How 1 is 2 in Japan, plus Cat Cafes and Curry

So after posting my blog, people started working and responding to some issues with the work here.  I finally was able to get to bed around 12:30 after a nice shower and soak.

This morning I awoke on my “day off” for the equinox and jumped back into email as people were leaving soon on the east coast.  By about 8am I had my answer that I needed.  Since that very pricy English computer won’t be delivered until next Wednesday (October 1), then I get to stay an entire week longer to get this work complete and I’ll be home on October 3.  While welcome on many levels as I am loving this country, it would have been nice to book the hotel for that entire week because now I have to switch as they are booked solid.  Also, it would have been nice to pack with that expectation.  I can have laundry done in the hotel.  The order form shows it is about $8.00 for a dress shirt, $3.50 for socks, $4.50 for underwear or undershirts.  I sure hope this isn’t each…

I also found out yesterday that I was nominated and selected for an award from work.  So that was a nice little surprise.  My four levels of managers each congratulated me on the award and were very nice.  My immediate manager thinks it would be a good idea for me to go to the awards ceremony… in Texas … on October 8.  So, I’m flying again, albeit not for 14 hours, but that also means economy.  Dammit.  Still trying to get answers from folks about what I can book and not so I don’t get in trouble.  That is a problem being 13 to 16 hours ahead of people you communicate with.

I finally get to get out and experience the city by about 10am.  I’m not too bent out of shape, it is a free day off that I wasn’t expecting.  Today’s plan:  HapiNeko Cat Café (http://hapineko.com/eigoindex.html), Tokyo Ramen Street (it calls to me…), and a small portion of the Imperial Gardens that are open to the public and a popular shopping street all near Tokyo Station and the all-important Ramen Street.

Ginza line, GO!!  I make it back to Shibuya station and its famous crossing which I purposely cross perpendicular to the vast majority this time.  My directions to HapiNeko where to take the street where the store “109” is.  I have pictures and a map, I’m good to go.  After about 150m, I realize that this isn’t the right street, Google confirms, I go back to Shibuya crossing (yay!!), look around.  Hey look! Another 109 store.  THAT one looks right.  I start that way and recognize some stores from the picture directions I have.  Before I can continue to my destination, I had to take a picture of a somewhat entertaining sign.

I prepare to walk on, when the doors part and I see inside that it is a pachinko parlor.  Holy Crap, I wanted to see one of these.  Oh. My. God.  The Noise.  I snap a pic as evidence I was there and vacate before I am deafened.

I have little issue locating the HapiNeko Cat Café, but I do have a hard time entering even though I know I’m close.  I even took a picture so you could all see how “close” I got.  I head down stairs a little bummed to have not experienced this somewhat unique shop and that is when I notice the advertisement in the tunnel leading to the stairs.  They open at 11:00, and it’s only 10:40.  Woot!

I wait and about 5 minutes before a lady come from the elevator and greets me, unlocks the door and shuts it behind her.  Cool, people are there even on the holiday.  Another minute and two young girls come up the stairs and are disappointed that it is closed.  I try my best to explain there is someone in there.   They stay and chat between themselves.  It gets a few minutes past 11:00 and they sit down despite there being copious signs to the fact that you’re not allowed to sit on the stairs to wait.  Either stand or sit in the seats made for 3-year olds.  I remain standing.  I can only guess that there are many signs stating that as I cannot read them.  I can read the one in English that says to not sit on the stairs, “If you sit on the stairs, you will not be allowed in the cat cafe”.  I’m not sure if it is a translation thing, but I’m not going to chance it.  Around 11:10, the door is opened.  That first lady I saw comes out with a welcome mat, sees the girls stand up from sitting on the stairs and launches into a good 30-40 second string of chiding and admonishments as she secures the door with a small rope over the handle.  The two girls sheepishly head back down stairs and I am invited inside.

I pay my ¥1,080 (about $10.50) for a half hour.  I read all the rules.  These are for protecting the cats from those that don’t live with them and know how to handle them.  No worries I can abide by the rules.  Oh, and no petting the ones with collars for some reason.  I remove my shoes and put them in a cubby in the 4’x4’ lobby and am invited into the inner sanctum where I am given slippers and asked what drink I would like.  I settle on a mango yogurt affair and I am shown to my own reserved seat and am served my drink and two bite sized little cakes.

The cats are adorable, as expected and I only get warned once about not petting the ones with collars. Honestly, it’s a long hair, you can barely see the collar.  I spend my 30 minutes enjoying petting the ones I could and getting my leg attacked in a drive-by by the cutest little kitten they had there.

Thoroughly hapi, I head out and since it is almost noon, I can feel the steady pull to Tokyo Station for curry that I was denied yesterday.  Like a boss, I weave through the subway and hit the station like I’ve been here forever.  I am secretly memorizing my path so I don’t have another long walk through the tunnels to the non-Tokyo Station Marunouchi line stop.  I beeline it for nirvana and after seeing a few choices, I decide on one that looks packed.  I sit outside and am immediately ushered inside.  I sit, order my pork cutlet curry right away and about 90 seconds later: BAM, nirvana on a plate with a side of awesome sauce.  I almost inhale that dish.  Holy crap… so, so, so good.  The problem with this place, Tokyo in general, not just Ramen Street, is that when deciding to eat somewhere there are always two or three others that you want to go and try.  When you get to try them, you’ve added another two or three.  It is a vicious, delicious cycle I will have to endure for another week and a half.  The cashier hands me my receipt and says in English as he points to the bottom of my receipt: “NO CURRY NO LIFE”.  I can only respond with several emphatic “hai”s.  So true…

I start to return on my memorized route and pop into some of the shops along the way.  Now for all those reading that have not been to Tokyo Station Ramen Street, it is a mall basically and I’m sure the rent is not cheap for the shops.  So, when I see a shop selling fruit, I have to check it out.  You see, my beloved readers, those are cantaloupes.  These are not ordinary cantaloupes.  These are meant to be given as gifts as they are considered perfect specimens.  All that aside, they are still cantaloupes AND ¥16,200 cantaloupes at that.  That’s about a $152 cantaloupe folks.  It better be good, and no, I did not buy one.

I follow my memorized path back, avoid the half kilometer detour and hope on the right subway and try to guess the right subway exit to take to end up near that beer shop.  I am horribly off, but as I step up the last stairs, I do recognize where I am.  Bic Camera.  So, not even close to where I wanted to go, but I start walking there undaunted and along the way remember that I was going to go to that shopping street and the gardens today.  Such was the power of that curry.

I wander into a small grocery store, note that they sell some quick made meals that all look good.  They even have a sashimi section with tako, maguro, unagi that looks mouth-watering, and others too numerous to mention.  I head to the beer store and settle on two, what I hope are great ones:  Aooni, an IPA, and Tokyo Black, a porter.  These will be enjoyed after I go out for another gastronomic adventure.  When I get back to the room, I notice that housekeeping hasn't been through yet.  Cool, I will drop off the beers in the fridge and go relax in the shrine next door for an hour.

It’s almost 6PM locally, and I am going to head out for dinner.

The sojourn will continue, but maybe not until tomorrow.  I have found how to port music into the shower a bath room.  THAT will be made of win.