![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.i8u.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/P1000127.jpg\" "\\"P1000127\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nInstead of being part of the bustling metropolis of Tokyo, there were expressways separating the faceless malls from a bleak looking amusement park.<\/p>\n
There were a couple of fancy hotels (probably for the actors working at Fuji TV) but they were bleak and concrete with very little signs of life outside.<\/p>\n But there was Fuji TV. I went to see the stores and the floor where you could see into some of the studios but for the most part it was a kind of a disappointment all around.<\/p>\n I decided to walk back towards Tokyo across the Rainbow bridge. Back when I lived in Japan it was a romantic date destination for the youth of Tokyo to park somewhere and look at the rainbow bridge. That was twenty years ago and I think the bridge is just a bridge now though it is a big-ass bridge that spans the harbor.<\/p>\n I wasn’t sure if there was a way to walk across the bridge so plan B was to take the boat back across. There are several train lines and monorail lines as well, but I wanted to do something different.<\/p>\n I walked along the beach, which wasn’t all that populated and saw some people passing the time fishing. I finally came across a beach volleyball tournament.<\/p>\n As I went past, I realized that the main event was hidden behind curtains and the public didn’t appear to be invited. There wasn’t even an obvious way to buy tickets.<\/p>\n Looking back at Fuji TV, you can see several of the faceless malls in front, and the secret beach volleyball tournament as well.<\/p>\n Turns out the bridge walkway is a couple thousand meters long and you’re not allowed to ride a bike across. You can walk your bike and they had a strange contraption they bolted to your tire to keep you from riding. I only saw two bicyclists as I got onto the bridge and one other person walking across.<\/p>\n Here’s another view of Odiaba from the bridge.<\/p>\n And a view of Minato-ku from the bridge. If you look hard enough you can see the Tokyo tower and the Sky Tree.<\/p>\n While the bridge on the Odaiba end has a normal ramp access, it just abruptly ends at an elevator on the Minato-ku end and dumps you into the harbor district. I was kind of lost for a bit until I realized there’s always people and crowds in Tokyo.<\/p>\n So I headed towards a JR train station and lunch. I have this weird aversion to buying food where I have to buy a ticket from a vending machine before I eat, and that means that I’m excluded from most of the cheap food in Tokyo. I was even willing to just eat at McDonalds if it looked properly air conditioned, but I just started heading further and further in towards area that looked like I could find a restaurant. But I never did. I did see the Tokyo Tower getting closer and closer.<\/p>\n I randomly ran into Keio University (where all the “playboys” go).<\/p>\n Close by I found the sign of the day describing a well for a samurai worrier.<\/p>\n I finally made it to the Tokyo Tower and I think the trip was about 7 miles on the map (probably further because I made a bunch of side excursions).<\/p>\n Of course I didn’t go up, but I knew there would be ice cream at a tourist attraction. Even better, there were cr\u00eapes!<\/p>\n After that I had the energy to make it back to my hotel.<\/p>\n Finally, for dinner, I went to the expensive-looking tonkatsu place across the street. I’m not sure how they got the pork so tender, but it was tasty.<\/p>\n I am feeling better but did not get to sleep very well last night. My cough went away until I tried to go to sleep and my cough came back so I tried to sleep sitting up on the couch for a while. Fortunately the cough went away soon enough. And the wind didn’t help much. Just before my alarm went off, I had a dream that I locked the door on my mom as a joke and I could hear her outside. It was actually the sound of the wind whistling in the vents. The wind didn’t let up all day and I figured I might as well through … Continue reading Japan Day 9<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"