After a series of flight delays I arrived in Tokyo close to midnight and with my lack of sleep, long customs lines, phone problems, and transit closures I had a near meltdown. Everything, it seemed, was opposite in Japan to what I was now used to from Sri Lanka. Everything is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. It is extremely clean and orderly, almost sterile. It is so easy to be ‘anonymous’ here that I felt like Bruce Willis from The Sixth Sense. Even crossing the street, which is like a game of trust in Sri Lanka, is safety extreme because there is no jaywalking. I might as well been on the moon!
After a reasonable night’s sleep I got my bearings and set off. I started off with some delicious 7-11 breakfast.
I headed on foot to Ueno park. When booking this trip I was sure that I would be too late to see the cherry blossoms (Sakura), but with the late spring they were at peak bloom just 3-4 days ago. It was so peaceful to sit and eat my breakfast with the delicate petals falling like gentle snow around me… until I heard the jarring sound of shouting. A Japanese man was screaming at an idiot tourist, “Do not touch the blossoms!! Do you understand?!?!”. I have learned that the Sakura season is very beloved by the Japanese.
As I continued my wandering I came across a tiny park where I had some Sakura all to myself. It was a very special feeling.
Eventually I arrived at the area called Jimbocho which is well known for used and antique bookshops, coffee shops, and small galleries. It was a great wander and find a woodblock print for our tiny art collection.
I had heard that I had to try the egg salad sandwiches here and the rumours are true. It was a little pocket sandwich with a hint of sweet. Delicious.
One of the things that I had reserved prior to coming here was a ticket to Teamlab Planets. It is an interactive art exhibit that truly has to be experienced to describe it. Some highlights for me:
- A room filled with real orchids that move up and down creating walkways and areas to move through.
- A place where you can colour a picture of a butterfly/dolphin/airplane. It is scanned and then ‘comes alive’ around the room. I watched my butterfly soar on 360 degree screens around me.
- A mirrored area filled with long strips of LED lights that would change colour.
- A large room filled with water almost to my knees. There are projections of Koi swimming and flower petals floating in the water.
I headed back to Asakusa where I’m staying and got the best recommendation for dinner. I wish I would have trained my stomach to be able to eat more because all I want to do here is eat!
Asakusa is an area that maintains the traditional vibe of Japan. It is filled with tiny shops, cafes, restaurants, and is book-ended by the Sensō-Ji temple and Kaminarimon Gate.
The next morning I visited Asakusa in the daylight and enjoyed a birds-eye view from the tourist centre.
I had read about a food here called Melon Pan, so picked one up from breakfast. I don’t know how a simple bread filled with whipped cream can be so melt-in-your-mouth. It tasted like a cloud. No, a cloud with a silver lining. Nope, a cloud with a silver lining and a care bear living on it.
I took the metro to the famous Shibuya Scramble Crossing, the world’s most popular pedestrian crossing. It was just as imagined, really.
Nearby I found a conveyor belt sushi place for lunch. It was so fun to order a dish on an iPad screen and minutes later have it arrive via conveyor belt. Yum!
Tokyo has lots of beautiful green spaces and I made my way through Yoyogi Park on my way to Shinjuku. Many Japanese families set up picnics under the Sakura in the parks.
I took a free tour of the Tokyo Government Metropolitan building before heading up to the 45th floor for views of the city. Here’s my cute tour guide standing under the world record high jump height.
I loved the 3D cat billboard and food alleyways in this area.
I was considering skipping the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden but was so glad that I went, and even more glad that I was there for golden hour.
I picked a supper spot based on how many locals were eating there and ordered random things, all of which were delicious.
I found the famous Godzilla head on my way back to the Government Metropolitan building for their nightly light show. It’s in the Guinness Book of World Records for largest light projection.
This morning I lined up early for the reputed best breakfast in the area. I’ve always been ‘take it or leave it’ with miso soup, but this one with spinach and sweet potatoes I would take every time. I had no idea that something as simple as a hard boiled egg could be so exquisite. I joked that it tasted like Jesus had laid it himself.
After packing up I was off on the bullet train to Osaka. Unfortunately the picture on my bento box was my only view of Mount Fuji as it was clouded over. Don’t ask me what the items were in the bento: I have no idea! In fact, I saved the bottom right area thinking it was dessert, which it wasn’t.
Hopefully you like looking at pictures of Japanese food because I guess that’s my photo focus right now. Tokyo has left me wanting more… I will definitely be back!