I can now die happy, although another week would be good too.

Regarding the title, that comes at the end of the story. Until then, I'll tell you all about my night.

I met Yuya in the hotel lobby around 16:30 (4:30PM) or so and we went to Shibuya to see the crossing. Right outside of Shibuya Station is Shibuya Crossing, a very busy intersection which stops traffic in all directions for people to cross in all directions including diagonally from corner to corner. This was Yuya's first time in Shibuya as well. We searched for a record store so that I could buy the new Perfume single but couldn't find one for awhile. We had dinner at a ramen shop where I got shio ramen and rice. Later as we walked back towards the station we found a CD store that was literally the first building we passed when we arrived in Shibuya. The store was called Tsutaya and shortly after exploring a bit, I fell in love with it. It had all the albums from my favorite (Japanese) bands. With the help of Yuya, I eventually found the single I was looking for and later I even found a new Base Ball Bear album that I didn't know even existed. It came out this month, I guess, but I didn't buy it because it was too expensive.

The statue at the Hachiko exit of Shibuya Sta. (Look up Hachiko if you don't know).

The new Kaela Kimura album, 8EIGHT8, from which I already have a few tracks.

A sign for Base Ball Bear's new album, which I really want now.

Afterward, we took the train to Shinjuku Station (The busiest train station in the world with nearly 3.5 million people using it each day) and made our way to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Here we took the elevator to the 45th floor, where there is a restaurant, a few shops, and is of course, an observation deck. This was the highest up I've ever been in a building. This was also Yuya's first time in Shinjuku. When we arrived back at Shinagawa Station, we said our goodbyes and parted ways. Yuya says he will come to America next year, and we will still stay in contact of course. I definitely want to come back to Tokyo in a year or two to study abroad. I long to be a Tokyoite. Besides perhaps having a lovely female Japanese companion, I want nothing more.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

From the 45th floor.

On my way back to the hotel from the station, there was a class of school girls in high school uniforms. One of them said, "ハロー," or "Haro" (hello). She obviously recognized me as a gaijin (foreigner) and as some Japanese often do, greeted me in English. In response to having their attention, I showed them my shirt, which I now consider  to be one of the single greatest investments I've ever made. This of course resulted in laughter all around. I could hardly contain my excitement from here on. After reading the shirt, they all began to push one particular girl toward me, as if to say, "You should be his girlfriend," in that joking way my own friends and I have done. One girl looked at me and put her hand out, signaling me to shake hands with her. With that, I proceeded to my room. As I walked, I began to think, "Why am I walking away? I should stay there and try to converse with them. They're Japanese school girls for God's sake." I decided once I got to my room, I would dump my backpack and take my iPod (with Japanese phrase book app) and go back down to speak with them. I found them where I left them, and the girl who shook my hand recognized me again and waved. After scrolling through the phrase book deciding what to say, I approached her and the other girls and spoke.


Me: Konnichiwa (Hello)
Her: Konnichiwa (Hello)
Me: Watashi no namae wa Daniel desu. (My name is Daniel.)
[She high fives her two friends on both sides of her. They seem impressed.]
Her: (She says something, but I don't know/remember what it was exactly.)
Me: Oai dekite ureshi desu (I'm pleased to meet you.)
Her: (Again I forget, but she probably said something similar back.)
Me: Onamae wa nan desuka? (What's your name?)
Her: (She speaks too fast for me to grasp what she says.)
Me: Eh?
Her: Madoka.
Me: Ah, Madoka.
[She looks away and then back at me with almost sad eyes as she signals with her hands that she has to leave, as the class is moving]
Me: Sayonara. (Goodbye.)
Her: Sayonara...Mai Darin (My Darling.)

Needless to say, this is the reason I can now die happy. I am as giddy as a...well...school girl! Its about 01:00 (1AM) now, so I really should get to sleep.

Until next time,
Daniel