We started the day with breakfast in the lobby before heading to the skyview. I had a hot dog along with a bittersweet coffee that was harder to swallow than medicine. But hey, it’s a free meal, so expectations were low.

Shibuya Skyview

We arrived early at the Shibuya Scramble Square building. The shops inside hadn’t opened yet, so we wandered around looking for a bathroom so Rod could relieve himself from yesterday’s intake. We found a McDonald’s, where I ordered a drink and Rod got his coffee to kickstart the day. By the time we finished, it was perfect timing for our skyview reservation.

What button should I press? it’s all Japanese!!

There was a warning about the risk of heat stroke due to the high temperatures, probably around 40 degrees if I had to guess. But Rod joked, “We’re from Cambodia; if we were going to get heat stroke, it would have happened already.”

Jokes aside, the view was absolutely breathtaking—so stunning that we almost forgot how hot it was. Rod made sure I took as many photos as possible, especially with a 360-degree view like this.

Who do you see when you look in the mirror?

I see a guy who’s striving to break through the cycles of life. Will he make it? Only time will tell.

Just seeing the city from above showed how massive Tokyo is—probably 100 times the size of Phnom Penh, I guess? With 13.96 million people living here, that’s almost 90% of our entire population. The city is packed with buildings stretching as far as the eye can see.

We stayed for about an hour before heading down for lunch at the mall. There was no real way to cool down at the rooftop, so in my opinion, they should at least install some air-conditioned glass boxes where visitors can grab a drink. They do have a café and souvenir shop a few floors below with air conditioning. We grabbed some drinks and had a little chat before heading down to do some shopping.

Got the coke to cool down with thoundsands of skyscrapers in the background

Shopping in the Shibuya Mall

Got some skincare stuff to bring back home for Mom and Aunt, and that alone already cost me 150$.

Hachiko Status

We were still wandering around Shibuya Mall, looking for our next stop, when Rod suddenly spotted something. He said, “Oh, that’s Hachiko! We should visit him.” I was confused and asked, “Who’s that?” Rod was surprised that I had never heard of Hachiko’s story. He remembered the statue was somewhere nearby, so we looked it up online and found it was just a few miles away. We decided to visit, and as we walked, Rod narrated the story of Hachiko. The first time I heard it, I couldn’t believe it was real—it sounded more like a made-up tale.

Waiting line for picturing with the statues

The story of Hachiko was so incredible that on the way back, I had to research it to make sure it was true.

Hachiko’s loyalty, love, and the bond he shared with his owner fascinated me. It resonated with me on a personal level.

One reason Hachiko’s story struck me so deeply was that his loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburō Ueno, reminded me of what Rod has done for me.

Hachiko was purchased for $30, and when he arrived at Professor Ueno’s house in Tokyo in 1924, he was in such poor shape that they initially thought he was dead. As Hachi grew older, he developed a routine of seeing his owner off to work in the morning at Shibuya Train Station and then returning in the afternoon to greet him.

But one day, Professor Ueno didn’t return. He had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died suddenly at work at the age of 53.

“In the evening, Hachi stood at the ticket gate, looking at each passenger as if searching for someone,” writes Professor Itoh in Hachiko’s biography.

I felt like Hachiko—not traded or bought like him, but picked up from the mud. It was Rod who taught me to dream bigger and work harder to achieve those dreams, no matter the odds.

As I grow older and have recently graduated, I see many of my friends working in corporate jobs, wearing nice clothes in tall buildings, looking cool. I hear voices telling me to step outside, take on new challenges, meet new people, and so on. These voices sometimes make me doubt where I am right now.

But I have no intention of leaving Rodwell, unless the school no longer needs me. Rodwell has shaped who I am today and continues to push me to become who I can be. Without Rod and RLC, I would never have had the experiences that I’m sure money can’t buy.

I am just like Hachiko, loyal to where I came from and how I got here.

Fish Market

We headed to the fish market in search of fresh seafood, but we hadn’t checked the hours beforehand. Unfortunately, the market closes by 2 PM, so by the time we arrived, almost all of the stores were shut down.

With limited options, we decided to try a small restaurant nearby. We took a seat in the air-conditioned space to cool down after a long walk under the scorching sun with no breeze.

And of course, I forgot to order a Coke—something I always need.

A small shop with good food, cool air, and a cold Coke. What else do you need, Jasper?

Take A Nap

Afterward, there wasn’t much left to explore, and our legs were worn out, feeling as tired as if we had just finished a workout. So, we headed back to the hotel and took a long nap for almost two hours. When I woke up, it was already 7 PM—dinner time! After a quick shower, we were ready to hunt for food. Unfortunately, it started raining heavily. We checked the weather on Google, which predicted that the rain would stop in an hour, so we waited. True to Google’s forecast, the rain did stop an hour later. Rod found a nearby place with good reviews on Google Maps, and our stomachs were ready to devour whatever we could find.

One of the Best Japanese BBQs

We walked for a few minutes and found the place. Inside, a group of workers was gathered, likely negotiating a business deal. They were drinking, cheering, and talking loudly, much like how people do in our culture.

We sat down and ordered a ton of beef, tongue, tripe, and more.

Without exaggeration, this dinner was one of the best, if not the best, Japanese BBQs I’ve ever had. The sauce was perfectly balanced—you could sense the quality with each bite. It had a hint of sweetness followed by a savory punch, and the tenderness of the beef was insane—the best quality meat you could ever find. With every bite, we looked at each other and kept repeating, “This is so good, too good not to talk about.”

I also tried a whisky Coke. Honestly, it wasn’t bad at all—easier to drink than whisky on its own. The sweetness and fizz of the Coke really helped. Maybe that’s something I can try making when I get home: A Whisky Coke.