I only had 1 full day and 2 half-days in Tokyo so I had to spend my time really wisely. Since it's already noon when I arrived in Tokyo from Nagoya (despite having caught the earliest train at 6.50 am from Takayama to Nagoya), I decided to defer Kamakura to the next day cuz it seemed like there's an awful lot to see and I probably wouldn't be able to cover everything before the closing time of 5 pm for most temples and shrines.
So I roamed Tokyo. First stop: Akihabara. If I had any indulgence aside from travel, it's electronics. Maybe it's just occupational hazard. Haha ... in any case, Akihabara is close to the top of my list for this trip having missed out on it on the last. So I went. And was overwhelmed. In a few hours, I thought I'd seen nothing as I was more of window shopping cuz there was so much!, and yet at the same time, had seen everything since every shop seemed to be selling the same electronics, manga and anime related things and soft porn ;) Yeah ... if I had not known better, I'd be seriously culture shocked that porn could be peddled so openly.
Nevertheless, I did have some takeaways from Akihabara - a couple of Ponyo memorabilia (exorbitantly priced keychain and plush toy) and some brochures for the reference of designers back home.
Then I went hunting for the watch that I must get! From Ikebukuro (cuz I remember Luke saying there's a new mall there) to Shinjuku to Shibuya. Finally found what I wanted at IOIO Jam at Shibuya.
It's a Baby-G G-ms. I was also quite taken with a Nixon that maydayer had recommended but at 45,000 yen, it's way beyond me.
An anime doll outside a store at Akihabara.
Shibuya and its night crowd.
Tsukiji Fish Market: For the first time, I experienced the notorious Tokyo 'sardine-packed' (no pun intended!) rush hour when travelling to Tsukiji in the morning. Couldn't even reach into my bag to pull out the camera ... people were elbowing each other to squeeze in the packed train at almost every stop heading towards Tokyo, Ginza and Shinagawa.
The chef fixing my seafood rice platter at the market! Fresh fish! Fresh tako! YUMMY!
My yummy breakfast! Note the arrangement ala Mickey Mouse ... third time in Japan and no Disneyland yet :( 
Th Great Buddha at Kamakura. A staff member at Khaosan Tokyo where I stayed later told me that it'd be worthwhile to overnight there so I could also visit nearby Enoshima. Another mental note!
Students having an excursion to the temple. They're so bubbly! Tripped me back to ol' school days although we didn't have many excursions all year.
Love my camera! Not a DSLR, just a compact point-n-shoot but the result is still beautiful, IMHO \(^___^*)/
I wanna be like him. Happy happy happy! v(^___^*)v
The town of Kamakura from above. The Giant Kannon temple overlooks the beach.
Strolling along Omote-sando, I couldn't help but be overcome by a sense of disgust for the ostentation of wealth, however beautiful it might be, on this branded street.
Sensoji, a stone's throw away from my hostel in Asakusa. Completed in 645, it is the oldest temple in Tokyo.
Apply a whiff of the smoke from the incense on thyself and be blessed.
Respect for the Gods starts from young. Always wash your hands before offering a prayer (sometimes I forget!) with water from the spring. Not sure about Tokyo but at temples in the countryside, fresh and sweet spring water does flow from a bamboo pipe channeled from the mountains.
It's a Saturday and the crowd was unbelievable. Alrite ... it's Tokyo, so you'd better believe it.
