Tokyo here we come, we’re sitting in the lap of luxury at the Alaska Airlines Lounge in Seattle, with an incredible view of the runway. We’re not particularly luxury travellers but splurging for the lounge during this layover is the best purchase Rusty has made. Highly recommend!
Alaska/Hawaiin Lounge Lizards enjoying the good life in Seattle...pay for the lounge fool!
The excitement is building as the crewprepares the plane for the miracle of flight.
Rusty in chill mode enjoying the Hawaiin airline vibes!
As we celebrate my impending 60th, Yosiell’s 46th, and Rusty’s early retirement, a trip to Japan seems to be a very appropriate indulgence. Two weeks in Japan sounds like a wonderful respite from the chaos in our country right now. I’m sure eventually the country will return to a modicum of civility and quite frankly to our principles but not for quite awhile and sometimes we need a breather from the negativity and bedlam. Tokyo will hopefully help us provide the break we so desperately need.
Why Tokyo? It has been a place on all of our bucket lists It’s only a place I know from Youtube videos, movies, media, and restaurants. Today many of our products (cheap ones at least) are made in China. In the 70’s I remember many items with the “Made in Japan” sticker, at the time far more ubiquitous than the “Made in China” sticker. To a child, the cheap toys and tchotchkes from Japan were truly treasures. To little boy me, Japan must have seemed a wonderland.
Today I’m looking forward to seeing what must be a unique blend of an intense commitment to technology and innovations, coupled with an ancient cultural heritage filled with traditions and customs many times older than our country. So gentle readers, once more into the unknown for our Japanese adventure.
We arrived late afternoon on June 26th and had enough time to grab a bite, take a shower, and go to bed…international travel is exhausting.
Our first morning in Japan! Hooray! We made a quick trip to what tourists refer to as the Donkey (actually the Don Quijote, a loud obnoxious department store with almost everything one might need or want). We needed a few things but chose to browse the four multiple floors of stuff, stuff, and more stuff. Overwhelming? Definitely! On the way to the store, I was struck by the fact that almost every commuter had a white shirt and black pants or skirt (sometimes with tie). I was also caught up in the river of people all headed into the different parts of the city. I mean this figuratively of course although one could easily get swept away in this river and end up in parts unknown. There was very little conversation and all were if not friendly, polite to a fault. Of course our big ol’ tall and chunky American selves were headed upriver much like salmon swimming up stream. I can definitely see the criticisms that Japan can be so crowded but so isolating. It is an introverts dream city (shout out to Yosiell).
Wait...is that Godzilla peaking over a building in Shinjuku?
Yes, it is...run Tokyo residents...run...we know how this ends!
Shinjuku is crowded all of the time so we headed to another neighborhood Koeji.This is a neighborhood pretty close by train but what seems to be a much more manageable pace. We enjoyed an awesome lunch at an incredibly reasonable price, with a terrific waiter who was as excited to try out his English as we were to try out our three phrases in Japanese, a very funny kind man happy to serve ice cold beer to us grateful hot and humid Americans. Then off to Monster Cookie for a mint chocolate chip cookie (a la Girl Scouts Thin Mints) at an establishment owned by an ex pat friend of Yosiell’s. We will definitely come back to Keoji to stay as it seems a good place to find refuge in a busy city, especially since we weren’t able to see Yosiell’s friend.
The streets of Koeji...definitely want to stay in this quieter neighborhood our next trip.
Adorable donuts from Keoji.
Pop Mart vending machines in the Koeji train station...how cool!
Our first day in Japan ended with experiencing the night life of Shinjuku, our prefecture for the next couple of nights. We went to the Tokyo Eagle Blue, the largest gay bar in Japan. Hmmmm, the largest? Maybe but really we’re talking about 1,200 square feel at best. We were fortunate enough to be there for a drag hosted viewing of RuPaul’s Drag Race Allstars. The bar quickly filled up with Japanese gays and an odd international asssortment of people as well. All friendly and all fairly young. The hostess drag queen, Natt Mara (Swedish for nightmare) was as odd as they come and we were enthralled. The Swedes are weird but fun. Even with only a single number after the show, a good time was had by all.
The largest gay bar in Japan...The Eagle Blue
The clinetele were from all over the world...all very friendly...including these international characters all the way from California.
Hostess Natt Mara...Euro drag in a Japanese gay bar...sounds subversive or the beginning of a joke.
After, a bite to eat was needed, we went to a basement bar filled with young Japanese revellers. It’s odd to contrast the same people pretty much wearing the same outfits (white short, black pants or black skirt) from work partying and laughing and carrying on like college students at a frat party, Definitely different to the sea of people we saw in the busiest train station in the world, Shinjuku station. At 10:00 the bars and restaurants were full. Too late for our blood, but fun to watch.
Bad travel day! It happens! Navigating the Tokyo train system seems like it should be pretty straight forward but between the express trains, the non express ones, cars for women only during certain times of day, finding the right elevated platform and the construction. Add more people than I’ve ever seen in a station and it seems like a navigation disaster waiting to happen. We made a second attempt at seeing Yosiell’s artist friend in Koenji - and we had another missed connection and didn’t get to see him…we were waiting but had to bolt over to the Imperial Palace to take a tour. We got out of the train station at the wrong entrance for meeting the guide. We had to hoof it in the extreme heat and humidity across the extremely large Imperial Grounds. Clipping at a brisk pace the heat and humidity got the part part of us. We got to the tour guide but opted out of another hour to ninety minutes walking in the same heat back the way we came. We basically said, “Fuck it, let’s go back the Shinjuku for a 7-11 lunch, cold drinks, and A/C. By the way gentle reader, if no one has told you yet, 7-11 food in Japan is not the hot dogs on a roller disaster of American 7-11’s. They have pretty good food at a reasonable price. Rusty, true southerner he is, tried the fried chicken and expected to be entirely disappointed…not so, friends, he reported it to be actually pretty good.
All the morning trials melted away when we arrived at our reservation for the Monster Hunter Bar for dinner (in Akihabra) for Yosiell’s Birthday a few days early. Most theme restaurants I’ve been to are tacky at best and gaudy at their worst. The Monster Hunter Bar was fairly well done with fun themed food and and drinks, wonderful costumes, and videos of the game I’m not familiar with the video game but the waiter gave us a run down of the video game, He was a sweet twink with a lovely disposition and a spot on gaydar. The whole experience was confusing, odd, delightful and completely Tokyo. Happy Birthday Yosiell, Rank Up Hunter!
Amazing lifesize Monster Hunter props.
Dango Monster Hunter style. Very on brand.
The beer was definitely a welcome relief from the heat.
The dinner platter, again, very on brand.
A Palicoe Monster Hunter Birthday cake! Rank Up Hunter for your Birthday!
I’ve always heard Japan and her people are in tune with nature. Perhaps the country is and we just happen to staying in Shinjuku in one of the most densely populated cities in the world.. Tokyo has the same difficulties and challenges as any other city, for my part I needed to search out at least a little nature since I got up early still fighting jet lag…who am I kidding, I get up early whether jet lagged or not! We walked to a park close by in the early hours, to pet some dogs other than our own, and stretch our legs near some grass. One doesn’t walk far without tripping over another temple,
A kittke walk through a Hhinjuku park.
A beautiful landmark building in Shinjuku.
Random temple at the edge of the park. People come to offer prayers and small donations anytime of day.
Pretty cool statues in the park...
After doing laundry, the Yayoi Kusama Museum awaits. We arrived early, had lunch, and you guessed it almost tripped over another temple. The temple not only provides a place for almost daily spiritual practice but a quiet respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Shade ad a cool breeze on a hot day.
Absolutely and unexpectedly fabulous temple to stumble across.
The entry to the temple shrine.
The museum of course exceeded my expectations. Kusama has suffered from mental illness her entire life, and it was interesting to see her work connect to that aspect of herself, Small and intimate but exceptionally informative and wonderfully quirky, like the woman herself. I’m glad to have seen this exhibit.
Yayoi Kusama...polka dot realness!
An excellent welcome into the museum.
Me life sized, the statue? Not so much.
The dot room. You receive a aheet of dots and can put them where you want in a completely white room. Interactive art?!?! So cool.
Dot-tastic!
Roof top mirrored balls? Another cool display reflecting sky, city line, and yes the viewer.
Returning to the hotel, we decided to go for sushi around our hotel. We found a basement sushi bar, small, intimate, and elegant. It turns out this sushi restaurant was omakase style, (literal meaning is - “I’ll leave it up to you”). The customer trusts the chef to serve what the chef decides. We were fortunate to be squeezed into the 7:30 seating and although we weren’t seated at the bar for the whole experience, we certainly considered ourselves very lucky. The other diners were an odd assortment, a German married husband and wife, and we assumed a gay Spanish couple - a little annoying in their superior attitudes in only the way Europeans can be…two Japanese women clearly splurging on a special vacay evening, and a Japanese man and woman clearly on a date…add the three Americans and international fun ensues.
Hatsume! An excellent restaurant, more of an experience...and for Omikase? a reasonable price...our splurge for sure.
The menu, we recognized about half of the suhi choices...more and adventure than a menu.
Could we ask for anymore after just showing up to this clearly months in advance reservation restaurant? I think not gentle reader. The menu was about twenty two different sushi courses, an elegant soup course and small bites of tamagoyaki for dessert (rolled omelet sushi). What a truly transcendent experience to have had on the fly. Gentle reader, if in Tokyo reserve a spot at Hatsume, in Shinjuku and give a big howdy to Matusudo. (In the small world category, Matsudo went to school at Buncomb Community College for two years, in you guessed it, Bellingham - Yes this is the same Bellingham we will be moving to eventually). Enjoy these pictures of perhaps the best sushi I’ve ever had.
A work of art to be sure.
Delicious and beautiful.
Presentation of the lobster to guests before the lobster broth and soup are prepared.
This sushi mea has spoiled me forever from eating grocery store sushi. What a wonderful impromptu experience. Be sure to go see Matsudo, but do make a reservation,just in case.
Today’s itinerary is very full…let’s keep up gentle reader. The day started at the Tsukiji Fish Market, a very Seattle Pike’s Market kind of place without people throwing fish to each other. The market was filled with sushi stands, Wagyu beef yakitori stands, restaurants, shops and all manner of ways to spend your yen. Rusty and I tried some fresh sushi (and a few other delicacies) a bit challenging at 9AM but delicious regardless. The fatty tune (Toro) was exceptional. The indoor part of the market was more seafood retail oriented and hosted lots of odd sea creatures for sale. The trio through the market was as much a marine biology lesson as a retail expedition.
Inside the fish market, odd assortment of sea creatures, several were completely unfamilair to me.
Excellent marketing for I think, Ikayaki or Takoyaki.
Outside alleys of food, souveneirs, and tourists, lots of tourists.
Delicious taiyaki with red beans and apricots...so good!
A quick trip back to the hotel to cool off before the next activity (the unrelenting heat and humidity is exhausting), a trip to the Harry Potter cafe at the Akasaka station. Fun themed drinks and food in a themed atmosphere. Seven out of ten on the themed rating scale. Also, Yosiell’s second birthday cake, a Hedwig the Owl cake! If you know you’ll be in the area, make a reservation and go but otherwise not my favorite activity. A portion of the train station is also decorated beyond belief because the exit leads to the theatre playing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
I love a theme cafe...you go Harry Potter Cafe Tokyo!
A second birthday cake for Yosiell in the shape of Hedwig...(also light and delicious).
Train station Harry Potter realness! Over the top? Definitely.
From Asaka off to Team Lab Borderless immersive experience. We arrived very early for this activity, and in one of those serendipitous Tokyo moments, stumbled upon the Tokahata Isao exhibit. For those unfamiliar (as I was) he was a pioneer in the Japanese animation game from the 1960’s on. His movies include Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas, Grave of the Fireflies, and the Tale of Princess Kaguya. Before this exhibit I never had an appreciation of Japanese animation. Now, I’d really like to see the movies of Takahata Isao . My favorite part of the museum was seeing how animation had developed from the early years until his death. The movie styles evolved from hyper-realism and detail oriented to a more impressionistic form with precise line drawings before his death in 2018. I’m sure I’m butchering most of the facts, but since when has this blog been overly concerned with facts, gentle reader. Accurate or not the exhibit was stellar and the artwork was amazing.
Outside the exhibit, phtoos were not allowed inside.
Now the main event, the Team Lab Borderless Exhibit - The word amazing does not do justice to our experience in this venue. Each room, of which there were many, was a surprise and delight to the senses in this visual feast. Some of the visuals reacted to the presence of the person (i.e streaming lines on the floor following people around, flying birds on the wall exploding into a flower upon hitting someone that is sitting). One room took children’s drawings from those in the room and animated them on the walls. An experience of media that I won’t soon forget.
So much fun. Just a full multi-room experience.
Amazing, flawless, and fun.
An immesive experience not easily matched.
This was just kinda cool.
An infinity light display. Disorienting but beautiful.
Each room was so different and changed dramatically from minute to minute. Each time we returned to any room it was a different experience.
Butterflies...
Rusty swarmed with butterflies.
We then went to a pop mart and waited 45 minutes in line to purchase blind boxes of figures, a huge thing in Tokyo. I only mention this because this large display figure posted has a Keith Herring theme and I thought it too cool not to mention.
I liked this Molly display piece because the theme is Keith Herring...I bought a blind box hoping for the Keith Herring Molly but got an equally cute one.
After a really good Korean meal, I collapsed and fell asleep. Checking the apple watch, we walked over 7 miles on this day…and amazingly, most of the day was spent underground in train stations and multi storied stores attached to the malls. Tomorrow? The SHINKANSEN bullet train to Kyoto. (Shinkansen should be said with all the gravitas you can muster - about the level of Iron Chef announcer).
I am sold on the Shinkansen! It is an exceptional way to travel, so fast, clean and efficient, and smooth. One of the amazing things about the Shinkansen is the way any of the staff come through your train car and bow before going to the next car.That is such an excellent acknowledgement of gratitude and respect. Pulling into the Kyoto station one could just sense a difference. The over the top hustle and bustle of Tokyo is only mildly present in Kyoto, much more laid back.
Travelling in luxury on the SHINKANSEN!
For this leg of our trip, we decided to stay in a Ryokan, a traditional Japanese hotel with shared bathrooms, Tatami mats on the floor, and sleeping on a futon on the floor as well. This brought me back to the days I first met Rusty sitting on his futon watching movies. Full circle gentle readers, full circle. Truly a cultural experience leaving our shoes at the doorstep and donning slippers everytime we entered the Ryokan. Perhaps the only thing I missed in the Ryokan was a full size desk and chair. Everything is low to the ground and I assumed I’d have knee problems, sore back, etc. sitting on the ground or on small stools but no, my back was just fine. The proprietor, Katsu, was very kind, and helpful (and of course polite). He made excellent recommendations. The nicest part of staying in the Ryokan is that we were away from the tourist centers and often had opportunities interacting with locals.
Rakucho, our Ryokan for the next three nights.
Traditional futons on tatami mats.
After settling in we went to find dinner in the Gion area. This is the area where one can often see traditional Geisha’s walking around. The area is instagram worthy and the amounts of crowds certainly attest to that. We’ve already learned any area with a rent a kimono shop has blown up on instagram and is a place some ridiculous influencer (mostly skinny young women with a penchant for feigning emotional depth) is living out her Japan fantasy and blocking traffic to pose for her followers with that perfect picture. I hate to be bitchy (well hate is a strong word)...let me rephrase I am compelled to be bitchy about these people. This smacks of cultural appropriation in the worst way.
Sitting on the river banks trying to beat the heat in the evenings.
Romantic Gion, a neighborhoosd of Keyoto.
Conveniently, Gion has two gay bars in the hood. I say gay bars, but really they are just long counter/bars with stools and in some cases a few tables. These are really just long and skinny spaces serving 12-15 people only. Our first bar, Azure, was truly a pleasant experience talking with the bartender and two patrons. Regardless of nationality, there is a camaraderie instantly established in gay bars and this is especially true with the intimacy of the small Japanese gay bar. So, cover charges are not really allowed, instead the bartender will serve snacks and charge you 1,000 Yen on top of your drinks. Also, many bars have bottles with customer names on them and they are served out of these already paid for bottles. I’m assuming there are charges for mixers or snacks instead. The second bar was Apple Bar, a karaoke bar. I love a good Karaoke bar of barely passable loud singers having a great time despite very limited talent. This was not that bar. Two of the patrons had stellar professional voices. A short foreigner sang Defying gravity (yes, a staple at a gay Karaoke bar) and I think would’ve given Idina Menzel some healthy competition at the auditions on Broadway. I really wanted to hate these theatre queens but just couldn’t because Rusty sang one song and they were completely enthusiastic and generous in their praise. He did a really good job but these singers were trained professionals. Good times in Kyoto!
