of clothes shops as Nippori is a fabric district, and Anne had a great time in the little stalls.

We had dinner in a restaurant on the second floor of an anonymous looking building near the station. It was sort of western Italian Japanese fusion food, and despite its out of the way location it was packed and jumping. We got a table, selected what we wanted then waited, smiling hopefully at the young waiting staff bustling by, but to no avail. Was it us? Had we committed some awful unknown cultural faux pas and were doomed to be ignored? At last the nice older Japanese couple at an adjacent table pointed out a green button located in a green plastic holder on the table. One press and a waiter appeared as if by magic to take our order. A great system and easy when you know how. Dinner was delicious and cheap too by Melbourne standards. 

So tired but happy we are looking forward to a good night's sleep in a real bed.