CHIYODA LINE

The Chiyoda Line starts with Yoyogi-uehara in the west, and ends with Kita-ayase, the 20th station to the east. I thought I would start with Kita-ayase but somehow took a local train that took me to Abiko or 'My Grand Child' which was another 30-minutes further out, for a real taste of Tokyo's suburbs. A tourist, I made the 3 mandatory stops on this line which, believe it or not, took almost 4-hours between walking, taking pictures, watching, wondering, reflecting and of course resting, but no eating. I was a good boy, resisted all temptations after that breakfast Ramen.

Akasaka is a yuppie community with nice modern apartments along the tree lined streets. Omote-sando & Meiji-jingumae stations, together with 2 main avenues Aoyama-dori & Meiji-dori, basically define this huge shopping haven known as 'Harajuku' in inverted comas, even on the Tokyo Metro maps.

I do not like the main thoroughfare where mass humanity and name brands reign, they bore me to death. This is how I became 'shopaphobic' in my family of 3 women who are card carrying 'shopaholics'.  At Omote-sando I always prefer this small avenue, shown here with a statue at the entrance where one finds sanity, not to mention tasty, up-market and exclusive (definitely not cheaper) brands. I can deal with that and not the vulgairty on the left.  Who needs it, really?