Japan | Tokyo | Part One

Since my new website launch, I’ve been a bit behind on re-sharing all of my older blog posts!! So I am so excited to finally be re-sharing parts of our amazing trip to Japan with all of you! Traveling is one of my favorite things to do and I am so glad I found someone to do life with that loves it almost as much as I do!

Confession: I am one of THE most indecisive people on the planet when it comes to anything that is not work related (I.E where to go for dinner, decorating our house, where to travel, should I buy that shirt?, etc.) Maybe it comes with being a Libra? Perhaps it has something to do with FOMO (fear of missing out) or maybe it’s my tendency to please others first and then myself? Who knows! The point is, the hubby and I usually go through about a thousand options before we actually nail down a trip. Not this time though. When I brought up Japan, it was like a lightbulb turned on and we booked the whole trip the next day! Whew! No indecisiveness here!

Going to Japan is definitely a crazy experience. Their culture is SO different than our own and so fast paced but we loved every minute! We spent the first half of our trip in Tokyo! Check out the photo tour below to see some of the absolutely amazing experiences we had on our trip!

Day 1: Yoyogi Park & The Meji Shrine
Don’t let the quietness of Yoyogi Park fool you! It’s completely surrounded by a crazy urban jungle of sky scrapers, taxi cabs, and delicious sushi restaurants. But inside this amazing and absolutely huge park (think Central Park) is an absolutely gorgeous shrine, beautiful gardens and tons of hiking trails!

Because of our jet lag, we started our first day before 7:00 AM and we beat the crowds to the Meji Shrine. It was so peaceful walking around this gorgeous park in the early hours of the morning!



That afternoon, we explored some more fun spots around Tokyo! I had a western breakfast (Ricotta Pancakes… how could I not?), we played with hedgehogs and got to experience Shibuya Crossing (On the street and above it!)

Day 2: Senso Ji Temple and Yamamarion Gate
Taking note from day 1, we got up early to start our day at the Senso Ji Temple. As the oldest temple in Tokyo (642 A.D.) it is extremely popular, but also extremely gorgeous. It definitely stacked up as our favorite temple that we saw in Japan.
​​
From a photography standpoint, I love all the dynamic colors and shapes at Senso-Ji. When I wasn’t looking through my camera, I loved seeing all of the little details at the temple. The doors, the candles, and the people. My favorite part of visiting the shrines in both Tokyo and Kyoto are the locals that we encountered at each one. Whether on their way to work or on a spontaneous visit, I loved observing people in their element, experiencing their world through their eyes and experiences.


After a nap and a shower, we headed back out to explore and went to visit the Park Hyatt (as seen in Lost in Translation). We enjoyed their happy hour while taking in their absolutely breathtaking views! Then, of course, sushi for dinner!



Day 3: Tsukiji Market
Day three, and we headed out to eat even more food! While a sushi breakfast didn’t really speak to us, we ate some amazing street food (wagyu beef, anyone?) and explored the unique and surprising market stalls Tsukiji had to offer. (Side note: If you like peanut butter and ever have the chance try black sesame ice cream… DO IT. It’s literally all I can think about, as far as ice cream goes, and fortunately I’ve found a local shop that makes it a couple times a year. It’s amazing!)



While in Japan, I wanted to get my own Japanese Chef’s knife. Cooking is such a huge part of my life and family and I knew a chef’s knife would be the perfect way to commemorate our journey to Japan. We visited a gorgeous shop (Kama-asa) with so many options. They helped me select the perfect Santoku (the type of knife I use at home) and even engraved it with my name in Japanese characters. This was such a cool experience and something I will keep forever.

There is SO much more that we did in Tokyo, especially when it came to eating at about half a million amazing restaurants, but these are definitely the highlights! Can’t wait to share more about our time in Kyoto soon!