AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO

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AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

Tokyo City, Japan has the most complicated subway lines and connections when viewed from map illustrations.  But through constant commuting and familiarization, transfer from one point to another within the metro becomes easy.  It becomes an advantage and marred with uncertainty to go home late night when one is familiar with the routes and timetable of the Tokyo Metro Pass. 

In a lot of times, one has to catch up the last train ride with drunk salarymen nearly lying on trains as a common sight.  Because taxi fares in Tokyo City are quite expensive, a night life and an uninterrupted drinking spree becomes almost impossible or a risk to be taken.

Like the pitched tents outside the streets of Seoul, I have always imagined drinking together with the Japanese salarymen on the same set-up in Tokyo.  But there was nothing of the same sort as we wandered.  The alleys though and the neon light signage along the streets were the marks of how I envision night life in Tokyo will be.

The ramen shops are the usual go-to places at night.  But along with the ramen shops are the yakinikus on cramped spaces and mostly near the metro stations.  

For this visit, it was not easy to wander at night for these are the early autumn nights of Tokyo, Japan.

ODAIBA

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

Odaiba is a man-made island, known for shopping and as an entertainment district.  The Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo’s harbor and waterfront area illuminates at night, which is one of the top tourist attractions in the City.  Their version of the Statue of Liberty is also picturesque and a popular backdrop for self-portraits.

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

The life-sized Gundam statue, related to the anime series, which stands in front of the DiverCity Tokyo Plaza is also an added attraction for Odaiba.

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

Tokyo Metro:  Yurikamome Line connected thru the Shimbashi Station of the Tokyo Metro on the Yamanote Line.  Disembark at the Daiba Station (15-minutes travel time).

SHIBUYA CROSSING

The Shibuya is known as the major nightlife area of Tokyo and a fashion center of Japan.  The Shibuya station of the Tokyo Metro is one the busiest railway stations and the Hachiko Exit is the access to the famed Shibuya Crossing.  The statue of Hachiko, a dog, between the station and the intersection is a common rendezvous.

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

There is one particular ramen shop that we frequent on a street adjacent to the building where the famous Starbucks Shibuya is – the Ichiryu Ramen.  The combo of ramen and fried chicken complemented by the bottle of Kirin beer is perfect for the chilly night.

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

SHIMBASHI

Underneath the railways of the Shimbashi station of Tokyo Metro are aligned izakaya (Japanese style pub), yakiniku (barbeque) and ramen shops.  The cramped spaces almost discouraged us from dining.  But with the thought of limited time and that there would be no other way to explore the area but to dine and drink, we were lead to an izakaya named Torahachi.  And it was a good choice.





It was the typical nightlife for a Japanese salarymen.  Almost all seated around us came from work and they all came to unwind, while us, to experience dining the locals’ ways.

SHINJUKU

The first time I came to Tokyo, I was treated by a friend to yakiniku (grilled meat) and bottles of beer.  I was drunk and my memory was not clear as to where we had our drinking spree.  It was somewhere in Shinjuku near the Robot Restaurant as a friend recalled and reminded me.

On my third visit to Japan for this early autumn trip, a friend of ours (Carla) lead us to another alley in Shinjuku, which as locals name “the Piss Alley”.  The alley is home to small bars, yakitori grills and food stalls, which claims to have its history dating back as post-war Japan.  I don’t know why they should call it piss alley. 


But with cramped space, narrow pathways (not really the main reason) and the fact that credit card is not accepted, we opted for a more spacious Japanese restaurant on an adjacent street.

We had our dinner at Horumon Jonetsu (a barbecue restaurant), where I noticed that most servers were Vietnamese.  The skewered meat, bottles of beer and even a rice bowl set for a late night dinner was the best way to end our autumn trip in Tokyo.

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN

AUTUMN NIGHTS AT TOKYO, JAPAN


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