Japan

15-02

Asakusa

• Wedding planning
• Sensoji Shrine

16-02

Hanata Dairoku Park

• Kimono Photo Shoot

17-02

Koshigaya

• Practice speeches
• Finish Wedding Preparation

18-02

Asakusa View Hotel

• Wedding!
• Changed clothes, Eri got her hair done, met friends, chatted, took photos, gave speeches, received speeches - people cried, quick and then left back home

19-02

Shibuya

• Yuri toured me around while Eri met friends, old coworkers.
• Shibuya crossing “The Scramble”
• Center Gai
• Hikarie
• Tokyu Hands
• Labi

20-02

Saitama

• Eri had to update driver’s license, so I wandered around Saitama
• Konpira Shrine
• Etsuketani stone monument
• Hisaizu Shrine
• Mister Donut

21-02

Tsukiji, Roppongi, Ginza

• Tsukiji Market with Keiko (Kabuki Theatre saw outside)
• Roppongi - Art Museum, Roppongi Hills
• Ginza - Dover Street Market, Underground shopping

22-02

Harajuku

• Meiji Shrine with Keiko
• Photo Booth, Crepes, Calbee French Fries, Takeshita Street, Omotesando Hills, Lafouret - shopping, Condomania
• met with Scott and his wife Chika for lunch
• Kana and Akinori invited us for dinner at their apartment for sukiyaki in Taito area of Tokyo, train station SumiYoshi

23-02

Koshigaya

• Laketown Mall
• bought too much at UNIQLO, Ciaopanic and MUJI
• played arcade, Eri won some snacks
• Keiko made steamed crabs for dinner!

24-02

Saitama

• Keiko drove me around while Eri was at dentist - saw Eri’s primary and middle school
• Eri picked me up - went to drug, dollar store
• Drove to Soka City for BBQ - Japanese style at Banri

25-02

Saitama to Osaka

• Bullet train to Osaka from Tokyo
• Stayed at Granvia Hotel
• visited Osaka Castle
• met Chinatsu at WAD cafe for tea
• met Mashi, he toured us around Dotonbori
• ate takoyaki and doteyaki at Ajiho

26-02

Osaka

• met Pin-Chat (Kumiko) for okonomiyaki brunch, Kohaku (Japanese-french fusion)
• Pin-chan brought us to Sky Building (observatory)
• train to Kyoto
• checked into Hiiragiya (a traditional style Japanese hotel)
• went to Sou Sou
• then return to hotel for traditional Japanese dinner, obanzai (dressed in robes)
• then we had a shower and bath soak in the bath room downstairs for couples and families

27-02

Kyoto

• traditional Japanese breakfast
• visited:
  • Arashiyama (bamboo forest), had soft serve ice cream (sencha, hoji, matcha)
  • Ryoanji (rock garden)
  • Kinkakuji (golden temple)
  • Shiba Cafe (don’t go again)
  • back to Sou Sou
  • Duck Soba at Matsuba Honten
  • Ishibe Alley
  • Yasaka Shrine
• then moved to hotel Granvia at Kyoto Station

28-02

Kyoto

• visited Fushimi-Inari Taisha
• then shopped for Kyoto treats to bring back
• bullet train to Tokyo then back to Saitama

01-03

Koshigaya

• relax today, slept till 11am
• Keiko made curry for breakfast/lunch
• went to shrine next to house, Hisaizu Shrine it is Eri’s bad year so she had her name said during a small ceremony at shrine
• drove around - Mister Donuts, grocery, dollar store
• Keiko made Oden!

02-03

Akihabara

• had lunch at the best ramen place, Aoshima Shokudou
• then wandered the area looking at nerds play games, anime cosplay, girls offering to serve us in short skirts and stockings
• then to SkyTree to meet Kana, took photos and headed home
• pizza and Mayu

03-03

Saitama

• visited Eri’s grandma Masako
• had an excellent lunch at Alpino in the Yono area of Saitama
• home, packing a little

04-03

Koshigaya

• ate lunch at Mos Burger, got Katsu sandwich
• visited Eri’s father’s grandparents grave, Keiko brought flowers