Today, I got up pretty early, and finished my souvenir shopping in Asakusa. Then I came back to the hotel and relaxed for a bit. For lunch, I went back to the Indian restaurant we found.
Shagorika Indian Restaurant in Asakusa
Cheese Naan and Indian Beer
The beer was actually more expensive than the food, as seems to be common at cheaper Japanese restaurants.
When I was full, I took a cruise on the Sumida River through Tokyo. It was under $10, and got me down to Hama-rikyu Gardens, and admission to that park.
Tokyo Cruise and Hama-rikyu Gardens Album
When I was full, I took a cruise on the Sumida River through Tokyo. It was under $10, and got me down to Hama-rikyu Gardens, and admission to that park.
Tokyo Cruise and Hama-rikyu Gardens Album
The cruise was really one of the first times I could really get a good sense of the scale of the city I'm in. Usually you just hop into a train, ride for awhile, and you're in a different place, but you can't really see how far it was. The garden was nice, had a nice tea house.
Next I wanted to head over to Tokyo Tower, and I had to walk a bit to get to the right subway station, but after awhile I made it.
Tokyo Tower Album
Next I wanted to head over to Tokyo Tower, and I had to walk a bit to get to the right subway station, but after awhile I made it.
Tokyo Tower Album
Tokyo Tower was pretty cool in and of itself, built 50 years ago this December. It's about 9 meters taller than the eiffel tower, but was built almost 70 years later. A third of the steel used to make the tower was recycled from scrap metal from 90 US tanks damaged in the Korean War. But the funny thing is, about 2 weeks ago, they started construction on a NEW Toyko Tower, which will be called Tokyo Sky Tree. This one is supposed to be twice as tall, and be finished in 2011. I guess due to other new buildings, the old tower isn't so effective at broadcasting.
But the view from the Tokyo Tower was also really great, I took a lot of pictures.
Facing South-East
But the view from the Tokyo Tower was also really great, I took a lot of pictures.
Facing South-East
I went to both the main observatory deck (which also had a little shop that sold ice cream, beer, and drinks) and the special observatory, which cost a little extra, but the whole total was around $13.
After that, we just hung around the hotel and talked about our plans for getting to the airport.
After that, we just hung around the hotel and talked about our plans for getting to the airport.