Japan has tickled the skies again with their newest structure called the Skytree. I made my way there this morning to check it out for myself and see this structure in its perfect splendor, and boy, it is impressive.
Coming up from the station you are spat out inside the buildings so there’s no impressive sight until you can find your way outside or to a window and see the webbing of the buildings steel skin stretching up to the sky.
The wind was strong today, in fact so strong that upon entering the building the following notice was given: 強風ã®ç‚ºã€å±•æœ›å°ã¯1:30ã¾ã§åœæ¢ã€‚Due to strong winds, the observation decks are closed until 1:30. Darn it. Well let’s shop!
Roaming around the mall like interior complete with stores of all kinds, I browsed some souvenir type stores along with kids stores to see if there is anything for the little niece and nephew :).
After a bit I decided to queue along with my disappointed colleagues for a lunch at tonkatsu sobaten. Gourmet tonkatsu–fried pork cutlets–count me in. After a 35 minute wait, I was seated for a gourmet treat complete with grinding my own sesame seeds, pouring the sauces together to mix my tonkatsu sauce to my liking. Next pouring the dressings into the cabbage bowl completed the condiment section of my meal, to which I was starving.
There it comes! As the waitress complimented me on my fluency and began asking me questions, I had to stop my Pavlov salivation from making me spit at her with my flittering tongue speedily speaking Japanese to her.
The first bite. Whoa! This is soft. Even though it’s fried it was almost a powder or dusting of fried bits that covered the pork cutlet. Delicious. Before I knew it, I was forcing one last bite.
After my lunch I headed down to escape the madness of people waiting around and sightseeing. I took the obligatory pictures and made my way back to the station (oops! Mister donut! Gotta take one to go!) and thought I’d go see Asakusa Kannon temple, a famous tourist spot nearby. Argh. The crowds. Too much!
I then got back onto the train and headed down south to meet Mai’s parents for an early dinner before speaking to her English students that evening. We had a fun talk, albeit 80% in Japanese to make the kids more at ease. I’d say things in English and then follow them with the Japanese.
We took a group picture and I was headed home from an exhausting day!
