Journal no. 3

we bought the Keisei 特急 ticket to Nippori (1000 yen) as it was the cheapest option and we were in time for the next train.
long flight (8+hours) + long train journey (81 minutes) = tired and hungry.
we had lunch at Nippori.

we saw a restaurant that advertised some sashimi lunch specials for about 650 yen.

the above is one of the tuna sashimi - not particularly delicious, but uniquely Japanese decor of the interior, the nice wait staff who kept our luggage in a holding area and were patient with us gaijin, as well as the apparent free flow of rice and miso soup, gave us a good impression.

after getting some delicious warm sticky rice in our bellies, we walked around the shopping area next to the JR station, dragging our luggage bags along.

there was the Fujiya shop, selling chocolate and cakes.

oh yes, 2 days before our trip, there was a crazy snow storm in Tokyo.
luckily, the weather was clear and sunny when we arrived, the only evidence of the snow storm being the huge piles of snow on the sidewalks.

we proceeded to take the JR to Ikebukuro.



reaching Ikebukuro is one thing, but getting to our accommodation (Kimi Ryokan) is another. i had made maps, but my mom picked up a brochure for the ryokan at the station. it was a life-saver - we made it to the ryokan before sun-set.
i quite recommend this place. a ryokan in normal low rise building! it seems very modern and Japanese, from the moment one steps in, with the traditional looking layout and decor, as well as the lovely heavy wooden floor. comfortable, budget-friendly, clean, adequate amenities... the surroundings are quiet, with restaurants and combinis nearby. our triple futon room was quite cozy, and the common toilet, shower and vanity areas were on every floor.

then we were off to Roppongi to meet my university friend, now working and living the life in Tokyo.

so we headed for Tokyo Midtown. it was cool. there was some eco-theme going on, hence the bamboo shoots in the open gallery space (with huge paper kite extending to the top floors), where fancy shops like Dean & Deluca, Maison Keyser and patisserie Sadaharu Aoki were located.

we ended up having to each order a drink at Sadaharu Aoki because i wanted to try this cake called Valencia.
the orange things are candied baby valencia oranges in sugar, and that the cake has orange mousse, chocolate sponge, chocolate mousse, Dacquoise sponge and praliné croustillant, which is my favorite layer because of the crunch.


we had hot chocolate (limited winter item, 700+ yen), pear and strawberry tea. the green matcha pralines were for us to try. the teas came in cast-iron pots and an hourglass. the hot chocolate was thick, rich and quite heavenly.

we got lost trying to find our way to the dinner spot, but found a magical wonderland - it was a small park with trees decked out in fairy lights (Midtown Garden).

 we managed to find Tsurutontan in the end!

just look at the size of those bowls!

anyway, we weren't very hungry, so we shared his recommendation of the curry and carbonara udon, plus sake for him and honey umeshu for me.
the carbonara one was REALLY delicious. i had 3 helpings of the soup.

after which, he brought us to Akasaka Sacas via taxi.
a cool place around the back of the Akasaka ACT Theatre, where there was a small hill and lots of snow on the footpaths.

that's the TBS pig.

after the exploration, we bade farewell at the station and made our way back to the ryokan to rest for the night.