We woke up, packed and rushed to check out and meet up with Jessica and Will to say goodbye. They met us in the hotel lobby and we took one last group photo. It was nice of Jess and Will to come meet us in the morning and it was nice to say goodbye since we missed them last night. I took the guys to Shinjuku Station and helped them buy an express airport ticket and we said our goodbyes and thus concluded the Epic 2010 Tokyo Adventures of Owen, Mike and Eric.
I made my way back to my hostel to check in one more time. On the way, I helped two American businessmen who were heading my way who seemed completely lost trying to buy a subway ticket. I decided I would spend my day doing a few things I’d missed in Tokyo. I decided to go back to the Tokyo Edo Museum that I saw the night I went to Sumo Town. I learned a lot about Japanese history and culture.
I learned the complex production system of making colored posters and other paper copies required a series of wood pallets that had only one color at a time and could one poster could take a dozen wood pallets. I also learned that in the Edo Period of Tokyo, the firefighters of Japan would used to carry a large white decorated pole which was a symbol of fire and instead of putting out fires they merely contained the fire and let the house or building burn down. Buildings were rebuilt all the time because all the buildings in this period were made of wood and paper. Easiest firefighting job ever.
The museum itself is somewhat noteworthy. The whole museum’s exhibits are located on an elevated floor that leaves an enormous empty space and four large pillars holding up a large awkward structure. The escalator also was one of the coolest part because it was open at the base during normal business hours, but after the museum closes, the security guard uses a hand crank to close the entrance entirely.
I decided to meet up with Jessica and Will for drinks after dinner. We first ate a little at a local kaiten, then went to our favorite bar, Hub. We get a call from one of Will’s friends who are in another Hub a few blocks away. If you’re starting to notice that we go to Hub a lot or that there seems to be way too many Hubs in Tokyo, you are correct on both accounts. Either way, we went, had more drinks there and I made the call to sleep over at Will’s place that had an extra bedroom instead of leaving early and catching the first train home. Since I was planning to hang out with Jessica to do some sightseeing the next day/my last day in Tokyo anyways, it was easier just to be there in the first place. Will’s roommate tried to awkwardly pick up a few Japanese girls in the bar again. My friend once told me that the only white people you meet in Japan who are living here and aren’t students are essentially the rejects of Western Society. I find that to be pretty true. Will's Totally Awesome Double Hinged Fridge (I wonder if you pull both at the same time if the whole door comes flying off)
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