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Running on Tokyo Time
The first 24 hours of my consumer decadence
My Tokyo adventure began with me hopping on the "Airport Limo," which, inexplicably, is actually a bus. I had heard horror stories about how it was impossible to get from the airport to the city center (about 90 minutes) for less than $100, but the bus was just $30. I was whisked directly from Narita Airport to the InterContinental ANA Hotel near Roppongi. My first impressions of Tokyo were that it looked a bit like Miami, with numerous waterways and bridges connecting strips of land with concrete high rises. But once in the center, I never saw the water again.
I also noted that the Tokyo Disney Resort, the first Disney theme park to be built outside of the U.S., was located right outside the city. Since mine was just a 48-hour mad dash through the city, I wouldn't be checking it out, but I have to admit that, as uncool as it is, I love Disneyland. I grew up in Los Angeles and had an annual pass from the ages of five to ten. And who knew, but it's also very Japanese of me to like the sing-song fantasy world of make-believe characters so much.
After a quick shower in a friend's room at the InterCon, I headed over to the 7-11 to use the ATM. Most of the Japanese bank ATMs won't accept U.S. bank cards, but count on 7-11 to accept almost anything for the standard $2 fee. The smallest amount of cash you can withdraw is $100, but not to worry — that will fly out of your little hands in no time. I bought a bottle of water and a red-bean sticky-rice ball rolled in salty black sesame seeds. Someone else might find it gross or inadequate, but I thought it was a delicious breakfast for $3. And I cannot tell a lie: I also grabbed a Starbucks latte (priced about the same as in the U.S.). The Japanese are so swift: A staff member walks along the line with a picture menu so you can pick out what you want in advance. By the time you get up to the register, all you have to do is pay. Then the drink is waiting for you. But unlike the honor system at a U.S. Starbucks, you MUST present your receipt and hand it over for the java.
I also noted that the Tokyo Disney Resort, the first Disney theme park to be built outside of the U.S., was located right outside the city. Since mine was just a 48-hour mad dash through the city, I wouldn't be checking it out, but I have to admit that, as uncool as it is, I love Disneyland. I grew up in Los Angeles and had an annual pass from the ages of five to ten. And who knew, but it's also very Japanese of me to like the sing-song fantasy world of make-believe characters so much.
After a quick shower in a friend's room at the InterCon, I headed over to the 7-11 to use the ATM. Most of the Japanese bank ATMs won't accept U.S. bank cards, but count on 7-11 to accept almost anything for the standard $2 fee. The smallest amount of cash you can withdraw is $100, but not to worry — that will fly out of your little hands in no time. I bought a bottle of water and a red-bean sticky-rice ball rolled in salty black sesame seeds. Someone else might find it gross or inadequate, but I thought it was a delicious breakfast for $3. And I cannot tell a lie: I also grabbed a Starbucks latte (priced about the same as in the U.S.). The Japanese are so swift: A staff member walks along the line with a picture menu so you can pick out what you want in advance. By the time you get up to the register, all you have to do is pay. Then the drink is waiting for you. But unlike the honor system at a U.S. Starbucks, you MUST present your receipt and hand it over for the java.
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