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International Marketing Study Program 2004
Tokyo
4 January 2004
The very first stop for the study tour was the fascinating city in Japan, Tokyo. Upon arriving, it has been pretty much full-on for everyone in the group. We touched down in Tokyo early in the morning, checked into the Ginza Capital Hotel, had a bit of a rest, and by noon that same day, we were on our way to exploring the glorious city. The lovely Kiki, an ex-Monash student who currently works in Japan, met us at the hotel and showed us around for the next few days.
The first place that we visited was the Asakusa Kannon Temple, with the extremely efficient metro system as our means of transport. Even on a Monday afternoon, it was packed with people, with many of the locals heading there to offer their prayers and to receive blessings from the Goddess of Mercy. The path to the temple is lined with hundreds of little food stalls and souvenir shops, offering plenty of trinkets that could be brought home, serving as memories of this ancient temple and the city.
From there, we headed to the Harajuku district, famed as Japan's teenager capital. The words to describe some of the fashion styles encountered here are: unique, quirky, and some just downright bizarre. They definitely got our attention, and some of us even asked to take pictures of some of the more extraordinary get-ups. It was certainly a most interesting experience.
The next place on the list was Roppongi, an area with a very large shopping mall, with the observation deck located here as well. We had our dinner here, with most of us heading to a sushi restaurant for our meal, sushi-train style, picking what we wanted off a conveyor belt. As would be expected in Japan, lots of raw fish and other seafood, plenty of wasabi, and all-you-can-drink green tea.
We parted ways after dinner, with some of us heading back to the hotel for a good rest after a jam-packed day, while another bunch of people left for the last activity for the day, karaoke! Michael and Sandra kicked things off with an Abba song, standing on the seats and belting their hearts out, with the rest of us singing along. Once the alcohol started flowing, no one was shy anymore, with all of us busy requesting songs and getting very close to fighting for the microphone. We ended the night on a high, by singing ‘A Whole New World' as a group.
The next day, Kiki brought the group to Odaiba, which is an enormous shopping area built on reclaimed land in the Port of Tokyo. We had lunch at a restaurant famous for its noodles and where President George Bush had eaten before. Some of the highlights here were the Giant Sky Wheel, the biggest Ferris wheel we had ever seen, measuring at 115 metres high. We also took in the sights at the place, including the Rainbow Bridge and a miniature version of the Statue of Liberty.
After lunch, the group went separate ways. Some headed to Shibuya, another busy district for shopping and entertainment for the younger generations. Some went to Ginza, an area near the hotel, which is one of Tokyo's largest and most famous dining, shopping and entertainment districts. The new Apple concept store was located here and was four storeys high. Each level allowed consumers to try out the latest products with the 4th level offering free use of the internet on gorgeous iMac computers. Others headed for Akihabara, the electronics heaven of Tokyo, and quite a few people in the group came back with the latest electronic gadgets at really cheap prices. The only catch? Figuring out the manuals in Japanese.
On the last day in Tokyo, a small group of us headed to the Tsukiji Fish Market at the ungodly hour of 5 am in the morning. It was certainly a highlight for most of us, watching the auction of some of the biggest tuna fish we had ever seen in probably the weirdest manner. The way the auction is conducted is almost an art form, with the auctioneer moving animatedly on his chair, doing what can be described as a chicken dance, and chanting in a sing-song voice. Definitely a very interesting experience for all of us.
The rest of the day was a free day, leaving the group free to explore wherever they wanted. Some went to the Imperial Palace and the East Gardens, taking in the beautiful scenery in the area. Some also headed to the hot springs, an experience unique to the Japanese culture, which they found very enjoyable and relaxing. A few headed to Tokyo Disneyland, returning with extremely cute and furry Mickey Mouse earmuffs.
That was the Tokyo leg for us, an amazing city with plenty of unforgettable experiences and lots of memories to cherish. There was not enough time to take in everything, but we certainly maximised our time while we were there. The adventure doesn't end here, with the fun continuing as we head on to the UK. Hang on, here we come!
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