Tokyo…again!

I’ve lost count on how many trips I’ve taken to Tokyo by now, but I am still convinced that I will never get tired of this amazing place. And so, en route to our medical check up trip in Bangkok in September, we took advantage of United’s 2 for 1 stopover in Tokyo and spent a week in our favorite city…again. 🙂

We don’t ever travel to Tokyo without family and friends telling us they want to join. It’s just one of those places that everyone wants an excuse to go to! This time was no exception. My sis Mimi, her hubby Brian, and my adorable little nephew Brady joined us from Hong Kong, and it was so much fun to hang out with them for the week. This was Brady’s first trip to Japan, so he was incessantly fascinated with everything, especially the different types of cars there! Seeing things through a child’s eyes is one of the most wondrous things we can ever experience as an adult.

We were able to hit a few new spots on this trip, including the Tokyo Skytree, which is the tallest tower and the second tallest structure in the world. It was an easy subway ride there, and we lucked out that we were there on a nice, clear day which gave us a spectacular view from over 1100 feet above!

After visiting the observation deck, we walked around the mall beneath the tower (aren’t there malls to be found everywhere in Tokyo?), took an ice cream break, and enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner that evening. When we left, we were able to get a night view of the tower which seemed to stretch for miles above us!

No matter how often we visit Tokyo, two places are a must: Harajuku and Tsukiji. Bridgette simply cannot get enough of Harajuku– the sweets, the clothing, the vibe, and the photobooths. It’s always hard narrowing the choice of sweets there, and this time, she chose to indulge in a crepe that probably used an entire can of whip cream.

When visiting Tsukiji, it’s all about the food! Sashimi, grilled seafood, ice cream…the list goes on, and the main problem we face is just not having enough tummy space to fit all that we want to try.

We also got to do a day trip to Yokohama, where we visited the CupNoodles Museum! I had gone many, many years ago with my friends, so it was really fun to be back this time with Bridgette and Brady. Bridge was fascinated by all the facts that she learned about instant noodle, and Brady loved the little indoor playground there. The kids also enjoyed designing their own personal cup noodles to bring home.

There was a carnival right across from the CupNoodles Museum, so afterwards, we spent some time there playing at the arcade, seeing Yokohama from higher up on the ferris wheel, and enjoying some of the rides. Is Japan the only place where you can find a pink roller coaster track and pink Fanta??

Bridgette is a huge Sanrio fan (as am I), and at this particular phase, Cinnamoroll is her favorite character, so we hit up this adorable little Cinnamoroll cafe in Shinjuku for lunch one day. Bridge got dressed up for the occasion in all her Cinnamoroll attire, lol! Everything was so cute in its recognizable Cinnamoroll blue and white, and the food/drinks actually tasted good too!

We have met some awesome people through our family Instagram account these couple of years, and we decided to send postcards to a few of the families, as well as to some of our own family and friends. Bridge spent a lot of time picking and writing the postcards, and then she got to practice her Japanese by going to a local post office to purchase stamps and to mail the cards out. It was a great experience all around!

We also hit the arcade (three times!) and managed to win way too many stuff that was nearly impossible to fit int our suitcases. I have to admit though, the prizes at the Japanese arcades are sooooooo much better than anywhere else, especially the ones for their claw machines.