Dinner in Shibuya
The plan for the evening: Head over to Shibuya to meet up with some of Emi’s friends for dinner.
The restaurant that Emi picked was on the 15th floor of a building in central Shibuya. The exterior walls of the elevator were clear, so we had a fantastic view on the way! On the walk over, as we passed through the busiest intersection in the world, I thought aloud: We live here. Life is fantastic.
While it looked normal enough from the outside, once you poked in through the curtains you enter into a *giant* restaurant. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a restaurant so big in Japan. The window seats were reserved for large groups, with tables set into various sized cubby holes. The interior of the restaurant had about 20 tables – and they were jam-packed when we arrived. The vibe seemed to be both young and international.
Emi’s friends thought we should alternate and mix up a bit, so we weren’t just talking to the people that we came with. I think our side of the table was a little hesitant at first, but I’m glad we ended up doing it. Emi’s friends are so nice! I remember saying the same thing about Sayo’s friends last year – I wonder if we just run into the best that a country has to offer, or if all Japanese people really are this fantastic.
We left ordering dinner up to the people who knew the food best, so we were plesantly surprised every time the waitress brought a few thigns out. Overall, the food was really light – lots of things set on different types of lettuces. Some one ordered orange chicken (the kind you get at chinese restaurants), and I was utterly dismayed to find out the Japanese word for it is “orangey chickenu”. Seriously?
But mostly, we drank. A lot. For two hours, the waiters plied us with monster-sized pitchers of Kirin:
We stopped for a picture on the way out. Too bad you can’t see the backdrop of the city that we were standing in front of.
At the end of the night, we say goodbye to our friends and hurry to grab one of the last trains home. The train is standing room only, and I’m happy to have a finagled a corner spot where I can lean against the walls.
