2016年 12月 29日 (木)
Touristy Tokyo, for the most part, starts late, so that leaves you some time to sleep in.
Setting off for some gratuitous morning exercise, we found ourselves in Shinjuku. Where we routed our way around the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, attempting to find its elusive entrance. Within each of the two towers are observation decks offering panoramic Tokyo skyline views, all without the high cost of admission (unlike Skytree). Views unbeknownst to me because New Year closures.
not the building
Getting over that miserable fact, we went to grab some brekky for our little rabbit at AIN SOPH.Ripple. It wasn't anything special. Food was okay but is let down by the small portions, that, of course, come with a hefty price tag.
Finished with my party pie sized burrito, we travelled to Shinagawa for its ramen "street", to have a proper meal. Not before taking a wrong turn, thanks to this idiot leading the way. It’s not a difficult place to find, being a couple hundred metres from Shinagawa station. However, it won’t stand out with blaring neon signs showcasing itself… not on the street level at least, as ramen row is tucked underneath the railway infrastructure.
As if picking a dish off a menu wasn't hard enough, I had to choose between seven restaurants and then picked a dish. And unlike foodie personalities, my stomach isn't a bottomless pit and can only feast on one serving (how do they do it?). My choice directed us to Nantsuttei, famous for its special ma-yu tonkotsu broth.
With the printed ticket in hand, we were seated nearby the kitchen where our orders arrived shortly after. I went with their classic “Nantsuttei Special” and the others got this spicy one? And they tasted great. Everything was just right for me; the seasoning of the broth, the texture of noodles and the heaped on greens – I have no faults with it. But as great as that was, I still love Ramen Sen no Kaze more.
Having powered through the eats, we set off to prowl through the streets. In karts and costume. Perhaps it was through the organisational power of a certain individual, but we happened to be in an area to find ourselves MariCar - a special tour group where you explore the city in go-karts. With many different branches within Tokyo and other select cities, they each offer their own unique courses. We went with the long 3hr course.
With payments cleared and releases signed, we got into costume. The costume range was fairly spread and wasn't limited to Nintendo(n't sue me) characters. There were also gloves available for the chilly winter nights, which I totally recommend. I didn't because I can’t take pictures with the hindrances on, so I opted for frostbite. No regrets.
Before leaving, I decided it had been too long since I goofed... To keep our belongings safe, we used their amply sized lockers; fitting in my large backpack, two smaller backpacks and a coat. Having squashed everything in, I proceeded to lock it, as you normally do. What people don't normally do is not realise the code they punched in to unlock it.
Sorting out that little mishap, we finally moved to their kart-ing lot. I, like many, aren't fans of listening to the droning about rules and regulations. However, our guides had me engaged from start to finish, thanks to their charisma and enthusiasm.
In the driver seat (helmetless), I fastened my seatbelt camera strap. Yup, no helmet or belts. And as risky as that was, not once, did I feel endangered. Although... driving with one hand on the wheel and the other on your camera whilst peering through its viewfinder...
By the time we started, the sun began to set and it couldn’t have been a more perfect setting. Starting the tour with a gorgeous golden glow and then seeing night fall, where you finished under the bedazzling city lights. Just stunning.
Starting off, we drove around the roads at a snail’s pace with the occasional creep in speed. Getting a feel for the kart, I guess. It was only when we reached the Rainbow Bridge did we put the pedal to the metal. Or more appropriately, Mr. Minion and I did...
While I was trying to hit max speed (reached ~80km/h, yee boi), I looked behind me to capture some of the other guys. Instead of mixed expressions of cheer and/or fear, I was met with a long stretch of empty road. Had they all eaten my dust? Naah. It was just Carolyn not Keeping up with the Karts-dashin’.
As I wasn't going to drive past the guide and with the large kilometre+ gap behind me, I kept to myself and marvelled at the calming sea view. It was so peaceful driving along with the gentle breeze, the stunning sights and the roaring sputter of the kart.
Just as we got into the groove of things, we pulled over to the side at Odaiba's shopping complexes. Wow, those 3hrs went by quick. It wasn’t the end. We were stopping for some quick snaps and toilet breaks. Back in our karts, we returned to the long stretch of road where I could put my foot down and feel the, now cold, breeze through my hair. brrrr
Before I knew it, the sunset glimmer gently faded out and we were basking in the luminous city lights. Remember how I adored these guys’ enthusiasm? Well, I loved them even more after what transpired when we pulled up to Tokyo Tower. Grouping up for another shot, I look out at eye level for the camera. Besides Mr. Luigi illuminating us with the minuscule phone light, there wasn’t any photo action there. Averting my eyes down, I saw Mr. Minion laying on the floor, pointing the camera upwards for that picture perfect composition.
As the karts grumbled back on, we returned to the streets, inching closer to the end. Not too long into this leg, accident-prone Carolyn rear ended Vivian, which got her stuck. Unable to reverse, she cried out for some help. Hopping out of his kart, Mr. Minion nonchalantly picked up the kart and resolved her blunder. I was in awe; he effortlessly lifted several hundred kilos and whatever the kart weighed. What really annoyed me though, is that I clearly took a picture of the mishap in its entire glory. Everyone saw it on the camera’s playback. However, when I came home to review it, the photo was never recorded. I never delete photos off camera and all my files were labelled chronologically without fault… so where did it go? 👻 spoO0ky~
The fun with Maricar wasn’t just about driving the karts or seeing the city at a new perspective. It’s a chance at feeling like a Z-list celebrity, like royalty. Everywhere we went, people fawned over us (especially going around Shibuya). During our small stop at Odaiba, this cute couple asked for a picture with just me! Feels good.
Just shy over 3hrs, our tour ended after our fun in the streets of Shibuya. Hopping out with a tenderised butt from the janky shiatsu massage, we hobbled back. If you couldn’t tell from me gushing all this time, I loved it. MariCar was a fantastic experience and a great way to explore the city; just the attention alone was enough to make it great.
Below, are the photos taken by the tour guys, conveniently air dropped to us.
Having finished later than usual, we were now late for our dinner reservation. Thankfully, the place was very understanding of my fob-ass Japanese and pushed it back. With the little time we had, it was a necessity to catch a taxi to the place cya money. Leading us to Zauo, a seafood restaurant with a unique catch - you can "fish" for your meals. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of picking the wrong branch. We wanted the one with the grand boat setting like that in Fukuoka and Shinjuku.
For ¥100 per rod (rental), we got fishing for likes. With a rod in Alex’s hand and net in Wilson’s, they went off to the races. On paper, it should be easy, seeing how you have a tonne of fish to see and pick from. However, it required a fair bit of effort, no thanks to them swimming past each other and shifting the hook around. And on the odd occasion, we had to be weary of the smaller fish trying to hook themselves on.
Eventually, the fish we had been eyeing opened its mouth wider than an RWB’s body kit. Mouth now agape, Alex snatched it up - hook, line and sinker. Reeling back, Wilson swooped in with the net, securing our victory. Splashing harder than a Magikarp, Wilson wrestled with it even harder until the waiter arrived.
If you're one that struggles to celebrate, worry not, because Zauo's got you covered. Every time a fish was caught, the waiter announced it - loud and clear – to the whole restaurant. But wait! There's more! Following the rambunctious cheers of fellow staff and patrons, were the boisterous drumming of taiko. Without fault, every time.
When that’s all well and done, we were presented with a choice of how to prepare the fish. With a variety of methods available, we referred to the waiters' recommendations.
For this particular fish, I didn't fancy it raw. It had too much of a chew to it and I didn't appreciate its flavour. As for its fried variant, it was the better alternative and tasted decent.
Unfortunately, due to a mishap with a certain member, my camera stayed off for the rest of the night. Wall of text incoming.
Since we weren’t miserable and still hungry, Vivian and I took the next round of fishing. This time, we aimed for the flat fish. You’d think for a fish that doesn’t move much, it'd be done in a matter of seconds. It wasn’t. With complications like before, it was a slight struggle before we could bag it. Well, not even… Impatient with my attempts, the fish went ahead and started chomping towards the hook like a pacman high on dots. And with that caught?, we had another cause for celebration on our hands.
With this set, we went for a butter sauté and the deepest fry. What resulted were good flavourful fish and in regards to the deepest fried one, it had crunch worth 50 reps.
Finishing off the meal, we went for one last fish. This time, purely having it deep-fried – the best and only way, of course. Satisfied with the cholesterol clogging set, we called for the cheque. Throughout the night, various staff had been tending to our needs, and we had to decide who would receive the coveted smiley card (points counting to an employee of the month scoreboard?). Not that they'd treat us indifferently without the smileys.
Intending to head home, we came across the eye-catching yellow of Tower Records, a music retail store. It was just music heaven. The gigantic building spans many levels, with a tonne of variety in each genre. But I was only interested in one genre: K-Pop (･ω･). Trying not to fully cave in, I showed some restraint and purchased only a "select" few. But it was more than just variety in music; there's a variety in the store, with their beautiful café and large library of books. It was just a fantastic experience.
Truly at home, it marks the end of this lengthy post. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading and join me next time as we continue the Tokyo tour.