Lost in Harajuku

Oh boy. Today has been a bit difficult. 

I gave up. 

Yes, this is a cup of Starbucks chai tea latte with soymilk. Yes, I know that it is not a traditional Japanese fare. I have been walking around Tokyo since 8am this morning and I'm tired. So I gave up. 

Let me give you a high level overview of my day so far: train from Bakurocho to Shinjuku, walk around Shinjuku, find myself at Yoyogi station, decide to go to Harajuku and grab lunch somewhere, wander around Harajuku getting hungrier and grumpier. And here I am. 

At Starbucks. Hmmm... I wonder if I could have used my gold Starbucks card here. 

Unlike wandering around a city in the states, doing that in Tokyo is okay up to a point. That point being when you're hungry and you have some dietary requirements. I've kinda learned the drill to help prepare for the day: hit up a convenience store and get an emergency rice ball before I leave a familiar area. 

Onto the journey. 

So I get off the train at JR shinjuku station and this is what I immediately found. 

Forgive the horrible picture, so let me try to interpret. It was either a martial arts demo or a j-pop boy band impromptu concert. There were maybe 5 athletic guys on the stage.  Wait, they could have been break dancers? Because they were doing some sick dance moves. I was hovering a bit from the stage because the speakers were up pretty loud and I felt uncomfortable staring at such a display. I am a self-conscious rubber necker. Factor in that I stick out like a sore thumb, ergo I'm on the sidelines. 

Did I mention that it's still raining??

Did I also mention that sometime between yesterday and today, my umbrella broke?

Yes, this is a picture of an unhappy umbrella who is giving up on the Tokyo rain. 

Anyway, wandering wandering wandering. 

Wandering wandering wandering.

Temple. 

With cool attached shrine. 

And statuette. 

I like it, because he's clearly studying or reading. So I figure this is a shrine to learning and I paid my respects. 

I'm putting this picture here because it followed the shrine pics chronologically and mostly because it's super trippy. 

I'm pretty sure that that's my thumb.

Okay, I walk to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, hoping the rain would let up so I could enjoy the garden. Nope. 

The rain got harder and so I decided to turn around. But boy was I eve so happy when I found this dude. I remember watching this anime on a few occasions. 

I didn't understand it. 

This display didn't help.  

 I just think the super full lips on the mask of the main character (who is a wrestler) are hilarious. It's like he made out with a swarm of bees. 

Wandering wandering wandering. 

Arts and crafts store!

Of course I go in. 

Of course I browse for an hour. 

Of course I buy jute so I can make a desperately needed belt. 190yen (~1.90$)

Of course I take a picture of a book over with cats in people clothing. 

Wandering wandering wandering. 

Hello there SEGA! I do recognize you!!! And now for a moment of silence while I show you some of the stuff I saw in that place. 

Yes. That was ted from that horrible movie. And the stairs led you to a dungeon-like room filled with weird turn-based games like the picture that followed. that cute reclining brown bear was trying to sell you sweets. And for the last picture, I'm kicking myself for not trying to win either of those cuties. 

Back to shinjuku, where I went into the largest electronics department store I've ever been to. 

Sorry Fry's. But you do have one thing going for you, I didn't see any capacitors or resistors for sale. But I spent less than 45 minutes in the store. And although I visited every floor, I skipped a lot of each floor. So they may be there??

I spent an intriguing 15 minutes in front of what I think was in-bath seat. It was shaped like a converse butt. I think I was pretty enthralled -or- had low blood sugar that caused me to have a longer than anticipated staring moment. No picture of that. Sorry. But I did manage to take a picture of these beauties. 

A total steal at 1,160yen. And no. There were no baby pajamas with the same microfiber doodads. :-( otherwise, that would have been what I brought home when I see my new nephew. How hysterical would that have been?

So this brings us back to Harajuku, where I wandered for over an hour before seeking refuge in a unfamiliarly, familiar place. And it's only 2pm. 

Later gators. I think I need to move on.