Been There, Done That....Tokyo

We were very excited to have our first visitors in Japan when our pals Scott, Casey, and Chris came last week. Jason, Jacob, and I met them in Tokyo after their long flight and then spent a few days exploring the large city. Tokyo has over 12 million people living in the city, and over 35 million in the metro area. In comparison, New York City's population is approximately 8 million and the State of Ohio has just under 11.5 million. We were all in awe of the size of the city. We mingled amongst the millions with 1 stroller and 2 guide books over 3 days of beautiful weather.

Our first day we walked around the Imperial Palace Gardens.

We then ventured to the Ginza district where we explored all the hottest electronics in the Sony Building and ate lunch at a chic restaurant.

We finished the afternoon with a trip to Meiji Shrine. Here we saw the largest Torii Gate in all Japan and stumbled upon 2 Japanese weddings that were taking place at the Temple.

For dinner we found a charming restaurant in the Roppongi District where we had a private room on the 7th floor overlooking the district and cooked our own meat on the hibachi grills at our table. I am happy to report that none of us suffered from food poisoning after being responsible for cooking our own food. :) After dinner, we headed to the top of Tokyo Tower to look over the enormous city and all it's lights, which seemed to go on forever.

Day two was spent exploring the Electronic District in Akihabara. None of us came away with any new cameras, TV's, or mp3 players, but we did all window shop. We had a great lunch with the best hot dogs at a small coffee shop...Casey mentioned that the US should make hot dogs like these!

After lunch we headed to a Sumo Tournament for the rest of the afternoon. We went with a tour group so we could take advantage of an English speaking guide. He was very helpful explaining the traditions, ceremony and rules of Sumo Wrestling. All 5 of us left with a greater appreciation of the sport. I still cannot tell you why they insist on wearing such little clothing while wrestling, but we did learn a few other facts.

Our third, and last day, began at the crack of dawn at the Fish Market and Auction. This was one of the few destinations we did not take Jacob (he could have been mistaken for a fish and sold to the highest bidder!). I stayed at the hotel with him and slept in. Jason, Scott, Casey and Chris were up before the sun and rose at 5AM. This fish market differs from that of smaller cities (like the one we visited near Misawa) in that it is the market for commercial and private businesses rather than for the average consumer. Wow, what a site. Tokyo is the mecca for the fishing industry and it was certainly evident on this morning. The auction for the >200 pound tunas was over before we knew it. The fish were then carved, sliced, sawed, diced in every style for the various business owners. The four of them saw tuna, salmon, octopi, squid, swordwish, and hundreds more species we can't name. They left by 7AM, grabbed a cup of coffee, and met Jacob and I for breakfast.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the Shinjuku District, which is the major business/government district in Tokyo. We ventured through several communities here, including several posh shops, the 'Red-Light' area and the business buildings. We took another elevator to the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building where we once again had a breath-taking view of the city. Due to an overcast day, we were disappointed that Mt. Fuji wasn't visible, but we were able to take great pictures of the rest of the city. Before we left, our sweet tooth led us on a search for dessert and we found the yummiest place on earth! We found what can only be described as a "Bakery on Steroids". After purchasing and eating our yummy treats, we boarded the Shinkansen Train (Bullet Train) to Misawa.

Our trip to Tokyo was enlightening and eye opening. We enjoyed the culture of Tokyo, the hustle and bustle of a large city, and of course, our friends. We also had several delicious meals, noodle bowls, Kobe beef, yakitori, and melt in your mouth french toast. We also left with a few funny stories such as "Where in Tokyo is Chris' Passport?" and Jason crashing a Japanese wedding. Jacob was the most well-behaved baby in Tokyo. In fact, he was one of the few babies out and about! Japanese families tend to keep infants hibernating throughout the winter and until they can walk. On a side note, the Japanese are not very handicap or stroller friendly. Elevators were hard to come by. As a result, the five of us took turns lugging the stroller up and down stairs. Jacob enjoyed seeing the sights from his Baby Bjorn, but also napping in his stroller. We only explored a fraction of the city, but hope to return there again soon.

Enjoy all the pics!! More to come from this past week's adventures.