The train to Shinjuku was an eye-opener and awkward to boot, as both of us struggled to stay out of the way with our extra-large suitcases taking up valuable peak-hour train space. To our relief however, of the countless stares we were given most all of them were of curiosity not hostility. Anyway, we managed to squeeze out of the train at Shinjuku Station (a place I was dreading due to the rabbit-warren-like, underground nature of it) and outside to catch a cab to our hotel.
By the time we had checked in and dumped our bags it was around 8pm and so ditching plans to visit a fancy restaurant we decided instead to hit up the 'seedy streets' of Kabukicho (a bustling square of Shinjuku filled with host bars, love hotels, cheap restaurants, bars and clubs) for a bite to eat. We managed to find a cheap izakaya (Japanese style tapas pub restaurant) and with everything on the menu 280yen (roughly 3.20AUD) we got stuck into our first night in Tokyo!
On Saturday 18th of August we had tickets to see a major league baseball game between Yomiuri Giants and Hiroshima Carp at Tokyo Dome. We caught the train out there amongst a horde of orange or red bedecked fans around midday and made our way into the stadium complex. Dad was beside himself with excitement and insisted on buying every one of every time of merchandise imaginable. In the end I calmed him down into buying a hat for himself and a few shirts for his buddies. We made our way into the stadium and after getting incredibly lost finding our seats and having to ask a stadium employee to direct us there, sat down and breathed in the atmosphere. Tokyo Dome is huge and for those in Perth, reminiscent of the Burswood Dome with the lofty white pillowy roof. Our seats were quite high up but Dad and I were happy with the view that this afforded us and even more thrilled to see Beer Girls running up and down the aisles serving punters a freshly poured cold draft beer on demand. At roughly 10AUD per cup it wasn't the greatest of bargains, but coming from Australia where you have to leave your seat to line up and collect a beer from the outlets, it was like heaven. The game itself seemed to go on forever and at one point I was sure that I was going to fall asleep. But late into the 8th innings shit got exciting and our adopted team, the Giants, smashed in four runs (?) to steal the game! We couldn't yell loud enough and the buzz in the air was almost palpable.
After the baseball I had wanted to go to Roppongi for a big night out, but in all honesty both of us were knackered and a quiet night was sounding like a better and better idea. We caught the train back to Shinjuku, made it back to the hotel to shower and change, then headed down the street for Coco Curry. I'd never eaten Coco Curry before and I wasn't too thrilled on starting now (I prefer the Burmese curries of my childhood), but Dad was well-keen to try Japanese curry so we settled in and ordered a table-full worth of food. Admittedly it was pretty good, though we both ate way too much and all we could manage afterwards was to plonk ourselves at an outdoor table at a bar staggering distance from our hotel for a few late night whiskeys.
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