Japan: Day 2 - More Tokyo

I realised I didn't write much from my trip in the previous post.

The first day ended up being a little hectic as we had very little cash and were having trouble with the ATMs. If you're ever in Japan with a foreign credit/debit card, you will only be able to withdraw from ATMs at the Post Office. Why? I don't know, but it's true.

What we didn't know was that we could still have gotten by paying with the card- but so many ATM rejections had us thinking said card was blocked. (Banks do that sometimes, for protection, if there's movement in an 'unusual' country).*

So, day 2 was a little more relaxed- financially speaking, because there was still so much time and so little to see.

Wait a minute, strike that, reverse it.

*wink, wink*

L: Instagram of Subway Ticket ; R: View from Subway

The weather that day was not favourable, especially as I had planned on more park excursions. The rain was a good excuse to buy a clear umbrella! Yep, I see the good side in everything.

Tokyo Station & The Magical Disappearing Umbrella

Walking from Tokyo Station to the Imperial Palace in the rain was unpleasant, I won't lie.
And even more unpleasant was trying to enjoy the Imperial Palace garden and trying to take pictures with an umbrella in hand. Still, we managed!

How small can I get?

It's amazing to see century old constructions in the middle of a business-driven part of town.

And that's my itty bitty mama

L: Umbrella holders with locks

I will be doing a specific post on all the flowers and leaves I came across in Japan- Oriental Painting makes so much sense now. The trees really blew me away; the variety of leaves, their trunk structure, their height, the different shades of greens...

The rain got the best of us and we refuged in a nearby Dean & Deluca, to dry off and warms ourselves up.

On with the show! Next stop was Akihabara Station- the 'tech' town.

I tried my luck at a claw game, with the most adorable cat plushies.

Alas, it was not meant to be (hence the dumbfounded expression).

We came across many manga/anime figures.

Hopped on the subway once again, this time to Ginza Station.

L: Mikimoto Building, R: Ginza Station JR Line

This is one of the best shopping areas in Japan. From name brands to locals, they have it.
I bought 9 pairs of socks in a shop close to the station. I wanted to buy them all!

My mom fulfilled her dream of buying some Mikimoto Pearls. I was a little jealous!

After a long day of walking and fighting the rain, the hotel was the best idea that night. 

Integrated Bidet Instructions

Remember to check out my Flickr stream for more photos!

Day 3 involved the Tokyo Tower and a ride on the Shinkansen (aka The Bullet Train).

Keep tuning in :)

*Also notable: Japanese people are kind. This young Japanese woman took us from 7-Eleven to a bank to the Post Office, helping us out. She freakin' took her time for all this- I mean, where I come from, this is unheard of. In fact, I think it's rare anywhere in the world.

To her, I am forever thankful and grateful. 

Plus, she has a wicked sense of style- haircut included.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY ME (or my mom)
COLLAGES EDITED USING PICMONKEY