Tokyo, Japan 2024

July 22

After a day of Shinkansen shenanigans, we make it to The Knot Shinjuku, our Tokyo hotel. We've been staying in airbnbs mostly, but we need a hotel, as we are having tickets mailed to us and we need a front desk to receive and transfer them to us. More on said tickets and why later. It's a 3-person 3-twin-bed room and it's, shall we say, cozy. We grab some Indian food nearby, take showers, and crash out after our what-shouldn't-have-been-so-long of a day.

July 23

Tokyo!!!! Yay. It's our last stop and one that we have been looking forward to, Jack especially. Dmitri has been to Tokyo twice but it's my first time and Jack's as well. Our lovely hotel has a bakery on site and we all enjoy some pastries for breakfast as we set up shop at this massive table in the hotel lobby and do some planning for our stay in Tokyo. We are here until we fly home to Los Angeles on the 1st of August so we have lots of time. However, the heat is stifling so we divide our list into things we can do after the sun goes down (when it's a smidge cooler) and things we want to do that are inside. We also look for an airbnb to stay in, as we have only booked a few nights at The Knot. We want to be closer to a train station and have a little more room to spread out.

View from our room at The Knot--Dmitri splurged for a park view room because sometimes he's fancy like that!

Once again, I find a quirky but great place for us to stay when we leave this hotel. It's not terribly expensive, it's a 4-minute walk to a station, and it's just a couple of stops from Shinjuku station so it's easy to get anywhere in the city. Separate rooms for Jack and for Dmitri and me, kitchen, laundry, the works. Done and booked!

When the temperature drops a little, we head out to explore Shinjuku.

Our itinerary for the evening--visiting the largest cat cafe in Tokyo, finding an Apple store for Jack so he can return his malfunctioning air pods, seeing the 3D cat billboard, and getting some food.

First stop is a cat cafe. A lot of the cat cafe cats we have seen in Japan are super fluffy with tons and tons of fur.

We luck out and are there at 7:30 pm for cat feeding time and it is pretty hilarious to see them all lined up and eating. Pro tip: if you go to Cat Cafe Mocha in Shinjuku, go for feeding time!

After a successful exchange at the Apple store, we head to the Cross Shinjuku vision billboard. It's so fun!

Before we head home, we go to a place called Mensho Ramen. It is delicious and of course I have to try the matcha ramen!

Another reason to love Japan

July 25

We start the day with one of my favorite breakfasts--hotel picnic! I am proud to say that we have hotel picnicked all over the world and have gotten quite good at it. Eating out 3 meals a day gets old so when we can, we like to gather supplies at local grocery stores and DIY. Our oatmeal rivals any you can find in a cute little cafe somewhere!

Properly fed, we head off to the Capy Neko Cafe.

Another cat cafe, you might ask. This one is different, I would tell you. This one has a CAPYBARA!!!! Cute cats to pet and a freaking CAPYBARA!!!! She is so so so so so cute and we take a bajillion photos of her because she is so so so so so so cute. The woman who works there shows us how to scratch her belly. She is so happy she starts making this trilling noise and the hair on the back of her neck spikes up--similar to us getting goose bumps. Jack feeds her treats and it is ridiculously adorable.

Sock Monkeys and capybaras are natural allies

Make sure to listen with the volume turned up to hear her happy sounds.

You would think that meeting a capybara would be the highlight of the day, but there is more excitement still to come!! A mere 15 minute walk away from the cafe is the Studio Ghibli Museum. We are all pretty big Hayao Miyazaki fans. Like, big big BIG fans. So when we knew we were coming to Tokyo, Studio Ghibli was high on the list. The problem is that tickets aren't easy to get. You must have reservations and actual tickets. It's like getting Taylor Swift tickets or something, except I think Taylor tix are easier to get. To get the tickets, on the 10th day of the month you go online to get tickets for the following month. And they sell out VERY VERY quickly. Lo and behold, I went online on the 10th day and lo and behold, I did not get tickets for any of the days we would be in Tokyo. And it was literally the top priority place Dmitri wanted to go. The next step was trying to book a one-day tour of Tokyo that happened to include a stop a the Ghibli museum. No dice. I turned to the Reddit forums and came across Seann. And I will tell you about Seann, in case you are as desperate as we were to get into Ghibli. Getting tickets this way seems like a huge leap of faith, but one we were willing to take.

So, Seann. I found my way to his site on Fiverr and messaged him and asked about 3 tickets to Studio Ghibli within our time window. He got back to me pretty quickly with how much it would cost per ticket and asked me if I had any time parameters--like certain times on certain days. As we hadn't yet planned, we were wide open. Seann got tickets for us like in only about a day or so, printed them out for us, and mailed them to us at our hotel. That's why we needed to stay in a hotel when we first arrived in Tokyo--I needed a place where the tickets could be received. Sure, the tickets were more expensive. I think we ended up paying around $100 USD for all 3 tickets. So if you find yourself in Japan and want to go to the Studio Ghibli museum and can't get tickets, I can vouch for Seann:

https://www.fiverr.com/seann_e/purchase-tickets-for-museums-concerts-and-events-in-japan

Which brings us to the present. I didn't take a lot of photos, as they don't allow picture taking inside the museum. So you will just have to go on your own!!! Also, all the information inside the museum is in Japanese.

Here are a few Dmitri covertly took with his super sneaky Meta Ray Ban glasses:

We have a wonderful time at the museum. When we enter, we watch a short film called Koro's Big Day Out. And then wander the exhibits that are SO great that I wish I could have taken photos because I would have taken quite a few. Miyazaki is a true genius and it is amazing to be able to see his hand-drawn images and the various sources for his inspiration. And now I can't wait to rewatch some of my favorites of his movies!

We have already had a lot of excitement, but the day isn't over yet! We take the train to Nakano Broadway and have a look around.

Nakano Broadway is a shopping mall known for anime and manga. I will admit that I mainly am tagging along while Dmitri and Jack have a look. I do find it all interesting. And I buy a little action figure thing for my niece, Halen, who is very into Power Rangers. To me, it looks like a Japanese version of a Power Ranger. And yes, I realize Power Rangers is an adaptation of a Japanese show. At any rate, I hope she will like the mini figure. I then am like a kid in a literal candy shop as I buy lots of Japanese candy for my nephew, Hendrix. So many fun Japanese candies. I hope my brother doesn't get irritated at me when I get his kids all sugared up!

July 25

Today we move from The Knot to our airbnb. It's a couple of stops off from Shinjuku station, at Akebonobashi. It's a great apartment in a nice little neighborhood with lots of markets and restaurants and is a short walk to the train station. Yes, this will do nicely for the next week, we think.

Check out time is 10 am and we can't get into our airbnb until 4 so we have to find a way to keep occupied, yet out of the heat. Luckily, there are LOTS of lockers at Shinjuku Station so we head there and drop off our luggage.

Then we take a break from the heat and kill time in a traditional summer fashion. By going to see a movie!

There's another level to the ridiculous when seeing Deadpool with Japanese subtitles.

This is a BRILLIANT scheme, by the way. The pair discount--you get a cheaper ticket if you take an "older" person to the movie. I love this! What a great way to encourage younger and older people to visit the movies together.

After the movie, we have time for a quick bite to eat before hopping on the train and heading to teamLab Planets. This unique, interactive experience begins when you take off your shoes to enter the space. And personally, I think most museums would be more fun barefoot! We wade through water and see bright colors and are surrounded by flowers, both digital and real. It's completely immersive and peaceful and interesting.

July 26

Today's temperature prohibits going out for anything longer than a short trip up the street for a food run--at least until the sun goes down. Jack has a cold/cough and needs to rest anyway. I catch up on blogs, Dmitri catches up on British Baking Show, we all watch a few TaskMaster episodes, I do some laundry. It's a nice down day to relax after having a few days where we were on the go.

Our little neighborhood in Akebonobashi:

After the sun goes down, we venture out to Shibuya crossing, the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world. And it is CRAZY. We first go up to the Starbucks 2nd level that overlooks the crossing. After watching a bit, we delve in. And it's wild. Pro tip--Starbucks naturally only wants you watching from their store if you buy something but the line at the 2nd floor register is looooooooooong. So pick up a mobile order on the first level and then head up with your purchase to the 2nd level.

It's time next to head to a Mega Donki in Tokyo and stock up on goodies and souvenirs. There are a lot of different flavors of Kit Kats in Japan and we get a lot of them--peach, matcha, strawberry shortcake, lemon, gold, sugar butter, and on and on and on. I think we will need to get another bag just to bring all the Kit Kats home. It's so funny that this candy we have at home in the US, they have in Japan in sooooooo many varieties.

We drew the line at Kit Kat cereal, but it was fun to see

Jack takes our stash of Kit Kats and other goodies back to the airbnb and Dmiri and I head to Shimokitazawa. It's an area known for vintage clothes. There are lots and lots and LOTS of shops and Mia would be in thrift store heaven if she were here. Another time...

We walk around, then have some dinner at a place that sells craft beers. It's another good day in Tokyo.

Very fun street lamps in this district; we see our old buddy, Invader, has made his way to Tokyo; one of the very many station signs that caution commuters about correct behavior in train stations

July 27

The guys and I start our day in Akihabara. Oh my word--sooooo very many stores with video games, manga, anime, electronics. It's dizzying! We also see a maid cafe or two and it's a hard pass on those. No judgements, but we aren't the target crowd.

So very many minifigures.....

And apparently there is something for everyone. This one is a puzzler for me, though. Erotic Japanese anime girls? Hmmmmmm. I am clearly not the right audience for these!

From Akihabara, Jack heads back and Dmitri and I continue on to Tokyo Sky Tree. It's an indoor mall with lots of sweet shops and a Ghibli store and many other fun little stores for us to browse. We do decent damage with our souvenir shopping here.

Also, I am totally geeking out because I was in the Ghibli store standing next to Totoro and the song from Totoro was playing. Can barely contain my excitement. (turn up volume to hear)

Dmitri tries on a shirt and I'm amused that he's instructed to leave his shoes outside the dressing room, as is the custom. Also, Dmitri is given a face covering to put on before he is allowed to try the shirt on. Curiouser and curiouser.

I love that friends or couples put on kimonos and hit the malls and tourist sites. What a fun thing to do!

So many Japanese girls and women have such a fun sense of style. Without trying to be creepy, I try to take photos when I can!

This photo is a perfect example of Japanese style. Cute plush hanging off a backpack, check. Ubiquitous fan, check. Whimsical shirts, check. Seriously! That guy has a shiba inu shirt!!!!!!

This guy is rocking a wig, ears, and a tail! And it's perfectly normal in Tokyo.

With weary feet and sweaty bodies, we crash out at the airbnb and I think maybe we are in for the night. It's not to be. Jack and I head out for a brief excursion--to see the Godzilla head in Shinjuku.

Oh, and a parade through Shinjuku that we just happen upon!

And we take another look at the 3D cat billboard because why not!

Frankly, the world would be a better place if we all listened to Hello Kitty!

And then, after a long day, I am able to shower and sleep the sleep of the just.

July 28

Oh NO! Jack is feeling better but Dmitri's back is preventing him from doing much more than gentle stretches and icing. We have the baseball game tonight so we are going to have him take it easy and rest and hopefully he will be able to go out tonight. We are coming to the end of our trip and are starting to think about what to do on the last day in the time between leaving our airbnb and when we check in at the airport. I also need to start assessing soon whether all the souvenirs will fit into my suitcase or if I will need to get another bag. Gulp. I maaaaaay have gone a little bit crazy with fun Japanese goodies. We will be checking bags FOR SURE!

We stay in our local neighborhood of Akebonobashi and bring food in for lunch. We want to be good and ready for tonight, as we have tickets for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows vs. Hiroshima Carp at Meiji Jingu Stadium, the oldest baseball stadium in Tokyo. We hear that going to a baseball game in Japan is quite an experience and are eager to see for ourselves.

Baseball in Japan is OUTSTANDING!!! It is SO much fun. It reminds us of going to a futbol (soccer) game in Rio. There are people playing drums and trumpets and waving very large flags and there are coordinated cheers. The Japanese are VERY polite fans. They take turns cheering on their teams. When the home team is up to bat, visitors sit quietly and vice versa. And they legit have chants for EVERY SINGLE PLAYER who comes to bat.

They even have lockers here to store luggage or bags! The beer girl is tiny but STRONG!

The Yakult Swallows fans are known because they bring small umbrellas to the games and when there is a home run, they wave them in the air. It's all great fun. There are beer girls who roam the stadium to bring beer on tap to the fans. Everyone is clean and they leave the stadium tidy. It's incredible to see. And the food......

Some things I swear they are chanting that make me giggle:

"Home grown toad" and "No go, okra"

Ok, probably I didn't get the translation close AT ALL but it makes me smile.

Other things of note today that are on my mind--Japan has the cleanest cabs anywhere in the world. We have been watching the Olympics and it's funny to watch skateboarding with Japanese commentary that we don't understand at all. We've also been watching a lot of Task Master and if you haven't seen it, you really should. It's laugh-out-loud funny. I'm looking at you, Tia. Watch it!!!

***side note*** It's my absolute favorite show at the moment and it NEVER (literally--used grammatically correctly) fails to make me laugh and laugh. I am 100% obsessed with Greg Davies and he has officially bumped Dolly Parton off my list of the top 3 people I'd like to have dinner with. Do yourself a favor and at least watch ONE episode. You will thank me for it. And if you do only limit yourself to ONE episode, this is one of the funniest ones.

Ok, enough ranting about TaskMaster. If you don't want genuine comic brilliance in your life, that's on you!

Also, I feel like I keep harping on how hot and humid it is, but it's really freaking HOT. And humid. I'm not just being a big baby about it.

Monday 29

It is 9 degrees cooler in Singapore! We are in a place that is hotter and more humid than Singapore. Whaaaat?????? Crazy times.

We get news from home that our beloved cat, Bali, is having some issues and not doing well. I call the vet and make an appointment and Dmitri and I look into flying back home early. Ugh, it'll cost an additional $6000 to move our flight up by a day. Chances are if you know us, you have met Bali. She is our Russian Blue fur baby and we adopted her from the Illinois Humane Society in 2004. She is one of the absolute sweetest animals. She is very social and if you have ever sat down on our couch, you've probably had Bali crawl in your lap. Or if you have been in our home, she's probably meowed at you or rubbed up against you. Dmitri, Mia, and I have known her longer than we have known Jack!!!!

Jack goes solo to Ikebukuro today. Dmitri and I have seen a lot of manga and anime and Jack is also happy to not be dragging us in his wake.

Later in the day, we head to Yebisu Brewery and Yebisu Garden Place.

Even the dogs in strollers have little fans; yes please for the cookie shake, yum; and YES PLEASE for champagne and gyoza--brilliant idea!!!

July 30

It's nighttime at home in the US and we can't do any more for our sweet kitty from so far away and the vet appointment isn't until CA morning time. So we can sit at home and worry or we can carry on with our plans.

It's off to Harajuku and for once it's LOVELY weather. It's the most temperate day we have had so far in Japan. There's a little rain and we love walking around yet another fun and lively area. There is latte art and we see donut shops and it's bustling.

Our first stop is an otter cafe. And we go in and meet and play with them and we all agree that it's one of the most fun things we have done in Japan! At one point, one is curled up on my lap, fast asleep, and another one comes over and climbs up. I think it is going to mess with the first one, but it simply piles on and goes to sleep too. I mean, can you really beat two otters curled up for a nap on your lap?????? They are SO soft. And so darn adorable.

We wander Harajuku and realize why it's so popular with both tourists and locals. At some point in the day, Jack has had enough and heads back to the airnbn. I absolutely love that it's so safe here that I don't worry one bit when Jack wants to hop on the train and go anywhere by himself. Dmitri and I keep meandering, eating, browsing.

As soon as it's morning in CA, we talk with Mia and Bali has worsened over the night. Even though logic dictates that a 20+ year old cat isn't going to live forever, the four of us are very strongly attached to our sweet girl. Perhaps naively we thought the vet visit would involve some pain medication and she would be back to her usual self at home. It's not to be. We face time with Mia and the vet and are devastated we aren't there in person to say good bye to Bali and be there to support Mia. Thank goodness our bonus daughter and Mia's roommate, Nat, is there with Mia. With lots and lots of tears from us so very far away and lots of gentle cuddles and pets from Mia until the very end, we let Bali go. Our poor sweet Bali kitty is not in any more pain or discomfort. She is a once in a lifetime kitty and we are all heartbroken. And then Japan, decides to have an earthquake and reallllllllyyyyyyyyy???????????

Best cat ever. We won the kitty lottery for sure!

****side note***

Our very good friend, Tom Barker, has gone to Paris for the Olympics and while he is there he leaves a lock with Bali's name on it. If that's not one of the sweetest things ever, I don't know what is!!!

July 31 

It's our last full day in Tokyo and Dmitri and I are zonked. Neither of us got very much sleep. There are lots and lots of tears and much sadness. Even though he suspected as much, when Jack wakes up we have to tell him that Bali is gone. None of us feel much like doing anything but we have teamLab Borderless scheduled. Plus, sitting around feeling sad isn't going to help anyone.

teamLab Borderless is wonderful and we all allow ourselves to be distracted for a bit. Bali memories weigh heavily on all of us, naturally. Unlike Planets, at Borderless, we don't remove our shoes. However, visually it's stunning. It is mesmerizing and we wander around and about.

After Borderless, I need a nap something fierce so we head back for a few hours before heading out on our last night into the Tokyo rain. We have one last Japanese sushi meal at Sushizanmai. Jack and I take Dmitri to see the Godzilla head and we walk around Shinjuku and buy more (are there really any more souvenirs left in Tokyo for us to buy!!!!) trinkets to take home.

Then it's one more TaskMaster in Tokyo and some packing and off to bed.

Aug 1

It's time to head home, but not until 7:45 pm. With one last day in Tokyo our goal is to stay cool, so as not to be hot and sweaty for the 10+ hour flight. We pack up our bags for the last time this trip and take a cab to Tokyo station, which like an underground city spread out over different blocks and levels. We stash our bags and explore and browse and shop and eat. Dmitri and Jack get $15 hair cuts and I figure, why not, and get my bangs trimmed for $6.

Didn't expect to see this at Tokyo Station.

We are going to miss the little things that Japan goes above and beyond on.....

It's an easy transport to the airport from Tokyo Station and we relax in the lounge until it's time to board our flight.

The flight is relatively easy and we hug and hug Mia when she picks us up from the airport at home. It's good to be back.

In a very short recap after a few long blogs--Japan is an interesting, fun, busy, beautiful, quirky country. We have no doubt we will be returning--just not during the hot and humid summertime.

Arigato gozaimasu, Japan.