An uncross crossing

I know this is supposed to be a cranky blog, but to be honest it’s very hard to find anything to be cranky about in Tokyo so far. It must be the jet lag. Well maybe the weather today, which turned very cold and wet. But Tokyo is a really great city. And really crowded. Witness Shibuya crossing.

It’s the crossing that we all know from the movies – there are five pedestrian crossings and they all change at the same time and are always packed! Coming up the steps from the metro into it was just amazing – like being in a film. I sat in Starbucks and watched it for ages. There were people filming in the middle of it each time the lights changed!

The city really is as cool and crowded and neon as we know it from the movies. There is Hello Kitty and cutesy cartoons all over the place. The women are really beautiful. And get this – it’s illegal to smoke outside in public places but legal to smoke inside! The salarymen can smoke their heads off in a restaurant, but would get fined if they did it outside. Very Japanese – how things look is most important.

All said not too much to give out about. That may change however during the week when the tour proper starts and I head up the country with a bunch of strangers. Will keep ye posted…