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.
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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 26, 2026
gem
art, cooking
food, honeymoon, japan, restaurant, tokyo, travel, yanmo
Food is art in Japan, where presentation often outstrips deliciousness. Sometimes you get both. Yanmo やんも 南青山店 is outstanding.
October 26, 2026
gem
who knows
customized levis, honeymoon, japan, jeans, levi's flagship tokyo, levi's tailor shop tokyo, little a-holes, tokyo
One of Romey’s Tokyo goals was to procure some customized Levi’s only found in Japan. We did this in two attempts, which led to two very different experiences. At first we thought the Tailor shop was the “wrong one” but it turned out to be the right one in the end. It was the flagship that was the wrong one!
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We did end up with two pairs—one perfect, the other perfunctory.
Our reviews on Google maps say it all:
October 26, 2026
gem
travel
honeymoon, japan, more tower, sunset, tokyo, tokyo tower
A visit to the Mori Tower at sunset is a Tokyo highlight. Watching the red lights blink on from the 54th floor is magical. Bring your own soundtrack so you can block out the loop. I listened to Phillip Glass piano works.
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The Tokyo Tower (we are the first people to ever take a picture from up here…for sure).
As the sun began to set, we moved around back and secured a bench,
Romey was patient with me.
Lets unroll the sunset in 11 frames:
Fin
On go the lights
October 26, 2026
gem
art, film, photography
Azabudai Hills, honeymoon, japan, photography, psychedalia, teamLab, teamLab Borderless, tokyo, travel, video
Our first art in a Japan trip filled with art.
Tourist trap though it is, teamLab borderless in Azabudai Hills, Tokyo is a sight to see. Or maybe an experience to experience. Or a ticket to punch? A fee to pay? Romey and I had a great time wandering through with hundreds of our closest friends.
Here are the bits in chronological order. We downloaded the app and controlled a few of the rooms. Seems nobody else did that. If you go…do that.
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October 26, 2026
gem
travel
architecture, buildings, ginza, hamariku, honeymoon, japan, pedestrian, shibuya crossing, tokyo, tokyo tower
Walking down from Maiji Jingu first thing into the morning toward Shibuya Crossing is something not to miss—from Empress koi ponds straight to olympic architecture. The crowds grow as you move closer to Hachikō (eternally waiting in bronze).
Not there yet…
Here we are. First person view. The three-thousand person scramble.
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Static.
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More street views from Tokyo.
Outside of Ginza under the bridge—approaching a Krispy Kreme. Because of course there is a Krispy Kreme in Ginza, and you should skip it!
Views from Hamariku.
Walking towards Ginza can be accomplished on multiple planes.
Ginza
A pedestrian tunnel of trees.
The Tokyo tower.
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