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As I'm on holiday in Japan I took the chance to look up some old colleagues who used to work in the London office and moved to the Japan office. One in particular started his career in my department as a student placement, became a full time staff member and later transferred to our Tokyo office where he took the opportunity to marry one of the receptionists.

So on Boxing Day (Dec 26 for the non-Brit members) we decided to have a boy's night out.

Started outside his office at 6:30 and walked to Roppongi, which is the area swarming with foreigners chatting up J girls and full of clubs like the famous Gas Panic. There are also many "massage" and "health spa" type of establishments catering to the health conscious Japanese salaryman.

We had dinner at a ramen restaurant. Ramen is a large bowl of thick noodles in soup with some bits of veg and meat and half a boiled egg on top. All washed down with a couple of draft Kirins, an acceptable light beer which is rather pricey at 630 yen per glass since the Japanese do not understand the concept of full measure.

Then to a rather good bar called Heartland which was stuffed with foreigners and 30 something J girls on the pull. One of these made a move on me but I am too old and too married to be doing with that nonsense anymore so I deflected her. It would be nice to think the old magic is still there (I am cultivating the silver fox look) but the truth is any foreigner who isn't Quasimodo can pull in such an environment.

The bar's own beer was only 500 yen per bottle -- most acceptable.

Then by cab to Shibuya, another major entertainment district, where there are a couple of well hidden English pubs. Proper pubs with proper pumps serving proper English bitter including London Pride. So the evening was rounded off with a decent pint. The football was on the telly.

At that point I was summoned home by mobile phone and we had to squeeze onto the Inokashira line which is one of the most crowded in Tokyo and you've got to really push on. Fortunately it was only one stop, then changing to the Odakyu line for the express back to Shinyurigaoka where I am staying with my wife's family. An 11:30 return was early enough to deflect the wife's anger so the only suffering I endured the next morning was a mild hangover. Some chaps I know in worse circumstances have been awoken by the wife vacuum cleaning around their head at 8 o'clock.

All in all a great night out, total expenses being about 5,000 yen which is £37.60 at the current exchange rate. It would have been under £25 in July. It shows you can have a modestly priced good time in Tokyo if you know the places to go.

Is TGI fridays still open in Roppongi? Last time I was there it was closing or refurbing but I couldnt tell which. Not too bothered about the food but I used to find it really funny seeing all the expats and listening to their horribly bizarre interpretations of their Japanese experiences.

Lucky you! I find very few people outside of the UK understand the concept of full measure. Or perhaps they are just being cheap.

http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_10373144

Did you go to the parts where those weird anime fans dress up in costumes to have their pictures taken all day?

legoburner wrote:Is TGI fridays still open in Roppongi? Last time I was there it was closing or refurbing but I couldnt tell which. Not too bothered about the food but I used to find it really funny seeing all the expats and listening to their horribly bizarre interpretations of their Japanese experiences.

I don't know but Hard Rock Cafe is still there where I went drinking with the boss in the late 90s.

stonefox wrote:Did you go to the parts where those weird anime fans dress up in costumes to have their pictures taken all day?

People do that in Akihabara and at Yoyogi Park on a Sunday. I've been to those places but I haven't gone this time.

If you're really interested in anime cosplay you want to go to a game show or comic show or a cosplay festival.

I dind't see a TGI Fridays when i was there last year. I might go back this spring.

Doh actually I am confusing myself, the one in Roppongi is almost certainly still there - it is away from the main roppongi hills area and down one of the side streets, opposite a weird, narrow 3 story supermarket. The one I was thinking of was in Ginza which was either closing down or refurbing but I'm not sure which.

Don't go to Tokyo just for TGI Fridays. It's probably better than the UK version but you are better off in a proper Japanese restaurant.

he he dont worry it is just an occasional thing. The food floor of yodobashi camera in akihibara seems to be the source of a strangely large percentage of my meals when I'm in Tokyo.

TGI Fridays has just opened in Shibuya.

http://www.watami.co.jp/menu_info/0812/f-red/fridays-red.html

"...30 something J girls on the pull."

Care to interpret exactly what that means to those of us who don't speak Englandese?

LOL

Eric

trying to hook up with people

and by hookup I mean have sex with

should just about cover it....

Sounds fun anyway

MagickalMemories wrote:"...30 something J girls on the pull."

Care to interpret exactly what that means to those of us who don't speak Englandese?

LOL

Eric

It means Japanese ladies in their thirties who have gone out to hook up with a guy.

Ah.
I'd presumed the first part.... it was "on the pull" that threw me.
Thanks for the clarification.



Eric