I was couchsurfing for the first three days of the trip. My host Jay was wonderful, his advice and knowledge of Tokyo helped me find my feet a lot quicker.

I’m now in a ryokan about five minutes from Ueno by bike. Its a terrific traditional style lodging that I am surprises can exist in this hyper-modern city.

Tokyo is bonkers.

I have been wandering around the city for a few days. Many of the popular tourist attractions I haven’t seen yet, but I spent a day just walking to each district. This is the best way, I feel, to find your feet in a new city. It is much easier to get a sense of a place by walking it rather than hoping on and off subway stops.

Of course I would much rather be cycling around the city, but my bike has been out of action for the last few days. It spent its first night at the airport where I abandoned it after being refused entry to the train due to my lacking a Rinko-bukuro (bicycle bag).

I made a quick foray into Shibuya to buy such a bag. After I had rescued it from the airport my bike still had to spend the next few days at my hosts house while I wandered the city. It was only today that it was fully assembled and operational for the first time in Japan.

I took it for a quick spin from my new lodgings in more central Tokyo, and already I feel like I have a completely new perspective on the city. I plan tomorrow to take it down to the waterfront via a stop to explore Akihabara. Then finally visit the Imperial Palace.

Tokyo got off to a rocky start but now I can’t wait to jump into it.