Lost in Translation

After an 11 hour flight we got to Tokyo at about 5pm on April 21. The flight went smoothly….we even had an empty seat next to us! Trying to get cash and figuring out the right train was a bit trickier. It’s funny how when you first get somewhere everything seems so hard but after 1 day we were pros at the subway….which really isn’t that difficult but I think with luggage and the language barrier everything seems harder. Thankfully our hotel, the Chisun Grand Akasaka was right across the street from the train station. The rooms were TINY but clean and in a decent area....short walk to Roppongi. Really it was great for $110/night for Tokyo. But seriously they are TINY rooms.

Unfortunately it pretty much rained the whole time we were in Tokyo but since we only had two full days we tried to pack as much in as possible. We walked all over the city so we got to hang out in all the different hoods: Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku, and Roppongi. Harajuku was my favorite – it’s the trendy, fashion district. Takeshita Dori was the funnest little street with tons of shops with funky clothing. It was really hard not to shop! Omote Sando was another great street with a bunch of cafes and bistros….very European actually. Shinjuku is kinda like Times Square with tons of shops, restaurants, and lights. We hung out in Roppongi the last night which can be kind of a cheesy party scene (We went to Heartland and Gas Panic) but fun to experience it.

As far as the sights go we didn’t do a whole lot because of the rain. We tried but both days we were pretty soaked and just freezing that it was hard to energize for more parks and shrines. We did get to see the Tokyo Tower, Yoyogi Park, The New York bar at the Park Hyatt, and Tsukiji Fish Market at 7am. It was too bad that the fresh fish auction at the market (which people highly recommend) was closed to visitors. Apparently tourists had bad behavior at the auctions so they close it off sometimes. I hate it when some people ruin it for everyone! We did have sushi at Daiwa Sushi Bar though at 8am. I decided to be adventurous and got the set menu. Really not a great idea for someone who is picky about sushi and seafood. I really don’t know what I was thinking! By the end of the meal I felt really bad because I just couldn’t get myself to eat everything and I'm pretty sure I offended the owner. I tried but really couldn’t stomach the Sea Urchin. It didn't look appetizing at all and Darsh still shutters every time I mention it….He did try it and didn’t like it! :) But still it was a great experience eating sushi with locals in a tiny, packed restaurant.

Two days was enough time for Tokyo especially since it was raining. There are tons of neighborhoods to explore and just people watch so if the weather was better you could spend days there.... Thanks so much Tam and Holger for the recommendations!!