The Next Season

I hit up the Supreme store in Nakameguro. This was the original Supreme store in Japan. They now have five. Supreme does it large in Japan. I picked up a shirt and a hat that i’m psyched on.

While I was riding around in Nakameguro I found some crazy hills. Some of them are really serious, you definitely need to watch out for all the pedestrians. Tokyo is incredibly dense with people. I barely got this shot off before 5 people turned the corner.

I took this while sitting on a bench in Yoyogi Park. This park is so peaceful and beautiful. I really love it. I spent the day just relaxing and reading a book, just enjoying the beautiful Tokyo weather. This was the type of relaxation I really needed.

Also in the park I came across these guys practicing their samurai sword fighting skills. Pretty tough for sure.

I met up with some Japanese fixed-gear riders in the park and we went to the basketball courts to ride. They had some skills. This guy’s rocking the new Starfucker’s trick frame.

I met up with one of my sister’s best friends, Miwa, and we took the train out to Asakusa. Check out the sick buddhist statues at the entrance of this temple, so sick.

I tested my luck at the temple with the Buddhist fortune drawers. Miwa translated it for me, turns out I got the best fortune you can get. Says stuff like I’m about to achieve success with work, love and tons of money I think. If it wasn’t Buddhist I wouldn’t care, but Buddhism is amazing. It’s staying in my wallet!

After the temple, Miwa and I hit up an Izakaya for some snacks and beers. First on the list is this tako (octopus) dish. Then some fried chicken cartilage. That was is by far the most different of all the things I’ve eaten in Japan, pretty tasty with a very odd texture. Definitely proof that you can fry anything and it will taste good.

This morning I did a 4am ride out to Japan’s largest tourist attraction, Tsukiji Fish Market. It took me about 50 minutes to ride out there from Shibuya and it was great because there were almost no cars on the road. Listening to my iPod and riding around Tokyo at the wee hours of the morning was amazing. The market was a really cool experience in itself. Watching all the fish just arrive and start to get prepared for the market. Look at the size of this fish! Then I stopped into a sushi bar for the freshest sushi you can eat (no photos of that though since no photography was allowed).

I’ve been hanging at my favorite new bar in Nakameguro, the Kinfolk Lounge with my new friends John and Ryan. Kinfolk make beautiful lugged frames and have a really cool lounge to hang in. These guys rule, I’ll miss hanging with them. More to come on Kinfolk Lounge on WeMakeItGood. I’ll be at the lounge tonight if you want to wish me farewell!

Well that’s about it for Tokyo folks, I head back to NYC in the morning. It’s been an amazing two weeks and I’ve made so many new friends. The best part of traveling though is that I get to return to NYC, and see all my friends there. I have a lot to catch up on I’m sure. Sayonara Suckaz!!!

Tokyo has these vending machines all over the city where you can get all kinds of drinks from soda, water to hot coffee. Fanta makes this Japanese drink called charge. It kind of tastes like lemon flavored soda with a block of jell-o in it that you suck out as you drink. So gross that it’s awesome.

Today I rode out to Imperial Palace. While I was waiting for Jon to take the train out there I found this beautiful park to sit and relax in after my ride. People were just eating lunch, having a catch and sleeping during their lunch breaks. I love Tokyo.

I told Jon to meet me at this statue. Have you ever seen a more bad-ass statue in your life? Whoever this samurai guy is I guarantee he kicked serious ass to get a statue like this. Respect

We went into the Imperial Palace Gardens, which are absolutely beautiful. A really peaceful place to relax and walk around.

Enormous koi fish! I love them so much. They are like 2.5 feet, so sick.

The lighting was really cool in the gardens so we took tons of photos.

This restaurant only had a Japanese menu so ordering was a little difficult at first. Luckily we know three common words: Sashimi, Tempura and Biiru! Wow, it was so good.

After the Imperial Palace we walked to Akihabara, which is the geek capitol of the world. It’s the electronics center of Tokyo and is filled with computer shops, video games and robots of all shapes and sizes. I picked up all these awesome Kaiju as gifts… maybe one is for you!

Well, traveling and hitting the city hard every day can take a lot out of you and avoiding sickness can be really difficult abroad. I myself am feeling a bit under the weather here in tokyo after 6 days in the city. I’ve been drinking a lot of green tea and I made my way to the drugstore (where I can’t read any labels!). Seriously nothing here is in english so one of the guys working there handed me some cold medicine and told me to take 3 pills after each meal. I’ve also been keeping hydrated with my favorite drink, Natchan! Just look how cute that label is. Natchan tastes like orange drink, for the true playas that remember that stuff.

Even though I was a little sick I still hung at W-Base before heading over to a photography opening at the North Face store. They love their trick bikes over here, tons of sick BMW builds etc.

Beer is probably the worst thing for you when you have a cold… but it would be rude for me to refuse this amazing can from my host Yohei, always keeping it classy in Tokyo. W-Base crew FTW

W-Base just came out with these new trick forks two days ago. They look really solid. I don’t do tricks but this trip really makes me want to build a trick bike and start.

After a few Kirin’s we headed over to the North Face store in Shibuya to check out Moment In Time by Miyuki Pai Hirai & Yuri Shibuya. The opening was packed and the work was all black and white shots of NYC in the 90s. Quality stuff. I didn’t stay out late though, then I took the next day off to recoup.

I’m feeling a bit better now, even though under my nose feels like I have flesh eating virus or something. I’m riding out to the Imperial Palace in a few so more to come.

My first few days in Tokyo I got to ride around Shibuya a lot and meet the guys at W-Base. Yohei at W-Base is the man and a few guys took me to see some other shops like this one called Dreamworks Cycles in Shibuya. Just look at this beautiful Eddie Merckx being refurbished. The bikes here are impressive to say the least.

On Sunday I rode from Shibuya up to Shinjuku which was a pretty short, but fun ride. The streets here are super smooth and the traffic, although dense, is pretty courteous towards cyclists. Here’s my bike locked up in Shinjuku.

When I arrived in Shinjuku I walked around a bit and finally found Tsunahachi, a famous tempura restaurant. I waited in a line that wrapped down the street but moved surprisingly efficient and fast (what else is new!). I was seated at the bar where the chefs chop fresh vegetables, fish and other ingredients and fry them right in front of you putting each individual piece on you plate. It’s sooo good, everything I had was amazing. The highlight was this tempura clam and miso soup with clams at the bottom of the bowl.

That night I finally met up with Jon in Shinjuku where we explored the insanity of it’s streets. I can totally see how Ridley Scott was inspired to make Blade Runner’s city after a visit to Shinjuku. I’ve never seen so many people in my life as they spilled out of Shinjuku station into the alleyway streets. Total organized chaos.

While in Shinjuku we located Keika Kumamoto Ramen, a famous ramen house, known especially for it’s pork ramen. Just look for the Pig sculpture out front! It is probably the most amazing ramen I’ve ever had, the sauce is creamy and amazing. We stumbled out of there so full and kind of buzzed from all the biiru.

Salvame spotting in Shibuya! Shi-BOOYA NYC represent

My friend Sheina recommended that I hit up Choco Cro in Harajuku. So glad I did because it’s so good. Chunks of chocolate in croissants. One day I had green tea chocolate and another day I had banana chocolate. Tasty!

Monday we were walking around Harajuku and came across this stand. We tried the Takoyaki which is basically battered octopus balls (kind of covered in pancake batter and sauces) really really good!

I can’t tell you the name of this place because everything is in Japanese. It’s located by my hotel and there’s always a line down the block to get in. The ordering is all done electronically through a machine. I had no idea what I was doing so I just pushed a button. It was absolutely amazing noodles. It was Abura-Soba, basically noodles with no broth. You pour vinegar and chili oil on them and they lie on a bed of chili oil. Super spicy and amazing, by far the best noodles I’ve ever had. I will have to go here again!

Here’s Jon at scramble crossing at Shibuya Station last night. It’s totally insane and amazing.

That’s all for now I’m about to go ride and explore more. More photos and video to come!