Tokyo

Zen is the word that comes to mind about Tokyo. How can a city of over 9 million people be Zen, you ask? Walk into any temple or shrine (there are a lot) and the hustle and bustle of the city just falls away.

We knew we couldn’t see everything in a few short days, so in line with our style of travel, we decided not to go crazy and try. If a temple or other sight draws us in, we stay and savor it, adjusting whatever else we were thinking of doing that day. 

Flying in late in the afternoon, we found our airbnb in the Roppongi area and after dropping off our gear, looked up area restaurants and decided to try yakitori at Jomon Roppong they have all kinds of meat on a skewer cooked over a bed of hot coals. Must trys are squid, shrimp, chicken parts & salmon with salmon roe. Try putting some of the rub on it and enjoy the cabbage dish between skewers. It all pairs perfectly with the dry house sake, but ask to taste a few sakes, just because you can.

Sensō-ji Temple in the Asakusa area was our first stop, recommended by a friend whose dad is from there, and a good first look into Japanese culture. Its the oldest temple in Tokyo, so be prepared for loads of tourists the minute you walk through the red gates & hit Nakamise shopping street before the temple itself. (Photo of entry gate at top of blog).

Andrew Zimmern always says, “If it looks good, eat it.” So we did, trying millet dumplings which are boiled balls on a stick, rolled in soy bean powder, which have kind of a sweet chewy flavor, then it was on to matcha, a thick sweet green tea looking drink 

Pulling a fortune stick is also a tradition, and if you don’t like your fortune, just pick another one. (Don’t forget to make an offering for the temple). Slow down and take some time to appreciate the beauty of the temple and surrounding gardens. There’s a relaxation and calm just beside the hustle & bustle of the street markets.

We headed to Tokyo’s oldest Onigiri restaurant ONIGIRI ASAKUSA YADOROKU

and discovered we’d have to make a reservation and come back. Who would have thought? We didn’t, but it only had 4 tables & a small bar area, Go early folks & make a reservation. While waiting, It was time to have a little snack of a tempura sampler at Daikokuya tempura. We can’t pass up the crispy warm crunch of tempura!

After more discovering around the temple grounds, it was time to try the famous Onigiri for the first time. I guess you could say they are Japan’s version of a sandwich. Slightly warm rice triangles filled with only one of the likes of Japanese pickled plum, grilled salmon, ginger pickles, salmon roe, or salted squid, wrapped up in seaweed. They are Ah-mazing! The crunch of the seaweed with the warmth of the rice, then you get to the filling which adds another texture & flavor. We hunted them out whenever we could for a quick snack or for lunch on the bullet train.

Just a short walk from Senso-ji temple is Kappabashi, the kitchen street. Another must see: too of the art and precision of reproducing plates of food you see in all the restaurant windows + a few just really fun ones showing how much they can do. Japanese grade cooking knives and everything else you could possibly need to stock a restaurant from the entry mat to appliances fill the shops and sidewalks.

We jumped a train across town to the main train station and visited the Imperial Palace Gardens. The hustle and bustle of the station and all the signs about the upcoming Olympics and Rugby World Cup once fall away instantly once you walk through those big wooden gates, and the feeling of Zen returns. As you meander through the pristine gardens and Koi ponds, it makes you walk slower and savor the beauty around you. There definitely is something to Japanese forms of art that are so relaxing and inviting you to get lost in the detail, slowing your mind. 

Sushi can be mainstream like home, but that’s home. Splurge and go to a good place. For Stu’s birthday, we went to Matsue and enjoyed a 10 course trip through a tasting menu from a master. They get whatever is freshest from the famous fish market (next visit, we hope). Some of the bites were salmon liver nigiri and thinly sliced scallop made right in front of us. Sake, dry, of course, was our drink of choice. I wonder how many people can say one of their birthday dinners was Sushi in Tokyo? We are lucky.

Meji Jingu Shrine and gardens, built as a dedication for the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji & his wife Empress Shoken, was our friend Wendy’s favorite shrine (picture below). It’s a short walk from Japan Rail Harajuku station. We were so glad we went early to experience it with less crowds as we walked the tree lined path into the gardens, the traffic noise falls away, and once again, Zen. Participating in the hand washing ceremony creates a sense of peace, and we were so lucky to arrive in time to see the monks chiming the gong, a deep vibration that resonates all the way into your heart. Take your time to stroll the gardens, or just sit and admire the beautiful buildings. We did.

From there, it’s a quick train ride over to the famous Shibuya intersection. Now that’s crazy! Hundreds of people crossing the road going in all different directions really makes you feel the 9 million people. Of course, Starbucks is there with a great view of it from the 2nd floor. If you can, grab a coffee & watch the madness from above. A statue dedicated to Hachiko is also by the square. Talk about a loyal friendship, Hachiko used to walk to the station with his human every day & wait for him to return from work for the evening stroll home. That’s friendship, honored right in the centre of Tokyo.  

Some places you can’t help but have a crazy night. Helen, our neighbor down the road here at home, lived in Tokyo for 3 years and recommend Andy’s Shin Hinomoto. Smarter this time, we made a reservation, as the Rugby World Cup was on and Andy being English, it’s a hot spot for all the expats to watch the games live. Arriving to a crowd of nationalities cheering and having fun was a happy shock. It wasn’t long and we were chatting with everyone around us on the communal long tables, working out the best seafood options. Yes, Andy’s known for his seafood. King Crab legs with rice vinegar as sauce instead of melted butter. Who knew? And why haven’t we tried this again since we got home? THE best grade sashimi and even a traditional English fish & chips (which we didn’t have, as we’re in Japan. We made a vow on the flight there to not eat Western food and only use chopsticks until we arrived back into LAX.) The rugby match that night was Japan vs Scotland in Scotland’s favor, and before we knew it our new found English friends were giving us sake and throwing out the idea of a karaoke bar. Let’s just say we had a slow start to the next day and hope they made it to their 6am flights. Thankfully, ours was later in the day & we could get one last Japanese lunch in. (No Sake, tho).

Sayonara, Tokyo, until next time. May we find more Zen at home until then. 

A few tips:

Getting around is easier once you work out that the train/ subway map isn’t all one ticket. There’s a least 3 different private companies, along with Japan Rail. Our first morning was a challenge to adjust our route to stay on the same company’s line to avoid purchasing more tickets. One way to avoid this is to buy the Suica card. We were trying to simply use the Japan Rail pass, and it’s just not that time efficient.

Once we understood the system, getting around was easy. 

If by some chance you can’t use chopsticks, learn before you go. Western cutlery isn’t always available at the more traditional spots and chopsticks are just more fun.  If you fly Delta, pre- order the Japanese meal on the plane just to get into the spirit a little earlier. They can run out, so best to request. 

Beds are small & single, toilets are small if you airbnb. Most western hotels will have western beds, but not big bathrooms. It’s Tokyo folks, space is a premium.

A lot of places will ask you to take off your shoes Be prepared. Take or wear socks, as you may be given traditional shoes to slip on.

DO go into local supermarkets or the likes of 7-11 & try anything that looks interesting. Angie’s favorite breakfast was a tea hard boiled egg. Mine, a fish shaped custard filled pastry. We tried seaweed chips, prawn (shrimp) chips, wasabi peas. I guess what we are saying is try everything, even if you have no idea what it is. You might like it.