SHIBUYA CROSSING – look left; look right – 100 times at least and then go –

After a long but comfortable train journey we arrive back in Tokyo around 4.30pm and then head for our hotel – the b Asakusa.  It is only a new place so hopefully it will be good.  This is my room – so far so good.

We have about an hour and a half to get settled and then we are going to our farewell dinner.  It’s hard to believe that tonight is the last night.  Time has gone so fast but I will be able to live over every moment through my photos and memories.  Not everyone is coming to our dinner tonight – which is a shame – but I am sure we will have a great time. We were going to eat later but RL has moved it up earlier.

As we walk along the streets – I am reminded of the man hole covers – they are so interesting. They have the most amazing artwork – cherry blossoms, local points of interest and dragons.  These really catch my eye.

The restaurant that RL has chosen is the Shitamachi Tendon Akimitsu – that certainly is an interesting name.  What a great place – so nice and cosy and of course there is the complimentary cabbage before the main meal.

Tempura seems to be the thing here – and let me tell you it was delicious. The wine was pretty good too!

We had a good time talking about what we have seen and done and how great RL has been at guiding us around – just like a mother hen.  I suppose it does go better when your leader can speak the language!

Now to Shibuya Crossing – this is rumoured to be the busiest intersection in the world.  On the way to the train I catch this wonderful mural –

There is always something interesting when you least expect it.

We arrive at Shibuya – what a beehive of activity.  Shibuya Crossing sends people in all directions with every light change. Nowhere else says ‘Welcome to Tokyo’ better than this.  Now, where to get the best photos?  There is a Starbucks and from the look of things they have a viewing floor so I head for that.

This most probably is not the best option – it is packed and there is hardly any room to squeeze in and get the necessary photos.

To top it off- there are massive reflections in the glass and by the time you lean left and lean right it is an effort just to get this photo – I give up and go back downstairs and look for another option, which is just as well as I run into RL who points me in the right direction.  There is a hotel across the road that has a new rooftop viewing area that not many people know about – YET.  I am off and running – – but first, time for a photo of my foot on the crossing to prove I was here (how on earth would you know that, it could be anywhere) and a couple of other interesting things –

Fatburger??  Who on earth could eat that much? I get chest pains just looking at it.

Getting the lift to the top – it is great.  All open air and lots of room – – although I have to keep a tight grip on the camera –

Hundreds of people – and at peak times upwards of 3000 people – cross at a time, coming from all directions at once – and then the lights change and it is the cars and busses who have right of way.  Crazy, crazy.

Couple more photos on the roof before heading back down to meet up with RL at the Hachiko statue.  What statue is that I hear you ask?

Tokyo’s most famous dog Hachikō came to Shibuya Station every day to meet his master, a professor, returning from work. After the professor died in 1925, Hachikō continued to come to the station daily until his own death nearly 10 years later. The story became legendary and a small statue was erected in the dog’s memory in front of Shibuya Station. See manhole cover earlier in this post.

Obviously there are travellers who bring things to have their photo taken – looks like I am lucky enough to have a travelling chef!

We get back to the hotel around 10.30pm and I start to get things together as tomorrow is flying day – back home to the Land of Oz.