Tokyo: Ginza 銀座 and University of Tokyo 東京大学

The plan was to see the clock and had lunch in Shimbashi. Due to our  my disappointment, we didn't linger long in Shimbashi and the area near Nippon TV was quiet without much option for food. We hopped on a train and off to Ginza for lunch. If we were to walk over the other side of Shimbashi station, there would've been a whole lot of eateries to choose from but we did not. No, there isn't any logic there.

So I was back to Japan's expensive real estate area where even Hello Kitty dons on Mikimoto.

I didn't that Hello Kitty is 40 years old before this post...

We didn't linger far away from the train station and just walked in to an eatery where all of us were happy with the look of the menu.

Kani rice, served with miso soup

After lunch, we make our way out attempting to catch golden ginkgo in Tokyo. Of course, we could commute further to Showa Kinen Park with higher chances of golden ginkgo. However given how much we packed into our last day in Tokyo, we put our hope in Todai. In addition, apparently Todai was where they filmed Hero (I still don't know if this is true). Though if that bar in Hero is what it is like in real life, I would love to have a drink there! ^^

The leaves were still pretty much in green but I could pretend I studied in Todai, walking along the path while sipping a vending-machine-coffee can to which was the cheapest I ever bought (from a vending machine), at ¥60.

We stopped and took a photo in front of the Red Gate but walked on and entered via the main gate.

Saw the most glorious ginkgo in the world. Yes, I shamelessly pilfered that description from Ru. Despite it is not in golden colour, it is still a very, very impressive tree.

We walked to Sanshiro Pond just as the sun setting before leaving the Hongo Campus.

After Todai, we got on the train again and stopped in Harajuku. That, is another post.


Side note: According to Insight Guides, Ginza has perhaps the greatest name recognition in the world after Tokyo and Kyoto.