I just came back from an amazing trip to Japan, still recovering from jetlag.

It is spring in Japan already, and we had a couple of warm days in Tokyo.  We were lucky to be able to see the sakura blossom in Shinjuku Gyoen. 新宿御苑。It was the first time my kids saw sakura blossom and they were really excited.

We went to Sunshine City the day after we arrived in Tokyo.  We had fun at the aquarium.  The marine species are a little bit different from the ones we have in Toronto. 

The next day, we went to Sensoji in Asakusa 浅草.  There were so many tourists.

I was having a bit of jetlag during the first three days.  By the fourth day, I felt normal again, and was able to enjoy more.  We went shopping this afternoon, after having lunch at a beef restaurant in Takashimaya in Shinjuku.  The beef was so good.  We went to Sanrio after lunch.  There are no Sanrio shops in Toronto, so my kids were stocking up on cute stationary and key chains.  This is the second time they went to Japan, so they kind of know what to expect. 

On the fifth day, I went to a bookstore to look at manga.  I am not really a big fan of manga,
but I want to see the different kinds of manga books they have.

On the sixth day, we went to Yokohama.  Our first stop was Cup Ramen Museum.  It was a fun experience, and it was worth the trip getting there.  After going to the museum,
we went to the amusement park.  We went on the ferris wheel.  Even though I am afgraid of heights, I decided to try.  It is the tallest and biggest ferris wheel I have been to.

The next day, we went to Oedo Onsen Montogatari 大江戸温泉物語.  It was a good experience overall, but I think the South Asian theme in the food court doesn't really go with the Edo theme of the place.

We spent the next three days in Hakone.  Our hotel was in Yumoto.  We took the train to Owakudani.  It was so windy and cold up there.  It was my second time going to Owakudani,
but the breathtaking view still impressed me.

We went to Odawara Castle 小田原城 the next day, and took a rickshaw ride in Yumoto.

After going back to Tokyo from Hakone, we did some shopping, buying souvenirs for friends.

The next day, we went on a river cruise in Nihonbashi.  The train stopped for about 5 minutes before reaching our station.  We were almost late for the cruise!  After we got off the train station, we ran all the way to the pier.  It would be too bad if we missed the cruise.  During the 85 min cruise, we saw many bridges and the tour guide
explained the history of the bridges.
 
Tourists can see the contrast between historical Edo and modern Tokyo.  This contrast contributes to the uniqueness of this beautiful city.

On the morning of our last day in Tokyo, we went to Shinjuku Gyoen　新宿御苑 to see the sakura blossom. 

It is overall a wonderful and memorable trip!