Japan > Farewell to Brutus

Upon waking up, our trip is truly over. Today, we only have to bring the car and motorcycles to the port and complete the formalities there. At half past seven, we leave the hotel. We have an appointment at ten o’clock at the port of Yokohama, about forty kilometers away. The streets are crowded with pedestrians. Whole groups of people—mostly men—cross when the pedestrian light turns green. Everyone is dressed in dark trousers and a white shirt, on their way to work. We are heading to Yokohama. Traffic looks heavy near the toll road, but most drivers avoid it. Once we reach the elevated toll road, driving becomes smooth. Traffic in the opposite direction, heading into Tokyo, is at a standstill. At the split toward Yokohama, we encounter another toll gate. The man wants to see our ticket. We hadn’t expected this. We had thrown it somewhere in the car and pick up various receipts from the floor, all old. Eventually, the man gestures for us to go. We don’t need to pay again. Only then do we realize the ticket was tucked with the change. Within an hour, we arrive at the port of Yokohama. We are far too early. We drive the vehicles into the hangar but must wait for the coordinator, with whom we have a ten o’clock appointment. Staff direct us to the waiting area.

Japan - The tall skyscrapers of Tokyo

The coordinator arrives sooner than expected, and the formalities proceed smoothly. No customs, no baggage check. He makes copies of our passports, keeps the Carnet de Passage, and we sign a form. The moment has come to say goodbye to Brutus. In one and a half to two months, we’ll see him again in the Netherlands—hopefully in the same condition. By taxi, we go to Yokohama station. A railway employee helps us get tickets from the machine. The train leaves from platform two in just three minutes, he says. We hurry to the platform. The train arrives exactly on time. At the next station, we transfer to the express train to Tokyo. Within half an hour, we are back at Shinbashi Station, near our hotel. In the Ginza district, we meet up with the girls again. We have coffee and a snack, also discussing plans for the next few days. Until now, I hadn’t really thought about them. We decide to visit the fish market, the palace, and the Senso-ji Temple over the next two days. This afternoon, everyone does their own thing. I enjoy walking alone for a while through the city, with nothing else around me. I walk south from the busy Ginza district. It is clear how organized everything is in Japan. At construction sites, attendants stand at the gates to stop or warn pedestrians. Yesterday, we saw someone walking with a flag next to a street sweeper in a parking lot. In the park, a man walks ahead of a truck to warn pedestrians. Perhaps the peak of caution: at a busy intersection, two men stand by the pedestrian light to prevent people from crossing on red. Infrastructure in Japan is often layered. Trains run on elevated tracks, traffic flows underneath, and the metro hangs above the road. In some areas, entire pedestrian promenades are on the same level. Amid all this traffic and skyscrapers lies the former Hama Palace Garden—a quiet spot in the busy city. I stroll through the park and admire the simple flower garden, passing the tea pavilion.

Japan - Tokyo at night

From the palace garden, I cut diagonally through to Shaki Park. On the west side of the park stands the 333-meter-high Tokyo Tower. The bright red tower mirrors the shape of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Beneath the tower is a large food center, with numerous restaurants trying to attract tourists. I find the €35 admission fee to go up the tower a bit steep, so I walk around the building to take photos from the ground. Right next to the tower is the Jojo-ji Temple. This enormous Buddhist temple was rebuilt in 1975 on the site of the original temple from 1393. In the evening, we head together to the Shinjuku entertainment district. The metro is crowded. At every door, attendants are ready to push passengers inside. I’ve heard about this phenomenon often, but it’s surreal to experience it firsthand. Other passengers accept the shoving calmly. At Shinjuku Station, twilight begins to fall. Large illuminated advertisements light up the surroundings. Near the station is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which has an observation deck on its top floor. We take a lightning-fast elevator to the 45th floor. As dusk descends over Tokyo, I have a view of the city, with lights turning on everywhere—a stunning sight. Back in Shinjuku, we order drinks at a terrace café. Cafés and restaurants abound. We want sushi at an authentic Japanese restaurant. The one recommended on TripAdvisor is completely full. A few streets away, we find a nice alternative. In a private room, we sample various sushi. The fresh fish is excellent.