temple | Apothecary Shed

Tokyo Last Licks: Gewgaws and Yukata at Sensō-ji

October 31, 2026

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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

Tokyo: Zenkō-ji and the Omatesando neighborhood

October 31, 2026

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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.

Early Morning at Fushimi Inari Taisha

October 31, 2026

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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.