Leveraging frequent flier miles is my part-time job. Where some people see a layover, I see a heavily-discounted travel opportunity. So with a free flight and a free stay using points at the Marriott Courtyard Ginza, a three-day layover was a nice way for the girls and me to see Tokyo and break up a terribly long flight back to the U.S.
Tokyo shrine. Kids are way less impressed when you are coming from Singapore. “Oh look. Another temple.”
Our first day we spent with our tour guide name Junko. Having a private tour guide was a great way to see the city on our own terms, without me having to spend the day trying to read Japanese maps and navigating the Tokyo subway system solo. I was warned by many expats that Tokyo can be very difficult to get around if you don’t know any Japanese. With Junko, we learned a little about the history of the city, its architecture, and equally interesting to the girls, its love of vending machines and anime.
Mia selecting her lunch with the help of Junko, our guide.
We ate lunch in a ramen restaurant where you had to use a vending machine to purchase a ticket in order to buy lunch. While it seems cumbersome at first, you realize that there is no need for a cashier or waiting for your check, you can get in and out quickly, and the restaurant can employ fewer people. The only challenge is reading Japanese. I was thankful for our guide so I did not end up with a bowl of squid entrails. Lots of challenging seafood in Tokyo.
Speaking of challenging seafood, I dragged the kids to an off-the-beaten-track sushi restaurant for dinner one night. Unfortunately, I have no photos. If I did, you would see three American ladies at a sushi bar where no English was spoken, except for the word “bean.” Our sushi chef said this every time we would eat some edamame. At one point one of the sushi chefs made a long speech in Japanese, picked a fish out of a nearby tank, then sliced off the head of a fish right in front of Mia. Its head was still moving even while its flesh was circulating on a conveyor belt full of sushi. It was a memorable meal.
Pick a bad fortune at the temple? Tie it to a string and let it blow away!
Mia and Andie have friends who are very into anime and the animated movies by Hayao Miyazaki. We learned that the Miyazaki movies are interesting and the characters are cute (though we did not go to Studio Ghibli), but a surprisingly large percentage of offerings in anime stores seem to be produced by young men with no girlfriends but vivid imaginations. Ick.
So excited at the world’s biggest Pokemon store!
Pokemon was another highlight, especially for Andie. She and her friend Anna love to collect Pokemon stuffed animals, so we sought out the world’s largest Pokemon store in Sunshine City. This day we were on our own and were able to use the subway without any issues. I was even able to use my tiny bit of Mandarin to fill out a form for our subway cards, an unexpected bonus. Hao! After a day of orientation with Junko, we had Tokyo down like a local. Well, almost.
Turning Japanese I think I’m turning Japanese I really think so…
We were not in Tokyo very long, but we enjoyed our trip a lot. Whereas Singapore is such a melting pot of Chinese, Indian, Malay, and expat culture, Tokyo was distinctly Japanese. Beyond Hello Kitty, anime and Pokemon, what we could see of everyday Japan was clean, orderly and friendly. The people are very welcoming unless you are a fish in a sushi restaurant. In that case, life is short. And delicious.