The First Day

Two hours sleep, too excited, 11 hours on a plane, old couple behind yanking and prodding my seat back, about 10 minutes of nap time, arrive into Japan at lunch time, 8 hours ahead of UK time, must stay awake... jet lag is a bitch.

It is amazing to be back in Japan. Looking out the window on the hour long ride from Narita airport to Tokyo, it is strange seeing a countryside which is all too familiar, but strangely out of step, and then I realised what makes it different. The fields. They are a different shape, long and narrow, it may not sound like a huge revelation, but it took a while to sink into my addled brain.

The houses as well, they are different, smaller, strange angles, crammed into spaces which would normally be driveways or gardens, filling every angle, what seems like only a metre from their neighbours, I guess people here aren't after a view.

But this is only suburbia, and the urban scrawl which brings you into Tokyo.

Last time I was here, I never really noticed the taxis, but one notices them when you are trying to cram 4 cases into the small boot of a sixties style Toyota Crown with a gaggle of Japanese business men in the queue yelling encouragement and a driver who of course can't seem to work it out either. For once I didn't get embarrassed, just grinned and got in. Felt a bit like Jackie O though.

At this point I would like to say how wonderful my hubby is. As soon as we checked in he was off to the shops to get water, strong coffee and some snacks, he knows how to stop me being a grumpy git.

The afternoon was a blur of walking round Ginza, getting familiar again, a little shopping in UniQlo (12 floors of it here, and so much better than in the UK, also under £50 for 4 tees and a hoodie, not all mine I may add). Then off for a beer in Ginza Lion Beer Hall, and I learnt something new... Chinese people like warm beer. This was from the guy behind us, drinking from large glass boot (he was from China by the way, I am not making a sweeping generalisation).

A bit more walking and back for dinner at Ginza Hinaiya, a little yakitori (food on sticks) place we came to last time, and have been talking about since. Apart from the chef with the drag queen eyebrows and aloof matching attitude who was cheffing away less than a metre in front of us, the food was so good. Crispy chicken skin, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, then chicken meatball kebab served with a soft boiled/poached egg, and others too, of course the Spy went for hearts, livers, that kind of thing. Yum. Tried a local white beer with yuzu in it, which was also so good.

After an unsuccessful walk to find a beer market (loads of beers on tap) it was closed. Ended up in the hotel bar, a few more beers, a little sake (delicious) and realising at 9.30 there really was just no point trying to stay awake, so here we are at 5.30am, with this view.