Here are some highlights of our recent trip to Tokyo, Japan. It is mostly in pictures because lets be honest, who wants to read about someone’s trip to Japan? It’s such a visually stimulating place anyways.

Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine)

Meiji Jingu is an old Shinto Shrine that was built for Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken. The original building was destroyed in the Tokyo air raids in World War II but was rebuilt in 1958.

Ema plaques at Meiji Jingu

At Meiji Jingu you can purchase wooden plaques called Ema and write your wishes and prayers on them. They are then hung around a large Cypress tree in the inner courtyard of the shrine. These plaques are written in various languages, you will see Japenese, German, English, Italian and etc.

Japanese lantern at Meiji Jingu

Ginza District, downtown Tokyo

The Ginza District is where you can find the most expensive real estate in the world. Comparable to our Times Square in New York City. You will find large department stores, high fashion designers, and just about everything else. It was really cool to see it at night all lit up.

An alley in Tokyo, Japan

We thought this was kind of unique. All the shops and stores were built underneath the train tracks. The train literally goes right over these shops.

Bikes parked by a train station.

City as far as the eye can see.

This was taken from our hotel. We really weren’t that close to the city center of Tokyo- but this is what you found everywhere you went.

Never ending vending machines.

It always cracked us up that you would be in the middle of nowhere and could find a vending machine. Seriously- these were hidden in random alleys, at every train station, outside stores, wherever. You couldn’t walk 500 feet without finding one. After spending a day there I could see why. It was so hot and humid we probably spent 3,000 yen at these things alone!

Akihabara

Akihabara Electric Town, is a place in Tokyo where you can find pretty much any electronic your little heart desires. It’s an interesting place to go and look around. You can find electronics that are not sold anywhere in the States. Suffice it to say we had to drag Reid out of there. He could have spent days drooling in every store.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura

This is the second tallest bronze Buddha statue in all of Japan. It was made in 1252 and originally sat in a temple. But the temple was destroyed in the 14th and 15th centuries from typhoons and tidal waves and now it sits out in the open air for all to enjoy.

Tokyo was amazing. I’m really sad we didn’t have more days to explore. I never was able to make it to Harajuku the fashion district, or the Tokyo Imperial Palace. I chose this location because I thought it was a place that I could go once and be satisfied. But I’m really not so sure that is the case…

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