Only in Japan have we returned as a couple. The awesome memories of our very first holiday, back in 2009, made us return for a fun filled 5 days in Tokyo. For us we were coming back for the fantastic food, the skin slapping sumo and the very interesting and unique culture.
Only in Japan can you eat fresh sushi caught only a few moments ago! We managed to make the journey to the Tokyo Fish Markets twice since we can't resist such delicious food. Our first meal was at Daiwa Sushi, which was very popular with the locals. We entered the tiny sushi bar and our chef literally presented (we think he was waiting for us to clap) delicious dark rich tuna and scrumptious spotted sardine nigiri sushi. A perfect breakfast! Our second meal was at a lucky dip sushi train - we enjoyed plate after plate of sushi and the waiter was slightly shocked at the pile we had sitting in front of us.
Only in Japan can you find an entire shop dedicated to plastic food models. Most shops have plastic food models displayed neatly out front coupled with a bright photographic menu (great for non Japanese speakers like us). Of course we had to purchase our own sample of bright shiny inedible sushi.
Only in Japan can you find drunken teenagers in game arcades putting yen after yen into Sailor Moon figurine winning machines. We became mesmerized by all the pounding noises and shiny lights and put a few coins in a machine hoping to win some chocolate, but failed and went to the Family Mart instead. These arcades are taken very seriously and we even had an experience where a friend of a player minded his machine since he thought we were going to steal all his hard work.
Only in Japan can you truly enjoy the slapping sound of human flesh as 200kg+ men wrestle in a dirt ring. Sumo is a way of life here and wrestlers are headline news when they win or lose. It was pure luck that there was a tournament on in Tokyo while we were there. As Scott is a sumo enthusiast (and Sara became one!) we regularly tuned into the live bouts on TV and went to the stadium one day to watch this glorious sport in action.
Only in Japan can you walk around with nonsensical English on your tshirts. We spent nearly two days scouring the city for "engrish" clothing. It's funny because the more you read something the more it makes sense - "the sun it shines always on daylight anytime" - think about it.
Only in Japan can you order a full meal from a vending machine. We had numerous delicious ramen experiences which involved ordering from a vending machine pressing random buttons and waiting with anticipation to see what weird combination of food we would get served up. It was always delicious!
Only in Japan...
Scotty and Sara
Only in Japan can you eat fresh sushi caught only a few moments ago! We managed to make the journey to the Tokyo Fish Markets twice since we can't resist such delicious food. Our first meal was at Daiwa Sushi, which was very popular with the locals. We entered the tiny sushi bar and our chef literally presented (we think he was waiting for us to clap) delicious dark rich tuna and scrumptious spotted sardine nigiri sushi. A perfect breakfast! Our second meal was at a lucky dip sushi train - we enjoyed plate after plate of sushi and the waiter was slightly shocked at the pile we had sitting in front of us.
Delicious tuna
Our growing stack and personal sushi chef
Only in Japan can you find an entire shop dedicated to plastic food models. Most shops have plastic food models displayed neatly out front coupled with a bright photographic menu (great for non Japanese speakers like us). Of course we had to purchase our own sample of bright shiny inedible sushi.
Plastic food shop
Only in Japan can you find drunken teenagers in game arcades putting yen after yen into Sailor Moon figurine winning machines. We became mesmerized by all the pounding noises and shiny lights and put a few coins in a machine hoping to win some chocolate, but failed and went to the Family Mart instead. These arcades are taken very seriously and we even had an experience where a friend of a player minded his machine since he thought we were going to steal all his hard work.
Only in Japan can you truly enjoy the slapping sound of human flesh as 200kg+ men wrestle in a dirt ring. Sumo is a way of life here and wrestlers are headline news when they win or lose. It was pure luck that there was a tournament on in Tokyo while we were there. As Scott is a sumo enthusiast (and Sara became one!) we regularly tuned into the live bouts on TV and went to the stadium one day to watch this glorious sport in action.
Hakuho (#1 in the sumo world) throws salt into the ring
Perfectly executed throw
Only in Japan can you walk around with nonsensical English on your tshirts. We spent nearly two days scouring the city for "engrish" clothing. It's funny because the more you read something the more it makes sense - "the sun it shines always on daylight anytime" - think about it.
Only in Japan can you order a full meal from a vending machine. We had numerous delicious ramen experiences which involved ordering from a vending machine pressing random buttons and waiting with anticipation to see what weird combination of food we would get served up. It was always delicious!
Our favourite ramen place
Only in Japan can you enter a shop and instantly get bombarded with 'HELLO!!!!'. There is something comforting about getting such a warm welcome and somehow you feel a little less like a tourist.
Only in Japan can you get a completely restful nights sleep on the ground. Going for a local Ryokan we spent our five nights in Japan on tatami mats and wandering around in kimono's.
Only in Japan can you have as incredible time in 5 days as we did. Day after day of fun seeing the unique Harijuku girls, awesome 100 Yen shops, incredibly cute and shy locals, 5 storey toy and gizmo shops and of course our body weight in food (katsu, shabu shabu, okonomayaki, takoyaki, yakitori, ramen, gyoza, mung bean noodles, green tea ice-cream, corn flake salads, and much more).
Enjoying a Kirin at an Izakaya
Perfect Yakatori
Sweaty yakatori chefs at work
The more sedate lights that light up the streets
Shabu Shabu Queen
Only in Japan...
Scotty and Sara
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