New Places in Tokyo - Part 6

Subway entertainment!

Before riding 16 miles!

With new guests we try out some new activities in Tokyo.  We send our family on a bike tour with Tokyo Great Cycling Tour.  Steve and I had taken an excursion with them back in 2015, but we haven't recommended it to anyone else previously.  Other than it being "the coldest day ever," they enjoyed it.  It's a good way to get around and see the city, but they could provide a bit more historical/location information.  They go on the Edo-Tokyo Culture tour but the guides don't share a lot of history (even at Sensoji Temple).


I have seen classes teaching Japanese calligraphy, but I can't find any reviews on Tripadvisor. (While searching, what I did find was a picture of Steve and me!  It's being used to advertise the Tsukiji Tour & Sushi Making Class we did last year.  In case you're curious, we don't receive compensation for the use of our images.)  I go to a different company, called GoVoyagin.com, which focuses on tours and experiences in Asia.  I find several calligraphy classes being offered, but with the holidays it takes a few tries before I schedule an available teacher.

I'm tracing with my finger before trying to draw again with my brush.  I don't know if it helps, though.  Steve ends up getting the "gold star" from the teacher - his work is given high praise.

We sign up for the one hour class, but we probably should have taken two hours (Steve has to leave for the airport, so we have a time limit).  It's lots of fun!  She has us write our name in katakana, which allows us to practice with the brush.  Then we have a kanji symbol to write.  She asked us ahead of time what word we'd like to represent in kanji (hope, fearless, cloud, live, peace are the ones we choose) and she has our practice sheets all ready for us, for both our name and our kanji.  Most of the hour is spent with a brush in my hand, but I can't say that I saw an improvement in my writing.  To do it well, you need lots of practice time!

Our teacher and final products!

Our final activity is to write on our own fan, and we can do our name or kanji (or both).  We're able to keep the fan, the practice papers and our brushes, so everyone leaves with lots of souvenirs.  Framing some of the practice sheets will make a nice display.

The Asahi "golden poo" is behind us.

We revisit another company we've worked with previously - Tokyo Foodrink (the ones using Steve and me in their ad).  The adults go on the Asakusa Street Food and Local Drink evening tour.  

Cheers!

Everyone is off work because of the New Year celebration, so the izakayas (an informal gastropub - like an Irish pub) are packed.  However, our guide, Kazu, makes sure we are well taken care of, and we make sure Matt & Petenera are able to try all the different Japanese alcohols and drinks. 

Even gaijin will eat the shrimp heads!

Steve and Matt need chef hats!

At our final stop we delight in cooking our food at the table.  Scallops, clams, shrimp, fish - all freshly prepared on our personal grill.  Kazu recommends we have sushi at the end, so we'll feel full.  He's correct, and the rice satiates us (it probably helps absorb some alcohol, too). 

The picture doesn't do it justice!

Steve and I find out something new while on our outing - there's an observation platform at the top of the Asakusa Information Center.  From there, you can look across Nakamise shopping street to Sensoji Temple.  It's much more impressive than the way it appears in my picture.

So many choices!

I always like to bring people to the basement level of the big department stores.  It's incredible to see an entire floor full of counter after counter of prepared foods and desserts.  It's also a good place to pick up dinner!  Because of our schedule, this time we stop at Mitsukoshi in Ginza.  [My favorite (by far) basement food is still the one in Takashiyama Times Square in Shinjuku.]  We're still able to find food and then the girls sample some make-up on the first floor.

It's time for a new mascara!

So gorgeous!

There's one more expedition that's popular at this time of year - stopping by one of the Illuminations that are displayed throughout Tokyo.  The family goes to Yoyogi Park's Blue Grotto exhibit. 

They look like aliens!

Afterwards, a stop at the Shibuya Scramble allows Steve to try out some of the photo tricks he learned from our guide in Cambodia!

It's like playing "Where's Waldo?"  Can you find all the family members?