東京へようこそ！Welcome to Tokyo!

The day started at 9:30ish, when I met a friend at Kyoto Station. Twelve minutes later, we were on the Nozomi number 116 super-express train to Tokyo. (Side note: while "super-express" is still used in English, the equivalent Japanese "chotokkyu" isn't really used anymore.) This was my first time on the shinkansen, and it was certainly awesome.

今日は九時半に京都駅で友達と会った。12分後で、僕らは東京行きののぞみ116号超特急を乗った。それは、新幹線の初めてだ。すごかった。

The Nozomi ("nozomi" means "desire" in Japanese) shinkansen only makes three stops between Kyoto and Tokyo. So we were in Tokyo by 12:15, about two and a half hours after the train left Kyoto. It really didn't feel like we were going all that fast... but clearly we were. I mean, 500 kilometers in two and a half hours... that's an average speed of 125 miles an hour, which is a lot faster than the other option, the bus. (Airlines are too annoying.)

そののぞみ新幹線は駅を三つだけ止まる。だから、京都から東京まで2時半ぐらいかかって、12時15分ぐらい東京に着いた。速くないって感じけど．．．まあ、本当に速いよ。2時間半で500キロを行って．．．バスより速かった。（飛行機は面倒くさい。）

Once we got off at Tokyo station, we proceeded to get horribly lost. Somehow, despite Google Maps having the right address, it sent us off into Chiyoda ward, when our hotel was in Sumida ward. The difference? At least a mile, if not two. Oh, and different wards in Tokyo might as well be different cities. So yeah... very, very lost.

東京駅で降りた後、迷った。すごく迷った。なんとか、正しい住所があったけど、グーグルマップは「千代田区に行け」。僕らのホテルは墨田区にある。違いは．．．まあ、5キロぐらい。そして、違う区は違う都市みたいね。だから、すごく迷った。

Thankfully, the police officers that we asked pointed us in the right direction, and we had time to spare. So it didn't ruin the trip or anything. Our hotel is nice... kind of expensive, but I don't mind. And it's literally right next to a train station, so it's very convenient.

交番を行って、正しい指示を教えてくれた。だから、大丈夫。ホテルはいいね．．．ちょっと高いけど、かまわない。そして、駅の隣にいるから、便利よ。

Hmm, what should I do next... of course. Did I mention that the Akihabara station is literally two stops away?

次はどうすればいいかな．．．あ、もちろん。秋葉原駅は近いね。