Ueno Park

After we saw the fish market we headed over to Ueno Park.

We stopped at a little French Cafe and had the MOST DELICIOUS breakfast!

And egg and bacon pastry, a maple pastry, and a custard filled pastry!  OH YUMMO!!

The park was fantastic!  We were still there pretty early, and I was surprised by how quickly the crowds gathered.  There were tarps everywhere for people to enjoy a picnic under the cherry blossoms!  So magical!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVED being in Japan with Darin!

I LOVED hearing him speak Japanese, reading, and even simple things like buying a train ticket I was so thankful to have him there with me!  I sure do love this man!!

Kiyomizu Temple

Takeshita-dori Street!

A long time ago I saw a movie about Takeshita Street and the amazing crepes that are there.
I am a life long lover of crepes, so naturally this appealed to me.

Darin, however, calls crepes, "Girl Food" and I knew this would not be a bucket list item for him.  I also didn't know where in Tokyo it was, nor did I want to drag Darin on a side trip to go to this street for a crepe with me.

Well, as we were on our way to Meiji Shrine, right as we walked off the train, we basically ran RIGHT into Takeshita Street!  It was fate!  My good husband took us down, and even bought me a crepe!  As we were standing in line, a cute little Japanese girl came and gave me a gift certificate to the crepe shop!  So sweet!

Also, remember how I mentioned that several restaurants have pretend food on display to give you an idea of what they serve?  Well this crepe shop had over a hundred displayed crepes!

It was delicious and did not disappoint!

Tokyo—Shibuya Crossing, Vending Machines, and the Pod

Tokyo was amazing! I LOVED Shibuya crossing!  I’ve seen so many movies of the crossing, but it was so fun to actually BE THERE!  There are so many fun shops and yummy restaurants.  We found a fun game place and Darin got going on the Taiko drums and got a pretty big crowd watching him.  He was WAY WAY better than I was. 

We found a fun restaurant that had a vending machine outside.  You pick your order, pay at the vending machine, then the machine gives you a ticket to take inside.  You give your ticket to the waitress and then you get to watch the food being made right in front of you!

Also, nearly every restaurant in Japan has fake food outside to give you an idea of what there menu is, and how the food is served.  I think it is such a great idea!

That night we went to Ginza and walked and walked in search of our “Pod Hotel.”  We used google maps and three times it said we were there.  We finally decided to take a taxi but the driver told us that we were only 1 block away.  We tried again.  No luck.  We asked a guy at a convenience store, and he gave us the same directions again.  We looked one last time, and found the door hidden among a wall of vending machines.

I felt sick.  It was a pretty sketchy place. Honestly, I thought I might die there.  Darin was on the 3^rd floor and I was on the 5^th floor. It is just a big room with rows of pods.  My floor only had pods two high.  The only thing separating you from a murderer is a thin sheet you can pull closed for “privacy.”  

They had a CRAZY bathroom schedule too.  The girls get to use the bathroom 1 hour for about every 3 that the boys get.  (Only 1 bathroom and it is in the basement!  I stopped eating and drinking around 2pm so I wouldn't have to use the bathroom at all).

Someone knocked on my pod a few times and I ignored it because I don’t speak Japanese, and I thought they might kill me.  We made it through the night, and I’m glad I said I did it, but I would NEVER do it again!  Definitely an adventure!

(I really thought this could be the last living picture of myself! Ha!)

Japan has the NICEST toilets EVERYWHERE.  With the one exception of our Capsule Hotel.  YUCK!