The trip was to visit the family of Yuko, H-M's friend from Mount Holyoke College days. Yuko's Christmas card had said, "I hope to see you in 2012," which caused your scribe to check flight prices. Lo and behold, very reasonable prices were on offer, maybe because of the problems Japan had faced in 2011, with a massive earthquake, the ensuing tsunami, and the associated difficulties at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
We decided to strike while the iron was hot.
While the flight tickets were relatively good value, your correspondent was not quite prepared for Japanese prices, but, except for James Bond, you only live once.
The start of our trip - the boys and our luggage at the railway stataion.
Our flight was on an Airbus A340 (OH-LQE) and was largely uneventful, although Finnair get minus points for not being able to arrange a guaranteed nut-free meal for Henry. I don't know what it will take for airlines to understand that a nut allergy is potentially fatal and they should take the issue seriously.
A rather tired Thomas on the airport bus from Narita to downtown Tokyo.
Yuko met us at the Metropolitan Hotel in Ikebukuro and helped us make our way to our guest house, Family Inn Saiko.
A few words about the Family Inn Saiko. H-M found out about this guest house, and it was an inspired choice. The price is reasonable, the cleanliness is excellent, and the staff are helpful and speak English, which makes things easier for first-time visitors to Japan. The location is in a suburban area, a 5-minute metro ride from Ikebukuro station followed by a 10-minute walk from Shiinamachi station. For people arriving with luggage, the hotel provided a voucher for a reduced price taxi fare, and the hotel website included printable instructions to give to the taxi driver describing how to get there. Travellers should take this with them as otherwise the taxi drivers get completely lost. (If this happens, call the hotel reception on your mobile phone and let them explain to the taxi driver.)
If you have mobility problems, if you want to enjoy the late-night Tokyo nightlife, or if you want the services of a luxury resort, then this hotel is perhaps not for you. But for those visiting Tokyo who are looking for a clean, reasonably-priced place to sleep, we thoroughly recommend Family Inn Saiko.
And what is one of the first things we see in Japan? Moomins from Finland!
Thomas in the hotel room. Note that the bed is a mattress on a tatami mat and the windows are covered with rice-paper blinds rather than curtains, a much less dusty alternative.
Suburban Tokyo - a street in Toshima municipality.
June/July is the rainy season in Japan, so the view was rather like looking from a cloud.
View from the observatory floor, with the lower part of Tokyo Tower in the background.
H-M and Thomas enjoying the view.
Yuko studying the guide.
Hato bus from the top floor of the WTC - its bright yellow colour standing out in the grey cityscape.
The next stop was the Imperial Palace, which except for a small garden area is closed to the public.
Sight-seeing in the rain.
The East Gate to the Imperial Palace.
A drop of colour in the grey
In true bus tour fashion, after our 20 minutes of freedom, it was back on the bus and off to the next point-of-call, the Buddhist temple at Asakusa.
Part of the Sensoji.
View towards the Thunder Gate.
Raising the lanterns
View of the headquarters of Asahi Breweries Ltd. with the famous Flamme d'Or on the roof.
The tour ended with a cruise down the Sumida river. Then, what for Thomas was the highlight of the day - a visit to the Pokémon Center.
Thomas, mighty proud to be standing next to a shelf full of Pikachus.
A fine end to the day.
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