Luke and I were up early today, which was no surprise given our 6:00pm bedtime last night. We were showered, dressed, and downstairs waiting for breakfast at 6:20am. After a mix of Western breakfast (coffee, eggs, toast) and Japanese breakfast (rice, salmon, matcha rolls), we spent some time making plans for the sights we wanted to see, opting for the Imperial Palace since it’s only about half an hour by foot.
We started with a stroll through some gardens. It’s rather startling how you can be in one of the largest metropolises in the world yet find a place where you are nearly alone and it is quiet, yet Japan does that, repeatedly.
The Imperial Palace is still in use, so there are parts that are off-limits, but there’s enough to see nonetheless.
Tokyo provides no shortage of spots to take in the striking juxtaposition between the modern and the historical. These moments are breathtaking and special, particularly given Japan’s long history of violent earthquakes which tend to make historical architecture disappear.
After a few hours of walking, we set our sights on lunch. There is little food I enjoy more than conveyor belt sushi, and Tokyo has many to choose from, so we set off for Kura Sushi. We ate our fill (and then some), all the while delighting in the efficiency of ordering from a tablet and having our food whisked to us via conveyor belt. And best of all, it cost $35, which is easily 1/3 of what we would pay for the same meal back home.
We headed over to Ginza – Tokyo’s 5th Avenue – but didn’t find it that thrilling since we are not looking to spend months of pay on Hermes, Gucci, or Ferragamo, so we explored some of the smaller streets around the area. I love how one street is all modern and the next is a tiny alleyway with shops tucked in every corner.
Hibachi (or Tapanyaki, as it is called here) was on the dinner docket. Carnivores had some wagyu beef and I had some amazing tuna. The presentation here is not about the showy cooking as it is back home, but rather, about top-notch food quality. It did not disappoint!
Vacation Days 