Last Dance
Tokyo and I have one final date. I'm wearing my favorite dress, pearls and a Japanese hairpin.

First, I'm going to ride the Yamanote line all the way around the circle once; something that I've not yet done in a consecutive sitting.

Then, I'm going to the Park Hyatt bar featured in Lost in Translation to have one cocktail and watch the sunset before the 8PM cover charge takes effect.

It's a cheap date, yes... but a good date.

Itte kimasu....

Edit: As fate would have it, the Yamanote line stopped at Kanda station, aproximately halfway around the circle, and did not move again. I waited for fifteen minutes through repeated announcements that northernbound passengers ride the Keihin Tohoku line through the upper loop. Then came apologies that they were not sure when the train would move again and both the inner and outerbound Yamanote trains had suspended operation. I suspect someone killed themselves.

After biding my time, I decided it wasn't worth the wait and hopped on the Chuo express back to Shinjuku. I walked from the station to the Park Hyatt, which took longer than I thought, and found the New York Bar on the 52nd floor of the South Tower, which also took longer than I thought.

The cheapest cocktail was 1600 yen, so I settled for a nice 1100 yen glass of 1997 vintage Port and sat by myself eating free snacks and feeling somewhat awkward. I took a few photographs and enjoyed the view but no one came and talked to me as I hoped. I was paying to leave before the music started when the waiter noticed my teiki (commuter pass) and asked me if I lived here. I said yes and we struck up a conversation (in Japanese) that concluded with him asking if I would stay through the first music set if he waived the charge.

After the music started-- it was honest to god "Black Jazz"-- I really enjoyed myself for half an hour before I had to leave. Quite a fun date with myself.