Love You So Matcha

We came up with a point system for traveling in Japan. If you got us to a train station, found good food, or made an actually funny joke, you got one point. For those who directed us to a Michelin Star-reservation only restaurant when we were all hangry, kept getting on down elevators instead of up, or kept dropping things in the mud, you lost a point. I either came out with the highest or lowest amount of points. But who’s counting?

We had an incredibly busy and fun four days in Japan. Seeing land and getting off the ship for the first time in 12 days (RIP Jan. 16th). Our first day, we took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo. Zoe almost got run over by Japanese paparazzi and it took a little bit of time to figure out how to validate our JR Passes, but we made it. Our first stop after the train was obviously food. Japanese department stores have food halls on their basement floors, which are just little stalls of amazingly perfect food. This was my most favorite memory from when we went to Japan in 10th grade, so I was really excited. That night we walked around Shinjuku, had sushi, and made our first stop at 711/Family Mart. We ended the night eating ramen. 

Our first full day was the longest but most efficient day. We woke up early and took the subway to the Tsujiki Fish Market. (side note, they have a tuna action at 4 am, but going at 9 am for breakfast is just as fun). We walked all the way through the market, trying mochi, the best fresh tuna, and tons of other foods. By 11 am, we had had a full sushi meal. We walked from the fish market towards the Imperial Palace. A man heard Julianne yell that she was a New Yorker so she knows how to jay-walk and started talking to us. He was born in New Zealand but has lived in Tokyo for 35 years. We walked a few blocks with him and he gave us a full rundown of things we must do and dropped us off at a waffle store in Ginza. (Ginza is the Beverly Hills of Tokyo). Caster got her phone fixed and after some time to recharge and warm up, we walked to the Imperial Palace. Even though we couldn’t get into the gates, we took some pictures and continued on to Harajuku Street. All of this happened before 130 pm. We walked 10 miles that day. 

On Harajuku street, we got incredible matcha ice cream crepes, bought cool jackets, and everyone tried on crazy wigs while I took pics. Our next stop was the Shibuya crossing, one of the most crowded street crossings in the world. Everyone we asked gave us different directions and I’m pretty sure we made an unnecessary huge circle but we made it, we literally walked across the street and that was that. We “balled out” on conveyor belt sushi and took a cab back to the hotel to get ready before going out. 

All the SAS kids ended up at the same club that night, called Womb. It was fun to see everyone, but Zoe, Juj and I left and wandered to a club called Atom. We peaked. It was the best night of our lives. No explanation, it just was. Zoe would wander, stick up her glow stick bracelet so we could find her, and we made it back to the hotel by 4 am, after a brief stop at 711. 

After 4 hours of sleep, we got up, went to back to the department store, Juj and I bought a full 7 course meal and we got on the train to Kyoto. 

Our hotel in Kyoto (thanks to Ranger Rick) was a traditional ryokan hotel. When we arrived, they showed us to our rooms, set up tea on the mats on the floor and made our beds. We slept on the floor on mats that night and wore traditional robes and clothing. In the morning, they gave us a traditional Japanese breakfast on the floor. (Pics to come)

Here is Kyoto in the best run down I can give: 3 matcha ice cream cones (within 24 hours), 70+ samples of mochi, 1 monkey park after a hike up the hill, 1 golden temple, 1 stop at the Fushimi Inari Arches (⛩), more mochi, one horrible pizza from an Irish pub, 6 stops at a 711/Family Mart/ Lawson Market. 

Kyoto is much different than Tokyo. There are millions of temples and historical sites, alongside small little walking areas with different stalls and places to stop to buy things, but we mostly just bought food. The last morning in Kyoto we walked through Nishiki Market and through downtown Kyoto. We made it back to Kobe before on-ship time, with at least 4 bags of matcha kit-kats, new warm socks for China, and lots of dirty laundry. 

Normally, by the end vacation, I’m excited to go home. This time was no different, except we were all so happy and relieved to get back on the ship. See ya in 2 days, China!

P. S. Maggie found 1000 yen in her purse in our cabin, after we tried to spend all our cash on matcha Kit Kats in the train station and had to run around the terminal to find extra cash to pay our taxi driver. Minus a lot of points for her.