Criss-crossing town

Despite a typhoon hitting Tokyo overnight, we awoke to brilliant sunshine and a blue sky. Stunning! Up and out of the hotel on our way to the flagship Prada store Alex has been wanting to visit since I described it to her years ago. It’s in an area we hadn’t previously passed and everyone enjoyed walking from there to Harajuku - indulging the girls’ request to revisit Takeshita Street.

Along we way we admired the modern architecture and more traditional street art juxtaposed with the beautifully presented window displays and the quirkiness of the cultural themes. We’ve loved it all - even the overpackaging which sits uncomfortably with us (a pastry wrapped in paper, then placed in a paper bag and then a plastic one).

After a surprisingly good shawarma eaten in an authentically modern Japanese food court on the second floor of a Harajuku building, we headed back to guitat street and bought Mitch the instrument of his dreams - a stealth black JP Music Man electric guitar. He bargained well - Ben would be proud and was as thrilled as it’s possible to be.

By the time the deal was done it was late afternoon and we made our way back to the hotel to deliver the guitar and have a short break.

Then back into the fray for a walk around Shinjuku and dinner. First stop - because I could t help it - was a visit to the Dean & Deluca Ben and I had visited each morning for an amazing cinnamon scroll and coffee. The kids were sensitive to me feeling sad - and partly I was, with so many wonderful memories of that trip flooding back. But being here again with them has reclaimed Tokyo as happy- and in a strange way I feel like I can keep those memories alive by going back to places we visited and sharing them with our children. I had completely forgotten the freshly made waffle stand next door and so we all had a deliciously warm pre-dinner waffle to tide us over. I know that if I lived here I would be morbidly obese.

I wanted to explore an area I’d read about beside the train station- a small row of streets colloquially named ‘Piss Alley’ where tiny holes-in-the-wall fit about a dozen patrons and serve yakitori. It was wonderful! Atmospheric and authentically Japanese. We walked along looking at badly translated menus and disgusting looking offerings and overcrowded eateries until we found one we liked. The chef managing the grill at the front motioned us to a ‘secret’ passageway through the kitchen, which led us out at the back of the tiny space and to a very tight table for 4. We ordered grilled chicken sticks and mushrooms and spring onions and asparagus wrapped in bacon (so delicious!) and enjoyed the whole experience together trying not to think about the fact that it’s our last night in this wonderful city.

Last train back... last walk through a quiet Asakusa. Last night in our cosy room.
But Charley’s through-the-roof excitement about going to Disneyland tomorrow is contagious and doesn’t allow for any moping around.Läs mer