Swan Bradshaw
We had quite an adventurous time exploring the city of Tokyo. It’s really easy to get around Tokyo on a train, it’s convenient and economical. Taxis are also available but the fare is pretty expensive especially during rush hour.
Places to Visit
Harajuku
Harajuku Station
We got off the train at Harajuku Station and right across the station is the famous Takeshita Street with all sorts of stores ranging from clothing to cute souvenirs to delicious local street foods, they’ve got it all here. This is a popular hangout spot for the younger crowd and is very busy and packed with people!
Our favorite snack here is the Harajuku crepes, we had one before lunch and one after, it was fantastic. Just can’t get enough of those!!!
Meiji Shrine
The Meiji Shrine was a nice walk from Harajuku Station. The Meiji Shrine was built to honor Emperor Meiji, the 122nd emperor in Japan, and his consort, Empress Shoken. This shrine is amazing as it provides a serene environment surrounded by a man made forest in the middle of busy Shibuya.
Meiji reigned during a time when Japan opened up to the world after a long period of isolation to foreigners at the end of Tokugawa Shogunate. Meiji took the initiative to establish friendships with officials from other countries and introduce Western civilization and technology into Japan while still maintaining Japanese identity. Empress Shoken supported the emperor during his reign and promoted National welfare and women’s education.
The Sake barrels and wine barrels on both sides of the entrance are offerings to the Meiji Shrine.
Chozu-ya or Tami’s-ya 手水舍
This pavilion contains basins filled with water for visitors to cleanse their hands and mouths before entering the main hall to worship their God. The ceremonial ritual begins by scooping up water from the water basin (chozubachi) into the left hand to cleanse before the right and then into the left again to clean the mouth.
Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken loved to write poems. It was said that the emperor and the empress wrote about 100,000 and 30,000 poems respectively during their lifetime. About 30 poems with English translation were selected and visitors can pick them from the Omikuji box at the main sanctuary at the shrine.
Hachiko Statue
Paying a visit to Hachiko statue and experiencing the world’s busiest crossing at Shibuya were among the highlights of the day.
An Akita dog named Hachiko was the pet of a professor at the Tokyo Imperial University. Every day starting in1925, he would go to the Shibuya train station to meet his owner when he came home from work. One day, his owner died at work from a brain hemorrhage, and Hachiko continued to go back to the train station every day for the next 10 years in hopes of his owners return. Hachiko is held up in Japanese culture as the perfect example of fidelity and loyalty.
Shibuya Crossing
This is the busiest crossing in the world with approximately 2.4 million people crossing per day. It is a must see place in Tokyo where action begins…
Met the missionaries at Shibuya crossing!
Tsukiji Fish Market
This market has virtually every kind of fresh seafood imaginable. We had an interesting morning shopping through the market, and then stopped for sashimi. Everyone ordered something different and then we all shared. Very tasty treat!
Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple
Tsukiji Hongan-ji is a Jodo-Shinshu Buddhist temple founded by the monk Shinran. Its unique architecture is different from the traditional Japanese temples with a blend of Indian and European elements. It is located near Tsukiji Market.
Kaminarimon
Take the Maranouchi line to Akasaka-Mitsuke, transfer to the Ginza line to go all the way to Asakusa. Walk for about 10 mins to Kaminarimon and Sensoji is at the end of entrance.
Kaminarimon 雷門 in Asakusa is at the south end of the entrance to Sensoji Temple, home to Kanon 观音, Bodhisittva of Compassion. At the front of the entrance hangs a huge lantern or chochin 堤灯 which is a source of light traditionally. The official name of Kaminarimon is actually Furaijinmon 风雷神門, which is engraved at the back of the entrance .
Kaminarimon is an awesome area to visit, it has a really neat gate at the entrance and then you walk down the street before you get to the temple complex. The street leading to Sensoji is known as Nakamise Shopping Street. It is lined with shops and restaurants on both sides selling souvenirs and traditional Japanese snacks and food. The north end of Sensoji is Hozomon entrance.
This complex was first built in 941 A.D. by.Tairano Kinmasa, a military commander, and was reconstructed in its current location in 1635, which is when the Gods of Wind and Thunder were first placed on the gate, which is what the name Kaminarimon signifies. The gate and certain other buildings have been destroyed many times over the years, mostly by fire, each time having been rebuilt until finally they were rebuilt in 1960 by the founder of Panasonic with his own money and contributions from others.
Sensoji
Gonpachi Nishiazabu
We went to Gonpachi in Roponggi, Tokyo, which is famous for filming a fight scene in the movie “Kill Bill”. There are many stalls at this place and we sampled different dishes at different stands. This place definitely gives a unique dining experience and the food was delicious!
Nothing can make Tina happier than vending machine ice cream in Japan.
We met the Siegfried family at the airport in Seoul, just like us, they had vacationed in Seoul for a week. Then they coincidentally showed up sitting right next to us on the flight to Japan! They gave us some good advice on Tokyo logistics and we said goodbye when we landed in Tokyo. And then we bumped into them again when we were trying to find the express train from Narita to Tokyo and they helped us out. A few days later we were at the Tokyo subway station and who did we bump into in the most populated city in the world? Our friends the Siegfrieds!! It really is a small world!
Shibuya Scramble Square
This is a shopping mall with a wide range of stores, from famous brand names to cute Japanese souvenirs, household items, bookstores, and many restaurants including Din Tai Fung. Shibuya Sky is also located in the building. This is a huge department store with about 14 floors of stores and restaurants, subway, down below, and a great observatory on the top of the building from which you have a panoramic view of all of Tokyo all the way out to Tokyo Bay and surrounding countryside. It was a little crowded, but not too bad and an interesting way to, get a great vantage point of all of Tokyo.
Shibuya Sky
We reserved tickets to the observatory way in advance as same day Tickets purchase are usually unavailable. But when we got there it looked like people were buying same day tickets so don’t let that stop you if you didn’t pre order
From Asakusa station, we took the Ginza line all the way to Shibuya for 260 yen each.
Can you spot Shibuya Crossings and Meiji Shrine from the pic below?
This is the closest we got to Tokyo Tower this trip!
On a clear day, Mount Fuji can be visible from the roof. It’s a bit cloudy today but I think I spotted the snowy peak of the mountain in the distance, can you?
At the Roof of Shibuya Sky
After exiting the observatory, we passed by a hall full of giant artificial flower arrangements…
Din Tai Fung at Shibuya Scramble Square
After visiting Shibuya Sky, we went to Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐, just a level down from the entrance to the observatory, for lunch. I was amazed at the option of a set lunch for about US $25 and that’s what we had. It was a great lunch!
Back in Tokyo 2026
Day 1
ラー麺ずんどう屋 (Rāmen Zundouya / Zundouya)
For dinner, we enjoyed a hearty ramen meal at Zundouya in Shinjuku. This is a Japanese chain specializing in rich, creamy tonkotsu (pork bone) ramen with chashu and their signature thick, flavorful broth.
Then had fun spotting the giant Godzilla head towering over Hotel Gracery.
While Shinjuku is incredibly lively and full of energy, it felt perhaps a bit too crowded for us, especially at night with the streets packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
Day 2
Flipper’s
We arrived at Flipper’s in Shinjuku at 10am, eager to try their famous Fuwa Fuwa pancakes, only to learn the wait would be around 90 minutes.
While waiting, we headed upstairs for a delicious Wagyu hamburger, and earlier we had already picked up some baked goods from the first floor to snack on. To kill time afterward, we wandered over to Takashimaya.
Once we were full from all the food, Kevan and I explored Starbucks for some mugs, checked out luggage options at Don Quijote, and then browsed the fun toys at Kiddyland.
Meanwhile, Travis, Taylor, and Nic tried the One Piece store but were turned away—they needed an appointment booked three months in advance to make purchases. Another valuable lesson learned about planning ahead in popular Tokyo spots!
Shannon and Travis Howard arrived around 4pm at the Airbnb. We went to Shinjuku for dinner!
Baskin Robins for dessert, I had the Japan exclusive flavor, “Popping Fresh”!
5/16/2026
TeamLab Borderless
Today we visited teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills in Tokyo’s Minato ward. It is a visionary digital art museum created by the Japanese collective teamLab. The main concept is powerful: a “museum without a map,” where hundreds of artworks form one vast, borderless, ever-evolving ecosystem.
We wandered through glowing forests of flowers that bloomed and scattered beneath our feet. We stood in awe as digital waterfalls cascaded endlessly down walls and floors, their flowing water responding to our presence. We lost ourselves in rooms filled with thousands of shimmering bubbles that floated, multiplied, and popped in delicate universes of light.
In one unforgettable space, a giant luminous snake slithered across the walls and ceiling. Its body twisted and reacted dynamically to our movements, creating a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow.
There are no boundaries here. Art flows freely, merging and changing based on every visitor. We felt like we had stepped into a living, breathing organism of color, sound, and motion. It beautifully illustrated the interconnectedness of all things. Hours disappeared as we became part of this fluid, dreamlike realm. It was one of the most magical and thought-provoking experiences of our lives.
Coco Curry House
After leaving teamLab Borderless, we walked quite a long way through the streets of Minato ward toward Roppongi. The distance felt longer than expected, but it was pleasant, and we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the iconic Tokyo Tower rising above the city. We finally reached Coco Ichibanya for lunch.
The warm, hearty Japanese curry was delicious and exactly what we needed. It was a relaxing way to ease back into the real world after the immersive art experience.
5th Wagyu Tokyo, Japanese Food Wagyu Restaurant (Halal) Steak & Burger, or Wagyu Halal Japanese Food Shinjuku)
We made our way to 5W Tokyo in Shinjuku for lunch. The place looked promising with all the #1 Tripadvisor banners, but the meal turned out to be shockingly overpriced. For five people the bill came to well over US $500.
My Wagyu ramen alone was nearly $50, yet it arrived lukewarm and lacked real flavor. While my family enjoyed the Wagyu beef and said it was good, it still didn’t compare to what we get at Ruth’s Chris back home. What surprised me most was how they stretched the portions — just a few slices of Wagyu placed on top of a huge pile of rice to make the plate look fuller.
The service was good, but the casual ambience definitely didn’t warrant the high-price menu. I still can’t believe we spent that much for what we received. On top of that, this is the only restaurant yet that asked for a tip in Japan. From everything I’ve read, Japanese get offended if they are tipped as they take pride in providing good service, apparently there are exceptions!
Sunset at Shinjuku was beautiful, thanks to Nic for the beautiful sunset pictures!
5/17/2026
Tokyo LDS Temple
We took a taxi to church in Minato, adjacent to the Tokyo Temple. The musical number was beautiful — a piano duet of “My Heavenly Father Loves Me.”
After the service, we had lunch at a local ramen-ya near our Airbnb. The noodles and broth were good.
In the evening, the Howards treated us to an all-you-can-eat dinner at a self-serve teppanyaki restaurant in Shinjuku. Travis and I, along with the Howards, returned to the Airbnb afterward, while Kevan, Taylor, Tina, and Nic went for more sushi at Sushimaru.
Now it’s time to pack! Our wonderful Japan family trip is coming to an end!
5/18/2026
Kaminarimon Gate
We booked a van for a 10am pickup to the airport, but made a quick stop in Asakusa to visit the iconic Kaminarimon Gate. We stopped at the iconic Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) in Asakusa, the grand entrance to Senso-ji Temple. Built in 942 and famously topped with a massive red lantern, it’s one of Tokyo’s most photographed landmarks. The giant Fujin (God of Wind) and Raijin (Thunder God) statues guarding both sides make it even more striking!
Senso-Ji Temple
We also visited Senso-ji Temple right behind Kaminarimon Gate in Asakusa. Founded in 645 AD, it’s Tokyo’s oldest and most famous Buddhist temple, dedicated to the goddess of mercy, Kannon. Walking through the giant red lantern at Kaminarimon and along the bustling Nakamise shopping street to the main hall was a highlight of our time in the area.
We spent about an hour there before continuing on to the airport.
Huge thanks to my sister for sending these fantastic photos from Sanja Matsuri — one of Tokyo’s biggest and wildest festivals took place over the weekend. The streets were packed with teams carrying heavy mikoshi shrines, taiko drums, happi coats, and massive crowds. So glad we missed the peak chaos.
Tokyo Skytree
We passed by the impressive Tokyo Skytree on our way out of Asakusa. At 634 meters tall, it’s the tallest tower in Japan and a striking modern landmark visible from many parts of the city. Its sleek white lattice design really stands out against the skyline!
The airport ticketing staff weren’t the friendliest, and we had a frustrating encounter when an American lady ran into Tina, rolling her foot over with our carry-on (Tina was helping me with mine). She cussed at us even though she was the one not paying attention and walked right into our path. I was too slow to speak up…
For lunch, we split up three ways: Kevan, Taylor, and I grabbed tonkatsu, Tina and Nic went for Korean, and Travis hit up Shake Shack!