I love Japan so much. We were lucky enough to coordinate our mid-autumn holiday with Ryan and Megan's Annual Vacation Time, and we got to meet up in Japan! A double treat - time with my favorite people in a country I have dreamt of visiting for so long. There is something so magnetic about Japan... and after visiting I can confirm it is all it's cracked up to be. Cute, Cute, and more Cute, plus a heavy dose of Magic and Intrigue. Also, I'm 100% sure I could live in Japan and eat all my meals from convenient stores. It's kind of insane how great the selection is. I know that sounds gross, but if you go to Japan, you'll understand what I mean!
The trip was a short one, arriving on a Saturday night and leaving early early the following Saturday morning, with a lot of traveling in between. It started off with amazing hospitality, with Megan's cousin Kei and her husband Simon picking us up at the airport, helping us sort out our rail passes, and driving us an hour to their home. We spent the first night eating grilled eel (so yummy!), followed by a Classic Carney Game Night, and I promptly came down with my Vacation Cold which lasted from Day 1 until the day before we went back to work. Kid germs are no joke!
On our first morning in Tokyo, we set out for a day of exploring. We explored Kei and Simon's neighborhood, walked Yoyogi park, saw the massive Shibuya Crossing, and ordered delicious ramen at a restaurant where you place your order in a vending machine. Our fun was maximized by getting to hang out with Naia all day (Kei and Simon's son), who might actually be the cutest and happiest child in existence (see photos for evidence). That evening, we were lucky enough to partake in Kei's family dinner where I ate the best sushi of my life (this is not one of my classic exaggerations, this is the real thing). This was just another page in the book of Incredible Hospitality We've Experienced - so, so much generosity! We are so grateful to Kei, Simon, and their family (and Meg and Ry for letting us be a part of this experience!).
a taste of Seattle right there!
<< After Dark >>
land of vending machines
I mean... look at those teeth
The next day we went to a 12-story stationery shop called Itoya, which I could have explored for an entire day, honestly. Stationery and ceramics are two of my favorite things, and Japan has no shortage of either! After a long exploration of Itoya, we went to Tsukiji Market, a famous fish market. It was fun to wander around in the rain and see all the vendors and eat more fresh fish. I've been to my share of fish markets in the world and I kid you not, this place did not smell of fish at all. Japan's cleanliness standards truly boggle the mind. Afterwards we went to a big outdoor market, and then to Kitchen Street for some ceramics. Every kitchen gadget you can imagine is there in abundance, along with beautiful and powerful Japanese knives, and all kinds of coffee accessories... a dream! After a day of wandering, we had an amazing dinner at an underground Curry Shop where you can order your meal with a spicy level from 1-20! It was so delicious, of course :)
Meg & Ry surprised us the next day with a special overnight stay in a traditional Japanese-style hotel with an onsen (hot spring bath) near Kyoto! We took the train there from Tokyo and enjoyed views of Mt. Fuji along the way. We loved the hotel room, sleeping on tatami mats on the floor and wearing robes around the onsen... such a lovely experience. I'd love to go back and spend more time relaxing there!
Then we were off to rainy Kyoto, where we ate more delicious food and wandered around. It was this point in the trip where we started to spend more time in transit than actual sight-seeing, but there was plenty of quality family time, so it didn't matter. We saw the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine, which was beautiful but crowded. We actually ran into a QAIS family there - a student in my class! What a small world we live in!
<< Kafka on the Shore >>
Sadly, we had to leave the island and say goodbye to Ry and Meg, who continued their trip in Japan for another week. It was hard to leave them, and hard to leave Japan, which was too easy to fall in love with! I call this blog post a "Murakami Experience" because I felt as if I were living one of his stories from the moment we arrived... I saw so many things and met so many people that seemed to bring his books to life and it brought such a peaceful and calm feeling to my heart (as his writing always does). Shodoshima in particular made me feel as if I had stepped into his books. I'm late to the Murakami party, having only started reading his books last year, but I have devoured every one I can get my hands on. If you haven't yet, please check out his work, preferably followed by a visit to Japan to experience the magic firsthand! Can't wait until we can go back <3 br="">
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