Day 3
Our first item on the agenda for the day was food. Yao wanted to try okonomiyaki, a savory pancake with meat and vegetables added in. The place we went to had an all you can eat option, but we arrived late and didn’t know how to order. Based on the size of our neighbors’ bowls, we ordered two bowls of pancake ingredients and a plate of noodles. In retrospect, our neighbors were probably enjoying the all-you-can-eat menu as our bowls were huge.
Uncooked ingredients
Since we didn’t really have any idea of what to do, we started spying on the people around us. The steps we were able to determine:
- Mix up the ingredients
- Pour said ingredients on hot plate
- Place meat on top of pancake
- Flip after five minutes
- Drizzle on some mayo and undetermined brown sauce on
- Eat.
Food cooking
For some reason, ours seemed to be cooking way faster than everyone else’s. It was unclear if our plate was at a higher setting than everyone else’s, but we just ate it before it could burn.
Finished product
Once we were half way done I did my best to mimic what I’d seen at Benihana to cook the noodles. Overall, I’d say the meal was pretty good, but we definitely got gypped. All the other tourists had the waitress do all the cooking for them.
Next, we walked over to Meiji Shrine. We made it just in time to go into the inner garden and see Kiyomasa’s Well. The walk to the pond and through the iris guardian was pretty relaxing, but the well itself was a bit anti-climatic. It’s just an opening to a spring that feeds the pond, not to mention the guard wouldn’t even let us drink from it. People continue to visit thinking it provides positive energy.
Before entering the shrine you’re supposed to cleanse yourself at a fountain by first pouring water over your left hand, then right, then drinking some water out of your left hand and spit into it the trough, then pour water over your hands again.
Cleansing myself before entering the shrine
Within the shrine, you can pay your respect through an interesting ritual that Yao and I both performed. First you toss a coin into an offering box, bow twice, clap twice, pray with your hands still clasped, and then end by bowing once more. The entire experience was calming and serene.
After leaving the shrine we headed to Takeshita Dori. If Yodabashi Camera was sensory overload for electronics, this was sensory overload for teenage girls. I had never seen so many tweens in one location outside of a Jonas Brother’s concert. That’s a joke, but it really happened!
Takeshita Dori
Takeshit Dori is pretty much a street lined with stores selling apparel for all the different teen fashions. Most of them are selling things like adult sized doll clothes or old victorian clothing. Girls that wear these types of clothes are going for the cute factor, not sexy. We didn’t spend much time there, but Yao and I did buy some pretty slick sunglasses.
Kawaii, or cute, fashion
At this point in the trip, ramen was the last thing we had to try before leaving. We tried to find Ippudo, a popular ramen-ya that garners multi-hour long waits in New York. Unfortunately, it was closed by the time we got there. Instead, we settled for some other ramen place where you have to order from a vending machine–a common ramen ordering & payment system in Japan.
The machine doesn’t actually make you the ramen. It just prints out a receipt for whatever you ordered. At the machine you get to choose what type of ramen you want as well as any extras you might want such as pork or egg. Yao ordered the most expensive ramen assuming it was the best, but it was really just the same as the other choices with an extra order of noodles. This place also let you customize everything about the ingredients: firmness of the noodles, broth spiciness, amount of garlic, etc.
Ordering ramen from a vending machine
Seating inside the ramen-ya was like the cubbies you find in a college library. Everyone had their own eating cubby with panels to block them from the people sitting next them. The kitchen was in the middle so you couldn’t see across to the other people. This was ideal for me since I always feel like people are judging me for my slurping and profuse sweating resulting from the spicy broth.
To actually get your food, you’d ring the buzzer and place your order slips at the edge of table. After about 5 minutes, one of the cooks would pass your food through the window in front of you. I’d say that overall, the ramen was better than what you’ll find in the states, but not by much. However, the experience was more enjoyable and the service was way faster.
Spicy ramen
On the way back to our room I was solicited by a very nice gentleman for “a happy ending, or whatever I want(ed).” Unfortunately for them, I was only in the mood for a happy beginning.
Day 4
On our last day we didn’t have much time before we needed to head to the airport so we made a quick stop by Akasusa. I had been wondering the whole trip where the tourist area was and we found it. There are tons of shops selling souvenirs and food stands with fried food. Yao and I bought some fried buns with fruit filling, which turned out to be more like fried mochi.
There’s also a shrine similar to the one we had seen the other day. We passed on paying our respects but still walked around for a bit. I did find it weird that for such a touristy area nothing was in English.
Shrine in Asakusa
For our last meal we decided to grab ramen again. Luckily, there was an Ippudo two blocks from where we were staying. We must have arrived right when they opened because there was only a few people seated. Unlike the ramen place from the previous night, the seating was more communal around a large rectangular table and we ordered from a menu. Also, they used tonkotsu broth, but it was just as good as the ramen from the night before.
Ramen from Ippudo
Although my chopsticks skills improved on the trip, they still didn’t stack up against the locals. Three businessmen sat day after Yao and I had gotten our food and finished well before we did. It was then that I realized that ramen is pretty much Japanese fast food.
Communal style eating
Like the Mission in San Francisco, most places in Japan are cash only. At this point, Yao and I are down to our last few thousand Yen. We had just enough cash based on the price on the menu. However, some places in Tokyo list the price with tax include and others without. Unfortunately for us, Ippudo lists it without. Yao and I take turns leaving to try to find an ATM that would accept foreign ATM cards, but we kept getting denied. Eventually, Yao was able to grab money out of a Family Mart back by our apartment, allowing us to pay an hour later.
We flew United home , which once again had terrible food. Also, for some reason, they decided to melt their butter which I accidentally spilled into my lap. Luckily, I had a spare pair of gym shorts in my bag to change into. I apparently wasn’t the only victim since I saw multiple people walking around with butter stains on their shirts.
Upon landing, I got to try out Global Entry for the first time. It wasn’t as gratifying as I was hoping it would be because the line for customs was really short. Nevertheless, all I had to do was scan my passport, answer some customs questions, scan my fingers and I was done.
Overall, this has been one of the best trips I’ve ever been on. I met new people, experienced new cultures, saw some iconic landmarks, and most importantly, ate amazing food!
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