In Tokyo with Ella

We left Sydney, with Ella, on our big Japan adventure early Thursday morning. Our trip is a belated eighteenth birthday gift for Ella and a celebration of her end of secondary school. We're planning an eleven night stay in Japan together: 5 nights in Tokyo, 5 nights in Kyoto and our last night back in Tokyo again before our flight back to Sydney. We're so excited to have this time with our Ella in one of our favourite places in the world.

We flew Cathay Pacific with a stopover in Hong Kong. It was our first flight into HK since the new airport was constructed on Lantau Island - which used to be very rural back in 1997 when we last visited. We were impressed with Cathay Pacific for the 14 (long) hours or so we flew with them on Thursday.

It was late when we checked into the Sotetsu Fresa Inn Daimon (very close to Hamamatsucho Station) after a seamless monorail trip from Haneda Tokyo airport, although we weren't impressed with the slow moving, long queues on arrival at the airport. We slept late on our first morning in Tokyo, enjoying the somewhat exotic offerings at our hotel breakfast, in the spare surroundings of its basement restaurant.

The hotel is perfect for us. We have two (compact) separate but connected rooms - modern, well designed, immaculately managed. The hotel mainly caters for travelling business men i would say - and not too many western tourists. It's got a great location too - we love staying in this part of Tokyo. 

Our first task of the day was to find our old fave Byron Bay Coffee (cafe) near Hamamatsucho Station.

And we found it!

Next task was to take the train (on the Yamanote Line) to Tokyo Station to arrange our Shinkansen tickets to Kyoto for next Tuesday. Working the train system here is essential for every tourist and Ella cottoned on fast, faster than us actually despite the fact we've been here many more times than she has.

A trip to Tokyo Station always provides me an opportunity to walk to my fave Akebono (traditional sweet shop) in Ginza. Today, the daifuku offerings were: Sakuramochi (cherry blossom and bean paste), Kusamochi (rice flour dumpling with mugwort) and my fave Mame Daifuku. 

Yummmmmmm!

Next stop was Shibuya - so Ella could experience the busiest intersection in the world, in Tokyo's "Time Square" district.

.... and enjoy wandering the back streets of this busy area, with Ella on the hunt for some Tokyo style vintage shopping..........

Kindal was our first stop ..... and an introduction to the high end consignment style second hand designer market that seems to dominate in this part of Tokyo.... lots of designer brands - and all very expensive by our standards.

Nuir Vintage had a lucky dip capsule style vending machine available ...... pay around $150AUD and choose your designer ... Chanel, Dior Prada etc and see what you get???

After lots more walking, and discoveries, we stopped for a coffee/drink break at the L'Occitane Cafe, overlooking the Shibuya Scramble - which was very entertaining ........

We thought our day of walking (around 8klm + we think) and getting used to new sights, new food, new language and new crowds warranted an early dinner at our local Ippudo ramen restaurant .......

.. and our fave dessert snack (dorayaki) on our walk back to the hotel.

This corner doriyaki stand makes them in a fish shape - which is fun!

Our first day in Tokyo has been easy and fun. The weather has been very kind - max 9oC, sunny skies, and no wind. We've felt very warm all day and well prepared with all our layers. Ella is the best company and an excellent traveller, picking up on all the small details, and way ahead of us navigating busy train travel. We're going to have the best time here together!