Ikimashou!
What an amazing city! We spent Friday morning and afternoon in Asakusa viewing the old temples and surrounding area. For lunch we went to a hot plate restaurant where they cooked osomeyaki right at our table. After lunch and some refreshing shaved ice we went for a walk along the Sumida river. We popped into Japan’s first western style bar for an “electric brandy” before heading back home.
In the evening we walked over to Shimokitazawa, an area strongly recommended by a friend. We quickly discovered why he liked it so much. Intertwining narrow streets full of funky shops, bars, and restaurants. We’ve learned that hair salons here often look like bars from the outside. Had dinner at a Hawaiian restaurant called Tsunami with fruit flavoured beer and avacado sashimi. We wandered a bit more until we found a sheesha bar. It was a hot little hole in the wall, but they played great music and it was obviously a favourite of foreigners and locals. We made some new friends and decided to try to meet them the next day at the nightclub Womb.
Saturday we struck out for Roppongi. By now we’ve got the hang of the trains. Despite the complexity of the network of rail lines, it is fairly easy to navigate and very efficient. We started out at Roppongi Hills, a massive shopping complex that oddly houses the Mori Art Museum of contemporary art. Also odd but incredible is the fact that this art museum is on the 54th story of a tower along with the “Sky Aquarium”. The view was panoramic and incredible. I wasn’t expecting much from the Sky Aquarium but it really blew my mind. Beautifully colour schemed fish tanks with lights that change colour and peaceful ambient music. The last room really felt like something out of a sci-fi movie. Bathed in blue light, there was a massive round tank in the center, with four open top hemispherical tanks, and a ring tank around the edge. The four open top tanks were full of jellyfish and the ring rank had white tadpole newt Things which I think are axolots. My description doesn’t really do it justice but we got some great pictures.
The art gallery had an exhibit on the Marcel Duchamp prize, so we got to see his controversial Fountain piece. That’s right, a urinal in an art gallery.
After that we needed to sit for a bit so we had a drink in the courtyard cafe. There was a giant block of ice and bubbling foot baths to help people beat the heat. Then we strolled through the Aoyama cemetery which was very peaceful and beautiful. I finally got to see (and record) a “semi”, or Japanese cicada. The first time we heard them we thought it was an electrical hum until we realized it came from parks too.
After the cemetery we went and checked out Gonpachi, the inspiration for the restaurant in Kill Bill. The influence is very apparent when you step inside. The entrance has a sign proclaiming itself as the Kill Bill restaurant next to autographed pictures of Stallone, Seagal, Dolph Lundgren, and the prince of Morocco. The decor and the food were both fantastic.
We set out for Womb in the evening but decided to pop into a bar first when a place called Mushu caught our eye. It was absolutely packed with strange nicknacks and had tasty plum liquor drinks. Shibuya at night is intense and overwhelming, but it’s probably like that at any time of the day. When we eventually found Womb after weaving confusedly amongst the love hotels we discovered we didn’t have enough money to get in and were forced to walk home.
Today we’re planning to head to Harajuku and Yoyogi Park. Both are places notorious for people in strange outfits. Omoshiroi!
Scottania's Travel Blog 
Sounds like you are really packing in the thrills. Are there any bars left to sample!
Enjoying your posts. Keep them coming.
You are notmissing any good weather. Worst summer in a long time.
M&D
The Sky Aquarium sounds amazing.