OCTOBER 2016
ジャパン Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
JAPAN OCTOBER 6, 2016 to OCTOBER 16, 2016
AKIBAHARA HAKONE HARAJUKU ODAIBA NAKANO NARITA SHIBUYA SHINJUKU TOKYO YOKOHAMA photos: phil cruz & pete cruz | words & book: phil cruz
TRAVELING FROM LAX TO JAPAN
We boarded our United Airlines plane at 11:25 am, Friday Oct 6th at LAX, for a direct flight to Narita, Tokyo in Japan. The trip was good with no issues and lasted 11 hrs. It’s been so long since I traveled internationally. I think, not since 2002! The plane, personal entertainment, food, and service was a pleasant experience.
ARRIVAL We arrived in Tokyo just after 2 pm, Sat. Oct 8th and waited in a 40 min. line to get through the visitor checkpoint. We retrieved our luggage, exchanged currency at a rate of $1.01 to the Yen, then took an Airport Limousine Bus to our destination in Shibuya. The bus drop off was at the Excel Hotel, just walking distance to our Airbnb. We were a little tired after all that traveling, so we got settled in our apt for a little bit then headed out to find dinner around 6:30 pm. Although it seemed early, it was 2:30 am back home in California. We walked around the streets for a little while looking for food to try. We found a place at Mark City Plaza, Tonkatsu Wako take-out. Ordered fried pork cutlet with fried shrimp and rice. Took it back to our apartment and ate dinner. What do you know?! It was pretty good! The tonkatsu had a good, light crunch and the pork was tender and flavorful. The rice was also delicious. After dinner, we turned in for the night to get our rest for the adventure ahead.
AIRBNB
Our home away from home for the next 8 days.
SHIBUYA RAIN MORNING FOR TOURING DAY 3 • 10/9
It was a rainy morning as we started our 1st full day in Japan. We made a little breakfast and had coffee provided in the kitchen then got ready for church at 8 am. Mass was held at St. Dominic Catholic Church, and it was only in Japanese, so we didn’t understand anything. We just knew the motions of it. It was refreshing hearing mass in another language. After the service, the rain was pouring harder, so we waited a little bit. The priest came over to us, made some light conversation and asked if we were from the Philippines. We mentioned we were US citizens, but yes, we are Filipino. He and some of the people were very nice as we said our “Good-byes” then went our way. After a little rest in the apt and dad taking time to book for the Mt. Fuji Trip, we headed out again.
SKY TREE
TAKING THE SUBWAY AND BEING TOURISTS DAY 3 • 10/9
It was still rainy as we started our way to Oshiage (Sky Tree) on the Z Line subway from Shibuya. We arrived at Sky Tree and walked around, then bought tickets to experience the views from the top floors. For ¥4,000, we got the combo ticket, which included a trip to the 350th floor to see one view of the city and to the 450th floor to experience the higher perspective. The tickets were
a little pricey, but the wait would have been an hour long compared to 10-15 min. long. Anyway, the higher vantage point was amazing to observe. You can see so much of the city, and we took a bunch of photos. Next time, we’ll have to go during the evening to see the city lights. For a little more money, we could have gone to Tokyo Disney for ¥7,600!
For lunch, we walked through Tokyo Solamachi, the Sky Tree Mall. I saw that they had Rokurinsha Tsukemen, but the line was really long. So we ended up browsing the food court. I walked by Ramen Express Hakata Ippudo-Kyushu Ramen* and took my chance. It was actually really good! It wasn’t fancy but was very delicious and I enjoyed the first ramen bowl of the trip. *Kyushu is famous for its tonkotsu ramen (pork bone soup). This is the express counter of the popular IPPUDO ramen shop. Service is speedy but the flavor and atmosphere of IPPUDO remain the same!
We then headed back on the subway to check out the Imperial Palace bridge. When we exited the train station, we took a wrong turn and walked a bit further on the other side along the moat. There were so many runners and walkers, must have been a popular area to get exercise. We finally turned around and found the Imperial Palace bridge. It wasn’t too exciting, but we did get the sunset and managed to take a few nice photos.
We safely arrived back in Shibuya using the subway then bought our Suica card to ride the JR Train later in the week. We walked out of the Shibuya station and noticed we were at the famous Shibuya Crosswalk. It was a cool experience seeing the intersection for the first time. Sure enough, it was a huge cast of people crossing different directions for a few minutes while the light was red. There are a few places to get a higher view, like the Starbucks and the train station, but we ended up just experiencing street level this time.
SHIBUYA
HANANO-MAI
For dinner, we found an izakaya restaurant near our Airbnb, HananoMai. The abundance of signs and menu boards with appetizing photos and Japanese and English text were inviting. The dining area was spacious with a lot of seating. We ordered a few small plates and I finally got my first sampling of fresh Japanese seafood. I tried the seven-piece omakase sashimi along with a couple pieces of nigiri sushi. We shared the yakitori and assorted tempura. Overall, this was a pleasant dining experience and the meal was satisfying.
Our Limousine Bus ride from the airport included a free 72 hr. pass on the subway!
MARK CITY SHIBUYA
TOKYO TOWER TOURIST SPOTS DAY 4 • 10/10
Tokyo Tower
We started early this morning to check out where we’ll be riding the bus to Mt. Fuji. Then made our way back to the subway station to travel to Tokyo Tower and Ueno. We took the subway to Tokyo Tower and found a temple near there. We took a few photos and checked out one of the smaller temples that had a taiko drum and prayer ceremony in progress. The tower was standing behind the temple grounds. It really resembled the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Ueno After checking out the tower and temple, we made our way to Ueno Park where the cherry blossom trees are. There were no flowers blossoming, but the Fall season colors were starting to come out. It would be amazing to come back when the colors change!
In Ueno, we came across a temple with a red torii walkway. A great spot to take photos. However, this was not the famous and more massive Torii walkway located in Kyoto, but still cool to see. After a few pictures and visiting the little temple, we made our way to another area. We were wondering why there were so many people with their kids out and about. It turns out that it was a Japanese National Holiday. There were so many people in the park and also going to the park zoo.
Still in Ueno, we decided to go to the National Museum of Nature and Science. Many cool things on display and to check out, but most of the information and details for
the exhibits were in Japanese, so it was hard to figure out what was going on. We should have sprung for the English guided audio tour.
Outdoor statues and exhibits around the park.
Kotekichi
in Ueno Nomori Sakura Terrace
After the museum, we were getting hungry, so we went to search for lunch. We headed toward the train station and found a bunch of food options. I found this interesting spot in a center that had Japanese pancakes, Kotekichi. We ordered to share one okonomi-yaki with pork, grilled squid, grilled ray fin and a noodle dish. Food was delicious and satisfying. The ray fin was very chewy, and jerky-like.
Gotta love the public transportation system.
渋谷
Finally heading back to Shibuya, we continued exploring around the city and came across some US restaurants such as Burger King, Taco Bell, McDs, etc. For dinner we chose Yoshinoya. Yes, Yoshinoya! The famous gyudon (beef bowl) fast food restaurant! I ordered a bowl with the raw egg. I suppose you just put the yolk on the beef? I ended up adding the whole raw egg. Just lightly mixed the white and yolk then poured on top as a sauce. Overall, it was pretty good! The beef and rice was the way I remember but not as much meat as the US counterpart. I should have asked for double the meat, but it was still very satisfying. Now we can say we’ve had Yoshinoya in Japan. The original location is in Tsukiji market.
A few goodies spotted in a local 7-Eleven store.
築地 TSUKIJI THE FAMOUS SEAFOOD MARKET DAY 5 • 10/11
Started Day 5 with our first experience on the busy subway now that the schools and workforce are using public trains. We swam through the crowds and had to squeeze into the cars. It was cozy. So, the first spot of the day was Tsukiji Fish Market. We arrived around 9 am and found out the inner market opens to the public at 10 am. Perfect time to browse around and check out one of the restaurants for an early lunch. There were many restaurants to choose from and most had
long lines. I decided to pick one and go for it. We waited a good 45 min. to an hour for Nakaya. A corner spot among the vendors. I ordered the donburi “rice bowl dish” with assorted sashimi and a side order of the bluefin tuna sashimi. Mom and dad ordered the donburi crab and a side of monster-sized fried shrimp. The presentation was picture perfect and tasted just as good!
Nakaya, donburi “rice bowl dish”
仲家
THE INNER MARKET
TSUKIJI
After our seafood breakfast, it was past 10 am, and the inner market was open to the public. We crossed the street and made our way to the historic grounds. Although there wasn’t as much activity as the tuna auction earlier in the morning, it was still interesting just being there, and we did see some fresh and unique seafood, a few guys cutting a huge tuna, and other activity — it was just business as usual.
築地
ODAIBA
GIANT GUNDAM AND SIGHTSEEING DAY 5 • 10/11 After visiting Tsukiji Market, we headed to Odaiba and Diver City Tokyo Plaza to see the Gundam Robot Statue and go exploring. We took the subway and then the new monorail, another cool public transportation in Japan. We spent a couple of hours in Odaiba. First, we took some photos of the Gundam Statue. Then some window shopping, and face-timing with Kasey and Lila. Kasey was amazed at the big robot, and Lila just wanted to show us her new daybed and tour her new room.
GUNDAM RG 1/1 RX-78-2 Ver. GFT
Near the entrance of Diver City Tokyo Plaza, there was a Gundam CafĂŠ were you can get Gundam souvenirs and goodies. Mom and I got some drinks in the theme of Gundam. I got a green tea latte with a cool Gundam face on the top of the drink. After we enjoyed our drinks and took a few more photos, we went into the shopping area to browse around.
Diver City Tokyo Plaza is a 7-floor shopping center with many stores and restaurants. We went to a few floors and browsed around level 3 where it was mainly active youth stores, Nike skate, Hurley, Supra, Tower Records (mini), and many more. On the 6th floor, there were arcade games and other entertainment. Gundam Front had a free area with Gunpla robot displays, and the other side is an exclusive video experience per admission ticket. On the 7th Floor/Rooftop there was a skate park and a Wahoo’s Fish Taco. It was pretty dead, and only a couple kids were skating. Seems to cater mainly to guests who visit to use the skate park.
We finished Diver City Tokyo Plaza and took a short walk to Palette Town and Venus Port. This indoor plaza felt like Cesar’s Palace in Vegas. We also checked out a Mobile Web Garage with cool vintage cars in historical themed settings. Around the area, there was also a huge Ferris wheel, another museum and a Toyota showcase with test drive area. Maybe next time we’ll get to try it. We saw a Super Mario Kart tour group driving around the city in gokarts. Hopefully next time I’ll get to do that.
Time to head back to Shibuya by way of the monorail then subway. Luckily we missed most of the heavy work and student crowd on the subway. The cars were still getting a little packed as we got closer to Shibuya.
七志とんこつ NANASHI: SEVEN ASH TONKOTSU
When we got back from Odaiba, we were ready for dinner. Mom was in the mood for ramen, so we walked around and we saw Nanashi. With so many choices around the city it was a challenge to choose a spot. The “English Menu Available” sign in front and the food photos helped in our decision. I ordered their Nanashi Baisen ramen with half-boiled egg. The thick broth was pork based (tonkotsu) and very savory. The noodles had a good texture and just the right chewiness. The pork chashu was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the half-boiled egg was perfectly cooked. Overall, a delicious bowl of ramen and everyone was full.
FUJI-SAN VISITING A MOUNTAIN DAY 6 • 10/12
A great morning to get ready for our tour to Mount Fuji, “Fuji-san.” We hopped on a bus at Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel that took us to a another bus station. There, we will board a bus that will go direct to Mt. Fuji. The first part of the trip took 2 hrs to get to the 5th station in Narusawa-mura.
富士山
A quick break at Fujisan World Heritage Site where we could see a little bit of Mt. Fuji’s peak.
鳴沢村
5TH STATION
NARUSAWA-MURA
Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Arriving at the 5th Station in Narusawa-mura, it was still very cloudy (or foggy). We couldn’t see any part of the mountaintop. Kind of a bummer since that is what we wanted to see. So we took a few photos we could and enjoyed what we can. We got a free souvenir from one of the gift shops for being part of the tour—a little gold bell. For snack, we bought a couple Mt. Fuji cakes. It wasn’t too sweet and with a soft texture cake. There were a few stores where you can buy souvenirs, food items and more, as well as cafes and restaurants. We didn’t spend much time, only 30 min before we started to head back down to get some lunch.
Just as we were leaving, the fog started to clear up and the sky was showing blue. I’m sure the view was a lot better. Oh well.
LAKE KAWAGUCHIKO
LUNCH & SCENIC VIEWS
The next stop was Lake Kawaguchiko for a Japanese lunch which included noodles, a few pieces of sashimi, rice, fried fish, tea, and water. There is also a vegetarian option as well. Lunch was just ok. It was enough to satisfy the hunger. The view of the lake from our lunch room was beautiful. Weather opened up nicely as well. After lunch, we took a few photos around the lake and then off to Lake Ashi to take a ferry to Hakone for another try to view Mt. Fuji.
HAKONE & LAKE ASHI
We arrived at Lake Ashi in 30 min. It took another 15 min ferry ride to Hakone to take the Komagatake Ropeway. We got our tickets for the gondola and rode it to the top. The weather was still cloudy with a layer of fog. It didn’t look like it was a day for Mt. Fuji viewing. We finally arrived at the top, and again, there was no view. We did what we could, walked around and took a few photos.
PEEK of the PEAK :( It was time to go, so we all boarded the gondola and made our way down the Ropeway. Just as we were nearing the base of the gondola station, Mt. Fuji gave us a peek at its peak. Such a tease! Hopefully in the future the weather will be kinder to us.
We finally arrived in Shibuya to transfer to JR Line just after 7 pm. We were hungry and found a place at Mark City to have dinner. The display windows in front of Ginza Lion Beer Hall looked too good so we tried it out. Overall, the food was pretty satisfying. I ordered a new Japanese beer to try, Yebisu Stout Creamy Top. Very easy to drink
GINZA LION
Back to the train station where we boarded the bullet train to Shinagawa where we’ll then transfer to the JR train. We had to rush from the bus to the bullet train, so we didn’t get to experience one of them passing the station at full speed while waiting. The bullet train was very comfortable considering it’s speed.
creamy and almost like a Guinness, but not as filling. For food, I ordered the beef stew. Although the flavor was good, the beef very tender, there was a bit more fat than I like, but it was still enjoyable.
Photo of the day of Mt. Fuji.
SHIBUYA
SHOPPING, RAMEN AND MORE SIGHTSEEING DAY 7 • 10/13 Day 7 started early at 6:30 am. We made some breakfast in our apartment then did a little research for some shopping around our area. We were thinking of going to Shinjuku but ended up staying around Shibuya. Our first stop was
Tokyu Hands, a multi-floored department store that has everything for the home, DIY, travel, kitchen, bath, some electronics, toys, stationery and more! I didn’t buy anything just browsed around.
ICHIRAN RAMEN After some morning shopping, I was craving ramen again and for lunch we went to Ichiran Shibuya, a highly recommended ramen joint I saw on Yelp. Ichiran is a franchise restaurant, so it’s easy to locate one throughout Tokyo.
Ordering is through a vending machine with helpful photos and some English. There are only two choices for ramen, but then you can add more toppings, additional noodles and such to it. After you pay and get your ticket(s), you then choose your style of ramen on a sheet of paper like selecting the strength of the broth, oil content, noodle firmness, spiciness, and even order additional items after sitting down.
You’ll need to pay as soon as you order extras though. I ordered my tonkotsu ramen with egg and also a green matcha tofu dessert. When a seat is available, the hostess directs you to your very own cubicle. Another server brings your items through a window at your cubicle. Overall, the food was very delicious. I would come back again and recommend to friends.
ICHIRAN
After lunch, I wanted to shop for something cool and unique. With a little Yelp search, I found Mandarake in Shibuya. Walking around, we found the steampunk looking entrance with the name in small type. I ventured down the stairs not knowing what to expect.
(photo of my stash from various stores )
As I walked through the automated sliding door, I noticed a lot of comics, books, videos, and toys in the distance. I browsed through the isles looking for anything familiar. There are many shelved cases for various types of collectibles, toys, figures and more. I came across the Transformers case and many rare items. My eyes lit up more as I got to the Mazinger Z section. I always wanted one and finally got my chance! I ended up getting two sets. Each figure had a cool box, and tax-free was offered too if you have a passport. Score!
After Mandarake, I was satisfied with my loot, so we wandered around for more shopping spots. We came across Don Quixote, a random name for a local department store/mall, but it was pretty amazing. My dad was comparing prices for toilet seat covers with the electronic features. Similar to Tokyo Hands store, DQ had many of the similar items, but it’s bit bigger and a lot more random items for sale. It was also cheaper shopping. It could be like comparing Target with Walmart.
As we were making our way out, we wanted to see if they had any unique candy and saw that there was a little grocery section too. We found a good variety of candy and many flavors of Kit Kat you won’t find in the US. We grabbed a bunch to give to family and friends. I may have bought a bag or two for myself later. After all that shopping, we made our way back to the apartment
SHIBUYA NONBEI YOKOCHO After a little rest, we went out for another stroll to find some dinner. Looking through the Shibuya guide, there is an alley with small bars that served drinks and tapas called Nonbei Yokochō aka “Drunkard Alley” similar to Memory Lane or “Piss Alley” in Shinjuku.
We found the alley near the Shibuya Crossing under the railway tracks. A few people strolling around and a few of the bars were open. It must of been early and the area wasn’t as energetic as I thought it would be. After a few minutes, we picked a spot that was open, slid open the door and said “Hi” to the chef. He was quiet and gestured to us to take a seat. He also didn’t know much English. It was a little awkward but chill. I ordered a whisky, and he poured a
Suntory Old Whisky. I tried to ask about it but not sure if he understood me. We ordered a few yakitori by pointing at a few options in the display case. He grilled some chicken hamburger, gizzards, neck meat, and breast cartilage. All was delicious and grilled nicely. Mom and dad got full fast. It was a quick bite, and we headed out again. Next time, I hope to get a chef that’s livelier for a better experience.
渋谷のんべい横丁
After Drunkard Alley, I wanted to check out the huge Tower Records again. Walking in, it felt like back in California. The displays of the music, posters and more brought back many memories. The prices were ok, but I couldn’t get myself to buy anything. I just enjoyed browsing the aisles, checking out some of the listening stations and finding anything that was familiar and listening to Japanese music. In the k-pop/soundtrack floor, there was a live performance going on. It was a girl pop group singing and dancing. There was a nice size crowd too. I stayed for a few minutes, but didn’t get their name. 

Sushi Daidokoya Sangenjaya After a little break, I went solo for an evening stroll and search for something to eat. Walking down familiar streets towards the crossing, I looked around for my options. Choosing a spot to eat at was difficult. On my way back I decided to try Sushi Daidokoya Sangenjaya, a conveyor belt sushi restaurant where you can take items from the moving belt or order from the server. There were a lot of signs for specials, but nothing
was in English. I had to order through the server rather than the chef. I chose a few familiar items and hope they would be better than at home. Of all the sushi ordered, the otoro tuna was the best of the set. Overall, it was all delicious. A few of the items were very good while some were average — still an enjoyable dining experience.
SHINJUKU
SHOPPING & SHINJUKU GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN DAY 8 • 10/14
Day 8 started off relaxing in the apartment while planning the day. We decided to head to Shinjuku for some more shopping and check out the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. At the JR station, we took the Yamanote railway to Shinjuku. Only a few stops from Shibuya, Shinjuku was a short train ride away. When we arrived, we first ventured off to the National Garden. We took the long way to get there, but we made it ok. We paid ¥200 to enter the garden. We looked at the map and followed the paths. Strolling through, we found some cool areas to relax
and take some photos. In the park, there wear many beautifully landscaped walkways, some with arching trees, wooden walkways, little lakes with bridges. There were also various plants and flowers that bloom in the fall. We saw a few photographers trying to capture the elusive garden birds. We wandered more through different gardens near by, such as Japanese and English gardens — a lot of vast open space and areas to relax on the grass, benches and under trees. We also checked out a huge greenhouse with a lot of various plant and tree species.
新宿
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
For lunch, we found another random spot while we were walking in Shinjuku, Komatsu Donbri & Shouchu Bar. The photos on the outside menu had English text, perfect! We ordered a few yakitori sticks and my entrĂŠe was katsu with curry. Overall, pretty good. Appetite was satisfied and energy restored
HARAJUKU
原宿
After lunch, more shopping! We walked in various directions looking for “authentic” Japanese gifts and souvenirs. We tried Odakyu and Isten, but they were just higher-end department stores. They didn’t have anything that’s really “Japanese.” I did a Yelp search for Japanese souvenirs, and Oriental Bazaar in Harajuku came up. We took a JR train ride back down to Harajuku and headed to Oriental Bazaar. Just outside the train station, there was Takeshita Street, a shopping area that’s youth-focused. We didn’t stay long there though. We finally reached Oriental Bazaar, and it’s a nice store with many cool Japanese gifts and souvenirs, apparel, drink ware sets, and many more. Mom bought a few things and I picked up a Samurai sword letter opener. We then stopped by Kiddy Land to get gifts for Lila and Kasey. Kiddy Land, had items ranging from kawaii (cute) to cool for all ages. A good variety of toys and collector items. The fourth floor was the “boys” floor with Star Wars, Marvel, robots, cars and more. I also found another Mazinger Z figure I just had to have!
思い出横丁
OMOIDE YOKOCHO MEMORY LANE aka “Piss Alley”
Heading back to the train station, I found Omoide Yokocho, “Memory Lane,” aka “Piss Alley” on the way. We did a quick walk through. Most of the shops weren’t open yet so we just took a few photos. Hope to try one of the bars in the future.
AYCE YAKINIKU!
3rd floor entrance
To end the night, we had an All-You-Can-Eat yakiniku experience. Roaming the streets in Shibuya for dinner, I remembered this one yakiniku restaurant but when we arrived, the wait was nearly an hour long due to the lack of
reservations. So I looked for another spot. And across the street, I notice Nikuya no Daidokoro, Butcher’s Kitchen Shibuya Dogenzaka. It was an AYCE place and included wagyu beef! Price range for the menu wasn’t too expensive. We’re in!
LAST FULL DAY YOKOHAMA • NAKANO • SHIBUYA DAY 9 • 10/15
Day 9 was a heavily planned day starting with a walk to the JR Station again.
SHIN-YOKOHAMA THE SHIN-YOKOHAMA RAUMEN MUSEUM DAY 9 • 10/15
From Shibuya, we took JR Line to Shinjuku, then the TY, Tōkyū Tōyoko Line to Kikuna, then transfer on JR to Shin-Yokohama. We arrived at The Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum early and waited in line. Just before 11 am, we bought our tickets, ¥200 for adults minus ¥50 with a coupon from the information kiosk at JR Station. When the museum opened, friendly hosts greeted and guided us downstairs to the 1st level where it looked like nostalgia Japan with a food court. With weathered facade surrounding the plaza, ramen restaurants and a central bar area fills the space. It felt like the outside was inside.
新横浜
To beat the crowds, we ate early at Casa Luna, a “Milano Tonkotsu” ramen place that specialized in tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. I ordered the tonkotsu with egg, and it was delicious. Can’t go wrong with flavorful tonkotsu style Ramen. After lunch, we explored the museum.
RAUMEN MUSEUM
On the 2nd level, the 1950’s Historic Japan theme continues. The alleyways and a few more restaurants add to the recreation of nostalgia. We were still full from the last meal so we roamed the alleys and took some photos. The details in many of the props and environment was elaborate.
Back on the main level was the gift shop, many ramen themed items, food, lighted panels showcasing the history of ramen and a random but cool slot car track. I bought a few items from the gift store—a ramen shirt and a couple of instant ramen packages. The Ramen Museum was fun place to visit, that didn’t take too long to cover unless you’re really hungry. Outside at the entrance of the museum, there were some cool spots to take photos.
中野 A few friends recommended Nakano Broadway and what a nice surprise. Walking through Nakano Sun Mall, you see the main entrance to Nakano Broadway. A multi-story shopping plaza with a variety of vendors. Great shopping for any geek, anime and vintage toy fans, jewelry shopper and anything thing in between. This didn’t seem like a typical mall. There is also a variety of themed cafés, stores for
NAKANO
NAKANO SUN MALL • NAKANO BROADWAY DAY 9 • 10/15 (cont.) electronic techies, new and used audio, and camera gear. Creative hobbies, art and apparel can also be found here.
If you’re hungry, there’s a few food vendors and a seafood market inside. Some good cheap eats that serve many locals as well as tourists. A great place to shop and stroll!
中野ブロードウェイ
STREET FOOD NAKANO, TOKYO
Takoyaki snacking in Nakano Sun Mall. The same hallway that leads to Nakano Broadway. We decided stop at this takoyaki spot since the cook was making fresh batches. A very savory and satisfying snack. 

OYAKIDOKOROREFUTEI
Tried some freshly made Imagawayaki at this little stand, Oyakidokororefutei, near the Nakano Station. A sweet, and soft spongy cake with various fillings. I think this one was filled with custard.
SUNSET SHIBUYA
The day was slowly ending and I read about a great spot to get a birds-eye view of the city. We walked to Shibuya Hirakie from the Shibuya train station. We took an elevator to the 11th floor and took a little time enjoying the view ‘til sunset. Shibuya Hirake is also a department store with many types goods a little on the pricier side. 
 After checking out the Hirakie view, dinner time approaches.
LAST DINNER SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST DAY 9 • 10/15 (cont.)
Our last dinner was near our Airbnb. We walked around the neighborhood looking for some thing appetizing. Browsed a few street-view menus and came across, Kaikaya by the Sea, just a short walk from our apt. First impressions of seeing the front of the restaurant, reminds me of Wahoo’s with all the stickers on the walls. However, this was to be one of my favorite food experiences of the whole trip! We arrived just before it opened and we lucked out. We didn’t have reservations, but the host was kind enough to get a table ready for us right away.
Reservations are definitely a good idea if you want to dine here as it got busy quick. The menu design was fun with the hand-drawn illustrations for the specials of the day and also included English as well. I started by ordering Yebisu beer on draft. We then chose a variety of dishes to share that sounded really delicious. The assorted sashimi would be mine since mom and dad do not eat raw fish. We patiently waited and admired the interior decor before our food came.
We started with a tofu appetizer then I went to work on the dailyassorted sashimi which included snapper, saba, amberjack and otoro tuna. Probably the BEST sashimi of the whole trip. OMG! The otoro was like “buttah.” Next to arrive were the shared dishes. First, was the “House Special” baked marinated tuna jaw
with special scallion sauce. The tuna was so tender and flavors worked really well. Dad ordered a Gorgonzola gratin of milt of cod (sugoko-oishii), mom ordered the teriyaki of the Izumi-dori chicken.
The fresh prawns in prawn sauce with an edible bowl. Another winner! This dish reminded me of walnut shrimp but of a much higher caliber. Overall, a fantastic last dinner! Every item was delicious and flavors were on point. The seafood was fresh and prepared amazingly.
Late night cheers—1am: Met up with Shingo, who works here in Tokyo, to catch up and have a couple of drinks at Beat Cafe . A cool dive bar near our apt and Mark City. A little on the hidden side, we finally found the entrance. A very small venue with sounds of old school and
80s-90s music. They have beers and some spirits for drink options. Seems like there was a mix of regular customers as well as visitors. We left around 2:40am and there were still a good amount of people out and about on the streets.
For dessert, we shared the Sakura ice cream-cherry blossom scent. 100% made from natural products. First, the cherry blossom leaves are preserved in salt for three years, and then they are soaked to remove the salt then chopped, boiled in milk to extract the “scent,” combined with cream and sugar and then frozen. Sooooo good!
GOING BACK TO CALI LAST HOURS IN JAPAN DAY 10 • 10/16
Woke up early for our last day in Japan. We finished packing then went to hear mass at St Dominic Church again. This time no rain. Then took one last stroll in our neighborhood and cleaned up the apt. After all was in order, we made our way to the Excel Hotel to board the Airport Limo (bus) to take us to Narita Airport airport by noon.
Our amazing dinner spot the night before.
We had one last meal at the airport before our 5:00 pm flight back to LAX. I ordered udon with a shot of Yamazaki whiskey. At the Duty Free shop, my last Japan purchase was a bottle of Suntory Royal Whisky. A blended whiskey I hope to enjoy soon!
kanpai!
また会うまで
until we meet again! mata mite ne!
P H I L C R U Z | 2016 | T R AVEL BOOK #001 - JAPAN