Bullet train and our first Tokyo adventure

We took the bullet train from Kyoto to Tokyo. We had a 9:30am train, so we picked up breakfast and lunch in the station to eat on the train. Our train was relatively full, despite the fact that the trains leave almost every 10 minutes. As before, the train was fast, quiet, and comfortable. We spent the time going through the photos we had taken and trimming out the bad ones. We arrived at our stop on the outskirts of Tokyo after 2.25 hours. Then the real adventure began.

To get to our hotel, we had to take the Yamanote line train and then a subway. When we got to our train platform, it was packed with people queued up for our train, which seemed to be running late. When it arrived, everyone pushed on to the train. Katie and I had been next to each other on the platform, but soon Katie was on the train and I was still outside. It seemed like I might not make it since the train was already full, but everyone kept pushing on packing it denser and denser. I was one of the last ones on before people finally gave up. Along with not getting separated from Katie, I was concerned about not getting separated from my luggage. I think the whole experience would have been fine if we hadn't had suitcases to deal with, too. After getting on the train, my next fear was that I would get pushed out the door at the next stop and not be able to get back on, again getting separated from Katie, who was in a much better position. Luckily, the doors opened on the other side, so people got out and I was able to get closer to Katie. By the time we got to our stop, the train was crowded but not too bad, and getting off with all our luggage was easy.

From the train, which was pretty much the same as a subway car, we connected to the actual subway. Compared to the train, the subway was empty. There were seats available and no crush of people. Getting on and off was easy. From our stop at Ropponggi Hills, we walked to our hotel, a Hyatt. Once there, we checked in, relaxed, and went for a dip in the pool. It was a nice break from running around.

In the afternoon, we headed to the National Art Gallery, a 5 minute walk from the hotel. We saw a cool exhibit of modern art featuring mostly Japanese artists. Then we took the subway to Shibuya, home of the famous Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest intersections in the world. Shibuya is like Times Square but larger. We walked around and soaked up the atmosphere. We then found a shabu-shabu place for dinner. We knew how to eat shabu-shabu, but apparently not the right way. Our waitress kept trying to explain things to us, and then we would get them wrong, and she would try again. We're pretty sure we provided entertainment for all the staff there.

After our yummy but comedic dinner (whose highlight was when we ate raw eggs and were then told that's not what she meant), we took the subway back to our hotel. After a good night's sleep, we will be ready to explore more of Tokyo. Having handled a packed train with luggage, I think we are ready for whatever this city has in store for us.