Friend date.

On the 9th I had set a date with a friend of mine before I even arrived in Tokyo. Meeting at 1:30pm by the Takeshita Dori entrance of Harajuku station! Just that morning I'd arrived back in Tokyo on the night bus, so suffering from lack of sleep I dragged myself up and out to go and meet 'Jellyfish'. He'd spent the morning telling me it was too hot, so I eventually told him just to wear something easy and cool which turned out to be a Jinbe. Cute. We met up at the right time, walked down Takeshita dori before deciding it was way too hot and way too crowded, it only took him a moment to suggest going back to the station and crossing over to Meiji jingu shrine.

Under the shelter of the trees and away from all the people it was much much cooler, but the noise from the cicada was almost deafening in some places! (We don't get them in the UK). Wandering around..boys will be boys, and 'Jellyfish' insisted on poking at every single bug we came across, even the spiders......I've never seen such huge blue and black butterflies either than in Meiji Jingu! It wasn't a very exciting day to report on, but I thought I would add it in. We spent an hour or so wandering around the shrine and the surrounding park, talking and swapping the dictionary back and forth when we got stuck, we went and sat down on some grassy area and chilled out with the skyscrapers towering in the background. I always find going to these places in the middle of Tokyo a surreal experience.

After our walk we hopped the Yamanote line down to Yoyogi and went for another small wander before 'Jellyfish' decided he was hungry and we stopped off in McDonalds. Teriyaki burger ftw. Having to catch the Shinkansen to Akita tomorrow, and me needing to catch up on sleep and deal with Kiryu photos, we didn't stay out too late, instead deciding to part ways at around 6pm.

10th August - Gaienmae fireworks!