What a day!

Pete had mentioned to me before we came that there are issues for women on the subway and with close proximity on packed lines this does allow for unwanted attention. There have been women only carriages in Japan since 1912 but then they ceased only to be reintroduced again. As the Japan Experience site states although times have moved on the issue of ‘wandering hands hasn’t. They even have a name for the perpetrator of such offences on public transport – a chikan.

Today we headed to Harajuku Station and walked up Omotesando, known as Tokyo’ s Champs Elysees a broad tree lined avenue. We didn’t stop to look at the shops as Chanel etc seemed way out of budget. Instead we reached the top and began a walk towards the Meiji Shrine.

Pete looked overjoyed at the prospect of visiting the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo. Dedicated to Emperor Meiji (d. 1912) and Empress Shoken (d. 1914). On the way we passed a ‘wall’ of straw covered sake barrels. Every year brewers across Japan provide these massive barrels as a form of remembrance. I could say it’s a bit of a waste but as I think sake tastes rank it really isn’t!

When they died volunteers planted a 100,000 trees which came from all over Japan and beyond. In a relatively short space of time the area looks well established. I wouldn’t expect 100,000 trees to be planted when I pop my clogs but I wouldn’t mind a few as it seems a good idea!

Pete has to badger me to stay still for a photo opportunity. I am not the best but quite like this Tkmaxx top I got for the holiday so it seemed like a shame not to ‘show it off ‘.

The entrance Tokii to the shrine is also the biggest in Japan but the 1 5\n00 year old wood comes from Taiwan.

The Emperor and Empress filled their time writing waka poetry – compromising of 31 syllables. In fact they wrote 130,000. I could scoff a bit but a lot of them revolve around the theme of world peace.

By helping each other

With the means we possess,

We can come to know

That the four seas of this world

Were born on one mother.

Leaving this shrine we headed towards the nearby Harajuku shopping area a ‘shrine’ to alternative Japanese. A heaving, vibrant area full of alterative shops and a lively atmosphere.

One shop had signs that didn’t want any photographs taken, with signs saying ‘fuck off foreigner, kiss my anus. No photo.’ But to be honest I don’t think it packed the same punch as all the notices at Grindleford Cafe! In the main this place’s attitude was very isolated as very much everywhere else screamed out to be photographed!

However this lovely shop assistant gave me free sweets (always a plus) and was happy to pose with a deranged looking western! Everything in Japan looks cute even when they are trying to look mean and menacing. No amount of gothic makeup or black can possibly make them look sinister.

So when I saw these stairs it just seems laughable as everyone seems so polite.

We also found it was the must go area for animal cafes. As much as I love hedgehogs (which are not native in Japan) and dogs in cups

, thinking about a relentless deluge of sweaty humans pawing them day in and day out is hard to stomach. The experience to my mind would be purely selfish. Reading a someone’s blog describing the experience the writer comments on the hedgehog curling up and hiding in the corner of the box. Hardly the behaviour that would indicate they want to be played with.

The area is full of ‘characters’ and shops are full of a wide array of interesting clothes and shoes.

If only I could pull this off!

Pete was interested in picking up a T shirt so we looked at few vintage shops and the prices were truly eye watering 5200 yen is around 45-50 quid. Which makes me think that Japanese students in Sheffield can make an absolute killing.

We had thought of going to the Skytree the world’s tallest tower. Firstly it was quite far away and it was fast feeling like we were walking through treacle and secondly it was expensive.

So we decided to go the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building- closer and free. 202 metres above ground the observation decks gave an impression of the Tokyo skyline.

We went up 44 floors in literally seconds. Apparently from the observation decks you can see Mount Fuji but in all honestly with the Summer haze seeing any of the buildings was a miracle. It was exciting spotting where we had been walking the previous day and being able to see them from this perspective.

Truth to be told I started to feel a bit disoriented after a while but Pete was in his element.

What was really exciting for me was seeing a piece of artwork by Yayoi Kusama. The 89-year-old Japanese artist, who for the past 41 years has lived voluntarily in a psychiatric hospital who is known for her dotty repetitive work.

After this we headed to the borderless team lab travelling over the Rainbow bridge. The name “‘Rainbow Bridge” was decided by the public.

The towers supporting the bridge are white in colour, designed to harmonize with the skyline of central Tokyo seen from Odaiba. There are lamps placed on the wires supporting the bridge, which are illuminated into three different colours , red, white and green every night using solar energy obtained during the day. The train journey there was equally impressive as we passed over Tokyo Bay.

To get to borderless teamlab we had to walk through something called Toyota experience (?) which as the name on the tin implies is linked to all things Toyota. I wish we had known about it as there were lots of interactive things to do for free, but we did spend some time there. The architecture to the place was very futuristic.

We saw their plans for what cars will look like in the future, including things like recycling energy. I didn’t quite understand the science behind it but do know it’s a step in the right direction.

This was the car that was on Pete’s wish list.

We booked borderless team lab some time ago but were uncertain what to expect. The website described as ‘world-leading Japanese digital art collective teamLab unveiled their new awe-inspiring permanent digital art museum’.

Hard to describe the experience so will let the photos and videos ‘do the talking’.

The rooms were maze like with mirrors giving the impression it was bigger than it was. Every so often I would nearly step on or nearly knock over a young Japanese girl sitting on the floor beguilingly with digital flowers cascading down her face and body, being stage directed by a friend. Leaving I pondered if these would make up a Tinder profile.