Today we got to meet Jess’s friend Natsuki! Jess and Natsuki were friends in high school. Recently she moved to Tokyo with her husband and had a son.
Tokyo Skytree
We arranged to meet Natsuki and her family at Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world. Previously the weather had been cloudy and we could only glimpse shadows of the tower. Today was sunny and clear, a great day to see it.
In a city where skyscrapers blur into the background, Skytree’s steel lattice work looms over everything. It’s hard to comprehend the height until you see it in person.
We opted not to go up the tower, as the wait is long and the ticket price is higher than the tower is tall.
Jess and Natsuki caught up as we explored the new mall ringing the base of the tower. The mall is crammed with shops selling snacks and souvenirs. There was even a shop dedicated plastic food, the kind restaurants use to lure in customers.
Pikachu fans rejoice, we found a Pokemon store with thousands of Pokemon plushies and other goods. We think Jess was more excited than Natsuki’s son.
Tonkatsu
We opted to get lunch at a well known tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurant, Tonkatsu Shinjuku Saboten.
The waiter handed each of us a small bowl of sesame seeds, and a few sticks. What for? He made a stirring motion and we got the idea. A toasty aroma arose as we crushed the sesame seeds in our bowls. Once turned into a powder, we added tonkatsu sauce to the sesame.
Then the tonkatsu arrived.
The outside was crispy and light, without the heavy oiliness you get from typical tonkatsu. The pork inside was cooked perfectly. The sauce and our ground sesame enhanced the pork flavor even more. Delicious.
After lunch was naptime for the little one; time to say goodbye. Sad our time was short but it was great to meet everyone!
Time to head to a much shorter but much older structure.
Asakusa
Just one subway station away is Asakusa and the famous Sensouji. It was prime tourist time and everyone was packed in trying to get photos of the famous gate and lantern.
Nakamise, the main street leading to the temple, is lined with shops and filled edge-to-edge with people. Of course, we were part of the problem.
We squeezed our way through the crush towards an agemanju shop. Agemanju are fried cakes, usually with a bean filling. We ordered sesame, monjya, and sakura flavor. Closer to the temple, the crowd thinned enough to find space to try the piping hot confections. The sakura flavor was the best.
Fortunes
Drop a coin into the box, shake the can, pull out a stick with a number, and open the corresponding drawer to get your fortune. Chris and James got pretty good luck, but the outlook for the girls wasn’t so great.
They tied their fortunes up, to get rid of the bad luck.
Tired from crowds, the heat, and huge amount of walking we’d been doing, it was time for a break.
We looped around a less crowded side street, headed for the Asakusa’s visitors center. James’ research promised AC, a place to rest our feet, and an 8th floor view of Sensouji.
We walked into a lobby filled with people, all waiting for the elevator.
“It’s only 8 floors right?”
Quads burning, we reached the promised rest area, quite a bit sweatier than we had been originally.
But the trek upstairs was worth it for the view.
The previously overwhelming crowds looked like a river flowing from the lantern to down the main street to sensouji. The rest area was kind of small, but had enough benches for us to find a place to sit.
Protip: take the elevator.
Nakiryuu Ramen
Next on the agenda: a Michelin star restaurant.
Nakiryuu Ramen is known for their tantan noodles and their massive lines.
The shop is sized like a typical neighborhood ramen restaurant, with counter space for only 10 or so patrons. You order via vending machine, handing your tickets to the chef. The cost is like a neighborhood shop too, with a bowl of ramen starting at 800 yen (~$8).
We arrived two hours before opening, third in line.
We ordered noodles, dumplings, and a side of braised pork with radish.
The noodles were thin, bouncy and held onto the broth really well. Unfortunately the broth didn’t meet expectations. We were hoping for more depth of flavor. James actually enjoyed the side of pork more than the tantanmen.
Was it good? Yes. Was it Michelin star worthy? We’re not quite so sure.
Tea Sweets and Matcha
Back at the apartment, Kuniko showed us some examples of sweets one might eat before a tea ceremony. Kuniko’s mother was a certified sadou (tea ceremony) instructor, and they even have an entire room setup to perform tea ceremonies.
The designs on each were so intricate: a legendary rabbit making mochi on the moon, blooming flowers, a life-like matsutake mushroom replica, a chestnut. It felt like sacrilege to cut into one with a tiny two-pronged fork.
Kuniko let us try some of the tea they might use during a ceremony, made by whisking matcha powder into a bowl of hot water. It’s frothy and has a fantastic taste with no bitterness.
What a great way to end the day. Tomorrow we board the Shinkansen and head south, towards Hiroshima.
