We treated ourselves to a lovely sleep‑in this morning, blissfully unaware that we’d apparently snoozed straight through a 4.9 earthquake at 4:45am. Seventeenth floor, shaking building, and we didn’t even stir. Maybe the quake being 50km deep probably had something to do with us not noticing. Since arriving in Japan we’ve learned there have been twelve quakes, which really confirms that earthquakes here are just background ambience—like cicadas, but geological.
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| 4.9 quake |
At breakfast we met more cruise travellers who announced, with great seriousness, that they plan to walk everywhere because the Tokyo train system “looks complicated.” Even Yokohama. On foot. Bold strategy.
We headed into the city to explore some everyday suburbs—the places where actual humans live and work—before making our way to Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing.
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| Typical street- buildings between 8-15 stories high |
Along the way we wandered into a camera shop that, curiously, sold everything except we didn’t see the cameras. I sure there were cameras but we were distracted by the other stuff. Instead we found mobile ovens, mysterious gadgets, and an entire wall of alcohol. The whiskey and gin were going for half to one‑third of Australian prices, which is confronting for anyone who has ever bought booze in Australia and wondered why it costs the same as a small car.
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| Interesting brand name |
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| Aussie prices |
The train system itself is a marvel: fast, efficient, and so punctual it could shame a Swiss watch. The only confusing part is the tsunami of passengers pouring through the stations.
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| The little dog who waited for his master |
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| Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing |
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| Starbucks |
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| Collectables |
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| Star Wars and Marvel shop |
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| Pokémon lounge |
Outside, the streets buzz with neon, noise, and humanity. When it rains, umbrellas appear instantly, turning the footpaths into a polite fencing tournament. You can absolutely collect a few umbrella injuries from commuters who have places to be and zero hesitation about jousting their way there.
Shibuya’s famous scramble crossing
At one station we encountered a Cocobo security robot patrolling the corridor like a futuristic shopping centre security guard . Japan continues to deliver on its promise of “everyday sci‑fi.”
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| Cocobo security robot |
We grabbed some station food—a sit‑down raw fish meal and miso mushroom soup—which was delicious and far better than anything you’d expect from a place where trains roar past every three seconds to three minutes.
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| Train station lunch |
The late‑afternoon train back to the hotel started out packed, then gradually emptied as we escaped the gravitational pull of central Tokyo. By the time we arrived, we were exhausted enough to appreciate a simple Japanese dinner near the hotel—no robots, no umbrella duels, no earthquakes (that we noticed).
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