Our first full day in Tokyo!
I had some specific errands I needed to run. I wanted to pick up some binoculars, some sort of zoom lens for my phone camera, and, most importantly, a sim card for my phone so I could connect to local cellular networks.
This quest ended up becoming a comedy of visiting 4 different electronics stored from 2 major chains in Japan; Bic Camera & Yodobashi Camera. Imagine a Best Buy that spanned 8 floors at every location and sold products you can actually use and not just what they can sell at the highest margin.
I ended up buying a new pair of binoculars from Bic Camera. I was eager to get a small pair I could bring with me to any events, such as the sumo tournament and various sightseeing adventures.
Next we went to Yodobashi Camera. Another 8 floors of browsing electronics. It wasn’t until the final floor that we walked by a telescopic lens attachment for cameras by accident. I was relieved to find it because we had been striking out and I really wanted to get one to take better photos at the sumo tournament. Target acquired.
After some back and forth on what kind of Sim card I needed, I ended up getting a 30 day 50GB data SIM card. Unfortunately, it didn’t come with the pin to open the SIM card slot on my phone.
Going from store to store felt a bit like watching the Keystone Cops.
We decided to take a break and came across a cat cafe. We got some boba tea and some frozen cat treat pops. They charged in 15 minute increments so we decided to stay for about 45 minutes.
The cat treats were a big hit. We were only supposed to let the collared cats have some, but they all wanted a piece.
It was nice to see that this wasn’t just a cafe with some cats, but had genuine cat features for climbing, being up high, and plenty of scratching surfaces.
I think this little guy was my favorite.
After some more wandering, it was time for some dinner. Corrine found a spot with vegetarian friendly ramen options, Afura Ramen. It ended up being in an underground mall connected to Shinjuku Station. They offered us bibs as we sat down and we gladly accepted. I like to slurp my noodles and that tends to make a mess. The vibe was very cool. The seats were on the perimeter of the horseshoe shaped bar, easily accessible by the staff. You ordered outside the shop on a touch display that could let you order in multiple languages. Once you ordered, you would get a ticket and sit down at any open seats. Luckily, there were two open spots next to each other for us.
My ramen had a yuzu infused broth. Yuzu is a citrus fruit that stands in for lemons over here as near as I can tell. It was definitely a different flavor than I’ve had before in my broth. The noodles were delicious. Would definitely recommend.
We walked around the underground mall a bit more and decided to head back. We were both exhausted and still suffering from jet lag.
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