It is said that March rolls in like a lion and out like a lamb. I am not sure how true that is for us. March is pretty much a non-stop, can't-catch-your-breath roller coaster. The weather has started to warm up and that means everyone is talking about the cherry blossoms. We got a little taste of this the past two years, first in DC and then in Okinawa. Neither really prepared us for the cherry blossom (or Sakura as it is called in Japanese) madness that is Tokyo in the spring. But I am getting ahead of myself a bit. Let me back up to the beginning of March.
We left off last month with Lilly getting her driver's license and so now she is fully able to drive herself (and siblings) to school! What a glorious day it was!! I will admit, I was only slightly nervous to see her driving out of the driveway with both her siblings in the car. Good thing we live less then a mile from the school and the speed limit on base is 35km (that's 21mph for you non-metric people). 😳
There are several rooms that each have a variety of lights and computer generated visuals combined with other structures that will keep you busy wandering around as you follow your own path through the space. I think one of the coolest things we did was color a fish for the "aquarium" and upload it to the wall of fish. It then preceeded to swim around with all the other fish of the day. So cool!
We have heard that under normal conditions, the crowds are brutal at teamLab and most other popular spots in Tokyo. If there weren't a travel ban I am not sure we would have even attempted to visit this place. However, one of the perks of being here during COVID is the crowds are manageable ... very few people in the museum when we were there. It really is worth googling if you have the time.
Afterwards we decided to walk around the mall space and ride the giant (115 meters - that's 377 feet tall) Ferris Wheel (yes, a ferris wheel - we fall for all the tourist traps). Some of the cars have glass bottoms but they were not available on the day we were there - #sad. Covid giveth and taketh away. There were a few car exhibits/rides that Jim and Ben wanted to check out but they were not open. We decided to make our way over to the Unicorn Gundam Statue which was situated at the far end of the space. Jim and I had no idea who or what Gundam was (and really still don't). I called it a transformer and was immediately corrected by Lucy and Ben. It was cool to see although I would have rather seen the minuture State of Liberty or London Bridge or even the Freedom Flame (Jim walked over to check that out at least). Instead all I saw was this static transformer imposter, meh. Apparently there is another Gundam somewhere in Tokyo that moves - that might be worth seeing.
The next day Jim, Ben and I rode our bikes down to the Tama River to check the progression of the cherry blossoms. We are paranoid we will miss them. There is A LOT of coverage of when the peak times will be. The river banks are lined with cherry trees and if the pictures I have seen are to be believed, it is spectacular. The trees outside of the train station are nearly fully bloomed, while the ones down at the river haven't started to bloom at all! Crazy.
The following weekend, Jim and I made our way downtown to Kappabashi Street which is part of Tokyo's kitchen district. You can find pretty much anything relating to the preparation and serving of food on and around this street. Jim was on a mission to pick up some knives, and of course we have to find this place first! We decided to try our luck at the train system and Tokyo has a highly efficient public transportation system, but it is still daunting. We made a few wrong turns but eventually made it!
I know absolutely nothing about knives so I wandered around in some of the other kitchen stores while Jim found the "perfect" knives. They are beautiful and super sharp and NOT CHEAP. Thankfully they should last us the rest of our lives!
We ended up with two of these beauties
After the knife purchase, we wandered around some of the streets, checked out the famous Senso-ji shrine in Asakusa - had some lunch then retraced our steps to get back to Fussa without too many missteps. Whew!
Up next (for me anyway) was a hike with a friend over to Mt. Kobotoke-Shiroyama to do a fairly easy loop over to an adjacent peak, Mt Kagenobu. It was a glorious day and we basically had the trail to ourselves. She says there are several other trails she wants to check out and I hope I can join her when she does. Again, the cherry blossoms don't appear to be ready but the views of Mt. Fuji in the distance just couldn't be ignored.
Next up is St. Patricks Day! When the kids were little, the leprechaun would mess up a room and leave a bunch of shamrocks in his wake along with some green treats. Last year I thought we had outsmarted him when we moved to Japan but when the kids got up that morning they complained when there was no leprechaun tornado. So by the time they got home from school, he had come. I guess the time difference messed him up. I should have quit while I was ahead because this year the leprechaun was on time but the kids (teenagers) were only interested in the treats. I ended up having to clean up the tornado. Live and learn ...
Are you tired of hearing about the Sakura yet? Hope not, cause we still have quite a bit of the month to review and it is chock full of cherry blossoms. I went downtown with several friends to check out the Meguro Riverside which is famous for its viewing of the 1/2 mile of trees lining either side. The river (canal) wanders for about 5 miles through swanky neighborhoods before emptying into Tokyo Bay. Along its banks are restaurants, museums, galleries and a Starbucks Roastery!
The Starbucks opened in 2019 and is so popular you have to queue up in order to go inside! There are 4 floors and each floor has something different to offer. The 1st floor is all about coffee, from bean to brew and an authentic Italian bread bakery.
The 2nd floor pays homage to tea with the world's largest Teavana bar which is only fitting since tea plays such an important part of Japanese culture.
The 3rd floor is home to an Arriviamo cocktail bar with outside seating. It is also the first bar to open inside a Starbucks in Japan.
The 4th floor is an Inspirational Lounge which is used as a gathering space or event area for the local community. It is one of the coolest coffee shops I have visited ... ever. We just wandered around and didn't even get any drinks! Afterwards, we walked over to the Shibuya Crossing or the "Scramble" as it is also known. It is the world's busiest pedestrian crossing with as many as 3,000 people crossing at a (non-COVID) time. You may have seen it in Lost in Translation and the Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift movies.
Another popular attraction at the scramble is the statue of an Akita named Hachikō. The story of the statue is pretty incredible. Hachikō is billed as the World's most loyal dog. He would greet his owner at the train station every day for 2 years until the day his owner died. For almost 9 years, 9 months & 15 days Hachikō would come to the station precisely when his owner's train was due to arrive to meet his owner who of course never came. He became a national sensation and eventually a national symbol of loyalty. Parents and teachers would use him as an example for children to follow and after his death a statue was erected on the spot where he would wait.
Even the girls are getting into the Sakura feeling!
Next up on our Sakura tour is my birthday! We were able to talk the kids in to going OUTSIDE and taking some pictures. They humored us but only because it was styled as part of my present - hahaha
After the family photos, Jim and I hopped on the train and headed into the city to meet up with some friends to have dinner at a classic Tokyo restaurant called Andy's! We have heard about this place ever since we got to Tokyo and were excited to finally be able to try it - but first - you guessed it - more cherry blossoms!
We celebrated with the kids the next night with presents and of course cake! Lucy made a spice cake reminiscent of the ones my Granny Casper made me when I was a kid. We decided to switch up the butter cream frosting with a browned butter cream frosting and it was DELICIOUS!!!
Up next was SPRING BREAK!! This is the first spring break Jim has been able to participate in since, well ever I think. So we are going all out and heading over to Kyoto and Osaka! The kids have made us promise we won't kill them with too many temples/shrines, but there are sooo many so that might be a hard promise to keep.
Day one of our Kyoto strike finds us at our first temple at Kiyomizu-dera, constructed in 1633 without using a single nail! It takes its name from the waterfall within the complex. We did not go inside the temple, but instead chose to wander around the property and enjoy the views. I feel like I need to go back to check out the Otowa waterfall which is beneath the main hall ... the water is believed to have wish-granting powers.
We didn't keep the kids there too long and promised to walk through the Higashiyama District on the way back to the car. The district is one of the Kyoto's best preserved historic sites. The narrow lanes, wooden structures and merchant shops selling traditional items gives off the feeling of what the city looked like centuries ago.
You can even get a Starbucks there, if you can find it. It is situated in a traditional Japanese house and we walked past it at least twice before finally finding it! Inside you will find traditional tatami flooring and zabuton cushions and wall scrolls just like you would in a traditional Japanese tea house. Even the inner courtyards have been transformed into Japanese gardens. It is truly one of the most unique Starbucks we have ever visited.
We finally made it to our Airbnb late in the afternoon. It was on another narrow lane sandwiched between a local train track and a main thoroughfare. Surprisingly, it was very quiet inside the house. It was outfitted with tatami flooring and had a kotatsu, which is a heated table. The kids said we needed to get one of them to replace the giant government table we have on the sunporch.
Day 2 of Kyoto started out with a visit to the Philosopher's Walk to check out more cherry blossoms. We made our way up the path to the Ginkaku-ji temple, stopping several times to take pictures and to duck into the many shops lining it. Typically during the Sakura season the path is PACKED with tourist and locals alike, but again, thanks to Covid, it was not crowded at all.
We continued up the path to the Ginkakuji or Silver Pavilion as it is also known. The Zen temple was originally a villa built in 1482 that was the center of contemporary culture known as Higashiyama Culture which contrasted with previous cultures in that it wasn't just for the aristocrats of the time. The arts developed and refined during this period are still practiced to this day and they include the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and garden design just to name a few. Despite the name, the pavilion is not silver. It was explained to us that a black lacquer used to cover the exterior and that gave it a silvery appearance.
After visiting the Silver Pavilion, we headed over to check out the Golden Pavilion or Kinkakuji as it is also called. It is another Zen temple converted from a villa or a retired shogun after his death. The original building has burned down multiple times and the current structure was rebuilt in 1955. So even though it is not the original structure, it is still a great example of the extravagant culture prevalent in 1397 when it was built. The top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf and it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto.
Before hitting up the last stop of the day, the kids needed to recharge with some ice cream and a quick gift shop stop.
Just "around the corner" from the Golden Pavilion is yet another temple. This one is the Ryoanji Temple and is the site of Japan's most famous rock garden. It is another artistocrat villa turned Zen temple that attracts hundreds of visitors every day. The day we visited, Jim struck up a conversation with a local and was given a brief history of the rock garden and its significance. The garden is a rectangular plot of pebbles 25 meters by 10 meters. Within it are 15 stones of varying size carefully composed in 5 groups. The pebbles are raked daily by the monks. The stones are placed in such a way that all but one boulder is visible regardless of the angle of viewing. It is said that only through attaining enlightenment would you be able to see the 15th boulder. Needless to say, we could not see the 15th boulder.
I think the biggest regret we (and I really just mean Jim) has is our failure to truly explore the Gion district. The Gion district was THE entertainment district in the Sengoku period of Japan (1467-1615). Originally built to accommodate the needs of travelers and shrine visitors, it evolved to become the most exclusive geisha districts in all of Japan. Contrary to popular belief, geishas are not prostitutes but rather a class of female Japanese performance artists/entertainers who are trained in traditional Japanese art styles such as dance, music and singing (Thank you Google for that defination). Pre-Covid they could be seen moving about the city in the evening almost nightly as they traveled to ozashiki parties. Post-Covid, the only time you can see them seems to be on their morning walks to a theatre called Gion Corner where they perfect their arts. We went down to the Gion district on our second night in hopes to find a great restaurant because Gion is known for having some world class ones. Sadly, we were not able to find any that were open and ended up in a ramen place that didn't quite meet Jim's expectations 😬.
The next morning, our last in Kyoto, we attempt to get to Gion Corner so we can maybe catch a glimpse of the geshia walking to the theatre, but we didn't make it in time. We did find the world class restaurants that eluded us the night before however - another 😬 moment for Jim.
While we didn't any geshia, we did pass several women in traditional dress and one extremely friendly cat. Jim was not as impressed with the cat sighting.
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| Traditional street lights of Gion |
After our complete swing and miss in Gion, we headed over to the Fushimi Inari Taisha. Guess what, it is another shrine. It was founded in 711 AD and it is one of Kyoto's oldest and most historic landmarks. At the entrance of the shrine stands the Roman Gate which is impressive in its own right, but it is two dense, parallel rows of torii gates that cover a hiking trail that is the real reason most foreign visitors come to this shrine. Since the only way to see the thousands of torii gates is to hike up the 2.5 mile trail we made the kids do it. For the most part they were on board. I would guess about a third of the way to the top they started grumbling, but with the promise of more ice cream we were able to get them back on board.
Once we were back down at the street we asked them if they thought it was worth it. They were a little noncommittal. This picture captures what we think they really thought of this little adventure.
As we said goodbye to Kyoto and made our way toward Osaka, I feel like we left A LOT still on the table. We need to return soon...
Before driving to Osaka, we changed up our plan a bit and decided to go to Nara instead of waiting to hit it on our way home. We really had only one destination in Nara and that was to go to the Nara Park, which is one of the oldest parks in Japan. While that alone would make it a must see, the real reason we wanted to go was to see the deer.
The local Sika deer were once considered sacred, but now are designated as a national treasure and are protected. Therefore they are allowed to freely roam the park and you are allowed to feed them "deer crackers" in the park, so of course that is where they hang out. They can get a bit pushy if you don't feed them fast enough or just plain enough. Apparently there are several injuries sustained by visitors every year. Luckily we didn't become a statistic on our visit.
Jim did a quick look in our guide book and discovered a Buddhist temple, Tōdai-ji, was just on the other side of the park and it houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana! The kids said they would rather commune with the deer, so Jim and I headed over to check it out.
This temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is HUGE!! The original temple was built in 738 AD but was destroyed by fire - twice. The current building, built in 1709, is actually 30% smaller then the originals. It was the world's largest wooden building until 1998 when it was surpassed by a Japanese baseball stadium and now several other structures. The Buddha statue has also been recast several times due to various reasons (such as earthquake damage).
We finally leave Nara and head over to Osaka to our next Airbnb. This one was decidedly not as nice as the one in Kyoto. Jim said he picked it due to its proximity to the several attractions that we wanted to check out and not for looks. Thank goodness it was cheap because it was definitely not ideal.
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| While it may have been "waterfront" it was also Highway adjacent! That is a 5 lane freeway about 10 feet from our front door. |
For our last night in this entry we meet up with our friends the Taylors to explore Dotonbori street. The backstory of this area dates back to 1612 when a local merchant by the name of Yasui Doton invested all of his money into diverting and expanding the Umezu river that would link the local canal network with the Kizugawa River. He didn't live long enough to see his vision to fruition, but the area was named in honor of him nonetheless.
The area is Osaka's most famous tourist destination and reminded us of Las Vegas with all the gaudy neon lights and extravagant signage.
Before getting down to business and finding a place to eat dinner, we decided to do a little bowling. Not sure if bowling is highly recommend when visiting Dotonbori but it was really fun!
Dinner was good and afterwards we walked back to our place to rest up for our visit to Universal Japan tomorrow. But since we are visiting that on April the 1st AND this entry is already WAY too long, I will graciously end it here.
