Hi folks, here’s a quick catch-up:
Yesterday we made it to Tokyo! After a three-hour Shinkansen trip (Japan’s bullet train), we found our way to Hotel Graphy Nezu—the hostel we booked for a week. It’s a nice place, catering to folks in their mid-20s to 40s. There’s a cute common area down the hall from us with couches and a TV, connected to a huge communal kitchen. On the roof, there’s a terrace lounge with a nice view of the Ueno neighborhood. Our room has two sets of bunk beds, each with a curtain for privacy, plus lockers. I took the top bunk because it makes me feel safer, and John got the bottom since it has a little more space.
Today, we set off to explore a bit of Tokyo, with our first stop = breakfast. Where? The Egg Baby Café. On the way there, we stumbled across an outdoor market with fish, candied fruit, and all sorts of knickknacks. The hustle and bustle of the market made it a very dynamic and lively place. John and I tried the candied fruit and 10/10. The crunch of the candy coating with the juicy fruit underneath made for a fresh and yummy combo. The Egg Baby Café was exactly what you might expect—a café specializing in egg-related dishes, including desserts.
After a eggy breakfast, I had a doctor’s appointment at the Tokyo Station International Clinic. I highly recommend this clinic if you ever find yourself in Tokyo and need to see a physician in person for any reason. The staff and physicians were friendly, informative, and efficient—I was in and out in under 15 minutes. And, the pharmacy they partner with is just down the street, which the receptionist will send you to with a map of how to get there.
One of the main things I’m enjoying about Japan is how punctual everything is—the trains, appointment times, even the closing times of attractions. For example, when we visited the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the last group to be let in was at 3:20 p.m. I arrived at exactly 3:20, and I was the last person admitted. Three palace staff members stood by the entrance, checking their clocks to ensure everything remained on schedule.
Once we finished with the appointment, we headed to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, where the current Japanese emperor resides. The Imperial Palace sits on the former site of Edo Castle, which was once the home of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603–1868). The shogunate was overthrown in 1868, and the imperial residence moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. It’s neat that we’ve been able to see both historical sites on this trip. While we couldn’t enter the palace itself, we were able to explore the Imperial Palace East Gardens, which are open to the public.
The palace gardens have wide walkways lined with pine trees and are flanked by massive stone walls—easily four times my height. Some remnants of Edo Castle still stand, including beautifully preserved stone foundations. Walking to the top of these ruins made me marvel at the passage of time. Japan has had centuries of history, war, rulers, cultural shifts—so much change, and yet the country still stands. At the Samurai and Ninja Museum Experience in Kyoto, our tour guide mentioned that many Tokyo residents are descendants of samurai families, though the exact percentage is unclear. While the samurai class was officially abolished in the 1870s, their influence is still deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. By contrast, America is a baby nation—barely 249 years old. It really puts things into perspective.
After exploring the palace grounds, we spent the afternoon at the Tokyo Science Museum—and it was amazing! Five floors of interactive science exhibits, ranging from optical illusions to the physics of sound, data storage, and beyond. I grew up near a science museum, but this one blew it out of the water. A large exhibit of the museum focused on climate change and renewable energy, all with interactive exhibits and hands-on learning. It was great to see so many school groups engaging with the displays and getting excited about science. One of my favorite sections was on sustainability and how Japan is working toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a UN action plan aimed at achieving global peace and prosperity through 17 key goals (such as ending hunger and ensuring equitable education for all). I was really impressed by how prominently it was featured at the museum.
After an unexpectedly three-hour deep dive into the museum, we returned to the hostel for dinner at its café. All in all, a well-rounded day!
-W