Last year
we purchased a Tokyo get away with ITT for half price and we have been looking forward
to this weekend. Josh and I love to take the ITT buses because we like to nap and read and the kids
love to watch the movies they show and play on their tablets and sticker books. We tried to impress upon the kids that we will be
going to the biggest city they have ever been in. We stayed at the New Sanno
hotel, a Navy hotel in Tokyo. It was
kind of nice to be in an American run hotel.
We hit the Tokyo
streets for two days, not long enough. The Tokyo LDS temple was only a 10
min walk from the hotel so we headed their first. It is not very big and just on a street
corner. There are really no grounds but
there is a big park, Arisugawanomiya park, right across the street and we
explored that. We also noticed all the embassy’s
surrounding the temple. We are truly in
an international city.
 |
| Tiny grounds in Japanese style |
We took the rail system all over Tokyo. It was a little confusing in that
there are three lines but I think we figured it out by the end. We did not ever get lost but just had to orient ourselves at each station.
We headed to Tokyo tower first.
It was full of animae gift shops that we did not know anything about but
we enjoyed going up to the observation deck (250 meters up) to see the view of
the city. It really is buildings for as
far as you can see. They had a cool look
down window that gave a good perspective of how high we were up.
 |
| Tokyo from the Tokyo tower |
 |
| Look down window |
We also briefly wandered the grounds of the
Zojoji temple right by the tower. The
wooden gate of the temple remains as the original architectural remainder of
the early 17th century and is designated as an important cultural
property of Japan.
Next
we took the train to the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. The gardens are expansive and were created as
part of the renovation project of the Imperial Palace grounds. The gardens are located in the eastern part
of the Imperial Palace grounds and occupy main quarters of the former Edo
Castle. I am always impressed by the
stone walls that surround the castles in Japan. We also walked through Tokyo
station, a Renaissance-style red brick building.
 |
| First cherry blossoms we have seen in Japan |
 |
| Original Lookout tower walls |
 |
| The Japanese gardens have a very distinctive look |
 |
| Tokyo Station |
 |
| Wadakura Fountain Park by the Imperial Palace Grounds |
We ventured to the famous Shibuya crossing. The lights turn red all at the same time and
everyone floods into the street to cross from all different angles. It really was fun and energetic, and I was
laughing at all of us taking pictures of people in the street. It was exciting and the shops and restaurants
were appealing there.
 |
| I am standing in the Starbucks that overlooks Shibuya crossing. Bub was scared of everyone being in the street at the same time but the girls have no qualms about being hams. |
Our second day in Tokyo we spent most of the day at
the Ueno Park Zoo. It is Japan’s oldest
zoo and we enjoyed the different animals.
They are famous for their pandas and the kids were thrilled to see
them. We like going to zoos in Japan
because there are different animals from what we might see in our zoos.
 |
| I love my hammy girls. Bub was really scared and wincing. |
 |
| We have never seen Asian elephants before in a zoo |
After the zoo we went to the Tsukiji
Market, the largest fish market in the world.
We did not know that we should have arrived here first thing in the day
and so we were disappointed that most things were closed for the day. We
did see the Tsukiji Hongwanji Buddhist Temple as it was right by the fish
market grounds. It dates back to 1617
when Tokyo was still Edo.
 |
| Fish head, fish head, rolly polly fish head |
 |
| I find Japanese cemeteries really interesting. We broke into this one to take a picture. |
 |
| Interesting sculpture in Rappongi Hills shopping area by our hotel |
