Ginza at night

En route to the hotel I had passed a restaurant that smelt amazing, so I backtrack and go inside. This is my first meal in Japan and since food features so prominently in my plans for this trip, it's a significant event. There's no English menu but there are pictures, so I point at something that looks good. A short time later a sizzling skillet emerges from the kitchen. I agree to whatever it is that the waitress asks me and she gives the skillet a good old mix and leaves me to shovel the meat and rice into my mouth. It's absolutely delicious: sukiyaki with wafer-thin, tender beef, sticky rice and vegetables and a good amount of caramalised bits on the bottom of the skillet. It's not the most adventurous choice for my first Japanese meal, but it's exactly what I wanted; needed, even.

Next, I stroll to the Kabukiza as my plan is to spend the afternoon taking in an act of traditional Japanese theatre. The building is impressive, but there are huge queues outside and I have some trouble figuring out what's going on at the box office. My main concern is that I get the right ticket. A Kabuki performance goes on for several hours and is, of course, all in Japanese. The single act ticket is great for foreigners as it provides a sample without committing to the entire play. I come to the conclusion that - feeling quite tired - this isn't the right time to get to grips with the ticketing process and is definitely not the right time to sit in a darkened room. I opt instead to explore the bright lights of Ginza and hope that the night air will wake me up a bit.

I take Harumi Dori towards the Imperial Palace, visiting the birthplace of Seiko (now the Wako department store) and the Sony building. I'm already enamoured by the Sony building as it proved so useful to me in finding my way to the hotel and now - up close - the gigantic PlayStation-esque building is as enticing as the gadgets inside.