Day 1: After a full couple days of flying, driving to DC to drop the dog off - then flying from DC back to Chicago, Chicago to LA, and then LA to Tokyo, Japan, we arrived at 5:30am two days after leaving. Full day ahead of us with Cherry Blooms in sight. Quickly checked-in and freshened up in the lobby restrooms... diving right into the 'backpacking life.' Breakfast was starting at 6 - so we waited to enjoy. While it was one of the best breakfasts we have ever seen/eaten, steep at $80+ for buffet. Tokyo in bloom!
Little shrine near our hotel (Capitol Hotel) - the water turns on when you approach. High tech shrines in Japan!
Tokyo isn't a walking city - we walked over 2 miles to our first location, and ended up walking over 10 by the time we returned to the hotel. There is a reason their transportation system is so incredible!! Use it!! Our hotel was above a station stop... not sure what we were thinking - but it was beautiful out and we had just been on a plane far too long.
On our way to some obscure garden my husband found (with no Cherry Blossoms, when we are within the couple days they fully bloom) - we stumbled upon the Imperial Palace Garden and veered to the Yasukuni Shrine. These are both must-do's in Tokyo. They were beautiful and vast, yet quaint at the same time. The Cherry blossoms at Yasukuni Shrine were incredible and they have a fun video within the walk showing how to pray at the shrines - which was great to know because we kept seeing people clap and bow. It was nice to learn about the tradition. Ok, to the garden we meant to visit with no cherry blossoms - In all fairness, it was still one of my favorites - it was tranquil and beautiful, and nestled right in the heart of the city - with full views of a roller coaster nearby if you climbed up on a tiny wooded path up a hill. It was the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden - with the famous full moon bridge. If you're into gardens, this one was beautiful and not as crowded as the other go-to's (especially during Cherry Blossom Season, I imagine).
Imperial Palace Garden - Google Maps deceived us thinking we could get from the garden to the palace- please note, this is not the case. You will walk to the end of the Garden, and need to walk right back through the entrance! But, it's a beautiful garden and worth visiting.
Cherry Blossoms
Day 2: Meiji Jingu Shrine and park. - Saad fill-in, I don't recall.
Yoyogi Park - Cherry Blossom Madness here. There were people camped out 'picnic-ing' all under the trees. It was instense, but the trees are beautiful and we enjoyed seeing the locals enjoy them just as much as we were - well, definitely more on their part!! There was also some boy band dressed in red getting loads of attention and being photographed around.
Togyu Plaza - Saad enter text here... I don't remember this
Harajuku - ok, this is a famous street, but somehow we went on an off time or day - it's as empty. However, we hated the most incredible lunch at Royal Den Pao - could not recommend more. This may be my most favorite dining experience in Tokyo - and cheapest!
Robot Restaurant - sadly we slept through our reservation, but our friends went the week prior and said it was a tourist trap, but worth it for the 'sheer spectacle.' His words, I wish I could have gone! We trust him.
Day 3: Rainy days, what to do? Well, loads!! You don't get quite the views you would on a clear day, but it felt like China's pollution may seep in to Japan and Korea with their 'hazy' days adding up...
Sky Tree - sure we couldn't see Fuji, but was awesome anyway - go!
Ueno Park - Nationa Museum was a quick walk through and worth it for the park in back and beautiful architecture and tile work. Also did the zoo, the pandas are right in the entrance, go there and leave... the rest isn't much, but the pandas were surely entertaining, if you like zoos. I don't, but they were still way too cute.
2k540 - this is worth visiting - not sure the shops were open when we went, but was totally worth it even then, so I would suggest going and you see Akihabara with it.
Akihabara - if you're into this, go. If not... it's not much worth seeing.
Owl Cafe - We even tried the Owl Cafe - this is not worth visiting. Apparently they medicate the owls and they're chained up and it's pretty awful... don't support this. Ugh and it smelled awful, I had to walk out and force my husband to take a couple photos and leave. Even upset we did that... it all felt wrong. I had not idea of the chaining and medicating at this point, so forgive me, please!
Day 4: Ginza - they close the street off on weekends to traffic. Plan to be in Tokyo on a weekend and do this. It was beyond amazing and fun. We didn't enter any shops I don't think, and it was still worth it.
Tempura Lunch - Teniche - if you're into tempura and want to do a tempura lunch or dinner in Tokyo - go here. I hate tempura and loved it.
Tried to do a show nearby (NAME) but the wait was so long and didn't want to do a full day- so we went to Roppongy!
Roppongy:
MORI Art Museum - they had this kick-ass Marvel exhibit while we were there - I don't even know much about Marvel other than loving Stan Lee and Chasing Amy... and it was crowded (I hate crowds) and still awesome. Go!! Now!!
Ok the museum was awesome too- they had a cool exhibit from an artist that did loads of variety - pics to showcase because... a picture is worth a thousand words and I can't capture emotion in text with this stuff - I didn't live it (though I am not 100% the artist did either, but you learned from it)!!