Tokyo Part 3: Tokyo!

Not going to lie.  By day 3 we were pretty pooped.  Our feet were sore and we all had at least one blister on our toes or other ailments.  :-)
*grin*

However, we all put our best foot forward and it was off to the subway we went.

Exploring Tokyo is a bit overwhelming unless you have been there before or have lived there.  Brian fits both categories!  Yay Brian!


Brian said we would follow the Yamanote Line on the subway.  It circles the center of the city and goes to most of the places we were going to.  Brian also said it was a popular line where people threw themselves in front of the subway trains.


First, we went to visit the Emperor's Gardens.  It was steamy hot and humid but we walked around for about an hour or so.  Joseph took some amazing photos of the gardens.  There was an actual *huge* moat surrounding the gardens as well.  Really pretty with Koi and turtles swimming around inside of it.

After our trip to the gardens we got in a taxi and went to the neighborhood that housed the famous department store, Mitsukoshi.  We wandered around inside this large department store and bought souvenirs and good things to eat.

Next, we wandered around and shopped at another store then headed back to the subway to go another neighborhood that houses the largest intersection in the world: Shibuya.  When you come up from the subway it is right there.  You cannot miss it.  So big and wide.  Thousands of people crossing the streets each time it is their turn.

It is in this neighborhood where we ate sushi, went shopping in a Claire's (!), and played in a arcade.  So much fun!

 

Tiffany doesn't do sushi so she and Brian went next door for tempura.  Yummy!  The sushi was a real treat.  It was slightly different than expected, but we didn't expect it to be the same as home.  It was really delicious. 

how we ordered

After our meal, Tiffany and I got Starbucks and noticed it was cheaper in Japan in the middle of the largest pedestrian intersection in the world, than in Korea.  Hmm...
Next, we wandered down a few streets.  Found a Claire's!  Brian and Joseph went into the largest comic store in Japan: Mandrake.  It was amazing.  Very large and had whatever you may be interested in about comics and things like that.

We ran across a arcade and went in to see what it was all about.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Just check out the photos.  Not much to say.

Tiffany, Brian and I got sucked into this pig game. It was the best.

Finally, we went to the Harajuku neighborhood by taxi.  Brian said we needed to see the Harajuku girls (and boys) while we were there.  When asked what exactly these girls were, we were told that these girls are girls (and boys) who have been bad in school so some go to schools in the country or schools for bad children and they come here to Harajuku to be themselves.  They dress in extreme styles and are beautiful.  We didn't see many while we were there perhaps because it wasn't the weekend but we saw plenty of punk rocker styles and other similar styles.  It was cool.

an example of the girls (not our photo)

the bridge where you see most of the Harajuku people

yes, this store is exactly what you think it is

Japanese ramen. Yummy!

 

They let us take a picture with them! Love the 4 inch high gator shoes!

Joseph tried all of these except the plum

On our way home to bed!

After an amazing time in Japan and after contributing extensively to the economy it was time to board the plane back to Korea. 

We will be back Japan! 

Tokyo Part 2: Disney Sea

Day 2:

Tiffany and I went shopping for a few hours and met up with Brian and Joseph around 2pm.  We had a great time shopping and spent some of our hard earned money.

Next, Disney Sea!
This park was pretty amazing.  Not as crowded as the Magic Kingdom but just as fun, if not even more so.

We went on a few rides and did some more shopping.  We also saw many characters.

 

 

 

 

Something we noticed a lot of while at Tokyo Disney was the absence of Disney Princesses.  They wern't to be found.  There were many other characters like Scrooge McDuck, Jiminy Cricket, Marie the Cat, and a few others.  We didn't once see Mickey or Minnie Mouse, or any of the princesses. 
Even in the shops there were not any Disney princess merchandise.  Loads of Alice in Wonderland though.  It was pretty neat to see different kinds of merchandise instead of Mickey and the princesses all over the Disney stores.  It was nice to see different kinds of Disney items for purchase.

We went on many rides, but not as many as the day before.  Joseph and Brian went on Indiana Jones Temple of the Crystal Skull (a roller coaster), Raging Spirits, Sinbad's Stoybook Voyage, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  When we met up with the boys, we all went on the Tower of Terror, Raging Spirits (again), Indian Jones (again), Jumping Jellyfish, Blowfish Balloon race (the best swing ride ever), and Journey To the Center of the Earth which was a really fun, though short, ride.

 

 

To end our night we ate together at the ship restaurant, S.S. Columbia Dining Room.  It was delicious.  While waiting for our table the boys went downstairs to The Teddy Roosevelt Lounge and had a beverage.

 

 

Tiffany and Brian told us about the Duffy Bear that apparently is a huge thing.  Apparently Mickey Mouse gave Duffy to Minnie Mouse as a gift and now it's a thing.  We saw so many people with Duffy bears.  Tiffany and Brian bought their contribution (along with the appropriate accoutrements) while Joseph and I waited for the Indian Jones roller coaster ride. 
After that, Joseph and I went to the MiraCosta Hotel lounge and enjoyed our last night at the parks.

Next up, Tokyo!  :-)

These school girls spotted Joseph and thought he was handsome and cute--and they were right!
Japanese school girls...there was a little bit of an argument to see who would sit next to him.