OK, so, for full disclosure, I wasn’t trying to get caught. I thought I could walk into the hotel, casually walk to the elevator, punch floor number 8, and then ride up to see the terrace where the Godzilla head is located. I failed on all accounts. After my capture and return to the lobby and being politely asked to leave, I realized I was not, as I imagine, someone who can slip into and out of a building.
If you are interested, in Shinjuku on a terrace at the Hotel Gramercy is a sculpture of Godzilla. It’s very large. You can see the creature from street level and in the past, it was possible to walk into the hotel, head up to the 8th floor, purchase something from the cafe, and then see the Godzilla.
At some point, I think the Hotel had had enough of random tourists going into this very nice hotel and disturbing their guests. So, they made it a bit more difficult to gain access. On this day, I did what many online recommended which was to walk like I had a purpose (as a guest of the hotel) and tap the elevator button to take the short ride to the 8th floor. My plan was to obviously buy something in the cafe ( that was a requirement ) and then see the Godzilla and take pictures.
So, I ignored the sign saying DON’T DO THIS and walked to the elevator. You have to pass the front desk on the way in and the elevator is within view of the desk. I simply walked up to the elevator and a very quick “sumimasen!” was spoken from over my right shoulder. I turned, slowly, and was asked to produce my room key. Oops. I explained I wanted to see the Godzilla and was told politely that I could not, it was closed, and something else I couldn’t understand. I was escorted to the front door with many kind phrases of apology.
As I walked out I grabbed a shot of the sign saying DON’T TRY THIS…ah well. Thwarted in my attempt to see Godzilla.
Outside of the Hotel is a street filled with all kinds of clubs. They were of various types and styles, and in some of the alleys were more discreet love hotels. I think Japan is the only place I’ve come across that has these kinds of hotels clearly marked as somehow different or unique. They tend to stand out, as they say…like this one.
As I walked these streets about a block from the main drag of Shinjuku, the area looked a little more unusual, the clubs a bit more edgy, so to speak. Down one alley were photographs of women in a variety of undress and on the sides of some buildings were murals with interesting images. I’ll let your imagination take over…it was interesting. A man was standing outside of one place and beckoned me in…I said no thank you and he just smiled.
My wandering around Tokyo had taken an interesting turn and I found myself kind of in awe of it all.
My walks took me from Shinjuku to Shibuya and Ginza. Each part of Tokyo has its own style and vibe. In Ginza, it’s an area tuned to the rich and famous dial on your FM radio. On this Saturday, the road was closed and people walked freely down the street….
Lastly, I grabbed some video of the Shibuya crossing…it’s a fun place to see and experience…a video is the best way to get the feel of the place. It’s packed with people.
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