24 Comments
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BKennyB's avatar

Wow! Some massive construction projects, for sure. Sorry to learn that some of your favorite places are gone.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

I'm used to it, Ken. Whattchagonnado?

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Portia's avatar

There are days, when only a hearty paiku tantanmen will do. I hope you'll find new places in which to enjoy good, genuine, robust cooking, Gianni-san!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Don't worry, Portia, there's plenty of those places in Tokyo. Gotta take care of my cholesterol levels, though...

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Portia's avatar

Japanese cuisine has plenty of healthy options, you're going to be fine. You can have a good ol' tonkatsu on your birthday.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Thank you, nurse!

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Baye McNeil's avatar

Looking forward to our promenade!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Likewise! Let's hope the weather gods will smile on us.

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Mariusz Sikorski's avatar

It’s definitely a different place these days. Part tourist amusement park, part fashionable place for younger people, among many other facets.

Can’t say I enjoy it much but then again I’m not exactly the young demographic either.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

It's definitely lost its funkier side. Now it's less typically Japanese, more global, which to me means duller, corporate.

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Mariusz Sikorski's avatar

That definitely came with the push to make it into an IT hub. I’m curious how the station will be once completed though.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Right, though I'm not holding my breath.

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Caroline Howard's avatar

It's sad to think of the characterful old places that are now a building site or another shiny office block. In your second photo of the moyai statue, it seems to be sinking into the ground, a poignant symbol of the area's transformation.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Caroline, as usual you have a great eye for detail. The sinking side faces the station building wall, so I'd never really taken notice of how it looked.

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Patrick Patterson's avatar

Rogosky is gone? Where will I get my frozen vodka?

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Gianni Simone's avatar

That's a tough call.

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Jimmy R's avatar

This is the way most neighborhoods will go if we let the corporations rule. It happened in Musashi Koyama, destroying streets of snack and tiny bars and restaurants. It’s happening everywhere killing the root of what made Tokyo different and interesting.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

I'm totally with you. Jimmy. I used to spend whole days in Shibuya. Now, I just stay long enough to change trains.

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Retiring Gaikokujin's avatar

The Yamanote Walk is on my list of walks to do one day. Will enjoy following this!

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Gianni Simone's avatar

There's so much to see, ideally you should devote at least one week to do the whole loop.

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Igor's avatar

I visited Rogovsky also, not bad, they used to have online shop. May be at least this one still stays, need to check. Yes, Shibuya, no longer interesting, but nearby Daikanyama and Yoyogi-Uehara will appeal to young in age and …at heart.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

Yoyogi-Uehara made a particularly good impression on me. Daikan'yama? Not so much, probably because I'm not into shopping.

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Margaret River's avatar

I remember how exciting Shibuya was when I visited in 1997. I am saddened to hear that it's changing in a way that is killing its character. The massive construction sounds corporate, boring and uninspiring. RIP Shibuya.

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Gianni Simone's avatar

That's exactly the way I feel. Although I'm sure a lot of people still find it exciting.

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