Tokyo

Remember that little boy who sprained his foot at the eleventh hour before our family vacation to Japan back in November? Well, we waited 5 weeks (he was immobile that long), 5 months (didn't really care to go in the cold, gray winter) and a mere 5 days after our company, the Boswells, left to get our redemption trip. I do apologize in advance for so many pictures of G (no brothers present to share the burden) and some pretty terrible selfie pics. Enjoy!

We were so excited to get on that plane, but I had just been so busy it hadn't really hit me that Grant & I were going on vacation alone!

Mmmm. First meal...sushi.

Stinker got pizza.

Had to grab a pack of Pokemons in the airport.

We made it to our hotel in Shinjuku.

The top priority for G was hitting the Pokémon Mega Store. After I figured out the metro, we made it! I am self-admittedly directionally challenged. I have no inner compass. I think Brent was trying to teach me or something.

He LOVED it, of course!

Lots of foreigners there. Lots of grown men there too.

His loot.

Then we had fun at a Disney Store in the mall. We picked up some Moana tsum tsums for the boys. Even though tsum tsums (meaning "to stack" in Japanese) are now found in the states, they were originally made for Japan, and I thought it was only fitting.

There are lots of game places in Tokyo. Fun to look at, but I wasn't too keen on throwing much money into them.

This room was pretty scary. The young men are all playing games with guns and it was so loud in there! 

Our one try at the crane game. I really hate the crane.

It could be worse. We could be trying to win a cardboard box cat.

After our shopping, we got an ice cream. Maybe I've just never noticed, but I thought it was odd how all the buildings in Tokyo had like one foot between them.

Day 2 and another start on the metro. It was a bit easier after a woman (who thought I was Grant's big sister!) taught me how to buy a ticket the night before.

This was a rainy day. Our first stop was Takeshita Street with lots of fun stores.

Including one of our favorites in Seoul; Daiso! Everybody here says it's a Japanese dollar store, but the prices vary a bit. In Japan, it really is a dollar store. We had fun picking out some treasures.

And this was a cool toy store with lots of current characters as well of several from my day.

And the store we'd been hearing all about since November. It made a great impression on the twins.

It was 4 levels of awesomeness!

My favorite: a Peanuts level.

Grant liked this one. But there were plenty of Legos, Pokemons, Bey Blades, you name it!

I thought these were cute. But since there is no good reason for a 34 year old woman to buy these, I just took a picture.

Lunch was just a few doors down. On my Tokyo to-do list was a "sushi on a conveyor belt" restaurant.

 

It was yummy!

G ate strawberries and shrimp tempura.

Back when we were in Cambodia & killing time waiting on our red-eye flight, we discovered that Japan produces (at least at one point) +30 flavors of Fanta. It's been Grant & Hayden's "dream" to try them all. Hey, we can't all walk on the moon.

One of the best things about waiting to visit until April was the cherry blossoms (aka sakura) were in bloom. Sakura is my new favorite thing after living in Asia. Good thing I'll still be to see them in D.C.

Aforementioned selfie.

Up next: Shibuya crossing- rumored to be the busiest intersection in the world. Pictures don't do it justice.

Yes, I took my phone out in the bathroom, but I couldn't help it! I have no idea what this says, but you can push the button and it will make different background noises to ...I don't know...relax?? Not feel self conscious? Get your business done??

Shibuya is a popular shopping district. We spent a few hours there looking around.

Picky child wasn't interested in this, but the concept was cool. Ordering your dinner from a kiosk then taking a seat inside.

This "geisha girl" was just doing a photo shoot, but it was neat to see her at Shibuya crossing.

The crossing again after the rain stopped.

#2.

G spotted a card shop. We picked out a KD card for a few bucks.

Ok, one more time.

Day 3: The nice and dry day....Disney Sea!!

Daddy said to get there an hour early. 

Brent was so good to write down notes from all his research and their time here in November. We knew exactly what order to pull the fast passes and ride the rides. We rode everything we wanted to ride twice except Toy Story and we never waited more than 20 minutes.

Such a fun day with my boy!

Raging Spirits- his first roller coaster with a loop. I nearly had a heart attack when Brent texted me saying the twins had been on this!  

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Side note: we decided to watch the original Disney movie starring Kirk Douglas last night...weird-o....

Tokyo Disney Sea is not aquatic, but water themed. The parade takes place on the lake.

My Stitch lover.

Yummy Disney treats.

These mochi dumplings (rice pounded into a paste & filled with vanilla, strawberry & chocolate custards) were purchased twice. Yum!

We loved the Toy Story Ride! It's the most popular ride at this park.

But our favorite was Journey to the Center of the Earth!

Grant met a couple characters.

And we had to ride the Tower of Terror a couple times. He remembered it from California.

This is probably the part where he missed his brothers. He really wanted nothing to do with the characters.

Mom! Can we just ride the rides??

The Journey volcano erupting.

Oh my gosh we're tired!

But we had so much fun!!

We went ahead and said goodbye since we had gotten to do everything we wanted.

We hit a McDonald's on the way back to our hotel. They weren't all like this, but the tables were like cubicles and most people were on a laptop. It wasn't even set up so that a family of 4 could eat together at a table.

Grant picked Angel to go with his Stitch for his souvenir.

Two minutes later.

Day 4: Another rain(ier) day. This was the view from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building next door to our hotel. It's supposed to be a great place to take in city views, but this morning we were on a shopping mission.

I just wanted some sushi on a conveyor belt, to see some cherry blossoms and a waving lucky cat and I could not find the cat! These are little plastic solar powered toys. I wanted a ceramic one like the ones business owners display in their front window for luck. I asked lots of people and no one (including said business owners) knew where to buy one!

We moved on to Akihabara to check out some gacha ball stores.

While we were scouting out selections, we got asked to be interviewed for a television show about the rising popularity of the balls.

Our goodies.

And I couldn't help noticing the peculiarity of this building. A cat café, with a shooting range above it and a Carl's Jr. below it. Meow. Bang.

We were soaked instantly that morning by the way. Grant was miserable with his cold wet feet all morning.

Subway art.

The last stop of the day (but the best!) was Kappabashi. This street is known for it's knives, pottery and kitchen stores. I was in heaven, but Grant was freezing.

Not too freezing to try #3.

I've collected pottery in almost every country I've been to. It has become all of the boys favorite part of vacation. ;)

Cold, but mission complete.

Grant wasn't too cold to talk me into the yummy waffle treat with banana cream. His was vanilla custard filled.

One of our traditions- room service. Grant and I share the love of a Caesar salad & Bolognese.

Day 5: and it's sunny and only a half day. :(

I researched about the lucky cat's origins and found a temple that is said to be the legendary birthplace of the Japanese maneki-neko.

Gotokuji is a Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Setagaya district. It's definitely off the main tourist track and nestled in a quiet neighborhood.  

We found them! Now where can I buy one?!

Maneki neko, (literally the beckoning cat), is believed to be a lucky charm that brings customers and money into shops.

The cherry blossoms were also beautiful there. Due to the rain, we had to skip other temples and parks that promised to be full of blooms this particular week.

We played in the petals while we waited for the store to open.

 

So we got a cat. Not a waving cat and I didn't leave it as an offering. But at least I got one.

Picked up #4...

...and #5 on the way back to the train.

We had just enough time to go back up to the observation decks at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Buildings.

Tokyo

Clear enough for a Mt. Fuji sighting...

...see?

And unfortunately, we had to rush out of there and catch our ride to the airport. I have been to a lot of places and Tokyo is sitting very near the top of that list. This city is amazing. Four days weren't near enough. I sill want to check out the southern islands, Kyoto, hiking and bear watching in Hokkaido... I need a month here. Or maybe a tour. 

The boys gladly met us at the airport and we purchased a cherry blossom latte (that I was surprised Tokyo had none of).

At home, my cherry blossom tree greeted me. 

And I was right back at it the next morning chaperoning my first graders on a field trip to KidZania where they could learn hands on about jobs they may want when they grow up. Ice cream scoopers, really boys?!