Kanazawa Station had been completely rebuilt since my home stay in 2002. What had been a large, rundown stop on the line was now a work of art in its own right.

Just look at this Shinto gate!

 

On the shinkansen speeding towards Tokyo we relaxed with English newspapers and some delicious bento lunches.

(I am not making this up…) We were wandering through Tokyo station when this totally hot 20-something Japanese chick ran up to us and said “are you Drew?!?”

“Yes!”

“I saw you on TV! Can we take a picture together?”

“YES!”

Cut to my parents scraping their lower jaws off the station floor. You see, I’d been featured in an NHK documentary about exchange students some months previous. This super chick was from Oita, and had not only seen and totally remembered me, but had been searching all of Japan in the hopes of meeting me in person!

Ok, maybe I made that italicized bit up, but this was still totally awesome and she’s a real babe!

We parted happily and then I took my folks on a tour of Tokyo’s most famous tourist spots… Shibuya Crossing and Akihabara Electronics Town.

Ok so maybe Akihabara was more for ME, but I’m allowed to enjoy the trip too, right?

My favorite museum…

We stayed the night at a little back alley hotel in Ueno that I’ve used a few times. The prices are great and the location, only meters from Ueno Station, is superb.

Tomorrow? Su-su-su-su-suuuuuuuuuuuumoooooooooooo!