The excitement continues!
Day 3 – this day was a jam-packed day!...of waiting. We planned on going to Skytree that
day. It’s the tallest TOWER in the
world (the CN Tower used to be but this surpasses it by about 100 meters or
so). Yes there is a crazy tall
building in Dubai that is the highest building but this is the tallest tower –
not to be confused J. And this looks just like the CN
tower too so that was kinda cool, especially since I’ve never been in the CN
tower before. Skytree had just
opened up a couple months ago and was crazy busy. It was also Obon so there were even more people out in full
force. We had to get there
by 9 to get our tickets. It took
about an hour and a half to get there (I think even longer, maybe). We got there at 9 and had to wait in
line to get a time ticket to wait in line again to buy our tickets. So at 9am the earliest we could wait in
line was at 1pm. What to do for 4
hours? We hit up Denny’s! Wow is that different than American
Denny’ s. I got this hamburger thing
with rice, corn, and demi-glaze.
Others got the rice casserole with cheese. It was actually pretty good – go Japanese Denny’s!
Then
we still had more time to kill and were planning on going to the aquarium. But then I found out there was a planetarium
and stressed very much to my group that the planetarium would be sooo much
better than the aquarium – I won! J The lines for both the aquarium and
planetarium were crazy long so we took our chances with either one. So upstairs we went to wait in line to
wait in another line…to wait in another line (no kidding!) and we finally made
it to the front and I’m practically dancing b/c I’ve never been to a
planetarium and they tell us there are ONLY 2 seats left! We have 6 – damn! I
strongly considered going alone but I selflessly held back, hahaha! So we ended up hanging out in a
starbucks for about an hour then headed off to wait in line. And wait we did. We didn’t buy our tickets until after
2pm (5 hrs now!) and finally made our way up in the speeding elevators. We were crammed inside like sardines
and sped to the top, all the while wondering whether the elevators could take
the weight of 15 people and strollers – that would be quite a long ways to
fall…but we made it after several ear pops and emerged into the streaming sun
350 meters in the air. It was
outstanding! The view was 360
degrees. I could see all of Tokyo
and beyond. We saw Mt. Fuji, the
entire cityscape, shrines, bridges, ferris wheels, cruiseships. It was truly incredible. I could have stayed for hours and was
sorely disappointed we would not be able to watch the sunset. The only downfall was the haze – Japan
is really hazy in the summer and so not everything was as clear as it could be
but still it was great! I also got
the chance to walk on the plexiglass floor where you see all the way down to
the street under you. It was very
nerve-wracking but such a great feeling!
Then
we got into another line to buy another ticket to go up to 450 meters in the
air. The elevator for this was so
cool! There was a window in the ceiling and we could watch ourselves rise, then
after a few dozen meters we also got to see outside as the steel was replaced
with plexiglass in front of us.
There was a collective “Ohhhh” as this happened – it was pretty
fun. This floor was completely
different up here. We walked thru
a tube like walkway that was carpeted and all white. There were windows on the side and as you walked the floor
was inclined to take a little higher as you continue. The view from there was also spectacular and beautiful. All that waiting and it was definitely
worth it!
After
that we headed to Odaiba (also in Tokyo) to check out the onsen. An onsen is a place where one can go,
strip down, and soak in hot baths for hours. Natural onsens are better b/c they’re natural hot springs
but there are none in Tokyo so they make these wonderful ones. On our way, there were more trains (a
fair few) and a monorail! The monorail was almost as good as the onsen. We could see all of Odaiba and the
friends I was with were at risk of getting whiplash b/c their heads were
turning so much. We passed the
rainbow bridge (not to be confused with the Cdn/US one :), a huge ferris wheel,
and some pretty impressive skyscrapers and waterfront. Then the onsen. I was expecting a small building with a
locker room and hot tubs – nothing like what we got! We walk into this large foyer where you put you shoes in the
little cubbies and then get your barcode bracelet that you wear
everywhere. It was a cash-free
society and so everything you buy is scanned onto your bracelet for you to pay
when you leave. I think that’s
pretty dangerous b/c there was so much to buy! We get our yukata robes and go to the first locker room to
undress to bras and underwear and put on the robes. Then we head out to the main area. It was 2 huge rooms of food stalls, games, a resting room
for naps, and food! Yes, food twice b/c there was so much including my fave,
kakigori! After wandering around
like a dog let out of the car after hours we headed out to the back where there
is a “wonderful and relaxing” stream where you walk on rocks to stretch out the
muscles. It was very serene out
there. So many people in pretty
yukatas lounging in the stream on benches and relaxing in the garden with the
lights coming on b/c dusk was upon us.
And then the death walk! It was NOT relaxing and, in fact, damn near
impossible!
This
stream is full of small stones that change every few feet in size and pain
inducers. You walk along it and it
is supposed to stretch out your muscles and feel relaxing after. The only way I can imagine it feeling
good it that when you’re done walking thru hell you feel excuberant b/c you
survived! I’m being dramatic but
it was extremely painful, I almost fell several times, and one of my friends
had to come back and help me walk even she was in pain too. So anyway, the stones are small and sharp. They are angled to get right into your
foot. B/c you have to walk on them
all your weight is put on these little stones and there’s no getting away from
them. They are spaced just so so
you can’t move around them. But
then you get to the smooth stones and it feels great…and then hell starts right
back up. The stone pattern
repeated 3 times. After we just
sat on the benches and relaxed and complained. I enjoyed it J
Then
off to the baths. We go to another
locker room and get these small towels – enough to cover your chest to crotch
and leave everything else. We walk
out and there are pools after pools of different temperature water. We head to the shower stall first. They are these little cubicles with
stools you sit on and bathe yourself.
They provide shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash. Even a pumice stone. I didn’t do my hair or face b/c I
wasn’t going to submerge myself but I did scrub myself clean. And yes, they were all women (the baths
are gender divided) and everyone was naked! So freeing!
There were huge barrels outside with warm water, and small pools inside
with hot water and even a small pool with water that was 20 degrees. Pretty cold! The temperatures ranged from 38-41 degrees and there is
quite a difference from 38 to 41.
Sometimes it got uncomfortably hot. But it was so relaxing and great we thought we could stay
there for hours. Which we did.
Quick
note: Japanese women do not groom! I was told but I was very surprised. My friends and I were the only ones
taken care of. I thought it was
hilarious! And it was also great
to see so many body types in the onsen as I was expecting everyone to be teeny
tiny. Such an eye-opener. Not being ignorant but I’ve mostly seen
very small statured women so this was interesting!
Anyway,
after we had soaked ourselves prune-silly we got out, bathed, and headed out to
get food. There were so many
options but I got gyoza and ramen.
It was ok, but again, I’m not a ramen fan so yay me for eating it! And, of course, I got my kakigori!
It
was a long day but it was great! We got to see some amazing things and relax
for hours in hot tubs. All in all
a terrific day!
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