October 31, 2026
gem
garden, nature, travel, trees, wedding
gewgaws, honeymoon, japan, Senso-ji, temple, tokyo, yukata
The plan was to acquire some last minute gifts for family before hitting the airport. So after our very last organic Peninsula breakfast weirdness, we asked the concierge where to pick up a yukata in Ginza. The anwer was the neighborhood by Sensō-ji, so we added that to the Tokyo plan and off we went. Sadly, we taxied up and metro’ed back down…exactly backwards. (Just don’t even bother with the Ginza line which seems to have been built only for tourists.)
We arrived just as the stalls opened and found everything we were looking for at one stall! godzilla and the wave, red yukata, astro boy…the whole nine yards.
So that meant we had some time to wander the temple grounds before the crowds arrived. And arrive they did.
Romey played the fortune game. You’ll have to ask her about that.
And we witnessed part of a morning ceremony.
Of course the grounds and little gardens are the best part.
Romey and I traded photo taking with a french couple here at the very same spot where the kids and I were in 2019.
Well honey, the honeymoon is over.
Arigatō gozaimasu
October 31, 2026
gem
who knows
high end sushi, japan, Kyūbey Ginza Honten, Kyūbey Ginza Honten 銀座久兵衛 銀座 本店, restaurant, sake, sushi, tokyo
The best sushi in the world is in Japan. This venerable establishment has been visited by Presidents and rock stars and us. They liked us best, of course.
Chef made an appearance and made us each one piece of sushi.
Did you know that high end sushi places where you damn well better be on time have waiting rooms just like dentists offices? Well, they do.
We really enjoyed our sushi chef. He was kind and silly and gracious and highly talented.
There were not too many things that we had to choke down. In fact, the sushi was right down the middle of the Bell curve. Yoshi had me eating way weirder things in Santa Clara one time.
Everything was incredibly flavorful.
.
.
We had lots of sake. Maybe that’s what it takes??
October 31, 2026
gem
garden, museum, nature, travel, trees
confused trees, earth stuff, edo, Hamariku Gardens, japan, matcha, samaurai, tea room, tokyo, trees, urban
We beat the German tourist buses by 45 minutes. That was a good call.
Crossing the bridge from Ginza. The meeting point of ancient and modern.
This garden was made for hawk hunting during the Edo period. Channel your inner samaurai.
The juxtaposition has the trees all confused.
Snake! Another harmeless one. One for each city.
See? This tree is completely confused.
And so is this one.
Is this nature?
Or the city?
Perhaps the city is natural. 100% Earth stuff.
As a result of our punctuality, we walked right in for a morning matcha at the famous tea house.
And even swapped over to the prime table.
And we made our way back into Ginza on our Hello Kitty quest (part 2).
October 31, 2026
gem
food, travel
fish market, tokyo, Tsukiji, Tsukiji Outer Market
Just like you can’t leave New Hampshire without buying mandatory syrup, or get out of the Bermuda Triangle without sacrificing one crewmember, you can’t leave Tokyo without a visit to Tsukiji. Yeah well. It’s a tourist trap, but worth a quick hit.
We emerged from the metro at this building
And then we were in well before the first tourist buses. In fact, we kept ahead of the buses all day by at least 45 minutes. Excellent planning.
If you require dehydrated cephalopds, there are plenty available.
We circled the market until we could no longer stand it, and headed to Hamarikyu on foot.
October 31, 2026
gem
fashion, mixology, travel
bar radio, cat alley, Omatesando, ramen, sunset, temple, tokyo, uniqlo, varvatos, Zenkō-ji
In the heart of the city is Zenkō-ji. We arrived as the sun was going down.
We wandered Omatesando on a quest for PJs and underwear. It was a much harder quest than we figured. Eventually Romey had to join a gang to find success. Even the sales tribe at Armani couldn’t help.
Cat alley was on the way.
Varvatos was entirely abandoned. So we put on our own fashion show.
Here is where Romey’s gang induction was carried out.
Finally at the end of the trail there was a great cocktail at Bar Radio (the most civilized bar in Tokyo).
And that famous Penisula ramen.
October 31, 2026
gem
humor, travel, who knows
bento, green car, ice cream, japoan, kit kat, matcha kit kat, shinkansen, train
In our preparation for training back to Tokyo (and after 4 left turns on a 200 yard trip), we finally found Match Kit Kats in the Kyoto station food basement. The organic grocery store had everything we needed for a solid train lunch.
I had this clearly marked box. And we finally found some cloudy sake!
What was missing though? High quality ice cream! Fortunately you can buy that on the train (in the green car).
Fuji view not included.
October 31, 2026
gem
travel
1000 gates, buddhism, cafe, corporate sponsorhsip, Fushimi Inari Taisha, jaoan, kyoto, mosquito pond, restaurant, temple, tori, vermillion
Can you avoid the crowds at Fushimi Inari Taisha by setting up early breakfast at Vermillion right when it opens? Nope. You can’t. But you just have to see the 1000 gates.
If you arrive before Vermillion opens at 8:30, you can get yourself on the list and take a walk into the temple complex. Very civilized indeed.
The Vermillion mosquito pond…
And then it is time to brave the masses for a look at a few hundred of the thousand gates. Romey wondered what the tori said and didn’t believe me when I told her they were corporate sponsors. LOL. Buddhism is great.
But you know what? It was just too hot (even early in the morning) to walk the 4km loop. So we bailed at the first choice point and circled back down to our morning dogs.
Anyway, it was a great start to the day and a pretty not bad way to say goodbye to Kyoto. I doubt we will return.
We wanted an amulet from a small shrine near Vermillion. But it failed to open. At all. So instead we acted out our zodiac signs.
And then it was back to the very last attainable corner to catch our car.
And a return to the city with police escort.
October 30, 2026
gem
who knows
anime, art, japan, kyoto, Kyoto city KYOCERA, museum, Zen and Ghibli
Want a contrast from a peaceful morning at Shōden-ji? Head on down the hill to Kyoto City KYOCERA and queue up for the Zen and Ghibli show. You know that trope about “no personal space” in Japan? Well, that.
Reality jolt. Anyway, who knew that inside this official looking builing…
There was an entirely different universe.
.
Romey likes this one
And then we went to another exhibit to calm ourselves down.
After an udon lunch, we needed a break!
October 30, 2026
gem
art, garden, nature, travel
japan, kyoto, peace, Shōden-ji, temple, zen
Up in the hills about 20 minutes north of Kyoto, you find a temple shrouded in tranquility.
David Bowie loved this place. It is a respite from Kyoto crowds for sure.
.
Lil harmless snake with a hilarious name. Hibakari means (only one day…to live) — a bad ass name for a completely harmless snail eater.
And then it was back down into the maelstrom.
October 30, 2026
gem
who knows
bar, caviar, chef, cocktails, foodie, french cuisine, k36, kyoto, Pontocho Misoguigawa, restaurant
Foodies know all about this establishment. I was sad that Chef was in Tokyo, but Madame called him and we spoke briefly by video call. This meal was one of the best we had in Japan.
We opted for caviar.
Baby chef…boop boop.
Madame
Excellent staff
Butter (shhhhh)
Chef de cuisine.
baby chef…boop boop
A special bottle of armagnac. Wow.
Well, maybe just one
Halloween at the chef table
Our exquisite hosts
After dinner, we snagged a cab in the rain up to K36 for a rained out rooftop view. The cocktails were delicious. Romey ordered fernet all by herself!!
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