Shibuya scramble crossing

New day, Same subway, and it`s still mad but it`s slowly beginning to make sense.
you start to get used to the throngs of people and just go with the flow. Subway maps are a blessing!

Today we go to see Ami, a Japanese friend we met through Tom Gibbs (cheers man!) who lives in Tokyo and is currently a university student with two jobs. The Japanese work HARD (gambata Ne!)

We meet her at the Hachiko Dog statue at one of the exits from Shibuya station. It comes out directly onto the famous scamble crossing and the statue is a popular meeting point for people going out with friends in Shibuya.


The story goes that there was a man who lived in Shibuya who owned an Akita dog named Hachiko.
Every day, when the owner went to work, Hachiko would see him off at the station and every day, when the dogs master came home on the train, Hachiko would sit waiting for when he returned at the same exit.
Until 1925 when Hachikos master died of a heart attack at the university where he worked.
Hachiko was given to a new family but everyday the dog would escape to be found waiting at the train station for his master, and he continued to do so until his own death 10 years later.
In his honour a statue was erected by the locals which is now known as chūken Hachikō "faithful dog Hachiko".


Ami quickly takes us to a Starbucks overlooking the Shibuya scramble crossing so we can take some pics and enjoy a coffee as we watch the cars and people taking it in turns to pass by.
Watching it now looks like masses of people but we go back to Shibuya later in the week and there about three times more people that time than the first!
Its nice to take a break and people watch but there is too much to see to just sit about in Starbucks so we move out into the street.

One of the first places we head into is a games arcade. If you think you know a games arcade then you are mistaken! these places are amazing! They have all the games you are used to and so much more! We have a quick go on a Mario kart game (I win, WOOP!) and play about in a photo booth that you can play with the pictures after.
But then it starts to get weirder and better.
In England we have Football cards and pokemon cards, they're nothing to write home about, but with the Japanese cards you go into an arcade and they have tables that read where you place your cards and then your formation comes up on a big screen and then you play a video game with them! And then there are these booths that sit in and its like a cockpit in some futuristic space ship thing and theres a massive wrap around screen in front of you but you cant play unless you have the card! They look SO COOL but i couldn't play! NOOOOO!

here's a pic inside...


and outside...


Lauren wasn't so thrilled about the big games :P

These pics were taken a couple of days after we met with Ami, but you get the picture.

After the awesomeness of gaming we head to some HUGE shops that have everything and buy a couple of little prezzies and souvenirs and then to Moss Burger.

Moss Burger is just a Japanese fast food burger chain but Tom Gibbs raves about it so we thought we'd give it a go. It's not that good Gibbs...

We meet with some of Amis friends and head to Takeshima Street. Apparently quite a famous shopping street and it certainly was full of people! and lots of stuff. It is far too easy to find things to spend money on in Tokyo.
Then on to more shops, we pass by Condomania (you can probably figure that one out) and spend a while in Kiddieworld. toys, Toys, TOYS. lots of em. Finally we have to head, because Ami has to go to work. We follow her coz I think it will be funny to see her working (Japanese restaurant and shop assistants have to act very politely, lots of bowing and thanking you and stuff.) but shes really busy so I dont get to take the mick.