A Winter's Tale: The Matysiks Visit Japan, Part 7--The Last Day
Our last day with the Matysiks was spent all over the Tokyo area. We visited Kamakura, saw the Pacific Ocean, wandered around various shrines, ate lunch in Chinatown in Yokohama, and then walked around Tokyo some more before heading out to dinner and topping it all off at the Golden Gai area. Here are some pictures capturing what our last day together was like.
Me and Matt standing on the beach. We are on the other side of the world, looking across the vast sea at everyone we love!
As we headed back towards the train station, we wandered down a side street and stumbled upon a small shrine. We walked around the beautiful grounds, complete with statues (clothed for the cold winter nights) and bamboo forests.
Me and Matt standing on the beach. We are on the other side of the world, looking across the vast sea at everyone we love!
In Kamakura, there is one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan--called the Daibutsu. It used to be encased in a shrine but, during a horrible storm and tidal wave, the shrine around the Daibutsu was washed away. And the Buddha has, since then, been exposed to the elements and has been poking its head out above the trees planted in the shrine's gardens.
As we headed back towards the train station, we wandered down a side street and stumbled upon a small shrine. We walked around the beautiful grounds, complete with statues (clothed for the cold winter nights) and bamboo forests.
Kamakura and the Pacific Ocean--what a gorgeous morning!
For lunch, we decided to head to Yokohama, where Japan's largest Chinatown is located. We walked around the neighborhood, got a delicious Chinese lunch, and pondered the racist depictions all around us.
After returning to Tokyo, we were exhausted, so we spent a little time at our hotel in Shinjuku. But, before long, the neon lights clicked on and we were out again, roaming the city's streets.
We ventured over to Harajuku, where we ate dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Tokyo, Fujimama's. We had a wonderful (more Western) meal and enjoyed our last dinnertime conversation.
But, before Greg, Michelle and Allison left Japan, we needed to get them a crepe from one of the crepe shops lining the Harajuku streets. So, after a delicious snack, we headed back to the Golden Gai area, where we found another little bar to sit in and, after a few drinks and some conversation with the bartender, ventured back to our hotel and the Matysiks spent their last night in Tokyo.
And so concludes our winter's tale with the Matysiks. They left for American on January 5th, catching glimpses of Japan before they climbed into the skies and back across the Pacific Ocean to home. Matt and I cried at Narita airport after they left, knowing that it would be a while until we'd see them again. But, once the tears dried and we got some lunch, we were ready to begin our next adventure: hosting our friend, Sean, for 9 days. But that is another story for another time.
For lunch, we decided to head to Yokohama, where Japan's largest Chinatown is located. We walked around the neighborhood, got a delicious Chinese lunch, and pondered the racist depictions all around us.
After returning to Tokyo, we were exhausted, so we spent a little time at our hotel in Shinjuku. But, before long, the neon lights clicked on and we were out again, roaming the city's streets.
We ventured over to Harajuku, where we ate dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Tokyo, Fujimama's. We had a wonderful (more Western) meal and enjoyed our last dinnertime conversation.
But, before Greg, Michelle and Allison left Japan, we needed to get them a crepe from one of the crepe shops lining the Harajuku streets. So, after a delicious snack, we headed back to the Golden Gai area, where we found another little bar to sit in and, after a few drinks and some conversation with the bartender, ventured back to our hotel and the Matysiks spent their last night in Tokyo.
And so concludes our winter's tale with the Matysiks. They left for American on January 5th, catching glimpses of Japan before they climbed into the skies and back across the Pacific Ocean to home. Matt and I cried at Narita airport after they left, knowing that it would be a while until we'd see them again. But, once the tears dried and we got some lunch, we were ready to begin our next adventure: hosting our friend, Sean, for 9 days. But that is another story for another time.
posted by Julie and Matt at 7:19 PM
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