i stood in line for 2.5 hours when i arrived in japan. i stood in line for 40 minutes trying to check into my hotel in tokyo. there are chinese tourists everywhere! coming in by the train loads and bus loads. good for the japanese economy because they spend a lot of money, but not good if you don’t like to wait in lines like me.

i have a free time for lunch in tokyo. i ask a friend where the best place is. i put it in my google map and start my 15 minute walk there. i get out of the hotel and it’s raining! omg!

i get to the ramen shop in ikebukuro. i’m soaking wet, then realize that i have to stand in line for 40 minutes in the rain. no umbrella for this gaijin. it’s 11 degrees, it’s raining, but i’m committed to eat ramen no matter what.

thank goodness i brought my rain jacket on this trip.

i tell the lady “i want the most popular ramen on the menu.”

i finally get a seat. i’m freezing cold but warm up instantly when my hot ramen comes. wow, looks so good!

i order an extra egg and char siu. total cost 1000 yen or $8.

i eat and drink every drop. the absolute best ramen i’ve ever eaten in tokyo. i’m happy, i’m satisfied, and i’m ready to walk in the rain again.

i highly recommend you eating here if you’re ever in tokyo. i’ll be back there again for sure. but next time, i’ll take an umbrella.

this is the shops name. and here is the address. just copy and paste it into google maps and it will take you right to the doorstep.
無敵屋
東京都豊島区南池袋1-17-1 崎本ビル

i get back on the subway. just siting there people watching.

and i’ve noticed they built barriers with gates along the tracks. why? is this to prevent people from jumping in front of trains?
anyway, gotta get to the airport today in the 6 degree freezing weather and rain again. no umbrella but i’ll make it there somehow. another flight, another country. see ya!

A very elegant night.
Fine wine.
Fine food.
Fine friends.

gosh, was a journey to wakayama, shikoku, and tokyo. my trip is only 4 days young but feels like weeks. traveling in japan is super fun for me. been doing it for so long that it feels like home. nice people, nice food, nice surf, and nice country.

being a winner is a great feeling. and after fighting through the tough conditions must make it even more rewarding. here is the winners for the special class division! thank you Kanae-san for the photo.

just another magic board in the testing. my 2nd surf in shikoku in 2 days. water was freezing cold but things warm up when you’re surfing with great equipment and awesome friends. now i have a clear mind what my next custom board will look like. Kanae-san took this photo and if you look good, you can see Inomata-san in the background.

and here is Inomata-san again. i took a few shots of our morning monday session. the waves were super fun and if you were lucky, you could have caught some really good ones. Inomata-san caught some of the best waves that morning. can’t wait to download the photos of that session. stay tuned.

another day, and another plane ride. i think i must have a million miles already.

i land in tokyo, jump on a 55 minute train ride, and end up in ikebukuro. coming from the country side in shikoku, then all of a sudden in the busiest city of the world in tokyo is shocking.

for the past 25 years, i’ve been seeing cherry blossoms every year in japan. i love it so much and it makes me so happy to see it in full bloom. i can take photos and photos of it every year and never get tired of looking at it. this is culture, this is japan.
**CLICK HERE FOR FULL GALLERY FOR TSSC USERS CUP 2015. sorry the photos are a little foggy, it’s because the weather was a little bit more than a little foggy.