Tokyo FINALLY!

Okay, so we may have gotten off to a rough start, but man oh man, Tokyo is so WORTH the 14 hours of travel (even with a three hour flight delay).

Seven of us eager beavers arrived a day before the pre-trip started, so usually that would mean we’d be on our own for the arrival night and first day.

Did I mention that we hit the travel guide jack pot when we got Mori? We were delighted to see him waiting for us at the hotel, to take us to dinner. First, we helped shake off jet lag by walking to the Ginza area, ending up at the Ginza Six mall. And what a mall it was! Feast your eyes on some of the beautifully unique goods for sale here.

My favorite mall feature, however, was the rooftop garden that offered a spectacular view of the street below.

Despite the abundance of options at the mall, we decided to go for an authentic Japanese dinner of ramen noodles, pot stickers and beer —for about $10—at a tiny restaurant on one of the side streets, where we all sat at the counter. If anyone has ever seen The Midnight Diner, you would understand why we felt like we had wandered onto its set.

By the time we returned to our hotel, we were all more than ready for bed.

When I awoke I thought I had vanquished jet lag. Then I looked at the clock. 11:30 PM. Damn. After trying mightily to fall back asleep, at 2:30 AM I admitted defeat and popped a sleeping pill, which powered me through Saturday’s morning events.

As Mori suggested, we headed out early for the local “fish” market near our hotel. Although they certainly had plenty of fish, I was pleased to see they had a whole lot more. The ceramics were gorgeous, the paper place mats were beautifully painted, kitchen equipment was plentiful AND you could even get dried grasshoppers, if that was your thing!

As it got later, the crowds at the market got bigger, so we decided it was time for the peace and serenity of the “nearby” Hama-Riku Garden. But of course, we took a couple of wrong turns and ended up discovering this gorgeous temple.

The Tsukili Hongwanji’s main hall houses the Amida Buddha. Sorry, I didn’t want to be disrespectful so I contented myself with this one quick photo. Trust me when I tell you Amida Buddha is beautiful.

I remember as a child, growing up in a Catholic school environment, I was urged to give my money to “purchase” a pagan baby in Japan. It tickled me to see that the Buddhists have missionary activities in the USA. I wonder if Japanese kids are trying to save the “ heathen” Christian children in the USA?

After leaving the main hall, we purified ourselves before entering the more intimate, empty hall.

Relaxed and refreshed ( and purified) after our unplanned detour, we were ready for the Gardens.

Upon arrival, we learned there was a tour in English starting shortly. How lucky were we to get this fantastic guide! She provided the history of the gardens from the Shogun era (the mid 1600’s), to the Meiji restoration, then up to post WWII , when the emperor’s property was given to the municipal government. (She used visual aids, and rewarded those who gave correct answers to her questions.)

We learned that the property was originally a fort, until the Shogun decided to build a hunting ground for his falcons.

Throughout the grounds, canals brought in salt water from the nearby bay, attracting wild duck for the falcons to catch.

There’s so much more to say about our second day, but we are getting ready to start day 3 in this glorious city…more to follow.

I feel SO very lucky to have the privilege to experience this vibrant city. And I’m SO glad I decided to arrive 4 days before the start of the main trip!