My second day in Japan started bright and early as I met up with a co-worker and her sister (who both happened to be in Tokyo as well) for some Sushi at Sushi Dai in the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo…at 8am. The sad thing is, they opened up at 5am so we had to wait an additional two hours in line (believe it or not, some people actually show up at the crack of dawn to eat at this place), but being my second trip there, I was prepared for the wait, and they were patient enough to bare the line as well. In the end, everyone felt it was definitely worth it.

When you finally enter, the sushi chefs inside are genuinely excited to meet people and greet you with excitement  (unlike the half-hearted greetings you get at some sushi places), and a sushi nazi line woman (aka the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld could be her New York cousin) makes sure that everyone knows the drill and stands in a teacher-approved end of recess line-up outside the door before you go in.

Apparently more than 30% of the fish consumed in Japan pass through this fish market every morning…from crazy two ton tuna to razorneck clams, this place has it all. If you can bare the smell (and the sights) of gutted fish, it’s definitely a must do on a trip to Tokyo. I guess before, you used to be able to watch the live Tuna auctions in the morning, but I think they stopped it due to security issues in recent years.

Back to Sushi Dai: Being my second time there, I knew exactly what I wanted—of course, the Omakase Order (Chef’s Choice/Set Menu) of 11 delicately made pieces of delicately made sushi for $45, which includes buttery tuna toro, a surfclam that still moves on your plate, and the freshest sea urchin you’ll ever have, all created with careful attention and excellent presentation (check out the BRAIDED sushi)—a steal considering similar sets at Nobu would cost you quadruple that or more, not to mention all the fish they serve was caught just hours before that morning.  By far, this was definitely the best deal to be had in all of Tokyo. The Chefs open up shop at 5am, and then close down at 1pm, breakfast/lunch only.  It’s gonna be hard getting back to Hara sushi in West LA after this…

Even if fish isn’t your thing—there’s fish themed products as well around the marketplace, including this awesome fish-molded dessert filled with a sweet red-bean filling (think a Japanese twinkie shaped like a fish)., and endless stalls of udon and tempura as well.—just don’t come on a Sunday, when the whole marketplace turns into a ghost town on their day off.

After this morning excursion, I spent the afternoon checking off some of the neighborhoods I missed on my last trip to Tokyo, and ended up walking around Roppongi, which has some cool sights (and shopping, if you’re into that), including an observation tower where you can see the entire city from the 102^nd (or 103^rd?) floor.

The subways in Tokyo are AMAZING. I would definitely consider public transportation in Tokyo is quite arguably the best in the world, with the cleanest subway stations, clear signage, and a noticeable lack of strange smells coming out of air vents (no offense, NYC).  Getting into the city from Narita, the Express train has comfortable seating, and even plugs in their first class (green cabins). Airport to Tokyo takes only about 50 minutes, with animated LCD screens telling you when to get off in Japanese, English and Chinese, and also updating you on any potential delays on the line.

Probably the biggest glaring difference here, however, is that people are SO quiet. There’s no annoying street hustler announcing “CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION LADIES AND GENTLEMAN…I MOVED HERE 6 MONTHS AGO AND NEED MONEY…..” or Chicas from Washington Heights walking around selling pirated Latin Pop CDs. In fact, there’s NO NOISE at all. No talking, no whispering, no cell phone ringing. Everyone is either staring blankly ahead, or listening to music quietly on their headphones. Surprisingly, the subways are are more quiet than awkward elevator rides in an office building here in the states.

 TRAVEL TIP: Taking the Narita Express from the airport, I realized this time around that you can buy what’s called a Roundtrip SUICA-NEX (Subway + Airport Express Train) pass for about $70 USD, which is a steal considering that it also includes $20 of credit to use on any subway line in Tokyo. Last time, my buddy Aaron C. and I spent over $120 alone just getting around to/from the airport and around town. Cabs are expensive here, so avoid them if you can help it (going two miles cost me $30 last time!).  Think going from the Westside to Hollywood expensive?? It’s a steal compared to where that would get you in Tokyo!

This was my third short trip to Tokyo this past year…all happening on expanded overnight layovers either to or from other parts of Asia (hey, you gotta get the most out of your vacation days). But as much as I love this city, it’s culture and the people (despite their lack of English while being so consumed by American culture), I can’t understand how most average Tokyo-dwellers manage to get by. Just trekking around town, picking up a few snacks and drinks along the way, you can easily spend a couple hundred dollars doing what would typically cost you maybe $50-$70 MAX in LA.

Getting a Whiskey on the rocks at the Park Hyatt where Bill Murray drank each night in “Lost In Translation?” Expect to pay about $22 per glass. A little ramen after midnight? About $13 a bowl.

Of course, deals are to be found, but when your Japanese is limited, you’re basically stuck with restaurants that either have plastic models of their food out front, or an automated food-ordering machine with photo buttons. It’s a cool system, and luckily most restaurants have a combination of both, or an open kitchen so you can point to what you want—but it’s those off the beaten path tiny hole in the walls in the back alleyways that still continue to allude me.

After landing at Narita and checking into my hotel near Shinjuku last night, I skipped the whiskey and went straight for the ramen. Luckily, in the Shinjuku area, the alleyways are lit up at night with endless amounts of small Izikayas (Japanese tapas), noodle shops, and neighborhood bars (and even a British Pub if you can believe it).  On a Monday evening, things are pretty slow, but on the weekends, I would compare it to 6^th Street in Austin or First Fridays in Venice on a warm summer night–packed and full of energy.

In my Lonely Planet guidebook, there was a 200 year-old soba noodle places I was trying to find, but it’s either closed down, or the sign was in Japanese so after circling around the supposed block 5 times, I gave up and went to the next crowded restaurant, called Gachi—and it turned out to be incredible! Tsukoman Ramen…it came with a bowl of gravy sauce that you dip your noodles in, awesome idea.

More on the Tsukiji Fish Market later, and then off to Hong Kong!

On my last trip to Japan, I learned the hard way that you DO NOT fall asleep on a trans-pacific flight in the first 30 minutes, because you’ll lose your meal! I woke up, 3 hours into flight, excited about this four course meal that I had selected pre-flight, only to realize that meal service was over, and I think one of the flight attendants was eating my steak! ARRGH. Talk about some flight attendant shadiness and in business class, nonetheless!

Anyway, I stayed up long enough to be rewarded with a pretty great menu. Delta’s definitely been kicking it up a notch by having celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein  design their menus this past year…crab cake salad and warm tomato bisque as an app? Don’t mind if I do. (and yes, that is “Friends with Benefits” playing on my screen, surprisingly, it’s worth renting if you haven’t seen it).

Sitting in the SFO Delta Skylounge (on my layover), I spotted that, YES! They had all the ingredients to make Heaven!!! (Credit goes to Matt W. who concocted the drink on a weekend trip we had to Santa Cruz earlier in the year). To make it, all you need is a glass of ice filled with Disaronno and Bailey’s—the result? Heaven in a glass. Recently, our friend Jimmy F. improved upon the mixture, which he shared with me last night, by making it with 4 parts Disaronno Bailey’s and 1 part Bailey’s Disarrono, which gives it more of a kick and less like chocolate milk. Try it—it’s amazingness in a glass. *UPDATE* Playing bartender in the self-serve Sky Lounge almost made me miss my flight! Luckily, I was the last one onto the plane, and ran over while they were paging my name across the terminal. Yikes….

Next stop: Tokyo.

It’s 1:30AM, and my flight leaves in about 7 hours. Yup…my procrastination got the better of me once again, and now I’m trying to figure out which of these 10 travel books I can actually stuff into my carry-on bag, yanno the 18″x30″ inch bag that’s supposed to last me through the entire trip. As I sit in the mess surrounding my living room–stacks of itineraries and boarding documents, random clothes and socks, it’s finally starting to sync in that I may actually be in over my head. Eight countries in three weeks?!…what was I thinking?!

Welcome to the world of UNDER CEEJ, and thanks for stopping by. I’ll try not to bore you along the way.