Day 5

Day 5 is the earliest of all days, starting the day at Tsukiji (the fish market).

The sky’s still dark when I descends the staircase into Iriya station on the Hibiya line.

Empty metro station

Though I got to the tsukiji just after 6, the fish auctions has already finished. At the outskirt of the markets I spot a tuna being hauled to its buyer.

Tunas are huge

Since it’s a place famed for sushi and fish, you can expect a demand for fish knives. Indeed there are plenty of shops selling assorted knives for treating the fishes.

Racks of knives for sale

Inside the tsukiji it is a chaotic where the entire sea’s sea creatures are sold in polystyrene crates.

Tsukiji

 

Large octopuses

 

...

 

Tuna being put to the knife

 

Some kinda deshelled shellfish

 

Ikura (salmon roe)...yum!

The tsukiji has 2 parts, the tsukiji proper which serves to sell and distribute fish to various restaurants, and the outer market targeted more at the general populace. The outer market sells more than just fish, and includes various produces as well.

A beans seller

 

Local shinto shrine

As usual, my planned breakfast place is packed and queued up. Sigh. I’ve resigned that sacrificing food for time is just an unavoidable fact.

A line for sushi

I skip off to Shinbashi and take the Yurikamome to Odaiba.

Yurikamome station at Shinbashi

 

Odaiba

The nature of Odaiba still somewhat escapes me. A huge island reclaimed from Tokyo Bay, it is home to hotels, huge shopping complexes, a number of museums and media corporations. What confuses me is that it is not exactly well connected to the mainland. The Yurikamome and JR Rinkai line are both outside of the normal transport network, with higher access fees and less convenient transfer connections.

Or perhaps that is the idea, a form of resort location close to the heart of Tokyo while giving the feeling of being a world away. The onsen certainly adds to that feeling.

Tokyo Bigsight in the far distance

One thing that immediate strikes me is how big Odaiba is. Its look on the map is deceiving, with the island seemingly lined with a small number of adjoining buildings, giving the impression of a close knit city block. That is as far from reality as possible. Thankfully many have warned of this on various forums. In truth many of these buildings are hundreds of meters in length, walking around the island without taking the Yurikamome is folly, it is suggested that any visitors fish out the 800Y and buy the day pass.

I hop off at the Telecom center where one of the few Family Marts are on the island, and buy a breakfast of breads and coffee.

Melon bread

 

...

 

Beneath the Big Sight

 

A giant gundam under construction

After doing  a walk around Odaiba it is near noon. To avoid the queue I decide to have lunch right after the Aqua City shopping center opens.

Giant Xmas wreath

 

Aqua CIty's Xmas healing tree

Lunch is at Pomu no Ki (Apple Tree, Pomu is Pomme, french for apple), a restaurant specializing in omurice (omelette rice). Huray, no queue!

Pomu no Ki

 

Nice view from the window seat at Pomu no Ki

Yep, the menu is full of omurice, from traditional ketchup sauce to curry to more western flavors.

Pomu no Ki menu

 

Such a nice sunny day

 

Vege and cream omurice

In retrospect I should have gone with the more classical curry one, but after days with meal after meal of heavy tastes, I couldn’t resist the promise of something with refreshing tastes. It’s decently priced and quite well made, the menu inventive with good varieties.

Chocolate sundae

 

nyom nyom

I also ordered an extra chocolate parfait to make myself feel better after I failed to get dessert at Caretta the night before due to how packed the place is.

Fuji TV

 

Cosplay-con is hosted a few days before Comiket

 

Water pours down the middle of the TFT building

Then it’s off to Venus Fort. Their illumination is lit all day, cause the whole place is indoor.

Venus Fort

 

Venus Fort Fountain

 

Hanging Xmas decoration

 

...

Venus Fort’s illumination is called Light for Wishing, with light tubes creating a shooting star like look. Unfortunately the place isn’t quite as dark as it should be so the tubes are very visible.

What came later is a surprise. They actually got snow makers filling the chamber with white powders.

It's snowing!

 

Now that's a scene

 

People reach out to catch the snowflakes

 

I return to Aqua City for their illumination, a music light performance with the Healing Tree.

Sadly after Caretta it all seems like childplay.

Healing tree going through different hues

 

...

I ended up leaving Odaiba early to get a better spot at Caretta.

Although I have not realized at this stage, I actually did very little at Odaiba, unconsciously choosing to leave out visiting many other attractions, like the onsen or Future Museum. All the walking from previous days and the lack of sufficient rest has really drained me both physically and emotionally, putting me in an agitated mindset. I end up rushing for no reason instead of spending adequate time to really tour and enjoy the place, nor did I really take much photos.

My choice to save on transport and walking for 1-2 metro stops in previous days turns out to be almost catastrophic, as all that walking added to the exhaustion.

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