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.