Japan- Tokyo Part 1 of 4

Matt and I came back from Japan last Friday. The trip was amazing and definitely a lifetime opportunity. We took a direct flight from Detroit to Tokyo, stayed there 3 nights, had 1 night in Hakone/Mt Fuji, 2 nights in Kyoto, and 1 night in Osaka. We then took a nonstop flight from Osaka to Detroit. Although it was great not having layovers, which make you lose more time, a 12-13 hour flight is LONG. I brought lots of things to do, but was still bored on the plane. Luckily our time in Japan was wonderful and hopefully, over time, I will forget how horrible the flights were!

In Tokyo, we stayed at the Hotel Pacific Tokyo. All of our hotels were very classy and this one did not disappoint. The toilets in our hotels are something to talk about. There are so many buttons. I only used the seat warmer function, I did not use the bidet, spray or other options!

We were very lucky to see Mt Fuji from Tokyo, which only happens 10% of the time. It was a beautiful, clear day in the 60's! This is a view from the Tokyo Tower.

We went up the Tokyo tower (like the Eiffel tower but not as grand), the Imperial Palace Gates (the emperor lives there and only opens the gates once a year), and a beautiful Buddhist Temple next to the Nakamise Arcade. We also ate at a few Iron Chef restaurants since most of their flagships are in Tokyo. Here I am at the Nakamise Arcade (which isn't a video arcade, but an arcade meaning covered passageway.) You can buy a fortune and if it's bad you have the option of tying it on this to wish it away. We saw these at every Buddhist temple we visited in Japan.

On the following day we spent time in Tokyo Disney. There is a DisneyLand and a DisneySea. We decided to go to DisneySea since it's the only one in the world whereas DisneyLand is pretty much like the California park. As usual, Disney spared no expense and the different worlds are exquisitely detailed, resembling the Mediterranean Harbor to the Arabian Coast. The coolest shop in Disney was the Sleeping Whale Shop in Ariel's Grotto. The inside made you feel like you were in the whale's mouth complete with a spongy floor and rib cage as the ceiling.

I must say that Tokyo is a lot like New York City. It is more about restaurants and nightlife than a historical sight. There were some noticable differences however. The subway system and the city in general are very clean. With the amount of people there, it is remarkable how well-kept everything is. I only saw one homeless person- we heard that the government sanctions off areas where they can go so I assume they gather elsewhere. Also everyone there is skinny! I didn't see any chubby/obese people. The girls were beautiful and slender and the men were all smartly dressed in business suits. Lastly, the people are very nice. The hospitality in Japan is impeccable.

More on Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka later. I am having a tough time adjusting back to Eastern Std time. Japan is 14 hours ahead and I think I've managed to get back to California time. I am tired ALL the time even if I can't sleep. I hope to be normal by the end of the week...