Eli

A man who enjoys the 24 hours on New Year's Eve

An American who likes Japanese films and animations. He stops by Japan on business and decides to fully enjoy the only 24 hours he has.

24 hours to explore Tokyo! Gay countdown party followed by trekking Mt. Takao!?

• [YOU on a 24-hour New Year's Eve trip]
  

  Eli works in IT and travels around Asia for business. He's in transit and stopping over Japan on New Year's Eve only for 24 hours. It's going to be a busy day completing all the 5 things he's listed up to do…

• [At 1:15PM, 21 hours and 45 minutes left to go]
  

  1) Play at a famous park in "Umegaoka, Setagaya-ku".
  Eli arrives at Hanegi Play-Park. This park allows children to build playground equipment and open fires on their own, and is receiving attention from abroad. Eli finds out about the park and makes a visit but unfortunately it is closed for the holidays... He has no choice but to play tag with the kids around, and he plays it so very seriously.

  Hanegi Play Park
  4-38-52, Daita, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

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• [At 5:00PM, 18 hours left to go]
  

  2) Eat special soba in "Shibuya".
  Eli knows Japanese eat Soba on New Year's Eve. He finds a soba restaurant and enjoys the fancy year-crossing soba with tempura and raw egg on top. He may have liked the taste that he ate the whole thing.

  
  Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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• [At 7:00PM, 16 hours left to go]
  

  Shinjuku
  Eli wants to go to a gay karaoke bar in Shinjuku 2-chome. In response to the staff's question "why not a standard karaoke?" he explains how he suffered from bullying in childhood by being gay living in the country town in California and how Japanese anime and movies helped him easing the pain. Ever since then he's had a dream of visiting Japan.

  
  Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

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• [At 8:30PM, 14 hours and 30 minutes left to go]
  

  3) Sing at a famous bar in "Shinjuku".
  It has been Eli's dream to come to a small karaoke bar and mingle with Japanese people. He seems to be confident that he can sing, he's sung Boy George, George Michael, Queen and more, 8 songs in total!

  
  2, Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo

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• [At 11:40PM, 15 minutes till the New Year]
  

  4) Countdown at a famous night club in "Omotesando".
  Rushing through the city having only 15 minutes left till the New Year! Eli wants to go to the "GLAMOROUS TOKYO COUNTDOWN" party held at a club in Omotesando to spend the New Year's. He makes it in time and enjoys the party with everyone else at the party.

  
  Omotesando, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

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• [At 2:30AM, 8 hours and 30 minutes left to go]
  

  5) Watch the first sunrise at famous "Mt. Takao".
  Elli wants to see the first sunrise and travels down to Mt. Takao where tens of thousands of people visit on New Year's day. With temperature of one degree below zero, being super tired without resting and sleeping, he finally manages to get to the top of the mountain!

  ---

  [At 4:20AM, 6 hours and 40 minutes left to go]
  

  5) Watch the first sunrise at famous "Mt. Takao".
  The first sunrise is expected to rise at 6:52AM. As the beautiful sunrise lighting up the city of Tokyo Eli's tired face turns into a big smile. "I've watched Japan in movies for a long time, I've made a great memory here that I'll never forget for the rest of my life". We've all hiked down the mountain and when we got back there was only 3 hours and 30 minutes left to go. To-Do list all completed, and that's a wrap!

  Mt. Takao
  Takaocho, Hachioji city, Tokyo

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