This entry was posted on 2001-04-20
Tokyo
I had an unusual urge to try fugu tonight. I have no clue where this came from, but as I passed a fugu restaurant in Shinjuku, I really wanted to try fugu something.
Fugu is one of those unusual Japanese cultural phenomenon. It is probably the most dangerous food for some parts of the fugu (blowfish) are highly poisonous and cause instant death if prepared wrong. People who prepare fugu have to go through rigorous training. Amateurs are told never to prepare fugu themselves. In fact, just last week someone died of fugu poisoning. He apparently caught and prepared the fish himself. Again, another warning for people without proper training to never prepare fugu.
Since it is so dangerous, fugu is a delicacy over here. And this poisonous fish ain't cheap either. A fugu meal can easily cost $100 US per person. Only special fugu restaurants serve fugu. You won't find it at any ordinary Japanese restaurant.
Did I end up trying it? Hell no! First off, I am a vegetarian and I have been for almost ten years now. I wasn't about to blow it on one blowfish dinner (no pun intended). Secondly, I am trying to do this all on a budget. I would have used up my food money for the rest of my time here. And I am really not interested in dying caused by some blowfish. No thanks. I'd rather be hit by a speeding shinkansen. I passed up the fugu place, smiling at the fish swimming around the tank in the window, as to tell them that I wasn't going to eat them.
That was tonight. Today, I...uhhhh....well, I walked. I walked a lot.
Seriously, I had every intention of going to the museums. But I majorly overslept. I did go to Ueno once I woke up. But then I managed to exit the station at the wrong place. Too tired to walk back though the station (I was exhausted from too much sleep), I opted to go to this onsen near Omiya. Getting there would include a short journey on the shinkansen. Very easy. All of the Tohoku (Yamagata, Sendai, Morioka, and Akita), Niigata, and Nagano shinkansen lines stop at Omiya. It's less than an hour away from Ueno in Saitama-ken. An onsen sounded perfect. It would rejuvenate me and give me enough energy to go museum hopping tomorrow.
My little plan failed when I fell asleep on the shinkansen and woke up to find myself in Yamagata-ken. Not good. Not good at all. The ride back to Omiya would be at least 2 hours (depending on how long I had to wait for the train going in the opposite direction). Thank goodness I have a JR pass. At least I didn't have to pay for my error.
I got off the train at the next stop. It was frigidly cold. There was still a lot of snow in the mountains and the sakura hadn't even started blooming yet. Luckily I didn't have to wait long at all for the shinkansen going toward Omiya to arrive (which was a blessing considering that the Yamagata shinkansen is rather infrequent). Since I didn't have seat reservations, I took the first unreserved (non-smoking) seat that I found. The train pulled out of the station. I was on my way back toward Omiya/Tokyo.
At around 3 PM, the train arrived at Omiya. Realizing how late it was, I opted to just go back to Tokyo. What a wasted day.
I slept most of the way back (this time without worrying because Tokyo-eki is the last stop). I woke up feeling alive at Tokyo-eki.
That is when I started walking. I thought to myself how fun it would be to walk from Tokyo station to Shinjuku (a looong walk. Kids, don't try this at home). I must've gotten lost somewhere along the way (it happens) because I realized that I had crossed the Sumida River, passed the fish market, and was standing within perfect view of the Rainbow Bridge. Shit. I'd have to either find a shorter way across the water, or backtrack to the Sumida River. I saw Tokyo Tower (near Roppongi) across the water. If only I had turned right, away from the river and the bay, earlier. I could easily find my way from Roppongi to Shinjuku. So I started to backtrack. I passed the warehouses, the fish market, and the river again. I walked back through Ginza and Chuo-ku. I looked at my watch and realized that I had been walking for two hours and was still nowhere near Shinjuku. Grrr. If I wanted to go out later, I'd have to take a bus back to Takadanobaba (two stops from Shinjuku, where I am actually staying), or at least to a JR station so I could catch the Yamanote line back.
I got on a bus and my "stroll through Tokyo" was over. I was both relieved and saddened. It felt good to sit down (I did get a seat), but as you probably know by now, I love walking in Japan, and I was disappointed that I didn't get to Shinjuku on foot.
I washed up, changed, and got ready for a night out.
Tonight I ended up back in Shinjuku, exploring some of the back alleys, (and as usual) looking for a drink (and some fugu -- hehe!), and people-watching. Inebriated businessmen hit on me as usual. I actually did tell one of them to fuck off (in Japanese). Thank you, Sensei, for teaching me such words. I knew they would come in handy one day. After I had enough Shinjuku strolling, I came back here to soak my sore feet.
I want to go to bed at a reasonable hour because I really do want to get to the museums near Ueno-eki tomorrow. I need to spend my last precious days here wisely (although I will be back!).
Mata ashita!