World Cup!

I remember when I first came to Japan, about 5 years ago, and I knew I'd mis-timed it by about a year. Surely it would have been wiser to visit in 2002 so as to catch the World Cu, which that year was in Japan and South Korea. However, I can remember that even one year before the greatest sports tournament in the world started, there was still an abundence of soccer merchandise shops and a feeling that anyone who was anyone was obsessed with football (or soccer, as I find myself calliong it over in this north-American infested place).

I am delighted that that is still the case, despite the fact that I have once again conspired to be on the other side of the world from the matches tthemselves. Germany is not oo bad a place for the World Cup to be, as the time difference means that all of the games kick off after I finish work (at 10am which is perfect, 1am which is a little late and 4am which is probably toolate, but I will watch if it's England or Japan).

5 years ago I spent almost all of the 2-3weeks in Tokyo (what a great place to be an 18 year-old!). I like the city, despite a lot of it beiong a bit too full of shops for my liking, so I went back for one final visit, taking in Yokohama Bay, Motomachi, Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya, as well as a brief motorcycle ride with my cousin. Which was fun.