A full day exploring Tokyo, temples, shrines, shopping streets, and a quiet evening preparing for Mount Fuji the next day.
Tokyo Tour.
Today, I woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel before heading out on an escorted tour of Tokyo. When I reached the main hotel restaurant, there was a long queue, so I crossed the lobby to the small hotel café instead. I was shown to a seat and given a menu with two options: an American breakfast or a Japanese breakfast. I decided to try the Japanese one.
I was surprised when a varied collection of small dishes appeared before me, including a soup. I wasn’t sure what most of it was, but I ate everything, and there was nothing I wouldn’t have eaten again. The coffee was excellent, and the service was impeccable. It took me a while to get used to people bowing whenever they spoke or served something. After breakfast, I stepped outside to board the coach for the day’s tour.
Zojoji Temple.
Our first stop was the Zojoji Temple, a historic Buddhist temple near the base of Tokyo Tower. It is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Japanese Buddhism in the Kanto region. Initially built in 1393, it was moved to its current location in 1598 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who made it the family temple of the Tokugawa shogunate.
We didn’t go inside the temple or up the Tokyo Tower, but we wandered the grounds while our guide explained their history. Next to the temple, we saw rows of Jizos, traditional stone figures believed to protect children.
After leaving Zojoji Temple, we drove through Tokyo, passing the famous Shibuya Crossing. On our way to the Meiji Shinto Shrine, we stopped briefly at the Imperial Palace grounds to see a statue of Kusunoki Masashige, a samurai warrior celebrated for his unwavering loyalty to the emperor.
Meiji Shinto Shrine.
Our next stop was the Meiji Shinto Shrine, dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. Established in 1920, it sits within a vast 70‑hectare forest, a peaceful escape from the city.
I found the shrine and the surrounding park impressive. Our guide explained the difference between a Buddhist temple and a Shinto shrine: shrines serve followers of Shinto and are marked by large torii gates. In contrast, temples are Buddhist places of worship, often featuring pagodas and Buddha statues.
We only stayed briefly before continuing to Nakamise Shopping Street, where we were given an hour of free time.
Nakamise Shopping Street and Lunch.
I went in search of an electronics shop to buy a Japanese USB charger, but eventually gave up and tried a 7‑11 instead. As always in Japan, it had everything, and I found exactly what I needed. I then walked back to the restaurant where we were having lunch and sat outside watching the world go by. A Mexican lady from the tour joined me; she was travelling with three girls who I think were her daughters. They were all charming and now lived in California.
When we went inside, we had to squeeze into a tiny lift in two shifts. I sat with the three Australians from the previous night, and the food was delicious, far better than last night’s meal.
After lunch, we were taken back to the hotel. We were told our Japanese guide would leave us, and a new guide would take us into an older part of Tokyo in the evening, where we could explore and find our own dinner. The walk back to the hotel would be about 40 minutes. With Mount Fuji on the schedule tomorrow, I decided to skip the evening outing and rest my legs.
Evening in Tokyo.
That evening, I walked to the 7‑11 about 300 metres from the hotel and bought a selection of small Japanese food items, a sandwich, and a Dr Pepper. Back in my room, I ate my food and watched TV, including CNN's coverage of the American election, before going to bed.
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