May 16, 2008

Tokyo (JAPAN)

From Classes and Practice to Showing Other Georgia Tech Students Tokyo's Night Life

After a day spent sitting through various courses, studying Japanese flashcards at every spare moment, and eating ramen noodles and rice balls at the campus cafeteria, my day was not all that exciting. That is, until my extra-curricular activities kicked in. I started with soccer practice at 4:30, which was not as grueling as normal because we have an important match tomorrow against Sophia University (上智大学). Nevertheless, the practice didn't end until 7:30, and by the time we finished raking the field and bringing in all the gear it was already well past 8:00 pm. I confirmed the details for tomorrow's soccer events - a match followed by a kangeikai (drinking party to welcome the newcomers to the team) and possibly karaoke (at my insistence).

Still dirty from playing, I called up several friends and continued coordinating the events for the evening. There is a group of 15 or so Georgia Tech students taking part on an East Asian tour as part of a GT-sponsored program, and since they arrive in Tokyo this evening I wanted to show them around with the other GT students. Also, I have several Japanese friends who I have been promising to go out with, and I figured I would use this opportunity to tie everything together. (It is not often I get to go out).

I showered at my laboratory building and left my backpack in a locker before meeting Neil, David, Eric (Hong Kong), and Owen (Australia) at Shibuya's famous hachiko exit. As we were still waiting on other people to arrive, we decided to set off for a quick drink at the conveniently named Bar Street. This is basically a small alley next to the train tracks that is lined with cheap bars (by Tokyo's standards). The bars are unique in that they are all standing room only, and quite literally the standard bathroom can fit more people.

Soon, Dice-K (a Japanese friend of mine) met up with us and we set off for the bars. While Neil and David went to pick up the other Georgia Tech students who were hopelessly lost in Tokyo (and who can blame them - Tokyo can be impossible to navigate), we drank at a British-styled pub located somewhere in the maze of alleys typical of Shibuya. By the time everyone arrived, we ended up having a group of around 12 people for the night. We stayed at the British pub until around 12:30 am and then made the important call: skip the last train and make it an all-nighter.

Dice-K took us to his favorite club in Shibuya, a place called PURE. There was a 3000 yen entry fee that included free drinks for the rest of the night, and according to Dice-K "it is really easy to meet a girl here!" So, PURE it is!

In my opinion, the club was not that great, and should anyone go out clubbing in Tokyo I would recommend Roppongi as the place to do it. While Shibuya has a younger crowd, Roppongi has a higher quality clientele and better clubs (I suggest MUSE). Anyway, having paid the money I was in for the night, and danced and drank myself silly. It was obvious Eric, Neil, and David were not enjoying themselves, so despite our best efforts to get them excited - about what, I don't know because the club really was crap for Tokyo - they left at around 4:00 am to grab ramen.

Owen and I were the last ones to leave the club at around 5:00 am, and we headed toward Tower Records where a famous ramen place called Hachiban is located nearby. This ラーメン家 (ramen shop) deserves special attention because it is the Soup Nazi (Seinfeld reference) of Tokyo - serving the best ramen, but with ridiculous rules. Firstly, the place is always busy, and at 5:30 am there was a line of 25 people twisting up the stairs and out onto the streets of Shibuya. However, once I made my way to the front of the line I inserted my money into a vending machine and pushed the button for a standard bowl of ramen (receiving a slip of paper in exchange). Then, I entered the ramen shop where I waited in a small waiting area where there was a plaque on the wall with lights representing the seats of the restaurant. When a light comes on, that means a seat is open, and you can enter.

I waited for two lights to come on next to one another so Owen and I could eat together, but he must have been too drunk to follow me because I never saw him again that morning. Anyway, once sitting you fill out a page-long questionnaire on how you want your ramen (firmness, degree of soy sauce, and so on) and slip it back under the curtain separating you from the employees. Also, on either side of me were wooden boards that act to separate everyone so you can eat in privacy (sort of like a line of seated phone booths). The ramen noodles are always served quickly, and under the curtain so that you never see anyone who works there. If you want more ramen added, you fill out another sheet, and so on and so forth. This place really is quite remarkable.