By Miki Matsubara
🔉 ⌨️ Click Click Click. Press Press Press. Scroll Scroll Scroll 🖱️🔉
Google, Google Docs, Tripadvisor, Pinterest, Yelp, co.jp, blogs - Rinse & Repeat
Originally named Edo, Japan's capital city of Tokyo lives to the beat of their own tune. For me, they were musicians, illustrators, and dreamers with imagination as their only medium. For all of my childhood, Tokyo was the artist that gave life to Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon, Rurouni Kenshin, Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, Final Fantasy, Mario, Nintendo, PlayStation, and more. Behind these kamehamehas, tuxedo masks, kiki delivery services, katanas, ifrits, and summons... deep breath, were unknowns.
What was Tokyo like? What does Tokyo like? What was their personality? What does their personality like? Would we get along? These questions lingered for much of my childhood until we finally met, first in 2013 and again in 2017. Note: Below is from the latter and from this last trip, only one question remained: When would we see each other again?
Alas, this is the last click, press, and scroll. Laptop closed and our Tokyo itinerary completed. The plan was simple: Select different districts across Tokyo and commit to our desired attractions within those districts. By eod each day, would we smile and laugh when asked ourselves "How was today?"
We were ready to explore the pearl metropolis.
I was half asleep when I opened my eyes and ears to the sound of some intercom voice. Unsure what was said, but our Keisei Skyliner Train slowed. We departed Narita Airport a short while ago and so my best guess was about to intersect with excitement and reality. Full stop and the train doors opened. The rush of people who exited the train mirrored the rush inside my heart. All we could do was smile.
We have arrived at the pearl metropolis.
Shinjuku or Kabukicho, Tsukiji Fish Market, Akihabara, Ginza, Roppongi, Shinagawa, various shrines, Harajuku, Shibuya, Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea, Setagaya, and every meal in between - you're up now.
