After a wonderful week exploring Kyoto, we boarded the Shinkansen bullet train and headed to Tokyo for the grand finale of Dana’s 50th birthday trip.
Tokyo is a massive, sprawling metropolis that can easily overwhelm first-time visitors. Because we wanted a mix of traditional charm and modern convenience, we chose to base ourselves in the historic Asakusa neighborhood. Our last four days in Japan were filled with torrential typhoon rain, incredible indoor crafting classes, and one very special reunion.
Here is how we wrapped up our 19-day Asian adventure in the best way possible.
Our Asakusa Home Base
We checked into our hotel, OTHER SPACE Asakusa, which turned out to be a brilliant choice. The location was fantastic. The hotel offered a great selection of toiletries, slippers, and incredibly comfortable gowns you could pick up near the front desk. We loved lounging in those gowns after a long day of walking.
On our first afternoon, we explored the neighborhood. The famous Senso-ji Temple was just around the corner from our room, surrounded by cool streets filled with shops and restaurants. For dinner, we stopped at a cozy izakaya and tried grilled lotus root for the first time. It was absolutely delicious.
Beating Typhoon Dujuan: Kobe Beef and Sushi Classes
Our second day called for heavy rain as Typhoon Dujuan passed nearby. We grabbed our usual convenience store breakfast and stayed close to the hotel. Once the rain let up slightly at lunch, we stumbled upon the highly-rated Daia Rock Kobe Beef restaurant.
We had tried Kobe beef in Osaka and knew we needed it one more time before leaving Japan. We ordered the lunch set menu featuring melt-in-your-mouth Kobe beef sushi. Our amazing waiter even took the time to teach us how to fold an origami cat, which we proudly taped to the wall alongside hundreds of other guest creations!
To avoid the afternoon downpour, we booked an indoor activity. We chose a Tokyo Sushi Making Class. It was an incredibly fun experience. The instructors taught us how to prepare the rice and assemble the rolls. We ate our own creations for dinner, enjoyed some delicious sake, and finished the evening by whisking our own matcha tea.
Sun, Souffle Pancakes, and Shibuya
The rain finally stopped on day three, and we had a lot of ground to cover. We started at a tiny, hidden cafe near our hotel for breakfast (Asakusa Yorozu Cafe 444 Fruits Parlor). The cozy spot only had five tables, and you have to buzz at the yellow door to be let in by the owner. The wait was entirely worth it for their famous, towering souffle pancakes!
After breakfast, we explored the Ginza District and walked through the beautiful Hamarikyu Gardens to see an incredible 300-year-old pine tree growing entirely sideways. We then navigated the chaotic Shibuya Crossing and strolled down Cat Street. We eventually made our way to the Nintendo Tokyo store, which is so popular you have to take a ticket and wait for an assigned entry time just to shop.
We ended our busy day by rushing over to Shinjuku to join a Guided Shinjuku Evening Food Tour. Exploring a bustling new neighborhood through a local food tour is always our favorite travel strategy.
A Heartwarming Ramen Reunion
On our very last day, I had one final mission. During my solo trip to Tokyo a year and a half ago, I had a wonderful conversation through Google Translate with a 70-year-old ramen shop owner named Yoshi. He had recently moved his restaurant, and I had his new location (熊ぼっこ 小村井店) pinned in Google Maps.
We traveled out to the Komurai neighborhood near the Tokyo Skytree to find it. A lovely older woman greeted us and showed us how to order using a small ticket vending machine on the wall. We quickly realized Yoshi was not working that day, but the young man cooking the food was his son, and the woman helping us was his wife! I used Google Translate to explain who I was, and his son seemed genuinely thrilled that I had returned. Even though we missed Yoshi, meeting his family and eating their amazing miso ramen and gyozas made the visit incredibly special.
One Last Souvenir Before Flying Home
Because our flight home was not until the evening, we needed to kill some time on another rainy afternoon. We explored the beautiful Sumida Aquarium inside Tokyo Skytree Town.
With a few hours left to spare, I checked the Viator app for one last indoor activity and booked a Traditional Chopstick Making Workshop in Asakusa. Dana and I spent our final hour in Japan carving our own wooden chopsticks. It was a relaxing finish to the trip and gave us a beautiful, handmade souvenir to take home.
Japan made a massive impression on both of us. From the perfectly clean streets to the wonderful bidet bathrooms and the endless amazing food, we know this will not be our last visit.
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