SAKURA

It is Sakura season here in Japan (less of a season actually, more like a short two week window) and the flowers are IN FULL BLOOM. I have been on the verge of tears many times because they are just SO BEAUTIFUL. 

I am convinced Sakura trees are God's gift to Japan. 

When my Dad was here we went to Shinjuku-Gyoen National Park to check out the early blooming trees (he was lucky to catch some at the end of March) and these pics are from that day. I returned to Shinjuku-gyoen this past weekend and got a few more shots on my phone...but these pics were all from my camera when I was there with my dad.

THIS TREE. OH MY WORD. 

crying...

GAHHH! HOW IS THIS REAL? GOD YOU'RE TOO GOOD.

Needless to say, I am now fully on the sakura-printed-everything band wagon and am not ashamed one bit. 

SPRING IS UPON US.
JAPAN IS BEAUTIFUL.
GOD IS GOOD.
AMEN.

DAD IN JAPAN! - THE COOLEST MUSEUM

In the afternoon on day 2 we headed to the HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM. When I first heard the name I had not idea what that meant, (air? flying? science? what?) but once I googled photos I absolutely knew I had to go. Photographers paradise...you will soon see why. 

It cost about $15 to enter, and they had lockers outside to keep our bags in so we could walk around freely and relax. *thank you Japan*

I soon learned that "open air" meant...outside. duh! The museum is a big park of amazing statues and art installations...basically a park for adults lol.

LOL how amazing is this egg installation! I've always wanted an egg bed. 

This statue was rad...it was called "the hand of God" 

There was also some Sakura in bloom!

Typical Japan...that umbrella area down there is a place where you can soak your feet in hot water.

I wasn't sure what that tall circular building was on the left..but dad wanted to see inside so we entered and immediately I was BLOWN AWAY....WHAT THE...

A giant building of stained glass!!! It reminded me a lot of the coolest building I have ever  been to, Sagrada Familia, in Barcelona Spain...and I was really just blown away by how magical it looked inside.

You could walk up the giant spiral staircase in the middle of the building to the rooftop. Pretty rad...but not for the faint of heart. 

The Open Air Museum also had a fabulous Picasso gallery that showed some of his more creative works (clay, mirrors, glass work etc).

Another rad installation was this insane play structure! I was so tempted to go in but it was for kids 12 and under (darn) but what a dream this is for the little ones! 

Japan is too cool. 

Me on Mondays. lol

This was a play area for kids (and parents to relax!) 

The Open Air Museum is definitely a place I recommend...honestly one of the coolest museums I have ever been to! 

We eventually headed back to the main train station to catch the Shinkansen (Bullet train) back to Tokyo. 

Awesome granola snack at the train station...and in less than 45 minutes we were back at Tokyo station and had to go to ramen street to eat the ever popular ROKURINSHA! 

This place has been hyped up on every Tokyo food blog and for that reason always has a loooooong line. When we arrived (3pm on a Tuesday) the line was surprisingly short and we ended up waiting only about 30 minutes.

"roku" in Japanese means "six" and "rinsha" is the word used for wheels...for example,"ichi-rinsha" means "unicycle" ...so rokurinsha's logo is a hexagon - get it!?

They're known for their Tsukemen...thick noodles served separately that you dip into thick broth...and I knew I definitely had to order a soft boiled egg.

WHOAAA. HELLO BEAUTIFUL

IT. WAS. GOOD. Lived up to they hype forsure. 

Such a good day! 

DAD IN JAPAN! - THE BEST BREAKFAST

We woke up on our second day in Hakone hoping the skies would open up and reveal a snow-peaked-Mt. Fuji ...but unfortunately the clouds were still coming in strong. I was a little bummed, but I figured that was a sign from God that i'd have to come back to Fuji again to see her in all her snow-peaked beauty! Dad and I didn't let the cloudiness get us down...and we headed out early for a nice walk around our hotel and THE BEST BREAKFAST.

Our hotel was really nice with gardens in the back and, like most great Japanese hotels, a sento (public bath) that you could go to at anytime during the day. It was really nice to experience that part of Japanese culture again!

Dad and I decided to go to this place right on the lake for breakfast called Bakery and Table. I had seen picture of it online and knew that the view would be amazing. It did not disappoint! 

We got there early (before the crowds) and ate the breakfast buffet. YUMMMMM! Check out that view though. 

Perfect morning with my dad. So thankful for this time with him.

After breakfast we went on one more boat ride to another gondola...this time on a pirate ship!

If you know my dad...you know that he ALWAYS travels with mentos. haha. It is like a necessity for him to have them on trips so growing up I always remember him carrying them in his pockets. This trip I knew he would have them on him so one day I said out of nowhere "dad can I have a mentos" and sure enough...he pulled this out of his pocket haha. 

More from day two next...

DAD IN JAPAN! - WHERE ARE YOU FUJI??

After my dad's first weekend in Japan, we headed to Hakone early Monday morning to go see Mt.Fuji! He had booked a trip with a tour company so all we had to do was meet the crew at Hammamatsucho station in Tokyo and take a bus towards Fujisan. 

From Tokyo, it takes about 1.5hrs to drive to Fuji...and we made one stop on the way at an awesome Japanese pitstop. I had a major flashback to my first time in Japan when my dad, stac, and I roadtripped with the Banksons from Nagoya to Tokyo Disneyland (5hours) and stopped many times to buy snacks and go to the nice bathrooms! (seriously, they have nice showers too) 

My fav snack toppo and dad's caramel peanuts...fun bus ride with my old man!

So we made it to Fuji...BUT...THERE WAS TOO MUCH SNOW AT THE TOP SO WE COULDN'T EVEN GO PAST THE FIRST LEVEL :( wahhhh!

There were SO MANY tour buses there and all of us had to turn around and give up our dream of seeing the view from the 5th level of Fuji.

So we turned around and drove to the lunch spot to eat a good traditional Japanese lunch. Then we drove to lake Ashinoko to take a boat ride. 

It was a beautiful day on the lake...pretty cold and crisp. It was definitely refreshing to be out of the city and in nature!

The 15 minute boat ride took us to the other side of the lake to go up on a gondola. 

On a clear day you would be able to see Fuji from here...and even though it was really cloudy at the top it was still a beautiful view.

This hot cocoa is so good. Nothing better than a hot can of cocoa in your hands on a cold day.

The tour bus we came on was heading back to Tokyo (crazy one day trip) but luckily for us we planned to stay at a hotel and take the shinkansen (bullet train) back to Tokyo the following day...that way we had more time in Hakone.

After doing some research...I found a good dinner spot to try called Kimura, which is known for their katsu! We took a cab 10 minutes and arrived and the little restaurant that already had a line forming outside. 

Beautiful tamago! and DRUMROLL...

TOFU KATSUDON! I know...strange to eat tofu like this but honestly it was so good. It was unique and so flavorful and really just darn good. 

Dad got the regular tonkatsu set and all of it was amazing. Great first day in Hakone! 

DAD IN JAPAN! - Day one

Prior to moving to Japan, I had traveled to the motherland twice - both times with my dad.
The last time we were here together was 10+ years ago with my Yonsei basketball team...so being back here with him is a dream come true. He flew in on a Friday night and I was so thankful to see him after 7 months! 

Besides missing my mother's cooking...the main thing I miss from home are POPTARTS. how random right?? When I am in the states I don't even eat poptarts much, but for some reason whenever I am in another country (same thing happened in Uganda) I craved poptarts. lol. so dad did not disappoint with the goodies!! Poptarts PLUS my favorite snacks from Trader joes...homemade cookies from Carol Allen...and crafts from the kiddos!

The first thing I wanted to show my dad was one of my favorite places in all of Japan...Lake Teganuma aka my front yard! It is literally a 2 minute walk from my front door and we went on a nice walk his first morning here and ate at my favorite bakery. (That is a strawberry cream filled bagel!) 

After breakfast his first day, we headed into Tokyo to check out the Skytree. I wanted to take him up to the viewing deck, but it was way too cloudy when we got there so we opted for shopping around the mall below.

We ate a cream filled pastry (usually filled with red-bean but we were in tourist territory so they create things foreigners will like, aka cream filled instead of redbean!) 

We went to Sumita aquarium and then by the time we walked out....the sky was clear and we got a good shot with the skytree...

Thank you self-timer. 

We meandered around Tokyo a bit and went to Zojoji temple which offers an awesome view of the Tokyo tower. 

After roaming Tokyo...we met up with my Dad's old friend Yo and his family. The last time I saw them was 10+ years ago when we (my dad, stac, and I) visited them at their apartment in Tokyo and their son was only a few years old. I remember them being so so nice and friendly...and not much has changed - except the kids are so big now! Yo is incredibly generous and took us to the most AMAZING restaurant in Tokyo called Salvatore. It was on the 42nd floor of the fanciest building and offered us a CRAZY CRAZY view of Tokyo Tower, Odaiba, Rainbow bridge...etc. WOW. 

The food was amazing. The company was even better. 

How fun to spend time with such a great family!

My dad and I waved goodbye to Yo and his family...and headed back to Kashiwa with full stomachs and full spirits knowing that God had blessed us with an incredible first day together. 

This is such a special trip with my dad and I am forever grateful for him! 

more...much more...to come...