Tokyo memories 2005

In 2005, I was able to set foot in one of my dream countries, Japan, and one of my dream cities, Tokyo. “Lost in Translation” had quite an effect on me and I was more than happy to absorb Tokyo’s glittering lights, even though we didn’t have much of a night life to speak of.

My pics of this trip was also misplaced in another Flickr account and it was only recently that I found it. Picture quality isn’t so great either. Around this time, I was still lugging around my first digital camera which was a Kodak Easyshare (officially stolen). Still, they’re good enough for keeping my fond Tokyo memories alive.

A lovely spring day at a park in Ueno. In search of the cheapest box of Cup Noodles to bring home as pasalubong, the Pinays told me to go to Ueno. I went there alone, even though I couldn’t read much the signages at the train station.

At the train, I took a shot of this woman garbed in traditional kimono. She gamely posed for the camera, a far cry from riding the train in New York where I was warned not to look at people in the eye.

A houseboat where we cruised Tokyo bay and had a filling dinner. What I remember most was the host egging us to “drink more beer, & drink more sake!”

I was certainly thankful to pass up on the hotel buffet breakfast and have the traditional Japanese breakfast meal instead.The fish here would be the equivalent of our tinapa. But hey, we also have saba or mackerel in our Japanese restos here!

Mouthwatering bento box meals for sale. Their groceries have all kinds of ’em!

We rode this bullet train to Nagoya. And I couldn’t help but be impressed with the experience. Train was super clean, great service from the staff who dispensed food, & nice view of the countryside on the way out. It beat flying on the plane and very well showcased the efficiency of the Japanese system.

I like street scenes. And here’s one I took of a street artist.

One of my favorite pictures from the trip, even though this came out a bit blurred. It was almost midnight when I took this shot of a man working in a ramen stand, and he was still at it.

Japanese schoolgirls in their mini-skirt uniforms. A far cry from the rules of Catholic schools in the Philippines, hehe.

I heart Tokyo. And someday I wanna see Kyoto too 😉