Day 4 - Ginza

Boom Boom Boom - for some reason there is a rather large ceremonial drum outside our apartment and the locals starting banging it at 9am, so we were awoken early.

Today we took the subway east to the shopping district of Ginza. At one point people compared it to the likes of New Yorks 5th avenue, now they say those places are trying to be more like Ginza. It's posh, upmarket and full of famous stores covering many many levels.

The shopping district of Ginza

It appeared to be no car day, allowing pedestrians full access to the roads, and many took advantage by sitting or lying down in the middle of what would normally have been one of the busiest roads in the city!

A gentleman sitting down taking advantage of the open street with no cars

We visited the Sony Centre, covering 8 floors of gadgets, Abercrombie & Fitch, covering 10 floors and the largest UNIQLO store in the world covering a massive 12 floors. Size is everything here it would seem.

Floor 11 of the massive 12 floor UNIQLO

Outside the 11 story Abercrombie & Fitch

Taking a break from the shopping (or window shopping) we ventured on a little excursion to the nearby Hamarikyu Gardens (which are surrounded by a seawater moat). However by the time we got there, taking overpasses not to different from the Highline in New York, the gardens were closed! BTW they close at 4:30pm. But the walk was worth it.

I met Pepper the robot at the Softbank store

This is Otosan the Softbank mascot.

Walking the Tokyo Highline

Had to stop for a Caramel Pudding Coffee from Starbucks

Fancy seeing Wicked in Japanese? It is my all time fav musical.

Ginza or is it New York?

Naturally we visited the Apple Store and to our surprise there was already a queue outside in advance of the launch of the new iPhone 6 launching next week, yes these people have another 5 nights to wait out in line!

A Steve Jobs mask and an Apple outside the Apple Store in Ginza

The line outside the Apple Store Giza for the iPhone 6

That evening we ventured out to AgeHa club, located on the waterfront in eastern Tokyo's reclaimed industrial district of Shin-Kiba. It's quite the journey out taking over an hour on the subway - we just about made it taking the last subway. The venue contains various zones, some indoors others outdoors under the stars including a pool area, beach area and J-POP tent.

A live performance inside the J-Pop Tent

Vinnie tucking into some noodles from the food area.

The Pool Dance area. Under the stars. 

The main dance floor.

Thousands turned up. As it's located miles outside of the city, they provide a free bus back into town which leaves every 30 minutes, but tickets sell out quickly, so most wait until 5am when the subway starts back up again. That's what we did.

The sun rising as we left to catch the first train back into the city.