00:00:01 John Daub: Greetings and welcome to Tokyo Station. I'm here so often because I kind of live close by. Anyways, I'm gonna go on a walk I haven't done in a very long time from Tokyo Station to Shimbashi along the Yamanote Line. Things have changed, I'm sure, and we're going to discover it. The point is you don't have to always take the subway or trains. I encourage you strongly to walk, get in those steps because you're gonna be eating a lot. Not all Japanese food is healthy—you're gonna have to walk it off. This is a great day because it's gonna rain soon. I can feel the wind, see the dark clouds over there. Despite the blue sky on this side, not the greatest day. Hopefully we'll make it before it pours.

00:00:52 John Daub: Let's take a look at the course. I'm here at the blue spot, Tokyo Station near the Marunouchi Building and International Post Office. According to this map, if I go straight past Ginza, it's 28 minutes to Shimbashi. But we're not gonna do that. The whole purpose of walking in Tokyo is to get lost, find things along the way. If you can spare the time, we're gonna do that today. It's a pretty cool walk. Here's the Google map—Tokyo Station is pretty central, right next to the Imperial Palace where the Emperor lives. There's a nice picture of Babe Ruth in the 1930s in a convertible, making a trip for Major League Baseball on this side of the station. Just like it is right now with the red bricks. There's the modern Marunouchi side and the old entrance facing the Imperial Palace. We're gonna walk this way following the Yamanote Line—you can see the rail line right in the center to Shimbashi Station. It'll take about 30 to 45 minutes. Anything can happen in between, including viewers coming to meet me. I've got just a few "You Found Me" cards left.

00:02:16 John Daub: Karasumori Shrine is over there, as well as so many things in Shimbashi. That plaza and open space—this is an interesting walk because Shimbashi was the first train station in Japan, the terminus for Tokyo back in the Meiji era. Today we start at the original. This facade looks like Central Station in Amsterdam—I've said that several times before. One of the best places to view it is up in the Shinmaru Building on the sixth floor, or Kua'aina Hawaiian Burger with a balcony overlooking it.

00:03:29 John Daub: From where? Okay, awesome. You're welcome to share your time in your videos and YouTube. Oh, thank you so much. That's so cool. So from Peru. The other place to go is up on the sixth floor—that's Kua'aina Hawaiian Burger with the best view overlooking Tokyo Station Hotel right there.

00:04:03 John Daub: See them waving? They wait until they cannot see the customer anymore before they go back in. This is the level of service—they're still waving, the taxi is at the traffic light. That's incredible. Alright, I think the light changed. Probably a very important customer who's been there a long time. Oh hello, how you doing? Pretty good, oh thank you. Yeah, you guys want a card? Okay, I gotta get rid of them here. I am currently live. You made our trip, thank you so much. Where you guys from? Okay, Vegas, cool. Welcome guys. Again, anything can happen when you're live walking around.

00:05:43 John Daub: Alright, let me give you a view other than my face. This side of the station is very interesting—it looks like an ambulance. Here's something happened. This is where all the postcards—if you're a member of the postcard club, I always send them from here because you get a beautiful Tokyo postmark and the newest stamps. This is the old International Post Office, now renewed, just a big post office open on weekends. If you gotta send stuff abroad, this is the place—the staff speaks English, depends who you talk to.

00:06:33 John Daub: Here we got the map. We're going towards Tokyo International Forum, not that far. On this side, I'm gonna show you a place to hang out. Pro tip: vending machines, trash cans, convenience stores—everything's in the basement. You can get there right out of Tokyo Station, down in the Marunouchi subway line. Nobody takes the buses! This city bus is going to Harumi towards Fukagawa, Toyosu Station. Despite the subway not going this way, the bus does—past Yurakucho Station, Ginza Yonchome, Tsukiji, all the way to Fukagawa, Monzen-Nakacho area. Learning about buses is interesting—I rode one here this morning.

00:08:02 John Daub: You can't go underground from Yaesu to Marunouchi—you have to take the underground passageway near the Yaesu side. Signal's unstable right now, so we'll get through quickly. This is the Hato Bus Terminus—yellow signs, where you catch bus tours, double-deckers to Mount Fuji and Arakura Sengen Shrine at 8 a.m. Panorama drives leave almost every hour. These buses were vaccination shuttles back then. Now back to tour buses.

00:10:07 John Daub: I did not go to Tokyo Game Show this year—another group took them over. Getting press passes is harder now. I've covered it many times; it was more AI-based, not that interested. Maybe next year. Parking meters in Japan are futuristic with sensors—you get a ticket, pay by credit or touch card. Understand the system or it can be hard.

00:10:56 John Daub: Interesting—never seen this before: EV charger on the street outside Tokyo Station. City of Tokyo's tourism campaign for 10 years. Do you have to pay? Guess you need an ID card for free power. That's interesting—you guys with Teslas can tell me more. Didn't know it was here till now.

00:11:50 John Daub: Transmission's weak now, but above me you hear the screeching Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line—not Shinkansen, that's further. Trains every five minutes. Hard to get lost—follow the Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku. We're at the International Forum, where weightlifting was for Tokyo 2021 Olympics. More battery-powered scooters buzzing by—international companies investing heavily.

00:13:03 John Daub: Japanese taxis are now this style, great for luggage—one in front, three back, lots of boot space or foot room. Meant for four; more than that, another taxi. Uber and S-Ride have joined forces—Uber Black was premium, 20-30% more. Met Uber Japan CEO four years ago at American Chamber of Commerce—they had a bumpy ride. Things better now; foreigners use Uber app, not Go app. I have Go, not Uber.

00:14:33 John Daub: Along Yamanote, renovated four years ago pre-pandemic. Businesses new on International Forum side—packed at lunch, empty after as salarymen go back to offices. They do amazing business 11:45 to 1:15. This is where Kanae and I had our favorite Thai restaurant—everything 680 yen, amazing dinners, but moved to Kanda. Love the old 1930s, Meiji-era brickwork, post-WWII shacks. Renovated for earthquakes after 2011 Tohoku. Tokyo's planning for the big one—you're in the safest city. Sad to see old things destroyed, but safety first.

00:17:19 John Daub: Thai food here is good, more expensive than Thailand, not as spicy. This gyoza place is so clean—renovated all the way from Marunouchi to Bic Camera. Michael Watson asks: place to visit a volcano? Sakurajima in Kagoshima. Marugame Seimen udon always has a line—they make noodles fresh, fast food equivalent. Pick tempura topping, so darn good. Pizza doughnuts? They deep-fried tempura, so upsell curry ones—really good. Kibisawa burrito from Okinawa, now pizza-flavored—from Kagawa Prefecture chain.

00:18:42 John Daub: We're at back end of Bic Camera. This intersection—over there Godiva Bakery. They say reservation needed for chocolate monopan, but Brandy got without. If not busy, they're kind. Shake Shack here too. Yurakucho Station—you can see Keihin-Tohoku and Yamanote passing. Bizarre on platform between two speeding trains—safely on platform, cool urban thing. Renovations great—more people than 1920s-40s. Harajuku first renovated. Kamameshi, roast beef don, chicken—looks good, affordable.

00:21:14 John Daub: 21 minutes in—show you Yaesu side Pokemon store inside Tokyo Station. Didn't know it existed—they move fast. Pikachu Station Master, 2640 yen, about $17—pretty sweet. Wide aisles for big suitcases. Only passageway Yaesu to Marunouchi on ground level. New shops: Yama Wasabi? No, cheese. Gyoza with booze. Bic Camera's famous entrance—Sushiro on sixth, cafe seventh, ramen, restaurants inside. Go to department/electronics stores for eats.

00:23:26 John Daub: Iconic entrance—Yurakucho, think Bic Camera, Shake Shack. Underneath, big plaza. Quick look—45-minute stream. Left to Ginza Yonchome? Done that. Marui shop/mall. Lots of construction, new businesses—FamilyMart, gyudon, curry rice not Coco Ichiban, Yoshinoya. Pasta shop shut; third floor across has prefectural satellite shops like Royce dark chocolate potato chips from Hokkaido.

00:25:10 John Daub: Idea—old vending machine corner under Yamanote, made friends with post box guy. Too dirty, no-smoking not enforced, closed. Rent high now—not just vending beer. Nice hangout though, hear Yamanote jingle. Shame—tourists leave trash outside convenience stores, no street cans. Vending corner gone, now another shop. Sad. Baden-Baden stand—used to drink under there. Not big drinker now. JTB for package tours, caters to foreigners.

00:28:16 John Daub: Carry trash in plastic bag, have hand wipes—got a kid. Shohei Otani everywhere, now JAL—thought ANA for Dodger blue. Tourist trap restaurant underneath—food/service not great years ago. Peninsula Hotel amazing, taught concierge English. Ginza direction—amazing Shinkansen view at night/twilight. Dodgers big now with Ohtani—I'm Ohio State, scarlet/gray, not blue.

00:30:27 John Daub: Restaurants bigger under tracks—Yakitori, chicken, ramen 880 yen green onion, 930 special tonkotsu. Vending machine orders. Wooden facade like Black Forest. German restaurants overpriced, Hofbrauhaus beer/sausage not as good. Famous yakitori spot since 1960s—smoke billows at 5:30, salarymen eating/drinking. Pro tip: walkway under Yamanote to Shimbashi—secret entrances to restaurants, ghost alley.

00:33:02 John Daub: Ginza over here, new Sony building. Seafood restaurant, ramen alley at end. Jimmy Carter turned 100—peanut farmer from Georgia, did well post-presidency. Remember 1980 election in first grade—only one voting Reagan. German restaurants not lively. New festive lights, big beer vats. Korean, Okinawa restaurant—Goya Champuru 910 yen, tacorice (GIs brought), Rafute pork belly, umi-buro sea grapes. Dangerous.

00:37:50 John Daub: Secret entrance to Yamanote middle. Imperial Hotel closing till 2030 for renovations—Showa era inside, needs modernizing. $20 tea/coffee. Fish restaurant—Kanae and I ate here. Alley not active till 6:30. New ramen alley evenings. Cross to Ginza Corridor—old elementary school in news for Armani suits. Tokyo Building new mall.

00:39:53 John Daub: Ginza Corridor—brought dates here long ago, good clean restaurants. Some still here, food okay. Ringo Pie—trying one. 258 yen year-end apple confection. Sweet tooth, but avoiding bakeries. English/Korean/Chinese menus. Flower shops for hostess club gifts—taught CEOs, they took me, bought flowers despite high cost. New Korean—pot pot haul smells good.

00:44:06 John Daub: Belgian bar now? Ginza Corridor nice after 5 p.m. New yakiniku—high protein low carbs. Tofuro sushi/izakaya, tofu not vegan—sake, tempura, karaage, soba made fresh on street. Red bridge inside like Edo period. Prices good for Ginza. Japanese wine not impressive. Wine bar corner.

00:48:14 John Daub: Marker—Shin bridge? Under tracks to Shimbashi. Shizuoka Shimbun building—taco truck sometimes, Yamanashi guy best tacos (CNN), Mexican time. Yakiniku/teppanyaki? Highway—no walking. Taiyaki uncut—tsubuan less sweet now. Mengyo sea bream ramen, kushikatsu 50 yen/stick.

00:52:35 John Daub: Vending machines English/multi-language, Suica/credit/cash—easy. Here at Shimbashi—53 minutes, ~5000 steps, 3.5-4 km. Favorite curry—Kanazawa black, champion special not healthy. Vending machine. Katsu adds crunch.

00:54:53 John Daub: Entrance of Shimbashi—old building. Been a while since hour+ walk. Walter: cheap gyoza/chuhai spot from past stream? Can't recall. Right-wing guy shouting—nationalistic.

00:57:19 John Daub: Sit in front of new Shimbashi building. E-bikes everywhere. Eat apple pie—warmed, real apple but margarine (Japanese bakeries love it). Tastes good? Stable vs butter.

01:01:14 John Daub: First locomotive ~1912 Meiji era around corner Shiodome side—nice hotels, Oedo/Yurikamome lines. New Shimbashi 1960s retro—hope it stays. Favorite for cheap big portions, local shops. Great at night.

01:03:37 John Daub: Fun walk—vibe of Tokyo, restaurants, people, protesters. Walked entire Yamanote (43-44 km) in 9.5-12 hours—half day adventure. Love sharing memories—city changed. Lockers take IC cards. Weekly walks.

01:05:48 John Daub: Yurikamome to Odaiba. Oedo underground. Tourism robot? Still here—creepy eyes, but English voice cute (Arisa, 26, kawaii). Speaks Chinese too.

01:10:17 John Daub: Basement Showa-era bars/restaurants unchanged 50 years—real Tokyo, stinky kusaya with old dudes. Niigata sasa dango mochi. Old Taco Bell gone. Ghibli clock ~75m away—Totoro at 2 p.m., Miyazaki-made for Howl's? Free attraction.

01:13:08 John Daub: Thankful you joined—subscribe for weekly walks. 26 years Japan, all 47 prefectures 3-4x. Square watermelon episode tonight. Matane.