More on Japan eats

A bit more which couldn't fit into the main posts.  

The only food we bought and couldn't finish was this dango in soy sauce.  The chewy balls were fine but the sauce tasted too strong.  

NO to this dango

Japan people must have a sweet tooth.  There was so much variety of ice-cream, pudding, cream-filled buns, mochi etc available.  

Creme brulee ice-cream

Finally, I was amused by the signs there.  No mistaking the main item sold by these shops.

 

Sushi!

Gyoza!

Crab!

Takoyaki!

Day 10-20/12 Tokyo - Ueno

The last day!  Our flight home was at midnight so we still had a full day to enjoy.  Our apartment was walking distance to Hamamatsucho station which had a direct monorail to the airport.

Leaving our home of 6 days

The plan was to place our luggage in lockers like we did in Kyoto.  We discovered that lockers in Tokyo are more expensive, smaller in size and harder to find heh.  We took ONE locker in Kyoto and FOUR in Tokyo when we only had one extra bag containing shopping.

Taking the top locker, here the bottom one and must find another two

Job done, now to jalan-jalan with just Piglet

Took the train to Ueno.    

No we didn't go to Ueno zoo

Spotted these fruit sandwiches which people on Facebook were hunting for.  Plenty at Ueno station heh.  Tried a strawberry one - nice, strawberries in cream as filling for the soft bread.  Shared one only since it didn't come cheap at 604yen/RM18.  

All kinds of fruit sandwiches

For lunch we walked around and ended up having chicken katsu with rice, takoyaki as a side.  

Lunch first

Then we stepped out into Ueno park.  This place would be glorious come spring.  The crowds would be full force for sakura season though, so visiting in early winter has its advantages.

In Ueno park

Panda creatures

Ameyoko street is supposed to be a good place to buy things at decent prices, but we didn't buy anything.

At Ameyoko street

Had dinner at one of the shops.  Indoors was full so we sat outside.  

Halfway through dinner hubby decided it was too cold and walked off.  Of all of us, he was the worst at withstanding cold while JE was the best.  We had hot beef soup (too salty), assorted meat skewers (too salty), ochazuke (yums) and soba (ok).

With food

With that, it was back to the station to retrieve our luggage and proceed to Haneda airport.  There was a bit of drama when I thought we were on the wrong train and decided to get off.  SE stepped out first... and the doors closed!  There was no emergency stop button.  I motioned her to stay as the train pulled away, and she nodded.  JE checked that it would be 20mins to the terminal.  Oh no... 20mins there and then 20mins back to SE?  Luckily there was a nearer stop.  We got off, managed to cross over to the opposite platform, boarded a train back.  And there was SE calmly standing towards the back, reading her isi karangan book (yep she brought this to Japan. On holiday).  Collected her and resumed our journey home.

Goodbye to Japan!

Day 9-19/12 Tokyo - Shinjuku, Teamlab

Traipsed down from our apartment at 12.30pm after the previous late night.  Ours was the top dark section accessed by a narrow steep staircase.  I'd say this place grew on me.  I like that it was so nondescript - felt that I could just live there and nobody would know there was a pretty-large (39m sq) dwelling upstairs.

Our home for 5 days

I initially didn't like that the nearest subway station was a small one and we had to change lines so frequently for destinations.  What the booking didn't mention was there were actually 2 other stations within 15mins walk which offered direct lines to some destinations.  Anyway, if we were to return to Tokyo, I would try out a different accommodation in a different place.  This was near Tokyo tower... which we didn't go since we weren't that interested and tickets were expensive.

Tokyo Tower

SE and me with new jackets

Hubby disappeared in Uniqlo on our way to the Shibuya giant 3D cat.  He was supposed to be waiting for the girls outside the toilet but when they came out, he wasn't there and we couldn't find him anywhere.  He wasn't picking up the phone.  My irritation turned to worry.  I asked a staff if he could check the male toilet.  What felt like an eternity later, hubby reappeared - apparently was trying out something in the changing room.  He then fiddled a while with the automated system paying for his new hat.  Grrr.  It was getting late.  We managed to find the 3D giant cat - couldn't take video/photo of it though.  SE spotted the Godzilla head which I wasn't even looking for haha.

Godzilla head behind us

We couldn't shop earlier in Osaka and Kyoto since that would have meant carrying purchases to the next city.  Now that we were already in Tokyo, it was time to shop!  Bought various things in Don Quijote (called Don Don Donki back home) - JE found the Smiski figures she was looking for back in Osaka,  I got snacks for my work team (was specifically instructed that I must do this haha) and we also got additional snacks.  Luckily JE carried these bags.  Hubby cannot carry much due to his impaired mobility and strength after his surgery 3 years ago.  SE was not far out of her anorexia days so I don't want her doing so much for now.  Me, was already the main beast of burden.

The Don Quijote penguin in various colours

It was later than my given time when we left Don Quijote.  It was past lunchtime but there was no time to eat - this from a family being extra careful with meals for SE's sake.  Why the rush... coz we had tickets to teamLab Borderless!  I contemplated taking a taxi but didn't know how to download Uber etc.  We rushed with trains.  Arrived and asked the staff whether we could have lunch first and enter later.  Eventually found out that our tickets was an hour later than I thought.  WHAT... hurried like crazy for nothing!  Important thing is we made it - didn't want to waste our almost RM400 tickets!  

At teamLab already

teamLab is touted as a 'world of artwork without boundaries'.  It's basically projection of digital art in various types of rooms - empty ones, or with props like a hill, giant cubes, glass globes, water vapour jets, plates etc.  There was music playing.  Definitely a cool experience!  Didn't have many good pictures as the place was overall dark.  

In the glass string room

In the biggest room - projections change

In the infinity room with mirrored walls and floor

In the glass globe room

We went for the artwork room partly for fun and partly to rest weary feet.  You choose a picture to colour and the finished one would be fed into the projection onto the walls in that room, joining the rest of the moving display.  We have done something like this back in Petrosains/Pusat Sains back home, just that this one had much better projection quality.

 

JE's jellyfish, hubby's squid, my jellyfish, SE's seahorse 

Do these move or not

I'd thought the artwork would be interactive, changing with our movements.  At the end I'm not convinced if they don't actually do that, or do that slowly.  We spent about 3 hours in teamLab - there were probably some rooms we didn't find.  It's purposely without a map so it would be 'borderless'.  Rating: Good.  It was interesting and fun, worth going at least once.

Only thing, it was 9pm and food outlets were already closed.  That night we bought dinner from a convenience store for the first time.  Actually... food wasn't too bad - onigiri, fried chicken, katsu chicken on rice, seafood cheese set - heated up in our apartment microwave.  So tired.  We had to pack though, our holiday was ending. 

Day 8-18/12 Tokyo - Kappabashi, Asakusa, Akihabara

While waiting for JE to surface from the toilet, SE picked up a couple of leaflets on attractions in Tokyo.  I noticed Kappabashi, the area Japanese chefs go to buy kitchen stuff.  I'd read about this place earlier but it wasn't on my list. From the leaflet, decided it looked interesting and made a note to go the next day.   :)

Got lost heading to Tawaramachi station.  We couldn't see the correct line upon reaching the interchange Hibiya station so walked to the Ginza station.  At Ginza, the kids couldn't get in using the tickets (purchasing individual tickets for them - the day passes I wanted could only work with Pasmo IC cards and we didn't see where to buy Pasmo cards). We found out we had to TAKE THE TRAIN to Ginza, cannot simply WALK haha.  So we walked back to Hibiya to do that.  While walking, read Whatsapp messages that my brother had already reached home.  At this juncture, being lost/cold/tired, I was actually thinking being home wouldn't be so bad!

We did sort things out but reached at lunch time heh.  Yoshinoya was good for the price - I had beef on rice (salty), SE had beef on salad, hubby and JE some soup with rice.  Hubby was doing this throughout the trip, asking JE to order something and he would just share.  I'd pass over some of my food despite those two being ungrateful and sometimes objecting haha.  Looking at SE's bowl now, I see broccoli - the only time it appeared.  We hardly had fruit/veg while in Japan.  Whenever any veg appeared in our meals, it would be cabbage.  Soups might contain some leek, onion, daikon, spring onion.  No leafy veg was ever seen.

Beef on salad

Kappabashi was a place only I had interest in.  I was thinking maybe a knife, sauce plates, a fake food keychain, at least take a photo of the chef head statue.  The knives started around RM400 - no need lah.  Didn't see any nice sauce plates.  Google maps led us to some backlane instead of the chef head.  I was in a not-so-good mood dragging everyone along to nowhere.  When hubby stopped to buy strawberries, told him I'd go look for a fake-food shop.  Again Google led me astray.  Fortunately the others stumbled upon the shops on the opposite side of the road.  Now I know these items don't come cheap - the steak/chips/veg on a hot plate at the top left of the photo cost RM630.  The keychains were expensive and not that nice.  I shall categorise this trip as 'at least have been there' over 'it was a waste of time' heh.

 

Fake foods

Next, took the train to Senso-ji temple.  We approached from the side rather than from the famous Kaminarimon gate.  There were crowds of people.

At Senso-ji temple

Scene worth of a postcard

The Kaminarimon gate

Oops I should have taken photos closer to gate.  Also didn't look up at the base of the lantern to see the dragon engraving.  When travelling by yourself, if you don't read up enough on what to see and where to go, you would just miss out on sights and insightful information sigh.  In hindsight, also should have bought things from the many shops nearby.  Like hand cream for each date in the calendar, mix-and-match rice crackers, other food items.  Hubby bought strawberry daifuku again.  Dunno... I was tired I guess.

Next was Akihabara for JE the anime fan.  We wandered around looking for the anime shops in the wrong place.  I was VERY glad to sit in Vie de France bakery with SE while hubby took JE off hunting for figurines in the cold.  Ahhh a hot coffee (ok I believe I was slightly sick) and a warm smoked cheese bun while resting my tired feet.   We procured a couple more buns while waiting.

Hubby and JE returned happy, having found the shops and purchased a figurine.  'Collected' our breakfast from this bakery for the next morning.  Prices between these specialty bakeries and convenience stores aren't much different so bakeries seem more worth it for baked goods.

Take photo before Mummy attacks the food

We went to GU to get jackets (the ones were wearing being actually not enough to withstand the temperature) and then hunted for dinner.  There was a standing sushi shop, but my feet were always tired so the last thing I wanted to do was stand throughout a meal.  These seemed popular enough though.  We finally decided on a place and got our food at 9pm.  Later hubby said, eh so expensive this place.  Ya wor... my chirashi bowl and SE's sushi platte were over RM90 each.  Somehow didn't count properly?  But to me the food tasted especially good. 

Expensive but nice food

Trudged back to our apartment after dinner.  Stayed till 2am playing on our phones - too tired to move.

Day 7-17/12 Tokyo - Meiji Jingu, Shibuya

With our previous late night, it was past 1pm when we ventured out.  Our Tokyo apartment was the nearest to the train station of all our Japan accommodation.  Looking at the time... lunch first.  Spotted a promising Korean place - ah this turned out to be MY favourite meal in Japan.

My meat is cooking

First destination in Tokyo, the Meiji-Jingu shrine.  The area including the grounds was large.  One cannot see Japan without a lot of walking heh.  

Map of Meiji Jingu

At the torii gate entrance

Sake barrels behind us

Took our time to wander around.  Locals had obvious reverence for this place as I noticed many bowing at the shrine.  Taking photos at the shrine itself was also not permitted and there was one man employed just to walk around holding the "No photo" sign.  At the end JE said this place was nothing special and boring - I was like WHATTT this reaction to a historic must-see place where even locals show so much respect??  Grrrr.  I should get her to read up on each of our destinations on future trips.

Us nearer the shrine

At the shrine

Meiji Jingu closes at 4pmt.  We then had a peek at nearby Yoyogi Park.  A nice place - if only we had more time and weren't so tired. 

Take a picture of me here

Good weather for photos

We then walked to Harajuku.  We knew we were the right place from the sign but the place was basically empty.  Maybe we reached it too late.  Oh well one more item crossed off our list.

Harajuku behind us

Next, Shibuya.  Reminded myself I was in Japan and snapped away.

Weird creature

Our target was the "Shibuya Blue Cave", the annual winter illumination where the street becomes a tunnel of blue light.  There were stalls selling various foodstuff so the place was pretty happening.

With blue trees

We didn't buy anything though.  Went for a proper dinner - glad to try ordering from a machine!  Ramen of various sorts tasted good.  

Let's order!

This shop had interesting condiments - shaved kelp, dried fungus, citrus/miso paste setc.  The food got too salty for me towards the end though.  Plus the fact that it was a big bowl.... after this I was officially fed-up of ramen and didn't want any more for the rest of the trip.  :)

Multiple condiments

Meet Ramen, and Ramen

Last stop for the day, Akasaka station which is Harry Potter-themed.  Music from the movies was playing, which lent to the atmosphere.

Dobby's outline, and Hogwarts portraits

The time turner

Letters from Hogwarts

We then gratefully called it a day and returned to our apartment.