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skijay's Journal
Well what an eventful 24 hours we have had. Here we are in Tokyo, and so far we have had V being interrogated by Japanese customs officials, then finding out our hotel was in the heart of Tokyo's gay district, and then Chucky made another guest appearance but this time not due to too much alcohol - it was food poisoning from a sushi lunch!!
It was a stressful week before we actually made it onto the plane, for all three of us. When we got to the airport, we were informed by Qantas staff checking us in that a Visa for entry into Japan was not mandatory for Malaysian citizens but was highly recommended, and that they would be "subject to intense interrogation and are likely to be refused entry"。Well I had no recollection of getting a visa for V, but he had a vague memory of getting a visa for the last Japan trip, and indeed there was a visa in his passport. We decided to wing it. When we arrived, we were greeted at Customs by a rather irritable female customs official, who was irate at us for not getting a visa. We were then referred to a male official, who refused to accept that one could forget to get a visa, and ｐｏｉｎｔｅｄ out the previous visa accusingly, saying "Ｓｏ ｙｏｕ ｋｎｅｗ！！！” Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｔｈｅｎ ｕｓｈｅｒｅｄ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｏｍｉｎｏｕｓ ”ｗａｉｔｉｎｇ ｒｏｏｍ” ａｎｄ ａｓｋｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｌｌ ｏｕｔ ａ ｆｏｒｍ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ ｏｆ ｏｕｒ ｆａｍｉｌｙ ｂａｃｋ ｉｎ Ａｕｓｔｒａｌｉａ， ａｎｄ ｔｏ ｇｉｖｅ ａｎ ｅｘｐｌａｎａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｗｈｙ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｎｏｔ ｃｏｍｐｌｉｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｇｏｖｅｒｎｍｅｎｔ ｒｅｑｕｅｓｔｓ． Ｗｉｔｈｉｎ ｈａｌｆ ａｎ ｈｏｕｒ ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｉｓｓｕｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｖｉｓａ ａｎｄ ｒｅｌｅａｓｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｒｅｑｕｅｓｔ ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｄｏ ｉｔ ａｇａｉｎ！All those with Malaysian passports please take note for the Japan 2008 trip...!!!
Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｒｅｌｉｅｖｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｇｏｔ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ Ｎａｒｉｔａ Ｅｘｐｒｅｓｓ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｉｎｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ． Ｉ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｌｏｏｋ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ Ｔｏｋｙｏ Ｌｏｎｅｌｙ Ｐｌａｎｅｔ Ｃｉｔｙ ｇｕｉｄｅ， ａｎｄ ｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｂｏｏｋｅｄ ｗａｓ ｌｏｃａｔｅｄ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｄｌｅ ｏｆ Ｔｏｋｙｏ’ｓ ｇａｙ ｄｉｓｔｒｉｃｔ， ａｎｄ ｗａｓ ｋｎｏｗｎ ａｓ ”ｔｈｅ ｑｕｅｅｒｅｓｔ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｉｎ ｔｏｗｎ”！ Ｗｅｌｌ ｉｔ ｔｕｒｎｓ ｏｕｔ ｔｏ ｂｅ ａ ｓｗｅｅｔ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｈｏｔｅｌ ａｎｄ ｄｏｅｓｎｔ ａｐｐｅａｒ ｖｅｒｙ ｇａｙ ａｔ ａｌｌ， ａｌｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ｓｕｒｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇｓ ｄｏ ｇｉｖｅ ｉｔ ａｗａｙ － ｇｒｏｕｐｓ ｏｆ ｇｕｙｓ ｗａｎｄｅｒｉｎｇ ａｒｏｕｎｄ， ａｎｄ ａ ｆｌａｍｂｏｙａｎｔ ｔｙｐｅ ｗｈｏ ａｐｐｒｏａｃｈｅｄ Ｖａｎｄ ａｓｋｅｄ ｈｉｍ ｔｏ ”ｃｏｍｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｍｙ ｂａｒ” ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｈａｐｐｙ ｈｏｕｒ ａｔ Ｄｒａｇｏｎ Ｍｅｎ， ”ｗｈｅｒｅ ｌｏｖｅ ｓｔｏｒｉｅｓ ｂｅｇｉｎ”（ａｓ ｔｈｅ ｆｌｙｅｒ ｐｒｏｍｉｓｅｄ！）
Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｒｅｌｉｅｖｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｒｅｓｐｅｃｔａｂｌｅ， ａｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ｒｏｏｍ ｗａｓ ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｓｍａｌｌ， ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｃｏｍｆｏｒｔａｂｌｅ ａｎｄ ｈａｄ ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｎｅｅｄｅｄ， ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ ａ ｂｅｅｒ ｖｅｎｄｉｎｇ ｍａｃｈｉｎｅ ｒｉｇｈｔ ｏｕｔｓｉｄｅ ｏｕｒ ｄｏｏｒ！ Ｈｏｗ ｈａｎｄｙ！ Ｗｅ ｗｅｎｔ ｏｕｔ ｆｏｒ ａ ｃｅｌｅｂｒａｔｏｒｙ ｂｏｗｌ ｏｆ ｒａｍｅｎ ａｎｄ ａ ｂｅｅｒ， ａｎｄ ｖｉｓｉｔｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｌｏｃａｌ ｃｏｎｖｅｎｉｅｎｃｅ ｓｔｏｒｅ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｗａｙ ｈｏｍｅ ｆｏｒ ｓｕｐｐｌｉｅｓ ｏｆ Ｓａｋｅ ａｎｄ Ｃｈｕ Ｈｉ’ｓ． Ｉｔ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｆａｒ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ！！
Ｔｏｄａｙ ｗａｓ ｓｐｅｎｔ ｗａｎｄｅｒｉｎｇ ａｒｏｕｎｄ Ｈａｒａｊｕｋｕ ａｎｄ Ｓｈｉｂｕｙａ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｒａｉｎ． Ｗｅ ｖｉｓｉｔｅｄ ｔｈｅ Ｂｕｒｔｏｎ ｆｌａｇｓｈｉｐ ｓtore in Harajuku and took photos there as though we were tourists at a theme park. .We even had a go on the "fuseball" table.
We then stopped for a sushi lunch at Sushitsune in the 109 department store in Shibuya. It cost us about AUD29 per person for sixteen pieces of quality sushi each, made to order in front of our eyes. We enjoyed it thoroughly and enthused about how fresh the fish is in Japan and how much better it is compared to in Australia. We obviously spoke too soon because James thew up outside Kiddyland in HArajuku four hours later, and then threw up again on the subway (yes, on the train itself) one stop before we were about to get off!! He then retired to bed while we met up with James Lee, an old friend, and his friend Mindy, for some fantastic izakaya food in Shinjuku.
As I write this, two male gaijin are walking down the street, I wonder where they have just been! Probably to Dragon Men.
Watch this space - it has certainly been an eventful twenty four hours - hope the rest of the trip goes smoothly!
It was a stressful week before we actually made it onto the plane, for all three of us. When we got to the airport, we were informed by Qantas staff checking us in that a Visa for entry into Japan was not mandatory for Malaysian citizens but was highly recommended, and that they would be "subject to intense interrogation and are likely to be refused entry"。Well I had no recollection of getting a visa for V, but he had a vague memory of getting a visa for the last Japan trip, and indeed there was a visa in his passport. We decided to wing it. When we arrived, we were greeted at Customs by a rather irritable female customs official, who was irate at us for not getting a visa. We were then referred to a male official, who refused to accept that one could forget to get a visa, and ｐｏｉｎｔｅｄ out the previous visa accusingly, saying "Ｓｏ ｙｏｕ ｋｎｅｗ！！！” Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｔｈｅｎ ｕｓｈｅｒｅｄ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｏｍｉｎｏｕｓ ”ｗａｉｔｉｎｇ ｒｏｏｍ” ａｎｄ ａｓｋｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｌｌ ｏｕｔ ａ ｆｏｒｍ ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ ｏｆ ｏｕｒ ｆａｍｉｌｙ ｂａｃｋ ｉｎ Ａｕｓｔｒａｌｉａ， ａｎｄ ｔｏ ｇｉｖｅ ａｎ ｅｘｐｌａｎａｔｉｏｎ ｏｆ ｗｈｙ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｎｏｔ ｃｏｍｐｌｉｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｇｏｖｅｒｎｍｅｎｔ ｒｅｑｕｅｓｔｓ． Ｗｉｔｈｉｎ ｈａｌｆ ａｎ ｈｏｕｒ ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｉｓｓｕｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｖｉｓａ ａｎｄ ｒｅｌｅａｓｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ａ ｒｅｑｕｅｓｔ ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｄｏ ｉｔ ａｇａｉｎ！All those with Malaysian passports please take note for the Japan 2008 trip...!!!
Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｒｅｌｉｅｖｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｇｏｔ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ Ｎａｒｉｔａ Ｅｘｐｒｅｓｓ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｉｎｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ． Ｉ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｌｏｏｋ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ Ｔｏｋｙｏ Ｌｏｎｅｌｙ Ｐｌａｎｅｔ Ｃｉｔｙ ｇｕｉｄｅ， ａｎｄ ｄｉｓｃｏｖｅｒｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｂｏｏｋｅｄ ｗａｓ ｌｏｃａｔｅｄ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｉｄｄｌｅ ｏｆ Ｔｏｋｙｏ’ｓ ｇａｙ ｄｉｓｔｒｉｃｔ， ａｎｄ ｗａｓ ｋｎｏｗｎ ａｓ ”ｔｈｅ ｑｕｅｅｒｅｓｔ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｉｎ ｔｏｗｎ”！ Ｗｅｌｌ ｉｔ ｔｕｒｎｓ ｏｕｔ ｔｏ ｂｅ ａ ｓｗｅｅｔ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｈｏｔｅｌ ａｎｄ ｄｏｅｓｎｔ ａｐｐｅａｒ ｖｅｒｙ ｇａｙ ａｔ ａｌｌ， ａｌｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ｓｕｒｒｏｕｎｄｉｎｇｓ ｄｏ ｇｉｖｅ ｉｔ ａｗａｙ － ｇｒｏｕｐｓ ｏｆ ｇｕｙｓ ｗａｎｄｅｒｉｎｇ ａｒｏｕｎｄ， ａｎｄ ａ ｆｌａｍｂｏｙａｎｔ ｔｙｐｅ ｗｈｏ ａｐｐｒｏａｃｈｅｄ Ｖａｎｄ ａｓｋｅｄ ｈｉｍ ｔｏ ”ｃｏｍｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｍｙ ｂａｒ” ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｈａｐｐｙ ｈｏｕｒ ａｔ Ｄｒａｇｏｎ Ｍｅｎ， ”ｗｈｅｒｅ ｌｏｖｅ ｓｔｏｒｉｅｓ ｂｅｇｉｎ”（ａｓ ｔｈｅ ｆｌｙｅｒ ｐｒｏｍｉｓｅｄ！）
Ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ ｒｅｌｉｅｖｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｔｅｌ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｒｅｓｐｅｃｔａｂｌｅ， ａｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ｒｏｏｍ ｗａｓ ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｓｍａｌｌ， ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｃｏｍｆｏｒｔａｂｌｅ ａｎｄ ｈａｄ ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｎｅｅｄｅｄ， ｉｎｃｌｕｄｉｎｇ ａ ｂｅｅｒ ｖｅｎｄｉｎｇ ｍａｃｈｉｎｅ ｒｉｇｈｔ ｏｕｔｓｉｄｅ ｏｕｒ ｄｏｏｒ！ Ｈｏｗ ｈａｎｄｙ！ Ｗｅ ｗｅｎｔ ｏｕｔ ｆｏｒ ａ ｃｅｌｅｂｒａｔｏｒｙ ｂｏｗｌ ｏｆ ｒａｍｅｎ ａｎｄ ａ ｂｅｅｒ， ａｎｄ ｖｉｓｉｔｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｌｏｃａｌ ｃｏｎｖｅｎｉｅｎｃｅ ｓｔｏｒｅ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｗａｙ ｈｏｍｅ ｆｏｒ ｓｕｐｐｌｉｅｓ ｏｆ Ｓａｋｅ ａｎｄ Ｃｈｕ Ｈｉ’ｓ． Ｉｔ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｆａｒ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ！！
Ｔｏｄａｙ ｗａｓ ｓｐｅｎｔ ｗａｎｄｅｒｉｎｇ ａｒｏｕｎｄ Ｈａｒａｊｕｋｕ ａｎｄ Ｓｈｉｂｕｙａ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｒａｉｎ． Ｗｅ ｖｉｓｉｔｅｄ ｔｈｅ Ｂｕｒｔｏｎ ｆｌａｇｓｈｉｐ ｓtore in Harajuku and took photos there as though we were tourists at a theme park. .We even had a go on the "fuseball" table.
We then stopped for a sushi lunch at Sushitsune in the 109 department store in Shibuya. It cost us about AUD29 per person for sixteen pieces of quality sushi each, made to order in front of our eyes. We enjoyed it thoroughly and enthused about how fresh the fish is in Japan and how much better it is compared to in Australia. We obviously spoke too soon because James thew up outside Kiddyland in HArajuku four hours later, and then threw up again on the subway (yes, on the train itself) one stop before we were about to get off!! He then retired to bed while we met up with James Lee, an old friend, and his friend Mindy, for some fantastic izakaya food in Shinjuku.
As I write this, two male gaijin are walking down the street, I wonder where they have just been! Probably to Dragon Men.
Watch this space - it has certainly been an eventful twenty four hours - hope the rest of the trip goes smoothly!
2 Comments
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monkeyking
on 4 Mar 2007
Hey James and Mindy, thanks for a most awesome dinner and stimulaitng conversation. Till we meet again. ja-mata!
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Dawg
on 18 Feb 2007
What an eventful start to the Japan 07 trip! Wish I was there this time around as well. Can't believe James was sick already and man that visa scare sounds pretty crappy. Keep these blog entries coming - they are fantastic. Wish I had a cold Sapporo beer in my hand now, sitting in an onsen overlooking the ski fields after a hard day's boarding. Hmmmm... maybe I'll head to Robot bar one of these nights and have a toast to your trip. Have fun and stay safe, though not too safe. :)
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