Japanese teenage fashion and the world's busiest Krispy Kreme

The Meiji Jingu shrine is the most important shrine in Tokyo, and getting to it was simple using the subway. However, because it was Sunday, there were hordes of people around, including teenagers dressed in ways that blew the mind. I know I've already said a little about the fashion sense of the Japanese people, and how everyone wears Gucci/Prada/LV (some of it has to be fake, no?) Beyond that, though, there is a definite affinity on the part of Japanese women for short skirts/shorts combined with long boots. The shorts/skirts sometimes get impossibly small, and the boots impossibly long. For the most part, though, dress is stylish. Unless, you are a teenager, in which case all bets are off

I took these pictures on our way to Meiji Jingu shrine. Along the way were hordes of teenage kids hanging out. Not quite loitering, because that is aimless. No, they were definitely standing around with a purpose and ... posing. For the opposite sex, for the tourists, for anyone. Fascinating.

Saeeda and I found a nice souvenir store that stocked traditional crafts, and we spent a decent amount of time getting things for back home. Saeeda even tried on a kimono, which I thought looked great on her. We realized afterwards that we were still a little dissatisfied with our touring of Tokyo, because we had as yet to come across what we could call the Japanese equivalent of the American downtown. To the best of our abilities, we determined that this would be the Shinjuku neighborhood, which didn't disappoint.

Incidentally, in Shinjuku we came across the world’s busiest Krispy Kreme, with a mass of people lined outside, waiting in an orderly queue to get in. The smell was divine, and I wanted to join them, but I rounded the store corner and realized that the line stretched into the distance - honestly, there had to be a 45min. wait to get into the store. I love my donuts, but I have limits too. The only thing I'd consider waiting that long for would be March Madness tickets.


Lunch consisted of excellent sushi. For those of you who know me, I don’t like sushi at all, but as with the rest of the food we’ve had on this trip, I’ve come to realize that ethnic dining in the US is a pale reflection of the real deal. I was quite satisfied with our meal.


Finally, as tourists in a mega-city's downtown, we had to make the requisite stop at the tallest building around so that we could take a shot of Tokyo lit up at night: