Day 2 - Tokyo

We had an incredible day exploring Tokyo. We are jet lagged and woke up at 3:00am. Initially, we tried to go back to sleep but quickly realized that was not going to happen. Alison worked out while I got caught up on the blog. Getting up so early was not a bad deal because we were meeting Ardis and Greg in the lobby at 4:45am to head to Toyosu fish market. The Toyosu fish market is the new Tokyo fish market. The old one closed late last year. We took a cab to Toyosu and our driver pointed out the old fish market as we drove past. They were tearing down many of the old buildings.

Ardis demonstrated the hotel door at 4:50am

We had a reservation to visit the special viewing deck during the famous tuna auction. The tuna auction is held daily, except for Sundays and national holidays. Access to the viewing deck is restricted. To gain access we entered a lottery about a month ago. We were fortunate to win some spots. We arrived a little before 5:30am. They checked us in and gave us red vests to wear. These vests signified our access to the viewing area. On our way to the observation deck, we passed by the public viewing area. It is a long hallway with giant windows overlooking the auction area. The special viewing deck differs from the public area because while there is a plate of glass between you and the auction the area above the glass is open so you can experience the sounds (and smell) of the auction. The smell could be overwhelming, particularly in the stairwell leading into the viewing deck.

We got to observe the auction for ~15-20 minutes. We did not really know the mechanics of the auction, but it looked similar to an auction you might see in the USA. There was a large group of people who would move from tuna to tuna yelling and using hand signals. It was a very lively process. Other individuals were walking among the tuna inspecting each one. They would feel the meat, take a small sample, or use a flashlight to get a better look. The room itself was huge and it was filled with what must have been hundreds of tuna, some of which were quite large.

After our time was up we headed out of the Fish Wholesale Market Building. On our way out we stopped to get a picture near a replica of the largest tuna sold in a market in Tokyo. We made friends with a nice fellow from Germany after he took our picture for us. He was at the end of his trip, while ours is just beginning.

We went searching for a sushi breakfast (when you are at a fish market - you eat sushi). We found a place that was highly recommended - Daiwa Sushi. As we walked up it looked closed, but there was a man out front who directed us in behind a curtain. He motioned for us to take a seat on four stools right up against a bar. on the other side of the bar was our sushi chef. He was an older man and did not really speak English. As soon as we sat down he went to work on crafting sushi. For the most part, we had no idea what he was actually feeding us. Occasionally, he would say shrimp and point at a roll, but we really did not know what it would be until we put it into our mouths. It was unbelievably good sushi. It was so fresh and provided unique and delicious flavor combinations. Big shout out to Ardis who does not really care for sushi, much less very, very raw sushi for breakfast. She was a trooper and tried it. Eating sushi in this tiny restaurant at the fish market is an experience I will remember forever.

After breakfast, we walked through the fruit and vegetable building and the Fish Intermediate Wholesale Market Building. Both had observation decks/large windows providing a view of the market activities below. It is interesting that markets, regardless of shape and size, are so similar across the world. Markets are a universal part of the human experience. Observing different cultures' marketplaces gives the sense that we are all more similar than we are different.

We took a taxi to get to the fish market because the train to Toyosu was not running early enough for us to arrive in time. We took the train back. This was our first experience navigating the train system in Tokyo. It was easier than expected - thanks google for making maps that provide such a granular level of detail that for the most part, we could figure out where we needed to go. It did take a lot longer to take the train back (nearly double the time) compared to the taxi. The trains in Japan are super nice. They are very clean (nearly everything here is clean and appears to be well-maintained) and even have cushioned seats.

Waiting for the train

At the hotel, we met up with my grandparents. They both slept in and looked like they made a good recovery from our long day of travel. We got some breakfast at the hotel before walking to the nearby Shibuya station. We took the train one stop to Harajuku. Our first stop of the day with my grandparents was a place my grandpa has often told us stories about - Meiji Jingu. This is a Shinto shrine surrounded by a beautiful park that is really kind of like the Japanese version of Central Park. When we first arrived at the entrance to Meiji Jingu my grandpa's face lit up. The joy on his face at being here was very visible.

We made our way toward the main shrine and took a detour to the inner garden. This was an area my grandpa remembered, although he pointed out it has changed a bit in the last 60 years. It is a beautiful garden with a large pond and a tea house. It also has an iris garden, although we were a little early in the year and most of the iris were not blooming. We wandered through this area enjoying the beauty of nature around us. Ardis made a comment that rings true. The Japanese people value meditation and space to think. They create beautiful areas whose purpose is to facilitate meditation.

We visited the main shrine. Here my grandpa pointed out where many of the stories he has told us over the year took place. We wandered the shrine and appreciated the marks of devotion we observed.  There was an area where people would throw a coin into an open box and participate in a small ritual and bowing and clapping. They had a sign with instructions so Alison and I each contributed a 10 yen coin. There is also a tree that is surrounded by wooden tablets inscribed with prayers. The prayers were written in languages from all over the world. Alison made a comment that throughout the world prayers are very similar we all really want the same types of things - health and happiness for ourselves and our families. One thing we have loved learning about while we travel is world religion. It's so easy to see how much God loves his/her children and how similar religions around the world really are.

Ema (絵馬, lit. "picture-horse") are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes.

Our next stop was Takeshita street. It is a pedestrian shopping street lined with fashion boutiques, cafes, and restaurants in Harajuku. None of us are big shoppers, but it was cool on this busy and vibrant street. This street is famous for a particular dessert - Harajuku crepes. Since we were here we had to give it a try. It was a pretty good treat.

Grandpa talking to his grandson, Dallin, who is serving a mission in  Vancouver, WA. Dallin was calling because it is Mother's day.

We went back to the train/subway station and headed to the Ryogoku area of Tokyo. We had to change trains and travel around a dozen stops to get to our destination. We were heading to the Tokyo Edo Museum. While I was doing my research I came across a few recommendations for this museum. They were spot on. It can be hard to know what activities my grandpa will enjoy. He very much enjoyed this museum. This museum is all about the history of Tokyo. We spent a couple of hours wandering the museum, reading the exhibits, and learning about the history and lifestyle of people who have lived in this city throughout the years. While we were wandering Greg noticed a presentation by a Japanese man. We all gathered to watch as he performed a crazy balancing/juggling act. He would balance and throw the most unlikely objects (teapots, wooden boxes, metal rings, etc.). It was very entertaining.

Inside this museum there is a replica of a famous bridge - it is full size and everything. 

Replica of a box of gold. It is surprisingly heavy. 

After the museum, we headed to our last stop of the day - Odaiba. Odaiba is a high-tech entertainment hub on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Getting to the train station from the museum was a challenge. Turns out the train station we need to take had the same name (Ryogoku station) as the station we arrived at, but were 1km apart. First, we went back to our arrival station only to realize it was the wrong place to be. Then we found the right place, but we spent a moment looking for an elevator (for my grandpa's wheelchair). This very sweet Japanese woman who worked at the station saw our predicament and explained we need to go to another entrance. It was fairly far, but she actually walked the entire way with us (Japanese hospitality is unmatched). We arrived and we were waiting in a handicapped area. We were not sure what was happening. As we continued to wait we decided we should have my grandpa take the escalator (he is fine walking for short to medium distances). As we went to leave a Japanese man did not want us to. Then we saw they were in the process of bringing a lift up the stairs (it was a very slow process). We apologized for taking everyone's time and my grandpa took the escalator. People in Japan are so nice that it can almost become an inconvenience, especially because we do not speak Japanese. Despite the inconvenience, we love their hospitality and are inspired to bring it home with us.

We found the first train, but we had to transfer and the station was very confusing. We have learned it is easy to get lost in the Japanese subway system. Alison and Greg were looking at a map when a man came over and asked if they needed help. They told him where we needed to go and he proceeded to escort us to our next train. Japanese people are seriously so nice. We rode on the Yurikamome to Odaiba. It was an awesome train ride. This line is above ground so we had incredible views of Tokyo. I stood by grandpa and we talked about the things we saw - the Tokyo tower, huge shipyards/docks, large bridges, and much more.

The main activity we had planned for Odaiba was visiting Megaweb TOYOTA City Showcase. It is a museum/showroom/entertainment area put together by Toyota. We had reservations to test drive some vehicles on a 1.3 km track. We mostly drove cars that are not big in the US. Greg and I drove the Toyota 86, Alison drove the Crown, my grandpa drove the CH-R, and my grandma and Ardis drove the Toyota Tank, much to my grandma's chagrin. She could not understand why anyone would buy such a boxy car that only seats 4 people. She also could not understand why I would have chosen such a car for her to test drive. I told her it has a cool name and she could tell everyone when she got home that she got to drive a tank. When we were signing in so that we could drive, one of the employees came over and showed Alison a sign that said sandals were not allowed. In most places this would mean you were out of luck, but not here. They asked for her shoe size (in centimeters - thank you google for providing conversions) and found her a pair of loaner shoes. He also handed her a brand-new pair of socks and told her they were a gift. People in Japan are the nicest.

We explored the museum/showroom a little bit. My grandpa's favorite car was the Toyota Century. He told us this was the type of car that was used to drive the emperor when he was in Japan on his mission. It was an interesting black car with phoenixes on the rims and the front. It was for sale for 19,600,000 yen.

We were hungry and wanted to find somewhere close to eat dinner. I found a place when I was researching before the trip that served Takoyaki, but it was a little bit of a walk. Also, not everyone in our party was thrilled with this choice when I explained they are basically fried Octopus balls. Side note - Alison and Ardis both took that description to a dirty, if albeit, funny place. Sue also informed us that Octopi don't have balls. Instead, we found a nearby area with three restaurant options. The first one sold Sushi, but my grandpa took one look at the menu and said he did not see anything there he wanted to eat. The next place had a menu that was only in Japanese. The last place was a ramen place. This menu was in English and Japanese. This place also served gyoza, which my grandpa loves so we were sold. We all figured out what we want to order. To order the food you put your money into a vending machine and selected the meal you wanted. You then gave your ticket to the hostess and they would bring your food. We all had a great meal, except for my grandmother. She has struggled a little bit with the food in Japan. I think she was expecting it to be more like American-Japanese food, but that has not been our experience. We like it even better, but she has a hard time ordering. Tonight she ordered grilled chicken over rice. The only problem was that this chicken over rice came with a variety of vegetables and a mostly raw egg on top. The egg pretty much tipped her over. She was a little freaked out and was ready to simply eat gyoza for dinner. Greg came to the rescue and pulled the egg out of her meal without even breaking the yoke. Alison and I devoured a large bowl of ramen, each, and split some soup dumplings and gyoza. It was so great.

After dinner, we rode Daikanransha, a 115-meter-tall Ferris wheel. It was fun and provided beautiful views of Tokyo. Greg and I were busy taking pictures while Alison, my grandma, and Ardis tried to keep the car we were in from rocking too much. There was a Wendy's restaurant at the base of the Ferris wheel so we all got ice cream cones. This ice cream was pretty similar to US ice cream, but it had a slightly different texture. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

We made our way back via the train to our hotel around 8:00pm. Jet lag was catching up to us. We struggled a bit to find the station to catch the train and then when we did get on the train we got on the wrong one. We were supposed to get on one that would turn into a JR train and get us right to Shibuya, however, the train we got was local, and instead of turning into a JR train, it was going to turn around and go back to where we came from. At the last stop everyone, except for us got off the train and we were all excited to have seats together when we realized that this train was not going where we wanted to go and quickly got off. We then managed to get separated at the train station. Thank goodness for phones that keep us from getting lost. We eventually got onto the correct train and made it to Shibuya station. Alison and I took my grandparents back to the hotel, while Greg and Ardis went back to Shibuya crossing.

Today was a fun day. We laughed a lot and had great adventures. We have one more day in Tokyo before we move on to our next destination.