Highlights of Japan trip (Tokyo)

After 6 days in HK, we flew to Tokyo! :) The flight was fairly short so I spent majority of it drawing. As soon as we arrived at Narita Airport, we caught a bus to our hotel in Ikebukuro, which was about an hour from the airport. By the time we got to the hotel and unpacked and everything, it was getting dark so we just walked around Ikebukuro to find a place to eat.

This was the first restaurant we went to. We went up a dodgy lift that felt like it was about to collapse from the combine weight of the six of us... but then the doors opened to a really nicely set up (and lit up) place. We were immediately greeted by the staff, who could only speak minimal English so it was a bit hard communicating (but that was expected I guess). What we didn't know was that the restaurant was a smoking one so the whole place smelt of cigarette smoke. We quickly ordered and got out after =p But the food was really nice :)

Osaka style pork omelette

After dinner we walked around the streets and came across a whole heap of vending machines... and to my surprise the vending machines had hot drinks as well! Pretty awesome :)

Vending machines

Walking down the main street

Then we found a small takoyaki store!

Takoyaki!

In 'Family Mart' which was pretty much the same as the Seven Eleven stores

On the second day we had to wake up reaaaally early because the tour bus was picking us up from the hotel to take us around Tokyo. First stop: Meiji Shrine

Huge Sake carton things that were like offerings to the spirits

Temple ritual

Wishing boards

Calligraphy done by school students

Next stop: Imperial Palace East Garden

Next stop: Sensoji temple

Nakamise-dori - a huuuge promenade leading up to the temple that was full of markets stores selling all sorts of things. It was super super crowded!

Plastic food :D

 

 

Next stop: Cruise around Tokyo Bay (no where near as beautiful as Sydney Harbour though! :D)

Desmond and I

Balloons from the wedding that was on the boat. I have NO idea why someone would have a wedding on the same boat as 40 random tourists....

Brothers

Rainbow bridge (I think...)

Our boat :)

My dinner that night... which was at some random stop we found cause we were desperate for food bahahaha.

Have to split Japan post into 3 since I took heaps of pictures I wanna post hehehe.

Today was Andrew's 18th and after much confusion and with help from everyone we managed to still have a great day =p I hope haha. Andrew, I hope your 18th was a birthday to remember :)

Steph.