We finally did it! We packed our bags and went on a trip to a different country, that wasn't Canada or our military duty station. It was only for a few days, but we had some new adventures in Tokyo, Japan that I'll do my best to share with all of you over the next few posts.
Day 1 - Travel Day
We had a morning flight, and since we didn't want to play around with the possibility of being late for our first international excursion, we hopped in a taxi to Incheon Airport. We passed through ticketing and customs with little problem (whew!) and then grabbed some breakfast for the flight. Michael found some friends to sit with.
I loved our beverage containers:
We waved goodbye to the mountains of South Korea and settled in for our 2 hour flight.
We flew on Jeju Airlines - no frills or free snacks, but I could have ordered a "Cup of Amusement" if I had been hungry (noodles or Bibimbap).
After about an hour and a half, I looked out the window at JUST the right time -
well, hello there, Mt. Fuji!
We arrived at Narita Airport and made the looooong trek through the airport to customs and baggage claim. Again, no problems, and the first "stamp" in our passport!
There are a number of options for getting from the airport to Tokyo - we opted for the Skyliner Express train and then a ride on the subway.
This was the mural on the wall of the train platform.
Michael enjoyed the train ride and the ability to stretch his legs a bit.
Next up was the subway, from Ueno Station to Hiro-o Station.
I've heard stories about the crowded subway in Japan (like in this video) - but we hit it at a pretty good time of day, I think!
Godzilla! (Couldn't resist)
A quick walk from the subway and we arrived at the New Sanno - our home for the next week.
Our room wasn't quite ready yet, so we crossed the street for some tasty chicken at the Rotisserie Inn.
Then we explored the amenities at the hotel a bit. There's a PX and a number of restaurants on site.
There is a gift shop packed to the rafters with Japanese items and treasures.
A nice pool, with a 1 1/2 foot deep kid's area.
A general store, with snacks and a full wine section.
And a neighborhood pet - Natasha, the cat - who received a pet from Michael
each time we passed her.
Once we checked in, we were amused to realize that the artwork next to our room was created by a Seoul American HS student from Yongsan (all of the hallways have art from OCONUS students).
Our next order of business was tracking down a local market place to find some fresh food for the boy and snacks for us. I was in luck and there was a great bulk foods one just down the street. This was my first experience with the money tray in Japan; you don't hand the money to the cashier - you place it in a small dish or tray on the counter. I also had to remember to not say "thank you" in Korean...it was "arigato" for this trip.
Scored some fresh fruit and veggies, as well as some flavored popcorns.
We managed to explore the area a little bit before we called it a night (travel days are always so draining!) and found a blast from the past on the corner:
"Mommy, what is this?"
There are a TON of bicycles in Tokyo - you'll find them parked along the sidewalk's edge wherever you go, often in large packs like this:
Not only were the telephone booths a colorful sight, but the taxis were also fun to photograph:
We had dinner at the hotel (very good, for those who may visit), and I drooled over the dessert tray.
And so ended our first day in Tokyo.
Next up - Day 2...Tokyo Tower!
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