Hey, It's Joseph! Kyoto October 8, 2014 I was excited to see an old friend. He's practically a brother to me. I remember our college days when he and his buddies would come over to the house and just hang out with my sisters and me. Ah, those were the days. And we both have so fond memories of those fun times. Through Facebook, we found out that we were both in Japan. I was visiting the country with Alan as part of my birthday celebration. Joseph happened to be there vacatio

Tenmatsu Restaurant Nihonbashi Oct. 7, 2014 "I'd really like some tempura for dinner tonight," Alan requested before rolling over to his side to nap. We were tired from walking and sight-seeing all day so we went back to the hotel to get some rest. While he dozed off, I found a raving review about Tenmatsu, a great tempura restaurant nearby. The directions were also helpful. We took the subway to Nihonbashi and found it without a hitch. There were no individual tables in the

East Gardens of the Imperial Palace (Higashi Gyoen) October 7, 2014 One of the most beautiful sights to see in the East Gardens of the Tokyo Imperial Palace is the three-story Fujimi Yagura Keep. Also known as the Eight-Sided Keep, it was built to appear the same from any angle -- graceful and pretty. We passed it as we headed for the Otemon gate. Several tourists like us stopped to take photos of the lovely Keep while some fitness buffs jogged past us. Everything is beautifu

Tokyo Imperial Palace Plaza October 7, 2014 If you've ever been to the Tokyo Imperial Palace, you know that the inner grounds are not open to the public (except for two days of the year). There are available guided tours of the palace grounds but you can't enter any of the buildings and you need to get a permit first. Although we didn't join such a tour, we were able to walk around the surrounding park and East Gardens. It was worth the quick visit. This beautiful stone brid

The Peninsula Tokyo October 7, 2014 My Pen friends know this:  "Once a Peninsula fan, always a Peninsula fan." Having worked for the distinguished hotel chain once upon a time, I understand the true meaning of luxury and the legendary Peninsula service. My Tokyo visit wouldn't have been complete if I didn't get to see this illustrious hotel property. Sitting in a prime area, The Peninsula Tokyo is located in the prestigious business district, #Marunouchi, and only a stone's t

Kabukiza Theatre October 7, 2014 Our next stop was Ginza. We originally wanted to catch a kabuki play at the Shimbashi Enbujo Theatre. By the time we made it to the ticket desk, the performance was already underway. The lady behind the counter was kind enough to point us to Kabukiza, the largest kabuki theater in Japan. It is only here that one can catch a presentation every month throughout the year. You can also choose to just see a single act play, or the Hitomaku-mi, whic

Tsukiji Hongwanji Buddhist Temple October 7, 2014 On our way back to the Tsukiji subway station, we were drawn to the Tsukiji Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. I looked at the edifice and I felt like I've seen it in a dream before. We just had to check it out. The building's noteworthy architecture showed hints of Hindu Buddhist design. In contrast to the nearby bustling Tsukiji Market, this place was very solemn. At the entrance, a friendly monk gave wide grins as he welcomed guest

Tsukiji Market October 7, 2014 The popular Tsukiji Market was on our agenda for the day but I didn't want to wake up before 5:00 a.m. to watch the tuna auction. Even though we missed the early morning attraction, the market was still buzzing and had so much in store for first-time visitors like us. This wholesale market sells many fresh (and interesting) fish and seafood. I didn't even recognize some of them. They also feature fresh fruit and vegetable produce. I found aspara

Akihabara October 6, 2014 There was so much more I wanted to do on our first day in Tokyo. After walking around Ueno Park, we went all the way to Tokyo Skytree only to find out that it was closed due to strong winds. That was a bummer.  Next we went to Akihabara but only had time to wander inside Yodobashi, a giant discount electronic store. I was frustrated that I couldn't find the maid cafes and anime exhibitions that makes this area so popular. I kept looking up to see if

Ueno Park October 6, 2014 And just like that, the rain stopped. Looking around, you wouldn't think that it had been raining all morning. We didn't skip a beat and headed for our first sightseeing destination: Ueno Park. At the train station, we asked the security officer how to buy tickets for our first subway ride. It was easy to get the hang of it once we learned how to use the ticket machines. Without trouble, we found our way to the famous park. You couldn't tell that it

St. Marc's Cafe Kyobashi October 6, 2014 Before we could venture out into the city, Alan and I needed to exchange dollars for Japanese yen. Luckily, there was a bank just around the corner from our hotel. Typhoon Phanfone was still bearing down in Tokyo so we each bought US$5 foldable umbrellas from our hotel front desk and braved the rain. There were only a few other folks, with their own clear umbrellas, walking in the streets. They seemed to be on their way to work. It was

Arrival in Narita Airport Sunday Oct. 5, 2014 Our flight arrived at 7:15 pm and typhoon Phanfone was still lingering in the city. Walking down the path towards customs and baggage claim, we found this great Welcome mural where we stopped for our first photos. A helpful tip from JTB USA prompted me to take advantage of N'EX Tokyo Direct. Since we were tourists, we were eligible for the promotional half price fare. The Japan Railway's Narita Express train is a very convenient w