We put in another 8-plus miles on foot today and many more on the subway in this city that is really multiple cities combined. Everywhere we went was fun, beautiful, oishhi (delicious) or all three. The morning began at the breakfast buffet, after which we headed out for a walk to Harajuku for shopping and sightseeing with a quick stop at a tea shop for a matcha.
The Togo Shinto shrine is very small, but offers a peaceful respite in the middle of the city. Notice the high rise to the left of the blossoming cherry tree.
These are prayers written by visitors. We offered up our own prayers for our friends and family back home.
Do you recognize this guy? He looks like Brad Pitt, but it’s really Benjie as latte art. George, the latte artist, created this portrait at Reissue Coffee Shop based on an old photo on my phone. Below is Hannah’s hot chocolate with a 3-D anime cat made of milk foam and chocolate sauce.
Harajuku is a super fun part of the city with tons of shopping, toy stores, street food and people — lots of people everywhere! We crammed ourselves into tiny stores and tiny gyoza bars, and spent our yen to our heart’s delight.
Of course, no visit to Tokyo would be complete without visiting Shibuya Crossing, which was actually not very crowded today. It’s also the location of the statue of the famous Akita Hachiko, who waited outside Shibuya Station for his master every day for nine years after his master died. I admire his loyalty.
Today’s truism: I’d be lost in Tokyo without Hannah and her navigation skills, both on Google maps and based on experience. She was very proud to have navigated us on and off trains in the busiest train station in the world.
Our next big cherry tree immersion came along the Meguro River, where the trees were in full bloom. Colorful lanterns lined the riverside walk.
Finally, we headed to Ginza for a bit more shopping and sushi delivered to customers on a conveyer belt. You watch it ride by, and just take what you want.
Our feet are tired, but our hearts (and our stomachs) are full.
