Tacos, Togo and Totoro

I haven't started working yet and so I've taken advantage of my free time and done some wandering around Tokyo. A couple things that strike me: they've really cut down on smoking in public and I wonder why there aren't more alternative energy cars in Japan. You would think it makes more sense for Japan to go electric and get off of oil. Ok, on to the pics.

It's not Kogi, but they have taco trucks in Japan too! They're just smaller. Mmmm, tuna taco for $6.



On Omotesando Street, there are a lot of luxury brand stores. Took a picture of this Takashi Murakami giant stuffed figure at the Louis Vuitton store.



In Harajuku, the Togo Shrine flea market offers up Japanese antiques on the first and fourth Sundays of the month. It's small but plenty of interesting things to browse through like World War II sake cups for 500 yen. It's located just off of Takeshita shopping alley and you would never know it's there unless you looked for it.



A woman who was visiting Tokyo asked me if they bargain. I wasn't sure, but it was a flea market after all and I'm sure a reasonable counter offer wouldn't be taken as an insult. She told me the vendor told her 3000 yen for a small globe she was interested in. She had countered with 2000 yen, but the vendor refused to sell it at that price and she didn't understand why he kept saying 1000 yen. I asked what the price was. The vendor clarified that he made a mistake. The selling price was really 1000 yen and he was refusing to take the 2000 yen she was willing to pay. Sugoi!

Wedding at the Togo Shrine and photo op for tourists!



I went to the Studio Ghibli Museum just a short trip ride out of Shinjuku. It cost 1000 yen, but you will have to buy your ticket ahead of time, no walk-ins! They don't allow any picture taking inside the museum. It is a must see if you are a fan of any of the Hayao Miyazaki films like "My Neighbor, Totoro" or "Spirited Away." In the museum store I had planned not to buy anything, especially not anything expensive. But the collector in me came out like a dog finding a bone. I bought this Noritake collectible plate, limited edition and the artwork changes every year. And it is only sold at the museum. Don't need it, won't use it, but someday it will be worth something.... woof.