bulky tourists

So today we went to one of Tokyo's premier tourist attractions: COSTCO.

Lest you think we had something akin to an American experience, let me assure you that this was not a walk down memory aisle. This Costco is six stories tall. And you ride a sloped moving sidewalk with your cart down each floor. (The carts lock at a specific angle so they don't slide.)

We were able to pick up some U.S. familiar foods, as well as some other goods. And it was a serious war. This is unlike any Costco I've ever been to - Japanese ninjas on every side warring for the best slab of meat, the most boxes of donuts (almost everyone had at least one box - in fact, some came just to buy a single box of donuts).

And our friend tells us that they love to come and watch the Americans shop because we buy so much. (Oh, what do you mean? Like our giant tub of Skippy? We really need that for the next four weeks? Um, yes.) They come for the oddities; we come for REAL FOOD IN HUGE PROPORTIONS.

So it with great pleasure that we can now cook our own (massive) dinners.

We also stopped at a regular grocery store for a few more goods, which I found much more enjoyable. Lots of Japanese products (I'm hoping that what I thought was shampoo really is, and that my hair doesn't turn blue or something), but less Japanese sparring. :)

The strange thing is, that for the first time, we were actually a bit homesick, homesick for the real Costco, the familiar. We miss you Costco.

And Diet 7Up.

And soft bed.

Special thanks to the Wests for taxiing us around and letting us fill their sweet van with our food.