What do you do with only one more full day in Japan? Well I decided to go to Harajuku and check out what I’d heard was a great area for shopping and finding a lot of different styles of clothing, music, people all amassed in one area. To me, one of the places that most embodied this was Laforet which has 6 floors and so many different vendors that cater to all the different styles and sub-cultures that can be found in Tokyo.

Filed under: Travel by Giancarlo Deleon
3 Comments »

Even though I’d been to Akihabara already when I went with Ayaka, there was a lot going on in this area, that I told myself that I’d return if I had time. Well I did, and the fact that I came back at night was even better: more lights, sounds, and people. Oh, and trying takoyaki (たこ焼き) for the first time on my trip was a great addition too! I’d never had takoyaki with so many ingredients on top…not to mention the shocker of the night…Katsuobushi! hahaha

Filed under: Travel by Giancarlo Deleon
3 Comments »

Featuring a cedar tree planted by General Ulysses S. Grant (the 18th President of the United States) and surrounded by modern Tokyo, the Zojoji Temple is a pretty cool scene to take in. The fact that it is right by Tokyo Tower makes it a nice tranquil spot to get away from city life…although you quickly remember where you are once you step right outside the temple complex. After seeing the Zojoji Temple, I headed out to Ryōgoku, an area in Sumida known for Sumo Wrestling. In fact, I was able to go into the Ryōgoku Kokugikan (indoor sumo arena) to watch a few matches of the 2009 September Grand Sumo Tournament.

Filed under: Travel by Giancarlo Deleon
1 Comment »