On our way to the airport to catch a flight to Hokkaido, the north island of Japan, we got to spend a day in Tokyo! We spent the day walking to as many destinations as we could. Once we hit the streets, one of the first things we noticed was the frequency of bikes in the city. It seemed like half the people were biking instead of walking!
The sidewalks are made extra wide to give space to both bikers and walkers. Because of all the traffic, many of the people in Tokyo choose to ride on their bikes instead of in their cars.
After a little bit of walking, we found the largest open air marketplace in Tokyo. Everywhere you looked people crammed into every opening and alley. The crowds were so bad that you could barely make progress towards your destination. At one point I climbed onto a monument just to get a break from the crowd.
If you look closely, you can see that the sea of people seems to extend down the alley into infinity.
As we slowly worked our way through the marketplace, we were entering the heart of Tokyo. Massive electronic billboards and signs covered most of the buildings. The crosswalks were overflowing with people.
We kept pushing through the crowds to get to the centerpiece of Tokyo: The Imperial Palace and Gardens. The grounds of the Imperial Palace and Gardens are said to be the most expensive land in the world. It is only 1.3 square miles, but at the height of Japanese real estate boom in the late 1980s it was worth the same as the entire state of California. Most of the grounds are off limit to tourists, but there are a few areas you can visit.
After the Imperial Grounds, we made our way into the most congested region of Tokyo. It's so crowded, that it is home to the busiest intersection in the world. And here I am in the middle of it (the tiny man in red with his arms wide open)!
The long walk through Tokyo ended when we hopped onto the subway and made our way back to our hostel. Greg, with his sunglasses on, stood out in the Japanese crowd.
To complete the day, we visited a few different shrines and temples that evening. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday!
The ski mountain, Grand Hirafu, overlooks a massive volcanic mountain called Mt. Yohtei. It's so impressive that it is regularly pictured in advertisements about skiing in Japan. I frequently find myself staring at it in a daydream when I take a break from skiing or am riding up the single chair.
Grand Hirafu has a vast amount of back country skiing, and there is a continual line of people hiking up to the top of the mountain to hit the fresh powder.
The mountain also hosts a number of national and international events throughout the year, and we took in an aerial competition this weekend. Check out the crazy announcer in the cowboy hat on the left in the second picture.
Finally, on the academic side, we've been watching Dead Poets' Society in English class and relating it to Lord of the Flies. It's a great way to end our time in Japan before spring break, and it gives me a chance to post a picture of a real teacher.
