I keep starting and not finishing this post and now it's the 17th of February and I can only remember snippets of that last day. I'm going to try and finish this today before I forget completely.
Our last full day in Tokyo!
Akihabara
Started the day at Akihabara which was not too far from the hotel. This is where most of the outrageous things you hear about Japan are located like maid cafes, sex toy souveneir shops, owl cafes. It was quite close to the hotel, only a couple stops on the overground train that we had access to with our JR pass. Right as we were walking out of the train station I spotted this small little cafe, conveyor belt sushi! It looked like a chain restaurant and not as authentic as those stand alone ones would be but we had already made two attempts at going for conveyor belt sushi and the first time the queue was way too long and the second was when we got separated in the Tsujiki fish market and Ma and A went but E, Baba and I didn't. It was quiet and we were the first ones in seeing as it was only 9 am. Caused quite a ruckus when we first got in as ma thought she had lost her phone and we were frantically searching for it before realising it was in her coat pocket.
Conveyor belt sushi
The restaurant was set up like a bar and there were two chefs in the centre slicing and dicing and serving up the sushi right infront of you. There were also little taps that ran across the bar where you could get steaming hot water to make your own green tea. Everything you need was already set infront of you, soy sauce, wasabi, chopsticks, little bowls and plates, green tea powder to make the tea.
 |
| A very happy E |
 |
| Green tea on tap |
Tried eel sushi for the first time and definitely won't be trying it again. Slimy and no real flavour. I did try something else for the first time that's changed my view on sushi forever, shrimp with pesto! One of the best sushi I have ever tried in my life. You think it doesn't go but then you try it and wonder how no one else does it because its so so good. I'm going to be looking for pesto shrimp in every place I go to now.
 |
| MY FAVE PESTO SHRIMP |
Ueno Park
After brunch we got back on the train and headed to Ueno Park. There were cute little pagados, lakes with ducks, autumnal trees, vendors selling ice cream. Cool but not freezing, super clean walkways surrounded by huge willowy trees, little prayer temples every so often, and a starbucks smack in the middle of it. Reminded me a little of Central Park in New York as they had an art musseum attached to the corner of the park like the MET. Tried a green tea latte which tasted awful, like spirulina mixed with hot water. I don't think I'm a fan of green tea infused things.
 |
| Temples in the park |
 |
| 5 tiered pagoda temple feat A |
Harajuku
Went back to Harajukku because A wanted to go to the Nike store. The main feel of Harajuku was that it was a high end flea market. Vintage clothes, pre-loved Balenciaga's, nitrogen ice cream. Ma and E spent a good hour at a charm making store where you could pick and design your own charms. They were really pretty, and Ma does have an eye for designing things, she's also probably the most trendiest person I know. I didn't make one because it's pretty in the moment but I rarely wear these things.
 |
| Nike store |
 |
| Pandora ain't got nothing on this place |
 |
| Pre-loved is re-loved |
Had dinner at this restaurant near our hotel after trying and failing to get a table at about 4 other places. The queue took ages because everyone was out for new years eve.
 |
| Carnivourous |
Definitely going to miss Japan. Tokyo and everything about it was just magical, it's in a league of it's own. Till we meet again Japan, sayanora!
 |
| Signing off, 2018 |
