Days 1-4 (Tokyo, Japan)

The second two weeks of July, we set off on our first trip with my parents since COVID (our last trip was Oct or Nov of 2019 to Cambodia & Vietnam, I believe).

This trip was a quick one, and meant to see highlights at a comfortable pace for my mother...who is still recovering from her celiac diagnosis over the last 2-3 years.

The first four days, we stayed in the heart of Shibuya, Tokyo, as it's where Ryan loves to be. Since it was over 100 dergees daily w/ insanely high humidity, we would typically sightsee for a half day, then retire in the early afternoon to wilt/shower in the room. This is the hour Ryan would come alive - he would leave us all at the hotel each day and then go roam the city on his own. Sometimes we would track his phone and see him another city (Akihabara, Shinjuku). I think because we were just there about 6 months prior, I took very few pictures.

Our first day there, we went to Nihon Minka-En, an outdoor museum of historic homes. We'd been to similar experiences in Thailand and Hokkaido, and it was nice. Conveniently only abt 25 min, a more manageable amount of homes, but oh man...scorching hot.

After leaving the museum, we took a bus/train over to Harajuku so Ryan could get his fix of pop culture in. We had the obligatory crepes and other eclectic foods, before going to our favorite Kura Sushi in Harajuku, where we bumped into Ryan.

That night, I cruised nearby Ueno park in the evening solo...I stumbled upon this character, who was walking about 20 of the cutest, bougiest and well behaved dogs I've ever seen. All walked quietly in lock step, no barking, no jumping. So well trained!

The next day, we went to the famous (albeit the outdoor reincarnation) Tsukiji Fish Market. Packed like sardines, stifling hot...and felt like a very hot version of Nishiki Market in Kyoto.

Looks so delicious...but in typical Japan fashion, none of it was real. ;-)

Where was this when Keni, Riki and Ryan were little? Your own kaiten sushi (revolving conveyer belt) restaurant for home!!!

Our solo traveller back at the hotel for a rest before he foraged for more clothing/sushi again!

Our last day there, we took another day trip to nearby Kamakura to check out the famous seated Buddha at the Kotoku-in temple. It was only 45 min away by train/bus, and I got to tick off a box of a place I'd seen so many times in pictures, and wanted to see for years.

Surprisingly, possibly because of the heat...there were not a lot of people there at various points (between tour bus groups).

Our admission ticket did not include the nomimal price to climb into the Buddha, which felt a lot like the Status of Liberty in some ways (winding steep stair case, feeling like you're in a tomb) for oh...a flight of stairs? Then you were in the belly and there wasn't much else to see or do, but leave...since it was HOT.

The money shot! 

Our final meal in Tokyo...Kura Sushi of course!