Sept 19 – Land, take the NEX to Shinjuku, get lost trying to find the hotel, miss the PlayStation party, eat an extraordinarily expensive sashimi dinner.
Sept 20 – Meet up with Ittousai, hit Tokyo Game Show (including Kaz Hirai’s opening speech). Later: Akihabara run, but nothing is purchased.
Sept 21 – TGS day two, head to pick up rental cellphones, get seriously lost, head back for Microsoft’s press shindig, get back to hotel and collapse.
Sept 22 – Meiji-jingu temple, quick run through of Omotesando (shopping area), a bit of time spent marveling at the “colorful” Harajuku kids, plenty more time spent hanging around Roppongi, Daikonyama, and Ebisu.
Sept 23 – A little shopping in Shibuya, Yoyogi park area fun-fest (including Japanese greasers, street musicians, and the weekly yard sale en masse), lunch with Tyler and a really fun, helpful, and completely random Japanese girl (Miho-san), then Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Sept 24 – Late start, hop on a bus to the infamous Kiyomizu temple, get hopelessly lost, eventually find the shrine and have an unbelievable time (including, in order: zaru-soba and sake, cold spring water, lots of rain, and mochi).
Sept 25 – Nijo castle, get lost in the cab on the way to our semi-impromptu tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace (thankfully we made it in time), long-ass bus ride out to the just-closed Kinkaku-ji temple. Bummer.
Sept 26 – Up early and head to Osaka. Hit Kaiyukan Aquarium and Osaka castle before eating massive amounts of food in Kuidaore and Shinsaibashi. Somehow manage not to get lost at all.
Sept 27 – Up early, finally hit up Kinkaku-ji before meeting up with Chris and Erin in Nagoya. The ironically emotional experience of going to the now-closed Robot Museum. “Late” night drinking (if you can define late as being in bed by 1am).
Sept 28 – Nara, Nara park, friggin’ aggressive sacred deer, mind-blowing Todai-ji shrine (one of the largest free-standing wooden structures housing one of the largest Buddha statues in the world)
Sept 29 – Back to Tokyo. Tons of shopping (for Veronica) in Shibuya. Accidental order of chicken hearts with our yakitori.
Sept 30 – Wandering around electronics stores in Shibuya with V in the morning, then in Akihabara with Ittousai in the evening. DS Lite + a few games acquired.

More to come!

*If you guessed: getting lost, shopping, and visiting castles, temples, or shrines, you win a gold star.