acbulson4
- Feb 10
- 10 min read

Japan Blog - Shrines, Sushi, and Shark Cartilage

Updated: Apr 1

When we woke up at 4 am on the morning on January 29th, we looked at each other and said “We’re really doing this huh?”

16 hours and 5,000+ miles later, we were in Tokyo, onboard the JR line from Haneda International Airport toward Shinagawa Station. Our 223 day international adventure had begun.

We had been nervous about the flight the night before - the last time Catherine had taken a flight like that was over 7 years ago to Australia, and I had never been on a flight more than 8 hours. But kudos to Delta - the flight was actually much better than expected. We had 2 pretty decent meals and many rounds of snacks and water. After a few hours of sleep, 2 movies and several walking breaks, we opened our shade to find Mt. Fuji towering above low-lying clouds out our window.

The customs process was a breeze (or would’ve been if we’d done our homework, but it still took less than 15 minutes), and there were plenty of people around to help our sleepy eyes adjust to Tokyo, guiding us to currency exchange and train boarding.

One thing we noticed immediately was how incredible the public transit system in Japan is. Trains arrive and depart on the minute listed on the schedules, or if for some reason they don’t, they are sure to let you know that they’re sorry and why they aren’t on time. The stations are spot-cleaned and pristine, as are the trains, and one can hear a pin drop onboard, except when the announcement system is frequently and clearly explaining where you are, where you’re going, and what to do at the next stop.

45 minutes, less than 5 dollars, and a quick transfer later and we’d arrived at our destination station; Shinjuku. Shinjuku is a popular neighborhood filled with tons of business people, being a central neighborhood and the home of the Tokyo City Government infrastructure. We strapped on our bags and wandered a bit until we realized how clear the exit signage is in these stations, and headed toward Chuo Park, a quaint little park near the metropolitan government buildings. Crossing Chuo Park, we arrived at our hotel within 15 minutes.

The Knot Shinjuku hotel is located centrally to the park, and stands 13 floors high. (Yes, for those of you who are familiar, there are actually 13 stories in the hotel, and they don’t skip the number 13 like we do in the US). The atrium is wood-adorned and dimly lit, with MoreThanBakery on your left and a bar/cafe lounge on the right. Walking past low wooden tables you find the check-in counter, where we were helped to a quick and easy check in. After check in, we brought our tired bodies up to the 13th floor and entered our room, a standard style with a large double bed and a view looking north over the city.

It was becoming dark, so we quickly readied ourselves and set off in search of izakaya in the center of Shinjuku. On the way, we stumbled across Shinjuku Juniso Kumano-jinja Shrine, literally just steps away from the hotel in Chuo Park. It was serene in the early evening and served as a sign that we’d truly made it to Asia. A 20 minute walk later and we were in Shinjuku center, bright and glittering lights illuminating our path to Omoide Yokocho, a charming, tiny little street stuffed with izakaya and the smell of grilled meats and ramen. We stopped in for a veggie tempura from Kameya, ate the quickest meal we’ve ever had at a “sit-down” restaurant, and then jet lag kicked in. We high-tailed it back to the hotel for some much needed shut eye (after a quick and mandatory 7-eleven run; more on that later).

Not yet fully adjusted to the time change, or perhaps just energized by the fact that we were in such a beautiful place, we awoke the next morning well in advance of the sunrise. We were hoping to catch the Meiji Shrine when it was opening at sunrise, so we shortly set off south without any coffee or breakfast.

Luckily, Japan had us covered. The city of Tokyo is littered with vending machines, selling almost any drink you could ever want, and for the most part, coffee and tea. Not only does it cost less than a dollar, but they also have the option for hot or cold drinks. It was mindblowing and extremely convenient, and woke Catherine right up (mostly because she was so stoked about it).

We ended up getting to the Meiji Shrine before it opened, and were among the first people to enter. The shrine is truly peaceful and serene despite its location in the largest city on earth. A long stone path marked by a large wooden torii gate led us from the city streets to rural sanctuary. As we walked through the grounds, we were passed by several busy Tokyo natives, come to pay their respects before heading to their place of business. Once at the center of the shrine, we were greeted by the beauty and simplicity of its design: another large torii marked the entrance, followed by a large traditional wood-built entrance gate and black-tiled roof, flanked on either side by pavilions of similar construction. Inside was a courtyard of white stone, surrounded by a cloister of sorts, with trees on either side of the main shrine, representing good fortune for couples and families. The inner shrine was a tapestry of wood, gleaming black tile, white symbols and gold adornment. Monks swept the grounds and devotees paid respects with monetary offerings, bows of reverence and claps for prayers. The spirits of the Meiji Emperor and his wife are revered in Japan for their opening the country to the world and bringing prosperity to a formerly isolated and poor country - prayers to them are said to bring good fortune to families and those in business. We made a small offering and departed.

By this time we were cold and hungry and so we wandered a bit before making our way to Fuglen, a Norwegian coffee house west of the shrine. We had a tea and croissant and warmed a bit, before going further south to Shibuya (details to follow in the next paragraph). We had reservations at Flipper’s, a Japanese chain serving fluffy pancakes, which we really enjoyed. And then we trekked back up to Harajuku, nestled between Shinjuku and Shibuya, for a 30-minute cuddle session with baby pigs at mipig cafe (Catherine’s idea - these guys were all a year old or less and liked sitting on your lap).

After cuddling, we took a walk down Harajuku Street, a thrift and luxury shopping district in the city. While we didn’t get anything (balling on a budget here), we certainly appreciated the vibe, and particularly loved the RRL store. Then we shot back up to Shinjuku for a quick change and returned back to Shibuya for the night.

Shibuya really comes alive at night. We took the JR line down from Shinjuku and when you arrive it is an instant light show. Shibuya Scramble Crossing lies right next to the station, so you can experience the madness of the crossing right when you get there. After making our way through the crowds we shopped at a few famous stores, like the Nintendo and Pokémon boutiques in the Parco mall, and the famous Don Quijote (for the uninitiated, this is a chain shopping mall type store selling everything you could possibly think of relating to Japan, as well as regular groceries and cosmetics. The only thing they don’t have is fresh food.)

After our little shopping break we met up with a tour guide, who took us to a Japanese-speaking only izakaya in Shibuya, followed by a sake restaurant in the same mould. If you ever go to Tokyo, you have to try one of these. There is literally endless options for food, drinks, snacks and so on, so having a local and experienced guide not only lets you enjoy a more authentic experience, but it also allows you to step out of your comfort zone and try things you didn’t even know existed (like pickled octopus and shark cartilage). Thanks to our tour guide Shinano for providing a great experience - I’ll link the booking page below. We would’ve gone for karaoke afterwards but with jetlag creeping in and us being the only two people on the tour, we decided to save that for the next time we’re in Tokyo and made our way home instead.

After sleeping like babies following our 18 hour day, we took to the streets of Shinjuku again after having some tasty pastries at the bakery in the hotel lobby. This time we took the train from Hochomae station northwards to the Asakusa neighborhood, a quieter and more historic section of the city. Stepping out of the Asakusa station, just a few blocks from the west entrance, you come across Senso-ji, Tokyo's oldest temple, painted stark red. Crossing under the giant red lantern of Kaminarimon Gate, you traverse a narrow street lined with shops and snacks toward the main temple and pagoda, which stand out in their bright color. Here, we arrived prior to shops opening, when the area was a bit more quiet than the normally hyper-busy tourist area it is (Senso-ji is an icon of Tokyo which sees more than 30 million visitors a year). The main temple is located through another gate, with a seven story pagoda on your left. In the courtyard, visitors burn incense and pay tribute to Shō Kannon Bosatsu, a Buddhist spirit of compassion.

After experiencing the morning rush at the temple, we weaved our way back along the narrow Asakusa streets to Maikoya Tea Ceremony. We were greeted by many kind women who helped to dress us in the traditional formal kimono dress of historic Japan, which showed reverence to the ceremony. Catherine’s kimono was maroon and silver, decorated with lotus flowers, while I wore a blue ensemble. (This process takes a lot longer for the girls, who are wrapped in several layers and belts and given a traditional hairstyle with flower pin). Then we were guided through the tea ceremony by our host, Sayo, who was funny and informative, and helped us understand the history and customs of the tradition. We enjoyed matcha tea and a couple of sweets as well. This was probably our favorite experience so far and another must-do in Japan.

By the time we finished our tea ceremony, our stomachs were grumbling, so we wandered in search of ramen. Since Ichiran was a 45-minute wait, we opted instead for a quicker sit-down at Ramen Watanabe a more traditional place nearby. We grabbed some pork and egg ramen and gyoza, which were equally delicious. After a quick stop at the post office (which was super easy by the way, might write a blog post about this), we stopped in for a drink at The Revival House where 2 other expats and a Japanese traveler shared stories and laughs with us. Walking back through a much more packed Senso-ji, we stopped into our next experience - sushi making.

Kawaii sushi making in fact, located at Washoku in Asakusa, overlooking the Sumida River. Here, we sat with vinegar soaked rice and a box of various fish, veggies and toppings with a view toward the Asahi building and Tokyo Tower. Our instructor, Momo, was extremely nice, patient and peppy, and enthusiastically taught us how to make balled sushi, called “kawaii” (Japanese for cute) thanks to the designs on the tops of the sushi. It took us quite a while to make twelve balls (Catherine made nine plus a bear-shaped 10th in the spirit of kawaii that the instructors really enjoyed). At the end of it, we felt pretty experienced, but not experienced enough to don the sushi chef’s coat and hat that Momo gave us. All in all I would say this is another fun thing to do in Japan and definitely a must-do if you love sushi.

After a jam-packed day of experiencing the traditional culture of Japan in Asakusa, we were spent and traveled home to Shinjuku and (after yet another 7-elevens run), made an early night of it in our hotel room.

Quick aside on Japanese 7-elevens; for people who have only been to 7-eleven in the US, you’re probably used to a subpar gas station style convenience store that most people only stop at for slushies. In Japan, it’s totally different - we stopped there at all times of the day and people were always in there, getting snacks, meals and other supplies, all of which are high quality and delicious. Some of the things we tried were melon-pan (Catherine’s fave), pancakes with maple syrup inside (my personal favorite), different types of rice and raw sushi, among others. If you’re in Japan it’s worth checking this place out, and it shouldn’t be too hard; 7-elevens are on almost every block in Tokyo and there are a total of more than 21,000 in the country at large.

The following morning, it was time to leave for Osaka to catch our flight out to Vietnam, but before we did that, we had to make it through rush hour on the Tokyo train system. Safe to say, if you’re not comfortable in crowds or claustrophobic, this might not be the best experience for you (although if you’re wearing backpacks from and back of you, that’ll give you a bit more room). In hindsight, we might’ve planned around rush hour, but we had a flight to catch.

After 45 minutes (prompt as ever) on the Tokyo subway station, we grabbed a ticket on the bullet train, Japan’s Shinkansen. But for more on our trip to Osaka and Vietnam, you’ll have to wait for the next article…

Closing Thoughts

At the end of our stay in Japan, we found ourselves asking why we didn’t stay for longer. We loved and were impressed by everything, and everything we did exceeded expectations (which in my case were already pretty high). Despite the chill in the air, the people we met and interacted with were extremely welcoming, kind and warm, and were always willing to help us out. Getting around was easy, not only because of the well-designed and punctual train network, but also because everything was in English or other Asian languages which made it very easy to navigate the complexity of the system. Each place we visited felt both energetic and serene (except Don Quijote, that place is madness), and it seems as though everything just flowed perfectly well. Suffice it to say, we can wait to go back.