We had enjoyed staying near Ueno. It was close to a park and metro, and we were familiar with the area. However, holiday season was hotting up. More people were arriving. It was the first time since the pandemic that Japan was fully open in the uninhibited way it had been before. Cherry blossom season has always been popular and this time there were even more tourists.
This meant we couldn’t stay in our previous hotel and found another one in Chuo City about the same distance from the centre as the previous one. This one had the advantage of providing a breakfast. There was nothing vegan, but I spoke to the staff, and they knocked me up this fruity granola with a salad.
The following day, they experimented and gave me a noodle dish, which, as nice as it was, didn’t compare with the granola. Perhaps sensing this, they asked me when I finished which I preferred. Normal service was resumed the next morning.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is a good place to head for a panoramic view of Tokyo. The observation decks are free to visit and when we went there wasn’t much of a queue despite one of the two towers being closed to the public.
In one of the photos, you can see Mount Fuji. It’s faint but definitely there!
We thought we’d seen all the cherry blossom trees in Tokyo. We were mistaken! The neighbourhood of Nakameguro has its trendy coffee shops and cafes. But perhaps the biggest draw is the Meguro River with a cherry blossom promenade.
After being dazzled by the promenade but overwhelmed by the crowds and heat, we wanted to see a bit of old Tokyo. For that we headed east, to Yanaka Ginza, a traditional shopping district since the 1950s.
Finally, I went to Akihabara, the geek quarter, for a final browse.
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