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shinjuku

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

For today's portion of Ken's visit, we went to Shinjuku—one of the places I always like to take visitors to Tokyo.

Our first stop was the Golden Gai, the small warren of tiny laneways that are lined with 1950's-style bars. The places there are typically only large enough to seat 3-6 patrons at a time, and are effectively private because they serve regular clients. While these areas exist throughout the city (in Shibuya, for instance), the Golden Gai is a particularly extensive one and the one I take people to.

We passed through the crummy vibrance of Kabukicho to the more sterile office-block area in West Shinjuku where we went up to the observation deck in the metropolitan government's tower. The weather was particularly lousy for observing, as a thick haze had developed. But we could still make out features as far afield as Otemachi and Shinagawa. The mountains were completely invisible.

Three good things that happened today:

1. the Golden Gai is still standing

2. even when bathed in obscuring haze, the city is impressive

3. the Tokyo Sky Tree is impressive even if only half-built