Tokyo Visit - week 6 in Japan -

We had a short visit to Tokyo before heading off on our next adventure. My memories of this city are quite vivid because it is the second-longest place I have lived in Japan. The landscape reminded me of my time there, not in a nostalgic way, but as a reflection of my life. Everywhere we went was packed with tourists from overseas, which was a bit disappointing. Even the hidden gems I knew were overrun with visitors, erasing the local vibe. While I support boosting tourism in Japan, I wished to keep the secret places hidden.

1. Asakusa 

This was my third visit to Asakusa. The first two times were with my parents, who came to see me, and I had booked a Tokyo bus tour to visit the major attractions, which made it easy to show them around efficiently. They loved it! This time, I was with my partner, who had never been to Tokyo, so we took the subway to get there. My favorite part about Asakusa is the contrast between the modern buildings and the historical temple, which showcases our progress in preserving tradition. In the top right picture, my partner was standing in the smoke from the incense burner, as it is said that if you waft some of it over your head, you will become smarter. Is that true? 

2. Ueno to Akihabara 

After Asakusa, we walked to the Skytree and then headed to Akihabara, known as the anime and electronics district. We popped into a tendon shop where we enjoyed delicious and affordable Tempura don and udon. It made us very happy! There were many izakayas (Japanese pubs) under the elevated train line, creating a typical Japanese local scenery that I love.

3. The reunion gathering in Shibuya

Finally, we could get together without wearing masks! They are my coworkers and bosses from the kitchen company I worked for during the COVID pandemic, so we hadn’t had a chance to see each other's faces without masks. I know it was a bit crazy not taking our masks off all the time in public, but I was overly cautious about not catching any virus because of my upcoming trip to Australia. Although we no longer work together, it’s great that we have kept in touch and had dinner together, like this time. Shibuya Crossing was the place my partner wanted to experience, with the iconic view of people walking at a fast pace from all directions. While some bars and izakayas had closed down, it was nice to see that some were still thriving.

4. Shinjuku

I took my partner to Golden Gai, an area filled with small bars. Unfortunately, it was mainly populated by tourists from overseas, which diminished the sketchy atmosphere it once had. We then moved on to Shonben-yokocho, a bustling district of small izakaya shops, but it was the same situation there. We decided to walk through towards the local neighborhoods instead. Perhaps we should have ventured further away from the center of Tokyo.

5. Tokyo Tower 

The last stop was Tokyo Tower! I kept a safe distance from the edge, peering down through the glass floors because I have a fear of heights! I screamed in fear every time my partner encouraged me to get closer to the window. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see Mt. Fuji as the top was covered in clouds. What a shame! However, it was such a lovely sunny day that we still enjoyed the great view from the tower.