The day after was spent in Tokyo. We got off at Shibuya station and the first thing that we saw in this Japanese trip has been the statue of the loyal dog Hachiko. Exactly next to Hachiko, there is the famous Shibuya crossing: zebra lines in every direction, even diagonally, because the crowd is so much during the rush hour, that they can cross everywhere they want.
Il giorno dopo l'abbiamo trascorso a Tokyo. Siamo scesi alla stazione di Shibuya e la prima cosa che abbiamo visto in questo viaggio in Giappone è stata la statua del fedele cane Hachiko. Esattamente accanto a Hachiko, ci sono le famose strisce pedonali di Shibuya: linee zebrate in ogni direzione, anche in diagonale, perché la folla è così tanta nelle ore di punta, che può attraversare dove vuole.
Την επόμενη μέρα την περάσαμε στο Τόκιο. Βγήκαμε στο σταθμό Shibuya και το πρώτο πράγμα που είδαμε σε αυτό το ιαπωνικό ταξίδι ήταν το άγαλμα του πιστού σκύλου Hachiko. Ακριβώς δίπλα απο το Hachiko, υπάρχει η διάσημη διασταύρωση του Shibuya: γραμμές προς όλες τις κατευθύνσεις, ακόμη και διαγώνια, επειδή ο κόσμος είναι τόσο πολύ κατά τη διάρκεια της ώρας αιχμής, που μπορεί να διασχίσει παντού.




Then we explored the area across the street full of shopping malls, with sounds, songs and games. In few words we got immediately inside the Japanese reality. If you are hungry I suggest to stop at the restaurant Muteppo, they don't speak a lot of English, but just order a "set" of Ramen and trust them! They are cheap and the portions are big. It is not turistic at all and you will live a full Japanese experience.
Poi abbiamo esplorato l'area dall'altra parte della strada piena di centri commerciali, con suoni, canzoncine bambinesche e giochi. In poche parole siamo entrati immediatamente nella realtà giapponese. Se vi viene fame, suggerisco di fermarsi al ristorante Muteppo, non parlano molto inglese, ma ordinate un "set" di Ramen e fidatevi di loro! Sono economici con grandi porzioni. Non è affatto turistico e vivrete un'esperienza totalmente giapponese.
Στη συνέχεια διερευνήσαμε την περιοχή απέναντι, με τα εμπορικά κέντρα γεματα ήχους, τραγούδια και παιχνίδια. Με λίγα λόγια καταλίξαμε αμέσως στην ιαπωνική πραγματικότητα. Εάν σας πιάνει πείνα, προτείνω να σταματήσετε στο εστιατόριο Muteppo, δεν μιλούν πολλά αγγλικά, αλλά απλά να παραγγείλετε ένα "set" Ramen και να τους εμπιστευτείτε! Είναι φτηνά και οι μερίδες είναι μεγάλες. Δεν είναι καθόλου τουριστικός και θα ζήσετε μια ιαπωνική εμπειρία.





We kept walking from Shibuya till the Shinto shrine of Meiji Jingu. This was the first experience with a Japanese shrine, we learnt to clean our hands and mouth before entering, we learnt how to pray ringing the bells of the shrine and we admired the colourful barrels of sake that you can find on the way.
Abbiamo continuato a camminare da Shibuya al santuario shintoista di Meiji Jingu. Questa è stata la nostra prima esperienza con un santuario giapponese, abbiamo imparato a lavare mani e bocca prima di entrare, abbiamo imparato a pregare suonando le campane del santuario e abbiamo ammirato le botti colorate di sake che trovate lungo la via.
Συνεχίσαμε από το Shibuya στο ιερό Shinto του Meiji Jingu. Αυτή ήταν η πρώτη μας εμπειρία με ένα ιαπωνικό ιερό, μάθαμε να πλύνουμε τα χέρια και το στόμα μας πριν μπουμε, μάθαμε να προσευχόμαστε χτυπώντας τις καμπάνες του ιερού και θαυμάσαμε τα πολύχρωμα βαρέλια του sake που μπορείτε να βρείτε στο δρόμο.















After the Shinto shrine, we decided to see a Buddhist temple, the Sensoji Temple in Taito City (we got by metro). This was an incredible experience! All the shrines and temples close around 16.00 maximum 17.00. We arrived around 17.00, unfortunately the souvenir shops in the street to reach it were closed, but the lights of the temple and the pagoda were on, and it has been sooooo magical, you can see it from the pictures!
Dopo il santuario shintoista, abbiamo deciso di visitare un tempio buddista, il tempio Sensoji nella  Taito City (siamo arrivati in metropolitana). Questa è stata un'esperienza incredibile! Tutti i santuari e i templi chiudono intorno alle 16.00, al massimo alle 17.00. Siamo arrivati intorno alle 17.00, purtroppo i negozi di souvenir nella strada per raggiungerlo erano chiusi, ma le luci del tempio e della pagoda erano accese, ed è stato estremamente magico, potete vederlo dalle foto!
Μετά το ιερό Shinto, αποφασίσαμε να δούμε έναν ναό Buddhist, τον Ναό Sensoji στην Taito City (πήραμε το μετρό). Αυτή ήταν μια απίστευτη εμπειρία! Όλα τα ιερά και οι ναοί κλείνουν γύρω στις 16.00 το μεσημέρι, η στις 17.00. Φτάσαμε γύρω στις 17.00, δυστυχώς τα καταστήματα με σουβενίρ στο δρόμο μπροστά ήταν κλειστά, αλλά τα φώτα του ναού και της παγόδας ήταν αναμμένα, και ήταν μαγικό, μπορείτε να το δείτε από τις εικόνες!











We headed west to the Sumida river, where we had the spectacular view of the tall Tokyo Skytree tower reflected in the water. Before returning home we had dinner in the area, in the restaurant Yakitori, that I definitely suggest, but it is a little bit more expensive than the first one, and the portions were a little bit smaller, but the quality was GREAT. Our night ended with a beer in a cat cafe... It was an experience that I really wanted to try, but that I definitely not suggest. Maybe I was just not lucky, but the smell was really bad and the place was kept in bad conditions. The cats were treated well, but they didn't seem happy to be pet, maybe cause a lot of people do it. And it was extremely expensive, cause you pay a sort of entrance plus your drink.
Poi ci siamo diretti ad ovest verso il fiume Sumida, da dove si può godere della vista spettacolare dell'alta torre Skytree di Tokyo riflessa nell'acqua. Prima di tornare a casa abbiamo cenato in zona, nel ristorante Yakitori, che consiglio vivamente, anche se è un po' più costoso del primo citato, e le porzioni sono un po' più piccole, ma la qualità è FANTASTICA. La nostra serata si è conclusa con una birra in un bar per gatti... È stata un'esperienza che volevo davvero provare, ma che sicuramente non consiglio. Forse non sono stata fortunata, ma l'odore era davvero cattivo e il posto era tenuto in cattive condizioni. I gatti erano trattati bene, ma non sembravano felici di essere accarezzati, forse per le molte persone che lo fanno. Ed è estremamente costoso, perché si paga una sorta di ingresso, più un drink.
Προχωρήσαμε δυτικά στον ποτάμι Sumida, όπου έχει καταπληκτική θέα του ψηλό πύργο του Τόκιο Skytree που αντανακλάται στο νερό. Πριν επιστρέψουμε στο σπίτι φάγαμε στην περιοχή, στο εστιατόριο Yakitori, που σίγουρα προτείνω, αλλά είναι λίγο πιο ακριβό από το πρώτο που σας είπα και οι μερίδες είναι λίγο μικρότερες, αλλά η ποιότητα είναι φοβερή. Η νύχτα μας τελείωσε με μια μπύρα σε ένα cat cafe... Ήταν μια εμπειρία που πραγματικά ήθελα να δοκιμάσω, αλλά σίγουρα δεν προτείνω. Ίσως δεν ήμουν τυχερή, αλλά η μυρωδιά ήταν πραγματικά κακή και το μέρος δεν ήταν οράιος. Οι γάτες φαινόντουσαν μια χαρά, αλλά δεν φάνηκαν χαρούμενα οταν προσπαθίσαμε να τα χαιδέψουμε, ίσως επιδί πολλοι ανθρώποι το κάνουν. Και ήταν ακριβά, πληρώνετε ένα είδος εισόδου συν το ποτό σας.