The Travelist

Tokyo Game Show all Day, Shinjuku by Night

kristyrk — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:55:19 -0700

I knew before coming here that I'd be moving around a lot, but I had no idea that my legs would be this sore from doing the only thing they are really required to do: walk. I think we've walked at least four to five hours a day getting from one place to another. My nine hours of sitting at a desk every day have not served me well in preparation for this fact. We spent the morning at the Tokyo Game Show (which BTW does not mean that we were ON a Japanese game show - we are nerds and went to a video game conference), which meant even more walking and standing and walking some more. Loved the games, but my sore legs did not love all the walking. Last night as the sun was going down we headed out to the busy Shinjuku area of Tokyo in the Kabukicho district. Lights, and thousands of people lined the streets to eat, play, and karaoke. Have I told you about the karaoke?! There's a Karaoke-Kon on almost every corner. This is my kind of place.

Akihabara: A Geeks Dream (And Other Tales From Tokyo)

kristyrk — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:29:50 -0700

It's hard to believe we've been here for a day, and it seems as if we've been here for much longer. This could be due to our nearly 22 hour day on arrival and wacked sleep patterns. After our fish-less walk yesterday morning, we headed out for some sightseeing at Ueno Park (home to a few temples and shrines), the Imperial Palace, and Akihabara. Although there was much culture to digest in the first two destinations, the highlight of our day was Akihabara - the electric district and here's why: Since we were up so early, we got to Ueno park before the shrines and temples even opened, and we couldn't get up close and personal with the Imperial Palace. Apparently, the Emperor still claims it as his residence. Either that or a tour guide with a sense of humor was messing with our foreign minds. If you're looking for a gadget, game, or high tech rice cooker, Akihabara is the place to be. Check out more pics from our day when you read on.