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Mike Yardley: Crazy about Tokyo

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Sat, 10 Jun 2017, 11:22AM

Mike Yardley: Crazy about Tokyo

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Sat, 10 Jun 2017, 11:22AM

If you had to write the book on the essence of Japanese etiquette and its well-mannered marvels, punctuality is king, even trumping Japan's famed sense of politeness. The mighty steel tentacles of Shibuya Station lustily exemplify these qualities, where the trains faithfully run to the second and passengers politely queue in an orderly manner. It's believed this is where the habit of queuing to board a train was born in Japan in 1944. Today, platform signs indicate where to line up for the next train, the train after that and the other one after that. They’re a godsend for the uninitiated! 

Like much of Tokyo, the once war-torn moonscape of Shibuya is a glitzy, buzzing district of skyscrapers, shops and entertainment.  Outside the railway station, I ventured to Shibuya Crossing, nicknamed "The Scramble," which lays claim to being the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing. I'll take their word for it. Beneath the dancing blaze of giant video screens, watching the sea of humanity cross the street, from all quarters, is a stunningly engrossing spectacle, like mass-movement ballet. By the time the next light phase rolls round, each street corner has been fully reloaded with a fresh stock of humanity, like a seamless video loop.

Braving the crowds of Shibuya is a warm-up for the throbbing, pulsating entertainment mecca of Shinjuku. Over 3 million people pass through the world’s busiest train station each day, and Shinjuku's entertainment excesses sprawl to the east, in a head-spinning spangle of neon-drenched lighting and LED screens. Strip-clubs, pachinko parlours, jazz bars, love hotels, fetish bars and cabarets all jostle for attention in notorious Kabukicho, Tokyo's notorious red-light district. Don’t flash your wallet too openly in these parts – and males on their own can expect plenty of attention from big-talking touts.

Adjoining Kabukicho are the evocative alleyways of Golden Gai, a throwback to Tokyo's earlier days, home to a time-warped tumble of tiny drinking dens, many who hook punters in with trademark gimmicks, whether it's a signature drink, off-the-wall décor or outlandish staff costumes, like troll toys or hospital uniforms. Champion and Albatross are two of the tourist favourites, but aside from these larger bars, gawp up a few staircases to see what takes your fancy. Shinjuku is also home to the mesmerising and glittery escapism of the Robot Restaurant.

This mind-boggling sci-fi cabaret show and its garishly illuminated interior represents a mash-up of the crazy, tacky and raunchy. Three-metre-tall robots dance and gyrate like gigantic electronic puppets with bikini-clad singers, alongside raging aliens, mechanical sharks, heavily-armed mermaids, demonic taiko drummers and futuristic ninjas in this laser-lit, neon-gushing extravaganza. There's enough neon in the Robot Restaurant to light half of Tokyo. From spectacular battle scenes to bizarre romantic ballads, this eye-popping orgy of wacky live entertainment pulls in the crowds.

For a complete change of scenery, be sure to peruse Tokyo's catwalk cool district Harajuku, where fashionistas, high-end divas and teenage girls in particular come to flaunt their latest looks. You'll also find the Rockabilly guys strutting their stuff here – like Asian Elvis Presleys. The designer stores in the designer buildings gracing the wide boulevard of Omotesando is Tokyo's answer to Paris. Nearby, Takeshita-dori and Cat Street are where to head if you want to check out the style tribes of teenage girls, strutting their latest subculture statements.

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