Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Three days in Tokyo... what would you do?

With just over 5 weeks to go, we're getting a leeeeeeeeeeedle bit excited!!

Kicking off with the Japan leg, or rather, 3.5 days in Tokyo, this is our basic plan:

Arr Sat 5 Sep, negotiate the metro to our ryokan. Chill for the night, venture out for a nibble/local wander if we've any energy left and have made it to our ryokan at a suitable hour!

On Sunday 6 Sep (our first wedding anniversary!), we will be shown around Tokyo by Sonomi, a '36 yo single mom', from this neat little set-up. Seeing as we're limited for time, we thought we best have an initial orientation, etc, and a tour by an 'insider'/local/professional...

It's a pretty cool arrangement - free, and we just pay for the tour guide's lunch/entrance fees, etc... She's asked us what we'd like to do/see (so she can research, plan an itinerary, etc), and while we really have no clue, these are some of the things we're keen to check out:

Old traditional area

A bit of market action

Or these ones

Time-pending (or perhaps do this ourselves), some pretty gardens, temples, museums, etc...

While the fast trains are indeed, fast, it makes sense to focus on Tokyo! If we had more time, we'd love to do this or a bit closer, this.

This festival will be on, so we may check that out at some stage...

Or perhaps pop up here for a gander...

Shopping will of course be a priorty at some point...

That night we'll venture down to Yokohama to hang with Luke, "expecting" Em and Harry...

Then for our belated anniversary, on Monday 7 Sep, we are going to partake in a traditional tea ceremony, and be all kimono-ed up. We're not doing the group tour thing, but we'll have our own private room/ceremony and I asked if they could incorporate some kind of traditional marriage blessing/wishes of hope, prosperity, love, etc... So, they are going to:

"prepare special settings such as a hanging scroll and sweets which represent blessing/good health/love/happiness. During the tea ceremony you will share a cup of tea which will be prepared in ritual procedures to strengthen the bonds of your partnership and your feelings of togetherness. Attending the tea ceremony in Kimono would be a great idea to make it very special. The tea ceremony will include souvenir (a folding fan on which 4 principles of the tea ceremony, harmony, respect, purity and tranquility are written in Kanji characters)."

Cool!

And, seeing as the traditional first anniversary gift is paper, what better place to be than Tokyo(home of origami, calligraphy, etc), to nab a little 'joint gift to ourselves'...

The rest of that afternoon and evening, we'll explore some more... perhaps do some of the above that we obviously won't have time for on the Sunday...

Then Tues 8 Sep, is pretty much a write-off, as we rise, shine, head to le aeroporto where we'll fly out to Portland, OR...

2 comments:

  1. Hi,

    Two lovely blogs which are sure to provide plenty of cool Tokyo tips are...
    http://jollygoo.blogspot.com/
    http://hellosandwich.blogspot.com/

    Shibuya & Shinjuku are my fav places to visit. Enjoy your time in Japan!

    -Michelle.

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  2. Ah, thanks, Michelle - I've only just noticed your post! This is a blog from last year, that didn't really get very far! But thanks :)

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