forgotten_aria

200401162000

We've landed after having more cardboard food. Met up with Mike with no problem other than we taxied FOREVER.

We made our way through customs, out to the train, took the long train ride to the Tokyo subway, then out and to our Ryokan. It's about what I expected and has a wester toilet. (yay!)

It also has a "net connection" but I'm afraid of what that means, so I'll likely not use it despite missing greg. There is no screen on our window and it doesn't' completely close. Hopefully it won't get too cold as the heater is smell. we wandered to get food and found a little eel place. He asked if any of us wanted eel soup or just miso and I was the only one to say yes. My desire to try new things
quickly became "Challenge" in the cook's mind and he gave us some squid (maybe not cooked) in a pungent sauce. the squid was fine, but the sauce was too much, but I ate it to be polite and because they
were playing stupid giajin tricks. He served the soup, which was good, then told me (through mike) it had eel innards in it. No big deal, but hence the guess that they were playing stupid giajin tricks.
They wanted me to freak out. The broiled eel (what we had actually ordered) was wonderful. He completemented us on our chop stick use, which most guide books will tell you will happen, and I even caught a few off the sentences mike was telling the guy. We got free fans and Mike got a sumo brochure. The owner felt the need to explain what the fan was.

Good food. Now hopefully some good sleep.

It's an interesting town. Modern, technology I'm used to, but also very different. (not that I'm surprised by this.) Hopefully tomorrow I'll get some pictures. Looks a lot like Jet Set Radio Future though. (More surprise that the game captured it so well.)

Elborations: Our ryokan was taito ryokan in Akasusa. We had a tatami mat room and a futon to sleep on.