Son of a Sailor

Our last full day in Japan before we took off for a long flight home- one last major historical site, one last temple, one last mall. Another busy day.

This day started quickly, as we knew it was our last full day in Japan…and there was still a lot to do and see. So onto the bus and off we went. On the way, the bus drove through the very famous district in Tokyo that receives, grades and distributes the very high-end fresh whole tuna that is then turned into famous Japanese Sushi. Here’s a quick slide show taken from our bus showing a bit of that district:

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Hama-rikyu Gardens

After slowly pulling through the busy district known for fresh and famous tuna meat, we slowly found our way to the Hama-rikyu Gardens. Visiting the place is awesome, but I only got a true sense of it after reading the history of the area fully to understand that what we saw in person wasn’t all that was there. Damage from the Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and the Tokyo firebombings in 1945 took a toll on this area, wiping out numerous wood structures.

The “Hama Palace” was actually a family garden, rest spot and hunting ground for numerous Shogun, established by the Tokugawa Shogun to serve as an outer fort for Edo (Tokyo) Palace since it bordered Tokyo Bay at the time. Up to the time of the Meiji Restoration, the area served falconry hunting, tea houses for the Shoguna and as a garden for the royal family. After the various damages to the area via the Kanto Earthquake and American bombing, the gardens were donated to the city of Tokyo in 1945, restored in 1946 and the existing Ochaya (rest area/tea house) was reconstructed from exiting photos and historical documents in 1983. If you have time, I think it’s worth it to slow down and see the area, as well as try the matcha tea at the reconstructed Nakajima-no-ochaya. Here’s my pics:

**Fortified entrance and exit to the Gardens, juxtaposed against modern Tokyo. I love this pic!**

**Original saltwater canal, used for tide and surge mitigation.**

**Nakajima-no-ochaya on the right. The teahouse was built in 1707 and reconstructed/renovated in 1983.**

**Taken from the bridge to get to the teahouse.**

**Matcha and Japanese sugar confections.**

**Same view a Shogun would have, except for modern Tokyo in the background.**

Senso-ji

Before entering the maze of shops and gates that make up the Senso-Ji complex, we were treated to great views of the Tokyo Skytree Tower. At a whopping 2,080 feet, this is the tallest tower in the world and the third tallest structure in the world. It’s pretty crazy, as you can see it from all over Tokyo.

Then we made our way into the busy and bustling Senso-ji Buddhist temple complex. The temple complex was originally built in 645 AD and has been rebuilt several times due to fire. Most of the original temple complex was destroyed in March of 1945 due to the firebombing of Tokyo, but was rebuilt in 1950. Also on the grounds is the Asakusa Shrine dedicated to the Shinto Faith.

The complex is divided into a series of famous gates before you get to the main shrine, with 89 shops along the street between gates heading into the shrine. With this temple being the oldest and most established Buddhist temple in the Tokyo area and one of the oldest in Japan…it’s very, very crowded and busy. When I say crowds, I don’t just mean Japanese… I mean tour groups like ours and all sorts of visitors from other cultures and countries. I think the walk between the famous gates was so crowded, I really didn’t get many good pics. But you’ve gotta see this, cause it is pretty rad. Here we go:

**The first gate, the famous Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate). This gate was rebuilt in 1960 after being destroyed by fire. The previous gate was built in 1865 and survived the firebombing of Tokyo.**

**The 13ft high giant red lantern that hangs in the middle of the gate. It’s real and is lit for ceremony and holidays. Behind it you can see the beginning of the shops.**

**One of the Nio on the gate’s south face.**

The Hozomon (Treasure House Gate). After one of the wooden iterations of this gate burned in the Tokyo firebombing of 1945, the gate was rebuilt in 1964. The new gate was built with steel reinforced concrete. Since the new gate was more secure, the second floor of the gate is considered the Treasure House, containing monastery artifacts and sacred relics.

**5-level pagoda, which is a reconstruction built in 1973 to showcase the oringal built in 1648, that burned down. This is currently the 2nd highest pagoda in Japan.**

Tokyo Cruise

After Senso-ji, we walked into the unknown, following our intrepid guide through the city. At least in my case, I wasn’t sure where we were going but we soon found out as we pulled up to Tokyo Cruise. We were going on a boat cruise down the Sumida River back to the reclaimed island we had been to before, with great views and a soft ride. But first, we got a great view of the “Golden Flame” sculpture on top of one of the Asahi Brewing Company buildings.

**Golden Flame on top of one of the Asahi Brewing Company buildings. Is it just me, or does it kinda look like a golden sperm?**

**Docked, looking back at part of the Tokyo skyline.**

Another Mall & Karaoke

**After the cruise, we hit another mall. Another hour to do last minute shopping.**

**Last but not least, was dinner and karaoke in the evening, our last hurrah before jumping on a plane the next morning.**

Things to know…..if I could do this day again:

– Hama-rikyu Gardens– Yes, for sure I would do this one again, and spend more time just walking around. I missed the 300 year old tree. I also loved slowing down and sipping tea with my family, but I thought it was a tea room, which it wasn’t.

– Senso-ji– Yes, I would go back, especially if I was warned about the crowds and the shops. I would specifically want to try to see the 5 level pagoda and the second floor treasures at the Hozemon if they let tourists tour those sites.

– Tokyo Cruise– I think this would be worth it if you have not had a chance to see much of Tokyo and want to get a sense of the city from a different perspective.

– Karaoke– The kids had so much fun spending two hours basically screaming/singing…so yeah, I’d go here again just so they could have a blast!

Got questions about travel to Japan with family? Let us know, we’d love to answer what we can.

Previous Posts in this series about traveling in Japan with kids:

Travel With Family- A Summer Trip To Japan- 1

Travel With Family- Osaka, Japan- Day 1

Travel With Kids: Osaka, Japan- Day 2

Travel With Kids: Nara, Japan-Day 3

Travel With Kids: Kyoto, Japan-Day 4

Travel With Kids: Tokyo, Japan- Day 5

Travel With Kids: Tokyo, Japan- Day 6

Back to Japan…in a most unexpected way- By The HelmsMistress