Konnichiwa from Japan!

***Warning: This is a beast of a post! We packed a lot into 2 weeks! :)

Take 2, and we both made it to Japan! September was a bit of a whirlwind, after welcoming a new niece to the family, moving to a new house, and spending the last two weeks of the month in Japan (3 weeks for Jeff!), we’re finally starting to slow down and enjoy this beautiful fall. Now onto the good stuff!

We arrived in Osaka, kicking off our 16-day tour of Japan! Thankfully, we had nice seats for our 12-hour flight (Jeff in Business class and me in Premier) and were ready to hit the ground running once we arrived.

Our first stop after landing was the local luggage service desk. Japan has a cool luggage program that delivers your luggage to your hotel, so you don’t have to deal with it on the public transit. We kept our backpacks with us but sent Jeff’s work clothes to Tokyo, so we didn’t have to haul those around for the next week. It was fantastic!

After settling in at the hotel (and realizing that the heat and humidity are no joke here), we hit the town in search of something tasty for dinner. We found a little Ramen shop, where we ordered our meal through a vending-esque machine and sat at the counter, watching as they cooked everything right in front of us. We went with the chef’s recommendation, and boy, was it yummy!

Our first full day in Japan was full of walking. We started with a walk to and around Osakajo, a Japanese castle. We made our way to the top for a bird’s eye view of the city, and thanks to the clear blue skies, we could see everything!

By the time we left Osakajo and the castle grounds, we were dripping and had to escape the heat. We made our way to Dotonburi and wandered all around the market, through the packed main street, and in and out of the quiet little side streets. It was like walking through a museum, there was so much to look at! Several stalls had 3D signs popping out of the buildings, and the different foods and displays were a whole other sight to see! All that in addition to great people-watching.

After seeing countless Takoyaki stalls, we decided to take a break and sample the local cuisine. After tasting the dish, we discovered they were little bread and egg balls filled with octopus and a gravy-esque sauce. We followed the local’s lead, waiting our turn in front of the shop before sitting down at one of the four tables in the back of a tiny restaurant. I’m still not sure how Jeff’s legs fit under the table! The Takoyaki were a unique treat and overall tasty once you let them cool down.

We continued our sightseeing of Dotonburi by checking out some of the massive department stores. They know how to shop over here! There was one department store with 15 floors and an electronics store with eight floors! If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, then you’re not looking hard enough. They had everything you could think of, plus so much more. A few favorites were the selection of portable fans, with fans that wrap around your neck and freezable ice packs you can wear, also air conditioners for your bed, and so many random kitchen gadgets and gizmos.

By midafternoon, our dogs were barking, and we needed a little break. We wandered back to the hotel and were greeted by a live band rocking out in the lobby with quite the crowd enjoying the show. We listened to a few songs, but it was a little too loud for our old ears. Thankfully, we couldn’t hear them in our room.

For dinner, we set out to find conveyor belt sushi, as that’s an Osaka OG. (Did you know conveyor belt sushi, aka “rotation sushi,” was invented in Osaka! Rumor has it the inventor came up with the idea after having staffing issues and wanting to serve customers quickly and efficiently). We didn’t have to look too hard, and soon we were stuffed with, yet again, another fun and delicious meal! 3/3 so far!

Following dinner, we strolled over to Dotonburi again as we heard the area was lit with neon signs at night. They weren’t the traditional “neon” signs we were picturing, but it was still fun to see the area in a different light. By 8:00pm we were pooped and headed back to the hotel. I think we were both asleep by 8:30, which may be a first for us!

The jet lag is working in our favor on this trip! We woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 5am today, ready for Day 2 of sight-seeing. We started the day by heading to the "Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri Festival,” celebrating Respect for the Aged Day.

The elaborate handcrafted floats make the Kishiwada Danijiri extra special. These massive wooden floats (aka danjiri) are decorated and pulled by numerous individuals. Each danjiri weighs up to 6,000 pounds and belongs to a different neighborhood in Kishiwada city.

We followed the crowd off the train, wandering through the neighborhoods and side streets, and stopped with the locals as our first danjiri rolled by. We heard the chants in the distance, and soon, a crowd came running towards us, pulling giant ropes that were attached to the massive wooden float. Musicians and important officers were sitting on the edges of the danjiri, and a special performer danced on the top. It was wild! After the first danjiri passed by, most onlookers started walking down another neighborhood street, so naturally, we followed them, figuring they knew where the next best place for sight-seeing was and we were right! We watched several more danjiri zoom by and so many people running along with them. We’re still not sure how it all worked, but it was incredible to see and so fun to be part of a local festival! On our way back to the train station, the main streets were closed, and parked cars were replaced with numerous food and game stalls. They were definitely ready for a party!

There are so many cute signs! 

After sweating profusely (90+ degrees and full-on humidity at 10am… woo ee!), we decided to head back to the city and make our way to Nara. We had Nara on our maybe list, but with an afternoon to spare, we figured we’d train over to the little city to check it out and take in some nature.

On our way to Nara, we passed through the Osaka main station and got a little turned around while trying to find our next train. Google Maps does a great job showing you a route above ground, but they haven’t quite figured out how to make it show the routes in the underground train stations… after walking in a few circles, we decided to stop for lunch and try again after. One of the best things about Japan is that there are restaurants everywhere, and you can easily find a quick, delicious, and inexpensive meal anywhere! We chose dumplings and gyozas this time! Yum-my!

It didn’t take long for us to see our first Nara deer after hopping off the train in this new town. These deer are literally everywhere, and the stands selling shika senbei (deer crackers) are just as easy to find. We opted not to feed the deer but instead spent some time watching as the deer gathered around and competed for the coveted crackers, some deer even bowing at those feeding them!

We trekked through Nara Park to Tōdai-ji temple, which was originally built in the mid-700s and, rumor has it, is the largest wooden building in the world. Inside the temple is a giant bronze Buddha (also reportedly the largest in the world) measuring in at 14.98m (nearly 50 feet), his head alone is 19 feet tall!

We continued on through the deer-filled forest to the Mizuya Shrine and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. We wandered up the pathways lined with hundreds of stone lanterns (and countless deer) and were greeted by the bright red shrines popping against the lush green forest trees and moss. They were a beautiful sight!

On our way back to the main town, we stopped for an iced frappe to cool down, followed by a special treat at Nakatanidou to sample our first traditional Japanese mochi. If you don’t mind an earthy-flavored, squishy, gooey, textured treat, then this might be for you.

On the way back to Osaka, via a stop for dinner in Kobe, we were in for a treat! The decked-out deer train just happened to be the one we needed! The walls were painted with the different seasons, the seats were covered in fabric resembling a deer, and the handles in the train were mini deer! It was hilarious and adorable. Japan really is all about Kawaii culture (aka cute things)!

Another first for the day was our first (but not last) experience with a fully packed train. Thankfully, we had a seat and could only squish so much, but it was incredible to see how packed the trains could get. As we quickly learned by everyone’s clothing, there was a Hanshin Tigers baseball game that evening, and everyone was on their way to watch the newly claimed Central League Champions play another game.

We spent the evening in Kobe just for fun, first stopping at Chinatown for a little snack, which quickly turned into dinner. We found some DELICIOUS soup dumplings at one stand and grilled Kobe steak at another (Eating Kobe beef in Kobe? Why not?).

We strolled around Kobe’s harbor, popping into a few shops and sitting on the water’s edge, watching the boats come and go. Unfortunately, Kobe Port Tower is being renovated, so our skyline views felt incomplete, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the scene!

We started Monday off by sampling Japan’s Souffle Pancakes! Aka, super fluffy and delicious pancakes. We opted for the complete experience and ordered the dessert pancakes with chocolate, bananas, and whipped cream on top! We digested our dessert while strolling around the city, wandering through the streets to Hozenji Temple, checking out the moss-encrusted Fudo statue, and soaking in the Edo-era atmosphere.

Later that afternoon, we gathered our bags and caught our first bullet train to Kyoto! I feel like we blinked, and it was time to hop off the train. Good thing we’re taking another bullet train later in the trip!

We decided to splurge on our lodging in Kyoto (Happy Anniversary Dear!) and spent our first night at a Ryokan, aka a traditional Japanese inn. It was worth the splurge as it was quite a unique experience. Our ryokan featured the traditional tatami floors, Chabudai (short-legged table), and a private onsen (hot tub filled by local hot springs) on the back patio. It also had the most compact and efficient toilet we’ve ever seen! The sink was attached to the tank and turned on when you flushed it! This was in the upstairs bathroom, which felt more like a broom closet with a random toilet in it. Japan has the best toilets! Heated seats, personalized sound machines, bidets all around - even the toilets in the train station, they were luxurious… that’s something I never thought I’d say about a toilet!

Back to the Ryokan… We were greeted by our host, who showed us around and prepared a private tea ceremony for us. She taught us how to properly mix the tea with the bamboo whisk and shared some candies with us that enhanced the flavor of the tea. It was great!

We opted to participate in the traditional dinner and breakfast options offered at the ryokan. With a couple of hours to kill before our fancy dinner, we decided to stretch our legs by strolling around Kyoto Gyoen National Garden and take a peek at the Kyoto Imperial Palace. During our stroll, we happened upon a serene little pond that looked like it was right out of a postcard.

That evening, we were presented with an extravagant traditional Japanese dinner, which included a bottle of plum wine they gifted us as an anniversary gift. The staff delivered our food in beautiful boxes, set up our table, and left us on our own. This dinner is one we will never forget. Everything was so elegant and beautifully presented, and we had absolutely no idea what any of it was. We took turns sampling our way around the dishes, guessing what things could be based on our Google searches, and sharing our personal descriptions and opinions of each item. Several of our descriptions included terms such as “oddly squishy but tastes good.” It was definitely one of the most unique food experiences we’ve ever had and also one of the most fun!

We woke up early again on Tuesday and treated ourselves to Starbucks before sitting down for our traditional Japanese breakfast. We were excited to sample another unique meal, but we also wanted something predictable to go with it. Thankfully our breakfast was a little less adventurous than dinner. We still had to guess at what we were eating, but it was all pretty tasty!

Following breakfast, we set out for our grand tour of Kyoto, starting with a stop at Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. We followed the path through the Bamboo to the middle of the grove, stopping along the way to take a few photos and admire the incredible plants.

Continuing on our journey, we bussed to Ryoanji and its famous Zen garden. We followed the path past the lily pad pond up to the serene little garden. We removed our shoes and settled in, soaking in the zen and counting the rocks trying to find all 15. Fun fact about the garden - no matter where you are you can only see 14 of the 15 rocks at one time.

Our third cultural stop of the day was KinKakuji, a quaint temple covered in gold leaf. The temple is surrounded by beautiful Japanese gardens and provides a taste of nature while still being in the city. We strolled around the grounds, passing through the trees and next to little waterfalls.

After a busy morning of sight-seeing, we were ready for lunch! We hit jackpot, stopping at Ichiran for another hot and delicious bowl of Raman. The experience was well worth the wait! We started by ordering our food on the vending-esque machine, then weaved our way to the back. We scooted into our individual booths and were soon greeted by the server, lifting the curtain and collecting our tickets. It didn’t take long before the curtain popped open again and our giant bowl of ramen slid through. It was so fun!

With full bellies, we wandered the streets, finding another market to stroll around, and then made our way back to the hotel to officially check in and take part in our first Sake tasting.

As the evening grew near, we set off to Gion to see Hanamikoji and Pontocho streets. Both streets are lined with historic wooden houses, restaurants, and teahouses. Pontocho was a beautiful but tiny street. It barely fit three people standing side by side, and was lit up by paper lanterns. While wandering Hanamikoji, we were told to keep our eyes peeled for geisha as this was the most likely area to see them. Our sources were correct! We saw three geishas walking down the street, beautifully dressed, with pristine hair and make-up. We were thrilled to see these exceptional women after having seen tourists dressed up like them all day.

While wandering these unique streets, we found a little restaurant where we stopped for dinner. We sat side by side at the counter and enjoyed fried rice and gyozas this time!

Wednesday started with a bus ride to Fushimi Inari, an incredible shrine with red torii (gates) lining the trail to the top of Mount Inari and the main shrine. The hike took about an hour as we climbed up countless stairs and wandered off on the side paths, strolling around the smaller shrines that were decorated with miniature torii (red gates), lanterns, Ema (wooden plaques with prayers and wishes), and sake barrels. It was an incredible experience passing through the thousands of torii.

At the end of the hike, we stopped at the temple and collected our fortunes, shaking the barrels, and pulling out the fated sticks.

"Your efforts will get rewarded and there will be unexpected 

good news for you. You should do everything carefully." 

"All of your wishes will be granted if you believe in God. 

However, you need to think deeply and conduct yourself carefully."

Our next stop was the picturesque Kiyomizu-Dera. On our way up to the temple, we passed through another adorable market street, providing a great spot for a well-deserved respite and a refreshing iced drink to cool us down. Unfortunately, many coffee shops only had regular milk, so with dairy allergies, Starbucks was always a safe stop, and this one paid off with a bonus experience. This coffee shop was so unique! It was an old wooden building with narrow stairs and two traditional rooms upstairs with tatami floors and tiny tables. We took off our shoes, snagged a table, grabbed a pillow, and enjoyed our drinks.

Having cooled down and feeling reenergized, we continued our trek up Kiyomizu-Zaka Street and to the stunning Kiyomizu-Dera. We strolled around the temple grounds, enjoying the views of Kyoto, taking turns hitting the gong, tossing our coin, and then following the path through the forest to a smaller shrine. It was another beautiful sight to see!

For lunch, we side-stepped the Japanese food and instead delighted in one of our favorite and missed foods from Germany, a doner kebab! It lived up to our expectations and was a delicious and perfect treat for lunch.

Now, if you’ve followed our travels or if you’ve traveled with us, you’ll know we are terrible at taking breaks… but by this point, we’d reached 9 miles of walking for the day and averaged 11 miles each day (20,000+ steps) for the previous four days and our bodies were tired. It was time for a break. Plus, it gave us the chance to test our first public onsen. Traditional onsens are separated into male/female since you go in the nude, and there’s a certain protocol to follow before, during, and after your soak (like taking a seated shower/bath at a small station before entering the water and after you’re finished, and drinking a special tea after getting out). Thankfully, we both had our onsen to ourselves, and the hot water did wonders for our tired bodies.

Feeling rested and relaxed, we returned to the city, enjoying our last night in Kyoto. In search of dinner, we strolled through Nishiki Market, aka “Kyoto’s Kitchen”. This market is filled with food stands with fresh seafood, fried seafood, matcha tea, candied fruit, and lots of other treats. We opted to sample the beef kabobs, candied grapes, and one last hot bowl of ramen.

We’ve always empathized with people running through the train station while carrying their luggage… thankfully we’ve only had a few of those instances during all of our travels, but unfortunately, we added one more to the list today. We arrived at the train station with what we thought was plenty of time, however, after finding the wrong ticket counter, then getting mixed directions and running ALL around the station, we quickly ran out of time… we finally arrived at our train with 2 minutes to spare, sweaty, out of breath, and a little flustered. Thank goodness we had two hours just to sit and relax!

We planned this well with today being a rest and travel day. Not only was the break nice, but it was also our first rainy day, and it was pouring! Aboard our second bullet train of the trip, we clocked in at 175mph! We flew by several fields, some with rice, others that were just bright green or yellow. We admired the little houses scattered between the larger towns and others tucked into the mountains. We traveled through a long tunnel and when we popped out we kept our eyes peeled for Mt Fuji even though we knew we couldn’t see it due to the rain. 

We dropped our bags off at the hotel and were deciding what to do for dinner when we looked out the window and caught a glimpse of Mt. Fuji peeking out between the clouds. We immediately threw on our shoes, grabbed our coats, and headed to the lake for a better view! Knowing that the next two days were supposed to be cloudy and rainy (the only two “bad” weather days of the trip…), we had to take advantage of the moment while the mountain was out. We walked as quickly as we could along the road and down to the lakeshore, arriving just in time to watch the sunset.

As we wandered back to the main street, we realized that the shops here closed early and the transportation was limited… it was only 5:55pm, but the restaurants nearby were all closed, and the last bus that could take us to the hotel ran at 6:15pm so, we opted for a 7-Eleven dinner consisting of instant ramen, steamed buns, and chicken and rice. Everyone says the Japanese 7-Elevens have decent meals, so this was our chance to try it! And you know what, it wasn’t terrible.

Today, we set off in search of Mt. Fuji! We bused to Arakura Fuji Sengen Shrine, where many of the iconic Mt. Fuji pictures are from. We completed the cleansing ritual, and then hiked to the shrine and sat watching the clouds pass in front of the mountain, occasionally giving us a peek at what was behind. Knowing that our chances of seeing the entire mountain were zero to none, we snapped a few photos, then headed back down and continued our journey to Oshino Hakkai. The hotel recommended this destination as it’s a cute, preserved little neighborhood with wooden buildings and thatched roofs. We sampled our first Mitarashi Dango (dumpling skewers covered in soy sauce) and strolled around the neighborhood.

On our way back to Lake Yamanaka, we passed by incredible flower fields that we’ll have to visit next time! They reminded us of the tulip fields in the Netherlands, but instead of just tulips, there was a vast variety of flowers!

We hopped off the bus at the lake and enjoyed a little stroll around the water. We saw several swans and countless fish trying to snag some food that people were tossing to them, and a few families braving the rough waters sailing on the paddle boats. Our plan for dinner was to sample the local special, Houtou, and on our walk, we found the best restaurant. Kosaku was a traditional restaurant where we removed our shoes at the entrance and walked along the tatami floors to our table. We pulled up two pillows and dined seated on the floor. It was so fun! And the food was delicious! I sampled the pumpkin Houtou, which was like a hot stew served in a cast iron pot, consisting of thick flat noodles and lots of veggies (finally some veggies! We’ve been eating salads at breakfast just to get some greens). Jeff opted for the coconut shrimp and fried rice which was also delicious! In case you’re wondering, if you have to use the bathroom at a restaurant like this, they have a variety of shoes ranging in size at the entrance of the bathroom that you can slip on and use. We discovered that today!

On Saturday, we made our way to Tokyo, our final destination of the trip. With a few hours to kill before needing to catch our bus to the train station, we decided to brave the rain and check out the other side of the lake. We passed a few shops and found where the Capsule Festival was planned for later that day. It was going to be a soggy party as several participants were camping.

Our few days with Mt. Fuji provided the perfect respite and break from the crowds. It was an entirely different experience compared to the cities and a great stop on our way to Tokyo!

Thankfully, our bus and train ride to Tokyo were less eventful than the last. We reached The Prince Gallery, our insanely fancy hotel (thanks Deloitte!) and took off to check out the famous Shibuya Crossing. It was wild! Did you know that, on average, 2.4 million people a day cross these streets? And during its busiest times, 2,500 people cross the Shibuya Crossing at one time… insane! But it was fun to be one of those thousands!

Banana anyone?

For dinner, we stopped at another conveyor belt sushi and enjoyed watching our food slide down the belts, stopping right in front of us.

The veiw from our hotel! And look who's showing their peak!

On Sunday, we took a sightseeing break to explore “Where imagination and adventure set sail” at Tokyo’s DisneySea. Jeff visited this gem last year and had a few tips and tricks for us, however, since Japan was still on lockdown when he visited, the lines and crowds were new for him too.

We were excited for this excursion and set off early to make the most of our time at the park. As we were riding along in the Disney Train (complete with Mickey windows and handles), we soon realized that arriving an hour before the park opened was still not early enough… the lines were crazy! It was an intro to what the day had in store. Luckily, we did a little research before the trip and learned about the Priority Passes that helped cut down on wait times, and, as a bonus, we received a special Priority Pass as a gift from the park as they were celebrating their 40th anniversary!

We also used the DisneySea app to check ride wait times (some reaching 120 minutes!) and to keep an eye on the reservations for Magellan’s Lounge and the Teddy Roosevelt Lounge, two of the upscale restaurants in the park and highly recommended destinations. Thanks to our vigilance, we snagged a reservation at both and enjoyed a late lunch at Magellan’s and a cocktail aboard the elaborate S.S. Columbia. (What did we ever do before technology?).

Disney Sea’s setup is unique in that it was created for a “more grown-up” audience and is based around water. The park is made up of seven ports, each with its own theme and unique characteristics (Mediterranean Harbor, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, and American Waterfront). Like any Disney Park, as you walk through the entrance, you’re immediately immersed in a magical wonderland, and life takes a pause. The architecture and ambiance are incredible and suck you in. We soaked in the setting as we scurried to the Mysterious Island and Journeyed to the Center of the Earth for our first ride of the day! Here, we caught a glimpse of strange creatures as we zipped around and through the smoldering volcano.

Some of the rides were the same as other Disney parks (like Indiana Jones and Tower of Terror), and others were tweaked like Sinbad’s Storybook, which is a play on It’s a Small World, however, instead of sailing around the world, we followed Sinbad and his tiger cub through the Arabian Coast where he discovered a room of treasures and shares it with his village. It was really cute and a nice break as we sat on the boat and rested our feet.

Another unique ride was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, where we boarded a mini-submarine and traveled down to the bottom of the sea in search of Atlantis. It was a neat ride, but a little eerie as it had similar vibes as the Titanic Voyager…

Have you ever been too tall for a ride? Well, Jeff cut it close! While standing in line for Raging Spirits (a roller coaster that races through excavated ruins of an ancient ceremonial site), the workers came over and asked him to follow them to a measuring stick where he barely passed! Good thing his hair wasn’t any poofier! They gave him a special badge and we were able to enjoy the ride. There’s a first for everything!

It’s hard to pick a favorite ride, but one I really enjoyed was Soaring Fantastic Flight. Here, we hopped aboard the “Dream Flyer” and flew around, literally exploring the world through a bird’s eye view. The ride was complete with wind and changing smells spritzing through the air. For example, when we flew over Africa, we watched the elephants roaming and were hit with the scent of fresh-cut grass, and while we journeyed through the Caribbean, a spritz of sea breeze filled our nostrils. It was a neat ride! Jeff said his favorite ride was the Tower of Terror!

After observing several people collecting items from park staff, we finally asked what it was all about. We learned that you can collect little pennant stickers with personalized messages from different staff members. Once we discovered that, we began collecting the flags and left the park with a set of free and unique souvenirs.

Another fun item we enjoyed looking at while wandering around the park were all of the different popcorn bags. There were bags of all kinds! From Lightning McQueen to Pooh’s honey pot, to Mr. Potato Head to a Monster’s Inc. bag with doors you could open and close. Special Halloween Jack-o-Lanterns and 40th-anniversary bags, and my favorite, a film strip highlighting scenes from all the classics. We opted for the boring paper bucket, but we did enjoy tasting a few of the different seasoned popcorns offered around the park. Our favorite was black pepper, but they had flavors for everyone, including soy sauce, curry, garlic shrimp, berry cheesecake, and Matcha White Chocolate… you won’t find those flavors anywhere else!

As the sun began to set, we snuck in a few final rides before grabbing our Toy Story mochi treats and settling in to watch the evening show. The crowds were thick, but luckily, thanks to our height, it was easy for us to see the show. Sorry to anyone standing behind us! At other Disney Parks, they end the day with a parade of floats, but here, it’s all done on boats, and boy was it a cool show! There were lights displayed on the buildings, fire in the water, boats floating this way and that way, excellent music and performances (of course), and fireworks to end it! It was phenomenal and a fantastic way to end our perfect Disney day.

We kicked Monday off with a scrumptious breakfast and an incredible view at the hotel. We split ways, with Jeff heading to work and me beginning my solo adventures around the city.

I started in Asakusa with a stroll around Sensoji Temple, one of Japan's oldest and most significant religious sites. I wandered around Nakamise Street, which was full of food stalls and little shops, and picked up some delicious, giant rice crackers to snack on. I added another goshuin to our growing collection and soaked in the vibes of the temple grounds. Goshuin are special stamps that you collect from each temple or shrine. Sometimes it’s just a stamp, but other times, a priest or staff member will place a red stamp on your paper and then add calligraphy on top. They’re really neat and something we discovered once we were here, so our collection isn’t complete, but we do have several as souvenirs!

From there, I trained to Ameyoko, aka “candy store alley.” There aren’t many candy shops these days, but there are several other stores to explore, including fish, spice, and fruit stands mixed in between clothing stands and departments stores. The fish stands were my favorite as they had so many interesting creatures to look at, including a vast variety of fish and octopus, and live eels, live fish, live lobsters, and so many things I did not recognize. It was somewhere in these shops that I found quite the variety of KitKats, which was something I was looking for. The flavors included strawberry, orange, key lime, matcha, strawberry cheesecake, sake, and sweet potato!

I continued my journey to Ueno Park, stumbling upon another shrine and cute pond to walk around before heading to Yanaka Ginza, aka Cat Town. I wandered down the narrow street filled with more shops and restaurants. I stopped in a great little pottery shop, keeping an eye out for ramen spoons and bowls, and popped my head in a few shops that, of course, were cat-themed.

After a successful and full day of solo adventures, I decided to head back to the hotel for a quick break before meeting up with Jeff and Jeanette, our good friend from Germany who was also working in Japan for the week! I made it back to the hotel in time to watch a beautiful sunset highlight the city while lounging on our incredible window seat.

For dinner, Jeff Jeanette and I decided to check out the neighborhood by our hotel. After a few failed attempts (not enough room, reservations only, and realizing one place only sold ramen without the broth…), we finally settled on a sushi restaurant, followed by a nightcap at our fancy hotel lounge.

I started Day 2 of solo sightseeing with a walking tour of Meiji Jingu Shrine. We met at the first torii gate and began our purifying walk up to the shrine. I learned that the gravel path is purposeful in the purification process and that we must walk on the edges of the path, leaving the middle open for the gods. I also learned the proper bowing and clapping ritual to do when passing through the torii. We stopped at the 100+ sake barrels, which were presented to the gods, thanking them for a good rice harvest, and we learned about the unique little shrine tucked in the trees that is used to cleanse your car! Who knew?

As we admired the shrine, our guide quickly gathered us around and pointed to the opposite side. As we turned to look, we saw a wedding procession making its way across the grounds. What a special and unique sighting!

From the Shrine, our tour wandered past Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium and over to Takeshita Street in Harajuku. This street is known for its colorful Kawaii (aka cute) sweets, clothes, and accessories. There were huge rainbow cotton candy clouds, treats decorated like little animals, and, one of my newfound favorites, candied strawberry on a stick. The sugary crunch mixed with the juicy fruit is one of a kind.

We ended the tour at Tokyo Plaza Omotesando and the famous kaleidoscope of mirrors at the entrance. Omotesando Street is known for their designer stores, and as I wandered the street in my quick-dry shirt and shorts, I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb. I didn’t try to enter, but I wonder what the security guards would have said if I did…

Even the manhole covers are cute!

I ended day two at Shibuya crossing, sneaking up to the Starbucks for an overview of the street. It looked like an army of ants crossing back and forth.

I already told you about the crazy numbers at Shibuya crossing, but did you know Tokyo’s train stations are the busiest in the world? I learned on my walking tour that an average of 3.5 million people pass through Shinjuku Station every DAY! That’s a lot of people!

Jeff, Jeannette, and I were in for a treat this evening at teamLabs Planets! The best way to describe this place is an interactive and immersive art museum. Upon entering the museum, we were told to remove our shoes and socks and that shorts were available for rent if needed. Luckily, we came prepared!

There were nine exhibits and each one was so unique! There was one where you were immersed in a room of crystals. It was like a glittery maze, and as the lights dimmed, the experience changed. We waded into a large room that was filled with water up to our knees and had “fish” swimming around dodging our legs. While playing with the fish, we discovered that the floating light flowers were interactive, and if you touched them, they would break apart and float away. It was wild! We bounced through a dark room, stepping on large pillows that sucked us in as we stepped, and in a different room, we were engulfed by huge inflated balls that changed color. Our two favorite rooms were centered around flowers. The first one had us “floating in the falling universe of flowers” as we lay on a mirrored floor and watched a variety of flowers shifting around us. The last room was filled with live hanging flowers that started above us and slowly moved down to completely surround us. It was a crazy, unique experience and one we highly recommend if you ever have the opportunity to visit!

We ended the evening slurping another scrumptious bowl of noodles at Ippudo!

The heat came back today… hello sweat, I did not miss you. Today, I hopped on the train and headed to “Little Edo,” aka Kawagoe, for a day trip. This gem has a little bit of everything, an Edo-era castle, a beautiful temple, and Kurazurkauri (clay-walled warehouse-style) shops.

My journey began with a trip to the Kitain Temple. I strolled around the temple grounds, checking out the different shrines and buildings, and entering the temple. The inside was simply decorated and so quiet. My favorite part was strolling around the garden with 540 Gohyaku Raken, stone statues of Buddha, each with its own facial expression. They were pretty cute overall.

Next, I walked to Honmaru Gotan, the only surviving building of the former Kawagoe Castle. I strolled around the tatami rooms, admired the garden, and enjoyed a snack outside. As with all of our adventures, I stumbled upon a random shrine during my walk and stopped to take a peek.

My last stop was the Warehouse District and Candy Alley. The Warehouse District was really neat, as it felt a little like I was transported back in time. I wandered the streets, taking in the sights and popping into a few boutiques. I also finally sample a chilled, pickled cucumber on a stick… We’ve seen these around and have talked about trying them, so with my trip coming to an end, I figured I better sample it! It was unique and oddly refreshing with a sweet yet tangy flavor. I don’t think I need to try another one, but I’m glad I tried it once!

Kurazukuri Street led me to the adorable Candy Alley (a real candy alley this time!), where I picked up some Daigaku Imo (aka candied sweet potatoes) and oogled over various candies and other goodies. By the end of my stroll, it was time to head back to Tokyo to meet Jeff and Jeannette for our fancy dinner!

And what a dinner it was! Tsurutokame Kaseiki is a little restaurant tucked away in the streets of Ginza. It’s an all female restaurant and led by seven female chefs ages 18-35, and the food and presentation were absolutely amazing! They offer a set multi-course menu that changes daily, so we weren’t sure what we would get, but we were blown away. We had front-row seats to the kitchen and loved watching the chefs prepare our food right in front of us. They grilled the turtle (yes turtle!) on a small stone grill, filleted the fish, and decorated our mochi bunnies, all while telling us about the meal, the restaurant, and themselves. With one of our dishes, they presented us with handwritten haikus they created and shared with us that one of the chefs made the ceramic plates and bowls we were using. Everything about this place was immaculate and totally worth a visit if you’re in Tokyo!

With only a few items left on my “must-see” list, I set off for the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on my second to last day in Tokyo. After stumbling upon our first Reserve in Milan, we’ve had fun touring others during our travels. They’re quite the sight and a fun place to relax. I opted to sample the Coffeeade Lime and Mint, a Japanese special known as a “clear iced coffee.” It was quite tasty and refreshing and didn’t taste like coffee at all. I also chose a seat at the bar and had a front-row view of the baristas mixing up countless drinks in many different ways… the regular pour-over, the Chemex pour-over, the classic coffee press, and the most exciting siphon brewer, which sends you back to chemistry class.

I headed to Tsukiji Fish Market next. Unfortunately, by the time I arrived (around 1pm), several shops were closing for the day. In hindsight, I should have started at the market and then stopped at the roastery, but this route worked better at the time. I still enjoyed wandering through the tiny market streets with a mix of food stalls, fresh fish and vegetable stands, and little artisan shops. It reminded me of our little market in Düsseldorf which made it extra special. The best part of this market was that I finally found some ramen spoons and bowls for us! We’re looking forward to trying to make our own ramen once we’re back in the States.

I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through Ginza, strolling around the massive department stores, like the 12 floor UNIQLO and the 7 floor Muji and multi-floor Hands (two of my favorites to walk around).

For dinner, our gang of three headed to Shinjuku. We had a late reservation at a restaurant which boasted of having the best soup dumplings (they were delicious), but we needed a snack while we waited. We stopped for a gyoza appetizer at a tiny little restaurant where we literally squeezed by the other customers and barely fit at our own tiny table. In between meals, we wandered the streets of Shinjuku and tested our luck at the claw machines (another thing we saw EVERYWHERE). Unfortunately, we didn’t win, but we saw a dedicated beau win a giant stuffed toy for his lady.

Our final destination for the evening was Shinjuku Golden Gai, a small neighborhood consisting of around 200 teeny tiny bars like each bar holds 3-4 people max. This area was a little seedy and the only time throughout our trip that we felt unsettled while walking around.

Today was my 15th day and final full day in Japan. My day started with a hopeful stroll around the Kokyo Gaien National Garden and Imperial Palace, however, as I arrived at the garden, I learned it was closed for the day… Rats! So, with extra free time, I decided to head to the one-of-a-kind Tokyo Art Aquarium, an art museum made up of goldfish tanks and colored lights. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but overall, it was pretty neat and a great place to people watch.

We opted to stroll around the heart of Tokyo for our last evening in Japan. We started at Shibuya Crossing, stopped for an appetizer at Taco Bell (don’t ask…), popped into a random little bar for a drink, braved a walk through the crazy entertaining Don Quijote, and dined on sushi for dinner! We ended the night back at the hotel bar, reminiscing about our incredible trip and Japanese adventures.

On my last day in Japan, we enjoyed one final delicious breakfast and then strolled the streets of Ginza before I traveled through time to get back to Boise (my flight left Tokyo on 9/30 at 5:05pm and arrived in Boise at 4:45pm on 9/30!). Jeff dropped me off at the train station and then took off to check out Tokyo’s Costco. Now, if you know Jeff, you know Costco is his favorite store, so it’s fitting that he spent one of his days in a foreign country walking through Costco. I’m not as big of a fan, but I am a little bummed I missed out on the trip! The pictures he sent and stories he shared were quite entertaining. Where else can you get a Shrimp Katsu Burger from the food court and giant “Costco size” platter of sushi for only $24?! They also had ice chests and bags of ice at the checkouts so people could travel with their food. I’m telling you they think of everything here!

It felt bittersweet to leave Japan, partly because I was leaving Jeff behind as he stayed an extra week to finish some work. But our time exploring the country was incredible, and I didn’t want it to end. It was filled with so many firsts, something you don’t ever get back, but thankfully you get to live with the memories for a lifetime. The country itself was just so neat! It constantly felt like we were walking through a living museum with so much to look at all the time. We loved strolling through the covered markets, admiring the beauty of the temples and shrines, testing out all of the special functions on each and every toilet, and although the food was sometimes not what we were expecting, we loved the experience of trying so many new things. Before we left, I was apprehensive about the communication and different languages, but even that was a fun experience. Everyone we met was so friendly and helpful and Google translate did a great job assisting as needed. Throughout the trip I had to laugh as German phrases continually popped into my mind and a few times even slipped out of my mouth. My brain knew I needed to speak something other than English, but it didn’t know what to say. Japan is definitely somewhere we’d recommend and somewhere we look forward visiting again!